Bahia de Coson Las Terrenas SamanaLas Terrenas, Dominican Republic -See the map
Amy AdejokunSection editor
Sublime Samana, part of the Small Luxury Hotels label, is a five-star hotel located within a large holiday complex in Las Terrenas. The hotel is great if you want spacious contemporary accommodation on the beach and if you want to be left alone by hotel staff. However, despite officially being a boutique hotel of 18 rooms, it doesn't feel like being at boutique hotel nor does it feel very intimate due to its location within the larger Viva Residence. The hotel looks fairly good but service and facilities need a bit of improvement. Unfortunately for Sublime, it fell a star short of being top-notch for us.
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Location
8.0/10
Accommodation
9.20/10
Overview
8.70/10
Food and drink
8.95/10
Spa
8.2/10
Beach
8.95/10
To know
The hotel is located on the beach just at the entrance of Las Terrenas. Follow signs for Sublime Samana or Viva Residence - the hotel is within the Viva Residence complex. There is nothing much to do in the immediate surroundings but the centre of Las Terrenas is a 5-minute drive away. Santo Domingo, the capital, is about twio and a half hours away by car.
While we were initially disappointed by the hotel for the reasons we mention in the 'Good to know' section above, we were cheered up by the spacious and comfortable rooms, all of which are actually full size apartments. Once inside the front door, the open plan fully fitted kitchen and living area make the space very appealing. The contemporary décor is pretty generic but tasteful and is loosely based around a coral theme. The living area has a large flat-screen television, a Hi-Fi system with an iPod docking station. Every room has a balcony lining the bedrooms and the living area, which looks out onto the garden below (and your neighbours across the way). The hotel rooms are too far from the sea to have a sea view, which is a shame.
The kitchen is also complete with all the expected mod-cons, as well as tea and Dominican coffee. The rooms all have en-suite bathrooms; the master bedrooms have an enormous marble bathroom with separate shower cabin and bath tub as well as fluffy bathrobes, complimentary white Havaianas flip flops to take away and lovely scented products from up-market British institution, The White Company.
Sublime Samana is a smart hotel with a discreet ocean theme that is incorporated in a larger holiday residential complex, the Viva Residence, which takes away from the hotel's claim to a boutique atmosphere.
The apartment-rooms are located in the odd circular concrete building you can see from the road as you enter Las Terrenas. The restaurant, where all meals are served, is located on the ground floor of this building and just across the lawn is the first pool. A long stretch of pools links the first pool (close to the rooms) and the second pool (close to the beach). Along these pools, smart cabanas and day beds are arranged for guests who own one of the contemporary villas that line the water feature on either side. At the beach, there is a bar and an open-air massage hut.
The hotel has complimentary Wi-Fi (although in some rooms the signal is too faint to surf), tennis courts and a private car park.
The hotel has a restaurant where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. A bar is open throughout the day at the beach, and serves drinks and snacks. As guests either rent a villa or an apartment room, both of which are fitted with full kitchens, guests tend to prepare their own meals. The restaurant's non-descript décor makes it feel cold and clinical; sitting out on the terrace is much more pleasant. The food here is average but pricey; however, the staff is friendly and attentive, making the experience a little more enjoyable. The menu comprises international dishes mainly centred on fish and seafood. Overall, it felt like dishes had been thrown together in haste but had been well garnished before being taken out.
While there is no formal spa there is a massage hut right on the beach. Open on all sides and closed off by opaque flowing white curtains, this is the ideal place to have a massage. We tried the 'four hands' full body massage and what a heavenly experience it was! Laying on a massage table outside on the beach, with two therapists working those knots, soothing those aches and pains, letting your mind wonder to the sounds of the lapping waves is something that must be done when staying in the area even if not staying at the hotel. Booking is essential.
While the hotel is officially on the beach, the hotel rooms are some distance away. The beach is well appointed with smart comfortable outdoor black rattan furniture, hammocks and a massage pavilion further down the beach. Soft lounge music plays in the bar area, where the staff is extremely warm and friendly. The beach itself is on a lower level than the grassland where the hotel is located meaning there is no real beach but a lawn that falls almost directly into the sea. The sea can be a little rough, so parents with young children must be extra cautious. The hotel otherwise has 24-hour security along the beach.
It is worth noting that guests expecting a small exclusive boutique hotel by the sea secluded from the hubbub of Las Terrenas, are in for a disappointment - Sublime Samana officially has 18 rooms, putting it in the 'boutique' hotel category, but as it's part of the much larger Viva Residence complex, it doesn't have a boutique feel, doesn't look like a boutique hotel and therefore does not have boutique hotel status for us.
Equipment
Car park
Handicap access
Restaurant
Internet access
Air conditioning
Spa
spa, wellness, massage
Swimming pool
Sports equipment
basketball, tennis, mountain bike, kayak, sailing, windsurfing
Safe
advantage
The massage hut on the beach.
The spacious and very comfortable rooms.
disadvantages
The residential atmosphere.
Beach and rooms are a fair bit away from one another.
The Wi-Fi can be extremely slow/non-existent.
The expectant bellboys won't have any qualms in chasing you up for a tip (or making a face if you don't tip them to their liking).
There is rarely anyone free to answer the phone at reception.
A hotel operating an "all inclusive" service, which is convenient for families or Samana Bay enthusiasts who wish to enjoy an ideal location while discovering the region.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
A million light-years away from all other resorts in the country, we uncovered the Acaya, a charming little hotel with 20 guestrooms, a family-like convivial atmosphere and a grill restaurant, right on the seafront. Of course, there is no pool and very few amenities but you will just have to cross over the road where you will be able to make the most of heavenly Playa Bonita. Moreover, the surrounding area, host to the authentic little village of Las Terrenas and the waterfalls of El Limon, does not lack points of interest!
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The Bahia Estela by Viva Resorts is a hotel offering quality "all inclusive" service, and is nestled at the edge of the beautiful beach of Playa Coson, northwest of the peninsula of Samana. Well equipped for families, this hotel shares the facilities of the neighbouring Viva Wyndham hotel.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The charming boutique Hotel Atlantis, is located a short walk from the centre of Las Terrenas on the Samana Peninsula and it is right on the beach - and what a wonderful beach it is! One of the first hotels to be built on the peninsula, it was taken over by Frenchman Gérard Prystasz, (the private chef of former French president, François Mitterrand), so the food and restaurant setting are worth the detour even if you're not staying at the hotel. Quaint and decorated in a simple yet tasteful 'island' style, the hotel is of a very good standard - a really great hotel all round that sails right into our top spot for Las Terrenas without a doubt.
The Bahia Las Ballenas is an address to remember : this small and charming hotel located near the village of Las Terrenas, is an enchanting place that is very difficult to leave. Lovers of good food and original decoration will not be disappointed !
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
Residencia del Paseo is right in the heart of Las Terrenas just across the road from the main beach and restaurants. Although the hotel sits in prime location, the rooms leave a lot to be desired. A simple frill free option for travellers on a budget who also need a private kitchen (every room has its own kitchen). The hotel could do with a good clean, especially in the rooms. A below average base to explore the rest of the peninsula from.
Particularly well located on the Samana peninsula, Palococo is perfect for couples in search of tranquillity. A small haven of peace, close to Las Terrenas, a charming touristic fishing village that is quite lively.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
Featured for the sixth year running on the Condé Nast Traveller Gold list, The Peninsula House is one of those luxury guesthouses that will transport you to a time passed while providing guests with all the expected modern-day amenities. With only six rooms, the colonial house is half-way between a maison d'hôtes and the home of the owners; art collector Marie-Claude Thiebault, partner Cary Guy and her grown-up son, Thomas Stamm. And we'd have to agree with Traveller - The Peninsula House truly is the best hotel in the country. The tropical Victorian plantation house sits on top of a hill looking out to the green exotic surroundings and the iridescent turquoise waters below, amidst well manicured gardens - and that's just the outside.
The Bahia Estela by Viva Resorts is a hotel offering quality "all inclusive" service, and is nestled at the edge of the beautiful beach of Playa Coson, northwest of the peninsula of Samana. Well equipped for families, this hotel shares the facilities of the neighbouring Viva Wyndham hotel.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
At the heart of the village of Las Terrenas and opposite a superb beach, the Alisei is a hotel of high standards, with a spa, a wide pool and spacious, comfortable guestrooms equipped with a kitchen and a terrace. This is, however, not a resort - no all-inclusive option, activities or kids' club are provided by the hotel. It is a peaceful hotel ideal for couples.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
A hotel operating an "all inclusive" service, which is convenient for families or Samana Bay enthusiasts who wish to enjoy an ideal location while discovering the region.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
A beautiful establishment that offers "all inclusive" service, keeping all the promises that a hotel of its class offers. A warm welcome, impeccable environment and various facilities to spend your memorable holiday.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The Bahia Las Ballenas is an address to remember : this small and charming hotel located near the village of Las Terrenas, is an enchanting place that is very difficult to leave. Lovers of good food and original decoration will not be disappointed !
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
The charming boutique Hotel Atlantis, is located a short walk from the centre of Las Terrenas on the Samana Peninsula and it is right on the beach - and what a wonderful beach it is! One of the first hotels to be built on the peninsula, it was taken over by Frenchman Gérard Prystasz, (the private chef of former French president, François Mitterrand), so the food and restaurant setting are worth the detour even if you're not staying at the hotel. Quaint and decorated in a simple yet tasteful 'island' style, the hotel is of a very good standard - a really great hotel all round that sails right into our top spot for Las Terrenas without a doubt.
The Aligio Beach Resort is a small, friendly hotel offering very good value for money, located in downtown Las Terrenas on the Samana peninsula It offers an "all inclusive" service and numerous entertainment prospects, both day and evening.
This hotel review is a translation from the French by the agency Traductéo.
Amy Adejokun
Section editor
