Villa Alma Verde

Las Terrenas sits on the north coast of the Samaná peninsula and is the most European corner of the Dominican Republic — a long French and Italian presence has left it with bakeries, beachfront restaurants and a pace that has little to do with the big all-inclusive resorts further west. The beaches run for kilometres and humpback whales pass through the bay between January and March. The villa sleeps four across two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a pool, a terrace, air conditioning, a washer and a workspace. At $233 a night it is mid-range for the area and considerably better value than the resorts it is an alternative to.