Sublime Samana Hotel & Residence

The Sublime Samana, which belongs to the Small Luxury Hotels of the World , was built by one of the Dominican Republic's most famous architects, Antonio Segundo Imber, as a luxury beach residence whose residential units were to be marketed to private investors. After two years, however, the complex was converted into a hotel. The resort's original purpose is still very much in evidence. All suites and casitas are generously proportioned and have fully equipped, high-quality kitchens, one to three bedrooms, a living room, dining area, balcony or terrace. However, the lighting could have been designed to create a little more mood and atmosphere. The casitas are particularly comfortable. Those on the upper floor extend over two floors and have inviting roof terraces with Jacuzzis. On the first floor, on the other hand, you have the elongated pool right outside the door. Unlike most resorts on the island, the Sublime was not built parallel to the beach, but at a right angle. As a result, most of the suites offer side rather than direct sea views.

The two restaurants, the more formal Bistro and the casual Beach Grill, were open alternately for breakfast and dinner in the low season - lunch was always served on the beach. We really liked the à la carte breakfast with lots of choice and top-quality products. There was also a service team on hand that even spoke pretty good German and obviously enjoyed their job. A dinner of veal steak and tuna was also impeccable. In general, however, we would have liked the dishes to be a little more modern and creative. You should definitely take the time to explore the Samana Peninsula more closely. The region is still rather quiet in terms of tourism and the hilly hinterland offers plenty of unspoiled, tropical nature.