We spent a week in the DR in August, 2008. Our stay at Las Cayenas was a highlight of the trip. Admittedly, we'd been staying in cheaper places (under $30 USD a night), so the cost at Las Cayenas was a bit above the truly budget places we'd gotten used to. As a result, the crisp cleanness of the rooms, the staff's fluency in multiple languages, the locally-flavored-but-well-appointed decor, and other elements that higher end travelers might expect were a treat for us. But the hotel carried other elements that added more to the experience than just nice-and-tidy. The breakfast, which was included in the price of a room, was a tremendous meal, made all the better eaten on tables set on the beach just yards from the waves. If paying the rack rate--I believe they set it around $75--you may be able to get a place that is a bit more elegant (or, at least, that carries more of the they-all-seem-the-same-the-world-over resort feel). But if you are paying in the neighborhood of $45-$55 or even a bit more, I think it'd be hard to do better. Overall, we loved it.
