Santo Domingo.– The five-star Casa de Campo bills itself as
“The Caribbean’s Most Complete Resort,” and for very good reason. This
7,000-acre behemoth on the Dominican Republic’s southeast coast offers an
amazing array of activities on land and sea for all ages, including the best
golf course in the whole Caribbean, the Pete Dye-designed Teeth of the Dog.
Pros
- Golf, golf, golf and in case you didn’t get it, golf. Great,
great golf.
- No fewer than 10 restaurants, all good.
- Gorgeous, airy and beautifully appointed guest rooms.
- Villas, available for rent, are some of the most luxurious
in the Caribbean.
Cons
-
7,000
acres makes it hard to walk around (every guest gets a
golf cart).
- A place this big has only one private beach? It’s a beauty,
sure, but just one?
- Wireless internet costs a whopping $29 a day. At the
business center it's $4 for 15 minutes.
Description
Address: Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic
Phone: 305-865-5405; 800-877-3643
Rates: For hotel rooms, depending on season, $178-$306 per
day; villa rentals from $348 up to $6,000 a day.
Dining: Ten restaurants (eight full serve, two serving
snacks, including one that’s a swim-up bar)
Spa: Cygalle Healing Spa
Other Amenities: Three pools, horseback riding, polo,
fitness center, skeet, tennis, children’s programs
Rooms: 267 hotel rooms; 150 of the resort’s 1,400 private
villas available for rent
Big isn’t necessarily better, but here it fits. This place
is so huge you need a golf cart to get around its 7,000 acres. If you
love golf, you’ll think you’ve Dye-d and gone to heaven: Famed course designer
Pete Dye has concocted three beauties, one of which, the fearsomely named Teeth
of the Dog, is consistently ranked the best in the Caribbean.
Not too shabby
either are The Links, a Scotland-like course of rugged hills and rolling
vistas, and Dye Fore, perched atop the Chavon River bluffs.
Read the full review at:
http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/hotelsandresor2/gr/CasadeCampo.htm
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
even though this is a total puff piece,there is no denying that Casa de Campo is not the greatest golf resort in this part of the world and arguably one of the five best in the world....this all stems from a dream of a man that the Dominican Republic owes a great debt .....It can be said that probably most major investors in the D.R. started their relationship to the D.R. at Casa de Campo....and that man is Charles Bluhdorn I must also include his wife in that compliment....through her we have the beautiful Altos de Chavon.....because of their dreams... the rest followed....remember we now have Punta Cana beach club ,Cap Cana,Sea horse and many others that have followed because Casa made it work....many others helped in this dream
Written by: lovingit, 2 Mar 2008 1:41 PM
From: United States, Delaware
Nice piece of information gouletcolonial.
Thanks
From: United States
I'm sorry but quite frankly Altos de Chavon is an architectural eye sore. I visited it as a child for the first time and even then I was unimpressed by it. Whomever wishes to see primo examples of 16th-century Mediterranean architecture (which is what Altos de Chavon is attempting to ape)while in the Dominican Republic look no further than the colonial zone of Santo Domingo city itself. To me at least Altos de Chavon looks like an uncompleted section of Disney World at best (it almost has an amusement park feel to it), a bad copy of an image on a post card at worst.
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
hey cibaeno consider yourself lucky to have a piece of Disney land then,and consider yourself lucky you got in to see it...and consider yourself lucky that someone wanted to invest this money in a artists colony in the D.R........living in the ZOCO as I do you got that right about the feint echo 16 century....and thats because the Dominicans did not take care of it ....If not for foriegners coming and renovating there would not even be an echo of .anything in ZOCO....incidentally Cartegena ,old San Juan,and old Havana are prettier....so there my little friend from Cibao instead of being so hip and trying to make a negative out of a positive just think of all the artists from the D.R. that recieved incentives,from Altos.......P.S. its about time the Vicinis started renovating they have had 100 years
From: United States
gouletcolonial, I should consider myself lucky that a disgusting example of hollywood studio architecture is perched above some river somewhere on the island my parents are from? Be serious. By your response one would think i was insulting the decour in your personal living space. Just as it's your opinion that Havana, San Juan, and Cartagena are all more attractive than DR's colonial zone so is it my opinion that Altos de Chavon holds no architectural merit. Don't have a cow, man. I'm entitled to my opinion as you are yours.
P.S. I fail to see why you saw fit to refer to me as little (since you have no point of reference) or freind (since we are not)..it kind of borders on patronizing or insulting me, which is not warranted as I have not attacked your person in any shape or fashion.
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
as examples of 16 century architectural merit .....All of the colonial examples were laughed at by the the cognoscenti of Europe at the time they were built.....I am sure Mrs Bluhdorn did not expect to reproduce authenticity of the 16th century with the talent she had to work with.....but the 300 stone cutters working on Altos who have since passed there knowhow on to others are invaluable additions to the Dominican construction industries....sorry that Frank Gehry was not the architect and you find it disgusting hollywood....wrong again they use styrofoam and wire..and because you assume gulf and western owners of paramount pictures at the time of construction of Altos have something in common .....you are reaching..and yes we all know about ,The Godfather.Apocolypse now ,and Sorcerer ..being partly made in the D.R. .......so what....disgusting Hollywood
From: United States
"All of the colonial examples were laughed at by the the cognoscenti of Europe at the time they were built....."
What colonial examples are you referring to and if you mean those in Santo Domingo then provide documentation. Santo Domingo was considered a very well built city in her early existence. Travelers and new arrivals in the 16th century commented in glowing terms when reffering to the fortifications, houses of worship and private homes of Santo Domingo (Ovando even went so far as to say it was only second to Barcelona in how well built the entire city was among the cities controlled by the Spanish crown at the time). And on top of that, the primary architect of colonial Santo Domingo was one Rodrigo de Liendo who was also responsible for a myriad of structures throughout Southern Spain and who is considered a master of Spanish archtitecture of the period.
From: United States
"the village (Altos de Chavon) [was] designed by Robert Coppa, an Italian architect who at the time was a Paramount movie set designer."
And I didn't even know who this architect was and did until I decided to do a little more research as a result of my exchange on this forum. So indeed, Altos de Chavon is the brainchild of a movie studio designer which completely explains its appearance.
By the way I personally dislike Gehry's work...his buildings look to me as if they're melting into their surroundings...not an effect I find visually pleasing.
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
having lived in andalucia for 4 years Jerez to be specific I know you are speaking with your Dominican heart.....It would be rare here as rare as anywhere in colonial north or south America that respect for the the work of local tradesman would have equaled that of their European teachers who were by nature second rate for being in the colonies in the first place....they became unique and interesting in their own right but at the time never the equal of their distant copies....Ovando had no choice but to praise it at the time....Liendo was a good builder if he had the craftsman but like through out the colonial world it was" monkey see monkey do" .then they all went to Mexico
From: United States
Liendo was a spaniard who came with his craft already perfected to the New World. This was no case of "monkey see, monkey do". He was already considered a master before setting foot on Santo Domingo which is the reason he was sent in the first place. You seem to forget that Santo Domingo was the first Spanish found city in the new world. The time to train local craftsmen had not been allotted to the first builders of La Primada. Indeed most if not all the early masons in DR were of european origin.
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
That is what I told you so you did not have to google it...... Paramount was under the Gulf and western umbrella.....Congratulations on your education on this subject....now to begin on your fortunate ability to emigrate to a more prosperous country so that you can now look down your nose at something like Casa de Campo that provides a great deal of prestige for your parents homeland, I do not understand.....on your next visit to abuela go see it again and try not to snear so much....
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
I am glad to see you are proud of your patrimony.....Like all history there is many gaps in the story...So liitle of it was preserved and most with few exceptions are like folk tales.....good luck Oscar
Written by: TFISKE, 3 Mar 2008 6:18 PM
From: Canada
cibaeño75..
Wow another ignorant comment
It just amazes me that you think altos is an eye sore..
look around man! its amazing
even better at night!
Whats wrong with you?
get some help
From: United States
Wow. For having an opinion I have to get some help. I didn't know that this site was monitored by the thought police. Hilarious.
Gouletcolonial, I knew of the original owner's involvement with Paramount. What I did not know was who the architect of Altos de Chavon was (I'm sorry but I'm not as all knowing as you seem to be). It turned out that it was indeed some designer of movie sets, hence validating my original critique of the place! Can't make this stuff up even if I wanted to. Enjoy the Altos, gentlemen.
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
sorry little buddy that validates nada.....like designing Ben Hur sets was done by idiots......the man is or was an architect not a set designer and so what ...are you so ashamed of Hollywood in your adopted country....like you are ashamed of Altos.....come come Oscar think positive
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
P.S the great Frank Gehry is from Canada....
From: United States
TFISKE, are you like 10?
Written by: TFISKE, 4 Mar 2008 11:48 AM
From: Canada
cibaeño75,
Sounds like you are 10, complaining about how altos is an eyesore! when my mom took me i didnt like it!! boo hoo she should have left ya in the car with the windows done up!
You have nothing better to complain about than this place.. wake up man!
Enjoy your day at costco! you are a member for sure!
It just amazes me how you can slam altos and the country.. probably hate the marina at cap cana!
When was the last time you had dinner at altos! They dont have Mcdonalds is that why you are mad!
I suggest getting you eyes fixed!
Great food, good views.. mmm sounds like an eye sore!
From: United States
Gouletcolonial, I have no reason to be proud or ashamed by Altos de Chavon. It is not a cultural patrimony of the Dominican people, it is the result of the whim of some very wealthy individuals on their private property. Let the Fanjuls worry about the aesthetics, or lack of, of the whole complex. Granted, the person that designed the Altos was obviously a qualified architect. My whole thing is that I PERSONALLY find the end result of his work cheesy, at least as far as the Altos is concerned. Do canadians, on a whole, value personal opinions? By what I'm getting on this thread that doesn't seem to be the case.
Written by: TFISKE, 4 Mar 2008 12:19 PM
From: Canada
cibaeño75,
Maybe if you are a qualified architect I may value your opinion,
What is wrong with you? Do you hate good food, great views, music and art!
Its funny the people who complain about this are the same ones who say jobs and education need to be created! Then when it happens they still complain!
I find your cheap comments cheesy.. thats my opinion!
You must be a rich mommys boy! I can only assume by the fact you think this place is not up to your standards..
Have a Big Mac at walmart and enjoy the view..
See ya mommys boy!
From: United States
"Do you hate good food, great views, music and art!"
What do any of those things have to do with the architecture of the place? And why must one be qualified in architecture to render their opinion on the aesthetics of any dwelling? That's akin to saying that I have to be a published author in order to render a valid opinion on some written work. Preposterous.
"Its funny the people who complain about this are the same ones who say jobs and education need to be created!"
How does my opinion of the aesthetics on some privately owned complex in DR have anything to do with my views on education or labor in the Dominican Republic? I fail to see your logic. And I wish I were rich. Why would anyone assume that? Maybe because I visited the Altos de Chavon before it became the "in" thing to do amongst the Canadians!..lol..give me a break.
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
oscar..the probability that the stone cutters learned their trade on this project has nothing to do with aesthetics ....or that if hollywood had wanted 16th century look that they could have done better....but that is not the case this was about a woman who realized a dream and worked hard at it....it was not a whim as you say...The artists colony there is an important part of it
Written by: jasfalon, 9 Mar 2008 7:26 AM
From: United States
La Romana is not RD. It's a big, boring, ugly resort.
It's the Fanjul Republic, and it's surrounded by the Dominican Republic.
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
jasfalon I am so sorry they will not let you enter....but it is private property.....I know in Cuba private property does not exist
Written by: TFISKE, 9 Mar 2008 7:11 PM
From: Canada
jasfalon, and cibaeño75,
Wow ugly resort!! you guys must live in some really nice high end places if you think casa de campo is ugly!
Most people enjoy the resorts food,golf service,marina altos,tennis shooting,polo,shops and great golf..
It is such a dump that four season has decided to come and the hotel now is recognized all over the world!
You 2 bone heads must have been kicked out or turned away!
The good news is nobody is taking what you 2 clowns say seriously!
I suggest a brain and eye exam soon!!!
More idiots! wow
Go ask the people who work there what they think of the place.. most have been there 15yrs or more!!
Written by: jeffreyb, 10 Mar 2008 7:31 AM
From: United States
Gentlemen would it have been better that MRs Bludorn had left Altos the unaccesable monte that it was? Remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some like it .some not. big deal. What is undisputable is the positive tourism that altos de chavon has brought to the area. Concerts like Frank Sinatra. Schools like the Parsons School of Design.......that means jobs for the region in construction and tourism...Thank goodness for the vision of the Bludorns.
From: United States Virgin Islands, St Thomas C' Amalie hotel 1829 at the Bar
Amen
Written by: JCjua, 14 Mar 2008 3:21 PM
From: United States, New York
I'm Dominican.
I really don't care if the food served in Altos de Chavon comes in a hypoallergenic plane from Canada. I consider the best food is Sancocho and the best construction is the one with the palm tree leaves (cana).
If you want to visit DR and visit its architectures then you need to be aware most of it wasn't built by Dominicans therefore not representing its culture.
You want to learn about Dominican culture go an figure out for yourself why the Dominican faceless dolls ARE faceless.
As I am aware under Dominican law you can buy land and build on it even if you are not Diminican, just take care of it.
Written by: TFISKE, 14 Mar 2008 4:00 PM
From: Canada
JCjua,
Relax man, Casa employes alot of people and if you say the food is better at Sancocho then I guess I will have to try it.
Casa de Campo is still an amazing place no matter how many times I visit!
Yes lets get everyone to take care of the DR
How about teaching the Dominican people that litter is bad
Maybe start cleaning up the trash thats all over the place..
Sad how people destroy nature!
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P.S. I fail to see why you saw fit to refer to me as little (since you have no point of reference) or freind (since we are not)..it kind of borders on patronizing or insulting me, which is not warranted as I have not attacked your person in any shape or fashion.
What colonial examples are you referring to and if you mean those in Santo Domingo then provide documentation. Santo Domingo was considered a very well built city in her early existence. Travelers and new arrivals in the 16th century commented in glowing terms when reffering to the fortifications, houses of worship and private homes of Santo Domingo (Ovando even went so far as to say it was only second to Barcelona in how well built the entire city was among the cities controlled by the Spanish crown at the time). And on top of that, the primary architect of colonial Santo Domingo was one Rodrigo de Liendo who was also responsible for a myriad of structures throughout Southern Spain and who is considered a master of Spanish archtitecture of the period.
And I didn't even know who this architect was and did until I decided to do a little more research as a result of my exchange on this forum. So indeed, Altos de Chavon is the brainchild of a movie studio designer which completely explains its appearance.
By the way I personally dislike Gehry's work...his buildings look to me as if they're melting into their surroundings...not an effect I find visually pleasing.
Wow another ignorant comment
It just amazes me that you think altos is an eye sore..
look around man! its amazing
even better at night!
Whats wrong with you?
get some help
Gouletcolonial, I knew of the original owner's involvement with Paramount. What I did not know was who the architect of Altos de Chavon was (I'm sorry but I'm not as all knowing as you seem to be). It turned out that it was indeed some designer of movie sets, hence validating my original critique of the place! Can't make this stuff up even if I wanted to. Enjoy the Altos, gentlemen.
TFISKE, are you like 10?
Sounds like you are 10, complaining about how altos is an eyesore! when my mom took me i didnt like it!! boo hoo she should have left ya in the car with the windows done up!
You have nothing better to complain about than this place.. wake up man!
Enjoy your day at costco! you are a member for sure!
It just amazes me how you can slam altos and the country.. probably hate the marina at cap cana!
When was the last time you had dinner at altos! They dont have Mcdonalds is that why you are mad!
I suggest getting you eyes fixed!
Great food, good views.. mmm sounds like an eye sore!
Maybe if you are a qualified architect I may value your opinion,
What is wrong with you? Do you hate good food, great views, music and art!
Its funny the people who complain about this are the same ones who say jobs and education need to be created! Then when it happens they still complain!
I find your cheap comments cheesy.. thats my opinion!
You must be a rich mommys boy! I can only assume by the fact you think this place is not up to your standards..
Have a Big Mac at walmart and enjoy the view..
See ya mommys boy!
What do any of those things have to do with the architecture of the place? And why must one be qualified in architecture to render their opinion on the aesthetics of any dwelling? That's akin to saying that I have to be a published author in order to render a valid opinion on some written work. Preposterous.
"Its funny the people who complain about this are the same ones who say jobs and education need to be created!"
How does my opinion of the aesthetics on some privately owned complex in DR have anything to do with my views on education or labor in the Dominican Republic? I fail to see your logic. And I wish I were rich. Why would anyone assume that? Maybe because I visited the Altos de Chavon before it became the "in" thing to do amongst the Canadians!..lol..give me a break.
It's the Fanjul Republic, and it's surrounded by the Dominican Republic.
Wow ugly resort!! you guys must live in some really nice high end places if you think casa de campo is ugly!
Most people enjoy the resorts food,golf service,marina altos,tennis shooting,polo,shops and great golf..
It is such a dump that four season has decided to come and the hotel now is recognized all over the world!
You 2 bone heads must have been kicked out or turned away!
The good news is nobody is taking what you 2 clowns say seriously!
I suggest a brain and eye exam soon!!!
More idiots! wow
Go ask the people who work there what they think of the place.. most have been there 15yrs or more!!
I really don't care if the food served in Altos de Chavon comes in a hypoallergenic plane from Canada. I consider the best food is Sancocho and the best construction is the one with the palm tree leaves (cana).
If you want to visit DR and visit its architectures then you need to be aware most of it wasn't built by Dominicans therefore not representing its culture.
You want to learn about Dominican culture go an figure out for yourself why the Dominican faceless dolls ARE faceless.
As I am aware under Dominican law you can buy land and build on it even if you are not Diminican, just take care of it.
Relax man, Casa employes alot of people and if you say the food is better at Sancocho then I guess I will have to try it.
Casa de Campo is still an amazing place no matter how many times I visit!
Yes lets get everyone to take care of the DR
How about teaching the Dominican people that litter is bad
Maybe start cleaning up the trash thats all over the place..
Sad how people destroy nature!