Hotel De Plantage Commewijne: A Rainforest Retreat on a Historic Estate
Sleep beside a secondary rainforest just 30 minutes from Paramaribo.
Why Go
Tucked into an old plantation on the quiet south side of the Oost-West Verbinding, De Plantage trades city buzz for birdsong, fruit trees, and a swimming pool ringed by jungle. It's the kind of place where the loudest thing you hear at breakfast is a kiskadee.
The Experience
Built roughly fifteen years ago on the bones of a working plantation, this small Commewijne resort scatters larger and smaller cabins across a lush garden dotted with fruit bushes and towering shade trees. Rooms are air-conditioned and simple ΓÇö a seating area, private shower, garden or pool view, and, in some, a balcony where you can nurse a morning coffee while parrots argue overhead. The heart of the property is the pool deck and the on-site restaurant, which leans international with Surinamese touches and pours a cold Parbo at the end of a humid day. Behind the cabins, a patch of secondary rainforest waits for a guided walk, and out front, borrowed bikes make it easy to pedal the flat back roads of Tamanredjo toward the Commewijne River.
What to Try
Book a guided walk into the secondary rainforest at the back of the property ΓÇö the trees and berry bushes pull in an outsized number of birds, and a local guide will point out what your eyes would miss. Then rent one of the hotel bikes and ride out to the river dikes to spot dolphins in the Commewijne, or drop a line with the local anglers who fish these waters year-round. Cap the day with a swim before the mosquitoes come out.
Insider Tip
Ask for a cabin on the pool side and reserve a bike the day before ΓÇö there are only a handful and they go fast once a tour group checks in. If you're driving from Paramaribo, time the trip to cross the Wijdenboschbrug before 5 pm to dodge the commuter crawl back into the city.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Q2M9+9XC, Tamanredjo, Commewijne, Suriname (roughly 30ΓÇô40 minutes east of Paramaribo by car). Rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms and free WiFi; the property has an outdoor pool, garden, terrace, restaurant, and free private parking. Breakfast (buffet or continental) is served on-site. Bike rentals are available at reception. A rental car or taxi is the easiest way to arrive ΓÇö public transport into Commewijne is limited. Bring cash in SRD for smaller purchases and mosquito repellent for the evenings.
Pair It With
- 597SpeedUp Watertubing Guide — A high-adrenaline river tubing outing that pairs perfectly with a lazy pool afternoon back at the hotel.
- 't VAT Sidewalk Cafe Guide — A nearby casual restaurant for a change of scene when you want to eat off-property.
- 168 Restaurant Guide — A local dinner option a short drive away if you fancy Surinamese-Chinese flavors.
- A Sang junior De Tweewieler Guide — Handy for extra two-wheeler rentals or repairs if you want to extend your cycling range along the Commewijne.