This was our first trip to the Dominican Republic and the Samana region. Las Terrenas was as advertised. It has a rustic charm that won our hearts. Beautiful beaches, friendly people, very affordable. Very few English speaking people among the population, so brush up on your Spanish!
As the DR is a developing nation, you do need to be comfortable navigating roads and an environment that can be rough around the edges. We always felt safe, and the resort community has a solid security presence. The Samana province does not suffer from the same crime as other parts of the country (Santo Domingo) but you do need to practice common sense.
The house itself was fantastic. Our chef and housekeeper, Maria, made our stay very enjoyable. We enjoyed her homestyle cooking all week. Again, brush up on your Spanish. Translation became a challenge at times, but we managed. The owners were also a tremendous help in preparing for our trip, and even communicating with us while onsite if/when we had questions.
We would highly recommend this property to anyone visiting Las Terrenas!