Cayo Levantado Resort
Cayo Levantado Resort occupies a spot in the Dominican Republic that no other all-inclusive can claim: it has its own island in Samaná Bay. The property relaunched in 2023 under its current name after a full transformation of what was Luxury Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado, and it now runs 218 suites and villas. Arrival is the set piece - check in at the Simi Báez Pier on the mainland, then a 10-minute ride on the resort's private boat to an island with a private beach on one side and a public beach on the other. In winter the bay fills with humpback whales, and National Geographic's Best of the World 2024 list called out the resort as one of the world's best wellness destinations.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Genuine private island experience - Cayo Levantado sits in Samaná Bay, and the resort's own boat from Simi Báez Pier makes the 10-minute crossing, which sets the tone for a stay that feels removed from ordinary resort life
- +Two white-sand beaches, one private to the resort and one shared with day visitors, plus a snorkeling spot at Cayo Farola marked on the resort's own island map
- +A named Personal Ambassador handles dining reservations and wellness bookings, and guests describe staff remembering preferences from earlier stays, with birthday cakes and small surprises that show someone was paying attention
- +National Geographic named Cayo Levantado one of the world's best wellness destinations in its Best of the World 2024 list (announced February 2024), and the Yubarta spa and wellness programming back that up
- +Five named restaurants (Palma Real, Santa Yuca, Carey, Senda and Manaya) plus La Molienda coffee shop and several bars, with a kitchen that handles dietary requests without fuss; 24-hour in-suite dining is part of the all-inclusive
- +Sustainability you can see on the island: photovoltaic panels, a waste biodigestion system, and an on-site plant that pulls up to 6,000 liters of drinking water a day out of the air and bottles it in glass, so there is no plastic water in the rooms
- +Complimentary non-motorized water sports (snorkeling gear, kayaks, paddleboards and hydro-bikes) and a Personal Training Studio with Technogym Series 500 equipment and certified trainers
- +Humpback whale season in Samaná Bay (January through March) puts winter visitors next to one of the Atlantic's best whale-watching areas, and the island map marks its own whale-watching point
Cons
- −Getting there from Punta Cana is a haul: the resort itself puts the trip at about 4 hours 30 minutes from PUJ, versus about 2 hours 30 from Santo Domingo (SDQ) and 45 minutes from El Catey (AZS)
- −Ground transfers from the airport to the pier are run by private agencies rather than the resort, so the price depends on the route and whether your package already includes it; get a quote before you book
- −Being on an island means you cannot leave on a whim - anything on the Samaná Peninsula needs a boat and some planning, and the isolation some travelers love feels confining to others
- −Manaya, the meat and prime-cuts restaurant, carries an extra charge, and the resort's all-inclusive page only names Palma Real, Santa Yuca and Carey as part of the 24-hour all-inclusive service, so confirm Senda before assuming it is covered
- −Other add-ons show up too: picking a specific room number costs extra and is paid on arrival, and the spa sits outside the all-inclusive
- −Some recent guests mention limited buffet variety; dining here leans on a la carte restaurants rather than a big buffet, which suits most visitors but not those who want endless choice at breakfast
- −Occasional loud music on event nights cuts into the quiet island atmosphere most guests arrive expecting
Service is the deepest differentiator. Every guest gets a Personal Ambassador, and travelers keep describing staff who remembered small details from earlier stays and arranged surprises that took real attention. Dining runs through five named restaurants: Palma Real for international breakfast, Santa Yuca for slow food built around the organic garden, Carey for Mediterranean and Japanese by day and a la carte by night, Senda for a Dominican tasting menu, and Manaya for steaks at an extra charge. Water sports, the Technogym-equipped training studio, conservation activities with the Eco-Bahía Foundation and local workshops are included, and the sustainability work (solar panels, waste biodigestion, water made from the air and bottled in glass) is concrete rather than marketing language.
The resort suits couples and honeymooners who want a romantic escape that feels categorically different from a beach strip, wellness-focused travelers, and families who want something calmer than Punta Cana, since most suites take a child while the Beachfront Villas are adults only. Fly into El Catey if you can; from Punta Cana it is about four and a half hours door to door. Travelers who want to wander into a town for dinner on a whim will be happier elsewhere, but for disappearing onto a beautiful island for five or seven days, Cayo Levantado is one of the strongest options in the country.
Common Questions
How long does it actually take to get to the resort from the airport?
Is the boat to the island on a fixed schedule?
Is the whale watching accessible from the resort?
What is the sustainability program about and is it genuinely eco-friendly?
Can families stay, or is it adults only?
What is not included in the all-inclusive package?
Restaurants (4)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Steakhouse | Manaya (extra charge) |
| Caribbean & local | Senda (extra charge) |
| International & fusion | Palma Real, Carey |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. Venues marked "extra charge" are not covered by the all-inclusive rate; the others are, per the resort.
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Samaná gets sargassum, typically worst May through August.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.7 · 1,801 reviews
“I stayed at the Cayo Levantado Resort, Dec 17th- Dec 24th. I just want to say that was the best relaxing and fun vacation I’ve had in such a long time. As soon as we got there we were met with the best ambassador there Eddyl, such a genuine and nice...”
“Cayo Levantado Resort is truly a hidden gem, a paradise tucked away in a private island. Forbes magazine did not understate their claim, when they awarded this property one of the finest resorts in the world multiple years in a row. Right from the ar...”
“⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A Place Beyond This World... Our Home in Paradise Our family just completed our ninth visit to Cayo Levantado Resort since first discovering this magical sanctuary in May 2024 , and what continues to amaze us is that every single stay becomes e...”
