Review: Casa Valeria Hotel in the Dominican Republic

If you are planning a trip to the Dominican Republic in the future and wish to stay in Sosua, consider staying at Casa Valeria. The hotel is a great value for about $55 per night while allowing you to stay very close to the beach in authentic-looking rooms.

I enjoyed staying at this hotel because it is close to everything I wanted to visit. The beach was about a five minute walk in one direction and the downtown, with many restaurants and bars, was five minutes the other way. The hotel is nothing fancy, but it feels very relaxed and is in a quiet part of town. Casa Valeria is a small hotel with only nine rooms, so the staff is friendly and welcoming to each guest.

The rooms are equipped with a TV, free internet access, a minifridge, and an air conditioner. There is one small studio apartment which includes a full kitchen where you can stay for an extra $10 per night if you plan to cook a lot during your stay. There's a supermarket right next door.

There is a restaurant right next to the hotel which has tasty food. I only ate breakfast there but was pleased. Their signature cocktails, called Mamajuana, are quite good as well.

The outdoor pool is clean and surrounded by a pretty garden. Unlike many big resorts, there is no loud, annoying entertainment on the deck so you can relax and enjoy your time in the pool.

The hotel offers several excursions for reasonable prices as well. I chose to visit the national park, Los Haitises. During this trip, I was able to see lots of local wildlife - including dolphins! They showed us the rain forest and the caves where the pirates used to live. It was a fun trip with a knowledgeable tour guide.

As a female traveling alone, I found this area to be safe and felt comfortable being in my room alone at night. I really liked that I could walk everywhere I wanted to go and did not often need to worry about getting into a taxi alone.

Overall, I was pleased with my stay at Casa Valeria. If you are looking for a large resort with lots of people, this is not the place to stay. However, since it is so small, everything was done with a personal touch and building is well taken care of.