Open in 2002 as the Sosua Bay Hotel with the Victorian House next door, the hotels swapped hands at the end of the year 2012, when they merged and became the Topacio Azul. The new developers have done a good job of giving the resort a fresh lick of paint, although the garish outdated rooms could do with a complete makeover. The former Sosua Bay Hotel is the concrete building and the Victorian House, as the names indicates, is the white weatherboard construction next door.
The lobby feels fresh and bright and is spacious enough to accommodate busy check-in periods. It leads to a first balcony looking out to the upper pool, the restaurant and the wonderful bay. The hotel is built on several levels and the two pools mark the main two levels. The lower pool has a cocktail bar, otherwise there is the restaurant, with open sides, letting guests appreciate the view of the bay and the beach lined by tall thick palm trees.
The resort has a seafood restaurant and this area is shared with the Italian restaurant, where there is a Mexican night once a week on the Victorian house side. Here you will find the kids' club, which has its own small paddling pool. There used to be a beautiful solarium close to the water's edge, which had been damaged by a bout of violent storms when we visited. Otherwise in terms of facilities there is also a games room with billiards and dominos, which tends to get a bit hot as it is in the basement. There is an amphitheatre for evening shows and two massage rooms for guests in need of a bit of pampering.
The accommodations comprise four sandy-orange three-storey buildings and more tastefully decorated rooms next door in the Victorian house.