Tour: We had a great time, as usual. Saw our buddy Linda at Mel' Tours and took the Puerto Plata tour, as well as cable car up Mt. Isabel. I was good in the cable car, despite my fear of heights. Spectacular views, walking trails, etc. Shopped in Puerto Plata for an hour, but found the pushiness of street and store vendors more annoying than usual. Much more aggressive than Sosua vendors, believe me. Bought some souvenirs, toured Fort Filipe, amber museum, jewelry stores, cigar making, tasted Mamajuana (national drink), but Brugal Factory was closed New Year's Eve all day, the only day we could take this city tour.

Weather: Weather cooperated nicely, only a bit of rain here and there and one storm during our two week stay at Sosua by the Sea. A nice resort, but wouldn't stay there again.

Room problems & fixes: The second night there, the air conditioner stopped blowing cold air and it was + 85 in our room. Three requests to the front desk in one day, and two requests the following day, but nothing was done. This was well before the resort was filled to capacity. No ceiling fans or portable fans in our 1-bedroom apartment. We insisted on moving one night around 11 pm, but had to argue before our request was granted. A week later, the same air conditioning problem, but this time, it took less than an hour for maintenance to fix the problem, as my boyfriend was ill from heat stroke and I told the reception clerk that he would have to go to the hospital that day if the air conditioner didn't work properly. The air conditioner problem was discussed frequently among guests, even those who regularly stay at the resort. Apparently, the units outside have to be recharged manually. Only the day maintenance guys can do this.

Our apartment also had a balcony, which faced a condo/resort right next door, so we had no view of anything. If there's a next time, insist on garden, pool or ocean views. A balcony isn't anything special. Mosquitoes were too bad some evenings to even sit outside on the balcony anyway just to look at a concrete building.

Staff: Generally, all staff were pleasant and accommodating, friendly, but as usual, understaffed when the resort was at full capacity over Christmas and New Year's. Apparently, the reservations manager I dealt with in November is suddenly not working there any more. There was a problem with credit card charges on my account when returned home that took a week to fix. My credit card company froze my account, which was embarrassing while trying to pay for groceries at home, unaware of suspicious transactions on my credit card originating from Sosua by the Sea. All was fixed with some phone calls to my card company and emails and faxes to Sosua by the Sea.

Food and Drinks: We chose the all-inclusive package and found we should have only had it for a week. The food was basically good (except the fish soup), but we like alot of fresh fruit and there really wasn't much to choose from. There are small stores and larger supermercados within 15 minute walk so that's where we bought fresh fruits and snacks. Our apartment had a mini fridge that worked great. The drinks at the bars were awesome, even paying 100 pesos each for a really awesome Margarita and real Coco Loco. We gringos aren't used to how potent the 151 rum is. We were completely trashed our first night there, thanks to the Coco Locos.

Buffets were good, even many a la carte meals to choose from. We really enjoyed bacon cheeseburgers, pork, steak, chicken and pasta a la carte meals offered, but not every day. Nice change from the buffet meals. Desserts were excellent, everything that was supposed to be cold was cold, hot was hot. Sunday's meal was a BBQ style buffet. Chef in Joseph's outdoor restaurant prepared sausages, chicken, steak, hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill right there, as well as the fixings, salads, desserts, side dishes in the buffet area. We never ate at Joseph's as it wasn't in the all-inclusive package and a bit pricey for some of the meals. The setting of dining overlooking the ocean in the cabanas was very nice, though, and we take our buffet meals there in the evening when Joseph's wasn't open.

Tipping: We tipped the bartenders 5-10 pesos every third or so drink consumed, and wait staff 50-100 pesos per meal. We rarely ever made it to breakfast, but the few times I did drag my butt there, it was really good. Also tipped the porter who carried our luggage to our room $ 5 USD since the elevator wasn't working.

On a trip to the big supermercado, we met a couple originally from Ottawa and Sault Ste. Marie who own and operate a small resort in Cabarete. All we need is a flight (please WestJet, extend your services past mid-May - we love WestJet). We don't want the all-inclusive thing again for sure.

Beach and snorkeling: It was so much fun exploring Sosua more and snorkeling near the Catamarans and dive boats near our resort. It took about 30 minutes to swim to the nearby spot but the reef was alive with an abundance of fish, eels, rays, crabs, urchins, etc. We also found another reef edge about 5 minute swim from shore, right out front. The guys at North Coast Diving who operate right next to Sosua by the Sea were great sources of info. where to snorkel. There's a map on the wall. The beach is small, dotted by reefs, but good enough for us. Would have been nice to rent umbrellas, though. You can venture next door to the Casa Marina beach area as it's a public beach. You can rent umbrellas there for $3 US a day, I think.

Pools and Grounds: The pool was refreshing and clean, the whirlpool was nice to relax in. Grounds and pool area were always cleaned regularly, lots of flowers, trees, birds, small lizards, etc. A very beautiful setting.

Potable Water: Always available at the reception area (big dispenser always cool) and entranceway to the main buffet restaurant, and at both bars. Bring your own drink containers for sure. Those disposable plastic cups are flimsy.

Annoyances: There were neighbourhood dogs barking all hours late at night and early morning, up until 7 am. Not a restful stay for sure. **I highly recommend to anyone staying at Sosua by the Sea to request a pool or ocean view room, even if it costs you a bit more. You will be sheltered from the noises on the street and staff coming in the early morning hours.**

Seriously, I brought ear plugs with me, thankfully. It was full over most of the holidays, so couldn't change to another room. Two weeks of constant barking dogs (I've never heard dogs bark so much and no one did anything about it), arguments on the street, staff congregating in the reception area was really unbelievable. We made the best of it and decided to have several stiff drinks before bed so we would sleep through most of it!

Internet: Bring a laptop with you. Wireless Internet access is best in the buffet restaurant and pool areas. Wired Internet is on the fourth floor, just above the fitness centre, but the computer was full of spyware and the mouse rarely worked. You can hook up your own laptop there, too. It was 70 pesos for an hour (@ 33 pesos per $1 USD = $2.12 USD), but ended up going to an Internet cafe just past Casa Marina reef entrance, on the opposite side of the street for much cheaper and faster connection. There are a number of off-site Internet access providers, and many bars and restaurants offer wireless access, too. There's no need to use the resort's access, unless you're hesitant to leave the resort - you shouldn't be.

Security: In room safe was 200 pesos per week ($ 6 USD), and security guard out front during the day. At night, security guard out front and another who patrols the grounds. You cannot access the beach after 8 pm. It is a public beach and officially closes at 8 pm. It's for your own safety. Tides and currents can get pretty strong at times, combined with gringos who drink way too much, and well, you get the picture. We tipped the patrolling security guard $10 USD one night as he kept watch on a group of us hanging around the bar after it closed at 11 pm. We weren't rowdy, but not ready for bed yet. He got us ice and mixes from the bar for our drinks (we bought some of our own bottles of booze), made sure we all got to our rooms without falling into the pool! He remembered us the next evening and every other evening after that with a big smile, handshake and Hola!

A big thumbs up to the following off-resort restaurants that we frequented during our stay: Bailey's, Brittania, Don Andres, La Finca. We planned on having dinner at La Roca on our last evening there, but a storm whipped up with torrential rain and we didn't make it out after all. Disappointed!

Two thumbs up to the Super Super Liquor Store and all the supermercados for carrying munchies at reasonable prices. I'm already checking out how we can get to Cabarete again in late May/early June.

All in all, it was worth the money, but would not do the all-inclusive part for two weeks. We did very well scoping out places to eat within 15 minute walk of the resort, so every time we go to Sosua, we learn more about the amenities off resort.

My husband and i just returned from our second trip to Sosua by the Sea. I call it a little emerald because the island is so lush and green that it's the gem that comes to mind. Whenever i describe the DR to anyone i always start with the Dominican people....kind, friendly, helpful with a warmth of spirit that reaches out to hug you. This is exactly how i would characterize the hotel staff....Luis and Segundo at the front desk, Toby, Junior and Luis in the dining room, Sandra our housekeeper, Estelle and Christina at the bar...Aridio at the dive shop...and all the others whose names i don't know....there aren't enough good things to say! the property itself lovely....right on the beach with a beautiful pool and grounds...everything is manicured and clean. the rooms are very nice but the bathrooms are old and could use some updating. mattresses are VERY firm. this is not a place with an "animation team"....don't go to Sosua by the Sea if you're looking for organized activities and loud tourists. You will meet people from all over the world who are looking for peace and quiet. the food is excellent....breakfast, lunch and dinner. there's a buffet in the morning and Luis will make you a delicious omelette. You can order what's not on the little wooden menu...never a problem to get a hamburger or a grilled cheese sandwich. The food is always fresh, never fussy and the service is exactly the way it should be....efficient and friendly. the chef is wonderful and very proud of his work. the pastry chef is a gem...the desserts are magazine worth and taste as good as they look. the owner is on the premises and he is lovely....really concerned that you have the best vacation possible. don't believe what you hear about not being able to walk in the streets....it's ridiculous. sosua is a great little town....don't wear flashy jewelry, don't throw money around, be respectful of the fact that you're in a foreign country...smile and say "buenos dias", "muchas gracias" and you'll be treated like a friend. Don't miss Cabarete beach...it will take your breath away. Go to the DR...it's still a bargain and you'll be very happy.

My husband and I spent 5 quiet, absolutely relaxing days at Sosúa by the Sea. We loved the hotel and the private beach (big waves, snorkeling trips to nearby reef spots available straight from the hotel). With the exception of the Sunday night BBQ, the food was quite good -- much better than we'd expected. The hotel is very clean, and the rooms are all spacious. Unfortunately, the standard suite we booked faced the neighboring building complex, which was under construction. So, the "view" was disappointing and the balcony useless. As far as we could tell, the regular rooms might be the better choice, as they all seemed to face the pool or sea. So, don't waste extra money on a suite. Also, don't expect to get any great indoor workout (the beach and water are better anyway). While we were there, 5 out of the 6 machines in the little gym were out of order. And the computer/Internet services weren't fully working either. One day there was no connection, and when it was back up and running, the computer's keyboard didn't work properly. But, for us at least, those were just asides. We enjoyed the quiet, relaxing pace, the friendly service, the water, and the beach. You will enjoy Sosúa by the Sea if you're looking for peace, comfort, and quiet -- especially during off season, and even if it rains two days straight (you might always catch a gorgeous rainbow!).

My boyfriend and I stayed at this hotel for two weeks in March of 2007. An auntie of mine, who is a travel agent, reccomended it to me as she has been to the DR many times. I couldn't be happier with our choice of hotel. It's small and quiet, which is exactly what we were looking for. It also has a private beach area, which was perfect because we weren't interested in fighting for beach chairs. The hotel itself has no night life as far as shows and entertainment goes, but if you prefer sitting in a smaller intimate bar setting and really getting to know people, then this is perfect. The Casa Marina is right next door, so when you do want to see a show you can head over there. The staff was overwhelmingly kind and accomodating, they bent over backwards for you no matter what you requested.
The rooms were big and clean and the food was excellent.
I can't stress enough how relaxing this vacation was, and I know I wouldn't have come back so refreshed if we'd been staying somewhere else. Sosua by the Sea is unlike the big, impersonal resorts that are so popular, and if your really looking to de-stress and realx on a beach, then stay here.