The Dominican Republic is often referred to as the Mecca of all-inclusive travel. Over 6 million tourists visit the Dominican Republic each year, maximizing the occupancy of resorts in the most popular areas like Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, and La Romana. However, these areas overshadow some of the Dominican Republic’s best-kept secrets.

The island offers incredible natural diversity: mountains, caves, jungles, marine reserves – most of which are widely untouched. In this post, I will focus on three unique properties on the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic. The following properties are in key locations, they are affordable and distinct in their offerings and I hope you consider visiting them when planning your trip to the Dominican Republic. Here are 3 of the best places to stay on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic.

The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club

The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club sits on a beautiful marina between the sea and the mountains in the heart of Samana. It is a gorgeous boutique property with attractive amenities and stellar service. Each room is spacious and comes with a private balcony and a fully equipped kitchen.

The rooms feel more like home than a hotel, although they are serviced. My favorite part about the property is the infinity pool on a small cliff: it faces both sunrise and sunset and the views are epic (worth the early wake-up call)! The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club is part of a small and quiet gated community. It is perfect for a romantic getaway or for families. There is a game room, fitness studio, tennis court, and a spa. Countless activities are also available: billiards, movie nights, tastings, fishing tournaments, and more.

Sea Horse Ranch

Private villa for all of your friends. Private in-ground pool. A private secluded beach. Private chef If all of this sounds attractive to you, enter: Sea Horse Ranch, one of the best places to stay on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic. Sea Horse Ranch is a luxury oceanfront villa resort and hotel in Cabarete on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. The best part is that the properties come at very attractive prices. The villa’s range from $700 a night (at a 6 person occupancy that’s ~$117pp) to $2000 a night (at a 12 person occupancy that’s $167pp).

I cannot even begin to explain how luxurious our vacation felt. I stayed in Sea Horse Ranch for a friend’s bachelorette party in Casa La Bandera, an oceanfront villa with 6 bed/6 baths. First of all, the property is absolutely massive (5788 m²). The living room is equipped with a billiards table, a library, a work desk, and a seating area to watch TV.

There are two outdoor dining areas: one is situated on a manmade pond, the other on the porch. Catering services by a private chef are available for an additional cost and is worth it for the delicious homemade food. The property has a large in-ground pool, an area to barbecue, and a secluded beach (which has a reef). Sea Horse Ranch is perfect for large groups and families – it offers the ultimate level of privacy and luxury and it is conveniently located within a 25-minute drive of popular destinations on the northern coast (which I will talk about in my next post).