Hotels

There are lots of hotels, but only one where each of the rooms reflects the elegant and classical style of one of today’s best known designers. This is to be found in the Caribbean, in the Dominican Republic and is called Tortuga Bay.

It is not hard to find. All you need to do is head for Punta Cana, a tourist spot that in recent years has become linked with relaxation, luxury and good taste. Right here, on a 6,000 hectare site, you will find a community which, while open to provide service to its guests, has nevertheless not lost its private and exclusive feel.

It is private and exclusive enough for Julio Iglesias, known for his love of the good life, dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and designer Oscar de la Renta all to have built villas here.

And responsibility for designing the 15 villas making up the resort was the work of none other than the last of these three. The work of his gifted hand is clear in every corner. He gave each residence the same look and comforts with which he decorated his own home, following the new trend of minimalist luxury.

This results in each one being generously proportioned and exquisitely detailed, including miniature kitchens, huge, sumptuous bathrooms with decoration based on coral rocks, home cinemas, bath tub sized Jacuzzi and linen in every bedroom trimmed with the famous designer’s logo. These services are enjoyed by every guest, regardless of whether they are staying in the one, two, three or four bedroom villas.

The luxurious interiors are perfectly complemented by the external environment. Starting with the 8,000 meters of beach that spreads out in front of the villas’ patios offering a unique spectacle, where the white sand and blue of the Caribbean Sea clamor to capture the attention of guests.
If this landscape is not to your liking – something we find hard to believe – there is another excellent option: enjoy yourself on the green expanses of the golf course, designed by Tom Fazio and P. B. Dye, who were smart enough to lay out the course so as to ensure that golfers are never without a majestic view over the Caribbean Seas.

Being the pleasure seeker that he is, Oscar de la Renta wanted his hotel also to feature fine dining, and he has achieved this through the range of restaurants including one that rejoices in the name La Yola. It is located above the resort’s Marina and makes the very best use of its location, by featuring a floor with glass panels set into it where diners can enjoy the rich variety of marine life. This is one spectacle. The other takes place at the table, as the chef lays out a select choice of expertly prepared seafood.

If you prefer a more formal dining experience, you always have the choice of eating at El Grill or La Choza. The first of these is a restaurant located in the clubhouse on the beach, serving seafood and salads. The second is located on the shore, specializing in fast food and is the children’s favorite as they even have their own special menu.

The Tortuga Bay Hotel also offers a luxurious spa and physical fitness center, where guests can practice yoga, reiki and tai chi.

If the resort’s facilities are first class - Oscar de la Renta does not accept anything less than excellence – the thing that guests enjoy most of all is the service. And excellent service is embodied in even the smallest details. In the VIP care personnel who greet visitors at Punta Cana International Airport, not just to transport then to their rooms but also to help them complete immigration formalities.

It is the same with the attentive presence of a butler in the villa, who will unpack your suitcase as soon as you arrive, as well as packing again when it is time to leave. In between he looks after checking in and checking out, washing and ironing clothes and even polishing your shoes. The suite of guest services is completed by the nanny who not only watches over your children, but also makes sure that they get involved in the activities on offer at the Carrusel, a club exclusively for the children of guests from 4 to 12 years old, including competitions, beach games, painting classes and other activities specially for the younger family members.

Of course enjoying this kind of guest service, added to the lifestyle that Oscar de la Renta has brought to Tortuga Bay, comes at a price. Any one of these villas can be yours during your next vacation. All it will cost you, depending on the size of your own private residence, is an investment of between $785 and $2,210 per night – a price that is no more than reasonable for the opportunity to live like a king.

Hotel Tortuga Bay
Reservations: Telephone (809) 959-2262.
E mail:  reservationstb@puntacana.com
www.lhw.com/tortugabay