6 Best Hotels in Puerto Plata, North Coast

Designed by architect Sara Garcia, sophisticated Casa Colonial, a boutique property exuding refinement and relaxation on the quiet end of the long beach, is a surprise among the all-inclusives of Playa Dorada. The suites are sumptuous—with Frette linens and an inviting open bath-to-bedroom floor plan—but those that do not overlook the beach are not as stellar as the public areas. The rooftop sundeck is close to heaven—an infinity pool and four warm Jacuzzis overlooking the ocean as well as an eatery here and on the ground floor facing the ocean; spa devotees will savor the Bagua Spa. The hotel's popularity as a wedding venue and for family and group sell-outs is escalating. If you like exclusive, small hotels, this is the best choice on the North Coast, and if you book directly they'll include free breakfast for your trip.

The stunning, contemporary entrance flanked by slender white pillars leads to the attractive lobby at this adults-only resort, which offers both incredible value and many complaints. For decades an all-inclusive, the resort now offers that as an option that is worth accepting. Standard and standard-plus rooms are basic and small (rooms near the stage can be noisy until 11 pm); if possible, upgrade to the spacious, quiet villas with Jacuzzis and more contemporary bedding. Some rooms have been redecorated in recent years. What remains inviting is the international buffet, from raw oysters to a real turkey dinner, depending on the nightly theme. The ambience is more relaxing at the à la carte restaurants, where reservations are needed and the food is not necessarily as good. House wine is swill, beer is better. There aren't many organized activities anymore besides the pool games. Canadians and Brits seem to be the most pleased.

This condominium complex shares the grounds of the Hotel Blue Jack Tar, providing an upscale option to the generally moderately priced Playa Dorada. The rather plain facade does not prepare you for the stunning interior decor behind closed doors, most especially the swoon-worthy penthouse. All of the condos, from two-bedrooms up, have spacious layouts and high-end, contemporary furnishings, even on their terraces. The quality of construction is top-notch. Renters can enjoy this good life for a night, a week, or longer for a value price, all the while enjoying the facilities of the adjoining hotel.

This longtime all-inclusive has clean, spacious rooms, with easy access to the beach. Families make up a good share of the market, and this resort is solid as far as the tour operators are concerned. Many couples will prefer the larger rooms overlooking the quiet pool, though they lack the ocean views. All rooms have upscale touches like flat-screen TVs and improved bedding. All four restaurants are good choices. With an upscale, residential ambience, it artistically blends rustic Dominican touches with collagelike photography of Europe; all the extras are worth the upgrade.

This resort will dazzle you with its sprawling lobby, its curvaceous pool with a central Jacuzzi encircled by Roman pillars. Guest rooms have a light, breezy, tropical look; the ocean-view junior suites have desks and flat-screen TVs. Food, including at the Brazilian and Mexican restaurants, is good, and so is the buffet. Top-shelf liquor is available only at the lobby bar. At night you can watch the entertainment from the garden seating surrounding the wrought-iron gazebo. The dive center is one of the best in the area. Close to Puerto Plata, you can have more contact with real Dominican life here than if you stay in Playa Dorada complex itself. Guests from the United Kingdom and Canada rave about the resort more than statesiders.

Rooms on the top floor of Block 5 and 6 have views and are worth the upgrade.

The hand-hewn, thatch-roofed wood structures on this mountaintop a short 20 minutes by road from Puerto Plata look over a vast quilt of sugarcane fields to the ocean beyond, offering an authentic Dominican experience in rustic comfort. Two spacious cottages have private baths; three smaller palapas share bathroom facilities set apart in the gardens; a cute geodesic dome (called The Igloo) provides backpacker dorm rates. Guests gather over family-style suppers in a spacious social area and enjoy guided and unguided hiking, birding, waterfall treks, and visits to a coffee plantation and nearby amber mines.