Rediscovering cool at the Dominican Republic’s Casa Colonial
By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, CJ Travel Editor
It’s the last place you’d expect to find a posh boutique hotel.
Hidden in plain sight in the Playa Dorada compound, where big-box all-inclusive resorts view to be better, bolder and … well … bigger than their neighbors, Casa Colonial Beach & Spa is an understated and unexpected gem.
An oasis of chic, the a la carte property is ideal for travelers who want to discover the north-coast Dominican Republic town of Puerto Plata – and to test their tolerance for indulgence and pampering.
With just 50 suites and its own tranquil slice of Puerto Plata sands, the marble-clad mansion seduces on sight.
Who wouldn’t be enchanted by chic bedrooms, decorated in stone and hardwoods in a neutral color palette that encourages rest and relaxation?
Who wouldn’t want to sun themselves beside the rooftop infinity pool, where frosty Presidente beers arrive at your chaise with thoughtful frequency?
Who wouldn’t want to submit to the ministrations of a massage therapist as they lie in an oceanfront garden gazebo?
And, as the moon casts its sheen on the calm Caribbean, who could resist the claw-foot bathtub on your room’s balcony, or the silent siren call of crisp lavender-scented Frette sheets?
Mere minutes from the boho haven of Cabarete, Casa Colonial feels a world apart, yet is so easy to reach (fly into Puerto Plata, just two hours from Miami). It’s a proximity that begs the most important question of all:
Why aren’t you there yet?