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Dominican Republic: La Romana, At Casa de Campo All of the Fun Is Included.
 For families
looking for a delightful Caribbean vacation spot, Casa de Campo offers plenty.
It is not exactly a “country house” as its moniker indicates but a grand country
estate, complete with casitas, villas, private beach, 16 swimming pools,
world-class golf, tennis, water sports of all kinds, equestrian center with
Polo, and all things tropical to ensure the best possible family vacation.
Where on the planet? The Dominican Republic is the easternmost part of the
second-largest island in the Caribbean, Hispaniola. On the western side of the
island is the country of Haiti. The DR side of the island is Spanish-speaking,
and has maintained a stable government for decades allowing tourism to develop
and the country to sustain itself. The capital city of Santo Domingo is
recognized as the oldest European settlement in the New World. Remember
Christopher Columbus? His group put the island on the map.
Resort:
Located on the southeastern coast of
the Dominican Republic it is one of the Caribbean's most complete family
resorts. It is important enough to have its own international airport nearby to
make arrival and departure east. The
7000-acre tropical resort
destination defines luxury and offers a tranquil carefree vacation place for all
generations.
Accommodations:
Stay in one of 300 two-story casitas with spacious, yet cozy, guest
rooms, most with a connecting room option. For more space and a
home-away-from-home feeling, select from 150 villa homes. The two, three and
four-bedroom villas provide families with a private home setting and some
include a private pool. Bonus points: Just in case there are not enough
sleeping places for children, roll-aways are available. All restaurants at Casa
de Campo feature children's menus and high chairs and for Sunday brunch children
less than 12 years of age eat free when accompanied by parents. Need to
know: All villa rates and packages include the following special amenities:
special assigned day maid, one 4-passenger touring cart per two-bedroom villa or
two 4-passenger touring carts per three-or four-bedroom villa. In each villa
there is a selection of fresh fruits and a "Dominican Bar" which means three
different rums plus six bottles of mixers to enjoy upon arrival.
Activities:
The island in known for
white sand beaches,
 misty green mountain ranges with horseback
riding trails, river-rafting, and waterfalls as well as friendly people,
carnivals and festivals, and of course the meringue. Casa de Campo offers
connections to a rich menu of activities so families may enjoy time both
together and apart. Within the resort complex families can enjoy playing sports,
lounging by one of the 16 pools (two for kids), golf, windsurfing, sailing,
snorkeling, fishing, water sports, shopping, music, cultural activities plenty
of water toys as well as a trap shooting center, Equestrian Center, Polo games
and the marvelous Caribbean Sea. Bonus points: If parents care to enjoy a
meal, sporting event or just some quality time alone, Casa de Campo makes it
possible by providing a knowledgeable staff to supervise fun children’s
activities all day, every day.
Children's programs include:
Kidz' Care offering both Day Nannies and night Nannies for guests 9 months and
older. The
year-round Kidz'n Casa supervised children's program runs daily and is divided
by age. Toddlers'n Casa program is
for ages 1-3; Kidz'n
Casa targets ages 4 to 7 and the Casa 'Tweens provides activities for ages 8 to
12. Teen program is Bonche4teens for ages 13-17. The Bonche Club (closes
for teens only on weekend nights), but is also the Family Fun Zone during the
day. Bonche4teens Club (obviously not
for parents) features a pool table, foosball table, music, movies and more.
Teen's only activities include beach volleyball, merengue lessons,
billiard tournaments, movie nights, kayaking at sunset, beach foam parties and a
few impromptu surprises. Need to
know:
There is a minimum of two
English speaking counselors are on duty at all times.
Value
added: For
all-inclusive resorts the Dominican Republic is one of the least expensive spots
in the Caribbean. The budget-minded can find value-priced getaways with luxury.
Casa de Campo vacation packages include a Vacation Planning Guide, allowing
guests to pre-plan and pre-reserve activities before arrival.
Discovery:
Perched on the cliff high above the Resort and the Chavón River is a 16th
century replica of a Mediterranean village. Walk the cobble stone streets of
Altos de Chavón. Browse quaint shops, exclusive boutiques, art galleries, and
visit the archeological museum. A Grecian-style amphitheater provides the venue
for dramatic entertainment under the stars. Not-to-be-missed is the weekly
Kandelá musical review show.
Location:
Casa de Campo Resort La Romana, Dominican Republic Reservations toll-free
1-800-877-3643 or (305) 856-5405 and onsite
(809) 523-3333, 523-8698 or go to
www.casadecampo.com.do/
Editor's note:
I have not been to Casa de Campo in recent years. I liked it in the in the old
days when I had toddlers. The country is family friendly and the resort reflects
the friendliness amid intrinsically beautiful grounds. We have feedback from
parents who have vacationed at the resort more recently. All comments favorable
but two comments summarize the resort. Sandy from New Jersey said that the only
thing not provided was time to enjoy everything in a week. They let left knowing
that they would have to return, if only to get the wind surfing thing right.
The Simons from Great Neck, New York told us that they (meaning Casa de Campo)
thought of everything, so all that was left to do was relax and enjoy the
Caribbean breezes, our kids and our grand kids.
More Family Vacation Ideas
Domincan Republic: La Romana, Carnival, Altos de Chavón and Shopping.
Bursting with endless excitement, distinct heritage and experiences that
titillate all five senses, La Romana is a favored vacation destination for
international travelers. From flavorful gastronomical specialties, colorful
artistic masterpieces, exclusive vibrant gemstones to elaborate theatrical
performances city-wide festivals and fascinating historical sites, La Romana's
rich and unique cultural attractions are plentiful.
More
Text
created by Travel Communications and /images/ezine provided by Casa de Campo. Copyright
2007.
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