Home Based Travel Agent - May 2008 - (Page 43)

candlelit dinner at a seafront table, the perfect romantic setting. Facilities are also top-notch here: watersports, tennis, a fitness center and supervised children’s activities are all onsite. Viva Wyndham (www.vivaresorts. com, 800-WYNDHAM) offers two adjacent resorts: the Dominicus Beach (DB) and Dominicus Palace (DP), which, combined, provide nearly 900 rooms, bungalows and suites that serve a primarily European clientele. Many of the resorts’ facilities are shared by guests at either property, including tennis courts, archery, spa, non-motorized watersports, evening entertainment and several restaurants. DP’s rooms are noticeably superior to those of DB, where the rooms are dated and in need of renovation. DP also offers complimentary à la carte restaurant dining to its guests, while DB patrons pay a supplemental $10 fee. Both resorts are kid-friendly, though couples will also feel at home here. Take note: Based on my recent stay, Viva’s customer service was at times lacking, an oversight that might leave your clients frustrated. Additionally, guests staying at DB might become tired of the nightly entertainment offered in its otherwise attractive theater. Although the acts are enthusiastic and well-attended, those seeking romance or solitude in the privacy of their hotel room or bungalow might become annoyed at the show’s bass-intensive music, from which there is no escape. Dining: Casa de Campo, Casa del Mar and the Viva resorts all offer ample dining choices. If you’re sending clients to La Estancia for golf, recommend that they dine at the nearby Vecchia Caserma (www.vecchiacaserma.com, 809-8136405), an authentic Italian restaurant that serves Italian fare in a beautifully rustic setting. Attractions and Excursions: Altos de Chavon (www.altos dechavon.com) is a replicated, 16thcentury Mediterranean village within Casa de Campo that offers restaurants, shops, a gallery and an archaeological museum. Check out the concert schedule of its amphitheater, an impressive 5,000-seat venue that was christened in 1982 by Frank Sinatra and continues to attract world-class acts. Book tee times for your golfing clients at any of Casa de Campo’s three Pete Dye championship courses (players need not be guests of the resort to play). The Teeth of the Dog, with many of its holes hugging the rugged Caribbean coastline, consistently ranks as one of the world’s 50 best golf courses. Nearby is the brand new La Estancia Golf Resort (www.legr.com, 809-6897027). Its championship course has been carved strategically to take advantage of breathtaking natural vistas, and its expertly trained staff will tend to all of your clients’ needs (overnight lodging is available, too, in full-featured golf cottages and villas). Dinner at the Casa del Mar Extra-resort excursions abound in the DR and can be booked through incoming tour operator Tropical Tours (www.tropicaltoursromana.com.do, 809-523-2028). Among the more popular: privately guided ATV tours chug through sugar cane fields and stop in sleepy Dominican hamlets; full-day catamaran tours provide festive outings to nearby Saona Island, where guests enjoy a scrumptious picnic barbecue before jetting back to their starting point via motorboat; snorkeling and scuba diving excursions offer up-close looks at the more than 120 species of tropical fish; and the nearby Maravillas Cave (www.cuevadelasmaravillas. com, 809-951-9009) offers guests an extraordinary subterranean peek at centuries of stalagmite and stalactite formations. At night, send your clients to the new Dominicus Casino (www.casino dominicus.com, 809-554-8917), a bustling venue that offers high rollers the chance to challenge Lady Luck. Vegas-style shows kicked off in February, and three restaurants offer friendly dining options. The casino is open daily from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m., with complimentary shuttles serving all major La Romana resorts. Entry Requirements: Visitors must pay a compulsory $10 fee prior to passing through customs (where only a passport is required). Other Tips and Notes: If your clients plan on spending their time exclusively at a resort or on guided excursions, they can get by just fine with U.S. dollars. There’s no need to convert money into Dominican pesos, a closed currency that’s difficult to convert once back in the U.S. Major credit cards are accepted at all resorts, golf courses and most restaurants. —JS M AY 2008 Home-BasedTravelAgent 43 http://www.tropicaltoursromana.com.do http://www.vivaresorts.com http://www.vivaresorts.com http://www.cuevadelasmaravillas.com http://www.cuevadelasmaravillas.com http://www.altosdechavon.com http://www.altosdechavon.com http://www.casinodominicus.com http://www.casinodominicus.com http://www.legr.com http://www.vecchiacaserma.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Based Travel Agent - May 2008

Home Based Travel Agent - May 2008 Contents Editor’s Note: When It’s Just Not Worth It Publisher’s Note: Never Underestimate Your Lifeline: When Things Go Wrong, You May Need To Agent Spotlight: Odyssey Travel’s Michelle Duncan New Technology: Resources That Can Help You Quickly Industry News: Costa Names Field Sales Director Hot Deals: From the Caribbean to Canada and London Success Stories Independent Associations Southern Swing Mexico Dominican Republic Cover Story: Australia Family Trips Theme Tours New Products: Urban At Ease Laptop Messenger Bag

Home Based Travel Agent - May 2008

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