Casas del Mar is a little gem of a place located just east of the centre of Las Terrenas, and just across the street from the beach. The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the staff are pleasant and helpful. Suzanne can always recommend good places to eat, either close by or a short walk away in the old fisherman's village. English is not widely spoken, so take your Spanish phrase book and hit the beach!

Perfect considering the very affordable price. Big room full of warm details, very homely. Bed not that great, neither shower temperature, too unsteady, but the whole place is adorable and the owner, Suzanne, is super nice and helpful. One block away from the main street, so very silent, still yards away from the beach! A great spot in Las Terrenas, would certainly be back.

I wanted a quiet, inexpensive place to write (with free wifi!) that was not a resort. Casas del Mar Neptunia fit the bill, giving me privacy and space. Seven simple little cottages cluster around a clean, open air breakfast hut, all embraced by a tidy tropical garden blooming with roses, hibiscus and bouganvillea.

Tucked away from the noise of the busy beach road, CDMN provides a serene atmosphere, just a two minute walk to the swaying palm trees and golden sand of the beach. Night noises are the sounds of nature, but I was glad I'd packed ear plugs, as tree frogs, wind in the bamboo and the odd tropical downpour might have interrupted an otherwise great night's sleep on a comfy, firm bed.

The high-ceiling rooms all have ensuite toilet, shower and sink, king size bed, mini fridge for beverages, ceiling fan (no A/C, but I didn't miss it), bedside lights, and beautiful murals painted on the thick cement walls.

The owners are Canadian, and they strive to please. Susie has a big heart was a tremendous help to me as a solo traveler, organizing my transport to and from Samana airport, telling me about all the best local restaurants and showing me the SuperMercados (grocery stores) where I could buy drinks.

I ate great ice cream at the new shop by the bridge into the Fisherman's Village (try the Dulce de Leche - yum!), amazing schnitzel at a German restaurant in town called Las Flechas, and some very tasty shrimp and avocado at Paco Cabana on the beach.

Staff are friendly and helpful; my Spanish is weak, but little Rosanna's English was excellent so communication was fine. My room was clean, and all my belongings secure; including my Apple laptop, which was too big to fit in the room safe.

Laundry service is available for a small fee, which is good for long-term stays, and breakfast was fresh and tasty. As a tea snob, I'd recommend choosing the rich coffee or hot chocolate over Lipton. :)

All in all, a great choice for a beach vacation in an up-and-coming part of the Dominican.

I stayed at Casas Del Mar Neptunia only for a night as it was just a weekend break to get in some windsurfing (minus the wind) - but it was a night well spent! Being just off the main road, it's a convenient location - 6 minutes walk from the main town area; 10 minutes to Fisherman's point (West) and 5 minutes from the main beach and Punta Popy (East), with a few restaurants nearby. The room was clean, comfortable and airy with all the basic needs (hot water, in-room safe; ceiling fan; small fridge), and most of all, the staff are attentive and helpful. I'll definitely go back.