Garden by the Sea

I stayed at Garden by the Sea in June 2024.  I stayed here in large part because of the reviews I read on this site.  This place did not disappoint.  Being from America, I was excited to receive some American hospitality from Nikki who was mentioned in many of the reviews.  She was great!  I felt more like I was a guest in her guest room than I felt like I was at a hotel.  The place is small, maybe 8 rooms I think I saw.  The room wasn't large, but perfect for a couple and very clean.  The shower was bigger and better than most I've had staying in the DR.  The place was super quiet, which for me is a good thing.  I believe only one other family (taking up maybe 2 or 3 rooms) were there during my 3 night stay.   I've never stayed at a bed and breakfast, so maybe it's normal, but the family style breakfast was different.  There is a beach within walking distance, but very secluded.  Not a place I would feel comfortable at closer to dark.  You feel like you're in the middle of nowhere, but action is just a short drive away.  I would definitely stay here again.

We were delayed on a flight to Miami and had to find a place in the area so we chose Garden By The Sea. It was an intersting taxi drive as the taxi driver (even with a smart phone) could not find the place and we ended up going through Sousa on a Saturday night (an experience in itself). Finallly we made it to Garden by The Sea and Nikki met us and set the taxi driver straight (who wanted to charge us for his wasted time finding the place). What a relief to settle in to the immaculate and inviting room after our long rebooking at the airport. The wonderful shower had plenty of pressure and hot water and the bed was perfect. We had a fine nights sleep and a fine breakfast ($10 US) before heading back to the airport. I would definitely stay here again.

My voice will join the chorus of people who sing Ms. Nikki’s praises; and every complimentary comment is so very well deserved! She has simply thought of everything you could possibly need. We LOVED the bed with an excellent mattress and romantic four posters draped in sheer white fabric. Coffee maker, microwave, fridge that isn’t too small to store stuff, a couch that actually comfortably seats two, wi-fi, USB power plugs, closets that accommodate maxi dresses, honor bar, full use of common kitchen, suggestions for all the best things to do and places to eat, taxi transport, lush tropical grounds, spotlessly maintained pool, access to a private beach, delicious, plentiful breakfast and I could go on. The most significant endorsement of Ms. Nikki and her tremendous team is the amount of people who keep coming back, again and again. No wonder - slipping into vacation mode is so much easier when every detail has been carefully considered and all you really need to do is enjoy the sun, sea, and wonderful people of the Dominican Republic. We’re already planning our next stay!