Press (Extracts from Magazines)

"Tempting the Caribbean - Sun-Splashed Opulence" by Juan Carlos Perez
From The Finer Things in Life Magazine; Summer Edition 1999

The Capital of Santo Domingo boasts some hotels with first-rate accommodations and amenities and, outside, in the country, a whole different world awaits to be discovered.

These days, when most people hear the words Dominican Republic, they may think of just one thing: baseball. And that, of course, owes a lot to the fame of Chicago Cubs star Sammy Sosa who, along with major league baseball colleague Mark McGwire, broke the existing homerun record last year.

Yet, besides being a country that produces great baseball players, the Dominican Republic is also a land of breathtaking beauty (go whalewatching or explore a rain forest); history on every corner (its capital, Santo Domingo, is the oldest city in the New World, daring from the 15th century, and the legacy of the Spanish conquistadors is everywhere); and rich cultural traditions (from its painting to its crafts and jewelry, particularly in amber.)

If, however, cigars, rum and "meringue" dancing are your thing, Quisqueya (its native name) has it; or, instead, if it's sports that call you, from deep-sea fishing to tennis to surfing is to be found. All of this, of course, within a frame of luxurious hotels, resorts and villas, that allow guests to take in all the wonders of this island/nation in utmost comfort. The capital of Santo Domingo boasts some hotels with first-rate accommodations and amenities (Inter-Continental's V Centenario, Renaissance Jaragua) and, outside, in the country, a whole different world awaits to be discovered.

And among the most exclusive dwellings is Villa Cabo Fino, a $3 million estate set in the northwestern part of the island. Begun only a few years ago as the most private and opulent of resorts in the country, Villa Cabo Fino offers only eight very Exclusive rooms, where guests can partake of the following: a one of a kind grass tennis court that faces the ocean; private disco; black bottom oceanfront pool; oversized free formed whirlpool; professional kitchen; gym; beach-side full service Tiki bar; and discount golf package.

A staff of six is ready to attend to all your needs and pamper you. Each master suite is individually decorated and connected to a main pavilion through orchid-scented covered walkways. The rooms, with 30-foot ceilings, also cater to the couch potato in everyone, with satellite TV and VCR. Ii indoor sports are your thing, a billiard room is also available. You can also participate in other activities normally found in a city's major hotels, like the casino. Found nearby.

Nature lovers have available gorgeous beaches to relax on or practice all lands of watersports. The golf course, a Robert Trent Jones Senior Championship Golf Course, features 13 oceanfront holes and is just five minutes away from the property.

When it comes to golf, the selection of courses in the country is almost as unlimited as the powdery, white-sand beaches that surround Hispaniola, or the island that the Dominican Republic and neighboring Haiti share. Some of the best beaches, by the way, are found on the eastern tip of the island known as Punta Cana, where you'll find over a dozen first-rate "all-included" resorts. ...

Extract from "Great Escapes with view (and servants, too)" by Steve Blount
Caribbean Travel & Life; September 1999

Villa Cabo Fino, Dominican Republic

I hate breathless travel writing, that over-adjectivized, hyperbolic and bloated prose that doesn't quite ring true. From that perspective, I'm about to commit a cardinal sin: Cabo Fino is simply breathtaking.

In my defense, there are some compelling facts to back up that proclamation. The modern-style casa sits perched on 2 acres/1 hectare of prime cliff-side property overlooking the ocean on the Dominican Republic's north coast. The landscaping is lushly tropical, almost overwhelmingly so. Bird-of-paradise plants compete for attention with the brilliantly plumed tropical species that hop from branch to branch in the shrubbery.

There are five suites, appropriately marbled and tweaked, including a master suite with a fireplace and a Jacuzzi that looks out over a manicured garden. There's an outdoor Jacuzzi, too, with rock walls and the kind of view from which postcards are made. Down below, there's a secluded cove rimmed by a saffron yellow beach with a stream-fed freshwater plunge pool for washing off salt and sand. There is a cliff-top grass tennis court with its own private cottage. Five minutes away is the Playa Grande golf course, one of Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s best tracks and often called the Pebble Beach of the Caribbean.

There's more.

Butler, cook and maid are on hand to make sure you're not distracted by having to actually lift a finger and help yourself. Drinks are served whenever you're thirsty in a bar/lounge that's complete with mirrored disco ball. Should you decide to do some booty shaking, a band can be discretely arranged for your own amusement or to entertain guests.

I think it might be hard to get used to living like this, but I'd like to give it a try.

Copyright © 2001 Villa CaboFino, Dominican Republic, All Rights Reserverd