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Punta Cana Hotels European Plan
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Introduction to Punta Cana
Many Europeans (especially Spaniards)
rushed to take advantage of Punta Cana's desirable climate -- within
one of the most arid landscapes in the Caribbean, it rarely rains
during daylight hours. Capitalizing on cheap land and the virtually
insatiable desire of Europeans for sunny holidays during the depths
of winter, a half-dozen European hotel chains participated in
something akin to a land rush, acquiring large tracts of sugar-cane
plantations and pastureland. Today, at least a dozen megahotels,
most with no fewer than 500 rooms, some with even more, attract a
clientele that's about 70% European or Latin American. The hotel
designs here range from the not particularly inspired to low-rise
megacomplexes designed by the most prominent Spanish architects.
Some of them, particularly the Meli?Caribe Tropical
Resort and the Barcelo B?aro complex , boast some of the most lavish beach and
pool facilities in the Caribbean, spectacular gardens, and relatively new
concepts in architecture (focusing on postmodern interplays between indoor and
outdoor spaces).
Don't expect a real town here. Although the mailing
addresses for most hotels is the dusty and distinctly unmemorable Hig?y, very
few guests ever spend time there. Most remain on the premises of their
all-inclusive hotels.
If you choose to vacation in Punta Cana, you won't be
alone, as increasing numbers of Latino celebrities are making inroads, usually
renting private villas within private compounds. Julio Iglesias has been a
fixture here for a while. And one of the most widely publicized feuds in the
Dominican Republic swirled a few years ago around celebrity designer Oscar de la
Renta, who abandoned his familiar haunts at Casa de Campo for palm-studded new
digs at Punta Cana.
Above all, don't expect a particularly North American
vacation. The Europeans were here first, and many of them still have a sense of
possessiveness about their secret hideaway. For the most part, the ambience is
Europe in the Tropics, as seen through a Dominican filter. You'll find, for
example, more formal dress codes, greater interest in soccer matches than in the
big football game, and red wine rather than scotch and soda at dinner. Hotels
are aware of the cultural differences between their North American and European
guests, and sometimes strain to soften the differences that arise between them.
Additional Information about travel to Punta Cana
