Escapism Never Felt this Good...Sanctuary Cap Cana, Dominican Republic

Mercifully, this past week I escaped both the battering winds of an untimely November plunge in temperature and the equally plummeting economic freefall. Things were looking up--how could they not?--when I arrived at the Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic to a gentle breeze and a sunny 86 degrees. A symbolic rise in temperature and spirits reversed my New York CNBC-inspired gloom. I was back!

The Internet has gleefully published articles lately about the challenge of real estate everywhere, notwithstanding the Caribbean. I do not know why there is such euphoria about distressed areas. I had read an article about the sorry state of tourism that was e-mailed to me by well-meaning colleagues recently about the Cap Cana area. None of this was in evidence at Sanctuary Cap Cana, which is as beautiful as ever, and poised on the brink of peak season to welcome very savvy guests. The Island Spa will be open this December, and a canopying zip line has been introduced from the Farallon cliff at Cap Cana. So much for "distressed." Maybe...de-stressed was what they meant.

True, there were few people in evidence as it is off-season, but the staff is as alert and gracious as ever. The resort is in pristine condition, and the beauty of the setting cannot be improved upon for anyone who knows the Caribbean and harbors expectations that all one needs is easily reachable from several major cities by direct flights.

My visit was brief, but I did manage to carve out some quality time at lunch at the Blue Marlin restaurant. It is truly one of the most natural and beautiful settings in which to experience the freshest seafood. The small fishing boats go out every morning a few yards from the restaurant and return with National Geographic-like picture-perfect fish that discretely wind up as the "special" at lunch and dinner.

The Chef in charge of the Blue Marlin has had experiences learning his craft world-wide at five star hotels from the Caribbean to the Middle East. Walim hails from Jakarta, and his creative touch is focused on the use of local ingredients, including the delicate grapefruit juice blend that includes capers and a touch of lemon and herbs. This Walim-secret-sauce is served on the side and enhanced the grilled grouper that day that made the dish "pop" or sing, or at least seduce the taste buds with a delicate aftertaste. Sabroso!

The waiters--Ortega and Luis--are natural emisseries of international good will by virtue of their training and gracious attention to service. This is not an act. Ortega said he practices his English every day with the guests because he wants to speak "perfect" English and make the meal a very special treat. The Blue Marlin protrudes over the sea, and service, setting and Walim's creations truly bring perfection within reach.

The Non-Hamptons

Shelter Island, off the north fork of Long Island, refuses to allow the twenty-first century to intrude on its sweet, summer lifestyle. Norman Rockwell at every turn. Jay Gatsby at others. The island can only be reached by a ferryboat from either Sag Harbor or Greenport, the latter being the final stop on the Long Island Railroad. Even before the small white ferry docks, your welcoming view is of majestic Victorians and gently sloping wooded shores in an area known as Shelter Island Heights. A park path leads through a garlanded area that leads to gingerbread houses with English gardens. Across from the church is a darling home with a wooden swing that really reminded me of my childhood, including the well-worn dirt beneath. The house is known as the "Churchmouse House."

If all this sounds too good to be true, or even a bit saccharine, it truly isn't. A few days on Shelter Island was the perfect antidote to "circuit overload" as I call it, caused by watching CNN, and my daily morning reading of both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. I was due for a lobotomy or a retreat. I chose the latter. For five days I managed not to engage in any of the above activities, and even included living without my IPOD and being BlackBerry-less. It was heavenly.

Shelter Island reminds me of Nantucket, but without the intrusion of modern mega-construction and a predominance of nouveau Wall Street money. In fact, the smell of old money pervades the landscape all around Shelter Island, and is especially potent in Dering Harbor. Exquisite homes built in the 20's have sprawling lawns that reach to the harbor and private docks that would have inspired F.Scott Fitzgerald to write The Great Gatsby. I suspect Dering Harbor is where the "other" Kennedy residents reside, but their whereabouts is a well-kept secret. Since the island is listed on the National Historic Register and was founded in 1872, there has been a concerted effort by the residents not to develop the landscape. It is truly amazing how much remains pristine and wooded throughout the entire island. Beaches lack the impressive impact of the Hamptons, but then that is just a minor trade-off for the peacefulness and lack of traffic and pretension.

We stayed at the Chequit Inn, which is a pleasant enough place with lovely gardens and good food served on the porch in the evening. We walked everywhere and read books. We talked, and found ourselves as a couple again, which is always the joy of being away from the very distracting and somewhat frenetic life we live in New York City.

The effect of Shelter Island lasts as long as you come back to your center, while preserving the simple pleasures that are found in this community that does not need to impress or talk about money.

I highly recommend the shelter from the world as a way of breathing in deeply and vacating the negatives of this way too complex world, of realizing that a perfect summer day has nothing to do with the Stock Market and has everything to do with how you used to feel on a gorgeous summer day on school break when the sun was not too hot and the water and sky were too blue to be real.

The Beach and The Bankers

The Association of Bankers who came from all over the United States were a sophisticated group. They arrived at the hotel with baggage that was not in suitcases, but were the expectations brought on by memories of all the exquisite hotels they had visited in the past. It was the first Board of Directors meeting for the newly opened hotel, and my prestigious bankers had booked the Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic solely based on my recommendation. I was about to deliver my first born. Just a bit apprehensive.

The hotel is in the newest "in" place--Cap Cana--whose name keeps surfacing in Elite Traveler magazine's full page glossy ad. Or the magnificent Punta Espada ocean-hugging golf course is prominently displayed on a billboard in Times Square suggesting that if you are not there during the PGA Champions Tour, you are nowhere. And here were the Bankers. Our first group, since the resort debuted in January 2008.

There is no way to know how things are going to evolve when Spanish and English meet on a beach, but the Dominican people are inherently upbeat, bright and eager to please. The staff at the Sanctuary Cap Cana also has an international aspect. The Maitre d' at CasaBella is Desmond, who is from Malaysia and had met me once in January, but remembered my favorite tea and my favorite drink, a cranberry juice cocktail.

The meeting went very well. Private dinners were set in dramatic settings with views of the sea. I really knew we were all in sync when one of the owners of Sanctuary Cap Cana, Felix Felipe, kept popping in to see how everyone was doing. He offered his private cell phone at one point for one of the attendees to return an urgent call, so he wouldn't have to go to his room. That kind of thing.

The Sanctuary Cap Cana is not just a lovely, five-star hotel. The setting is gorgeous. Three miles of pristine beach meet the striking aqua water with more sand beneath and not a pebble in sight. The eight restaurants provide a variety of phenomenal types of cuisine. The golf is exquisite. A magnificent spa will be opened in the Fall 2008, and will complement our already existing spa treatments with a new dimension.

When I asked the Chairman of the Board of the Bankers group what he thought of his stay, he was walking by the pool and it was a perfect day. He smiled, looked around, and said: "Of all the places I have stayed in five star hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico, this is the most spectacular."

The child is born.

A Tuscan Treat for All Five Senses, Sans Euros

Because telling a friend about a great movie creates unachievable expectations in the imagination of the listener, I will make a conscious effort not to gush about The Resort at Pelican Hill. Bear with me, though. It is very tempting, indeed.

Southern California conjures up images for me of insouciant wealth that is enjoyed by those who truly know how to extract the most out of every day. This is usually done by extremely good-looking blond people of either sex in yellow Lamborghini convertibles, or equally sexy, non-East Coast driven cars. Drivers are either on their way to the beach, to botox, or to "take" a meeting. The latter is probably a movie deal.

Southern California also conjures up a few noteworthy upscale hotels, like the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel, the Four Seasons Aviara, the St. Regis, and of course, Montage Resort. The latter was my favorite...until now. On the Newport Coast at Crystal Cove is a new arrival, and The Resort at Pelican Hill will shock all the competition into a new competitive awareness. There is simply nothing like this in the United States. No gushing. Just a fact.

The centerpiece of the resort is the Tom Fazio redesigned Ocean North and Ocean South which form the thirty-six hole golf course with breathtaking views of the Pacific. What is delightful is the visual pleasure from the 504 acres with no other modern day intrusions of civilization in sight.

Built into the rolling hillsides with views of the fairways and the Pacific Ocean, are the 204 bungalows and 128 villas. All have balconies or terraces from which to see the changing light on the ocean, or to view a distant Catalina Island. These oversized Tuscan-styled accommodations are too exquisite to spend just a night or two in, and I imagine myself easily taking up residence on a permanent basis. The fireplace in every room and a 16' wood ceiling are examples of amenities that add immeasurably to the details. An amazing amount of personal input has been given by the owner of The Resort at Pelican Hill, who is inspecting and consulting with the architects and the decorators for the official opening of the resort in October 2008.

And speaking of authenticity, The Resort at Pelican Hill has transplanted fully mature olive trees from their privately owned nearby Irvine Ranch to enhance the experience of a Tuscan village. Overlooking the orange tiled roofs of the bungalows that are interspersed with olive trees is to be transported across another ocean, to another time. The eucalyptus and sage grow naturally on these hills, and the scent of both perfectly confront the senses with a purity of purpose: to soothe and relax the senses.

More sensual delight will be apparent in the plethora of spa treatments in the 20,000 square foot Pelican Hill Spa , with amenities all specifically designed for the resort, and within keeping with the salubrious nature of the area.

Southern California with a touch of Tuscany, is how I see it. Best news of all: You don't have to spend a single Euro. Happily, we will be part of the team as an extended group sales office, so if you would like a special group rate for a meeting or incentive program, by all means, please call me at 800-255-GAIL.

The Cap Cana Championship

With the PGA Champions Tour set to start at the end of March, the buzz and excitement surrounding this event is palpable throughout Cap Cana. The Champions Tour will be the first Tour event celebrated in the Dominican Republic and will mark the Champions Tour return to the Caribbean.

For the first time in the history of the sport, the Dominican Republic will be home to the world’s professional golfers from various international destinations. Punta Espada Golf Course will be the hottest location in the golf world for this week as it hosts this important tournament and reaffirms the country’s distinction in being home to the greatest golf courses in the Caribbean.

Rick George, the President of the PGA Tour’s Champions Tour, shared “the emotion around The Cap Cana Championship excites us, not only by the fact that we have an official Champions Tour event in the Caribbean and more specifically the Dominican Republic, with its golfing history and passion which is a true privilege for us, but also because we trust that it will bring great emotion for fans of golf in the Caribbean. Our players know that they are going to compete on a high quality golf course when they play at the Jack Nicklaus signature course, Punta Espada.

Jack Nicklaus noted that “the fact that Cap Cana is able to host a Champions Tour event so fast after its inauguration, demonstrates the quality of the course and the growth of the Dominican Republic as a golf destination.” He goes on to say “We hope that at Punta Espada, the players of the Champions Tour find a golf course that allows them to enjoy the game while improving their ability. Without a doubt, it is visually spectacular. With the Caribbean Sea as a background along the course, and eight holes playing directly along the coast, Punta Espada will display all its beauty on television.”

The Cap Cana Championship will host the world’s highest skilled golfers aged 50 and upwards; legends including Jay Haas, Craig Stadler, Curtis Strange, Tom Watson, Tom Kite, Nick Price, Fred Funk, Eduardo Romero, Vicente Fernandez, Bernard Langer and Ian Woosnam, amongst many more.

Some of these players have already visited Cap Cana to experience all that Punta Espada has to offer. Each has expressed words of praise and admiration for the golf course and the Cap Cana project.

Jay Haas: “Having heard all the compliments about this place, I did not know what to expect upon arriving here, I have friends who have visited prior to me, telling me how amazing Cap Cana and the Punta Espada Golf Course are, being here now, I can say that this reality has surpassed all my expectations. This place is beautiful; and the golf course is challenging”.

Craig Stadler affirmed that: “This place is the most beautiful, wonderful golf course, which will be a great showdown of the Champions Tour”

The 54 hole, stroke-play match will have 78 players and an official purse of $2 million dollars; with $300,000 dollars awarded to the winner. This is one of the richest prize-pools of the 2008 calendar.

For those unable to see the course live at the Champions Tour, the Golf channel will televise all three rounds to the United States. The Cap Cana Championship will have a week-long agenda, full of both sporting and social activities, allowing players, press, family, friends and fans to experience the marvel, beauty and inimitableness of the entire Cap Can project.

Exquisite Beginnings, Thanks to Marc Anthony

Steps away from Marc Anthony's exuberant performance, I watched in awe as his compact body roamed the stage, making love with his music at the Caleton Beach Club at Cap Cana recently. Sometimes dulcet tones emanated from this fine performer, but mostly the place rocked with his compelling Spanish phrasing. The appreciative audience responded with spontaneous outbreaks of salsa, meringue or both by dancing barefoot in the sand under the 60 foot tented canopy that just covered the floodlit palms. What an evening!

JLo was nowhere to be seen. But the show didn't start until 10:30 PM, and the soon-to-be mother of twins was surely tucked in for the night. There were definite sightings of her on the beach earlier that day. That assured all the concertgoers who had hoped to see or hear from her that she was soaking up Marc's sweet performance in the privacy of their suite.

A sensual Dominican dance group performed following Anthony's ne plus ultra performance. What amazing choreography was displayed would have put Dancing with the Stars out of business for lack of imagination. I don't know what it is about the Dominican women, but they are incredibly beautiful, sexy, intelligent and utterly charming. The Dominican men are themselves gorgeous specimens, with equal charms. The extravaganza was followed by fireworks on the beach and more singing and dancing. The partying officially stopped at about 2:30 AM, but I suspect it continued in some circles until dawn.

All of this is about Cap Cana and what it is, and what it is becoming. Sanctuary Cap Cana is now open for business, with 176 ocean view suites in a spectaular colonial village setting. The magnificent Mandara Spa will make its debut in late Spring 2008. (Spa treatments are available to resort guests now, however). The Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course is a show stopper.

Celebrating Dominican style is so appropriate because Sanctuary Cap Cana is the most unique upscale resort ever to be built in the Caribbean, and has lots of facets that appeal to all. Marc Anthony was certainly the star that night, but so was Cap Cana.