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About Dominican Republic Travel Away from Punta Cana - At La Romana, on the south shore of the DR, the country’s first Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts (www.fourseasons.com) property is scheduled to open at Casa de Campo (www.casadecampo.com.do) in early 2009. It will be located on 3,100 feet of Caleton Beach, allowing sea views from all rooms. The resort will have a “Kids for All” club, two additional beaches, four tennis courts, convention space and a spa.
 The Four Seasons will open in an interesting region that adds an eco-dimension to DR tourism. The Romana-Bayahibe Hotel Association and the Ministry of Environment opened the Padre Nuestro hike (www.explorelaromana.com), which will bring hotel guests and other visitors to caves adorned in pictographs in the National Park of the East. An additional shorter route winds through the town of Bayahibe, highlighting its culture. Another route takes hikers to an early 20th-century church and Indian burial site.
In Canoa, in the southwest’s Barahona region, work is under way on a five-star wellness resort. The 1,000-room complex will feature 20 tennis courts, a 27-hole golf course, thermal spa pools and a convention center. The project will be the largest hotel in the southwest. Barahona is said to have the DR’s greatest biodiversity; the Barahona-Pedernales area is the final frontier for local tourism development. These days, domestic travelers and international nature connoisseurs are the most frequent visitors.
On the northeastern shores, Angsana Samaná Bay (www.angsanasamanabay.com) is the first five-star luxury beachfront development in Samaná Bay. Completion of its first phase is expected in 2010. The complex will consist of oceanfront marina residences, villas and townhouses; a five-star hotel with luxury suites, villas and a full service spa; and a 280-slip marina. The project will also include an upscale, waterfront commercial village. The five-star Angsana brand is part of the Singapore-based Banyan Tree Holdings portfolio.
In the northern reaches of the DR in Puerto Plata, the Caribbean’s first Maxim Bungalows (www.maximbungalows.com) opened on Cofresi Beach last fall. The development features 108 five-star studio, and one- and two-bedroom luxury suites. The resort has a pool, beaches, spa and fitness center. Additional Maxim Bungalows opened in Juan Dolio in early 2008.
In the coming years, look for Santo Domingo to play an increasing role in DR tourism. The historic city is working on a new convention center. Likewise, the new tourist port complex at Santo Domingo’s San Souci Port welcomed approximately 70,000 cruise ship passengers in 2007. This year, officials expect a 60 percent increase over 2007. The next phase of San Souci’s construction includes a yacht club, sports marina, beach club and two 900-room hotels. That $700 million investment is expected to be completed by 2010.
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