HM Alma de Bayahibe – a comprehensive review about one of the cheapest all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic

The HM resorts in the Dominican Republic, among them the ones in Punta Cana, Bayahibe and Boca Chica, are always among the cheapest options when looking for the most affordable all-inclusive resort in the country. They are usually half the price of what you pay in other resorts in Punta Cana or elsewhere. Therefore, doubts are more than reasonable when thinking about if HM really is the best option for your holiday on a budget in the Dominican Republic. 
To check whether these doubts are justified or not, I have visited HM Alma de Bayahibe for you, an all-inclusive resort in Bayahibe which is usually bookable for a bit more than 100 USD during the low season – per double room, not per person, including meals and drinks and all the services an all-inclusive resort is offering. Can this be true? Is HM Alma de Bayahibe worth it? Can you enjoy your vacation at this cheap resort? Or is it just a waste of money and you should better pay more?
Let’s find out the answers in this comprehensive HM Alma de Bayahibe hotel review!

This comprehensive hotel review is about HM Alma de Bayahibe, one of the most economic all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic. If you’d like to see further information about low-budget hotels, you can check out the cheapest all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana and the best affordable all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana. You can also check out the article about how to travel to Punta Cana on a budget.
For further information about Bayahibe, where HM is located, have a look at the extensive Bayahibe Travel Guide.
For further resorts in Bayahibe, check out Dreams Dominicus La Romana and Catalonia Bayahibe La Romana.
For further information about all-inclusive hotels, check out this post about the best resorts in Bayahibe.

Completely UPDATED: February 2024

Quick link: the best prices for HM Alma de Bayahibe

HM Alma de Bayahibe is – together with its sister resort in Punta Cana, HM Bavaro Beach – by far the cheapest resort in Bayahibe and the entire east of the Dominican Republic. If you don’t want to read the entire resort review of HM Resort Bayahibe and just want to get the best prices for this resort, you can check out the following options:

– get best prices for HM Hotel Bayahibe from an online travel agency (*)
– compare the best prices for HM Hotel Bayahibe on different websites (*)

However, I’d highly recommend that you read the full HM Alma de Bayahibe review, as we’re sharing our experiences and some important suggestions. Furthermore, it is crucial that you understand that HM Resort Bayahibe is a different resort and not comparable to other all-inclusive resorts in Bayahibe.

Where is HM Alma de Bayahibe?

 HM Alma de Bayahibe is an all-inclusive resort in Bayahibe, a fishing village approximately a bit more than 1 hour away from most all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana and 50 minutes away from Punta Cana International Airport. Bayahibe stands for low-key tourism, crystal-clear water, a close to 100% guarantee for beaches without seaweed in the Dominican Republic and is the best starting point if you’d like to visit famous Saona Island, the most popular and beautiful tourist destination in the Dominican Republic.

For your airport transfer from Punta Cana to La Romana/Bayahibe, it is recommendable to book a private transfer or a shared airport shuttle in advance. It is just a one-hour drive from Punta Cana to La Romana, hence the rates are reasonable.

 In case you are arriving at Santo Domingos Las Américas International Airport, it is also just a 90-minute drive to Bayahibe. Private airport transfers and shared airport shuttles are available if you book your journey in advance.

You can find out more details here about all the different options you have for getting from Punta Cana and Santo Domingo to La Romana and Bayahibe.

As HM Alma de Bayahibe is not necessarily a resort where you spend 24/7 in the resort (of course you can, but the price is so low that there shall be enough budget left to venture out a couple of times and explore the treasures and adventures the Dominican Republic has to offer, such as these amazing day-trips), it is also an option to rent a car at Punta Cana Airport or Santo Domingo Airport. The journey to HM Alma de Bayahibe is easy from both airports, as it is a well-maintained highway the entire time, except for the last 5-6 miles to Bayahibe, which is a typical but easy-to-follow single-lane road.

 Within Bayahibe, HM Alma de Bayahibe is located in the southern part, which is called Dominicus. It is next to Tracadero Beach Resort, which is also serving as a public beach club in Bayahibe. When leaving HM Alma de Bayahibe by foot, you can explore the small town of Dominicus right next to HM, where you can find a couple of restaurants, bars and around a handful of other all-inclusive resorts, among them Dreams Dominicus, Catalonia La Romana, Catalonia Royal, Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach + Palace and Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus.

Rebranding from whala Bayahibe to HM Alma de Bayahibe

In 2023, formerly whala Bayahibe was rebranded to HM Alma de Bayahibe. The Spain-based hotel chains whala Hotels and HM Resort Bayahibe merged and created some new brands, which leads to a new branding for their Bayahibe resort (HM Alma de Bayahibe) and their Punta Cana hotel (HM Bavaro Beach).

While the amenities and facilities hardly have changed, HM Alma de Bayahibe is now an adults-only resort in the Dominican Republic. This being said, if you’re traveling with children of 17 years or younger, you should choose one of the other family-friendly hotels in Bayahibe, such as Dreams Dominicus or Hilton La Romana.

For 2024, HM Alma de Bayahibe also features some renovated rooms. Especially when choosing one of the higher room categories such as the Ocean View Double Room or the Junior Suites, you can expect contemporary design and more modern facilities in your room. You can find more about the HM Alma de Bayahibe rooms further below in our review.

Overview of HM Alma de Bayahibe

HM Alma de Bayahibe is a pretty small all-inclusive resort with just 283 rooms, where you can walk everything in 1-2 minutes. It is therefore perfectly suitable for those who are looking for an alternative to the mega-resorts of Punta Cana with 1000+ rooms, where on some occasions you have to walk 10 minutes from your room to the ocean. 

 The whole all-inclusive resort of HM is very low-key, which already starts in the lobby. Just a simple counter, a cozy seating area and a tour desk – that’s it. But it totally does its job. From here, you’ll be at the ocean in around 1 minute, as it is just 400 feet away – one of the smallest all-inclusive resorts you can find in the Dominican Republic.

 From the lobby, if you take a left turn, you will immediately reach the buffet restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. After passing the 5 accommodation buildings, you’ll directly hit the 4 pools of HM Alma de Bayahibe, which are located right at the ocean. 

 Among these pools, there is one main sweetwater pool and three saltwater infinity pools at the edge of the coastline with a spectacular view of the Caribbean Sea.

 The main bar is located in this area, as well as the snack back to the right and the Alma à-la-carte restaurant to the left. The latter one offers one of the most spectacular settings I have seen so far among all the all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic. You can find out more about it in the restaurant section of this HM Alma de Bayahibe review.

The beach at HM Alma de Bayahibe

Even though HM Alma de Bayahibe all-inclusive resort is located right at the ocean, it doesn’t have a beach as the coastline in this area is very jagged. However, there is a free shuttle to nearby Dominicus Beach, one of the beaches in Bayahibe, just about 7-8 minutes away. The shuttle is for free and leaves every 30 minutes from HM Alma de Bayahibe between 9 pm and 5 am (I think, don’t nail me down on the hours). Alternatively, you can also walk 20 minutes to the public area of Dominicus Beach.

 While not having a beach sounds pretty unattractive for an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic (after all, you’re coming here for your Caribbean holiday), there are a couple of things to note:
– as mentioned, there is a free shuttle to the beach. Just note that there is no bar or restaurant service at Dominicus Beach from HM Alma de Bayahibe, you can only use the public restaurants and bars there and pay according to consumption
– there are stairs into the ocean, allowing for easy access to the water. Just note that you have to be a good swimmer, there is no shallow area in this place and the water might be a bit choppy sometimes.
– you can also see spectacular sunsets from HM Alma de Bayahibe
– the oceanfront location of HM Alma de Bayahibe is pretty interesting, as this allows for three infinity pools with spectacular views

 Furthermore, there is a section with sand and beach chairs, so at least this will give you the full Caribbean feeling. 😉

The rooms at HM Alma de Bayahibe

When looking for a cheap all-inclusive resort like HM Resort Bayahibe, you don’t have to make compromises on the rooms, especially as you have the choice between some older, but super affordable rooms and some renovated and modern rooms at HM Alma de Bayahibe.

In total, you can choose among 6 room categories:
– Economy Room
– Double Room
– Double Room with Partial Sea View
– Double Room with Sea View
– Junior Suite
– Junior Suite Sea View

While the first three HM Alma de Bayahibe room categories (Economy Room, Double Room, Double Room with Partial Sea View) are a bit older the latter three (Double Room with Partial Sea View, Double Room with Sea View, Junior Suite) are renovated and modernized.

Still, it doesn’t matter for which room category you decide, all rooms are doing their job and are on par with other super cheap all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana. They are spacious enough, have a balcony, colorful touches, a mini-fridge, a closet, a bathroom with a shower and a pretty strong air-condition so that you can feel at home for a couple of nights.

There is nothing to complain about and especially the ocean view rooms are pretty affordable and usually not that much more than the regular rooms, hence it is definitely worth considering them.

Booking and prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe

As mentioned, HM Alma de Bayahibe is one of the cheapest all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic. Besides their sister resorts whala Boca Chica close to Santo Domingo and HM Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, it is usually THE cheapest resort with rates starting as low as 60 USD per person per night including all-inclusive meal plan. This being said, you know why you might have to make some compromises on certain points but taking into consideration all the amenities you can enjoy, it offers an amazing price-value ratio – if you know what to expect. Check out the following sections in this comprehensive HM Alma de Bayahibe review to get additional details.

For the moment, let’s have a look at where it is best to book HM Alma de Bayahibe.

In general, you can book HM all-inclusive resort in Bayahibe through most of the well-known online travel agencies such as Booking, Expedia or Tripadvisor. Each website has its perks and advantages, hence it is recommendable to check out 2 or 3 and compare some of the prices.

(mobile users: please turn your device to landscape mode to enjoy the best view of this table)

Website	Your Advantage	whala Bayahibe
Booking	Get up to 10% Genius discount on the already discounted rates
Expedia	Online travel agency with great deals, personal service and good reputation
Travala	Get 2% cashback + additional (crypto) rewards
Trip.com	Collect reward points at flights and hotels with this NYSE listed online travel agency
Tripadvisor	Compare prices and reviews on one site

Prices for HM Alma de Bayahibe usually start at 60 USD per person per night in the low season (May-Christmas) and around 70 USD per person per night in the high season (Christmas – Easter). This is by far the lowest you can find in Bayahibe and Punta Cana.

Oceanview rooms are just slightly more expensive (usually around 15-20 USD more), hence it pays off to pay a little extra for a room with a nice view. 

To give you a better overview of the prices at HM Bayahibe Resort for 2024, we have checked the prices for each season – you can read more about the best time to travel to Punta Cana here.

For this adults-only resort in Bayahibe, you can see the typical distribution of prices: the highest prices from Christmas to March, the lowest during May, June, September and October and some intermediate prices during the other months.

Here is an overview to make planning your Bayahibe vacation easier:

Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in February 2024: starting from 204 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in March 2024: starting from 227 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in April 2024: starting from 145 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in May 2024: starting from 121 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in June 2024: starting from 121 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in July 2024: starting from 153 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in August 2024: starting from 153 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in September 2024: starting from 121 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in October 2024: starting from 121 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in November 2024: starting from 130 USD*
Prices at HM Alma de Bayahibe in December 2024: starting from 130 USD* (Christmas starting from 337 USD)

Restaurants and bars at HM Alma de Bayahibe

Compared to the big all-inclusive resorts in Bayahibe or Punta Cana, such as Dreams Dominicus, Catalonia La Romana Royal or Catalonia Bayahibe, the selection of restaurants and bars at HM Alma de Bayahibe is somehow limited. However, if you consider the price you pay, gastronomic options are in line with what you shall expect and the quality of food is satisfying.

HM Alma de Bayahibe features the following restaurants:

• 1 buffet restaurant
• 1 à-la-carte restaurant (Mediterannean, Alma – included in your all-inclusive stay)
• 1 à-la-carte restaurant (Sushi, Tamashi – NOT included in your all-inclusive stay)
• 1 snack bar

The buffet restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and features a typical all-inclusive resort buffet with a good selection of different foods. For breakfast, you’ll find a live cooking station for omelets and egg creations, among others. Lunch features different cold and hot dishes and for dinner, there are several themed evenings, even though the themes are not presented through perfection.

 The food quality at the buffet was obviously not top-notch but was similar to other budget resorts in the Dominican Republic. Everything was well presented, there was enough choice for everyone and even vegetables and options without meat were (relatively) abundant and always available.

 If you want to grab some quick food outside of the buffet hours, you can do so at the snack bar right at the ocean. They offer hamburgers, hot dogs and fresh oven-baked pizzas.

There is one à-la-carte restaurant at HM Alma de Bayahibe which is not included. It is a sushi restaurant on the second floor with great views of the ocean. Prices are very reasonable and one of the cheapest you can find for sushi in this area of the Dominican Republic. A plate of sushi is around 10 USD including taxes and service, so you should try this restaurant at least once.

The highlight of the gastronomical offers at HM Alma de Bayahibe is definitely the Alma restaurant. The food is delicious (even though obviously nothing out of the world), but what sets it apart from other restaurants is its location. It is located on a rock spur with amazing views of the ocean, the coastline AND the sunset. After having visited more than 40 all-inclusive resorts in Bayahibe, Punta Cana and elsewhere in the Dominican Republic, I think this is a restaurant at one of the 5 most spectacular locations you can find. This is absolutely surprising considering HM Alma de Bayahibe is the cheapest all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana and beyond.

 For the Alma restaurant, you need a reservation. Starting from your second night of the stay, the reservation can be done at the reception. Bring your bug repellent as there are a couple of mosquitos out there after sunset.

As you can see from those experiences in this HM Alma de Bayahibe review, you can expect some decent food at this super cheap all-inclusive resort. However, again, please note that HM Alma de Bayahibe is not necessarily designed that you eat every meal at the resort – it might indeed get a bit boring especially when staying longer and particularly if you want to eat something unique and different with each meal.

But that’s also why the prices are so low. And even if you dine out every second night or visit the Tamashi restaurant at HM Alma de Bayahibe for an additional charge, you still will have a much cheaper holiday in the Dominican Republic than if booking one of the Punta Cana resorts with 10 or more restaurants. Take note that there are several restaurants in Bayahibe and Dominicus you can reach within walking distance from HM Alma de Bayahibe.

Concerning the drinks, it might also be necessary to either have a couple of drinks outside of the resort or to at least bring or buy your own premium alcohol.

HM Alma de Bayahibe offers 1 main bar close to the pools and the ocean, where you can get soft drinks, juices, water, Presidente beer and no-name liquor and alcohol. Brand names and premium alcohol are available for a surcharge, the same as coffee specialties or bottled wine.

The drinks at HM Alma de Bayahibe are perfect if you don’t care too much about the ingredients, but if premium drinks are important to you, I’d recommend either buying your own booze (HM Resort Bayahibe offers pretty cheap premium bottles as well) or having a few nights out in the bars of Dominicus.

 I hope this HM Alma de Bayahibe review makes it clear. There is absolutely no lack of anything at this Bayahibe all-inclusive resort. Especially if you just want to relax and enjoy the Caribbean sun, HM Alma de Bayahibe offers an amazing price-value ratio. You can eat every day and every night at the hotel, but if you prefer some diversity and fun, maybe factor 1 or 2 nights out into your travel budget.

Entertainment and service at HM Alma de Bayahibe

 In general, HM Alma de Bayahibe is a pretty quiet resort without the hustle and bustle of some of the big Punta Cana resorts. There are some occasional activities, but not a big entertainment schedule like in other all-inclusive hotels. Some of the activities include volleyball, dancing lessons or pool games. During the night, there is occasional live music or other personal activities from and with the entertainment team.

Also, the service was very satisfying according to our experiences at HM Alma de Bayahibe. Obviously, you can’t expect everyone to speak proper English. Some staff member’s English knowledge is pretty basic, but they usually try to fulfill your wishes. Check-in was super smooth and pleasant and the restaurant staff at Alma restaurant catered for a memorable evening. The buffet staff was attentive as well with clearing the dishes.

In case you need WiFi, it works excellent in the common areas such as the pools, the buffet restaurant or the lobby. In the rooms, WiFi is a bit spotty and you shouldn’t rely on it.

Preferred Club at HM Alma de Bayahibe

HM Alma de Bayahibe doesn’t offer any VIP tier or Preferred Club. This being said, everyone enjoys the same amenities and privileges at HM Alma de Bayahibe.

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Interchanging facilities between HM Alma de Bayahibe and HM Bavaro Beach / whala Boca Chica

Even though it is the same chain, you don’t have access to HM Bavaro Beach or whala Boca Chica when staying at HM Alma de Bayahibe. It probably wouldn’t also make that much sense as both all-inclusive hotels are around an hour away from HM Alma de Bayahibe.

Excursions from HM Alma de Bayahibe

A very important part when staying at HM Alma de Bayahibe are the excursions, for two reasons:
1) HM Alma de Bayahibe resort is not necessarily designed to stay on the hotel grounds 24/7
2) by booking this cheap all-inclusive resort, you are saving a lot of money which you can spend on Bayahibe excursions

By staying in Bayahibe there is one must-do excursion you can’t miss: Saona Island.

 It is the top excursion in the Dominican Republic and is incredibly beautiful. You can see the most beautiful beaches (even better than the beaches in Punta Cana or Bayahibe) and admire crystal-clear turquoise water, along with absolutely stunning scenery like in paradise. And there is a big advantage when booking your Saona Island excursion from Bayahibe: you don’t have to take the long way by bus from Punta Cana to the boat departure, which often can last (incl. hotel pick-ups) more than 1.5 hours per way. This being said, Isla Saona excursions are literally starting right in front of your door.

Other popular tours from Bayahibe are ziplining, scuba diving, buggy adventures or a cultural trip to Santo Domingo. A separate article about the best Bayahibe excursions is following soon, in the meantime, you can check out the Bayahibe travel guide for the best activities and trips.

If you’d like to explore something on your own, you can use the walking trail leading you to the town of Bayahibe, which starts right next to HM Alma de Bayahibe. Furthermore, you can hike on the Sendero Padre Nuestro (see my hiking guide for further details) or take stunning photos at the Bayahibe lighthouse at Dominicus Beach.

Summary

A stay at HM Alma de Bayahibe is recommendable – if you know what you are booking. You always have to consider it is a cheap all-inclusive resort. Don’t expect a full-service resort with dozens of activities like in a mega-resort in Punta Cana, don’t come here and expert you are getting entertained 24/7. Considering this, HM Resort Bayahibe offers an amazing price-value ratio. Just remember that you pay around 100 USD for a double room and have drinks and food included.

The question at the beginning was if HM Alma de Bayahibe is worth the money. Yes, it is. Can you enjoy your vacation at HM Alma de Bayahibe? Yes, you can. But you should be prepared. If you just want to stay in your all-inclusive resort 24/7 for an entire week and enjoy a high culinary diversity with different activities and evening shows, you might better book an alternative resort in Bayahibe such as Dreams Dominicus or one of the bigger all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, such as Grand Bavaro Princess or, if traveling as a family, Grand Sirenis Punta Cana. However, if you are planning to explore the Dominican Republic, enjoy visiting public restaurants outside of your resorts (at least when staying for more than 3-4 nights) and keep yourself a bit entertained, HM Resort Bayahibe is a rare bargain among the resorts in the Dominican Republic, particular in low season.

HM Resort Bayahibee is not for everyone. You have to know what you are getting. If you know that, you can have an amazing holiday, especially combined with some local experiences and cool excursions you can do from this hotel in Bayahibe.

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CHRIS

Author, Travel Coach & Industry Professional (Bachelor’s degree in tourism)

Hey, I am Chris, a born and raised German, travel-addictive and Caribbean soul, who has been living in the Dominican Republic for 6 years. I’d love to be your Punta Cana expert, as I have stayed at more than 45 all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana and the country, visited more than 70 beaches, explored more than 40 waterfalls and have seen basically all the attractions Punta Cana has to offer. I have also studied tourism for 3 years and worked in the tourism industry my entire life, which is why I am not only giving you recommendations and tips as a traveler but also the best secrets and travel hacks as an industry professional.
Do you need more information? Read more at my About Me Page, send me a travel coaching request or Contact Me here.

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