Gran Bahia Principe Cayacoa Rating: 3.5 Pearls

Samana Peninsula, Dominican Republic

The resort is built on a steep hill

A relaxing, family resort set high on a cliff overlooking the town of Samana and the Samana Bay, the Cayacoa attracts European, Dominican, and Canadian couples and families seeking the pristine, less-developed Samana Peninsula. The resort itself is fairly small, but because it's built on a steep hill, walking around the resort (and to the beach) takes a great deal of time and energy.

Porters happily assist guests to their rooms

Rivaling the best in the Dominican Republic, the service at Cayacoa was friendly and efficient – superior, even, to its more expensive sister resort, the Gran Bahia Cayo Levantado (just a stone's throw away on a small island).

Check-in was easy and fast. Safari-gear-sporting porters grabbed my bags and were happy to help me to my room. The room was a short shuttle ride down a steep hill from the main lobby. Staff members quickly sent shuttles to drive me around.

At first I found the shotgun-toting guards to be alarming, but they proved to be great chatters and very friendly, even with the firepower.

Bartenders in the lobby bar were really friendly, even during a rush of drink orders. Some customers seemed angry with the time it took them to get drinks, but the bar was really only busy for a 45-minute window. The rest of the day (and night), drinks were easy to get and came quickly.

View on a Larger Map

The Cayoca is located in Samana, a 45-minute cab ride from the Samana El Catey International Airport that costs $65.

A narrow peninsula on the east end of the Dominican Republic, Samana is less developed and more serene than heavily congested tourist areas like Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata, or Punta Cana. Some of the country’s best beaches are on the Samana Peninsula. As such, the main town of Samana is popular among cruise ship passengers, who come hunting souvenirs and local fare. However, safety outside the resorts is less reliable here than in some of the gated complexes on the north coast, like Playa Dorada. Unlike elsewhere in the D.R., it’s common to see armed guards at the hotels. Visitors are advised to travel in groups and use common sense, especially at night.

A view of Samana Bay

The beach at the Gran Bahia Princie Cayacoa is pretty average. To get to it, guests take an elevator down about four stories, and it opens directly on the sand. The beach is pretty small and lacks an exotic feel, but does offer plenty of lounge chairs and a restaurant. There are also close-up views of the Bridge to Nowhere.

On TripAdvisor, MississaugaPete noted that he saw “a red discharge from a large pipe dumping onto the beach area and … what appeared to be raw sewage drifting into the Jacuzzi beach area." At least two other TripAdvisor reviewers also said they saw sewage on the same beach. I did not see any signs of discharge in the water, but it’s certainly a possibility. A still developing city, Samana doesn’t have a modern sewage system.

The Standard Room

Reviewers on TripAdvisor complained of bugs in the room. I did not see any such creatures. In fact, my room was very clean and comfortable.

Beds are large and come with a heavy comforter – a nice touch, given the hotel's high-powered A.C.

The marble bathrooms are handsome, clean, and comfortable. However, they lack luxe features like a Jacuzzi or bidet (both found at the more expensive Gran Bahia Cayo Levantado).

All rooms come with a mini-fridge stocked with a few sodas, two beers, and a bottle of water.

I really liked the balcony. Standard rooms are down the hill, near the villas. They have an amazing view of the ocean, but they lacked the grand, cliff-top view that many guests flock to the Cayacoa to see. To get this view, guests should request ocean-view rooms in the main hotel complex on top of the hill. These rooms are in the busier part of the hotel but are closer to the restaurants and main pool.

The pool at Cayacoa is definitely a bigger draw than the beach, even though it's not that big. There's both a bar and a Ping-Pong table right next to it. The pool sits above a large cliff and has great views of Samana Bay. There's also a massage pool, two smaller pools, and another beach by the villas on the resort's west end.

Overall, this is a very clean resort. My room was spotless, and the grounds were well maintained. Some TripAdvisor reviewers complained that the walkways and handrails were in disrepair. But during my visit, workers were busy installing new fixtures.

Las Dalias buffet

The Cayacoa’s buffet was excellent, maybe the best buffet food I encountered in the Dominican Republic. It also happens to be one of the few places with numerous vegetarian options. For dinner, I had baked ham and an assortment of cheeses and breads. There was always a soup option as well as various entrees and salads.

An international restaurant called La Orquidea sits on the cliff overlooking Samana Bay. Reservations are required, and amazing views are guaranteed. La Casita and El Pescador are down the hill, closer to the water; both also have sea views.