Review of the Casa de Campo Resort in the Dominican Republic

There is something to be said about a resort that gives you a foldout map and the keys to your own personal golf cart for the duration of your stay. You better get busy reading the map if you want to have something to eat, but it also suggests that there is much to see --you’ll soon realize that even your golf cart can’t get you everywhere you want to go.

The allinclusive plan is ideal for those people who want a fixed price for their vacation. Knowing full well what you will be spending makes a vacation less stressful as well as helps the budget conscious traveler plan for any extras that might arise.

Guest rooms located near the lobby and the main pool all have views of the golf course or the surrounding tropical vegetation. The rooms are pretty standard, and they offer a coffee maker, Bose Wave radio, and a touch-tone telephone. Internet service is available but the signal is sporadic and unreliable. You can, however, get a signal in the lobby. Each room also has a terrace that looks out with views of the resort. The rooms are spacious and they include a walk-in closet and separate dressing and vanity areas.

Other Room Options at Casa De Campo: The Villa Experience draws families looking for a vacation with all the amenities of home. Essentially you get the resort life while being able to maintain the familiar settings of home. Each Villa includes a pool and 2 4-passenger touring carts.

Exclusive Villas: These are the multi-million dollar homes that you can easily spend a fortune to stay at for a week. They include every possible comfort you can think off. They sleep more people than you know and they are perfect for multiple family vacations.

Eight of the 19 restaurants on the resort are part of the all-inclusive program, and you’ll find that most palates will be satisfied with the options available. The Resort Inclusive restaurants include The Beach Club by Le Cirque, La Casita Restaurant, Lago Grill, La Piazzetta, Chinois, Tropicana, Upper Deck, and the 19th Hole. Other restaurants at Casa De Campo include Melissa’s Pastry Boutique, Papa Jack’s Bar and Restaurant, Onno’s Bar, Osteria le Botti, Naked Fish, Pizzeria Ristorante Limoncello, Peperoni, Sangria, Café l’Affaire, Le Boulanger, Block & Barrel Gourmet Deli, and Giacosa Restaurant.

Note: Food options can be somewhat limited when you consider the distance to the Marina or Altos De Chavon, where the majority of the restaurants are located. It is not a major ordeal, but enough to consider when thinking about how you plan your vacation.

For golfers, you need only to say the names: Teeth of the Dog, Dye Four, The Links. The first two are among the best golf course on the planet, and the Links course is no slouch, either.

The beach is small -- not so small that you feel like you're allotted five grains of sand each, but tiny in the way that you can see from one side to the other. The low season brings space and serenity, but it is clear that the high season means that the facilities are stretched to capacity.

The water is warm and protected by an artificial reef, but while you can snorkel and the visibility is fine, there is not all that much to see. The tropical fish of the Caribbean have apparently avoided this strip of reef in favor of other places in the Dominican Republic.

Altos De Chavon is a replica of a 16th-century village and houses artist and galleries, restaurants and bars, as well as an outdoor amphitheatre. The Marina at Casa De Campo – The Marina offers the chance to shop at the boutiques, galleries and shops that lead to the water where multi million dollar yachts sit in the tranquil water. Cygalle – Healing Spa at Casa De Campo – Relax and rejuvenate at Cygalle where you’ll be treated to the signature Cygalle Healing Spa Massage or a mint sea wrap. Treatments of all types are available by appointment. Golf, Tennis, Shooting, Horseback Riding,

Casa de Campo’s three-pool complex -- located near the Las Cerezas and Vista Mar rooms -- includes a main pool with a swim-up bar, a rectangular lap pool, and a separate pool for children. It's the only pool on the sprawling resort, however.