Sosua Bay Hotel

My boyfriend and I went for a one-week vacation and we don't know who rated this hotel as a four-star but we ran into numerous problems throughout our stay. In all, we were very disappointed with the service and the entertainment. Every day seemed to bring upon more frustrations. "No problem" is definitely their slogan, as they don't seem to take any complaint seriously. First of all, after two days they switched us into a room that had still not been cleaned, as we were just coming back from a full day of horseback riding. We were dirty and couldn't wait to shower. We waited about half an hour in the room after advising a staff member that the room was not ready. As we went to express our dissatisfaction, they offered us a fruit basket which we of course never got. Every day we were in that specific room we weren't able to take a shower, regardless of the time of the day, since there was absolutely no hot water. We had to take cold sponge baths. And this is what they call a four-star hotel... ?Besides this the maid was supposed to fill up the fridge every day with water, beer, etc. and we had to keep running after her to get our water, even if I left a polite note every day on the pillow with some treats... The bartenders did not give us the drinks we had specifically asked for quite frequently. The hotel is also really poor in entertainment as the only thing they had to offer in that area was a dance show which was being held every night at 10:00 pm, and some live music right before. The dance shows were really good and the costumes were awesome. However, there was no animation, no interaction with the crowd, no games, nothing to spark any fun. We found it was really a place to relax but not to have fun. In fact, the age mean of the clientele seemed to be much higher.So far I have only addressed the negative points of the resort but we still were very satisfied with a few things. Among them, the food was just fabulous. The buffet restaurant offers a wide variety of quality food and the service from the waiters is impeccable. We always overate! The mexican restaurant was also pretty good but we were not satisfied with the italian restaurant. They only had 5 choices in the all-inclusive menu, and the only one that I was interested to get was not available. They also seemed like they discriminated against people who were paying extra and people who were ordering from the all-inclusive menu. We loved the sister resort in Cabarete that you can access by shuttle. The staff was much friendlier there, the beach nicer, the food as great as Sosua Bay and they offered lots of entertainment and animation which was definitely missing at our hotel. One night they decided to do a Valentine's special and offered us a candlelight supper right on the beach, with a great big bond fire, merengue lessons, and lots of fun. They also had fireworks later in the evening which we missed. We believe that this Azzuro hotel will have its rating upgraded to a four-star once the renovations will be over and will have nothing to envy from Sosua Bay Hotel...We went on two excursions, the Puerto Plata tour and the horseback riding. We were really impressed with our horseback riding tour. The two young guides who accompanied us were very warm-hearted, affable and knowledgeable. The taught us about the various medicinal properties of the plants found on the island, and brought us in a cave where you could swim with candles lit all around you. It was a great time.As for the weather, the temperature remained around 29 degrees. We encountered two days with on and off rain and the other days were sunny with cloudy periods. There is a flea market right behind the beach in Sosua Bay. Make sure to negotiate and deflate the prices, or you'll definitely get ripped off!Basically, based on our personal experiences, we would not go back to that hotel again and would not recommend it either. Keep in mind however that many other people were satisfied with their stay there and did not appear to have encountered the same problems we had. Were we just unlucky?? One of us has traveled before and has never had insatisfactions of this nature even with three-star hotels...

I just wanted to say that my husband and I just got back from the Sosua Bay Hotel and we found it to be absolutely amazing. The lobby was beautiful - not at all shabby as mentioned by a previous reviewer...I couldn't believe they wanted to transfer?!!! There is a main elevator that runs to the pool/restaurant/lobby. If your room is not on the main floor, you have to take stairs. I didn't mind this at all, in fact it was good exercise however if you have trouble with stairs you will not like this resort. The food was incredible! The buffet had a theme every night so it was never boring. They also had a fresh pasta bar and lunch and dinner as well as a smoothie bar & omlette bar at breakfast. The restaurants were also amazing. We didn't try the oriental place but the Italian restaurant was delicious and the service was impeccable. I loved 'El Patio' the best. They served the most amazing Tex Mex food I have ever had! The only problem with El Patio was that the service was also the worst service we have ever experienced! The food however was definately worth the wait! What I also loved about this hotel was the location. You can walk through Sosua and try some of the local restaurants and shops if this interests you. We went to the local grocery store which is a 5 minute walk from the hotel and bought lots of cheap coffee etc...as gifts for our friends and family. There is also a "flea market" hidden behind the greenery along the beach. The pools were on the smaller side however they never felt crowded and were always clean. The water was a little cold though! All in all, i just wanted to say that if I ever go back to the D.R. I would definately stay at the Sosua Bay Hotel. We had a great holiday!

We had a great time...My husband & I were in Sosua from the 31st of Jan till the 7th of Feb....we stayed in the Victorian House and the service was wonderful...the food great & staff helpful & so cheerful....the weather was also beautiful, we could not think of one thing we would change about our week in paradise and hope to return soon.

Just returned from 2 weeks at the Sosua Bay Hotel. It is not a hotel for everyone, but for many could be a very good experience. We have travelled to DR 3 times and many times to different points in Mexico and elsewhere south, so we have some experience from which to compare. Good Points: The food was varied and very good --probably the best asset of the package. If you had a room with a balcony overlooking the bay the accommodations would be "good" as long as you are able to spend a lot of time climbing stairs (the hotel spans about 7-8 stories from water level to top floor). The rooms were kept clean and mini fridge reasonably stocked. The staff was friendly and tried their best. The public beach beside the hotel had very clean water and lovely swimming ($2/day for two lounges and umbrella). The pools were small for the number of guests but adequate. Walks downtown for coffee or drinks at the sidewalk bars was fun for us.Bad Points: There was no hot water for two weeks except at 5-6 AM in the morning. The room view for half the rooms were less than desireable. Waiters with water, wine and coffee were poorly organized and that part of their service was poor and irritating. For those desiring lots of organized activities there is limited activities at this hotel. There is no beach except a small area by a public boat launch. The size and staff at the bars is inadequate for the number of guests.Conclusions: This is not a 4 star hotel, but if you want a relaxing time by a pool with a nice view, good food and a little irritation and inconvenience, this is a good value. Insist in advance for a room with balcony and Bay view. If you have difficulty with stairs or have kids suggest insisting on lower floor or another hotel with a big pool and its own beach. We would return but only for one week and if the cost was low relative to other packages in the DR. Overall, I would rate the hotel as a "good" but not "exceptional" value.

Just arrived back from Sosua Bay Hotel on Monday Feb 09 2004 and my best piece of advice is  Read the reviews here and on Debbie s Caribbean Resort Reviews . Do your research and there will be no surprises! 1. We knew there is no real beach at the hotel but that a lovely public beach is right beside it. Not knowing this caused 1 couple we met on the first day to move to a different hotel. Their loss! 2. Beach sand is not pure white but so what? The water was warm and clear. 3. Yes there are lots of steps at the hotel but we are in our mid to late fifties and had no problem with them. 4. Food  absolutely marvellous! We have travelled all over the world and with the exception of cruises we have not eaten so well on a holiday. I have always been frightened about going to the Dominican because of stories about their food and water but I was just fine. 5. Try all the ala carte restaurants as well as the buffet  we found them exceptional 6. Service was wonderful  never ran into 1 rude staff member. 7. Great drinks  especially at the bar in the lobby 8. Rooms had everything we needed and the bed was huge 9. The market behind the beach was fun but you really have to be good at bartering 10. We loved being right in Sosua and made numerous walking trips there as a break from just relaxing at the hotel 11. Take a trip to Cabarete for the beach at the sister hotel if you like bigger surf or for a change in shopping. Free shuttle. Try the shop  Tienda Luis Anselmo near the supermarket. He doesn t barter much but his prices are pretty low to start. 12. We didn t encounter any bugs at all.Conclusion: We had a great time and would not hesitate to go again. Feel free to contact me for any extra info.

A group of four of us went the 2nd week in January 2004. We had a great time. Anyone who complains is someone who doesn't know how to have fun. The staff was great, tried to teach us their language, and were extremely friendly. The restaurants were very nice. Breakfasts were wonderful. The pool area was always near capacity for sun tanning, but not overly crowded. The swim up bar was nice. The bay water was very warm. When it rains, there are a couple of areas, Sabatinis and the pavillion area, to take refuge if you wanted. The people you get "stranded" with were always fun. And the bars and restaurants were always open. The views of the bay were gorgeous! Victorian House was great! Our maid was wonderful. We gave her 100 pesos a day and received double the amount of beverages they stock in the room fridge normally. And there were NO BUGS!!!!!! If you can't have fun here, your a sourpuss moron.

Take my advice...DON'T GO!!!! We read all the reviews prior to leaving and were very excited. The moment we stepped foot in the lobby we knew right away what a terrible mistake we had made in our choice. I'm not sure who writes these reviews (VERY SUSPICIOUS NOW) but we couldn't believe our eyes. There was no fresh lemonade and cold towels to greet us. The furniture in the lobby was battered, and torn. Before getting our room we looked around. There is no real beach per se, only a public beach adjacent to the hotel. The pool is incredibly small and dirty, the washrooms filthy! And to top it off - none of the elevators were working!! A quick check of the lunch buffet revealed very little choice and the food looked like it had been left out for hours. Right beside the hotel is a shopping plaza - in fact most of the rooms overlook the town on all sides so security would definitely be an issue - not to mention the noise and filth of this town. After arguing with our travel rep for over 2 hours we were transferred to another hotel - same cost - and it was heaven on earth compared to Sousa Bay Hotel!! There were 2 other couples in line behind us asking to be moved as well. I sure hope they were able to!!

Just returned from Sosua Bay Hotel and really enjoyed it. Very small compared to what I'm used to but liked the difference... short walk to everywhere, very cozy and friendly. Loved the look of everything... lots of wrought iron, and all-white (very tropical looking) adjoining hotel called the Victorian which we had access to (more restaurants, pool/hot tub). One downfall was no enclosed bar area so when it rains there's nowhere to converge except lobby. Staff very friendly and helpful. Beach not so great as far as proximity but that was okay by us ... prefer pool(s) with great deck area including lounge chairs overlooking the bay and upper infinity pool cascading over pool bar into lower pool ... very unique set-up. Massages (only $15.00 for 1-hour) were great! Lots of local little shops, bars, restaurants on adjoining streets and all along beach area. All in all great vacation.

I just came back from a one week stay at Sosua Bay. Following is not a step-by-step itinerary of what I experienced but my opinions on the resort.1. The hotel is absolutely beautiful. It's a rustic meditarraean theme and not your traditional lobby at all. Square shaped, the openings at both ends of the lobby create a beautiful breeze. Upon checking in, they served us lemonade and there was a bar directly across from the reception area. Next to the bar, was a spiraling staircase that leadsto a couple of couches and a computer for free internet use.2. The food at the buffet and the 3 a la carte restaurants were absolutely delicious! An excellent variety of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner and since the hotel is on a cliff, the view from the open-air buffet restaurant was breathtaking. 2 out of the 3 a la carte restaurants will seat you on a deck right by the water - hearing and seeing the waves crashing right of you was fabulous and such an aphrodisiac!3. All the staff at the hotel were very polite and professional. The servers could put 5 star waiters to shame. THey know when to approach you, to fill your wine glass without asking, and constantly are ready to refill your coffee or your dish. They are friendly without being fake and annoying.4. I found the market area behind the hotel to sell really cheap but good quality merchandise for the most part. You could barter for a $2 dollar t-shirt but since the price is so cheap and we pay 300% mark-up back home, i preferred to support the locals without hassle who depend on us to live.5. Yes there are two many stairs for a 4 storey resort but if you are laying on the beach all day and after consuming a delicious variety of food some exercise is good! (*not wheelchair friendly).6. The beach wasn't very wide and some areas were dirty. The swimming pool area on the first level was a bit crowded and the pool small, but there is a second level where you can tan more privately and under some shade.7. My only major disappointment was the night-life. The Voodoo Lounge bar that belongs to the hotel was down the road and wasn't frequented until late in the night. The other bar further down the street, Latino Club, plays only Latino music and seemed to be a meat-market.Conclusion: highly recommended!ADIOS!

We just got home from a great holiday at Sosua Bay. It's a small resort, so you get a great "homey" feeling from the staff. Pretty good food (for a buffet, it's actually better than pretty good!). The restaurants that are included were quite nice as well - lots of seafood/shellfish choices. This is an excellent value resort. Upon checkin we were given a small room with "park" view (garbage and rubble??) and 2 double beds. After the first day, we did request a room change so that we could have a larger bed, as we were on our honeymoon and had booked a king room. We were never moved despite asking each day. However, since we spent so little time inside the room it wasn't a major problem - seems silly to complain about something so minor. The room we were assigned was certainly adequate for our needs - although it would have been nicer to have a king bed. :) The beach and ocean are not particularly nice (if you have ever been anywhere else in Carribean, you'll know what I mean - no white sand/crystal waters here!) but it was a clean beach and lots of waves for kiddie fun. Overall, like ANY holiday, you get what you make of it. We had a wonderful time, enjoyed it a lot, but would likely explore other areas of DR before going back to this property because of the beach.