Hotel Residence Playa Colibri

We loved staying at Hotel Playa Colibri. You’re right by the beach, just across the main road, and the rooms are spotless and have AC. Many also have kitchens, handy for cooking fish or shrimp you’ve just caught, or you can get them at the restaurant for a fair price. Breakfast is great, and the staff are so friendly. It’s hard to find a better deal in Las Terrenas. I’d recommend it to anyone heading there. Alex S. (from NYC)

The pool and beach are lovely, and Las Terrenas is a dream, but our arrival experience means we wouldn’t return to Hotel Playa Colibri. Our travel plans fell apart after flight delays and cancellations, so instead of checking in around 3 PM, we expected to arrive near midnight. We called around 5 PM because the website said check-in ended at 10. We were told nobody at the hotel spoke English, then given a WhatsApp number. The receptionist there said a late arrival was fine, but didn’t answer our questions about an airport ride or any of our later messages. Our emails in both English and Spanish also went unanswered, and still haven’t received a reply. We got in around 1 AM after a miserable travel day. The security guard hadn’t been told we were coming and had no key or instructions. He said they usually let him know about late guests, but this time no one had. He offered us couches outside, but couldn’t get us into the room we’d paid for. He kindly helped us find a room down the street at Hotel Alisei, where you should stay instead. In the morning, Hotel Playa Colibri didn’t apologize or refund us. They offered a free extra night, but using it would have meant changing our flights and spending even more. There were other problems too. The screen doors let bugs in even when shut, and street sounds and other guests carried into the room day and night. The bed and pillows were hard and uncomfortable. On the positive side, many of the staff, including servers and bartenders, were kind and fun, and the location is top-tier. The “AI helper” on the website also gave us false information: it claimed a receptionist was there 24/7 and promised to tell the hotel about our late arrival so someone would contact us. Neither happened.

The rooms and grounds were very clean, and the staff were helpful and nice. It has a pleasant resort feel, with the beach just across the road. Mosquitoes are the main drawback, so bring good repellent or buy some there. The rooms do have screens to keep them out.

The location is wonderful, but the blonde woman at reception was awful and not helpful at all.