Staff: 9.6
Its highest score on Booking.com. They help with taxis, tours and whatever you need, and make you feel at home.
Apartment hotel · Bayahíbe · La Altagracia · Dominican Republic
Villa Baya
★★★
Three buildings with balconies and red-tiled roofs around a palm-filled courtyard, behind a gate in the middle of Bayahíbe. From here you can walk to the beach, the restaurants and the pier where the boats leave for Saona. Rooms and apartments with kitchens, a breakfast with a hot dish, and a team that guests praise again and again.
- 8.7on Booking.com · 957 reviews
- 4.5on Google · 324 reviews
- 9.6for staff on Booking.com
Secure booking on Booking.com · Rates vary by date
A quiet corner a few steps from everything
Villa Baya sits on Calle Tamarindo, in the center of Bayahíbe, the fishing village on the southeast coast next to East National Park. It's a small gated complex built in 2006: three buildings named after islands (Catalina, Saona) around a garden with palms and flowers, with parking inside. The village beach and harbor are about a 4-minute walk away, and the public beach is roughly 600 meters off.
It isn't a resort and doesn't try to be: there's no pool, and the rooms have a few years on them. It suits travelers who want a comfortable bed on a budget while they spend their days on Saona, diving or at the beach. In return they get warm, personal service, a freshly made breakfast and help from the front desk to book excursions.
See availability →Why stay here
What guests mention most often on Booking.com and Google.
Location: 9.3
In the middle of the village, minutes from the beach, the restaurants and the meeting points for boat trips and dives.
Freshly made breakfast
Fruit, coffee, juice, cereal or cake, plus a hot dish of your choice, such as eggs and bacon or a sandwich.
Gated complex
A locked gate and free parking inside, almost in front of your room. Guests say they feel safe here.
Apartments with kitchens
The Saona Apartment has 540 sq ft, a living room with a sofa bed, its own kitchen and a balcony: handy for longer stays.
Garden and balconies
A courtyard with palms and flowers, plus balconies or terraces for sitting in the shade after the beach.
Hotel photos
Rooms and apartments
Spread across three multi-story buildings with no elevator. All have a private bathroom, air conditioning, TV and WiFi; the apartments add a kitchen. Room names and sizes as listed on Booking.com.
Catalina Budget Double Room
With a balcony or patio, air conditioning, TV and coffee maker. Some are on the ground floor facing the courtyard and parking: in those, you'll want to keep the curtains drawn.
See price →Triple Room with private bathroom
For small families or friends. Booking.com doesn't list the bed setup, so check it when you book if three adults are traveling.
See price →Family Room with balcony
More space for traveling with kids and a balcony to sit outside. There are no cribs or extra beds on the property.
See price →Saona Apartment
Living room, kitchen with fridge and a balcony or terrace. The AC is in the bedroom; the living room is cooled by a fan. Some guests wish the kitchen had more utensils.
See price →Amenities
A simple apartment hotel with no pool or spa, designed as a base for exploring the area. Anything that costs extra is marked.
- Free WiFiThroughout the property; weaker in some rooms.
- Breakfast8 to 10 am, included in many rates.
- Restaurant and barOn site, with a covered terrace.
- Air conditioningIn every room.
- Free parkingPrivate and gated, no reservation needed.
- Garden and terraceWith outdoor furniture and a thatched-roof lounge.
- Daily housekeepingIf you want it; you can also skip it.
- Tour deskHelp booking Saona, Catalina and more.
- Luggage storageFor checkout day or a night on Saona.
- Airport shuttleOn request, for a fee.
- Car rentalArranged at the property.
- SafeAt the front desk.
Where to eat
Breakfast is served on the property's terrace, and for the rest of the day the village has everything a few steps away. Walking times from Expedia.
Breakfast on the terrace
Under a wooden roof, with checked tablecloths: fruit, coffee, juice and a hot dish you choose each morning.
The hotel restaurant and bar
For a quiet dinner without leaving the complex, or a cold beer when you get back from the beach.
Mare Nuestro · 3 min
One of the seafront restaurants in the village center.
Beachside By Onno's · 4 min
Right by the beach, ideal at sunset.
Barcobar · 5 min
For a drink or a quick bite in the village.
Colmado across the street
A small grocery store right opposite for water, fruit and beer if you're using the kitchen.
A fishing village on the bluest Caribbean, with Saona a boat ride away
Bayahíbe is a fishing village on the southeast coast, next to Cotubanamá (East) National Park. Almost every trip to Saona and Catalina islands leaves from its pier. Distances are in a straight line from the hotel.
Bayahíbe beach · 0.6 km
The village beach, with still, clear water, fishing boats and simple fresh-fish restaurants. It's one of the prettiest sunset spots on the coast.
Dominicus beach · 3.9 km
A long white-sand beach a few kilometers away, in front of the Dominicus hotel area. It has public stretches, calm water and reefs close to shore for snorkeling.
Saona Island · 29.3 km
The country's largest island, inside the national park, with palm-lined beaches and the natural pool, a sandbar in the middle of the sea where starfish live (look, but don't take them out of the water). Boats and catamarans leave from Bayahíbe.
Diving and snorkeling
Bayahíbe is one of the best dive spots in the Dominican Caribbean: coral reefs, the Catalina Island wall and wrecks such as the St. George. Dive centers in the village offer try-dives for beginners.
Cave of Wonders · 35.2 km
A large cave with stalactites and over 500 Taíno paintings and carvings, explored on lit walkways with a guide. East National Park, whose Bayahíbe-side entrance is about 2 km away, has more caves with Taíno art and trails through the dry forest.
Altos de Chavón · 8.2 km
A stone replica of a 16th-century Mediterranean village, built above the Chavón River. It has a church, an amphitheater, artisan workshops and lookouts over the river and the forest.
When to go to Bayahíbe
Average high temperature and rainfall in Bayahíbe and La Romana, month by month (approximate values).
29°Jan
29°Feb
29°Mar
30°Apr
31°May
31°Jun
32°Jul
32°Aug
32°Sep
32°Oct
31°Nov
30°Dec
Dry (Dec–Apr) Hot (May–Jul) Rain and hurricanes (Aug–Nov) · mm
- ☀️ December to April is the dry season and the best time for Saona and Catalina: clear skies and calm seas. Christmas, New Year's and Easter are busier, so book early.
- 🌡️ May to July is hotter (31–32 °C) and quieter, and the sea usually stays calm; the water is around 28 °C, perfect for diving.
- 🌧️ August to November is rainier, mostly in short, heavy showers; the southeast coast is one of the driest parts of the country.
- 🌀 Hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk from August to October. Travel insurance and flexible rates are a good idea.
- 🌿 In some spring and summer months sargassum seaweed can reach the coast; it varies a lot from year to year and beach to beach.
- 💧 Tap water isn't safe to drink: stick to bottled water. The sun is strong on boat trips, so bring biodegradable sunscreen, a cap and something to cover up.
How to get here
From La Romana Airport (LRM)
The closest airport (12.2 km from the hotel): about 20 to 25 minutes by taxi or transfer. It has fewer flights, mostly from the United States and Canada.
From Punta Cana Airport (PUJ)
It has the most international flights. From there it's about 1 hour by car on the Autovía del Coral (54.6 km in a straight line); a private transfer or rental car is the easiest option.
From Santo Domingo (SDQ)
Las Américas Airport is 1 h 30 min to 1 h 45 min away by car on the Autopista del Este and the Autovía del Este, both toll roads.
Bus and guagua
Frequent buses run from Santo Domingo to La Romana (about 2 hours). From La Romana, guaguas (minibuses) and taxis go to Bayahíbe (14.8 km in a straight line, about 30 minutes); the village stop is a short walk from the hotel.
Getting around
Bayahíbe and Dominicus are just a few kilometers apart: walk along the road, cycle, or take a taxi or motoconcho (motorbike taxi; agree on the fare first and ask for a helmet). The currency is the Dominican peso; there are ATMs and US dollars are accepted in many places, though change usually comes in pesos.
What's nearby
From Calle Tamarindo, in the center of Bayahíbe. Walking times from Expedia; the rest are Booking.com or straight-line distances.
- Colmado (small grocery store)across the street
- Mare Nuestro3 min walk
- Village beach and harbor4 min walk
- Punta Bayahíbe Natural Monument4 min walk
- Saona Cafe4 min walk
- Beachside By Onno's4 min walk
- Barcobar5 min walk
- Bayahíbe public beach0.6 km
- Playa Magallanes9 min walk
- East National Park entrance5 min drive
- Dominicus beach3.9 km
- La Romana Airport (LRM)12.2 km
Guest reviews
8.7 out of 10 on Booking.com from 957 reviews and 4.5 out of 5 on Google from 324 reviews, with reviews from October 2026 on both. On Expedia it scores 9.0 out of 10 from 72 reviews, almost all from before 2025.
9.6Staff on Booking.com
9.3Location on Booking.com
8.8Value for money on Booking.com
8.5Cleanliness on Booking.com
8.5Comfort on Booking.com
8.1Facilities on Booking.com
«Well located, pretty and well equipped. A very varied and complete breakfast.»
«Excellent staff, all of them are top notch. The breakfast was good and plenty. Free water and bananas.»
«Not everything is new, but it's exactly as it looks in the photos, clean and well kept.»
«If you dive in Bayahíbe, it's just a 3-minute walk from practically every divers' meeting point.»
«Great stay and location on a budget. A little dated but comfortable.»
«A very calm, relaxed atmosphere. The place matches what they advertise.»
Before you book
Check-in 3 pm to 10 pm
That's what Booking.com lists, and the property asks you to share your arrival time in advance. Checkout is by 11 am, and you can leave your bags at the front desk.
Bring cash
Booking.com lists cash payment and a 5% surcharge if you pay by credit card. One guest was overcharged on her card: cash avoids surprises.
No pool
It's a village apartment hotel, not a resort. For a swim, the beach is a few minutes' walk away.
Showing its age
Many guests mention dated furniture and bathrooms, curtains that don't fully cover the windows and, in some rooms, little hot water. If something's wrong, tell the front desk: they'll usually move you.
Village sounds
Motorbikes, the neighbors' music and pre-dawn roosters drift in through the windows. Upper floors get more breeze and less noise; quiet hours are 10 pm to 9 am.
Stairs
The buildings have no elevator. If stairs are hard for you, ask for a ground-floor room.
No pets
Animals aren't allowed.
Children
Welcome at any age, but there are no cribs or extra beds, and kids 13 and up pay as adults.
Things to do from Bayahíbe
Highly rated tours on Viator: Saona and Catalina islands by catamaran, a try-dive, the Cave of Wonders with Altos de Chavón, an e-bike ride to East National Park and buggies through the sugarcane fields. Check each tour's meeting point or whether it includes hotel pickup; cancellation terms vary by tour.
Saona Island small group and relax - luxury catamaran
See the tour →
Catalina Island - Snorkeling tour on a luxury catamaran
See the tour →
Small-Group Discovery Scuba Diving Experience in Bayahibe
See the tour →
Discover La Romana Culture and local flavours
See the tour →
Bayahibe E-Bike Tour
See the tour →
Half-Day ATV or Buggy 4X4 from Bayahibe - La Romana
See the tour →Tour texts and photos: Viator.
Where it is
Calle Tamarindo 1, 23000 Bayahíbe, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic
Book your stay at Villa Baya
See today's rates and availability on Booking.com. Check whether your rate includes breakfast, which room type you're choosing (a room or an apartment with a kitchen) and until when you can cancel for free.
See availability →Frequently asked questions
Where is Villa Baya?
At Calle Tamarindo 1, in the center of Bayahíbe (La Altagracia province), about a 4-minute walk from the village beach and harbor. Some websites group it under Punta Cana, but it's in Bayahíbe, about an hour's drive from Punta Cana Airport.
Is there a pool?
No. There's a garden, terraces, a restaurant and a bar, and the beach is a few minutes' walk away.
Is breakfast included?
In many rates, yes: it's served from 8 to 10 am with fruit, coffee, juice and a hot dish of your choice. Check whether your rate includes it when you book.
Do the rooms have air conditioning?
Yes, all of them. In the Saona Apartment the AC is in the bedroom, and the living room has a fan.
Can I cook?
In the apartments, which have their own kitchen with a fridge. The double rooms have a coffee maker, and there's a colmado (grocery store) across the street.
What time is check-in?
Booking.com lists arrivals from 3 pm to 10 pm and checkout by 11 am. Share your arrival time when you book.
How do I pay?
Booking.com lists cash payment and a 5% surcharge for credit cards. Bring Dominican pesos or US dollars in cash.
Is there parking?
Yes, free and inside the gated complex, with no reservation needed. The surrounding streets are narrow and the entrance is poorly signposted, so follow the map.