Where to stay in Puerto Plata: best places & hotels

Choosing where to stay in Puerto Plata is not so simple, as there are several nearby areas and beaches that could be a good alternative to sleep in this region of the Dominican Republic.

Puerto Plata is located in the north of the island, 230 km from the capital Santo Domingo and this is where tourism began in the country. It is a very complete destination, where there are not only golden sand beaches, but also mountains and turquoise rivers, adventure activities, and it will be the only place where you can take a cable car to see the Dominican coast.

In this article we are going to tell you about the different accommodations in Puerto Plata, as well as in Sosua or Caberete. It is important to choose well the location or beach where to look for a hotel, hostel or all-inclusive resort, because it will be where we will spend more time during our days in Puerto Plata.

How to get to Puerto Plata?

One option is to arrive at the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP), which is 15 minutes away from the city and the hotels in Playa Dorada. From this website you can book transfers from the airport to your hotel in Puerto Plata. The next closest airport is the Cibao Airport (STI) in Santiago de los Caballeros, 100 km away.

If you are going to visit several destinations in the Dominican Republic, one option is to rent a car. In that case, I recommend this website that compares the best prices among different car rental companies. I suggest you to drive carefully, especially in the cities, and not to drive at night.

If you are not going to rent a car, you can travel by Caribe Tours or Metro buses from Santo Domingo for about 7 dollars each way.

Otherwise a simpler way is to book a private transfer:

• Transfer between Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo/Samaná/Punta Cana (see transfer).
• Transfer from La Romana airport to Puerto Plata (see transfer).

Best places to stay in Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabarete

1. Downtown Puerto Plata, to enjoy the city

The city is called San Felipe de Puerto Plata and is the capital of Puerto Plata province. One option is to sleep in the colonial area around the central park and the cathedral, where we find buildings of Victorian architecture. It is not the most popular, since tourists usually prefer to stay in one of the nearby beaches.

But there are interesting visits to do in the city center. One of the most famous activities is to take the cable car up to Monte Isabel, unique in the Dominican Republic, from where you will have a spectacular view of the city with the ocean in the distance. Also near the historic center you can visit the fortress of San Felipe from the colonial era and walk around the boardwalk that runs along the coast, from the fortress to Long Beach.

Do not miss walking along Umbrella Street, a very picturesque street decorated with the classic colorful umbrellas that every day are in more cities around the world.

Oh, and if you like movies and Jurassic Park in particular, be sure to visit the Dominican Amber Museum, which appears at the beginning of the movie, and where the amber mosquito is preserved.

💯  If you would like to see the best of the city with a guide that speaks in English and learn more about the history and culture of Puerto Plata, I recommend you to book this guided tour.

Recommended Villas and Hotels in Puerto Plata

• Villa Carolina, is a very nice bed and breakfast a few meters from the center of Puerto Plata, with double and triple rooms. It has a beautiful garden with a swimming pool. They also serve a good breakfast, and it costs about $50 per night for two people (confirm rates here).
• Hotel Victoriano, located 200 meters from the central park, it is a simple hotel for overnight stays. It has double and single rooms, which is a good option for those traveling alone.

2. Costa Dorada and Playa Dorada, excellent area to stay in Puerto Plata

Some people say it is one of the best beaches in the Dominican Republic. I can’t say for sure, because we already know that this country has a thousand spectacular beaches, but I do know that it is a very nice beach and one of the most famous in the country.

It is a bay of quite calm and transparent waters, since it is protected by a reef. These characteristics made it a very popular beach and the vast majority of all-inclusive resorts were installed in this area of Puerto Plata.

So if you are looking to stay in an all inclusive resort, you should consider this area.

A great advantage is that it is only 15 minutes away from the Puerto Plata airport.

Recommended Playa Dorada Resorts and Hotels

• Iberostar Costa Dorada is possibly the best 5-star all-inclusive resort in the Puerto Plata area, and like most of the Iberostar hotels, it is characterized by its good quality food options. This is one of the best places to stay in Puerto Plata. See photos and rates here.

•  Emotions by Hodelpa is a very good 4-star all-inclusive hotel, which has little to be jealous of the 5-star hotels nearby. If you are looking for a very good accommodation in Playa Dorada without paying 5 star rates, I recommend you look at this option.
• Be Live Collection Marien is a 5-star all inclusive resort with an excellent quality/price ratio, attractive common areas and very good reviews, which has made it one of the most chosen hotels in Playa Dorada by tourists. See more photos and rates.

✔ El hotel Sunscape Puerto Plata is a 4 star hotel with bright rooms in a very well kept environment, which makes it one of the most requested by tourists and has good reviews on booking and one of the first positions on websites such as Tripadvisor.

3. Costambar, Playa Cofresi and Bahía de Maimón

This area is located about 10 to 15 minutes west of downtown Puerto Plata. They are all different bays with beaches: first we find Costambar, then Cofresí Bay and finally Maimón.

In Costambar, the beach has calm waters and there are not so many vendors, so it is pretty quiet. Here we find the Costambar hotel a stone’s throw from the beach, where you can sleep in apartments for 2 or 4 people.

In Playa Cofresí is the Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort & Spa a 4 star all inclusive hotel in a very nice complex with spa.

To see more photos of Lifestyle Tropical Beach and check rates click here.

A little further from Cofresí, in a small bay known as Maimón which is a natural reserve, we find the 5-star Playabachata resort, known as Riu Merengue until a few years ago.

The hotel has a nice pool area and the beach has a pretty view of a karst formation at the end of the bay.

Being a 5 star hotel perhaps one would expect more variety in the buffet meals and better maintenance of the facilities, but one must also consider that it is well priced.

This is not the only option in Maimón. There is also the Senator Puerto Plata Spa Resort, which offers a 5-star all-inclusive service, at a higher cost but with better quality features and elegant design. It even has some rooms with direct access to the pool.

4. Sosúa, another option where to stay in Puerto Plata

Sosúa is located half an hour from the city, it was founded by Jews and today you can visit the Jewish Museum of Sosúa.

It has beautiful beaches, perhaps the best in the area and good for diving. The main beaches are Playa Sosua and Playa Alicia, but there are also several smaller private or semi-private beaches that can be accessed from some accommodations.

During the weekdays the area is pretty quiet, but on weekends it gets very crowded.

To get to Sosúa from Puerto Plata or the airport, you can hire a transfer from this link.

💯  If your idea is to stay in another area of Puerto Plata, you could still visit Sosúa on a catamaran excursion like this one.

Recommended hotels in Sosúa

• Casa Marina Beach & Reefis a 4 star all inclusive resort in Sosua. The views of the sea and the coast are very good, as is the price considering that all meals are included.

• Garden by the Sea, has nice and complete rooms, including refrigerator and microwave. There is a garden with swimming pool and a kitchen with barbecue available. All rooms have a large window, which although they have curtains, can take away a little privacy. It is 100 meters from a private beach.
• Caribbean Diamond Boutique Hotel, two steps from the beach, has nice rooms and a pool.
• Sosua Inn: this hotel has spacious and comfortable rooms, with a nice design. It is very well located near Sosua and Alicia beaches, with stores and restaurants within walking distance. It has parking and a swimming pool.

• Bungalow Natura Village is a 5 minute walk from the beach of Sosua and has a beautiful garden and a swimming pool. The superior bungalow is very nice and comfortable, and the price/quality ratio is very good.

5. Cabarete, with a great variety of accommodations.

Cabarete is a very famous destination for surfing and almost any activity related to waves or wind. It is 38 km east of downtown Puerto Plata, and the transfer from Puerto Plata or the airport can be booked from here.

In the Cabarete area the most popular beaches are Playa Cabarete, in the downtown area which is ideal for kitesurfing, and Playa Encuentro, with fewer people but strong waves, ideal for surfing. There are several surf schools on the beach for lessons.

If you would like to do something different, nearby are the Cabarete Caves.

There are many good accommodations in Cabarete and it’s really hard to suggest just a few, but here are the ones I think are excellent choices.

Hotels in Cabarete recommended

• Velero Beach Resort is a 4 star beachfront accommodation in Cabarete, where all rooms have a balcony overlooking the sea, so you will not have to worry about what the view will be like. Highly recommended.
• Encuentro Surf Lodge is located on the beachfront, with different types of rooms in a very nice style.
• Natura Cabana Boutique Hotel & Spa, rustic bungalows with nice style, using lots of wood and thatched roofs. They are very comfortable, with a small hall with a hammock to relax. The setting is beautiful, with lots of vegetation and in front of a quite wild beach, with stones. You can take yoga classes overlooking the sea.

🚩 An all-inclusive resort in Cabarete is the 4-star Viva Wyndham Tangerine, located on the beachfront. Although the rooms are quite basic, depending on the season you can get very good rates considering that all meals are included, so I recommend checking prices here. 

Budget accommodation in Puerto Plata

Is it possible to sleep on a budget? If your budget is low, don’t worry there are options where to stay in Puerto Plata without spending so much.

Are you traveling as a backpacker and looking for hostels? In Cabarete the Castillo hostel has shared rooms.

If you are looking for budget accommodation but in private rooms, here are some alternatives in each area that have a good quality/price ratio and I recommend you take a look.

In San Felipe de Puerto Plata, we have Hostal Galsi, a simple place that is a little away from the downtown area but is a good option where to stay in Puerto Plata very cheap. It has parking and there is a beach nearby known as Long Beach. Another option is La casa azul which is also outside the city center but has rooms at a very good price and a large terrace, in addition to being able to use the kitchen. It does not have parking.

In Costambar we found Casa Tropical a step away from the beach and with an economical rate. The only problem is that in high season you have to book a minimum of 7 nights.

In Sosua, Las Palmeras hotel with swimming pool and 600 meters from the beach, has very good prices. It also has parking. Also the Mirador al Mar, although a bit farther from the beach, has ocean views and offers free meditation classes. The Voramar Hotel is a bit higher priced, but includes a very good breakfast.

A cheap hotel in Cabarete is the Diamond with an excellent quality/price ratio. Another option I love is the Surfbreak B&B because it is in a beautiful setting, very green and quiet, 5 minutes walk from the beach.

A different option, far from the sea and in the middle of the green mountains, is the Tubagua ecolodge, halfway between Santiago de los Caballeros and Puerto Plata, along Route 25. The facilities are rustic in style, but the views are spectacular. There are private rooms and one shared room.

Good apartments to sleep in Puerto Plata

Generally, they can be a good option if at least 4 people are traveling, although there are alternatives for couples.

Apartments to sleep in downtown Puerto Plata:

• Karla, 2-bedroom apartment with ocean views.

Apartments in Sosúa:

• Escondido Bay has modern apartments with ocean view and pool, with 2 and 3 bedrooms. They are located in front of a semi-private beach with waves.
• Infiniti Blu is located on a semi-private beach (Imbert). It has ocean view from most of the apartments, which accommodate from 4 to 8 people. The penthouse apartment is very nice. There is even a villa for 8 people with a spectacular private pool.
• Sosua Sweet Vacation is a good option for many people traveling together, as there are options for up to 12 people.
• Hotel Plaza Europa has affordable apartments for 2 or 4 people within a 5 minute walk to the beach in Sosua.

In Cabarete:

• Ocean Dream is a beachfront apartment complex with excellent reviews.
• Ocean Palms Residences has 1 or 2 bedroom apartments, with nice style.
• Bahia Residence is an excellent alternative a few steps from the beach and a 10 minute walk from the center of Cabarete.

💯 In Cabarete, Ultravioleta Boutique Residences have an exquisite design on the beachfront. All apartments are super bright, with large windows and terrace overlooking the sea. If you are looking for a TOP place to stay in Cabarete, consider it!

Rent a house or a Villa in Puerto Plata

It is a good option if you are traveling with a large family or friends, or if you are really looking for a large and private space to enjoy a few days near the sea. Some options of villas for rent in Puerto Plata are:

• this beautiful villa in Costambar beach, has 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, accommodating up to 9 people. It has a large garden with veranda and a very nice pool.
• This house with pool in Sosua, with 2 bedrooms, sleeps up to 4 people.
• Surf Blue Cabarete, has several two-bedroom houses with pool.

🌴 Read about the best beaches in Punta Cana!

Things to do in Puerto Plata

The top activities you shouldn’t miss!

• Visit the most important attractions of downtown: the central square, the cathedral, the San Felipe fortress, walk along the boardwalk and ride the cable car of Puerto Plata. You can hire this guided tour of Puerto Plata in English.
• Visit the spectacular 27 waterfalls of Damajagua (see excursion).
• Visit Cayo Arena and the mangroves (see excursion).

Activities if you have more days in Puerto Plata:

• Visit to Blue Lagoon and Playa Grande (see tour).
• Countryside tour with dominican lunch (book it here).

Do you enjoy adventure? You might like these tours:

• Canyoning in Cola de Pato ( book here).
• Hiking in the Tinajones ( book here).
• Zip lining between waterfalls (reserve here).

---

We hope this selection of hotels where to stay in Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabarete has helped you. If you know any other to recommend because you have stayed, or you have any questions, you can leave them in the comments and we will gladly help you!