Situated in the Caribbean, hugged on both sides by the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, sits the second largest island called Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles. The Dominican Republic shares this island with Haiti, and it is a warm, tropical vacation destination for those of you who are ready to spend your summer lounging on the beach or exploring the native tropical landscape of the island.
The Dominican Republic is a popular tourist destination – and why wouldn’t it be? It’s a beautiful nation with beaches, access to the warm Caribbean waters, rainforests, and mountain ranges. It has an area of over 18,000 square miles, with plenty of places for you to choose from when you’re picking the perfect place for your tropical vacation. The island is full of resorts, beaches, wildlife, and diverse culture that you’ll never be able to get enough of. The Dominican Republic has a tropical climate, making it warm all year round – the perfect spot for both summer fun and escaping from the blistering winter months.
Of course, choosing just the right resort is what comes next. Couples, families, or people traveling for business will all be able to find something that fits their needs. And not just the type of resort, but also the surrounding area. If you’re looking for warm, sunny beaches and miles of uninterrupted ocean outside your front door, you’ll certainly find it here. But, on the other hand, if you’re seeking a little adventure, you won’t have to look far for a resort settled in the mountains, or surrounded by lush forests with zipline tours just around the next tree.
Let’s have a look at the best resorts in the Dominican Republic:
1. Tortuga Bay Punta Cana Resort and Club
Located in Punta Cana, tucked into the peninsula, is Tortuga Bay Resort, sat on a white sand beach overlooking the Caribbean Sea. This resort is for those looking for privacy as well as luxury. Along with their guest rooms and suites, Tortuga Bay offers guests 13 beachfront villas that are hidden within a private enclave inside the resort. Regardless of the accommodations you choose, the white sand beaches are only footsteps away.
Guests may dine at any of the four venues, with specialty dishes ranging from Mediterranean to Dominican, with seafood caught fresh daily and locally grown ingredients. Tortuga Bay also offers gourmet, in-room dining experiences. Along with their private beaches, this resort offers the Six Sense Spa and Wellness Center, where you can go to experience some of the finest spa treatments around. For those looking to leave the resort, there are nearby golf ranges as well as watersports and excursion tours to explore Punta Cana.
Website: http://tortugabayhotel.com/
2. Eden Roc at Cap Cana
Located on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic is the beautiful Cap Cana, wherein lies the secluded property of Eden Roc. Eden Roc is surrounded by both pristine beaches and tropical forests, as well as towering cliffs to give this resort and unique feel. Guests can choose between luxury suites and two, three, or four-bedroom villas if the idea of being treated like royalty appeals to you.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be found served at any one of the three venues located at Eden Roc. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the mood for Mediterranean or casual lunch found at the bar and grill, you’ll be sure to find something exquisite. The surrounding activities found at Cap Cana will be sure to delight any guest, no matter if you’re into golf, visiting the marina, or eco adventures such as cave excursions.
Website: https://www.edenroccapcana.com/
3. Casa de Campo Resort and Villas
This resort is settled on a sprawling, 7,000-acre property located in La Romana in the Dominican Republic. Casa de Campo features an onsite golf course, a marina, and the gorgeous, private Minitas Beach. Guests can take their pick of any guest room and suite, or stay in style at one of the luxurious villas – surrounded by tropical gardens, or settled on the oceanfront.
Casa de Campo has a wide array of places for guests to dine. There are7 different restaurants, including a pizzeria and a sushi place, as well as 6 different bars and lounges to choose from. Here at Casa de Campo, you can also order boxed lunches to take with you when you’re out exploring the surrounding sights. Stay at the resort with sport fishing, golf, or water sports, or go on a historic excursion and explore the nearby authentic 16th-century replica of Altos de Chavon.
Website: http://www.casadecampo.com.do/
4. The Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real
The Reserve at Paradisus is located on the peninsula in Punta Cana. You can take the whole family when you come to the Reserve at Palma Real, with activities that everyone of all ages can enjoy. This resort is on the Bávaro beach, surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens. Guests can take their pick of suites, or families can book a private garden or swim-up suite.
The Reserve has 5 different restaurants and bars for guests to dine at, with delicious, local Caribbean cuisine. There is an onsite spa that parents can enjoy while the kids spend their time at the kid’s zone, completely supervised so you don’t have to worry about what they’re up to. For nearby excursions, hit the beach with snorkeling, or explore the ocean with a pedal boat.
5. The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana
Featuring 700 suites, white sand beaches, and miles of shimmering Caribbean waters, this Reserve is located on Punta Cana beach, with all-inclusive options for discerning guests who want the whole package. The beach it sits on is described as “idyllic”, and guests are even given the option of luxury garden villas.
The Reserve at Punta Cana has a lunchtime grill, buffet restaurant, and an a la carte restaurant provided onsite for guests. You can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner without ever once leaving the resort. There is a supervised kid’s zone as well as a hangout for teenagers. The surrounding off-site activities can’t be beaten – ocean excursions, snorkeling, or just hitting the beach and enjoying the water.
6. Sanctuary Cap Cana
For all those couples looking for a getaway, or looking to book your honeymoon trip, Sanctuary Cap Cana has you covered. Located in the gorgeous, 30,000 ocean-front acres of Cap Cana, Sanctuary has 174 rooms for guests to pick from. This private retreat is for adults only, making it the perfect place for you to spend your vacation together.
With six nearby or on-site restaurants, guests who stay at Sanctuary are sure to find exactly what they’re looking for – between Italian, Classic America, or Sushi, there’s definitely something for everyone’s appetite. For activities, Sanctuary offers a number of on-site entertainments for guests, including live music, movie nights, beach bonfire parties as well as daily activities like wine-tasting and cooking or Spanish lessons.
Website: https://sanctuarycapcana.com/
7. Xeliter Balcones del Atlantico
Take a trip to the beautiful beachfront of Las Terrenas on Samana Peninsula, and enjoy a serene and secluded resort, with a smaller number of accommodations to keep the intimacy. Guests can choose from 26 Caribbean villa suites, surrounded by lush gardens and a private beach with glimmering Atlantic waters.
Xeliter has two onsite restaurants with delicious Dominican fine dining and local fishermen that bring in fresh catches for each day’s menu. There are also nearby restaurants surrounding the resort. Xeliter is the perfect hub for all your exciting excursions, including windsurfing and sail-boating, as well as zip-line tours through the trees.
Website: https://www.xeliter.com/properties/xeliter-balcones-del-atlantico
8. Sublime Samana Hotel and Residences
Sublime Samana is a perfect getaway for a family vacation that’s secluded, quiet, and serene. This resort is settled on the seaside in Las Terrenas, with a sprawling beach and property covered with palm trees and nestled up against lush, green gardens. Each guest room and suite is given either a garden or an ocean view, so all you have to do is pick which you like best.
The two on-site dining venues will allow guests to dine on fresh and local cuisine, with menus that may change due to the availability of seasonal ingredients. You can also dine at the beachside grill, with local favorites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sublime Samana has a wellness center and spa if you’re looking to relax your troubles away.
Website: https://www.sublimesamana.com/
9. Zoetry Agua Punta Cana
This is a smaller resort, perfect for travelers looking for a more intimate experience, or for couples searching for that perfect honeymoon destination. Zoetry Agua is located in the idyllic Punta Cana and is only an hour away from the Punta Cana international airport. This resort has 96 rooms with private terraces and balconies, with views of the ocean.
All meals at the restaurants here at Zoetry Agua strive for the use of the freshest and local ingredients, with locally sourced vegetables. If you want to stay in your room, you can also order 24-hour room service. Zoetry Agua offers a wellness spa for those in need of ultimate relaxation. You can also hit the beach and enjoy the endless sand and Caribbean waters.
Website: https://www.amrcollection.com/en/resorts-hotels/zoetry/dominican-republic/agua-punta-cana
10. Breathless Punta Cana Resort
While you can come to Breathless for a romantic getaway, this resort is geared more towards adults who are looking to have an endless and exciting good time rather than indulge in privacy and relaxation. Located in Punta Cana, Breathless is an adult-only resort and a perfect place to bring your friends if you’re looking for non-stop entertainment. Stay in one of the 750 suites and explore all that Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic has to offer.
Indulge your tastes at one of Breathless’ eleven gourmet dining venues. Can’t decide where to eat? Pick any one and show up – no reservations required! If you’re looking for a bit of a more intimate dining experience, you can also order 24-hour room service direct to your suite. In addition to all the exciting things to do in Punta Cana, Breathless also has its own entertainment calendar, with different themes for different months.
Website: http://www.breathlessresorts.com/punta-cana
11. Secrets Royal Beach
Couples and honeymooners, this is another resort, especially for you. Secrets Royal Beach is an adults-only resort located in Punta Cana, focused on relaxation and luxury. Settled on a white sand beach overlooking the Caribbean and surrounded by lush, green gardens, Secrets Royal Beach has 464 guest rooms and suites to stay in, with views of both the gardens and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.
Secrets Royal Beach has five different restaurants for guests to indulge in gourmet dining. Or, if you’d rather sneak off to your room, there is 24-hour room service at your beck and call. Enjoy your romantic getaway to the fullest and book a couples’ treatment at the spa, or go out together on the pristine beaches for a couple’s adventure snorkeling or kayaking through the waters.
Website: http://www.secretsresorts.com/royal-beach-punta-cana
12. Catalonia Bavaro Beach Golf and Casino Resort
Catalonia Bavaro Beach is the perfect place to bring the whole family when you’re planning your island getaway. Located on Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, this all-inclusive resort is also surrounded by gardens and trees, allowing guests to enjoy both the golden beaches, blue waters, and verdant natural surroundings.
Guests have 9 different buffet and a la carte restaurants to choose from, and 10 different bars and snack bars to indulge whatever craving you may have, including a swim-up bar and one on the beach. For those of you seeking the all-inclusive details on Catalonia Bavaro Beach, guests can enjoy daily activity programs, one scuba diving lesson, night theatre shows and so, so much more.
Website: http://www.cataloniabavarohotel.com/
13. CHIC Punta Cana
On Uvero Alto Beach sits CHIC – an adult-only resort with accommodations as trendy as they are luxurious. This resort is for the modern traveler who enjoys both the experience of an island getaway and the modern life. CHIC has 320 rooms and suites – or, if you’ve got a big crowd, stay in the CHIC mansion with six guest rooms, perfect for you and all of your friends.
CHIC’s all-inclusive resort has gourmet a la carte restaurants for guests, with both international and local dishes. If you’re in the mood for Steak, Italian, or Sushi, CHIC has you covered. For your entertainment, CHIC also offers both local and international live entertainment at any of its six on-site bars.
Website: https://www.royaltonresorts.com/resorts/chic-punta-cana-resort-spa
14. Iberostar Costa Dorada
Ten minutes outside the city of Puerto Plata on the Dominican Republic’s north coast, sits the all-inclusive resort of Iberostar Costa Dorada, on the beautiful golden sand of the Costa Dorada beach. This resort has 498 rooms and 18 junior suites for those who like to travel in luxury. In addition to the nearby beach, the resort is surrounded by tropical gardens around every turn.
Guests who seek the all-inclusive package here at Iberostar Costa Dorada will be able to dine at any one of 3 specialty restaurants, 1 buffer, and 5 different bars and lounges, with cuisine ranging from Mexican to Dominican to Brazilian. For parents with young children, they can have supervised activities at the Kid’s Mini-Club, while adults take advantage of daily shows at the theatre.
Website: https://www.iberostar.com/en/hotels/puerto-plata/iberostar-costa-dorada
15. Luxury Bahia Principe Samana
Build onto the side of a cliff with a small, luxurious private beach, the Luxury Bahia Principe Samana is the perfect place for those who are looking to spend their vacation in total seclusion and relaxation. Located in Samana, this romantic resort is adults-only and has 149 intimate guest rooms and suites that look out over the trees or the ocean.
Dine at one of the international buffet restaurants, or take your pick of Italian, Brazilian, or gourmet a la carte restaurants. You can also take your meal by the pool at the international cuisine poolside restaurant. Go on a romantic excursion and explore the surrounding waters with whale-watching tours or horseback riding. Or, stay at the resort and take advantage of the spa therapies.
Website: http://www.bahia-principe.com/en/resorts-in-dominican-republic/resort-samana/