The grande dame of the country’s lodging industry was born in the late 1960s when the Gulf + Western Corporation scoped out the land near La Romana for an executive playground. What followed were three P.B. Dye-designed golf courses and other facilities of grandiose proportions such as an equestrian center, a 300-station skeet-shooting center, and polo fields spread across 7,000 acres.
The resort also boasts eleven restaurants, sixteen swimming pools and a tennis center that has been called the Wimbledon of the Caribbean. But for all the buzz over this renowned resort, it should be noted that some first-time guests do find the bungalows, which were built in the 1970s, to be fairly ordinary. While amenities are constantly updated, public areas and room décor reflect the conventional tastes of longstanding old timers; so don’t expect cutting-edge style here.
The kids’ programs are some of the best around: activities for toddlers to teens range from sandcastle building to donkey polo matches. Situated on a nearby hilltop is the popular attraction, Altos de Chavon, a replica of a medieval village complete with cobblestone streets, an amphitheater that often hosts music concerts, and souvenir shops and restaurants run mostly by Casa de Campo.
With its roster of celebrity guests (Elizabeth Taylor; Micheal Jackson and Lisa Presley were married here; Colin Farrell stayed briefly during the filming of ‘Miami Vice’) the resort has earned the reputation as being financially out of reach of most ordinary folk. While Casa de Campo is not normally all-inclusive, you have the option to pay a supplement and turn it into one – which may prove easier if you're on your budget.
Room services: AC. Satellite TV. Walk-in closets. Mini-bar. In-room safe box. Direct dial telephone. Voice mail. Data port. Hair dryers. Bose Wave Radio.
Hotel services: Shuttle service around the resort. Carritos for villa guests. Shopping. Room service. Laundry. Spa services.
