Casa Tropical

The beach, bars, and restaurants are only about a 100m walk away. It’s a safe, quieter area, with locals as well as tourists using the beach and the places to eat and drink. The pool was lovely and cool, and usually quiet. Bertha was always helpful, nice, and available. I spent six relaxing days here. I stayed in the separate condo building just inside the gate, which was super comfortable. It had a nice living room and kitchen with a large fridge, a two burner gas stove, and all the utensils I needed to cook and eat. The separate bedroom had a large, comfortable bed and excellent AC, and the bathroom had a really powerful shower. Getting there took some figuring out. There’s no sign outside, and locals may know it better as Casa Bertha, the owner's name. The actual place is a little farther along the road to the beach than the Google Maps pin, on the left. Look for the number 6 on a tree by the gate. It’s about 100m from the beachfront road. My taxi had trouble finding the exact spot using Google Maps SatNav. For the trip from Puerto Plata airport, local taxis have a monopoly, so UBER isn’t allowed there. The fixed fare to Costambar, Puerto Plata is $50. Casa Tropical can arrange a pickup for $40, which was worth it to have someone waiting outside with a sign bearing my name. Highly recommend.

We ate on the balcony, looking over a peaceful, lush garden and a clean, refreshing pool. The apartment was spacious and comfortable. Michael and Bertha Hahn were attentive hosts who knew the area well. The beach, restaurants, and shops are all within an eight-minute walk.

It’s less than a block from the beach, which was the best part for me. The apartments were comfortable and had kitchens, with a nice pool area and well kept landscaping. The hosts communicated really well, so I felt reassured everything would be in order before I arrived.

I love this place, but we needed somewhere that could accommodate a lot of family and friends for my wedding, so we felt another place would suit us better. They value quiet here 🙂