Hacienda Dominicus in the Dominican Republic

Remember the old school ditty, "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue"...? The Dominican Republic is one of the islands Columbus definitely visited on his first voyage to the new world. Today the island of Hispaniola is really two countries in one — Haiti, on the western side and the Dominican Republic on the east. 

Columbus might be called the first "official" tourist in the Caribbean. I'll just bet he was allowed to bring his toenail clippers and nobody fussed with him about the size of his carry-on bag. 

It seems busy Columbus set foot on every island I've visited in the region, or so the current inhabitants say. It makes me wonder if his name isn't thrown around loosely for the sake of notoriety. On the other hand, since there appears to be dispute about where Columbus dropped his anchor, why not claim him? A famous name never hurts tourism. 

My four-day stay in the Dominican Republic was at the Hacienda Dominicus, an all-inclusive Iberostar property on the southeast coast of the island. The resort is relatively new, having opened in December 2001. It's still as beautiful as the day Columbus popped in, but the amenities have vastly improved. 

The closest airport is La Romana, but Punta Cuna is roughly 90 minutes away. 

Iberostar Group has several upscale resorts in the Dominican Republic. As a company, they take great care to incorporate and respect the ecology of the area. They go so far as to salvage and save any trees that are in the way of construction and replant them once work is complete. 

My guest room was designed with sensors on both the air conditioning and the lights to conserve energy, and I was told all the ground water at the resort is recycled. No need to feel guilty about damaging the habitat at this establishment! 

To provide much needed employment and create atmosphere, local artisans are contracted to produce artwork and furnishings for the resorts. Score more civic-minded points for Hacienda Dominicus.