HOTELS IN SOSUA
Just to add to your confusion - we have stayed at PierGiorgio's for three years. It is a small (50 room) hotel set on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I had always wanted to stay in a place that was on the beach, but the pluses to this hotel are many and it has always been pleasant and romantic. We rather enjoy the short 5 minute walk to the beach each day.
The hotel has a pool (small, but nice) and they have an area to lay in the sun, which overlooks the ocean with just a breathtaking view. You can descend down a ladder to the water from there and swim and snorkel.
The beach is very nice, calm, and good for snokeling. Probably not the best snorkeling, but fun to paddle around. You see a good variety of fish. There are many vendors on the beach - not to be alarmed - they are just making a living. We have made friends with some of the people who run the shops and restaurants and if you frequent the same place they will give you excellent service. Beach boys will get you anything you want - from pina coladas to sun tan oil. Who could ask for more!?
With the price of the room you get breakfast each morning, beach chairs, and towels. This is probably one of the more expensive hotels at about $90-115 a night but it is all in what you want out of your vacation. And, as you, we were looking for non all-inclusive.
We eat around each evening and enjoyed every restaurant we have eaten at and we have eaten at a lot of them.
From Sosua we were able to go to Puerto Plata one way and Cabarete the other. Puerto Plata is getting to be a bigger, busier city and it is far more relaxing to go to Cabarete and explore Sosua.