Areca

I’ve stayed at several places in Cabarete, and this has been my favorite so far. The beach is less than 100 meters away, and I had a small kitchen with a fridge that made it easy to prepare food. It’s a very nice place to stay. There’s a good chance I’ll book here again when I’m back.

The best part is the location, right on the beach and along what I found to be Cabarete’s prettiest alley. You can hear the waves all the time, and sometimes the wind in the palms. It’s the best beach I’ve seen in my travels, and the hotel pays for two beach chairs each day. Rooms and bathrooms are large, staff are great, and they clean around noon every day, even doing the dishes you left soaking or forgot, which was embarrassing. It’s near all the nice things to do in Cabarete and reasonably priced. A few drawbacks: hot water is a gamble, the AC is only okay, and the kitchen doesn’t have many cooking tools, so you’ll need to improvise. Out on the street, people will pester you trying to sell things. That’s not the hotel’s fault, but you’ll have to deal with it. They’ll ask you to pay in cash when booking, so remember that or the price goes up. Room location matters a lot. The west-facing ones should be fine, but the northeast rooms look over a restaurant or club, with parties going until 3am every night. Even if you ask for a quiet room, you may still get one of these. One night the music kept me awake, so around midnight I went to check it out and found I couldn't leave the alley because of a locked gate. I couldn't find anyone to let me out, and I still don't know if anyone could have let me back in. The gate is good for safety, but I was glad to discover I was trapped inside the hotel rather than locked out. No one explained this when I arrived. If you get a noisy room, ask to switch. Nothing else takes away from the hotel's benefits.

I booked at 9pm at the last minute and loved it. It feels like a resort, with a calm beach and great sand, though there are definitely a lot of tourists. The street is private and for tourists, there’s good security, comfortable beds, balconies, and lots of Resrurant. I’d recommend it to solo backpackers or couples looking to relax. If you want a beach with more of a party vibe, Sousa is the one for you.

The location is ideal, right on the beach in the heart of Cabarete, and there are some quaint shops nearby. In February 2022, it was the only hotel with a single room available. Jennifer at the front desk was super helpful and made sure I was comfortable.