The Dominican Republic’s Samana Peninsula is a gorgeous slice of Dominican beach and mountain views. It’s a place where tourists can find dramatic waterfalls and caves full of hieroglyphics.
In this picturesque setting, there are four unique Bahia Principe properties that speak to each of your clients.
In the mid-1990s, “Pablo Piñero—[founder of Bahia Principe]—came here and said, ‘Oh my god, why do we not have a resort here?’” says Mercedes Moreno, sales director for the destination’s four all-inclusive Bahia Principe properties. “To open four hotels in an area nobody knows was a big risk, but now it has paid off.” She points out that high winter season is often at full occupancy, and even summers see the resorts mostly full.
The hotels Piñero built range from a massive property designed for families to a secluded island retreat.
Grand Bahia Principe Cayacoa
Cayacoa clings to the cliffs above the small town of Samana. On three sides are views
of the bay, which stretches south for nine miles before reaching Los Haitises National Park.
The 295 guestrooms range from an elegantly furnished standard to a Junior Suite. Rates run from $90 to $157. For the kids, a Bahia Scouts program will keep them busy with pirate treasure hunts and arts & crafts. There’s also a trio of swimming pools and whirlpools, and two beach areas that run alongside the cliffs, plus an hour a day of complimentary watersports.
Grand Bahia Principe El Portillo
This sprawling property of 606 rooms fills a stretch of quiet beach on the north side of the peninsula, where the water is the color of a Tiffany’s box and the breeze is always a bit cooler coming across the sea.
Four types of rooms run from a standard at $150 to a suite that holds eight at $170. There are two swimming pools and a whirlpool, as well as a waterpark with slides and a splash area. As the best-suited of the properties for kids, the Bahia Scouts program here is packed with activities.
It’s also a good fit for those who want more local culture, as a 15-minute cab ride away is Las Terrenas, offering a stretch of bars and nightclubs along the beach.
Luxury Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado
Cayo Levantado occupies all of a mile-long island that juts up from Samana Bay, clinging along cliffs to the north and sloping down to a public beach.
With the drive from Santo Domingo and then a 30-minute ferry ride to the island, this resort isn’t easy to reach. But spending time in the middle of a Dominican fjord provides a unique seclusion—ideal for clients who want to get away but yet still have options for dining and daytime activities.
“We have a lot of visitors who are successful businesspeople, and they just want to come out here and be apart from the world,” says Moreno.
The 268 rooms include five categories, with prices ranging from $200 to $330. The property recently began allowing children, but there are fewer organized activities.
Take the cliffside elevator down to the beach and you’ll find two beaches, one often with crashing waves. The other beach has a secluded bay, with water as clear as tap water. In the center is a pool that’s more of a party scene, with organized games like water polo throughout the day.
Between the villas in the center of the island is a quieter pool deck with cabanas and a large whirlpool. Electric carts run along paths between the villas and back to the main colonial-style building.
Luxury Bahia Principe Samana
The smallest of the properties features a stately open-air, colonial-style building full
of columns and light from a central glass-covered atrium.
This adults-only resort features 149 guestrooms that are all steps from the pool and whirlpool. And a tiny dark-sand beach offers limited swimming area, but fills nearly everywhere on the property with the sounds of crashing waves. A Superior room starts
at $170, and a Junior Suite at $205. Among the dining options here is Don Pablo, a
white linen French restaurant that honors the founder.
Like Piñero must have felt when he first saw the area, a visit here feels a lot like discovering a new place.
Contact Information
Bahia Principe: bahia-principe.com/en
