Villa Serena

Dominican Republic , Samana
SAMANA, Las Galeras
Show on Google | Website | Map

50 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

19 Feb 2026

Toni

We had a lovely stay at this charming Colonial style beachfront hotel. A highlight was also the charming restaurant which had many vegetarian and vegan options which can be hard to find in this region. Our room was spacious as well aa the terrace with lovely waterfront views. Highly recommend to anyone considering this hotel.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2026

Doria

Clean room, food and staff. Only issue was the shower was sub par for such a lovely place.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Oct 2025

Paul E

So here's the pros's and then the cons. It's a beautiful and tranquil well kept property with its own little beach. The pool was clean. The rooms face the ocean with a beautiful view and the air conditioning worked well. The employees were super nice/kind and the breakfast was excellent. There were intermittent problems with the water and wifi while we there, but they were fixed in an hour or two. One thing that needs to be improved is that the bed and wicker chairs in the room and on the balcony were older and uncomfortable. Also, with the rooms being in a hot high humidity environment and not running the air conditioning when vacant, there is a smell of mould when you enter the room. We also found that despite going in low season, the price after local taxes and charging for a second person ended up being the same as an all inclusive. I would recommend it for the pretty location and friendly service, but not for the comfort of the room and price.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Feb 2025

Amy

Unbelievably beautiful and peaceful

8/10

Excellent

22 Jan 2025

Katy

Relax to the Max

Such a beautiful property! The restaurant was delicious. yoga was amazing. A perfect place to relax. Everyone was helpful and kind. The only disappointment was that there is no beach to enjoy. When the tide is out there is a small patch of sand. We would definitely stay there again!

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Dec 2024

mara

The views are amazing .. the rooms need some updates .

10/10

Exceptional

23 Nov 2024

Edward

great beach location and property.

Business_and_leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 May 2024

ERIC

Best Choice in Las Galeras

Hotel Villa Serena is the best choice for an amazing stay in Las Galeras. Anyone is a fool who doesn’t visit this incredible part of the Dominican Republic, and this hotel offers comfortable rooms, great views, and a great location to explore the best beaches in the entire Caribbean.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Apr 2024

Edward

Small walk to town; property is beautiful. Our rooms a bit dated, and we couldnt figure out the shower to get hot, water barely came out. The instructions, seemed outdated, so the buttons didnt work. One of our rooms A/C leaked the last night, all of our bags that we left on the floor and also the Chair. luckily our passports werent damaged. I expected a credit or our troubles, but none was offered. Front desk wasnt always staffed so couldnt get bottled waters or ask for help with the A/C; Food was great and Bar staff friendly. The grounds and iew are absolutely beautiful. Would return again though

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jan 2024

Joshua

Very nice hotel in Las Galaras

Lovely location right on the water, with a great beach (la Playita) a short 10 minute walk away. Complementary yoga in the morning was a highlight. Town unfortunately has way too much noisy and polluting traffic as is the case throughout Samana peninsula, but the hotel is super nice.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Oct 2023

Armando

Excelente ubicación, servicio al cliente, deben mejorar la limpieza de las sabanas.

Business_and_leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jun 2023

Juan

It has a great view of the ocean which creates a relaxing environment. Staff is very friendly and cordial. The room has a relaxing decoration as well great view of fhe ocean and the small cayo which is right in front of fhe property. If anyone is looking for quiet/tranquil plave in Las Galeras this is the right place.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2023

Albert

I just enjoyed staying there!

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

21 Mar 2023

Peter

Spectacular location. Gorgeous property. Good restaurant and amenities.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Mar 2023

Kay

El personal de restaurantes es súper amable.

La propiedad es muy linda y súper tranquila

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

14 Feb 2023

William joel

Paradise

Wonderful secret place. Villa Serene is a very spectacular property

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Oct 2022

Karen

I was sad to arrive after dark and leave in the morning after only one night! What a beautiful property. The rooms are spacious, everything was clean, staff were very helpful. The food was good and reasonably priced, and the restaurant staff were extremely friendly and accommodating. The only improvement I could see is that some soft furnishings - throw pillows etc. - looked like they could use replacement or cleanable covers (maybe they can be/are cleaned but it was hard to tell). Can't wait to return next year!

Business

10/10

Exceptional

24 Feb 2022

Iris

The sound of the ocean while I slept

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

03 Dec 2021

hernando

Nice and pleasant environment but I feel that managerial supervision needs to be enhanced

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Sep 2021

Zaida

Spectacular views. Excellent customer service, spacious rooms, and very serene environment.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

25 Aug 2021

Charlie

No A/C, no towels for the pool, terrible manager, nobody speak english

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Aug 2021

Verified traveler

The hotel has the best location in Las Galeras, near to all beaches and a walk from the village. Service was excellent. Enjoyed the restaurant and local dishes, exquisitely prepared. No TV and reliable wi-fi. For a wonderful experience away from crowds and a spectacular view, I consider Villa Serena highly recommended.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Jul 2021

Verified traveler

Good location, nice view, friendly staff. Some rooms needs to remodel its bathroom

8/10

Excellent

26 Jul 2021

Verified traveler

Beautiful hotel, great location, will be back!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2021

Verified traveler

Nice, quiet, boutique hotel, situated on a very nice beach.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2021

Anthony

Paradise on earth

It truly doesn't get any better than this!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jan 2021

Verified traveler

Location ,Location, Location. The most beautiful spot in the island.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

30 Nov 2020

olga

Nice and quiet Hotel . Beautiful location . Great Ocean view from our room in the second floor. Pet friendly.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Nov 2020

AnthonyMendoza

Holidays that are spent very well, quiet in a wonderful and beautiful place, excellent food and first class attention...

Leisure Pet

8/10

Excellent

19 Oct 2020

Verified traveler

Since a get there I like everything, good service and nice room but it doesn’t include food so I have to spend a lot of money on food and also pay for the they which was very expensive to not offer food.

Friends_and_family Partner

6/10

Pleasant

22 Sep 2020

Johanna

Too many extra charges

The hotel is very quiet. Perfect to relax. The down side was charged way over the amount that hotels puts on their portal room said it was $130 ended up paying close to $200 that included the $10 they charge to use the air conditioner mind you I only stayed 1 night. The problem with the A/C didn’t really cool the room. My husband and I hardly slept. We only had breakfast. Didn’t like it only really enjoyed the coffee. I don’t think I will return.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Feb 2020

Simon

Haven

Fabulous and friendly

Self

8/10

Excellent

21 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

Beautiful property, but will be better once renovations have been completed. Reception area furniture wasn't set up, and check-in/check-out was extremely slow. However, staff were friendly, food in the restaurant was great, and there was a quiet beach only a 10 minute walk away. WiFi was strong and reached throughout the property.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

Calm, peaceful, off the beaten track. Near some lovely beaches and only 30 minutes from Samana.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

This hotel is in such a beautiful place! A hidden gem that is truly hidden - somewhat hard to get too on roads that are terrifying to drive. However, it is well worth the effort. The lofty colonial style building is beautiful but diminished compared to the grounds, small but gorgeous private beach and ocean view.
Service and food was delicious and I was delighted to find healthy (raw vegan and GF options) on the breakfast and regular menu.
My only complaint is of the bed which was uncomfortable and the comforter and linens which were dated and grotty. For such a lovely place I would hope to see a newer bedspread or comforter and pillowcases.
Overall though, I give this hotel a big win and we will be back!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jan 2019

Jacob

A serene getaway close to world renowned beaches

My wife and I loved our time at Villa Serena. We spent 3 nights there after spending 4 nights in Las Terrenas area.

From the moment we got to Villa Serena to the moment we left, we experienced a peace and serenity. Both the town of Las Galeras and the Villa Serena are like an oasis in the DR allowing you to really relax and enjoy the beauty around you. My wife said, \"Villa Serena frees you to feel whatever you need to.\"

Overall, we had an incredible time and would've loved to have spent an extra week there.

Some things we loved:
-The details put into the guest's experience (fresh juice on arrival, fresh flowers and unique bed setting each morning, folded toilet paper to look pretty, custom soaps and conditioner)
-The views from grounds and balcony (the Mts and ocean were a great combo)
-The great-tasting and fresh food at restaurant
-The customer service-every staff member from hostess to maintenance made us feel very welcomed
-Snorkel gear, kayaks, bikes, etc being available for usage for free
-Room- our room was large, balconies were awesome with ocean views, and AC worked great
-Javo beach (short walk) was an awesome place to hang out for the day

Things we didn't love that could be improved:
-Hot water didn't work for more than 2 mins even after following hot water system steps (probably needs an upgraded system)
-Fridge was very small and didn't get cold for first two days even on max setting

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

A highlight of our trip

Location is stunning with a view of a small beach and island. The hotel offers a number of great facilities, such as free yoga and kayaks, and the staff are all very friendly and helpful. The hotel and the room we stayed in are beautiful and peaceful at night, but are in need of some modernising in places. There is a wide range of options for breakfast. The small town centre and a number of beaches are within short walking distance.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

The view is spectacular, if your looking a place to rest this a excellent option.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

27 Dec 2018

MGC

Great view but faulty wifi -- the rest of my review is in a long blog post so I can't post it here.

8/10

Excellent

25 Jul 2018

Verified traveler

The place is beautiful but the prices are severely misrepresented by Expedia. We booked at 130 per night but when we checked out the room alone was over 200 per night - outright fraud

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2018

Verified traveler

Beautiful view from room, kayak to small island

Small and very quiet hotel. Close to some very beautiful beaches within driving distance. Property is beautifully landscaped and pool is very nice. Not much of an actual beach for sunbathing. There are kayaks available at the hotel for guest use. We used one of the kayaks to paddle to the island that is super close, it is a very easy trip. Be sure to bring shoes if you want to explore the island as it is very sharp and rocky.
Included breakfast was just okay, nothing special. We had room service pasta one night and it was not good at all. It also did not help that they only brought one fork for two dinners. We also tried to order a dessert from the menu and were told they were out of that item, so we ordered a different dessert. What arrived was neither the unavailable one, nor the second choice ordered one. The restaurant could use some help with the recipes/menu and the freshness of the food served.
If you are looking for a quiet (no tv's), pretty place to stay for a couple of nights while exploring the area, this place is great.

10/10

Exceptional

05 May 2018

herve

Very quite and relaxing colonial-style hotel

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2018

Christie

The hotel lobby was beautiful. Outside lovely.Beautiful pool overlooking the ocean.
We loved this place although it is a bit outdated. Needs a update painting outside.
Things like light switches, remote were very dirty. Did not like that at all.

If you are looking for a serene, very zen hotel, this is it.

Beautiful

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Dec 2017

David

Chillin at Villa Serena

Had a really nice peaceful relax at Villa Serena. Staff were really friendly and helpful. Food was great.

4/10

Poor

20 May 2017

Verified traveler

Very expensive for what you get....no tv....no air

The hotel is very expensive for what you receive in return. No TV. No air conditioning....hot as hell at night. Mosquitos galor and the water pressure is very low so it takes forever to shower. They try and act like a fancy boutique hotel but they cut corners in every way...very cheap. Even the bar of soap they give you to bath is 1 inch in diameter....real tightwads

10/10

Exceptional

05 May 2017

Go Kayaking

Small paradise in the corner of DR

Great beach, superb view, went kayaking to the Cayo Galeras. Rooms have an amazing view and size wise are perfect. Breakfast is amazing!

Kelvin was very nice and attentive.

Thank yo for the great memories.

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2017

PPC

beautiful hotel beach front

great experience and recommended to relax and enjoy a quiet vacation

Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Apr 2017

Kari

Amazing views, impecable service!!\n

You must see the ocean views from this hotel. The rooms are simply stated and very clean. The staff are very helpful and friendly. A short boat ride to many private beaches. A must see.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2017

Jeff

Perfect for a drop out get away.

Simple but comfortable rooms. No TV. No phones. Excellent friendly staff. Perfect location. I've been coming here for 12 years. Perfect place to drop out.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Mar 2017

DASHA

AMAZING!!!!

BEAUTIFUL PLACE, PICTURES DO NOT LIE
PAMPERING EVERY GUEST LIKE A FAMILY....PATIOS WITH ROCKING CHAIRS AND A HAMMOCK, COMPLIMENTARY WATER BOTTLE DAILY, ANTI MOSQUITO PLUG-IN AND CANDLES
GREAT POOL AND SMALL BEACH
DELICIOUS BREAKFAST

ONLY ISSUE WAS BOOKING THROUGH TRAVELOCITY: THEY CHARGED ME WRONG FOR THE HOTEL AND I STILL HAD TO PAY EXTRA WHEN CHECKING OUT. NOT GOOD!!!! THERE SHOULD BE NO MORE CHARGES AFTER DEALING WITH AGENT TO AVOID ISSUES