Puerto Plata Gets New Travel Lease on Life

The Dominican Republic’s historic tourism capital has been eclipsed in recent years by the larger and more modern resorts that sprouted in Punta Cana.

But for the more adventurous among the growing flow of tourists from the U.S., Canada and Europe, the North Coast offers more to do, more adventure, and a more immersive and real cultural experience.

Investors have been noticing the demand, or vice versa. Expedia reports reservations in Puerto Plata were up 10 percent for the first six months of 2017, and a dozen new hotels are in the works.

Hodelpa Hotels, owner of the nearby luxury Casa Colonial Beach, has just spent $40 million on the all-inclusive Emotions resort on Playa Dorada.

Opened in December, it boasts a spa, a gym, a coffee bar, 24 swim-up suites (a first in this town), and a high-end adults-only area with a private pool and bar. A casino will open when licensing comes through, expected in March.

The Viva Wyndham Tangerine, meanwhile, closed for three months to renovate all of its existing rooms and the pool area, and added a new 40-room building and international restaurant.

Other hotels are retouching to appeal to a more upscale market. The VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort invested $3 million in a new VH Atmosphere adults-only section that offers a VIP beach area with waiter service; transformed its buffet to feature individual cooking stations; and signed on to be part of Apple Vacations’ charter program.

The Iberostar Costa Dorada, meanwhile, renovated the lobby and bar, and added a new Japanese restaurant; next on the agenda is a renovation of the spa.

The Seascape was completely renovated two years ago when it was acquired by AMResorts; now it plans to add an outdoor buffet, 10 or 20 more family suites, and a convention center that can hold 500-600 meeting attendees, hopefully by 2019, as well as weddings.

The weddings business is growing fast — last year, the property hosted 36 weddings, and this year 25 weddings are booked in March alone, mostly from the U.S. and Canada.

And with the success of Carnival Cruises, which has brought a million visitors to the island in the past two years, Royal Caribbean is not far behind as negotiations are underway to homeport a ship here as well, Hodelpa Hotels President Edmundo Aja told TMR.

A new highway scheduled to open this summer also will cut travel time to Santiago to just 45 minutes, opening the area to many international flights.

Many travel agents agree the area is making a comeback and can be a good choice for more active and adventurous customers who want a different experience from the luxury all-inclusiveness of Punta Cana.

Source: Travel Market Report