The Dominican Republic is a big country, and sometimes it can feel like everything about the DR’s resort areas can seem super-sized, too: big beaches, mega resorts, and all-inclusive hotels with giant buffets and endless dining options.
There’s nothing wrong with any of that—choices are good! But there’s also a time and place for an intimate vacation with low-key vibes, personalized service, and the sense that this getaway was designed just for you, not for you and 1,000 other people at the same time.
Boutique hotels, with limited numbers of rooms and plenty of staff on hand to take care of guest needs, are perfectly suited for such vacations, and the Dominican Republic has a fine collection of small luxury hotels to choose from whether you’re looking for a beach stay or a base for exploring the history of the national capital, Santo Domingo.
Tortuga Bay Hotel, Punta Cana
Designed by Oscar de la Renta, this boutique hotel is an enclave within an enclave, located within the Puntacana Resort and Club complex. With just 13 luxury villas, the Tortuga Bay Hotel puts the emphasis on attention to detail, from VIP service that speeds passage through the airport to private car service and a personal concierge to get you checked in when you arrive. All 30 resort suites have views of the ocean and golf course along with kitchenettes, and guests have easy access to the excellent restaurants, entertainment, and activities in the surrounding Puntacana Resort.
Amanera, Rio San Juan
Guests at this luxuriously private Aman resort will have the remote Playa Grande beach pretty much to themselves when they’re not seeking solitude in one of the 24 casitas and villas spread along the beach and up in the hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Some villas have private pools, but the infinity-edge main pool is no slouch, either. Restaurants and bars are all on the beach, which is also the site for moonlight yoga sessions, spa treatments, and a natural fitness circuit.
Eden Roc at Cap Cana, Punta Cana
This 65-room Relais & Chateau hotel — the only one in the Dominican Republic — combines fine dining with luxurious accommodations just like the best boutique hotels in Europe. Some thatch-roofed villas are arrayed at cliff’s edge along the Caribbean shoreline, while others overlook gardens or lagoon pools. Dining options include Mediterraneo, one of Punta Cana’s top restaurants, as well as the show kitchen at Blue Bar & Grill and the locally seasoned La Palapa.
Le Sivory, Punta Cana
With just 55 rooms, this boutique hotel turns the image of a Dominican Republic adults-only all-inclusive on its head. A AAA 4-Diamond property, Le Sivory has all of the amenities you’d expect from an all-inclusive resort — 24-hour room service, beach cabanas, use of non-motorized water sports, dining and drinking at your choice of 4 restaurants and two bars — in a small package. Rooms have soaking tubs and furnished lanais, some with plunge pools and ocean views.
Zoetry Agua, Punta Cana
Like Le Sivory, the all-inclusive Zoetry Agua is located in the quieter Uvero Alto district of Punta Cana, on the beach but well removed from the high-rises. A private helicopter speeds guests from the airport to the resort, where you’ll find four a la carte restaurants, a spa (with a 20-minute treatment part of the inclusive package), unique included activities like horseback rides on the beach, and 96 rooms with Taino-inspired decor, ocean-view and swim-up accommodations, and private terraces or balconies.
Casa Colonial Beach & Spa, Puerto Plata
A restored colonial estate is the setting for this boutique beach hotel in Puerto Plata, which has all-suites accommodations, a full-service spa, a pair of restaurants that includes the acclaimed French-Caribbean Lucia, and a rooftop infinity pool. When you’re not on the beach you can relax in the resort’s quiet orchid garden.
Billini Hotel, Santo Domingo
The Dominican capital is known for its colonial architecture and history dating back to the 16th century, but the Billini Hotel is decidedly modern with its avant-garde design, suites with a mix of Asian, Nordic, and midcentury furnishings, and secret spaces like a rooftop sun deck and Moon restaurant, with views of the Colonial Zone.
Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club, Samana
The Samana Peninsula, known for whale watching and parks with spectacular waterfalls, is home to this 30-room boutique hotel, located at a bustling marina on Samana Bay. Popular with both boaters and land-based travelers, the hotel lacks a beach but makes up for it with a beautiful infinity pool hugging the ocean’s edge, a freeform pool, and a variety of waterfront accommodations with plunge pools of their own. Guests can sample Dominican food at a waterfront restaurant, Italian cuisine at Le Regatta, and Mediterranean dishes at Le Deauville.
Tucked into lush gardens in Las Terranas, this 24-room boutique hotel blends seamlessly with the natural surroundings of Samana with its rustic decor (rooms make rich use of local wood, and some even include whole trees), a rooftop sunset bar and pool, and the Albizia restaurant, where the culinary journey ranges from local picapollo to shrimp tagliatelle.
Multiple formerly private residences in the heart of Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone have been combined to create a unique boutique hotel full of luxury suites and private courtyards that provide a respite from the urban cacophony, while still making a great starting point for exploring the old town’s cobblestone streets and ancient churches. Guests can book a room or a whole house, each individually decorated to accent the historic setting of exposed stone walls, arched passageways, and intimate outdoor spaces.