La Romana & Casa de Campo

La Romana is two very different places side by side. The city itself, with about 150,000 people, is a working Dominican town built around the Central Romana sugar mill, with a busy central park, markets, a cruise terminal and the region's airport. Directly east is Casa de Campo, a 7,000-acre gated resort and residential community developed in the 1970s on former sugar land, home to the Teeth of the Dog golf course, a marina, polo fields and the hilltop village of Altos de Chavón.

Most visitors who stay here stay inside Casa de Campo: in the hotel, or in one of the private villas, which come with staff and golf carts. Life there runs on golf carts between Minitas Beach, the courses, the marina restaurants and Altos de Chavón. It is safe, manicured and expensive, and it feels more like a private town than a hotel.

The city has few beaches of its own. Playa Caleta, a small public beach a few kilometers west of the center, is mostly used by locals and has rocks and fishing boats rather than resort-style sand. Most beach time from La Romana is spent at Minitas, on boat trips to Isla Catalina, or a 20 to 25 minute drive east in Bayahíbe and Dominicus.

Location is La Romana's big advantage. La Romana International Airport (LRM) sits right beside Casa de Campo, with some direct flights from the US and Europe and many private jets. Santo Domingo is around 1.5 hours away by highway, and Punta Cana about 1.5 hours. The Cueva de las Maravillas, with its Taíno rock art, is about 15 minutes west.

Trade-offs: the city center is not a tourist area and has limited English, though it is a good place for a real Dominican lunch. Inside Casa de Campo, everything costs resort prices and you will want a golf cart. Best for golfers, families renting villas, wedding groups and travelers who like polished, private resorts. Not for budget travelers or those who want an all-inclusive beach strip.