Casa Colonial Beach & Spa

“Epitome of Serenity”

This is the most serene hotel we have ever stayed at. It began when we arrived, where instead of waiting in line to check in, they seated us at a table and gave us glasses of wine (other options available) to enjoy while they got everything set for signing us in. When we went to our room, our b… more

This is the most serene hotel we have ever stayed at. It began when we arrived, where instead of waiting in line to check in, they seated us at a table and gave us glasses of wine (other options available) to enjoy while they got everything set for signing us in. When we went to our room, our bags were already delivered, and a small fridge I had asked for was set up and cooling. We stayed in an Oceanfront Patio Jr. suite, and it was excellent. We could see out to the ocean from our room, had a covered patio (which was very helpful when there were passing showers), and could walk straight out to the beach if we wanted. We heard many birds in the trees but saw very few of them, even though I have binoculars. We ate at Lucia the first night, and it was very good. The wine is pretty expensive, but the dinners are pretty reasonable. Unfortunately, they started renovations on Lucia, the lobby bar and much of the lobby the morning after we arrived, so we couldn't access Lucia or most of the lobby until the day we were leaving. They did open up the daytime restaurant and pool bar with the Lucia menu in the evenings while the renovations were going on. We had breakfast included, so we had excellent cooked-to-order breakfasts every day. The Dominican breakfast is excellent as is the American. The American breakfast is HUGE. There's a bread basket (excellent chocolate croissant included), a fruit plate, eggs, meat, potatoes, juice and coffee. The morning after we arrived, we wanted to get some Dominican pesos, so a staff member took us over in a golf cart to the little strip mall to the ATM. We went to dinner at the mall another night at Ristorante Passatore. My pasta was amazing, but my husband's grouper was tough. We went to the Trattoria Restaurant at the mall another night and had great pizza on the outdoor patio. The staff is always ready to take you over to the mall if you want. We had them do it sometimes, and we walked other times. It's very close. There's a pond on the property that has tons of birds around it. There are lots of doves, ducks, a green heron and a couple of night herons (the biggest ones I've ever seen). The rooftop pool has an amazing view, and the hot tubs are perfect; not too hot or cold. The pool is a bit cold, but I got used to it when I plunged in. The chairs are comfortable, and there are lots of umbrellas. I love that they do not allow music or smoking there. There was only one time when an inconsiderate couple was playing their music, but when I asked him to turn it off (he was standing in front of the sign at the bar that said "no music"), he apologized and turned it off. Without music, you can enjoy the sound of the wind and waves, which I LOVE! It's so serene! The beach is a golden sand beach, and they rake it early every morning, so it is beautifully clean when you come out to the chairs. The beach staff are fabulous! We wanted to get into the shade under the trees, and they put them exactly where we wanted them, and provided pads and towels too. There were always plenty of chairs at the beach and at the pool. It was nice not to have to rush in the morning to get a spot. Everywhere you go on the property, you hear the sounds of nature instead of humans. The wind, waves, and birds make wonderful music to me. One note about driving on the island. We rented a car and enjoyed the ability to go to Puerto Plata old town and the Jumbo grocery, but BEWARE THE SCOOTERS. Traffic rules are hardly even a suggestion to them. They will weave in and out of traffic and totally ignore traffic lights. Once you realize that and just keep an eye out for them, it's not a huge deal.

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