The DL on the DR Going High-End

Once known for modest beach houses and three-star all-inclusive resorts overrun by the Spanish and German bourgeoisie, real estate and resort development in the Dominican Republic has undergone a paradigm shift. If a multi-billion dollar luxury community twice the size of Manhattan, four upscale boutique hotels, and a new international airport aren’t enough to convince you that the country is entering a residence renaissance, well, you’re probably one of those skeptics who actually believes Elvis is dead.

Where to Buy

Cap Cana
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

The little piece of jungle that could, Cap Cana is poised to become the Dominican Republic’s largest and most amenity-filled master plan community, with a land area twice the size of Manhattan and a $1.5 billion dollar initial investment (real estate mavens might have a flashback to the Irvine and Green Valley booms of the ‘80s and ‘90s, respectively). Both Donald Trump and the Ritz Carlton plan developments on the island’s eastern section; some $350 million worth of estate lots, offered up by Trump earlier this year, sold out in four hours. Three Jack Nicklaus golf courses (including his first real estate development, Golden Bear) will offer visitors and residents the chance to see if a spectacular view will distract them from that long drive. “The combination of Cap Cana’s natural beauty, the five-star quality of the product being built, and the convenience of Punta Cana airport simply creates a recipe for success that cannot be replicated,” says Eric Trump, youngest of Ivana and Donald’s children and vice president of development and acquisitions for the Trump Organization. Any hyperbole aside, Cap Cana looks ready to be a real estate force to be reckoned with in the coming years. capcana.com

Where to Stay

The Sivory
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

On the easternmost tip of Hispaniola lies Punta Cana, 40 miles of soft white sands lapped by Caribbean waves. Tucked away in this tropical (and still rustic) landscape, the Sivory Punta Cana (the area’s only five-star boutique resort and spa) offers an oasis of luxury and solitude). Three restaurants, and an 8,000-bottle wine cellar, provide fortification after a hard day’s work on the beach, and the cigar lounge offers the puro enthusiast a simple yet pleasant smoking mise en scène. While the 55-room all-suite accommodations would seem more appropriate (at least at first glance) a destination for one’s honeymoon, the clever folks here have also decided to serve their clients’ male bonding needs with the Mancation package. The three-night, four-day package begins with a box of cigars and a bottle of scotch waiting in your room upon arrival, plus two rounds of golf and a sports massage to work out the driverinduced shoulder kinks. The package also includes a helicopter transfer from PC International Airport; it’s a good thing, considering the alternative is an hour drive on pothole-riddled dirt roads. sivorypuntacana.com

Casa de Campo
La Romana, Dominican Republic

If the show had lasted another season and the Brady Bunch had taken another vacation after Hawaii, they probably would have come to Casa de Campo. While it unarguably reigns as the grande dame of the luxury Dominican resorts, the lady is old, tired, and in much need of refurbishment. The rooms within the architecturally uninspired structures are spacious and well appointed, with balconies overlooking the golf courses and gardens. Each room also comes with four-seater carts, vital when the compound (including the marina and homes) are spread over 7,000 acres. Beaches on the property, besides being a schlep from most of the rooms, are decidedly average when compared to the rest of the island. Perhaps the biggest attraction for a stay is to golfers, for whom “The Teeth of the Dog,” one of its three famed Pete Dye designed courses, is considered the best in the Caribbean. Other sports featured include riding, polo, trap shooting and tennis. While the 300-room, 150- villa resort earns props for paving the way for everything after it was the least-preferred property on our extensive tour. Stay for the golf… just not too long. casadecampo.com.do

Casa Colonial Beach & Spa Resort
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

If you’re looking for something away from sunburned and likely drunken tourists threatening your sangfroid as you bake in the sun, there’s always the Puerto Plata’s only boutique five-star beachfront hotel Casa Colonial; the high archways and marble of its lobby area – reminiscent, however slightly, of a Spanish castle – makes it appear an artifact from when the area was first settled (even though it was built in 2004). There are only 50 suites here, divided between two buildings, with the sorts of amenities (wide bathtubs, king-size beds, wide balconies) that slow your heartbeat just thinking about them. Part of that laid-back experience of the hotel includes a trip to Casa Colonial’s large spa, a warren of massage rooms and six-nozzle showers. If the urge to smoke hits you afterward, a roped-off portion of private beach allows some peace; one of the attendants will bring you an ashtray. Or in the fragrant night you can take a wide wooden seat on the well-tended lawn, and light a robusto from the small but well-stocked humidor (partly for the taste, partly to keep the mosquitoes away) and meditate on the sounds of nature. Close to midnight, the blare of music and partying from the nearby resort complexes may thrum the air – but faintly, as if hesitant to break your reverie. casacolonialhotel.com

Fore Play
a scenic place to tee off in the DR:

Victoria Golf & Beach Resort
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
For many, it’s not a vacation unless you can squeeze in one (or five) rounds of golf at the local course. In Playa Dorada, the benefits of teeing off are the course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and being able to do so against the scenic backdrop of Isabel de Torres and should present few difficulties to the average golfer – although the thunk of small coconuts falling from the trees may distract you at key moments. Those who worship the ground that Tiger Woods walks on will be happy to learn that one of the hotels in Playa Dorada, the 190-room Victoria Golf & Beach Resort, opens right onto the course; all the four restaurants, four bars, pools and Jacuzzis mean little if you’re never 30 seconds from walking onto the first green. victoriagolfhotel.com

Turista de Cigarro
When touring cigar factories in Santiago, there are really only two places to stay:

Camp David Ranch Hotel and Restaurant
Santiago, Dominican Republic
A boutique family owned and operated hotel and restaurant in the Septentrional Mountains, with unparalleled sweeping views of the city and Cibao Valley. The charming and casual atmosphere immediately seduces your senses…and that’s even before the food arrives. campdavidranch.com

Hodelpa Gran Almirante Hotel & Casino
Santiago, Dominican Republic
A typical business hotel that can be found anywhere around the world, the Hodelpa sports a modest casino adjacent to the lobby (filled with some decidedly shady characters at 3 A.M.). Book a room on the fifth floor, which offers private access and better service. The tiny cigar store in the lobby is the best feature. hodelpa.com