April 28, 2010
Punta Cana - New Golf Course, Timeless Style
This month, I headed down to Punta Cana, an elite, glamorous, privately owned resort destination in the Dominican Republic for the launch of their new oceanside golf course: Corales. I had the privilege of staying in a PUNTACANA Resort & Club Tortuga Bay villa designed by Oscar de la Renta (above, see gallery for a peek inside), and even meeting Mr. De la Renta himself at his private Punta Cana home -- which was imaginatively designed and definitely curated with a touch of genius; more on that later. Though I'm not much of a golfer, I was immediately issued my very own golf cart at Tortuga Bay and a parking space at my villa, as well as a splendid yellow bicycle for getting around the extensive resort grounds. Daily trips to various restaurants on the property and the discovery of natural springs and hidden beaches made the experience somewhat like living on your very own small island and having full rights to explore. There's plenty to do in Punta Cana for non-golfers, from kiteboarding to Segway tours (which I did for the first time and now totally understand what the fuss is all about -- those things are fun!). There's a Six Senses spa, tennis, and a lot of great food, as well as pools and white sandy beaches as far as the eye can see. If you happen to stay at PUNTACANA Resort & Club, you'll even get special, VIP treatment at the airport, the kind where you don't have to wait in any lines, as the resort actually owns the airport. When I attended the launch of Corales, which was hosted by various Punta Cana officials as well as Oscar de la Renta, Tom Fazio, the designer, and the president of the Dominican Republic himself (who is charming), I was more than impressed by the overwhelming beauty of the course. We sat in an intimate ocean view pavilion right on the green as everyone gave speeches and a Catholic priest blessed the course. The residents of Punta Cana wore white almost universally, which is the custom not only for public events but for every day. Another thing I noticed is that though the weather is hot, they drink red wine, even at lunch. It turns out that a light bodied red pairs quite marvelously with traditional shrimp ceviche and conch salad, both of which were rampantly available. But I digress.
Corales took three years to build, though Fazio commented at the launch that "Mother Nature had already designed six holes." "I never thought we'd have this many holes right here on the ocean," he continued, noting that Punta Cana was host to many unexpected pleasures, such as riding to the hotel from the airport in a golf cart. There are six holes on the oceanfront, where you are surrounded by cliffs and crashing waves. The well-renowned La Cana course nearby is reportedly more challenging, but there is no match for Corales' beauty, and the eighteenth hole was designed to be "unique and special." It completes the "El Codo Del Diablo," or "Devil's Elbow" created by the final three holes. Fazio calls it "one of the most challenging and exciting finishes I've ever created." Membership to the Corales Golf Course and Golf Club is granted exclusively for residents of the community (such as De la Renta, Julio Iglesias, Bunny Williams), but visitors are of course welcomed at a price determined by where you are staying. After El Tee Off (yes, they called it that), we dined at Playa Blanca, a thatched-roofed restaurant right on the beach with excellent food. Having visited many Caribbean destinations, I feel confident saying that in Punta Cana, the cravings we landlocked folks get when we visit the sea are impeccably well-met. As for drinks, the best I found in the resort were at La Cana Clubhouse, easily accessed with your bicycle or golf cart. The Passion Fruit Caipirinhas at Bamboo are also commendable. And you can drink them in a romantic jacuzzi.
While I wouldn't be so brash as to post photos of the inside of Oscar de la Renta's private home, I can certainly tell you about its design. The exterior of the house is all but swallowed in green ivy and looks like something out of a fairy-tale.The home is comprised of expansive pale stone rooms decorated cozily in warm reds and browns with eclectic accents like bird cages and blue china trinkets, bringing comfort to the stark rectangular spaces and wide columns. There are tons and tons of books. In a guest bedroom, books were literally stacked all over the desk. Mr. De la Renta and his wife actually change the selection of books in their guestrooms to suit the guests they are hosting, so if you ever happen to get invited to stay at their house, be sure and take note of what books are in your room -- that's what they think of you. There were three lovely dogs in the house, one named Olive for Abigail Breslin's character in Little Miss Sunshine, and Mr. De la Renta wore fine white linen, the customary Punta Cana attire. He told me that he travels with virtually nothing; he keeps clothes appropriate to each climate in his various homes. While I didn't see the whole house, I'm certain the rest of it carried on with the madcap charm; fabulous art, strange conversation pieces, walls lined with paintings of birds and elaborate rocking chairs. Even if you don't get to visit Oscar de la Renta's mansion or stay in one of the villas he designed, a trip to Punta Cana is likely to be unforgettably beautiful. If the natural beauty of the land -- well cared for by their Ecological Foundation -- doesn't win your heart, the fresh food and abundance of leisure activities will. I was worried one might have to be an avid golfer to truly appreciate Punta Cana, but that's simply not the case. There are many resort choices for couples and families, from Club Med to Iberostar, and there is plenty to do.My trip to Punta Cana was sponsored by PUNTACANA Resort & Club, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.
by Annie Scott (RSS feed) Apr 28th 2010 at 10:02AM
Posted by Public Relations at 9:15 AM
April 27, 2010
Owner's Weekend 2010
Posted by Public Relations at 1:57 PM
April 27, 2010
CARIBBEAN HOTEL & TOURISM INVESTMENT CONFERENCE
Posted by Public Relations at 9:47 AM
April 26, 2010
PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB’S FRANK & HAYDEE RAINIERI TO RECEIVE ‘BILL BISSELL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference Takes Place In Puerto Rico, May 4-6, 2010 CORAL GABLES, FL (April 12, 2010) – It is with great pleasure that the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) will recognize the accomplishments of Frank and Haydee Rainieri of Puntacana Resort & Club, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with the Bill Bissell Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be presented on May 5 at the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC 2010) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Bill Bissell Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have made a difference in the industry through their actions, contributions and great lifetime accomplishments in the Caribbean and beyond. “Frank and Haydee’s impact on Caribbean tourism – as well as their work on sustainability issues, social reform and education – is well known and is deserving of the entire region’s respect,” said Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, President of CHTA. “As a fellow Dominican, however, I feel a special affinity for the Rainieris as they’ve played an integral role in shaping the Dominican Republic into one of the Caribbean’s premiere tourism destinations with Puntacana Resort & Club remaining one of our country’s most notable luxury resorts,” added De Marchena. “The Caribbean owes a huge debt of gratitude to Frank Rainieri who founded the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) and served as our chairman for the first several years,” said Sir Royston O. Hopkin, KCMG, CAST’s current chairman.“Likewise, Haydee is a distinguished ambassador of Caribbean tourism and an outspoken advocate on numerous issues central to our development and social progress,” noted Hopkin. “Working alongside the Rainieris has been a pleasure.”Frank Rainieri is a renowned leader and visionary in the Dominican Republic and the Greater Caribbean. He is credited with pioneering the Punta Cana region’s tourism product and developing Puntacana Resort & Club from 10 small bungalows in 1971 into one of the most exclusive and elegant tourist retreats in present day Dominican Republic. Posted by Public Relations at 12:06 PM
April 26, 2010
Island Living—And A Little Golfing—With Oscar De La Renta
Don’t let the thatched airport fool you. There’s nothing shoddy or shabby about Punta Cana, the tony resort community on the eastern end of the Dominican Republic, home to one of the DR’s most famous sons, Oscar de la Renta. That airport? The oldest privately owned airport in the world, as it happens. And Punta Cana—formerly a scrubby, inhospitable bit of island paradise—has been remade over the past 40 years as an epicenter of beachfront luxury. You don’t wind up with the Caribbean’s only direct flight from Moscow for a sliver of sand and so-so accommodations.
The latest addition to the island’s attractions, the new Corales Golf Course, was inaugurated last week. Señor de la Renta was on hand for its christening, an event even President Leonel Fernández Reyna fit into his schedule. (Albeit about 45 minutes late. “Our president is not an early riser,” quipped one stylish Dominicana regarding the 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting. That’s the tardy president, center, with de la Renta, right.)
Corales itself is a golfer’s dream green, designed by the legendary course designer Tom Fazio and with a good claim to be the best in the Caribbean. Its most famous fan, Mikhail Baryshnikov, owns a house on the property and is frequently spotted in his beat-up golf cart. His neighbors are no less notable: Julio Iglesias, de la Renta, interior designer Bunny Williams. The night before the course’s inauguration, de la Renta threw a fête for a few fabulous attendees, James and Gina de Givenchy among them. We were welcomed to his stately beachfront home, with towering walls of coral limestone, lined with books and Grecian vases. The designer himself appeared bronzed and stately in monogrammed (”OR,” for the curious) white linen. The following day, at el tee-off, he would praise the way Corales’ designers “managed to capture and pay homage to the beauty of the land.” But Don Oscar himself, it turns out, is more a dominoes player than a linksman. (He plays a daily 5:30 game, not with the social set but with the locals—his chief of security; the chief of police.) At home among friends and admirers, standing on a high terrace overlooking nothing but barely rippling water and the Dominican Republic’s famously white sand, de la Renta leaned forward candidly and acknowledged with a smile, “I don’t really play golf.” Hard to blame him. However great the holes, they’d be hard-pressed to compare with the view.
Matthew Schneier
Posted by Public Relations at 8:38 AM
April 26, 2010
La Cana Notification / Notificación La Cana
PRESS CLICK
Posted by Public Relations at 5:35 AM
April 23, 2010
Last Day in Paradise
On our final full day in Punta Cana, we had a leisurely morning, then headed off to tour the ecological center at around 10. We saw huts full of worms and beehives taken from the homes of Julio Iglesias and Oscar de la Renta. They have a lot of bees. The eco center is doing lots of interesting things to make Punta Cana eco friendly, and even enlisting the help of students from Harvard to get fresh, new ideas.
After that we had some lunch at La Cana clubhouse, and I became the mayor of Punta Cana on Foursquare. Then, a Segway tour! I was a Segway virgin until this, and now I know what all the fuss is about! It was madly entertaining. It was like being a robot, or being in a video game. I wish I had a Segway in New York. I would ride it everywhere, weather permitting. I'd find a way to attend all meetings via Central Park and zip to work like a Roomba.
After that, I had an oriental scalp massage at the Six Senses Spa, which I would highly recommend. I had my head rubbed, scratched, squeezed and knocked upon. I can only see the color orange now (false), but I enjoyed it.
Following the spa, we had passion fruit caipirinhas in the tepid tub (regrettably not at all hot) and then dressed for dinner at Playa Blanca, which was an all-out Dominican Party! Traditional food, fresh coconuts spiked with rum, and silly hats abounded. From there, we headed to the birthday party of one of our hosts. It was insanity -- not the birthday, but the number of jello shots we had!
We went back to someone's villa to party some more after that, and found that the hotel had drawn each of us lovely, candlelit baths. Mine was decked in flower petals.
Sadly, Morrie was gone. Anyhow, tomorrow is the flight home. What a wonderful trip it's been. Next up: Austin!
Posted by Annie Danger Scott
Posted by Public Relations at 9:10 AM
April 23, 2010
Day one: Where I get to play on golf carts…
Yesterday afternoon was un-seasonally overcast, so I succumbed to the siren call of my golf cart, and went off exploring. 
As regular readers know, I do love bicycles and these ones parked outside our villa are splendid:
But I just can’t tear myself away from my golf cart, which is enormous fun to drive down the Puntacana resort’s (of which Tortuga Bay is part) paved paths & sandy tracks.
Some of which lead to seemingly endless stretches of deserted white sand.
I’ve not had much time alone to think over the past few months and it’s been glorious just being able to empty my head, & properly address my future.
Posted by Public Relations at 8:56 AM
April 23, 2010
Thursdays with Morrie
There is a small lizard who lives in my bathroom. I like him. I get nervous about spiders, bugs and snakes, but lizards are A-O-K by me. He has a lively little tail he curls and thrashes and I have named him Morrie, since I first got to know him while taking a bath on Thursday. Thursdays with Morrie.
I don't want to write too much about the inauguration of the golf course; that's what I'm covering here in Punta Cana, so that'll be on one of them other blogs for whom I write. I did get to meet the president of the Dominican Republic. He was cordial and charismatic, as one might expect. He looks you in the eye. He is followed constantly by men with enormous guns.
After the inauguration, the golfers golfed and the rest of us (many of the twenty-two of us don't golf, thank goodness) went to the beach. Unfortunately, it was cloudy, but it was soooo pretty. Shallow. I found a big conch shell. I left it there. Also, we ate at Playa Blanca, which I highly recommend. It was so beautiful there and the ceviche was divine.
I love ceviche with all my heart. They serve a lot of it here, and fresh conch salad, too. Those are really the only two things I want when I'm down here. Caribbean food win.
So, it was a day of relaxation and almost riding a Segway. There are Segway tours, but the guide was gone. Oh well. We went swimming in a natural spring (below).
Dinner was at La Cana clubhouse (top photo) and again, the food was delicious. Afterward, everything closed pretty quickly so a few of us went and partied in someone's villa. We drank wine from Kansas (a journalist brought it from his hometown) and Dominican rum -- which, due to my Barbados trip, I now prefer to drink with just water. It's like I'm growing up.
Conclusion: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is great for food and lizards.
Posted by Annie Danger ScottPosted by Public Relations at 8:43 AM
April 23, 2010
Two Lobsters and a Steak
Hello, friends, I am in Punta Cana. I am here, sponsored by the PUNTACANA resort, to witness the inauguration of their Corales Golf Course, which will happen tomorrow. Apparently, the president of the Dominican Republic and Julio Iglesias will be there. You may choose one, both, or neither to get excited about. Personally, I was excited because today, I got to meet Oscar de la Renta. Not only that, but I attended a cocktail party at his house. The house is OUT of control gorgeous and decorated immaculately. He says he and his wife did it all. I believe him. I chatted briefly with Mr. De la Renta about various things. One that struck my fancy was that his friendly, calm dog is named Olive -- after Abigail Breslin's character in Little Miss Sunshine. Oscar de la Renta, could you be any more charming? After the cocktail party, we had an extravagant dinner at La Yola. The food was excellent. We had a set menu, so I didn't do any ordering, and I walked out thinking I had had two lobsters and a steak for my entree (decadent, much?). Turns out they were actually giant prawns. I feel a little bad about that. They must have been pretty old prawns to get that big (like a foot+ each), and I ate TWO of them, AND A STEAK for just one little meal. Possible karma deductions are in progress. One of the most exciting things about this trip is that I am staying in a fabulous, Oscar de la Renta -designed, Tortuga Bay Villa. Not only that, but I'm supposed to share the enormous, diner-sized common room area with a journalist whose room would is on the other side of the villa, but she missed her flight! This ocean view, ginormous villa is all mine. Unexpected score.Also "all mine" is a golf cart. I was issued keys to this along with my room key. My golf cart is #31, and driving it makes me feel immensely badass. So far, I have taken it everywhere, even to things within walking distance. This is the first time a resort has entrusted me with my very own motor vehicle. I may go mad with power. 
So, basically, today was awesome. I'll be here through Sunday. I'll schedule these updates for the correct dates, but unfortunately, the internet in my villa is not so good and I can't access my blogging site, so this may not be real-time. This is me, almost unplugged.
Posted by Annie Danger Scott
http://www.anniescottexperience.com/2010/04/two-lobsters-and-steak.html
Posted by Public Relations at 8:30 AM
April 23, 2010
For the bees - Puntacana's unexpected practice of beekeeping
Last week, I visited Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and was delighted to discover they had a large Ecological Reserve, where they do research into ways the resort can be more environmentally friendly. The Punta Cana Ecological Foundation has a number of unusual projects including recycling water, using worms to compost their trash and they've even enlisted the minds of students from Harvard to help them develop new ideas for greener properties. I toured their facility and was especially impressed (and terrified) when we arrived at the site above: the bees. No, they didn't just give the hives cute names; those hives house bees that were taken from the Punta Cana homes of Oscar de la Renta (I understand the bees invaded his wife's bathroom) and Julio Iglesias (who allegedly discovered honey dripping from his ceiling). Rather than exterminate their unwanted pests, Punta Cana encourages its residents to let their hives be removed by the Ecological Foundation, who keeps them and will even gift donors with fresh honey from their very own hives. As we wandered the area covered with plants intended just for the bees, I talked with Jake Kheel, the Environmental Director, about how the beekeeping works and why they do it. However, as I mentioned, I was terrified -- so I emailed him these questions later when I got my breath back. Gadling: So, tell us why you've created these homes for bees, rather than exterminating them.
Jake Kheel: Bees are important pollinators in nature and if managed properly can be quite profitable by producing honey, pollen, royal jelly and other related products, as well as providing important pollination to local plants, vegetables, etc. We thought managing the bees to our mutual benefit made more sense than exterminating them.
G: How many do you have?
JK: We currently have 140 colonies in 5 different sites around our property. Since each colony can have around 20,000 - 40,000 worker bees alone, conservatively, we have around 2.8 million bees in our apiaries.
G: What are the colonies like? How do you keep the bees there?
JK: The bees will stay in the bee boxes as long as the queen bee is there, they can find enough food, and don't have too many pests or predators. Our job is to make sure the bees have all their needs covered so they can do their work and produce the products we are interested in. Each colony has at least one box on the bottom level with an entrance and an exit and nine separators with wax sheets where they can make honey combs and deposit eggs and honey inside. The second and third and sometimes fourth level boxes are separated by a thin plastic sheet that the drones and queens can't pass through. This is to make sure they don't lay eggs in the honey we want to extract and only consume from the bottom box. We only harvest honey from the boxes that the queen and drone cannot access, to make sure they always have enough food.
G: And you sell the honey, right?
JK: We produced 370 gallons last year and sold all of it. We also have an agreement with another local producer of organic honey that supplements our production. We are currently selling the honey at the airport, at our hotels, at our shop, our Farmer's Market on Saturdays and soon to a local tour operator.
G: Can we buy Oscar de la Renta honey?
JK: Technically, yes! We have several colonies that came from Oscar de la Renta's and Julio Iglesias' houses. When we extract the honey we plan to sell, all the honey is mixed together to make the process more efficient. So, technically speaking, almost all of our honey has some of Oscar's and Julio's honey in it!
My trip to Punta Cana was sponsored by PUNTACANA Resort & Club, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.
by Annie Scott (RSS feed)
Posted by Public Relations at 7:29 AM
April 23, 2010
Tee Time with Oscar de la Renta
Generally, no one wants to be the first guest to walk into a cocktail party. But imagine you’re in the Caribbean, the sky fading to black as a warm breeze makes the palms sway, and as you walk your way up coral-stone steps and into an airy, book-lined parlor, a tall figure turns away from the sea-facing balcony and approaches, impeccably elegant in white linen, his tan a chestnut brown. He extends his hand, and, looking you in the eyes as though he were the one coming to see you, and not vice versa, introduces himself: “Oscar de la Renta.”
In this case, maybe you don’t really mind arriving before everyone else.
Don Oscar, as he’s called in the Dominican Republic, often entertains in his native country, but last week he had a particular, if not particularly glamorous, reason to celebrate: he was inaugurating his new golf course. The designer is the chairman of the board for Grupo Puntacana, the development company responsible for making the D.R. the resort destination it is today. And Corales, Puntacana’s new seaside golf course, is so gorgeous that you can’t help but admire it—even if, like de la Renta, you don’t golf.
His neighbor Mikhail Baryshnikov, on the other hand, is often seen chugging along the fairways in his golf cart. What’s more, he’s got game. “That son of a bitch can drive 170 yards to the same exact spot, every time,” a Grupo Puntacana shareholder related over cocktails on Don Oscar’s porch.
Not so de la Renta, who prefers dominoes (he plays nightly, often with his head of security and the local police chief) and gardening. Otherwise, he’s likely to be selling houseguests on the charms of the eastern section of the Dominican Republic that he’s helped turn into an ultra-chic enclave. In typical fashion, he had a group of friends down from New York—including fashion heirs James and Gina de Givenchy—for the Corales launch.
Society decorator Bunny Williams is one of his converts. She and her husband, John Roselli, even hired de la Renta’s architect. “I never thought I’d build a house in the Dominican Republic, but that place was just too magic,” Williams says. “The weather’s so perfect, you really live outside there. I always say it’s a house of porches. You eat on one side of the house, then the other side—you go where the sun is.”
So do the dogs. Williams has four and de la Renta and his wife, Annette de la Renta, have a half dozen or so. They’re all local rescues, but de la Renta’s looked so saturnine and disengaged as they migrated from one resting place to another during the cocktail party that it was tempting to imagine someone had slipped them some Xanax. Perhaps they’re merely extremely well adapted to a life of luxury.
On Friday, President Leonel Fernandez cut the tape at the inauguration ceremony. The Puntacana Group is a pretty big deal, after all. The airport it built two decades ago is not only the country’s biggest but also the Caribbean’s third busiest, after Cancun and San Juan. (Direct flights from Moscow were just added.) The group’s Puntacana Resort and Club is a luxury-vacation landmark. Also, Julio Iglesias is one of its owners.
The singer didn’t join de la Renta at “el tee-off,” where a priest said a prayer for the golf course. Arguably, Don Oscar’s blessing was worth more.
by Darrell Hartman
April 22, 2010, 1:09 PM
Posted by Public Relations at 7:04 AM
April 23, 2010
Notificación Playa Blanca / Playa Blanca Notification
Estimados Visitantes/Propietarios, Les informamos que este viernes 23 de Abril, el restaurante Playa Blanca estará cerrado a partir de la 5pm por un evento privado. El sábado 24 de abril se retoman los servicios en sus horarios regulares. Gracias por su cooperación.
Amablemente,
Carolina Jones
Gerente General
Casa Club La Cana & Playa Blanca
Dear Visitors/Home Owners,
Please be informed that Friday April 23rd, Playa Blanca Restaurant will be hosting a private dinner, therefore it will be closed from 5pm. On Saturday April 24th, the restaurant will have its regular schedule.
Thank you for your understanding.
Affably,
Carolina Jones
General Manager
La Cana Club House & Playa BlancaPosted by Public Relations at 5:43 AM
April 20, 2010
A new must see golf destination
Golfers will forever enjoy the sensation of discovering that “new golf destination”. A recent trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic provided that experience for me. Situated on the eastern tip of the D.R., Punta Cana Resort & Club is entirely master planned. In recent years it has become popular as a destination of choice for many of the “all inclusive” resorts. These resorts, for the most part are situated to the north of the Punta Cana airport and offer various levels of service and price points.
For golfers however, the Punta Cana Resort & Club is the jewel to be discovered. When you scratch below the surface there are a multitude of fascinating storylines that emerge; the purchase of 30 square miles of jungle in 1969 with no road access, the commitment of the owners to improve their country through tourism, the sustainable tourism plans they have adopted, the rerouting of an international airport runway to enhance a golf experience, an airport arrival and departure process which is far from the ordinary, and a hotel experience at the very highest level.
The airport is owned by the same company who own the new Tom Fazio course, Corales and the Tortuga Bay hotel. They seamlessly blend together their businesses to ultimately deliver a memorable and unique product. The Punta Cana airport is the third busiest in the Caribbean and enjoys scheduled service from most major East Coast U.S. cities plus London, Frankfurt, Moscow, etc. As a guest of Tortuga Bay, as you deplane you are met by a hotel representative and whisked thru the arrival formalities via VIP lanes. Luggage is delivered and you are quickly sitting in a hotel vehicle for the 5 minute ride to the hotel. Tortuga Bay has only 30 suites in 13 villas alongside the beach. It is charming and comfortable with a superb staff.
The original golf course is La Cana, built by P.B. Dye in 2000. It has three holes played directly alongside the beach and is a very enjoyable course. Officially opened this month, the Corales course by Tom Fazio is a solid Fazio design. It can be safely discussed in the same conversation with Eagle Point, Calusa Pines or Caves Valley. Tom has delivered a fine course to the owners. From a conditioning standpoint, it is equal to his U.S. projects and given the commitment of the ownership, I believe that shall remain true over time. P.B. Dye is in the process of building the Hacienda course across the street from La Cana and it is scheduled to open either late 2010 or more likely 2011. I drove 9 holes with P.B. this past weekend and it certainly appears that it will be a fine test of golf. The current plan calls for the original La Cana course to be refurbished once Hacienda is open. Therefore, some time in 2012 they should have 3 very strong courses within 5 mins of a world class hotel and 5 minutes from a superior airport. A golfers dream!
Away from golf, they have a Six Senses Spa (the first in North America) with staff from Thailand. My wife, as a bit of a spa junkie and connoisseur was thoroughly impressed with the experience.
The departure experience at the airport was equally special, with VIP lines, lounges and for icing on the cake, a golf cart to the steps of your scheduled aircraft. It did not go unnoticed that they are re-routing the airport runway by what looked like 30 degrees to avoid overflight of the new Fazio Course and adjacent homesites…that is impressive!
If you are seeking a warm weather destination that is luxurious yet unpretentious, with excellent golf, spa and dining opportunities, I think you will not be disappointed in Tortuga Bay. I know I shall be returning and hope to see you there!
by Gordon Dalgleish on April 19, 2010
http://www.perrygolf.com/blog/2010/04/19/a-new-must-see-golf-destination/
Posted by Public Relations at 1:56 PM
April 20, 2010
Corales Golf Course Inauguration / Ignauguración del Campo de Golf Corales
Posted by Public Relations at 8:48 AM
April 19, 2010
PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB INAUGURA SU ESPECTACULAR CAMPO DE GOLF DISEÑADO POR TOM FAZIO
Con el nuevo Campo de Golf Corales, Puntacana Resort & Club se convierte en el Destino más importante de Golf y Playa del Caribe
Punta Cana, R.D. (16 abril 2010) — Puntacana Resort & Club anuncia hoy la esperada apertura oficial de su nuevo campo de golf, Corales. Este campo, cuya construcción inició en el 2006, tomó tres años en terminarse y desde ya está destinado a convertirse en uno de los diez mejores del mundo. Corales, situado entre acantilados rocosos, arrecifes de coral y el amplio mar Caribe, es el más reciente campo de golf de campeonato creado por el aclamado diseñador Tom Fazio. Su incorporación a la ya extensa oferta de golf en Puntacana Resort & Club convertirá a este complejo turístico en el principal destino de golf y playa del Caribe.
“Corales abarca un conjunto dramático de vistas cautivantes, hoyos laterales en los acantilados oceánicos, terrenos ondulados y greens al borde de un lago de agua salada, además de una mezcla memorable de variedad y estrategia,” comenta Fazio. “Con una diversidad de hoyos cortos y largos, jugados tanto contra la brisa como con el viento a favor y una impresionante diversidad de elementos visuales, jugar en Corales será una experiencia insuperable que garantiza la instauración de un nuevo estándar de golf en la República Dominicana”.
Los jardines de este campo fueron creados por el mundialmente famoso paisajista español, Jesús Ibáñez. Además de su impacto visual, este campo de golf ofrece un verdadero desafío a los jugadores. Seis de sus dieciocho hoyos están al borde del mar y los últimos tres fueron diseñados para ser un auténtico reto a la destreza del golfista. El campo culmina con un imponente hoyo dieciocho, diseñado conjuntamente entre Fazio y el presidente y co-fundador de Puntacana Resort & Club, Frank Rainieri. “Estamos sumamente orgullosos de nuestro campo de golf Corales. El hoyo 18 se diseñó para ser algo único y muy especial”, explicó Frank Rainieri. “Queríamos presentar a los jugadores el máximo desafío, incorporando nuestro hermoso paisaje natural.” “He tenido la oportunidad de estar vinculado a excelentes campos de golf y sin duda puedo decir que el hoyo 18 de Corales es uno de los hoyos finales más desafiantes y emocionantes que he creado,” declaró Fazio.
El campo de golf se inaugurará oficialmente el 16 abril con ceremonias y celebraciones en el resort. La membresía se reservará exclusivamente para los residentes de Corales - la comunidad inmobiliaria de calidad mundial en Puntacana Resort & Club. Entre los residentes actuales se encuentran: Oscar de la Renta, Julio Iglesias y Bunny Williams. Además, se reservarán membrecías adicionales para un número selecto y limitado de solicitantes. Así mismo, sólo estarán disponibles 126 lotes dentro de este exclusivo vecindario donde la mayoría de las residencias disfrutarán de vistas a esta obra maestra de Tom Fazio. Además del Campo de Golf Corales, está el Club de Golf Corales que consta de bar, terraza con vistas al campo de golf y tienda pro-golf.
Siguiendo su misión, de crear una experiencia exclusiva para sus visitantes, respetando los tesoros naturales de la República Dominicana, Corales ha sido diseñado con sistemas de riego que ahorran agua y extensos sistemas de drenaje. “Como en todo lo que hacemos, queríamos asegurar que la construcción de Corales no perturbara el medio ambiente de la zona”, dijo Rainieri. “Cuando empezamos a desarrollar Puntacana Resort & Club hace 40 años, el concepto de ‘desarrollo sostenible’ aún no existía. Tomamos todas nuestras decisiones en base al sentido común, nuestros recursos limitados y un profundo respeto hacía la República Dominicana, su gente y sus increíbles recursos naturales. Mantenemos este compromiso en cada decisión que tomamos”.
Puntacana Resort & Club ya cuenta con el Campo de Golf La Cana, diseñado por P.B. Dye, inaugurado en el 2001 y el primero en todo el Caribe en utilizar el hibrido paspalum. Un segundo diseño de P. B. Dye, Hacienda, está programado para finalizarse en el 2011.
Acerca de Corales
·Seis hoyos al borde del mar
·Los hoyos 16, 17 y 18 se conocen como “El Codo Del Diablo”
·Grama vanguardista paspalum supreme
·Cinco o más tees de salida en cada hoyo
·El sistema de riego ahorra agua y los sistemas extensivos de drenaje y manejo de agua son sensibles al medio ambiente
·Entorno espectacular de la Casa Club con vista a la Bahía de Corales
·Excepcional área de práctica y centro de entrenamiento
·Jardines diseñados por el famoso paisajista español Jesús Ibañez
Acerca de PUNTACANA Resort & Club
El desarrollo del Grupo PUNTACANA tuvo sus inicios en 1969 cuando el empresario dominicano Frank R. Rainieri y Theodore W. Kheel, eminente abogado mediador sindical de New York, crearon una alianza para construir un complejo turístico que incluiría comunidades residenciales privadas que respetarían el entorno natural de Punta Cana, ofreciendo a la vez, una experiencia vacacional de calidad mundial. Manteniendo su compromiso con el turismo sostenible, Puntacana Resort & Club ha crecido cubriendo más de 26 millas cuadradas que hoy incluyen Tortuga Bay, Six Senses Spa, la Fundación Ecológica Puntacana, cuatro comunidades residenciales (Corales, Hacienda, Marina y Arrecife), una marina de servicio completo, nueve restaurantes, una galería comercial, dos campos de golf de 18 hoyos y el Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta Cana, una instalación moderna que incorpora diseños innovadores y respetuosos del medio ambiente. En 1997 Julio Iglesias y Oscar de la Renta se integraron al Grupo Puntacana como co-inversionistas y fijaron su residencia en Puntacana Resort & Club. Actualmente Punta Cana es el destino más visitado del Caribe y con fácil acceso desde cualquier parte del mundo gracias al Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta Cana.Posted by Public Relations at 12:42 PM
April 19, 2010
PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB OPENS SPECTACULAR NEW TOM FAZIO DESIGNED GOLF COURSE
New Corales Golf Course makes PCRC the Caribbean’s Premier Golf and Beach Resort destination
NEW YORK, NY (April 16 2010) — PUNTACANA Resort & Club, today announces the highly anticipated opening of their Corales Golf Course. The course, begun in 2006, took 3 years to build, and is already slated to become one of the world’s top ten courses. Corales, set between rocky cliffs, coral reefs and the expansive Caribbean Sea, is the latest championship course by the internationally acclaimed designer Tom Fazio. Its addition to the already extensive golf offerings at the PUNTACANA Resort & Club will make PCRC the Caribbean’s premier golf and beach resort.
“Corales encompasses a dramatic blend of captivating vistas, ocean cliff-side holes, rolling inland terrain and salt-water lakefront green sites, as well as with a memorable mix of variety and strategy,” says Fazio. “With a variety of short and long holes, holes playing into the breeze as well as downwind and a tremendous mixture of visual elements, playing Corales will be an experience to remember, and is sure to set the new standard of quality golf in the Dominican Republic”.
The course is as challenging as it is visually stunning. Six of the eighteen holes are oceanfront, including the final three which were designed to test golfers’ skills while giving them stunning panoramic views. The landscapes were crafted by world renowned Spanish landscape designer Jesus Ibañez. The exhilarating course culminates in the picturesque eighteenth hole, designed in tandem between Fazio and PUNTACANA Resort & Club CEO and co-founder Frank Rainieri. “We are extremely proud of our Corales course. The 18th hole was designed to be something unique and very special,” said Frank Rainieri. “We wanted to present players with the ultimate challenge while incorporating our beautiful natural landscape.” “I have had the opportunity to be involved with many great golf course properties, and the 18th hole at Corales is certainly one of the most challenging and exciting finishes I’ve ever created,” Fazio said.
The course will be officially inaugurated in April with ceremonies and celebrations at the club and resort. Membership will be reserved exclusively for residents of the world-class Corales real estate community in PUNTACANA Resort & Club, current residents of which include Oscar de la Renta, Julio Iglesias and Bunny Williams. Select membership will be granted to a limited number of additional applicants. Only 126 home sites will be available within this select neighborhood, with many of the homes overlooking Tom Fazio’s masterpiece.
In addition to the Corales Golf Course, the Corales Golf Club is now open, featuring a terrace lounge with views over the course and a golf shop.
Following PUNTACANA’s goal of creating an exclusive guest experience while also respecting the national treasures of the Dominican Republic, Corales was designed with water-saving irrigation and extensive draining systems. “As in everything we do, we wanted to make sure that the construction of Corales did not disrupt the surrounding environment, “Rainieri said. “When we began to develop the PUNTACANA Resort & Club over 40 years ago, the concept of “sustainable development” didn’t yet exist. We made all of our important decisions based on commonsense, our limited resources, and a deep respect for the Dominican Republic, its people, and it’s incredible natural resources. We continue to have this mentality with every decision we make.”
PUNTACANA Resort & Club is already home to the P.B. Dye-designed La Cana Golf Course, which opened in 2001, and was the first course in the Caribbean to use paspalum. Another Dye-design, Hacienda, is scheduled to open in late 2010.
About Corales
·Six waterfront golf holes
·16th, 17th and 18 holes are known as the “El Codo Del Diablo”, The Devil’s Elbow
·State-of-the-art paspalum supreme turfgrass
·Five or more teeing areas on every hole
·Water-saving irrigation and extensive environmentally sensitive drainage and water management
·Spectacular clubhouse setting overlooking the Bay of Corales
·Exceptional spacious practice area and training center with multiple tees and practice greens.
·Landscaped by world renowned Spanish landscape designer, Jesus Ibañez
About PUNTACANA Resort & Club
The development of Grupo PUNTACANA dates back to 1969 when Dominican businessman Frank R. Rainieri and Theodore W. Kheel, the prominent New York attorney and labor mediator, created a partnership to construct a resort and real estate community that respects the natural habitat of Punta Cana while offering a world-class vacation experience. Maintaining a dedication to sustainable tourism, PUNTACANA Resort & Club has since grown to encompass over 26 square miles and now includes Tortuga Bay; Six Senses Spa; the PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation; four residential communities (Corales, Hacienda, Marina and Arrecife); a full-service marina; nine restaurants; a shopping village; two 18-hole golf courses; and Punta Cana International Airport, a modern facility that incorporates innovative and eco-friendly design. In 1997, Julio Iglesias and Oscar de la Renta joined the Group as co-investors and have made PUNTACANA Resort & Club their home. Currently, Punta Cana is the most highly visited Caribbean destination and is easily accessible from all over the globe. Posted by Public Relations at 12:33 PM
April 19, 2010
La Cana Notification / Notificación La Cana
We would like to inform all our homeowners that La Cana will be performing routine airification this month starting on the 25th. For the first 6 days, 9 holes will be available for play and 18 after that, although not in optimum conditions. This process is necessary in order to maintain the course in the beautiful conditions you are now enjoying.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you require any additional information and we apologize for any inconveniences this might cause you.
Best regards,
La Cana Administration
Quisiéramos informar a todos nuestros propietarios que a partir del día 25 de este mes, La Cana estará llevando a cabo una aerificación de rutina. Para los primeros 6 días, 9 hoyos estarán disponibles y luego de esto los 18 hoyos estarán abiertos, aunque no estarán en optimas condiciones. Este proceso es necesario para mantener el campo en la bella condición en que se encuentra actualmente.
No dude en comunicarse con nosotros si requiere de alguna información adicional y pedimos disculpas por cualquier molestia esto pueda causarle.
Atentos saludos,
Administración de La Cana Posted by Public Relations at 5:28 AM
April 09, 2010
Camp Bamboo
Posted by Public Relations at 7:44 AM
April 08, 2010
Programa de Salud Natural / Natural Health Program
Posted by Public Relations at 3:13 PM
April 07, 2010
Owner's Weekend July 2010
Posted by Public Relations at 11:04 AM
April 07, 2010
Notificación Casa Club / Casa Club Notification
Estimados visitantes y propietarios,
Le comunicamos que en el día de mañana jueves 08 de abril el área de la piscina en Casa Club estará cerrada por la realización de un evento privado en horas de la noche pero por el montaje que requiere se necesita la disponibilidad de esta área completamente despejada. La misma podrá ser utilizada el viernes en su horario de costumbre. Las demás áreas de servicio estarán disponibles en sus horarios regulares.
De igual manera, aprovechamos para informarles que el Viernes 09 de Abril se estará llevando a cabo el Glow Tournament con una cena de cierre, por lo cual, el bar Los Plátanos hoyo 19 cerrará a las 6 PM, para la realización del montaje de esta actividad.
Anticipamos su cooperación y agradecemos su comprensión.
Cordialmente,
Carolina Jones
Gerente General
La Cana Club House
Dear Visitors & Owners,
Please be informed that On Thursday April 09th, the pool area will be closed due to a private event that will take place in that area during the evening; all other areas remains open and with their regular schedule. The pool area will be re-open on Friday.
Allow us to take the opportunity to communicate that on Friday April 09th, there will be a Golf Tournament during the evening– Glow Tournament and due to an after celebration dinner, Los Platanos Bar 19th hole will be closed at 6pm for set up.
Thanks for your support and understanding.
Affably,
Carolina Jones
General Manager
La Cana Club HousePosted by Public Relations at 7:01 AM
April 28, 2010
Punta Cana - New Golf Course, Timeless Style
This month, I headed down to Punta Cana, an elite, glamorous, privately owned resort destination in the Dominican Republic for the launch of their new oceanside golf course: Corales. I had the privilege of staying in a PUNTACANA Resort & Club Tortuga Bay villa designed by Oscar de la Renta (above, see gallery for a peek inside), and even meeting Mr. De la Renta himself at his private Punta Cana home -- which was imaginatively designed and definitely curated with a touch of genius; more on that later.Though I'm not much of a golfer, I was immediately issued my very own golf cart at Tortuga Bay and a parking space at my villa, as well as a splendid yellow bicycle for getting around the extensive resort grounds. Daily trips to various restaurants on the property and the discovery of natural springs and hidden beaches made the experience somewhat like living on your very own small island and having full rights to explore. There's plenty to do in Punta Cana for non-golfers, from kiteboarding to Segway tours (which I did for the first time and now totally understand what the fuss is all about -- those things are fun!). There's a Six Senses spa, tennis, and a lot of great food, as well as pools and white sandy beaches as far as the eye can see. If you happen to stay at PUNTACANA Resort & Club, you'll even get special, VIP treatment at the airport, the kind where you don't have to wait in any lines, as the resort actually owns the airport.
When I attended the launch of Corales, which was hosted by various Punta Cana officials as well as Oscar de la Renta, Tom Fazio, the designer, and the president of the Dominican Republic himself (who is charming), I was more than impressed by the overwhelming beauty of the course. We sat in an intimate ocean view pavilion right on the green as everyone gave speeches and a Catholic priest blessed the course. The residents of Punta Cana wore white almost universally, which is the custom not only for public events but for every day. Another thing I noticed is that though the weather is hot, they drink red wine, even at lunch. It turns out that a light bodied red pairs quite marvelously with traditional shrimp ceviche and conch salad, both of which were rampantly available. But I digress.
Corales took three years to build, though Fazio commented at the launch that "Mother Nature had already designed six holes." "I never thought we'd have this many holes right here on the ocean," he continued, noting that Punta Cana was host to many unexpected pleasures, such as riding to the hotel from the airport in a golf cart. There are six holes on the oceanfront, where you are surrounded by cliffs and crashing waves. The well-renowned La Cana course nearby is reportedly more challenging, but there is no match for Corales' beauty, and the eighteenth hole was designed to be "unique and special." It completes the "El Codo Del Diablo," or "Devil's Elbow" created by the final three holes. Fazio calls it "one of the most challenging and exciting finishes I've ever created." Membership to the Corales Golf Course and Golf Club is granted exclusively for residents of the community (such as De la Renta, Julio Iglesias, Bunny Williams), but visitors are of course welcomed at a price determined by where you are staying.After El Tee Off (yes, they called it that), we dined at Playa Blanca, a thatched-roofed restaurant right on the beach with excellent food. Having visited many Caribbean destinations, I feel confident saying that in Punta Cana, the cravings we landlocked folks get when we visit the sea are impeccably well-met. As for drinks, the best I found in the resort were at La Cana Clubhouse, easily accessed with your bicycle or golf cart. The Passion Fruit Caipirinhas at Bamboo are also commendable. And you can drink them in a romantic jacuzzi.
While I wouldn't be so brash as to post photos of the inside of Oscar de la Renta's private home, I can certainly tell you about its design. The exterior of the house is all but swallowed in green ivy and looks like something out of a fairy-tale.The home is comprised of expansive pale stone rooms decorated cozily in warm reds and browns with eclectic accents like bird cages and blue china trinkets, bringing comfort to the stark rectangular spaces and wide columns. There are tons and tons of books. In a guest bedroom, books were literally stacked all over the desk. Mr. De la Renta and his wife actually change the selection of books in their guestrooms to suit the guests they are hosting, so if you ever happen to get invited to stay at their house, be sure and take note of what books are in your room -- that's what they think of you. There were three lovely dogs in the house, one named Olive for Abigail Breslin's character in Little Miss Sunshine, and Mr. De la Renta wore fine white linen, the customary Punta Cana attire. He told me that he travels with virtually nothing; he keeps clothes appropriate to each climate in his various homes. While I didn't see the whole house, I'm certain the rest of it carried on with the madcap charm; fabulous art, strange conversation pieces, walls lined with paintings of birds and elaborate rocking chairs. Even if you don't get to visit Oscar de la Renta's mansion or stay in one of the villas he designed, a trip to Punta Cana is likely to be unforgettably beautiful. If the natural beauty of the land -- well cared for by their Ecological Foundation -- doesn't win your heart, the fresh food and abundance of leisure activities will. I was worried one might have to be an avid golfer to truly appreciate Punta Cana, but that's simply not the case. There are many resort choices for couples and families, from Club Med to Iberostar, and there is plenty to do.My trip to Punta Cana was sponsored by PUNTACANA Resort & Club, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.
by Annie Scott (RSS feed) Apr 28th 2010 at 10:02AM
by Annie Scott (RSS feed) Apr 28th 2010 at 10:02AM
Posted by Public Relations at 9:15 AM
April 27, 2010
Owner's Weekend 2010
Posted by Public Relations at 1:57 PM
April 27, 2010
CARIBBEAN HOTEL & TOURISM INVESTMENT CONFERENCE
Posted by Public Relations at 9:47 AM
April 26, 2010
PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB’S FRANK & HAYDEE RAINIERI TO RECEIVE ‘BILL BISSELL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference Takes Place In Puerto Rico, May 4-6, 2010
CORAL GABLES, FL (April 12, 2010) – It is with great pleasure that the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) will recognize the accomplishments of Frank and Haydee Rainieri of Puntacana Resort & Club, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with the Bill Bissell Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be presented on May 5 at the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC 2010) in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Bill Bissell Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals who have made a difference in the industry through their actions, contributions and great lifetime accomplishments in the Caribbean and beyond.
“Frank and Haydee’s impact on Caribbean tourism – as well as their work on sustainability issues, social reform and education – is well known and is deserving of the entire region’s respect,” said Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, President of CHTA.
“As a fellow Dominican, however, I feel a special affinity for the Rainieris as they’ve played an integral role in shaping the Dominican Republic into one of the Caribbean’s premiere tourism destinations with Puntacana Resort & Club remaining one of our country’s most notable luxury resorts,” added De Marchena.
“The Caribbean owes a huge debt of gratitude to Frank Rainieri who founded the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) and served as our chairman for the first several years,” said Sir Royston O. Hopkin, KCMG, CAST’s current chairman.“Likewise, Haydee is a distinguished ambassador of Caribbean tourism and an outspoken advocate on numerous issues central to our development and social progress,” noted Hopkin.
“Working alongside the Rainieris has been a pleasure.”Frank Rainieri is a renowned leader and visionary in the Dominican Republic and the Greater Caribbean. He is credited with pioneering the Punta Cana region’s tourism product and developing Puntacana Resort & Club from 10 small bungalows in 1971 into one of the most exclusive and elegant tourist retreats in present day Dominican Republic.
Posted by Public Relations at 12:06 PM
April 26, 2010
Island Living—And A Little Golfing—With Oscar De La Renta
Don’t let the thatched airport fool you. There’s nothing shoddy or shabby about Punta Cana, the tony resort community on the eastern end of the Dominican Republic, home to one of the DR’s most famous sons, Oscar de la Renta. That airport? The oldest privately owned airport in the world, as it happens. And Punta Cana—formerly a scrubby, inhospitable bit of island paradise—has been remade over the past 40 years as an epicenter of beachfront luxury. You don’t wind up with the Caribbean’s only direct flight from Moscow for a sliver of sand and so-so accommodations.
The latest addition to the island’s attractions, the new Corales Golf Course, was inaugurated last week. Señor de la Renta was on hand for its christening, an event even President Leonel Fernández Reyna fit into his schedule. (Albeit about 45 minutes late. “Our president is not an early riser,” quipped one stylish Dominicana regarding the 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting. That’s the tardy president, center, with de la Renta, right.)
Corales itself is a golfer’s dream green, designed by the legendary course designer Tom Fazio and with a good claim to be the best in the Caribbean. Its most famous fan, Mikhail Baryshnikov, owns a house on the property and is frequently spotted in his beat-up golf cart. His neighbors are no less notable: Julio Iglesias, de la Renta, interior designer Bunny Williams. The night before the course’s inauguration, de la Renta threw a fête for a few fabulous attendees, James and Gina de Givenchy among them. We were welcomed to his stately beachfront home, with towering walls of coral limestone, lined with books and Grecian vases. The designer himself appeared bronzed and stately in monogrammed (”OR,” for the curious) white linen. The following day, at el tee-off, he would praise the way Corales’ designers “managed to capture and pay homage to the beauty of the land.” But Don Oscar himself, it turns out, is more a dominoes player than a linksman. (He plays a daily 5:30 game, not with the social set but with the locals—his chief of security; the chief of police.) At home among friends and admirers, standing on a high terrace overlooking nothing but barely rippling water and the Dominican Republic’s famously white sand, de la Renta leaned forward candidly and acknowledged with a smile, “I don’t really play golf.” Hard to blame him. However great the holes, they’d be hard-pressed to compare with the view.
Matthew Schneier
Posted by Public Relations at 8:38 AM
April 26, 2010
La Cana Notification / Notificación La Cana
PRESS CLICK
Posted by Public Relations at 5:35 AM
April 23, 2010
Last Day in Paradise
On our final full day in Punta Cana, we had a leisurely morning, then headed off to tour the ecological center at around 10. We saw huts full of worms and beehives taken from the homes of Julio Iglesias and Oscar de la Renta. They have a lot of bees. The eco center is doing lots of interesting things to make Punta Cana eco friendly, and even enlisting the help of students from Harvard to get fresh, new ideas.
After that we had some lunch at La Cana clubhouse, and I became the mayor of Punta Cana on Foursquare. Then, a Segway tour! I was a Segway virgin until this, and now I know what all the fuss is about! It was madly entertaining. It was like being a robot, or being in a video game. I wish I had a Segway in New York. I would ride it everywhere, weather permitting. I'd find a way to attend all meetings via Central Park and zip to work like a Roomba.
After that, I had an oriental scalp massage at the Six Senses Spa, which I would highly recommend. I had my head rubbed, scratched, squeezed and knocked upon. I can only see the color orange now (false), but I enjoyed it.Following the spa, we had passion fruit caipirinhas in the tepid tub (regrettably not at all hot) and then dressed for dinner at Playa Blanca, which was an all-out Dominican Party! Traditional food, fresh coconuts spiked with rum, and silly hats abounded. From there, we headed to the birthday party of one of our hosts. It was insanity -- not the birthday, but the number of jello shots we had!
We went back to someone's villa to party some more after that, and found that the hotel had drawn each of us lovely, candlelit baths. Mine was decked in flower petals.
Sadly, Morrie was gone. Anyhow, tomorrow is the flight home. What a wonderful trip it's been.
Next up: Austin!
Posted by Annie Danger Scott
Posted by Public Relations at 9:10 AM
April 23, 2010
Day one: Where I get to play on golf carts…
Yesterday afternoon was un-seasonally overcast, so I succumbed to the siren call of my golf cart, and went off exploring.
As regular readers know, I do love bicycles and these ones parked outside our villa are splendid:
But I just can’t tear myself away from my golf cart, which is enormous fun to drive down the Puntacana resort’s (of which Tortuga Bay is part) paved paths & sandy tracks.
Some of which lead to seemingly endless stretches of deserted white sand.
I’ve not had much time alone to think over the past few months and it’s been glorious just being able to empty my head, & properly address my future.
Posted by Public Relations at 8:56 AM
April 23, 2010
Thursdays with Morrie
There is a small lizard who lives in my bathroom. I like him. I get nervous about spiders, bugs and snakes, but lizards are A-O-K by me. He has a lively little tail he curls and thrashes and I have named him Morrie, since I first got to know him while taking a bath on Thursday. Thursdays with Morrie.I don't want to write too much about the inauguration of the golf course; that's what I'm covering here in Punta Cana, so that'll be on one of them other blogs for whom I write. I did get to meet the president of the Dominican Republic. He was cordial and charismatic, as one might expect. He looks you in the eye. He is followed constantly by men with enormous guns.
After the inauguration, the golfers golfed and the rest of us (many of the twenty-two of us don't golf, thank goodness) went to the beach. Unfortunately, it was cloudy, but it was soooo pretty. Shallow. I found a big conch shell. I left it there. Also, we ate at Playa Blanca, which I highly recommend. It was so beautiful there and the ceviche was divine.
I love ceviche with all my heart. They serve a lot of it here, and fresh conch salad, too. Those are really the only two things I want when I'm down here. Caribbean food win.
So, it was a day of relaxation and almost riding a Segway. There are Segway tours, but the guide was gone. Oh well. We went swimming in a natural spring (below).
Dinner was at La Cana clubhouse (top photo) and again, the food was delicious. Afterward, everything closed pretty quickly so a few of us went and partied in someone's villa. We drank wine from Kansas (a journalist brought it from his hometown) and Dominican rum -- which, due to my Barbados trip, I now prefer to drink with just water. It's like I'm growing up.Conclusion: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is great for food and lizards.
Posted by Annie Danger Scott
Posted by Public Relations at 8:43 AM
April 23, 2010
Two Lobsters and a Steak
Hello, friends, I am in Punta Cana. I am here, sponsored by the PUNTACANA resort, to witness the inauguration of their Corales Golf Course, which will happen tomorrow. Apparently, the president of the Dominican Republic and Julio Iglesias will be there. You may choose one, both, or neither to get excited about.Personally, I was excited because today, I got to meet Oscar de la Renta. Not only that, but I attended a cocktail party at his house. The house is OUT of control gorgeous and decorated immaculately. He says he and his wife did it all. I believe him.
I chatted briefly with Mr. De la Renta about various things. One that struck my fancy was that his friendly, calm dog is named Olive -- after Abigail Breslin's character in Little Miss Sunshine. Oscar de la Renta, could you be any more charming?
After the cocktail party, we had an extravagant dinner at La Yola. The food was excellent. We had a set menu, so I didn't do any ordering, and I walked out thinking I had had two lobsters and a steak for my entree (decadent, much?). Turns out they were actually giant prawns. I feel a little bad about that. They must have been pretty old prawns to get that big (like a foot+ each), and I ate TWO of them, AND A STEAK for just one little meal. Possible karma deductions are in progress.
One of the most exciting things about this trip is that I am staying in a fabulous, Oscar de la Renta -designed, Tortuga Bay Villa. Not only that, but I'm supposed to share the enormous, diner-sized common room area with a journalist whose room would is on the other side of the villa, but she missed her flight! This ocean view, ginormous villa is all mine.
Unexpected score.Also "all mine" is a golf cart. I was issued keys to this along with my room key. My golf cart is #31, and driving it makes me feel immensely badass. So far, I have taken it everywhere, even to things within walking distance. This is the first time a resort has entrusted me with my very own motor vehicle. I may go mad with power.
So, basically, today was awesome. I'll be here through Sunday. I'll schedule these updates for the correct dates, but unfortunately, the internet in my villa is not so good and I can't access my blogging site, so this may not be real-time. This is me, almost unplugged.
Posted by Annie Danger Scott
http://www.anniescottexperience.com/2010/04/two-lobsters-and-steak.html
Posted by Public Relations at 8:30 AM
April 23, 2010
For the bees - Puntacana's unexpected practice of beekeeping
Last week, I visited Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and was delighted to discover they had a large Ecological Reserve, where they do research into ways the resort can be more environmentally friendly. The Punta Cana Ecological Foundation has a number of unusual projects including recycling water, using worms to compost their trash and they've even enlisted the minds of students from Harvard to help them develop new ideas for greener properties. I toured their facility and was especially impressed (and terrified) when we arrived at the site above: the bees.
No, they didn't just give the hives cute names; those hives house bees that were taken from the Punta Cana homes of Oscar de la Renta (I understand the bees invaded his wife's bathroom) and Julio Iglesias (who allegedly discovered honey dripping from his ceiling). Rather than exterminate their unwanted pests, Punta Cana encourages its residents to let their hives be removed by the Ecological Foundation, who keeps them and will even gift donors with fresh honey from their very own hives.
As we wandered the area covered with plants intended just for the bees, I talked with Jake Kheel, the Environmental Director, about how the beekeeping works and why they do it. However, as I mentioned, I was terrified -- so I emailed him these questions later when I got my breath back.
Gadling: So, tell us why you've created these homes for bees, rather than exterminating them.
Jake Kheel: Bees are important pollinators in nature and if managed properly can be quite profitable by producing honey, pollen, royal jelly and other related products, as well as providing important pollination to local plants, vegetables, etc. We thought managing the bees to our mutual benefit made more sense than exterminating them.
G: How many do you have?
JK: We currently have 140 colonies in 5 different sites around our property. Since each colony can have around 20,000 - 40,000 worker bees alone, conservatively, we have around 2.8 million bees in our apiaries.
G: What are the colonies like? How do you keep the bees there?
JK: The bees will stay in the bee boxes as long as the queen bee is there, they can find enough food, and don't have too many pests or predators. Our job is to make sure the bees have all their needs covered so they can do their work and produce the products we are interested in. Each colony has at least one box on the bottom level with an entrance and an exit and nine separators with wax sheets where they can make honey combs and deposit eggs and honey inside. The second and third and sometimes fourth level boxes are separated by a thin plastic sheet that the drones and queens can't pass through. This is to make sure they don't lay eggs in the honey we want to extract and only consume from the bottom box. We only harvest honey from the boxes that the queen and drone cannot access, to make sure they always have enough food.
G: And you sell the honey, right?
JK: We produced 370 gallons last year and sold all of it. We also have an agreement with another local producer of organic honey that supplements our production. We are currently selling the honey at the airport, at our hotels, at our shop, our Farmer's Market on Saturdays and soon to a local tour operator.
G: Can we buy Oscar de la Renta honey?
JK: Technically, yes! We have several colonies that came from Oscar de la Renta's and Julio Iglesias' houses. When we extract the honey we plan to sell, all the honey is mixed together to make the process more efficient. So, technically speaking, almost all of our honey has some of Oscar's and Julio's honey in it!
My trip to Punta Cana was sponsored by PUNTACANA Resort & Club, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.
Jake Kheel: Bees are important pollinators in nature and if managed properly can be quite profitable by producing honey, pollen, royal jelly and other related products, as well as providing important pollination to local plants, vegetables, etc. We thought managing the bees to our mutual benefit made more sense than exterminating them.
G: How many do you have?
JK: We currently have 140 colonies in 5 different sites around our property. Since each colony can have around 20,000 - 40,000 worker bees alone, conservatively, we have around 2.8 million bees in our apiaries.
G: What are the colonies like? How do you keep the bees there?
JK: The bees will stay in the bee boxes as long as the queen bee is there, they can find enough food, and don't have too many pests or predators. Our job is to make sure the bees have all their needs covered so they can do their work and produce the products we are interested in. Each colony has at least one box on the bottom level with an entrance and an exit and nine separators with wax sheets where they can make honey combs and deposit eggs and honey inside. The second and third and sometimes fourth level boxes are separated by a thin plastic sheet that the drones and queens can't pass through. This is to make sure they don't lay eggs in the honey we want to extract and only consume from the bottom box. We only harvest honey from the boxes that the queen and drone cannot access, to make sure they always have enough food.
G: And you sell the honey, right?
JK: We produced 370 gallons last year and sold all of it. We also have an agreement with another local producer of organic honey that supplements our production. We are currently selling the honey at the airport, at our hotels, at our shop, our Farmer's Market on Saturdays and soon to a local tour operator.
G: Can we buy Oscar de la Renta honey?
JK: Technically, yes! We have several colonies that came from Oscar de la Renta's and Julio Iglesias' houses. When we extract the honey we plan to sell, all the honey is mixed together to make the process more efficient. So, technically speaking, almost all of our honey has some of Oscar's and Julio's honey in it!
My trip to Punta Cana was sponsored by PUNTACANA Resort & Club, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.
by Annie Scott (RSS feed)
Posted by Public Relations at 7:29 AM
April 23, 2010
Tee Time with Oscar de la Renta
Generally, no one wants to be the first guest to walk into a cocktail party. But imagine you’re in the Caribbean, the sky fading to black as a warm breeze makes the palms sway, and as you walk your way up coral-stone steps and into an airy, book-lined parlor, a tall figure turns away from the sea-facing balcony and approaches, impeccably elegant in white linen, his tan a chestnut brown. He extends his hand, and, looking you in the eyes as though he were the one coming to see you, and not vice versa, introduces himself: “Oscar de la Renta.”
In this case, maybe you don’t really mind arriving before everyone else.
Don Oscar, as he’s called in the Dominican Republic, often entertains in his native country, but last week he had a particular, if not particularly glamorous, reason to celebrate: he was inaugurating his new golf course. The designer is the chairman of the board for Grupo Puntacana, the development company responsible for making the D.R. the resort destination it is today. And Corales, Puntacana’s new seaside golf course, is so gorgeous that you can’t help but admire it—even if, like de la Renta, you don’t golf.
His neighbor Mikhail Baryshnikov, on the other hand, is often seen chugging along the fairways in his golf cart. What’s more, he’s got game. “That son of a bitch can drive 170 yards to the same exact spot, every time,” a Grupo Puntacana shareholder related over cocktails on Don Oscar’s porch.
Not so de la Renta, who prefers dominoes (he plays nightly, often with his head of security and the local police chief) and gardening. Otherwise, he’s likely to be selling houseguests on the charms of the eastern section of the Dominican Republic that he’s helped turn into an ultra-chic enclave. In typical fashion, he had a group of friends down from New York—including fashion heirs James and Gina de Givenchy—for the Corales launch.
Society decorator Bunny Williams is one of his converts. She and her husband, John Roselli, even hired de la Renta’s architect. “I never thought I’d build a house in the Dominican Republic, but that place was just too magic,” Williams says. “The weather’s so perfect, you really live outside there. I always say it’s a house of porches. You eat on one side of the house, then the other side—you go where the sun is.”
So do the dogs. Williams has four and de la Renta and his wife, Annette de la Renta, have a half dozen or so. They’re all local rescues, but de la Renta’s looked so saturnine and disengaged as they migrated from one resting place to another during the cocktail party that it was tempting to imagine someone had slipped them some Xanax. Perhaps they’re merely extremely well adapted to a life of luxury.
On Friday, President Leonel Fernandez cut the tape at the inauguration ceremony. The Puntacana Group is a pretty big deal, after all. The airport it built two decades ago is not only the country’s biggest but also the Caribbean’s third busiest, after Cancun and San Juan. (Direct flights from Moscow were just added.) The group’s Puntacana Resort and Club is a luxury-vacation landmark. Also, Julio Iglesias is one of its owners.
The singer didn’t join de la Renta at “el tee-off,” where a priest said a prayer for the golf course. Arguably, Don Oscar’s blessing was worth more.
by Darrell Hartman
April 22, 2010, 1:09 PM
April 22, 2010, 1:09 PM
Posted by Public Relations at 7:04 AM
April 23, 2010
Notificación Playa Blanca / Playa Blanca Notification
Estimados Visitantes/Propietarios,
Les informamos que este viernes 23 de Abril, el restaurante Playa Blanca estará cerrado a partir de la 5pm por un evento privado. El sábado 24 de abril se retoman los servicios en sus horarios regulares.
Gracias por su cooperación.
Amablemente,
Carolina Jones
Gerente General
Casa Club La Cana & Playa Blanca
Amablemente,
Carolina Jones
Gerente General
Casa Club La Cana & Playa Blanca
Dear Visitors/Home Owners,
Please be informed that Friday April 23rd, Playa Blanca Restaurant will be hosting a private dinner, therefore it will be closed from 5pm. On Saturday April 24th, the restaurant will have its regular schedule.
Thank you for your understanding.
Affably,
Carolina Jones
General Manager
La Cana Club House & Playa Blanca
Affably,
Carolina Jones
General Manager
La Cana Club House & Playa Blanca
Posted by Public Relations at 5:43 AM
April 20, 2010
A new must see golf destination
Golfers will forever enjoy the sensation of discovering that “new golf destination”. A recent trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic provided that experience for me. Situated on the eastern tip of the D.R., Punta Cana Resort & Club is entirely master planned. In recent years it has become popular as a destination of choice for many of the “all inclusive” resorts. These resorts, for the most part are situated to the north of the Punta Cana airport and offer various levels of service and price points.
For golfers however, the Punta Cana Resort & Club is the jewel to be discovered. When you scratch below the surface there are a multitude of fascinating storylines that emerge; the purchase of 30 square miles of jungle in 1969 with no road access, the commitment of the owners to improve their country through tourism, the sustainable tourism plans they have adopted, the rerouting of an international airport runway to enhance a golf experience, an airport arrival and departure process which is far from the ordinary, and a hotel experience at the very highest level.
The airport is owned by the same company who own the new Tom Fazio course, Corales and the Tortuga Bay hotel. They seamlessly blend together their businesses to ultimately deliver a memorable and unique product. The Punta Cana airport is the third busiest in the Caribbean and enjoys scheduled service from most major East Coast U.S. cities plus London, Frankfurt, Moscow, etc. As a guest of Tortuga Bay, as you deplane you are met by a hotel representative and whisked thru the arrival formalities via VIP lanes. Luggage is delivered and you are quickly sitting in a hotel vehicle for the 5 minute ride to the hotel. Tortuga Bay has only 30 suites in 13 villas alongside the beach. It is charming and comfortable with a superb staff.
The original golf course is La Cana, built by P.B. Dye in 2000. It has three holes played directly alongside the beach and is a very enjoyable course. Officially opened this month, the Corales course by Tom Fazio is a solid Fazio design. It can be safely discussed in the same conversation with Eagle Point, Calusa Pines or Caves Valley. Tom has delivered a fine course to the owners. From a conditioning standpoint, it is equal to his U.S. projects and given the commitment of the ownership, I believe that shall remain true over time. P.B. Dye is in the process of building the Hacienda course across the street from La Cana and it is scheduled to open either late 2010 or more likely 2011. I drove 9 holes with P.B. this past weekend and it certainly appears that it will be a fine test of golf. The current plan calls for the original La Cana course to be refurbished once Hacienda is open. Therefore, some time in 2012 they should have 3 very strong courses within 5 mins of a world class hotel and 5 minutes from a superior airport. A golfers dream!
Away from golf, they have a Six Senses Spa (the first in North America) with staff from Thailand. My wife, as a bit of a spa junkie and connoisseur was thoroughly impressed with the experience.
The departure experience at the airport was equally special, with VIP lines, lounges and for icing on the cake, a golf cart to the steps of your scheduled aircraft. It did not go unnoticed that they are re-routing the airport runway by what looked like 30 degrees to avoid overflight of the new Fazio Course and adjacent homesites…that is impressive!
If you are seeking a warm weather destination that is luxurious yet unpretentious, with excellent golf, spa and dining opportunities, I think you will not be disappointed in Tortuga Bay. I know I shall be returning and hope to see you there!
by Gordon Dalgleish on April 19, 2010
http://www.perrygolf.com/blog/2010/04/19/a-new-must-see-golf-destination/
Posted by Public Relations at 1:56 PM
April 20, 2010
Corales Golf Course Inauguration / Ignauguración del Campo de Golf Corales
Posted by Public Relations at 8:48 AM
April 19, 2010
PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB INAUGURA SU ESPECTACULAR CAMPO DE GOLF DISEÑADO POR TOM FAZIO
Con el nuevo Campo de Golf Corales, Puntacana Resort & Club se convierte en el Destino más importante de Golf y Playa del Caribe
Punta Cana, R.D. (16 abril 2010) — Puntacana Resort & Club anuncia hoy la esperada apertura oficial de su nuevo campo de golf, Corales. Este campo, cuya construcción inició en el 2006, tomó tres años en terminarse y desde ya está destinado a convertirse en uno de los diez mejores del mundo. Corales, situado entre acantilados rocosos, arrecifes de coral y el amplio mar Caribe, es el más reciente campo de golf de campeonato creado por el aclamado diseñador Tom Fazio. Su incorporación a la ya extensa oferta de golf en Puntacana Resort & Club convertirá a este complejo turístico en el principal destino de golf y playa del Caribe.
Punta Cana, R.D. (16 abril 2010) — Puntacana Resort & Club anuncia hoy la esperada apertura oficial de su nuevo campo de golf, Corales. Este campo, cuya construcción inició en el 2006, tomó tres años en terminarse y desde ya está destinado a convertirse en uno de los diez mejores del mundo. Corales, situado entre acantilados rocosos, arrecifes de coral y el amplio mar Caribe, es el más reciente campo de golf de campeonato creado por el aclamado diseñador Tom Fazio. Su incorporación a la ya extensa oferta de golf en Puntacana Resort & Club convertirá a este complejo turístico en el principal destino de golf y playa del Caribe.
“Corales abarca un conjunto dramático de vistas cautivantes, hoyos laterales en los acantilados oceánicos, terrenos ondulados y greens al borde de un lago de agua salada, además de una mezcla memorable de variedad y estrategia,” comenta Fazio. “Con una diversidad de hoyos cortos y largos, jugados tanto contra la brisa como con el viento a favor y una impresionante diversidad de elementos visuales, jugar en Corales será una experiencia insuperable que garantiza la instauración de un nuevo estándar de golf en la República Dominicana”.
Los jardines de este campo fueron creados por el mundialmente famoso paisajista español, Jesús Ibáñez. Además de su impacto visual, este campo de golf ofrece un verdadero desafío a los jugadores. Seis de sus dieciocho hoyos están al borde del mar y los últimos tres fueron diseñados para ser un auténtico reto a la destreza del golfista. El campo culmina con un imponente hoyo dieciocho, diseñado conjuntamente entre Fazio y el presidente y co-fundador de Puntacana Resort & Club, Frank Rainieri. “Estamos sumamente orgullosos de nuestro campo de golf Corales. El hoyo 18 se diseñó para ser algo único y muy especial”, explicó Frank Rainieri. “Queríamos presentar a los jugadores el máximo desafío, incorporando nuestro hermoso paisaje natural.” “He tenido la oportunidad de estar vinculado a excelentes campos de golf y sin duda puedo decir que el hoyo 18 de Corales es uno de los hoyos finales más desafiantes y emocionantes que he creado,” declaró Fazio.
El campo de golf se inaugurará oficialmente el 16 abril con ceremonias y celebraciones en el resort. La membresía se reservará exclusivamente para los residentes de Corales - la comunidad inmobiliaria de calidad mundial en Puntacana Resort & Club. Entre los residentes actuales se encuentran: Oscar de la Renta, Julio Iglesias y Bunny Williams. Además, se reservarán membrecías adicionales para un número selecto y limitado de solicitantes. Así mismo, sólo estarán disponibles 126 lotes dentro de este exclusivo vecindario donde la mayoría de las residencias disfrutarán de vistas a esta obra maestra de Tom Fazio. Además del Campo de Golf Corales, está el Club de Golf Corales que consta de bar, terraza con vistas al campo de golf y tienda pro-golf.
Siguiendo su misión, de crear una experiencia exclusiva para sus visitantes, respetando los tesoros naturales de la República Dominicana, Corales ha sido diseñado con sistemas de riego que ahorran agua y extensos sistemas de drenaje. “Como en todo lo que hacemos, queríamos asegurar que la construcción de Corales no perturbara el medio ambiente de la zona”, dijo Rainieri. “Cuando empezamos a desarrollar Puntacana Resort & Club hace 40 años, el concepto de ‘desarrollo sostenible’ aún no existía. Tomamos todas nuestras decisiones en base al sentido común, nuestros recursos limitados y un profundo respeto hacía la República Dominicana, su gente y sus increíbles recursos naturales. Mantenemos este compromiso en cada decisión que tomamos”.
Puntacana Resort & Club ya cuenta con el Campo de Golf La Cana, diseñado por P.B. Dye, inaugurado en el 2001 y el primero en todo el Caribe en utilizar el hibrido paspalum. Un segundo diseño de P. B. Dye, Hacienda, está programado para finalizarse en el 2011.
Acerca de Corales
·Seis hoyos al borde del mar
·Los hoyos 16, 17 y 18 se conocen como “El Codo Del Diablo”
·Grama vanguardista paspalum supreme
·Cinco o más tees de salida en cada hoyo
·El sistema de riego ahorra agua y los sistemas extensivos de drenaje y manejo de agua son sensibles al medio ambiente
·Entorno espectacular de la Casa Club con vista a la Bahía de Corales
·Excepcional área de práctica y centro de entrenamiento
·Jardines diseñados por el famoso paisajista español Jesús Ibañez
Acerca de PUNTACANA Resort & Club
El desarrollo del Grupo PUNTACANA tuvo sus inicios en 1969 cuando el empresario dominicano Frank R. Rainieri y Theodore W. Kheel, eminente abogado mediador sindical de New York, crearon una alianza para construir un complejo turístico que incluiría comunidades residenciales privadas que respetarían el entorno natural de Punta Cana, ofreciendo a la vez, una experiencia vacacional de calidad mundial. Manteniendo su compromiso con el turismo sostenible, Puntacana Resort & Club ha crecido cubriendo más de 26 millas cuadradas que hoy incluyen Tortuga Bay, Six Senses Spa, la Fundación Ecológica Puntacana, cuatro comunidades residenciales (Corales, Hacienda, Marina y Arrecife), una marina de servicio completo, nueve restaurantes, una galería comercial, dos campos de golf de 18 hoyos y el Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta Cana, una instalación moderna que incorpora diseños innovadores y respetuosos del medio ambiente. En 1997 Julio Iglesias y Oscar de la Renta se integraron al Grupo Puntacana como co-inversionistas y fijaron su residencia en Puntacana Resort & Club. Actualmente Punta Cana es el destino más visitado del Caribe y con fácil acceso desde cualquier parte del mundo gracias al Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta Cana.
Posted by Public Relations at 12:42 PM
April 19, 2010
PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB OPENS SPECTACULAR NEW TOM FAZIO DESIGNED GOLF COURSE
New Corales Golf Course makes PCRC the Caribbean’s Premier Golf and Beach Resort destination
NEW YORK, NY (April 16 2010) — PUNTACANA Resort & Club, today announces the highly anticipated opening of their Corales Golf Course. The course, begun in 2006, took 3 years to build, and is already slated to become one of the world’s top ten courses. Corales, set between rocky cliffs, coral reefs and the expansive Caribbean Sea, is the latest championship course by the internationally acclaimed designer Tom Fazio. Its addition to the already extensive golf offerings at the PUNTACANA Resort & Club will make PCRC the Caribbean’s premier golf and beach resort.
“Corales encompasses a dramatic blend of captivating vistas, ocean cliff-side holes, rolling inland terrain and salt-water lakefront green sites, as well as with a memorable mix of variety and strategy,” says Fazio. “With a variety of short and long holes, holes playing into the breeze as well as downwind and a tremendous mixture of visual elements, playing Corales will be an experience to remember, and is sure to set the new standard of quality golf in the Dominican Republic”.
The course is as challenging as it is visually stunning. Six of the eighteen holes are oceanfront, including the final three which were designed to test golfers’ skills while giving them stunning panoramic views. The landscapes were crafted by world renowned Spanish landscape designer Jesus Ibañez. The exhilarating course culminates in the picturesque eighteenth hole, designed in tandem between Fazio and PUNTACANA Resort & Club CEO and co-founder Frank Rainieri. “We are extremely proud of our Corales course. The 18th hole was designed to be something unique and very special,” said Frank Rainieri. “We wanted to present players with the ultimate challenge while incorporating our beautiful natural landscape.” “I have had the opportunity to be involved with many great golf course properties, and the 18th hole at Corales is certainly one of the most challenging and exciting finishes I’ve ever created,” Fazio said.
The course will be officially inaugurated in April with ceremonies and celebrations at the club and resort. Membership will be reserved exclusively for residents of the world-class Corales real estate community in PUNTACANA Resort & Club, current residents of which include Oscar de la Renta, Julio Iglesias and Bunny Williams. Select membership will be granted to a limited number of additional applicants. Only 126 home sites will be available within this select neighborhood, with many of the homes overlooking Tom Fazio’s masterpiece.
In addition to the Corales Golf Course, the Corales Golf Club is now open, featuring a terrace lounge with views over the course and a golf shop.
NEW YORK, NY (April 16 2010) — PUNTACANA Resort & Club, today announces the highly anticipated opening of their Corales Golf Course. The course, begun in 2006, took 3 years to build, and is already slated to become one of the world’s top ten courses. Corales, set between rocky cliffs, coral reefs and the expansive Caribbean Sea, is the latest championship course by the internationally acclaimed designer Tom Fazio. Its addition to the already extensive golf offerings at the PUNTACANA Resort & Club will make PCRC the Caribbean’s premier golf and beach resort.
“Corales encompasses a dramatic blend of captivating vistas, ocean cliff-side holes, rolling inland terrain and salt-water lakefront green sites, as well as with a memorable mix of variety and strategy,” says Fazio. “With a variety of short and long holes, holes playing into the breeze as well as downwind and a tremendous mixture of visual elements, playing Corales will be an experience to remember, and is sure to set the new standard of quality golf in the Dominican Republic”.
The course is as challenging as it is visually stunning. Six of the eighteen holes are oceanfront, including the final three which were designed to test golfers’ skills while giving them stunning panoramic views. The landscapes were crafted by world renowned Spanish landscape designer Jesus Ibañez. The exhilarating course culminates in the picturesque eighteenth hole, designed in tandem between Fazio and PUNTACANA Resort & Club CEO and co-founder Frank Rainieri. “We are extremely proud of our Corales course. The 18th hole was designed to be something unique and very special,” said Frank Rainieri. “We wanted to present players with the ultimate challenge while incorporating our beautiful natural landscape.” “I have had the opportunity to be involved with many great golf course properties, and the 18th hole at Corales is certainly one of the most challenging and exciting finishes I’ve ever created,” Fazio said.
The course will be officially inaugurated in April with ceremonies and celebrations at the club and resort. Membership will be reserved exclusively for residents of the world-class Corales real estate community in PUNTACANA Resort & Club, current residents of which include Oscar de la Renta, Julio Iglesias and Bunny Williams. Select membership will be granted to a limited number of additional applicants. Only 126 home sites will be available within this select neighborhood, with many of the homes overlooking Tom Fazio’s masterpiece.
In addition to the Corales Golf Course, the Corales Golf Club is now open, featuring a terrace lounge with views over the course and a golf shop.
Following PUNTACANA’s goal of creating an exclusive guest experience while also respecting the national treasures of the Dominican Republic, Corales was designed with water-saving irrigation and extensive draining systems. “As in everything we do, we wanted to make sure that the construction of Corales did not disrupt the surrounding environment, “Rainieri said. “When we began to develop the PUNTACANA Resort & Club over 40 years ago, the concept of “sustainable development” didn’t yet exist. We made all of our important decisions based on commonsense, our limited resources, and a deep respect for the Dominican Republic, its people, and it’s incredible natural resources. We continue to have this mentality with every decision we make.”
PUNTACANA Resort & Club is already home to the P.B. Dye-designed La Cana Golf Course, which opened in 2001, and was the first course in the Caribbean to use paspalum. Another Dye-design, Hacienda, is scheduled to open in late 2010.
About Corales
·Six waterfront golf holes
·16th, 17th and 18 holes are known as the “El Codo Del Diablo”, The Devil’s Elbow
·State-of-the-art paspalum supreme turfgrass
·Five or more teeing areas on every hole
·Water-saving irrigation and extensive environmentally sensitive drainage and water management
·Spectacular clubhouse setting overlooking the Bay of Corales
·Exceptional spacious practice area and training center with multiple tees and practice greens.
·Landscaped by world renowned Spanish landscape designer, Jesus Ibañez
About PUNTACANA Resort & Club
The development of Grupo PUNTACANA dates back to 1969 when Dominican businessman Frank R. Rainieri and Theodore W. Kheel, the prominent New York attorney and labor mediator, created a partnership to construct a resort and real estate community that respects the natural habitat of Punta Cana while offering a world-class vacation experience. Maintaining a dedication to sustainable tourism, PUNTACANA Resort & Club has since grown to encompass over 26 square miles and now includes Tortuga Bay; Six Senses Spa; the PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation; four residential communities (Corales, Hacienda, Marina and Arrecife); a full-service marina; nine restaurants; a shopping village; two 18-hole golf courses; and Punta Cana International Airport, a modern facility that incorporates innovative and eco-friendly design. In 1997, Julio Iglesias and Oscar de la Renta joined the Group as co-investors and have made PUNTACANA Resort & Club their home. Currently, Punta Cana is the most highly visited Caribbean destination and is easily accessible from all over the globe.
PUNTACANA Resort & Club is already home to the P.B. Dye-designed La Cana Golf Course, which opened in 2001, and was the first course in the Caribbean to use paspalum. Another Dye-design, Hacienda, is scheduled to open in late 2010.
About Corales
·Six waterfront golf holes
·16th, 17th and 18 holes are known as the “El Codo Del Diablo”, The Devil’s Elbow
·State-of-the-art paspalum supreme turfgrass
·Five or more teeing areas on every hole
·Water-saving irrigation and extensive environmentally sensitive drainage and water management
·Spectacular clubhouse setting overlooking the Bay of Corales
·Exceptional spacious practice area and training center with multiple tees and practice greens.
·Landscaped by world renowned Spanish landscape designer, Jesus Ibañez
About PUNTACANA Resort & Club
The development of Grupo PUNTACANA dates back to 1969 when Dominican businessman Frank R. Rainieri and Theodore W. Kheel, the prominent New York attorney and labor mediator, created a partnership to construct a resort and real estate community that respects the natural habitat of Punta Cana while offering a world-class vacation experience. Maintaining a dedication to sustainable tourism, PUNTACANA Resort & Club has since grown to encompass over 26 square miles and now includes Tortuga Bay; Six Senses Spa; the PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation; four residential communities (Corales, Hacienda, Marina and Arrecife); a full-service marina; nine restaurants; a shopping village; two 18-hole golf courses; and Punta Cana International Airport, a modern facility that incorporates innovative and eco-friendly design. In 1997, Julio Iglesias and Oscar de la Renta joined the Group as co-investors and have made PUNTACANA Resort & Club their home. Currently, Punta Cana is the most highly visited Caribbean destination and is easily accessible from all over the globe.
Posted by Public Relations at 12:33 PM
April 19, 2010
La Cana Notification / Notificación La Cana
We would like to inform all our homeowners that La Cana will be performing routine airification this month starting on the 25th. For the first 6 days, 9 holes will be available for play and 18 after that, although not in optimum conditions. This process is necessary in order to maintain the course in the beautiful conditions you are now enjoying.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you require any additional information and we apologize for any inconveniences this might cause you.
Best regards,
La Cana Administration
Quisiéramos informar a todos nuestros propietarios que a partir del día 25 de este mes, La Cana estará llevando a cabo una aerificación de rutina. Para los primeros 6 días, 9 hoyos estarán disponibles y luego de esto los 18 hoyos estarán abiertos, aunque no estarán en optimas condiciones. Este proceso es necesario para mantener el campo en la bella condición en que se encuentra actualmente.
No dude en comunicarse con nosotros si requiere de alguna información adicional y pedimos disculpas por cualquier molestia esto pueda causarle.
Atentos saludos,
Administración de La Cana
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you require any additional information and we apologize for any inconveniences this might cause you.
Best regards,
La Cana Administration
Quisiéramos informar a todos nuestros propietarios que a partir del día 25 de este mes, La Cana estará llevando a cabo una aerificación de rutina. Para los primeros 6 días, 9 hoyos estarán disponibles y luego de esto los 18 hoyos estarán abiertos, aunque no estarán en optimas condiciones. Este proceso es necesario para mantener el campo en la bella condición en que se encuentra actualmente.
No dude en comunicarse con nosotros si requiere de alguna información adicional y pedimos disculpas por cualquier molestia esto pueda causarle.
Atentos saludos,
Administración de La Cana
Posted by Public Relations at 5:28 AM
April 09, 2010
Camp Bamboo
Posted by Public Relations at 7:44 AM
April 08, 2010
Programa de Salud Natural / Natural Health Program
Posted by Public Relations at 3:13 PM
April 07, 2010
Owner's Weekend July 2010
Posted by Public Relations at 11:04 AM
April 07, 2010
Notificación Casa Club / Casa Club Notification
Estimados visitantes y propietarios,
Le comunicamos que en el día de mañana jueves 08 de abril el área de la piscina en Casa Club estará cerrada por la realización de un evento privado en horas de la noche pero por el montaje que requiere se necesita la disponibilidad de esta área completamente despejada. La misma podrá ser utilizada el viernes en su horario de costumbre. Las demás áreas de servicio estarán disponibles en sus horarios regulares.
De igual manera, aprovechamos para informarles que el Viernes 09 de Abril se estará llevando a cabo el Glow Tournament con una cena de cierre, por lo cual, el bar Los Plátanos hoyo 19 cerrará a las 6 PM, para la realización del montaje de esta actividad.
Anticipamos su cooperación y agradecemos su comprensión.
Cordialmente,
Carolina Jones
Gerente General
La Cana Club House
Le comunicamos que en el día de mañana jueves 08 de abril el área de la piscina en Casa Club estará cerrada por la realización de un evento privado en horas de la noche pero por el montaje que requiere se necesita la disponibilidad de esta área completamente despejada. La misma podrá ser utilizada el viernes en su horario de costumbre. Las demás áreas de servicio estarán disponibles en sus horarios regulares.
De igual manera, aprovechamos para informarles que el Viernes 09 de Abril se estará llevando a cabo el Glow Tournament con una cena de cierre, por lo cual, el bar Los Plátanos hoyo 19 cerrará a las 6 PM, para la realización del montaje de esta actividad.
Anticipamos su cooperación y agradecemos su comprensión.
Cordialmente,
Carolina Jones
Gerente General
La Cana Club House
Dear Visitors & Owners,
Please be informed that On Thursday April 09th, the pool area will be closed due to a private event that will take place in that area during the evening; all other areas remains open and with their regular schedule. The pool area will be re-open on Friday.
Allow us to take the opportunity to communicate that on Friday April 09th, there will be a Golf Tournament during the evening– Glow Tournament and due to an after celebration dinner, Los Platanos Bar 19th hole will be closed at 6pm for set up.
Thanks for your support and understanding.
Affably,
Carolina Jones
General Manager
La Cana Club House
Posted by Public Relations at 7:01 AM
