... continued from p. 2, Breezes Punta Cana
The name means "country house", but don't let that humble moniker fool you: this is the DR's premier resort, with 7000 acres and a legendary golf course, a place where Michael Jackson wed Lisa Presley, even.
Where is Casa de Campo located?
Casa de Campo is on the south of the island in La Romana, where it spreads over 7000 acres. A hint of the place's importance: the airport five minutes away is called the La Romana/ Casa de Campo airport.
Many wealthy Dominicans have second homes here. Regular guests, meanwhile, can stay in two-story "casitas" or more upscale villas with staff who'll cook and clean.
What's special about Casa de Campo for families?
- equestrian center(and unlimited horse-riding with all-inclusive plan)
- 16th century Italian village (!)
- teens' programs as well as kids' programs
- the sheer scale of it all
See Casa de Campo photos.
Here's a sample of activities for families:
- many free daily activities, such as sandcastle-building, merengue (dance) lessons, volleyball, bingo.
- Toddlers'n'Casa takes kids ages 1 to 3 for a half-day program, with a ratio of one Counsellor per child. Cost is $31/half-day.*
- "Nannies by Day" will take care of 1 or 2 kids for $45/day; "Nannies by Night" will babysit for $5/hr.
- Kidz'n'Casa is for ages 4 to 7. Activities might include beach scavenger hunts, bug hunts, water volleyball, pony rides. Cost is $31/day including lunch.
- This age group can also participate in Kids Night Out, at a cost of $43 including dinner.
- Casa 'Tweens takes kids age 8 to 12. Activies might include biking, archery, river fishing, kayaking.
- for teens, a private club is open from 4 p.m. to midnight, with pool, movies, etc.
- the resort has 16 swimming pools, including twochildren's pools.
- water toys at the beach include kayaks, banana boats, hobie cats, windsurfers, paddle boats, and fishing boats.
- a nice outing is a day of snorkeling on Catalina Island
- Casa de Campo is a place for "the sport of kings" polo; the web site posts a tournament schedule.
- As for the horse-riding that Casa de Campo is know for: there's trail riding, jumping lessons, polo lessons, English, Western-- you name it.
A note about kids programs: a lifeguard is on duty during all water activities at the beach or at any pool, and counsellors are always in the water with thekids, with a ratio of five kids per counsellor. All counsellors speak Spanish and English.
More at Casa de Campo:
- sea-side Teeth of the Dog golf course (one of several) is the top-rated golf course in the Caribbean
- Altos de Chavon is a reproduction of a 16th century Italian village: cobblestone streets, jewelry and pottery, boutiques, the works. Even its own School of Design.
- Casaa de Campo has a dozen restaurants.
- this may be your chance to shoot Sporting Clays. (Kids won't be allowed to do this, though.)
Casa de Campo offers different types of payment plans, including an all-inclusive plan with three meals, unlimited drinks, unlimited horseback-riding and non-motorized watersports. Price is quite reasonable, especially off-season, and with the right plan and promotion, two kids under eighteen can stay free with parents.
Some points to consider about Casa de Campo:
- this resort is huge: you'll need to take a free shuttle to get to the beach (or rent your own golf cart)
- English may not be spoken enough, or well enough, at the kids' club for your child to feel comfortable
- the beach may be crowded. This resort can house 3000 guests!
Where can I find out more about Casa de Campo?
- see more pictures of Casa de Campo
- The Casa de Campo web site is a good place to start
- Family Travel Forum has a write-up of a three-generation vacation. (A small fee is required for some areas of this web site.)
- check TripAdvisor.com for online articles and comments from other family travelers.
*Check the Casa de Campo website for current rates. Photos courtesy of Casa de Campo.
back to p. 1, Dominican Republic Resorts
