Sunrise Villa - Luxury Beachfront Villa in Dominican Republic

Paradise Awaited for my Honeymoon - WOW!

RhynoLover (Northern Virginia/ Washington DC)
Review submitted: May 27, 2009   Date of arrival: November 24, 2008

Our honeymoon at Sunrise-Villa in Cabrera, Dominican Republic was magical! After viewing pictures of the luxurious villa property, my husband and I couldn’t resist inviting 2 other couples to spend a week with us at Sunrise Villa. What better way to enjoy paradise, than with some of our closest friends. The pictures by far don’t do the Villa justice because you cannot capture the wonderful spirit and hospitality of the staff, the beauty of the lush tropical plants and flowers, or the magic of the Manana Bar…the property’s resident Bar, where we spent many evenings unwinding from a long day in the pool or the hammock. From the Property Manager who greets you aka Mr. Roark from Fantasy Island, to the massage therapist on staff who sets her table up near the crash of the waves, to the excellent chefs…every wish was granted. One day while lounging in the pool we mentioned to each other how good some homemade chocolate chip cookies would be and the next day, out comes fresh, hot chocolate chip cookies! If you can think it, it can happen. We had trips organized for us to explore the stunning panoramic views of the ocean on horseback, gambling at a nearby casino and we even had a homemade picnic lunch at one of the beaches where the locals visit. It’s true at times you can’t swim in the ocean in front of the Villa because it’s not safe, but we spent so much time in the pool and at a nearby beach, we never missed it! The staff even surprised us on our last night at the Villa by decorating our bed with a heart, shaped from fresh rose petals! It looked and smelled amazing. I recommend the villa to anyone who wants to truly relax and experience the beauty of the Dominican Republic. My friends keep asking if we can go back for an Anniversary trip in a few years! That's the best review in my book.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

Do you find this review helpful?   Yes   No

Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Nothing Can Beat It!!!

Todd R. ()
Review submitted: February 21, 2013   Date of arrival: February 10, 2013

Well, what can you say except perfect. The property, staff and weather were awesome!!!! The only problem is we had to leave.

The property is laid out extremely well with the main house serving as the meeting place for the various couples/families. One couple used the Diamante Suite in the main building. The accommodations are beautiful and well appointed. Even when others stayed up late with music playing, they were not disturbed. The combination of the dining facilities (with indoor and outdoor seating), bar, pool table, lounging and television areas along with the tremendous pool and spa (which we figure can easily hold 20) make this the ideal communal area for a group.

The other suites we used were in great condition and offered their own individual features and advantages. All of them are in relatively close proximity to the main building but provide privacy. The Presidential Suite is large, well designed and furnished and features a great personal/small group bar. The Samana Suite provides the full beach experience as it is the closest villa to the private beach. The porch and outdoor showers are its highly notable features. The Royal Palm has the same design but is in the middle of the property (an excellent compromise for those wanting to be equally close to the main house and beach). Although we did not use the Garden Suites, we toured them. They are newer, provide a more private experience and have some notable luxury appointments in terms of furnishings and fixtures.

Kevin (the owner) and Chris (the local contact) made the preparation easy and attended to all of our groups wants and needs. Once we arrived, the staff was totally prepared, including having the rooms in pristine shape and the appetizers and dinner ready. Ramone, the bartender. is the best, having highly honed bar and psychology skills. The chef, Frank, is incredible as he catered to our various requests without missing a beat (including vegans). Lastly, Tanya runs a tight ship in the house and Chris is the master of the local area, arranging for any activities we desired and giving us tours of local hot spots!!!

We may have just been extremely lucky, but the weather was delightful. The temperature was about 70 at night and low 80's during the day with a constant, pleasant breeze. It only rained one night and very briefly the next morning.

We are definitely headed back next year!!!!

Do you find this review helpful?   Yes   No

Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Spectacular family reunion at Sunrise Villa

Mark Z. ()
Review submitted: February 8, 2013   Date of arrival: December 29, 2012

Our family held its family reunion at the Sunrise Villa during New Year’s week in December 2012. We had a spectacular time.
Property – the property is wonderful – it is a beach property in a perfect tropical location, and with a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean. The main house and separate villas are very nice and clean, and the grounds are well manicured. That said, this is a beach property, so the environment is casual. The website indicates that men should have long pants and a collared shirt but we really didn’t need them. One night the villa takes its guests to a nice local hotel for dinner (so the in-house chef can get some time off), but casual clothing was fine then as well. Although not a swimming beach, the beach at Sunrise Villa is a quick walk down the steps and it is just beautiful. The staff set up a beach volleyball net for us, which was great fun.
Management – Equally important, Sunrise Villa has a staff as good as any high end hotel property in the world and more friendly than any group of staff we’ve known. The manager and part-owner of the property, who is American but lives in DR, comes by each morning to help you with whatever you need. No matter what the request, he “knows a guy” and will arrange it for you. The onsite manager and her 2nd in commmand speak very good English, as does the bartender. So you have someone who speaks English from early morning until later in the evening. The chefis great – good American or DR breakfasts, casual lunches and a variety of types of dinners. If you tell the manager that you want a certain type of food or ask for local suggestions, he will get it for you. We have some great – caught that day – seafood. We also had a whole roasted pig, which was great fun. The chef also made piaya (a big pan of rice with seafood and sausage). We had the best bon fire celebration one could imagine, with a lot of drinks dancing and fun with the entire staff. Excellent swimming beaches are just a short taxicab ride away, although with the wonderful pool, spa, and beach at Sunrise Villa, we only went to the swimming beach once.

Do you find this review helpful?   Yes   No

Helpful votes: 1 / 1