Monte Placido was what we anticipated and more! On the top of a mountain, this villa overlooks the ocean, the forest and more mountains. Jean-Claude and his helper keep the grounds immaculate, rotating from one garden to another...the gardens are gorgeous. Our hosts, Don and Diana, were always helpful and ever available to answer our plethora of questions or find us a taxi to the night club, or a fresh-caught fish for dinner. We stayed in Lilka, a one bedroom unit with spacious rooms, lots of storage, & an incredible view from the large deck. The infinity pool is so pleasant and refreshing with an area to dine if you so desire...you can even bbq your meal there.
Las Terrenas has many restaurants...for every budget & taste. We quite enjoyed our meal at Tam Tam. And for good coffee, grab a seat outside at the Boulangerie and sip on a cafe con leche while watching the activity on the street.
Access to beaches is extremely easy.
Whale Samana is highly recommended as an activity.
Talk to Jennifer at Nativ' Art on Calle Duarte for some local art pieces. She speaks English & is very friendly and helpful.
We were booked for 1 month, & took way too many clothes as it is easy to hand wash & hang to dry. We rented a vehicle from our hosts which made access to everything much easier. The Samana peninsula is as yet undeveloped and a great change from the all-inclusive scene in the D.R. This villa is gated, with watchmen and an attentive watch dog, Bingo. We never felt threatened at any time during our stay...at the villa or in the villages.
Now, of course, no place is perfect. Because we had a unit below us, we had neighbours. Crying babies to start, then a family who allowed their two young boys to scream for long periods of time throughout the day. Not sure how our hosts can deal with this kind of issue, but it was unsettling when we wanted to spend a day around the villa. We noted that our beach visits would have been longer had we had folding chairs provided to take with us. Snorkeling and swimming is awesome, but when you want to hang out or read on the beach, a towel on the sand just doesn't cut it. Maybe something for Don and Diana to include in each unit, or upon request.
Overall, I quite enjoyed my stay, and would recommend (and have) to others to consider Monte Placido as a base for a visit to the Samana peninsula. Try to fly into Samana El Catey though, as it is a mere 45 minutes from Monte Placido.
