Caribbean Crush

Villa Toscano, a five-bedroom villa with an open-air living room, landscaped atrium and fully equipped kitchen in Los Mangos.

Outside Villa Toscana, a swimming pool, half-bath and a shaded gazebo with lounges and a dining table await.

Pete Dye’s indomitable Teeth of the Dog beckons golfers across the globe.

A showstopping interior at La Ca�a by Il Circo restaurant.

La Ca�a lounge by Il Circo.

Chic Caribbean style is on view in every hotel room, thanks to mahogany furniture, stylish textiles and louvered patio doors.

The Punta Aguila neighborhood is one of the resort’s oldest; this five-bedroom oceanfront villa, #8, has its own private beach.

Casa de Campo may be best known for the heart-wrenchingly difficult but breathtakingly beautiful Pete Dye-designed Teeth of the Dog golf course, but world-class, oceanside golf is but one of many exceptional recreational pursuits drawing visitors to this sprawling, exclusive Dominican Republic retreat.

A longtime favorite holiday destination for Europeans, Americans are just catching on to the appeal of the “DR,” as in-the-know travelers refer to it. Size-wise, it’s a little more than double the dimensions of New Hampshire—but with nearly 90 direct flights from major U.S. cities each day into the country’s three international airports (La Romana, Santo Domingo and Punta Cana), tourism is booming.

The 7,000-acre resort in La Romana, often referred to as the “Hamptons of the Caribbean” features not only a hotel, resort and exclusive residential community, but also endless ways to summon your inner adventurer thanks to a 245-acre skeet-shooting center, 63 holes of championship golf (including seven seaside holes hugging the shore), a polo and equestrian club, tennis center, yacht club and marina. Arriving by sea, in fact, is not uncommon. Casa de Campo’s 370-slip La Marina is known in yachting circles for its quietude and privacy, while the adjacent Mediterranean-style village and Piazza Portofino provide entertainment and shelter in the form of restaurants, cafes, shops, nightlife and apartments.

At Casa de Campo, the easiest way to relax in style—and completely let go—is to book a private, open-air villa (53 villas are available throughout the resort). Choose from three- to ten-bedroom homes complete with furnished living and dining areas, fully equipped kitchens (includes maid and butler service; private chef upon request), private patios with outdoor lounge areas, lush gardens and a pool and private bedrooms with air conditioning, baths and TVs. Each villa comes with two four-passenger golf carts to transport guests from their home away from home to their desired location.

Couples looking for romance, families with kids in tow and rebel rousers searching for vibrant nightlife options will each find something to suit their needs. The Beach Club by Le Cirque on the private Minitas Beach offers tropical cuisine with enviable, calming views, while the 16th-century Mediterranean-inspired Altos de Chavon village features live entertainment and a variety of restaurants and bars, in addition to art galleries, boutiques and more. La Casita and Chinois, both restaurants at La Marina, offer fare from fresh seafood to sushi, steaks and pasta.
Explorers, adventurers, escapists and connoisseurs alike can customize the Casa de Campo experience to fit their personal style and vacation needs. With luxe options catering to every whim, it couldn’t be easier to enjoy the good life. casadecampo.com.do