Piergiorgio Palace Hotel

The Piergiorgio Palace was originally just a stunning cliff-side Italian eatery, but its popularity led the owner -- an Italian fashion designer -- to open up a hotel on the same site. The result is this mid-size property, a fading homage to the Victorian era in modern-day Sosua. The entrance mimics a gazebo and opens onto a winding quartz terrazzo staircase -- the space has high ceilings and is surrounded by a veranda, giving everything a breezy atmosphere. Still, while there are island touches all around -- like wicker furniture and bold tropical art -- the look is decidedly dated, an issue which plagues the hotel as a whole. Expect to see clashing materials placed next to each other, like tan and brown marble, whitish terrazzo, and terra cotta tiling all thrown together. The vibe is relaxed and low-key, though the place is just around the corner from bustling streets of Sosua, with restaurants and shops. While time and contemporary tastes have turned this property into something closer to an old-fashioned relic than a model of classic elegance, the secluded, intimate atmosphere has its charms, mostly for the older European travelers that make their way here. 

The hotel is on a quiet dead-end street in Sosua, conveniently sandwiched between two beaches: the popular, wide Sosua Beach and the smaller Casa Marina Beach. Like Boca Chica, Sosua has a dodgy reputation for the large numbers of (sometimes underage) sex workers who patrol the streets as soon as it gets dark. The seediness doesn’t carry over to the hotel, but it’s certainly pervasive in the town and on the beaches. Casa Marina Beach is a 10-minute walk away and is a pleasant stretch of sand, though Playa Sosua is the main attraction in the area. It's takes 10 to 15 minutes and has crystal-clear waters and a close reef. Winds are also mild here because it faces the west and avoids the northeasterly gusts that can plague many of the beaches on the north coast. There are plenty of restaurants, lots of motoconcho stands, and shops selling touristy knickknacks and beachwear within a five- to 10-minute walk of the hotel. The international airport in Puerto Plata is a 15-minute drive away; otherwise getting to the Santo Domingo airport takes about four hours.   

Rooms at the hotel will not win any awards for contemporary style, which is a shame as the setting has an undeniable romance to it. They have a dated tropical dollhouse look, with lots of pink and white tones plus an abundance of swirly rattan and wicker furniture -- everything from the dressers and nightstands to the chairs and headboards are rendered in it. Much of the paint is peeling or otherwise worn from the furniture. The dark maroon curtains don't help freshen the look; neither does the old Impressionistic landscape art handing on the walls. Additionally, maintenance issues can include leaky mini-fridges plus loose showerheads and door hinges. Amenities include small flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, safes, irons and ironing boards, and noisy air-conditioning units. Beds may be hard for some tastes and though Wi-Fi is free, it is spotty. Bathrooms are large, with wall-mounted hairdryers, gilded mirrors, bidets, and walk-in showers. The pink and white tiling will not be to everyone's liking and we saw discolored grout in the showers. All rooms have tiny balconies, but guests will need to be on the third floor or higher to get good views of the sea.

The Italian restaurant La Puntilla de Piergiorgio is well-renowned in the area, maybe because it was around for years before the hotel was built. It’s huge, with plenty of outdoor seating and a small bar. The tables are as close as possible to the edge of the cliff to maximize the ocean views, and there’s even a secret stairway that leads to the water from the restaurant. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, with a relatively diverse menu with lots of Italian dishes. There's also a barbecue pizzeria, La Terrazza, on-site. Breakfast is included in room rates, and is simple -- mostly just bread, coffee, and cooked-to-order eggs at an omelet bar. The hotel also has a tiny pool surrounded by tropical trees and flowers. It's small for the hotel's size, and there's only a few lounge chairs. The deck could use an overhaul as well, and looks a bit beat up. Next door there’s a little shop selling trinkets and clothes, and there's a single public computer should guests need. The Wi-Fi is free, but the signal is weak in the rooms and outdoor areas.