Great location!

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 06/24/11

We spent two (last minute) nights at Chalet 2 on the property. The property is very well maintained with wonderful tropical flowers and trees surrounding. Very quite location with easy access to all local attractions. Everything was immaculate, and you couldn't ask for a better host than Sarah and her husband. They wanted to make sure you were well informed of the surrounding amenities. There are wonderful restaurants in Las Galeras for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many places to shop for local hand crafts and paintings. Sport rentals are available for atvs should you wish to adventure off the beaten track. Rincon beach is a very interesting drive...but make sure you have an suv or rent an atv for the day! through the tiny villages and wonderfully beautiful countryside....fresh fruits for sale along the way for your munching pleasure. Have breakfast at the al Pirate Restaurant! Have an taste tentilizing dinner at La Ventura Restaurant! The chef there is amazing, and the food is scrumptious. Great place to check out Las Galeras and surrounding North East area.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Guest: Georgina & Chris (-)
Date of Stay: 01/29/11 Review Submitted: 03/03/11

Well, where do I begin? After having our trip cancelled due to snow in England in December, and after a 24hr delay on our second attempt to fly in January, we finally touched down at Samana Airport on 27th Jan 2011. Was it worth all the disappointment, all the stress, all the days spent camped out on the floor at Gatwick Airport? The answer is yes - 100%! The people we met will stay in our hearts forever, particulary Sarah - the hostess with the mostest! We were welcomed warmly and instantly felt like part of the family. We didn't arrive at Chalet Tropical Village until the evening, but were still treated to a tour of the area by our lovely host, and filled in on the best places to eat, drink etc. Sarah was also able to advise us on what trips and activites were worth doing, and the advice was faultless. Anything we wanted to do was arranged and paid for by Sarah and we settled the bill at the end of the trip. This made for a hassle-free holiday and meant we knew we were always getting the best price. We stayed in the biggest of the three Chalets - Chalet 3 - which was actually perfect for the two of us and would probably comfortabley sleep 5. We even had his and hers showers and bathrooms! The bed was actually the most comfortable I have slept in for a long time and I slept like a log every night, lulled to sleep by the sound of the crickets outside. The decor in the chalet was exactly to my taste - quirky and rustic. You wouldn't find another place like it anywhere. 5 minutes walk from the chalet, through beautiful palm trees and vegetation, you'll find La Playta, a gorgeous beach like something out of a brochure. It was lovely to lie on a beach with no beach-sellers and barely any other peaople at all - a real tropical paradise! Unfortunately we only got to spend one day there. We did manage to fit in lunch at Isabel's, a shack right on the beach, which serves the most amazing fresh fish and fried plantains. 5 minutes walk in the opposite direction takes you to the main street through Las Galeras. We instantly fell in love with the place on our first evening. Despite being tired and jetlagged we just couldn't drag ourselves away from the hustle and bustle of the town and the Caribbean beats eminating from bars, restaurants and the local discotheque. What I really love is that the town is not a typical 'resort'. Although there are bars and restaurants to suit every taste, there are no big hotels to spoil the landscape and you really do feel like you

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Stay at Chalet Tropical and enjoy secluded beaches

Guest: Eva (Van Buren AR, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 08/09/10

My husband and I stayed at Chalet #3 the last week of June 2010 and loved it! Sarah is a perfect host and the property is very well maintained. The cottage itself is wonderful with island decor throughout. The things I enjoyed most about the chalet were the hammock, outdoor dining table, beautiful yard, comfortable bed and the convenience of having a kitchen. No need to rent a car, just use local transportation when you want to venture beyond the village. We enjoyed our morning walks to the beach and our evening strolls to restaurants or the grocery store. There is something for everyone here - it can be relaxing, romantic, adventurous or all three if that's what you want. The many secluded beaches here are beautiful to say the beaches are not crowded is an understatement. We spent a lot of time at the nearest beach (La Playita), but Sarah arranged boat rides to Playa Fronton and Playa Rincon for 2 other days. Fronton is known as the snorkeling beach - water is crystal clear, reef is steps from the beach and we had it to ourselves for 5 1/2 hours except for one local fisherman that we saw twice. Rincon was a beautiful crescent shaped beach that we enjoyed also. Two day tours we recommend is Las Haitises National Park and El Limon waterfall tour. You will not be disappointed if you vacation at Chalet Tropical in the Dominican Republic town of Las Galeras.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, tourists without a car.

Paradise found

Guest: Mary & Dan (St. Petersburg, Florida, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/03/10 Review Submitted: 06/17/10

"Chalet Tropical was the most amazing, peaceful and idyllic place we could imagine for our vacation. My husband surprised me with a four night stay there (in Las Galeras, Samana) as part of our vacation in the Dominican Republic. All I knew was we were going somewhere in the Samana area, and we'd be near a beach. I was swept away by the setting and the set-up when we arrived at Chalet Tropical. Our cottage was beautiful: a lovely A-frame cottage with thatched roof, impeccably built with a craftman's skill and an artist's hands. Be sure to check out the intricate artistic details in every part of the cottage. The cottage has full electricity with several ceiling fans, which helped moderate the tropical heat day and night and made sleeping comfortable; screens to keep out the bugs but let in the cross ventilating tropical breezes; beautiful yard/garden with tropical trees and flowers --and humming birds!; gas stove top for cooking inside or on the porch; outside coal grill for grilling fresh fish; small fridge and sufficient hot water; wonderful shower and bath facilities; cable TV, chess board, hammock, and lounging area. In short, our cottage offered all the comforts of home yet the feeling of living simply, close to nature yet secure and with essential comforts. We took a bus from Santo Domingo to Samana, then Sara, the proprietress of Chalet Tropical had a driver to meet us and take us there (about an hour's drive). Sara met us and showed us around our cottage and then walked us down to the beach nearby and highlighted the facilities there. We enjoyed taking a few longer walks in the area, and while there was much on offer in the area, like horse riding, boat trips to other nearby beaches, etc., we chose to stay near the Chalet tropical and the nearest beaches, at we felt we had found paradise. Sara was extremely helpful and wonderful! Those looking for a romantic, natural and peaceful getaway will love this location. It's a perfect place to leave the world behind and clear one's head of the world's demands. We found peace and beauty in Chalet Tropical. The only caution is that the steps up to the bedroom loft are a bit steep and narrow and may not be easy for more elderly travelers. But with patience and use of the hand-rail, it is worth the effort to sleep up in the loft with the delicious cross breezes of Chalet Tropical. We look forward to visiting again before too long!"

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, pet owners, romantic getaway, tourists without a car.

Paradise Found

Guest: Mary & Dan (St. Petersburg, Florida, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/03/10 Review Submitted: 06/17/10

Chalet Tropical was the most amazing, peaceful and idyllic place we could imagine for our vacation. My husband surprised me with a four night stay there (in Las Galeras, Samana) as part of our vacation in the Dominican Republic. All I knew was we were going somewhere in the Samana area, and we'd be near a beach. I was swept away by the setting and the set-up when we arrived at Chalet Tropical. Our cottage was beautiful: a lovely A-frame cottage with thatched roof, impeccably built with a craftman's skill and an artist's hands. Be sure to check out the intricate artistic details in every part of the cottage. The cottage has full electricity with several ceiling fans, which helped moderate the tropical heat day and night and made sleeping comfortable; screens to keep out the bugs but let in the cross ventilating tropical breezes; beautiful yard/garden with tropical trees and flowers --and humming birds!; gas stove top for cooking inside or on the porch; outside coal grill for grilling fresh fish; small fridge and sufficient hot water; wonderful shower and bath facilities; cable TV, chess board, hammock, and lounging area. In short, our cottage offered all the comforts of home yet the feeling of living simply, close to nature yet secure and with essential comforts. We took a bus from Santo Domingo to Samana, then Sara, the proprietress of Chalet Tropical had a driver to meet us and take us there (about an hour's drive). Sara met us and showed us around our cottage and then walked us down to the beach nearby and highlighted the facilities there. We enjoyed taking a few longer walks in the area, and while there was much on offer in the area, like horse riding, boat trips to other nearby beaches, etc., we chose to stay near the Chalet tropical and the nearest beaches, at we felt we had found paradise. Those looking for a romantic, natural and peaceful getaway will love this location. It's a perfect place to leave the world behind and clear one's head of the world's demands. We found peace and beauty in Chalet Tropical. The only caution is that the steps up to the bedroom loft are a bit steep and narrow and may not be easy for more elderly travelers. But with patience and use of the hand-rail, it is worth the effort to sleep up in the loft with the delicious cross breezes of Chalet Tropical. We look forward to visiting again before too long!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, romantic getaway, tourists without a car.

Brilliant, idyllic place to stay

Guest: Richard and Virginia (-)
Date of Stay: 04/16/09 Review Submitted: 04/16/10

Brilliant, idyllic place to stay - the cabin is equipped with everything you could need for a chilled, self catering stay, and was clearly built as a labour of love by the owners; you´ll be discovering fresh artistic details and homely touches for days after you arrive. Sarah and Danilo are the perfect hosts - far enough away to let you have your privacy, close enough to be on hand for any emergency or unexpected need, and friendly and generous with their time whenever you need them. We were treated pretty much like family from the moment we arrived - a birthday cake baked for us, invited along to Xmas and New Year festivities - and we´re going to miss everybody now it´s over. My only regret is it´s likely to be a year before we can get back out here again. MOST highly recommended

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a beautiful handcrafted cottage !

Guest: Elizabeth (-)
Date of Stay: 01/03/10 Review Submitted: 04/16/10

Sarah and her husband, Danilo, have created a beautiful handcrafted cottage which fits into its environment perfectly. It is one of the most original and unique places my husband and I have ever stayed. Sarah is a charming and helpful hostess. By all means take her advice on what to do in the area, and pay special attention to her restaurant recommendations.

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Easter holidays in Chalet Tropical

Guest: The Jenkins Family (-)
Date of Stay: 04/04/10 Review Submitted: 04/16/10

Spent a fantastic two weeks over Easter in Chalet Tropical, a beautiful, unique and very comfortable base to explore the Samana Peninsular. We loved the village of Las Galeras and the quiet La Playita beach accessed by a short, pretty walk along a path where you can spot many different species of birds. Enjoyed delicious meals on the beach cooked by Isabel. We couldn't get over how friendly the Dominican people were - always smiling and waving at us. Sarah is an extremely helpful and informative host - nothing is too much trouble for her and she always finds the time to help out with absolutely anything you need. Thank you very much Sarah for everything. We would all love to return one day. It really was a special holiday. We hope that Kong is getting better! Patsy, Matthew, Kate and Charlotte

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...first guests in the third Chalet!

Guest: Charlotte and Matthieu (-)
Date of Stay: 05/20/09 Review Submitted: 04/16/10

We spent 10 days in the Chalet Tropical in June 2009 and were the first guests in the third Chalet. Sarah, her husband and her parents in law have put so much enthusiasm and passion in designing, building, furnishing and decorating these small houses that this place really feels like home. And what a home! Within five-minutes walking distance you can reach the heavenly beautiful beach of La Playita and several other beaches all different from each other. Don't hesitate to ask Sarah about the best restaurants and beaches around, she is the best host you will ever get, friendly, funny and very helpful. If you come to Las Galeras don't miss the roasted fishes on the beach and the delicious Pina Colada prepared straight in the Pineapple. One thing is sure you won't regret your trip to this distant but unforgettable region. Thanks again for everything Sarah

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great beaches, horseback riding and boat trips!

Guest: Rick & Sue (-)
Date of Stay: 01/15/10 Review Submitted: 04/16/10

My wife and visited for 1 week in January, 2010. What a wonderful relaxing area and the accomodations provided at Chalet Tropical were just perfect. One can sense the hard work and love and passion put into each Chalet. Besides being in a beautiful area thats oozing with natural wonders you are treated to the kind services of the most gracious host in Sarah Paradiso. We were greeted with a walk to the most wonderful beach, La Playita, and introduced to the fine, fine cook Isabella at the beachside restaurant. If the freshest fish possible cooked and prepared while you wait is your idea of a great meal, this is it. Sarah then drove us around town and pointed out the best shops and restaurants to frequent. She even stayed with our car one day when we had rental car trouble so we could not have our day ruined. If a quiet, end of the road [literally] destination with beauty and great beaches, horseback riding and boat trips to great snorkeling locales this is the place for you. Thanks Sarah, you are the best!!!!

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