71 Best Hotels in Dominican Republic

This sprawling resort, always thought of as a moderately priced playground for families, golfers, and convention attendees, has improved its offering while keeping prices affordably low. Regular junior suites have tile floors and are fairly basic, though there's a separate tub and shower (though a single sink in the bathroom). The real stunner is the "Privileged" club level, with astounding, contemporary furnishings that one would expect in a much more luxurious resort; the rooms are definitely worth an upgrade. An impressive, refurbished lobby and lobby bar have contemporary Caribbean decor; a shopping area has a great coffee shop; and there's a kids' club and Teens Club that offers video and table games and computers and Wi-Fi. The Catalonia is known for its wide range of day and nighttime activities.

If your room has issues, ask to change; don't wait.

A contemporary landmark on the seafront, the former Hilton Santo Domingo property manages to please business people, convention attendees, and leisure travelers (the pool has sea views). Rooms on the six executive floors have multiple phones; corner rooms have large work spaces with imposing desks and ergonomic leather chairs. Suites are geared for longer stays and have kitchenettes. Creature comforts are satisfied with the plush duvets, rain showers, and surround sound in the bathrooms, large flat-screen TVs, and great sea views. Service is laudable, and rates can be surprisingly moderate, particularly on weekends.

It's worth an upgrade to the executive rooms.

This family-owned eco-aparthotel offers fully equipped bungalows made of stone and wood and decorated in colors that evoke tropical fruits, flowers, and the sun without being overwhelming. All options include Jacuzzi-style pools with mini waterfalls, but the villas have pools that are more private (since they're not as close together as the ones in the bungalows). Breakfast can be included for a fee, but other amenities like Wi-Fi are free. Owner-manager Sarah and her husband can help organize activities and provide restaurant recommendations. Though this property is within walking distance to La Playita and Las Galeras, guests will feel like they're tucked away in the middle of a small jungle. From here you can walk to the center to find small supermarkets, pharmacies, and restaurants offering everything from traditional food to pizza.

Renovation in 2022 has taken what was once an aging hotel and turned it into a familiar, affordable, and more contemporary space. This American chain hotel near the U.S. Consulate is friendly, commodious, and reliable. Dominicans take advantage of the special weekend and holiday packages, and if you do, opt for one that includes the bountiful breakfast buffet. Rooms are cookie-cutter but a good size and have laptop-size safes and coffeemakers; the bedding is high-end. The staff is warm, caring, and efficient—and most are bilingual. Many cruise passengers overnight here or add a weekend post-cruise stay because of the reasonable prices; however, you're still 3 miles (5 km) from the Zona Colonial and the cruise-ship terminals. It has a glamorous sister over in Piantini, the JW Marriott Santo Domingo.

Leisure-minded guests may find little reason to leave this stylish 15-story hotel, especially with the second-story outdoor pool and Jacuzzi that overlook the Caribbean. A quick taxi drive or 30-minute stroll along the Malecón to the Zona Colonial, it's accessible to the modern city, yet removed. If you must get some work done, the staffed business center is quite adequate, but take time to enjoy the second-floor spa that offers massages, facial treatments, and a sauna. The exercise room has sea views and is open 24 hours. Newly renovated sea-view rooms are clean and bright, although not trendy, with Wi-Fi included and a desk; most have balconies. The restaurant overlooks the Caribbean and has notably good breakfast and lunch buffets. Evenings around the lobby bar, Level 1, are convivial. After dinner, catch some live jazz or merengue, perhaps a music concert on the Malecón, or try your luck at the on-site casino.

Go for a higher floor with a balcony overlooking the sea; #717 is a good choice.

This moderately priced branch of the AMResorts family has style as well as a gorgeous beachfront. The standard rooms are too basic for a lot of guests, and the ones near the courtyard can be noisy; room blocks have no elevators, and garden rooms are far from the pool area. The lobby's contemporary interior design is fresh and vibrant with attention-getting details such as shell room dividers. Parents can happily send kids off to the Explorers Club, tweens and teens to the Core Zone, then enjoy the stunning Spa by Pevonia in next door Secrets Royal Beach. The animation team can try a bit too hard, but the resort is fun and tries to get everyone involved. Seven restaurants are all reservation-free, and the main buffet is exceptional. The Preferred Club has a reasonable extra charge, adding contemporary hors d’oeuvres and high-end liquor in the Club lounge.

This is the capital's new contemporary landmark, sitting atop the Centro Commercial and offering flagship-quality accommodations for reasonable prices. You may say "wow" when you see the lobby; the spacious rooms are similarly clean and slick, all with comfortable bedding, a kitchenette, and sleeper sofa, and geared for extended stays. Wired for business, the full desk and ergonomic chair are ideal. Request a corner suite with a circular bathroom and floor-to-ceiling windows offering a 180-degree view of the city below that gets even better by night. Other obvious perks are the full breakfast buffet and the happy hour, both on the house.

Slightly more expensive than its neighboring sister property, Excellence Punta Cana, it's equally as beautiful in a more colorful way, particularly the lobby furnishings. An adults-only, all-suites world onto itself, there is an exceptional spa with a hydrotherapy circuit, a variety of stimulating showers, and dreamy massages. There's fully-equipped fitness center, 10 restaurants, and 16 bars. The Excellence Club is the privileged level and worth the upgrade for amenities like free in-room Wi-Fi, full liquor bottles in the rooms, and free long-distance calls to the United States and Canada.

This 16th-century villa, once the first colonial hospital of the Americas, has been restored in ways that honor and highlight the 500-year-old brick and original arches. The decorations from local artists are original and pleasant, mixing edginess with natural beauty. Renters will enjoy the locally crafted chairs juxtaposed against some of owner Jose's rock-and-roll photography and throw blankets from his family's two-hundred-year-old textile company. Outside, the small pool is a pretty picture and the garden, filled with cacti, an avocado tree, and wild parrots, is a cool place to sit. The lofts come complete with small kitchens, high ceilings, and balconies that open onto the busy street, perfect for people watching. Bigger groups can rent the entire villa, which has a maximum capacity of 16 people.

Within five minutes of Punta Cana International Airport, this moderately priced hotel has a complimentary shuttle and no annoying jet-plane noise. The limited-service, stateside chain is across from Galerias Puntacana, a full-service shopping center. Geared for business with several computers available for guest use, it also has a pool and deck with seating. It's ideal for your first night if you are arriving late (rather than having to pay deluxe resort prices for meals you won't eat and activities you won't participate in) or for catching an early-morning flight.

This longtime all-inclusive has clean, spacious rooms, with easy access to the beach. Families make up a good share of the market, and this resort is solid as far as the tour operators are concerned. Many couples will prefer the larger rooms overlooking the quiet pool, though they lack the ocean views. All rooms have upscale touches like flat-screen TVs and improved bedding. All four restaurants are good choices. With an upscale, residential ambience, it artistically blends rustic Dominican touches with collagelike photography of Europe; all the extras are worth the upgrade.

Four sprawling, contiguous resorts share these well-kept grounds and feel like a beachside village, and three of these—Grand Palladium Bávaro, Grand Palladium Punta Cana, and Grand Palladium Palace—share one another's facilities, including a top-notch spa and health club. All rooms are large and well furnished, with flat-screen TVs, jetted tubs, and a fold-out sofa. At the Palace, two-story loft suites have seafront terraces with a Jacuzzi and Balinese sun bed; all the resorts have swim-out junior suites with the same kind of terrace. Guests at the top-tier, adults-only Royal Suites Turquesa (the closest to the ocean) can visit the main complex but can hurry back to their own exclusive restaurant and other offerings; these guests tend to be older and European. Each cluster of rooms has its own private pool and 60 swim-out suites as well as two fine restaurants. After dinner, the nightly show is the typical stopover before hitting the disco or casino. There's also a full plate of organized activities, including a good kids' club.

The best hotel in downtown Santiago attracts business travelers with its central location, but the pool and sundeck, fitness room, steam and sauna, and Asian-inspired massage services are equally attractive to tourists. Guest rooms have luxury bedding and are modern and utilitarian but could use some colorful, cheery accessories. Executive floor rooms are even larger, more attractive, and include such perks as an unpacking service, pillow options, and a massage chair.

Join the Incentive Club, which is free, to get all kinds of perks.

There is complimentary transportation to and from the Santiago Airport, with reservation. At the lobby level, which had a slick redecoration, a most appealing breakfast buffet is an option.

This contemporary marvel in fashionable Piantini is the Caribbean prototype for Holiday Inn's new line of upscale properties meant for central urban zones, more upscale and more expensive than comparable hotels in the U.S. The edgy, industrial-metal style wows with splashes of purple in the lobby, juxtaposed with paper art and chrome sculptures. A business center, with laptops and a printer, is conveniently located in the Level 2 Bar, which also serves a creative tapas menu. The rooftop pool is dazzling after dark when the city lights up. Guest rooms are chic, with digitally controlled lights. A good spirit prevails: on your way down, the carpet in the elevator says "Good Morning"; at night the carpet's changed to "Good Evening." Rates drop on weekends, and a hearty breakfast is always included.

New life has been breathed into this small beachfront hotel, where all rooms in the two-story main house, including a full-floor suite with a canopy bed and luxurious bath, have balconies; some have ocean views. Other rooms are in separate buildings, including two theme bungalows (Casa Bali and Casita Mexican) that are well-suited to families or groups. Guests have use of a convivial bar and restaurant called Cafe Cosón, an inviting pool, an outdoor massage kiosk, and a wide lawn set with tables under coconut trees leading to the sands. Prices include breakfast, taxes, and Wi-Fi.

You will find a healthy dose of unexpected pleasure at this stellar, boutique hotel made up primarily of one- to three-bedroom condominiums and a few regular hotel rooms tucked in a serene oasis away from the noisy main town. Coral-stone paths wind around two exquisite tropical gardens of cacti and orchids, each with a pool and Jacuzzi. The open reception area is flanked by a quiet seating area that whispers tranquillity. There are five different choices for lodgings, all have different designs and ages (all contemporary in style), ranging from full apartments with kitchens to regular hotel rooms with only a mini-refrigerator. Views are truly stunning, particularly from the penthouses. Owner Gerard Hebert is a charming French Canadian, an early surfer who arrived in 1984 and has a following. The exceptionally helpful receptionists speak Spanish, English, French, and German.

By night this megaresort decorated with Arabian-style domes looks like a fairy-tale palace, and its generally older clientele is a departure from the other Riu resorts. It is favored by German, English, and Canadians. The long-and-wide junior suites are simple but attractive; with dark wood against sunny yellow walls, it's shades of Old Havana. Each has a jetted bath and a terrace (but not necessarily a sea view), flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and full liquor bottles in dispensers. The buffet options are wide-ranging but still best when you arrive early. There are several à la carte restaurants but no real standout, and food in general is not a high point. Four pools, a lively swim-up bar, and semi-submerged lounge chairs add panache. There's also a pool for children. The long stretch of beach and the pool complex are breathtaking.

Owner Lionel Biseau turned this circa-1920s town house into a lovely boutique hotel, keeping as much of the original structure as possible, including a second-floor verandah and old-timey, patterned tile floors. Room 8 has the most beautiful mustard-color replica tiles, which were fabricated by a Dominican artist, based on the damaged originals. The reception area features contemporary art, and a Balinese sun bed provides a comfort zone. Each room is unique, with minimalist good taste, colorful bedspreads matching the tile floors and modern bathrooms with fluffy, plush towels. Room rates include breakfast, Wi-Fi, cable TV, tax, and service.

Smack amid the action, steps down from the main drag, this simple hotel captures the original spirit of Cabarete, catering to the independent traveler who wants nicer digs than a surf camp. Rooms have a crisp, contemporary style and flat-screen TVs; those above the ground level that front the beach are quieter. Each year seems to bring some kind of small improvement or addition, and the reasonable prices have been maintained even as the hotel has gotten better. Breakfast is no longer included in the base price. The beachside restaurant is adjacent to the kitesurfing center, and at night the cuisine is international. The Kitesurf & Windsurf Center offers a wide range of sports activities and the latest equipment.

Like its two sister resorts, this Spanish entry has panache—evidenced in its lobby, an artistic showpiece, and contemporary guest rooms with plush bedding—making it competitive with Punta Cana’s newer properties. The dramatic public spaces lead into grounds crisscrossed with lagoons and then a broad, beautifully maintained, white-sand beach, though it sometimes has gentle surf and an undertow. Although the public spaces of the three hotels in the complex still outshine the rooms, the Bávaro's suites are the sweetest (and most expensive), each with a separate sitting area. True to Iberostar's emphasis on food and beverages, there are 11 restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. The shows are better than average, with house dancers, a band, and vocalists; animation directors are fun and not too aggressive by day, either. The Iberostar’s Punta Cana and Dominicana share facilities in the complex, but only guests at the more expensive Bávaro can dine at its restaurants. Overall, guest comments are positive and many return, though the big push for guests to join the Iberostar Club is not always welcome.

This resort will dazzle you with its sprawling lobby, its curvaceous pool with a central Jacuzzi encircled by Roman pillars. Guest rooms have a light, breezy, tropical look; the ocean-view junior suites have desks and flat-screen TVs. Food, including at the Brazilian and Mexican restaurants, is good, and so is the buffet. Top-shelf liquor is available only at the lobby bar. At night you can watch the entertainment from the garden seating surrounding the wrought-iron gazebo. The dive center is one of the best in the area. Close to Puerto Plata, you can have more contact with real Dominican life here than if you stay in Playa Dorada complex itself. Guests from the United Kingdom and Canada rave about the resort more than statesiders.

Rooms on the top floor of Block 5 and 6 have views and are worth the upgrade.

The resort's idyllic beach with its lighthouse bar is that perfect Caribbean postcard; a well-run and -equipped gym and spa help keep it competitive. Junior suites are worth the few dollars more, simply because they are larger and have a sofa for lounging. Breakfast buffets are bountiful, and the Japanese grill is one of the better specialty restaurants, as is El Colonial, the lovely gourmet room. The loyal clientele is an interesting mix, with some young adults, seniors, hip families with little kids, and enough French guests to warrant stocking Pernod in the lobby bar. Other memorable touches are the gorgeous grounds, pool complex, imaginative lobby decor, white wedding gazebo surrounded by a swan-filled lagoon, and the creative mini-club for kids.

The stunning beachfront resort captures the true essence of relaxation and vacation in the Caribbean. The best part about this resort is that it was made for every type of traveler. Whether you are looking for an adults-only escape or the best family-friendly experience, there is something for everyone at this all-inclusive resort.  Each room is modern with cultural decorative accents and comes with a balcony, some even have swim-up access from the adults-only pools. Seven freshwater pools along with a rather large waterpark that has a kids and adult section; beach access to one of the top 25 beaches in the world, Bávaro Beach; and over 16 bars serving tropical cocktails and fresh coconuts are spread out all around the resort, so you'll never risk being thirsty or bored.

This sprawling, mid-range all-inclusive is popular with multigenerational groups who want and need kids’ activities and adult pleasures. The lobby dazzles, and the roomy quarters include jetted tubs, bathrobes and slippers, a furnished terrace, and satellite TV. Family rooms are nice as well. The adults-only Colonial Club has its own pools with swim-up bars, a separate beach area with loungers, as well as butler service. You'll find premium liquors at the Club and in the lower-lobby bars. Caribbean Street, the commercial center shared with the adjoining Majestic Elegance, is where you can go to shop. By day, activities abound. For the kids, there's the updated 9-to-7 club, with plenty to keep them occupied, including Nintendo. Golfers get special rates at the nearby Punta Blanca course and one free round per five-night stay—two for Colonial Club guests. Food is better than it once was, but there are still occasional issues.

The younger of Punta Cana's two Majestic resorts, which is an all-suites property, is the more sophisticated sister—and a busy one. The adults-only "Elegance Club," which is recommended if you want to avoid the throngs, comes with butler service, private pools, three VIP lounges, two adults-only areas of the beach, and a separate à la carte restaurant for breakfast and lunch. All guests get one round of complimentary golf—two for Club guests. The buffet lacks ambience, but its variety is extensive; the Asian restaurant features a full sushi bar, but your most memorable night could be spent at the Limited Gourmand, which has a piano player. There's a splendid spa, with Turkish baths, hydrotherapy, and a nice fitness center. Live music in the courtyard is appreciated. Most guest comments are happy (Club dwellers for sure), and the resort is considered a good value.

Impressive grounds, inviting lobbies in the twin hotels that make up the complex, and eye-catching adornments are hallmarks of this American-friendly resort. There are various levels of accommodations and service here, including The Level and Romance Suites; guests paying these supplements generally have a most enjoyable stay, whereas those in the older, original rooms, and the nonrenovated family rooms have definite complaints. The Level is the buzziest section of the resort and is made up of renovated original rooms. But most rooms are far from the beach. There are 11 restaurants, but the standout is Gabi, exclusive to Level guests. Breakfast is generally considered the best meal by most guests, who also like the Thai and Mexican restaurants. The Flintstones-theme kids' clubs is a creative concept. That and the long stretch of idyllic beach and aqua sea are the main draws for the families who like this place. First-rate meeting and banquet facilities make this a good choice for conventions and weddings, which also account for much of the business. Guests have unlimited tee times at nearby Cocotal Golf & Country Club.

If your idea of perfection is thatch-roof cabanas and a quiet, private beach, then this may be your oceanfront nirvana. The 13 artfully constructed bungalows here are made from indigenous materials such as bamboo and island stone and were designed to meld into the environment without disturbing its natural beauty. They have a lot of rustic charm but offer few creature comforts (no air-conditioning, TV, or phones); the newest and largest sleeps four. All bathrooms have rain showers with round sea-stone floors that feel wonderful underfoot. Lole, the dueña, her daughters, and the rest of her caring, bilingual staff, promote camaraderie. Healthful breakfasts and lunches are served in one of the two waterfront restaurants; dinner in the other is prepared by an international chef, and seafood is handled particularly well there. The artistically designed Attabeyra Spa has services such as chocolate wraps and massages on the beach. The splendid yoga pavilion is an oceanfront palacio with classes in the morning and afternoon; retreats and innovative weddings with the Natura touch are held here, too. The pool gazebo, with its colorful Indian sarongs, is the setting for romantic dinners.

Designed like a small town, with restaurants, shops, and nightlife concentrated near a central public square, this huge resort still has many positive attributes considering its moderate price range. The beautiful lobby dazzles with contemporary sculptures and an inviting bar. The VIP Club Lounge also makes a striking impression, but aggressive time-share staff can aggravate guests. Upgrading to Privilege Junior Suites and their amenities are definitely worth the extra cost. Food-wise, the variety at the main buffet is still satisfying, and à la carte favorites include the steak house, French, and Japanese restaurants. Pools are large and inviting, but the beach has some major erosion during some seasons. All told, the resort is not brilliant, but fun-loving and easy-pleasing guests (particularly from Canada and the United Kingdom) enjoy their holiday.

Italian fashion designer Piergorgio has passed away, but his Victorian-style hotel/restaurant continues to operate, though its glory is now faded. The white hotel with its wraparound verandah and gingerbread fretwork is an atmospheric landmark whose rooms need to be updated, though some of the newer, waterfront rooms (in the 500s), which have knockout ocean vistas, are still acceptable. The convenient location with its monumental view is the draw—at sunset the gazebo has breathtaking bay views, as does the outdoor Italian restaurant. Piergorgio’s fine reputation as a wedding venue continues, and honeymooners love its romantic feel.

This jaw-dropping oceanfront hotel stuns with its dreamy pool, contemporary decor, large guest rooms, and its casino, the largest in the Caribbean. Rooms have high-quality mattresses and luxurious bedding. Tower rooms are more popular (avoid the standard rooms with garden views) and have desks; you can even request an ergonomic office chair if you're working. The stunning pool is on an incline and set apart, giving it a trendy resort feel. The casino has live Latin bands to keep things fun. Service is generally good, the concierge and front desk staff efficient and welcoming.