R
Ronald McIntosh
Guest
Hotel Bahia Las Ballenas
I had the sublime pleasure to spend some time at this resort last week. It is located on the beautiful Playa Bonita in Las Terrenas on the Samana peninsula of the Dominican Republic.
I decided on this resort because of the fact it provided a great opportunity for a laid back holiday full of relaxation and beautiful surroundings. The trip to Las Terrenas from the Capital was grueling, five hours via Caribe tours to Sanchez and then on the back of a pick-up truck the rest of the way to Playa Bonita.
You arrive to a thatched roof reception area where Chrystel La Fontainne and her staff greet you and welcome you to their slice of paradise. I had requested a room close to the beach and was given Hamaca 1,which was literally 20 meters from the sand.
We retreated to our room, which was in the ?Mexican? motif. They are situated in clusters of four for a total of 32 rooms scattered about the property. Some surrounded the lovely free-form swimming pool, others faced the ocean, and others had garden view. The bathroom was open-air and was quite refreshing after a shower. The room had a ceiling fan and with the windows open at night was cool enough for sleeping. One thing I will never forget was the lullaby of the ocean crashing against the beach each night. Never needed to count sheep!
Perhaps the greatest aspect of this resort is the level of personal service received. Paco and his soux-chefs as well as the bar and wait staff were all outstanding. Each meal was prepared individually with precision worthy of a 4 star restaurant here in NY. One night I had freshly grilled Lobster with a lambi salad and the other I had a filet of snapper in a mustard-pepper sauce. The portions are huge and the food is simply delicious. There are no recycling uneaten all-inclusive buffets here as every meal is made to order.
The Beach I found to be a little rough in front of our hotel but a short walk 20 meters to the right or left brings you the most azure tranquil setting of a beach one could dream of. We spent hours lounging and bathing one day even staying until sunset. My wife and I witnessed a spectacular sunset as the sun took a dip too!
The only way to get to town is by moto-concho so I rented one. One day we motored to Salto de Limon Falls which is a natural waterfall hidden in the mountains of Las Terrenas. After walking through two tons of horseshit up a mountain we were greeted by the cascading waterfall where tourists bathe. I took a dip and looked around for a while. It was stunning, must see if you go to the area. Tipped the kids who guided us shoeless $100.00 pesos each. Did not take the horse ride, which means you need to be fit to make the trek up the mountain. It was arduous.
This resort is a great place to relax, reflect, unwind etc. This is not a place for the action minded or party animal but rather a great place to enjoy nature and the company of someone you go with. A hotel like this on another island would easily cost upwards to $400.00 per night so it?s a great bargain too.
I haven?t made up my mind yet whether I would return, but I sincerely hope to.
I had the sublime pleasure to spend some time at this resort last week. It is located on the beautiful Playa Bonita in Las Terrenas on the Samana peninsula of the Dominican Republic.
I decided on this resort because of the fact it provided a great opportunity for a laid back holiday full of relaxation and beautiful surroundings. The trip to Las Terrenas from the Capital was grueling, five hours via Caribe tours to Sanchez and then on the back of a pick-up truck the rest of the way to Playa Bonita.
You arrive to a thatched roof reception area where Chrystel La Fontainne and her staff greet you and welcome you to their slice of paradise. I had requested a room close to the beach and was given Hamaca 1,which was literally 20 meters from the sand.
We retreated to our room, which was in the ?Mexican? motif. They are situated in clusters of four for a total of 32 rooms scattered about the property. Some surrounded the lovely free-form swimming pool, others faced the ocean, and others had garden view. The bathroom was open-air and was quite refreshing after a shower. The room had a ceiling fan and with the windows open at night was cool enough for sleeping. One thing I will never forget was the lullaby of the ocean crashing against the beach each night. Never needed to count sheep!
Perhaps the greatest aspect of this resort is the level of personal service received. Paco and his soux-chefs as well as the bar and wait staff were all outstanding. Each meal was prepared individually with precision worthy of a 4 star restaurant here in NY. One night I had freshly grilled Lobster with a lambi salad and the other I had a filet of snapper in a mustard-pepper sauce. The portions are huge and the food is simply delicious. There are no recycling uneaten all-inclusive buffets here as every meal is made to order.
The Beach I found to be a little rough in front of our hotel but a short walk 20 meters to the right or left brings you the most azure tranquil setting of a beach one could dream of. We spent hours lounging and bathing one day even staying until sunset. My wife and I witnessed a spectacular sunset as the sun took a dip too!
The only way to get to town is by moto-concho so I rented one. One day we motored to Salto de Limon Falls which is a natural waterfall hidden in the mountains of Las Terrenas. After walking through two tons of horseshit up a mountain we were greeted by the cascading waterfall where tourists bathe. I took a dip and looked around for a while. It was stunning, must see if you go to the area. Tipped the kids who guided us shoeless $100.00 pesos each. Did not take the horse ride, which means you need to be fit to make the trek up the mountain. It was arduous.
This resort is a great place to relax, reflect, unwind etc. This is not a place for the action minded or party animal but rather a great place to enjoy nature and the company of someone you go with. A hotel like this on another island would easily cost upwards to $400.00 per night so it?s a great bargain too.
I haven?t made up my mind yet whether I would return, but I sincerely hope to.