Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Nestled between the mountains and the sea, The Bannister Hotel is a wonderful retreat in the Caribbean. This stunning hotel is a member of the elite collection Small Luxury Hotels of the World, focusing on good taste, high quality, tranquility and splendor. It features 30 finely-decorated suites with outstanding views, along with a variety of amenities and impeccable service.Leave your worries behind, let the warm breeze fill you with tranquility, and enjoy a place which will fulfill your needs and indulge your desires.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Modern
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Carretera Sánchez-Samana Km. 5, Doncel 32000 Dominican Republic
Stayed at hotel for three days for a fraternal planning retreat. The hotel lodging were acceptable and decent for the price. The hotel has a marina flr boats which alea for a breautiful vista. The hotel offers aeveral restaurants to choose from and we eat at twl lf the three options. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. The ocean club restaurant was right on the water and provided a great view of the ocean as you eat or had drinks. The hotel was about a 20 ninute drive ro the Samana city center which we visited two nights to have dinner and take in the stores and shops. My room was a standard room with a kitchenette, a sitting are with a couch and a queen bed. We negotiated a group rate and sone enbers lf our party got one bedroom suites and two bedroom suites for the sane price. The appliances were dated but were serviceable. The room also had a nice deck facing the marina with a tabe for four as well as a larger wicker sectional. The Overall i would reconnend the hotel if you are visiting the area
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:The grounds are hilly if you lie to tale walks lr runs outside but there is a gym with treadmills...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Thebannister Mint, Atención al cliente/recepción at The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
Responded 19 Aug 2024
‘What a joy to read your review! It makes us happy to know that your visit was memorable. We look forward to welcoming you with open arms on your next adventure.’
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The rooms were quiet, the view peaceful. Rooms were spacious and contained everything of comfort. The play room with pool table was nice as well as kids club. But rate with breakfast included offered tiny portions and you couldn’t even request an extra toast. Increase your portions or let the guests order food to fill their bellies if you truly offer complimentary breakfast. The tv with a cable box didn’t quite work. We felt truly cut off from digital world and enjoyed the calm ambiance of Bannister hotel. We were glad we chose this location despite it not being all Inclusive and offering tiny portions in ala carts breakfast.
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Thebannister Mint, Atención al cliente/recepción at The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
Responded 19 Aug 2024
‘Thank you for your feedback! Our team strives every day to provide excellent service, and to know that we have achieved this is very gratifying. come back soon!’
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On the 3rd -6th of February, we stayed at the Bannister hotel. The hotel reception was amazing. We were allowed to check in much earlier than normal time and this stuff spoke English very well. They also matched the lowest price on booking.com which was great and saved us lots of money. The rooms were very beautiful, spacious and very clean. We had the ocean view which was very pretty with pretty sunsets, and overlooked the yachts. They have few restaurants with different types of food and they also have a food market where you can buy things if you want to cook or water and alcoholic drinks. This was definitely one of the best experience I had as a traveler. I would definitely recommend this hotel any time, a special thanks to one of the staff members Yelaine who also gave us nice recommendations for where we can go during our stay there like Plats Rincon, whale watching any many. They also recommended drivers to pick us up from the hotel and take us where we were going. Loved it and we would stay here again.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Marcela Romero, Otros at The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
Responded 31 May 2023
Dear Guest, Thank you for your comments and for selecting our hotel as your destination during your visit to Samaná. It makes us very happy to receive such positive comments towards us and to know that we exceeded your expectations, for us it means everything, it means that this is the way to go. What a pleasure to know that you had a pleasant experience from the moment of check in to the end. Thank you so much for taking the time to share in such detail your experience with us as well as the services we provide. We look forward to welcoming you back to Bannister Hotel. Sincerely,
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This place is very old and dated. We chose this place because it had a “tennis court “that was a joke! It was unplayable as you would hurt yourself with all of the cracks and potholes! Very disappointed. They didn’t have half of the food on the menu, and the majority of the staff were very rude and basically ignored us most of the time.
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Go somewhere else.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Thebannister Mint, Atención al cliente/recepción at The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
Responded 1 week ago
Dear guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that your stay did not meet your expectations. Your comments regarding the tennis court, food availability, and staff service have been noted, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. We take all guest feedback seriously and will address these issues to ensure a better experience in the future. Sincerely, The Bannister Hotel
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Super friendly, attentive. The staff was super nice, especially Yolaine Mora from the front desk (I wanted to go to town, and she sent me a taxi at the time I asked for. The young man was super friendly and professional). The waiters, bar tenders, securities, chefs are always very attentive. It is a place that inspires peace and relaxation. My room was like a small apartment, super cozy, clean, spacious. Love the design and the decorations. It has a small market and a laundry room. The pepperoni pizza was delicious. The Dominican breakfast was like homemade. They serve you hot bread/croissant with a super delicious fruit marmalade. Ripe banana waffles. Cativias from Ropa Vieja, salmos in coconut sauce. They gave a fancy twist to traditional dishes. At the 3-day event, the food was buffet style. 😍
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The Bannister Hotel sits peacefully in a secluded, gated, and guarded cove in a private marina on Samana Bay. From the moment you arrive you’re greeted with professionalism and courtesy, and have entered a world of true five-star service. The modern lobby is elegant and beautiful, stark white backgrounds accented with natural materials, opening to an expansive view of the harbor.
The spacious suites show this is an older property, and that is definitely part of its charm. This is the type of place that families visit, and return to year after year through generations, whether by yacht, sailboat, or car. The Bannister reminds me of the great hotels I was lucky enough to visit as a child with my parents in the 1960s, when people REALLY knew the meaning of service.
We arrived during a quiet time of the year, and luxuriated in the near-empty surroundings. Every staff member we encountered was friendly, from the front desk to the waitress at the lovely Puerto Bahia Ocean Club.
The breakfasts were wonderful, and we had great meals at both Regatta and the Ocean Club.
If you’re visiting the Dominican Republic, you must make your way to Samana Province. On the way through Samana, we stopped at a great local place called Majara. It’s right on a corner at the busy traffic circle near the harbor.
The Bannister exceeded our expectations on every level. We’ve already made reservations to come back during whale-watching season, and hopefully before then.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Spring for a harbor view room, you won't regret it.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Honestly, my experience was very disappointing since the moment right after booking. I reached out to the concierge team to inquire about making a reservation for my birthday at their restaurant and nobody responded. I also inquire about booking a tour to Cayo Levantado and it took a month for the agent/concierge to confirm the booking. I reached out (4) times asking for confirmation. Yelaine Mora, the conceirge, needs training, she has to have a better sense of urgency; I literally booked through a different tour company because she took so long. Additionally, on the day of our check-in we had to wait for the rooms to be ready although the hotel was empty. I literally saw the same 2 families their entire weekend. The hotel needs more attention given to the guest. We check-in on my birthday and nobody acknowledged it. There was no welcome drink nor card in the room, no recognition. Furthermore, we ate at the restaurant for breakfast and dinner and for every meal more than have of the menu was unavailable because they were missing ingredients. I understand for one day running out, but the fact that nobody could run out to my groceries the next day is crazy. Housekeeping is also lacking I was drinking a pina colada while waiting for my room and the same glass was there until the next day filled with flies, it was disgusting. I would not recommend this hotel, everything is lacking and its super boring; zero activities onsite.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Book a different hotel!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Thebannister Mint, Atención al cliente/recepción at The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
Responded 20 Nov 2024
Dear Natassjag, Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that your experience at The Bannister Hotel was disappointing, and we sincerely apologize for the multiple issues you encountered during your stay. First and foremost, we apologize for the lack of response from our concierge team regarding your birthday reservation and tour booking. Your feedback about Yelaine is important, and we will ensure she receives further training to improve both her responsiveness and sense of urgency. It is unacceptable that you had to wait so long for confirmation and that your experience with our concierge service fell short of expectations. We will address this internally to ensure that future guests do not experience similar delays. Additionally, we regret that there were delays with your room check-in despite the hotel not being fully booked, and that your special occasion was not acknowledged. We always strive to make our guests feel valued, especially on their birthdays, and it is disappointing to hear that we missed the mark in making you feel celebrated. We are also sorry to hear about the issues with the restaurant and missing ingredients. We understand how frustrating this must have been, especially when many items on the menu were unavailable during your meals. We will work with our kitchen and management teams to ensure this situation does not happen again. Finally, we take your concerns about housekeeping very seriously. The condition you described with the glass left unattended overnight is unacceptable, and we will review our cleaning procedures to make sure this doesn’t happen again. We value all feedback, both positive and negative, as it helps us improve. We hope you will consider giving us another chance in the future to provide you with the experience you were hoping for. Again, we deeply apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for bringing these matters to our attention. Best Reguard, The Banister Hotel
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We stayed in this hotel for 2 nights. The a/c in our room was not working and we notified it as soon as we entered the room and then for the next 2 days at leat on 5 occasions to different employees including a supervisor. Not only was it never repaired but there was never information in what they were doing nor an offer to change us to another room. We visited 2 restaurants (poor quality on both). They didn’t have pepper, pepperoni (for pizza offered in the menu), goat cheese and honey (for a pizza offered in the menu), hollandaise sauce (for eggs benedict offered in the menu), orange juice or pineapple juice (as offered in the menu). The closet in the room was dirty and dusty and the bathroom towels had seen better days. The hotel is beautiful but is too run down. Do not stay at the Bannister. Not worth it.
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Do not stay here
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Thebannister Mint, Atención al cliente/recepción at The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
Responded 20 Nov 2024
Dear Ms. Toledo, I’m very sorry to hear that your experience at The Bannister Hotel didn’t meet your expectations. We truly appreciate your feedback as it helps us improve our services. We sincerely apologize for the issues with the air conditioning and understand how frustrating it must have been not to receive an adequate solution during your stay. This is certainly not the level of service we aim to provide. Regarding the food quality and the missing items from the menu, we will work with our kitchen team to ensure our offerings meet the standards our guests expect. Additionally, we’ll address the cleanliness and maintenance of the rooms to avoid such situations in the future. We regret that you weren’t able to fully enjoy our property as you had hoped, and we appreciate your observations. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back and provide a much more pleasant experience next time. Thank you for sharing your feedback. Best Reguard, The Bannister Hotel
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We stayed from Monday to Wednesday. For a quiet time away this is the place. Evenings where so peaceful, hardly could hear people talking, no loud music. Just waves. We sat on the terrace overlooking the bay. So tranquilo! Room was clean and everything worked. Staff were very professional and showed care and attentiveness to our needs. The restaurants had great tasting food and courteous staff. They even organized our whale watching excursion. I will definitely go again! Thank you.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:We did pay higher than we would normally pay for staying, but it was well worth it. Restaurants...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Marcela Romero, Otros at The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
Responded 31 May 2023
Dear Laura, Thank you for your comments and for selecting our hotel as your destination during your visit to Samaná. It makes us very happy to receive such positive comments towards us and to know that we exceeded your expectations. Certainly the hotel has an unbeatable location and peace is breathed in every corner, we are glad to know that you can also perceive it as we do. Thank you very much for taking the time to share in such detail your experience with us as well as the services we offer. We will extend your kind words to our staff. We look forward to welcoming you back to Hotel Bannister. Sincerely
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This hotel was a very good experience. Every member of staff I came across was absolutely friendly. The initial welcome and check-in were very good. The room was well appointed and very comfortable with coconuts prepared and waiting for us to sip and freshly ground coffee ready when needed. Housekeeping was impeccable and the cleaning staff worked around our schedule. The shower was wonderful. The air conditioning worked very well as did the wi-fi. The balcony overlooking the marina and ocean is absolutely amazing. The breakfast was nothing like the typical included breakfast. At the Bannister is a good restaurant that you order off the menu with a wide variety of delicious options including good healthy options and even vegan options. All the food we ate at all the restaurants was perfectly prepared. Includes pools, ocean swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking. A very good experience.
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Thebannister Mint, Atención al cliente/recepción at The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club
Responded 12 Sept 2022
Dear Mr. Ramsey, it is a pleasure for us to know that we meet all your expectations.
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Hi Pablo.
I am glad by your interest in our Hotel!
Yes, few steps from the hotel lobby we have the Yacht Club Marina and you can take the shuttle to any different beach and touristic spot of the area.
The Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club is the door of the Samaná adventures!!!..
See you soon!!!...
Hi Sabrina!!
I am glad by your interest in our Hotel!
Yes!.. Our hotel is Pet Friendly..
We have special amenities for them like a menu of different bitch and delicious croquettes.
You also will have a huge area to take him/her for walking
Best Regards!!.
There are more places to choose from in the Doncel area.
PRICE RANGE
RM 587 - RM 1,182 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
CaribbeanDominican RepublicSamana ProvinceDoncel
NUMBER OF ROOMS
33
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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