Casa de Campo Lo Tiene Todo (HAS IT ALL)

Have you heard of a place called Casa de Campo? Well… if you haven’t, then I guess you haven’t been reading the tabloids on celebrity whereabouts or luxury travel mags like Condé Nast Traveler spotlighting getaway locations for the rich and famous.

Casa de Campo is one of the world’s most exclusive resorts and located on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic. DR’s own designer, Oscar de la Renta, himself did the original interior designing for the resort. Since then, it has hosted so many Very Important People.

Alas, we didn’t see any VIPs during our visit, but I am sure there were some hiding in their luxurious villas. The top reasons VIPs love to stay here are the security, the discretion of staff, and all the available activities within this massive, 7,000-acre resort community. In addition, they offer renowned golf courses, pristine beaches, a marina to dock yacht, the famous “town” of Altos de Chavon, an equestrian center and polo club, and a shooting center.

Casa de Campo has it all! You can have your ultimate getaway with plenty of things to do within the property. Here are a few of the activities that we did during our visit:

Horseback Riding

You can’t visit Casa de Campo without going for horseback riding. 

Their equestrian center offers extensive activities and is one of the best in the Caribbean.

There is something for every level of rider; even if you have never saddled up a horse, there are instructors available to help.

We loved the ride our guide took us on that went along scenic trails surrounding the golf courses, beautiful villas (a few are celebrity-owned), their stables, and the polo fields.  Check out this video

NOTE for horseback riding: Minimum age is 12 years; maximum weight is 250 lbs, and you must be able to mount/dismount horse with minimal assistance.

Minitas Beach Club

Located at the heart of Casa de Campo is a beautiful sanctuary where one can have some beach or pool fun with friends and family. In addition, there are a few stores to grab some beach essentials, a couple of “food trucks”, a restaurant, a spa, bathrooms, dressing rooms with showers, an ice cream parlor, and a water center that offers watersports activities like snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding, and more. Whew, did I cover everything?!?

The beach is immaculate – crystal-clear turquoise blue water and pristine white sand. WOW!!!

We enjoyed our food at the restaurant, everything was DELICIOUS! Plus, the view was unquestionably one of the best we saw on the island.

The new Minitas Family Pool area consists of two pools for families with children and teens. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to use it since our kids always prefer the beach and playing in the sand, but this is a great feature. The pools have shaded areas and are close to all the amenities.  

Altos de Chavon

Altos de Chavon is a magnificent re-creation of a 16th-century Mediterranean village sculpted entirely of stone and perched high above the breathtaking Chavon river. Imagine that! It was opened in 1982 with none other than Frank Sinatra performing live at their 5,000-seat Grecian style outdoor amphitheater.

Today, it is a cultural center for tourists, residents, and working artists worldwide. There are a number of restaurants in the village and some have views of the river and the countryside stretching all the way to the horizon.

We love walking around the cobblestone streets and quaint squares; it made us all feel like we were transported to a European countryside. Altos de Chavon is truly a magical place, and we wish for another visit to it someday and maybe shop a bit and visit the museum.

Note: The visit to Altos de Chavón is currently open only for Casa de Campo guests and residents, and scheduled photoshoots and tour operator visits.

If you are planning a trip to DR and have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.