Elegant hill-top refuge in Dominican resort town

My family flew to DR from Panama, US, and Sweden to celebrate two birthdays. With 9 adults and 2 children, the house provided enough space for privacy and gatherings. We especially enjoyed the pool and the chef service provided by Rosy. The latter made the five nights at the house remarkable with her three-course menus.
Owners provided good information and were responsive to emails before arrival. Housekeeper was also very good about communication and providing extra service. It helps to speak Spanish and beware - the road up to the house is not for the faint-hearted.

On the plane ride home from our trip to the Dominican Republic, my boyfriend and I agreed that the the time we spent at the Arboleda was the best week of our lives.

Though there is an airport only 15 miles from the Arboleda, we flew into Santo Domingo, a 2-hour car trip away. We were initially nervous about the drive, but were welcomed with a beautiful highway, and scenic views of hilltops, fields and palm trees. Arriving at the Arboleda as the sun rose was an unforgettable experience.

Our days were spent swimming in the pool, quietly reading, and making trips into town for groceries and espresso and fresh juice at a little cafe called The Social Club. We were so relaxed, that our hectic, noisy lives back in Brooklyn seemed a million miles away.

Even though it was just the two of us, the house would be perfect for a part of 8 or 10. The outdoor dining table and sunken lounge area is perfect for late night conversations and excessive glasses of wine. Every night ends with an unobstructed view of twinkling stars and a nice, sweet breeze.

Our favorite feature of the house was its outdoor design; even at the hottest part of the day, there is always a shady spot to cool off and read a book. The pool stayed perfectly cool and refreshing, a feat for such a hot climate.

We'd go every month if we could. And whatever you do, don't miss the opportunity to visit Playa Bonita, just a 10-minute car ride away. It is, hands down, the most beautiful beach we've ever been to. Whenever I feel frantic and stressed, all I have to do is think of the calm waves of that beach.

My girlfriend's mother said it best: "This house is a little slice of Heaven." I couldn't agree more. We spent a week there and the time absolutely flew by. I knew it was going to be wonderful from the moment we arrived, when we were greeted by the housekeeper Noelia (who is delightful) and a fridge filled with cold beer and fresh fruit.

Where to begin? The house and the surrounding property is absolutely spotless and is built in a way that takes full advantage of amazing surroundings. As good as the pictures are, they do not do justice to this place. Noelia was there every day to clean the place up and she did an amazing job. The pool was spotless and refreshing as can be (the little bit of rainwater it got every day kept it from being too warm.) The beds were perfectly comfortable, there were more than enough towels and linens, and the i-Pod speaker system allowed us to have more than a few wild dance parties.

The drive from Santo Domingo really wasn't too bad at all, especially once you got outside of the city. The directions from the owners were spot-on and we didn't get lost once during the 2.5 hour drive. Also, the driveway to the property is admittedly rather steep, but we were able to still drive up it with our compact rental car (which had all the horsepower of a lawnmower.)

Las Terrenas was absolutely charming. We had a great time at Playa Bonita and had some great meals in the nearby restaurants and bars, especially El Salero and Mosquito Bar. Also, the more isolated Playa Coson was breath-takingly beautiful.

The hike to the waterfall of El Limon Salto is not to be missed. We had a great time, although it was a bit of a challenge getting there in the middle of a rainstorm. Also, we weren't quoted the 450 peso a person price for the guided tour until the tour was over. Nevertheless, it was a great hike and a beautiful sight to behold.

A slice of heaven, indeed.