Travelers to the North Coast looking for accommodations outside the walls of the ever-popular all-inclusive resorts have quite a few alternatives, and excellent ones at that.

Renting a villa is a great option for the independent-minded tourist. Whether one is seeking exclusivity, privacy, and/or affordability, villas offer an opportunity to personalize your vacation in ways that all-inclusive resorts cannot. Luxury villas are available for those who want to live like a rock star and are therefore willing to pay like a rock star.

The Sea Horse Ranch (Carretera Sosúa–Cabarete, tel. 809/571-3880, fax 809/571-2374, www.sea-horse-ranch.com, US$1,000–3,000 per night) is a 100-hectare development on the north coast between Sosúa and Cabarete. Many villas, all of which have private swimming pools, are available seaside or with private gardens. Particularly of interest is the Sea Horse Ranch Equestrian Center, which offers riding lessons and wilderness and beach tours.

Bea Location (La Ceiba, Las Terrenas, tel. 809/885-4074, www.bealocation.com, US$200–4,000 per week) offers rental villas and new beachfront apartments, including a luxurious penthouse with rooftop Jacuzzi that sleeps up to eight. All have maid service. All located in Las Terrenas along Samaná Peninsula, each villa is of a unique design — from romantic bungalows ideal for a couple to the Casa Lila, which sleeps up to six people and features a garden with a swimming pool, to the Villa Loma Bonita, with its second-floor infinity pool, outdoor living room, and accommodations for up to 16 people. Bea Location also offers for rent Caribbean-style seaside apartments with an ocean view and terrace. With so many options to choose from, you really can’t go wrong.

If you are feeling on the fence in terms of whether to choose a villa or a resort, the Excel Villas at Casa de Campo (La Romana, tel. 305/856-5405, http://casadcampo.net/villa_microsite/excel_club_villa_index.htm#, US$600–1,800) offers the best of both worlds. You get the privacy of a villa but access to resort amenities. In La Romana on the Caribbean coast, the villas range from three to six bedrooms and have either a whirlpool or a swimming pool. With fully equipped kitchens and comfortable furnishings, the Excel Villas truly can be your “home away from home.”

Plus, you can tell all your friends you stayed at the resort where Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley, where the Clintons have vacationed, and where Oscar de la Renta once lived and Julio Iglesias keeps a home.

If more moderately priced accommodations are more your speed, but comfort and quality are still high on your list of priorities (as well they should be!), the Dominican Republic does not lack for housing options.

With swinging hammocks for napping and large beds for a good night’s sleep, Natura Cabanas (Paseo del Sol 5, Perla Marina, Sosúa, tel. 809/571-1507, www.naturacabana.com, US$90 d) truly is a one-of-a-kind alternative to your typical hotel. First of all, the rooms are individual bungalows. Second, each is designed for maximum comfort and minimal effect on the environment. Overhead fan petals (in lieu of air-conditioning) and hand-crafted bamboo furniture make these ecologically sensitive accommodations accommodating to you and the environment.

Also check out the following for more villa rental information: www.puerto-plata.com, www.a1vacations.com, and www.dominican-holiday.com.

For choosing a villa in a specific area of the Dominican Republic, go to www.vrbo.com.