Casa Colonial Beach & Spa
P.O. Box 22
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
P: (809) 320-3232 F: (809) 320-3131
www.casacolonialhotel.com

Owners/Operators: Casa Colonial is owned and operated by VH Hotels & Resorts, a Dominican hospitality company created by entrepreneur Isidro Garcia. The company’s current president is Garcia’s daughter and the hotel’s architect and designer, Sarah Garcia.

Opened: November 2004

Management and Executive Team:
Roberto Casoni, Executive Vice President; Spyros Vazdekis Hernandez, Sales and Marketing; Basilia Diaz, General Manager

Location: Casa Colonial is located on the glittering Amber Coast in the north of the Dominican Republic in Puerto Plata. The resort is located directly on the beach in the tourist and golf complex of Playa Dorada.

Transportation:
By Air :
Visitors fly into the Puerto Plata Airport which is 15 minutes from the Playa Dorada complex and Casa Colonial. Flights into Puerto Plata are available on major carriers. American Airlines offers flights from Miami to Puerto Plata . Continental and JetBlue offer direct flights from New York City airports to Puerto Plata.

Visitors can also fly into the nearby by town of Santiago, Dominican Republic which receives major carriers including American Airlines, Delta and JetBlue. Santiago is one and a half hours from Puerto Plata.

Transport Services:
The hotel can arrange transportation for guests of Casa Colonial and taxis are also available at the Puerto Plata airport. Helicopters can also be arranged to transport guests from the Puerto Plata airport to a heliport located two blocks from Casa Colonial. The hotel can also arrange for VIP service and lounge access at the Puerto Plata Airport.

Resort Concept: Casa Colonial Beach & Spa sets out to surprise and delight with its fusion of old-world charm and contemporary elegance. The luxurious 50-room boutique property resembles a classic Dominican plantation estate as it was designed as a home or “casa.” The property reveals Spanish-colonial architecture and chic interior designs. Upon arrival guests are greeted by friendly staff and given cold scented towels. The elegant, yet cool lobby features marble floors and walls, white colonial crown molding, rich wood furnishings, sheer dramatic draperies and sounds of hip Dominican music mixes. Casa Colonial is the first and only five-star boutique property in Playa Dorada and offers world class amenities including luxurious guestrooms and suites, a full service spa featuring indigenous treatments, upscale dining and a sleek roof-top infinity pool.

Accommodations: The three-story, oceanfront resort includes 42 junior suites, two one-bedroom suites, four deluxe suites, one penthouse and one presidential suite. Guests can enjoy extraordinary views of the Atlantic Ocean or of the property’s extensive tropical gardens. Each suite features Italian marble floors, spacious balconies, the finest Frette linens, elegant custom-designed Caribbean-inspired furnishings and double Presidential Suite Soft mattresses from Serta designed for the hotel offering “The Best Sleep in the Caribbean.” Bathrooms are outfitted with Kohler fixtures, oversized oval soaking tubs with windows that look out onto the sleeping area, separate walk-in showers and double sinks. All suites offer a fully stocked mini bar, high speed Internet access, complimentary in-room safe and large flat screen televisions.

Dining:
Lucia: Lucia is Casa Colonial’s upscale dining venue. Lucia features stunning views of the resort’s tropical mangrove garden, high ceilings, rich wood floors and dramatic draperies. The restaurant offers a private dining room that includes a wine cellar with an extensive selection of fine wines. Lucia is open daily for dinner.

Veranda: Veranda restaurant features indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the ocean. The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch.

Bagua Spa: The name “Bagua” comes from a concept practiced in Feng Shui. The Bagua is traditionally represented in the shape of an octagon. Each facet of the octagon is called a “gua” and is assigned at least one of life’s aspects, such as Prosperity, Family, Career Path and Life Path, etc. The Bagua helps people arrange their home or office so that each facet of the Bagua is situated in a position to maximize greater health and productivity in each aspect of life. The spa was designed according to the guidelines of the Bagua to create a serene sanctuary where clarity is found.

The spa, which is set amidst the golden beaches and lush mountain ranges of the Dominican Republic’s north coast, features nature-based treatments that include indigenous minerals and tropical plant extracts. The sensuous extracts are incorporated into Bagua’s indulgent treatments that include relaxing massages, soothing body wraps, vitalizing aromatherapy and therapeutic facial treatments.

The 12,400 square foot facility offers 10 treatment rooms and three oceanfront gazebos for outdoor therapies and state-of-the-art spa equipment. The treatment pavilions are set over a tropical pond with soothing waterfalls. The indoor treatment rooms include two private couples' therapy rooms with a Jacuzzi. In addition, spa guests have access to a full ocean view fitness center with CYBEX equipment, special classes and a personal trainer.

Resort Amenities:

Incentive Trips/Corporate Meeting Space: Casa Colonial is fully equipped to accommodate corporate meeting groups and incentive trips. The property includes a beautiful meeting room that can accommodate up to 50 guests. The resort can also provide the necessary audio and visual equipment needed for meetings and presentations.

For incentive groups, Casa Colonial can prepare special themed-dinners, beach barbeques, group sailing excursions, treasure hunts and horseback riding at a nearby private farm, biking excursions and much more. For a very special cultural and historic experience, Casa Colonial can arrange themed dinners at the Fort San Felipe, a 16th century fort built by Spanish settlers on a hill near the Puerto Plata oceanfront.

History: Casa Colonial is located in the city of Puerto Plata on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic. The name Puerto Plata originated with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in December of 1492. When he saw how the sea shined along the coast near sunset, Columbus called it the “Silver Port.”

For at least 5,000 years before the Spanish arrival in the Dominican Republic, Taino Indian inhabited the island. It is estimated that by the 15th century nearly 200,000 Taino Indians were peacefully living on the island. After the Spanish invasion, the Tainos were forced into slavery and the population quickly depleted.

The historic Fort San Felipe of Puerto Plata is located in the city. The fort was erected by the Spanish in 1577 to protect the city from pirates. The fort was built on a hill at the Puntilla Del Malecon facing the Atlantic Ocean. Today the fort overlooks the statue of General Gregori Luperon, the war hero that restored rule of the country to the Dominicans from the Spanish.

Puerto Plata is situated in what is known as the “Amber Coast.” The area features the largest deposits of amber in the world. Columbus wrote in his diary on Dec. 16, 1492 that when he arrived to the island he received amber pieces as a gift from a young Taino prince. Today skilled Dominican craftsmen turn this ancient gem into exquisite bangles, earring, necklaces and charms. Most of these artisan products tend to have a distinct quality which reflects the Taino Indian culture.

Nearby Attractions and Recreational Activities:
Puerto Plata – The resort town of Puerto Plata is located on the Dominican Republic’s Amber Coast which is home to the world’s richest deposits of amber. Puerto Plata is situated at the base of the towering Mt. Isabel de Torres and offers a quaint Dominican experience, eclectic shopping, restaurants featuring traditional fare, nightlife and the site of a historic Spanish colonial fort.

Golf – The Dominican Republic’s north coast is home to the famous Playa Grande Golf Course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The course is referred to the “Pebble Beach” of the Caribbean as 10 of the 18 holes are played along the sea cliffs, bays and overlooking bluffs with spectacular Atlantic Ocean views. The green fees for Playa Grande are certainly more desirable than Pebble Beach. Rates range from $80 to $120 at Playa Grande while rates at Pebble Beach range from $230 to $425 for 18 holes. Guests of Casa Colonial can also enjoy reduced rates at the Playa Dorada Golf Course located across from the hotel. The 18 hole course was also designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and was ranked #53 in Golf Digest’s “Best 100 golf courses situated outside of the United States” in May 2005. The Playa Dorada Golf Course features exceptional greens with wide fairways, four greens set by the sea and five greens set by the bordering inland water.

Ocean World – The Dominican Republic’s new Ocean World aquatic park is located minutes from the resort. The park is the creation of a talented group of marine life experts who joined forces to design the most exciting nature encounter in the Caribbean. The spectacular facility boasts breathtaking views of the sea and allows visitors to experience the world’s largest dolphin lagoon, the only sea lion encounter of its kind and a shark interaction pool.

Amber Museum – Puerto Plata is home to the world-famous Amber Museum. An outstanding example of Victorian architecture, the museum houses a unique collection comprised of thousands of pieces of valuable Dominican amber and amber fossils. Dominican amber is known to be the most transparent in the world. The museum is famous for a fossilized 40 cm lizard that is estimated to be 40 million years old.

Cabarete – Forty minutes from Puerto Plata is the small town of Cabarete known for some of the finest windsurfing in the world. Here, the Professional Windsurfing Association has held its prestigious World Cup competitions, attracting the top windsurfing champions from around the globe. In mid-June, there is the Cabarete Race Week for amateurs, one of the most popular amateur competitions in the world.

*Casa Colonial can also arrange sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing trips for all guests through the resort’s concierge.

Accolades & Recognition: The property is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and was the first member named to its portfolio in the Dominican Republic. The hotel is a member of the prestigious Virtuoso Hotels & Resorts program and has been awarded the AAA Four Diamond honor for both the hotel and its gourmet restaurant Lucia. Casa Colonial Beach & Spa was voted as one of the world’s “hottest” new hotels by Conde Nast Traveler and appeared in the magazine’s 2005 Hot List. Architect & Designer: Sarah Garcia ~ Sarah is a renowned Dominican architect that has designed some of the Caribbean’s most popular and unique resort destinations.

Media Contact: Jennifer Bohmann Up Top Marketing P: (786) 228-5790 jennifer@uptopmarketing.com ###