Casa de Campo is not a secret. It’s favored by celebrities like Oscar de la Renta, Beyonce, J Lo, GW Bush. This private resort is a hotel, private residence, and vacation rental all blended together. It’s essentially a private, gated community located in the Dominican Republic. It’s over 7,000+ acres with over 15+ restaurants to choose from so while it is a gated community, you never feel like you’re stuck in the resort. It’s the kind of expansive place where each guest gets their own private golf cart to take around the property.
The resort has gained notoriety as the wealthy’s playground. It could 100% be the scene of the next White Lotus in my mind. Travelers flock to try and experience this high life from golfing at Teeth of the Dog – named “one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world” and the #7 top golf course on the planet” – to rubbing elbows with others in the resorts private night club or at a concert at the 16th century replica Mediterranean village’s, Altos de Chavon‘s, amphitheatre whose hosted names such as Frank Sinatra, Andrea Boccelli and Enrique Iglesias.
And yet, for those, like me, who seek a slice of authentic Dominican life, Casa de Campo and Cosmopolitan can offer you that as well. I visited Casa de Campo thanks to CosmoTrips. CosmoTrips are bookable itineraries curated by Cosmopolitan editors. They planned everything for me and all my activities were included in the price! Activities like a boat trip to the pirate refuge island of Catalina discovered by Christopher Columbus, an exclusive Chef curated Dominican menu, and a private gazebo at the glitzy pool and beach bar, Minitas. You can immerse yourself in local Dominican culture, or you can choose to be very much in deep with the superyachts that bob at the marina and the clinking champagne glasses ringing out of Minitas.
The Casa de Campo we found during our 3 days on the island was like stepping inside of the Truman show or Disneyland. Prior to being Casa de Campo, La Romana was home to the single largest sugar producing mill in the world. A perfectly curated and polished tropical paradise with white and wooden open-aired buildings and amenities. Very different from the Dominican Republic found outside these walls. All framed, of course, by swaying palm trees, colorful beach umbrellas used to fend off the sun’s heat on long, languid Caribbean afternoons, the perfectly manicured green lawns of the golf course, with the backdrop of the crystal clear blue Caribbean sea.
It’s the kind of place where Wall Street men go to gather for golf rounds in the morning, drinks on the beach in the afternoon, skeet shooting before dinner, and end the night with homemade cigars from the largest handmade cigar factory in the world located right next door, Tabacalera de Garcia. The idyllic guys trip or bachelor party. It’s just as likely that you’ll find a group of women lounging at Minita’s in their private gazebo by the pool and beach, getting spa treatments at the on-site spa, wandering and shopping the replica 16th century Mediterranean village Altos de Chavon, riding horses at the complimentary equestrian area, or attending the Sunday polo match.
Evenings at Altos de Chavon feel like a literal dream. Located above the Chavon river, the sunset behind the river and mountains in the distance, the beautiful flora, the birds soaring high in the sky…it almost sounds preplanned, but it’s not. Dolphins live in the Chavon river…again, not preplanned! Altos de Chavon has numerous bars serving smokey Instagrammy palomas, restaurants including the romantic and famous La Piazzetta – Casa de Campo’s first-ever restaurant designed by Oscar de la Renta – which features a mariachi brand, cigar shops, and stores, including a local museum with the most comprehensive collection on indigenous culture in the Dominican Republic.
It was exactly the kind of place that had us reaching for our cameras at every turn. In an attempt to bottle the essence of Casa de Campo, this is what we saw.
45 Photos & Videos of Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic | Be Inspired
