Playa Grande Beach Clubb
Hotel · Río San Juan
MXHR+6R3, 33000, Dominican Republic
Highlights
Vintage-chic bungalows with kitchens, outdoor pool & dining
Vintage-chic bungalows with kitchens, outdoor pool & dining
"An intimate collection of artfully designed beachfront bungalows, this boutique hotel combines colorful Caribbean style with Palm Beach design—antique furniture, handmade tiles, and ornate Dominican-inspired architecture by owner-designer Celerie Kemble give it a singular character. With just nine intimate bungalows, each featuring private verandas and copper soaking tubs, the property truly feels like a home-away-from-home. I also recommend the main restaurant in the stately main house for its farm-to-table ethos, showcasing fresh fish and seafood alongside classic Dominican dishes available all day." - Carley Rojas Avila Carley Rojas Avila Carley Rojas Avila is a bilingual travel writer, editor, and content marketer. She is an expert on Latin America, the Caribbean, and Cuba, as she lived and worked in four different countries in that region. Carley founded the digital travel publications Loosely Local and Home to Havana. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Tucked along a remote stretch of the Dominican Republic’s north coast, this powdery-sand beachfront retreat began as a private pied-à-terre conceived by designer Celerie Kemble and financier Boykin Curry and was later opened to travelers. Dominican Victorian architecture—bright whites, sorbet hues, hip roofs, triple gables and delicate patterned woodworking (tragaluz)—gives the clustered bungalows a storybook, gingerbread-house feel as they sit secluded amid lush jungle. Interiors channel Palm Beach garden whimsy with richly layered textures and vintage finds: standalone copper bathtubs, light fixtures fashioned from dried fruits, wicker daybeds and a tactile back bar made from a seashell mosaic. The Great Room serves as the social heart (dining, lounge and bar) and is complemented by a library with an evening bar and ocean views; meals are centered there but poolside shrimp tacos and a frosty Presidente can easily be delivered. The kitchen-forward bungalows (one- to three-bedroom options, nine total) include full kitchens and wraparound porches, while a lap pool below the Great Room sits flanked by latticed cabanas and lounge chairs with built-in drink shelves, leading directly to a private stretch of sand. The menu focuses on fresh Caribbean ingredients—standout snacks include a rotating chips-and-guacamole (chips made some days from plantains, others from a local root) and cocktails built from fresh lime, cane sugar and garden herbs. Nearby adventures include zip-lining into Dudu Lagoon, hiking and horseback riding (ask a guide to find a fallen passion fruit), and practical details include bespoke on-property bath products scented “Lime Salt,” recommended in-bungalow massages paired with the copper tubs, and a roughly 1.5-hour drive from Puerto Plata airport."
Mina Soliman
Thomas Hannah
Rafael Mota
Maria Daniela Ortega
freddy coronado
Angelo Liriano Cepeda
Robin Turton
Richard Romer
