Las Flores Hotel & Wellness Center — Hotel in Higüey

Rose and I planned a trip to Dominican Republic in late August/early September. As usual, we used TripAdvisor reviews to help research places to stay. In addition to the wide range of all-inclusive resorts, we were also interested in the ‘boutique’ hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and inns.||||We focused on the area of Punta Cana. When we discovered Hotel Las Flores, we were impressed with their reviews (on TripAdvisor, and other locations)! All were five-star, with many complimentary comments. And, the location was great, a short distance from shopping, the airport, and beaches. Near Bavaro, and just off the main highway, Hotel Las Flores made a perfect location for quiet relaxation, sun-bathing, and catching up on our reading. ||||Opened in November 2017, and built by Jan and Sandy, Hotel Las Flores is an oasis! This Belgian couple had been coming to Dominican Republic for seventeen years, knew the Punta Cana area very well, and decided to apply their expertise in the region. They bought land, built the boutique hotel, and opened it just after hurricane Maria. ||||The rooms in Hotel Las Flores are spacious, very clean, and well-decorated. The bathroom in our room was especially nice, with a large shower. I was impressed with the coral/limestone slabs in the shower; we also saw this stone in one of the restaurants we visited. Unfortunately, it is not available in Colorado! ||||Scented oils throughout the complex combined with blossoming flowers to continually remind us that we were in a tropical paradise. ||||Sandy is the most gracious of hostesses; she and her able assistant Jeffrey (spelled Yerfri) helped us to explore Punta Cana, including arranging reservations and transportation for dinner, and taking us to shopping areas. Transport to the best nearby beaches was also available--Hotel Las Flores is not on the beach. ||||Breakfasts had a large range of offerings, refreshments were delicious, and talking late into the evenings with Sandy was great--her own travel experiences make her such a fantastic hostess! See our photos below, of Rose in the pool, one of our (non-alcohol) drinks, and the hotel complex, as viewed from the pool. ||||Would we stay again at Hotel Las Flores? If we return to the Dominican Republic,...

1-week ago before returning to Texas we had the pleasure of having a fabulous dinner at Sandy and Jan's Hotel Las Flores. Reservations are a must 829-246-6228 at this small quiet restaurant that generally does not serve more than 14 diners at a sitting. The restaurant is situated in an out of the way location near Bavaro, near Punta Cana and definitely worth finding. The tables are under a palm roof with a fully stocked bar inside a walled garden next to the pool. My wife and the other couple joining us were the only customers on that low season Sunday night and we had a delicious meal. We started by sharing 3 delicious starters of beef Carpaccio, tuna Carpaccio and a salad. For main courses 2 of us had sumptuous tenderloin, one person had grilled yellowfin tuna and I had Sole meuniere. All were cooked to perfection as ordered and served with papas fritas or puré de papas and mixed vegetables. We washed it down with water and 2 bottles of Umberto Cesari Moma Rubicone 2015 wine. Not that we were still hungry, but it was all so good, we topped it off with a tasty custardy desert of Saybayon. The owners Sandy and Jan are easy going hosts and will give you as much as a little attention as you like. They are from Belgium, Jan owns a construction company there and Sandy has interior decorating experience and great attention to detail. About 2 years ago they bought an undeveloped tract of land built this beautiful boutique hotel and restaurant from scratch by Jan managing local labor. They are intrepid world travelers and entrepreneurs and very nice people. Obviously their place would not be what it is without their wonderful chef who maintains a...

If you are a fan of botique hotels with personalized service, Las Flores is the place for you. In fact, it may be your only option in Punta Cana (almost all lodging is either big, all-inclusive resorts or apartments with no service). ||The service in Las Flores was impeccable and the room design/hotel interior is tastefully decorated. The owners are a lovely couple who enjoy being around guests.||As a plus, the husband is a chef and our best meal in Punta Cana was at the hotel (we had lobster and steak). There is no set menu - they ask you what you would like and as long as it is reasonable, they will provide it. Personalized service at its finest!||There is also a pool where you can relax and enjoy a good book, all in the privacy of the hotel and away from the crowds.||Additionally, other hotels seem to have a problem with the water being too salty. Las Flores does not have this problem, as they have a separate water source and have taken this into consideration. ||Do not worry about the hotel not being in front of the beach - they have reliable shuttle service that can take you to the beach (we highly recommend Pearl Beach Club to pass the day). ||We highly recommend this hotel, especially if you are not one for the Hard Rock Hotel types of places, want a place that feels like a home, prefer to avoid the multitude of tourists, and value...