PUNTACANA Resort and Club
Encyclopedia
PUNTACANA Resort & Club is a resort and residential community located in Punta Cana
, La Altagracia Province, Dominican Republic
; established in 1969 by businessman and hotelier Frank Rainieri and Theodore W. Kheel
, a New York attorney and labor mediator. The area now encompasses 26 square miles (67.3 km²), and includes Tortuga Bay hotel, The Puntacana Hotel, a Six Senses Spa, an ecological reserve, four residential communities, several restaurants, two 18-hole golf courses and the Punta Cana International Airport
.
In 1987, they constructed The Puntacana Hotel. In 2006, Tortuga Bay opened, a boutique hotel designed by fashion designer Oscar de la Renta
. Tortuga Bay is a Leading Small Hotel of the World and a member of Virtuoso.
Corporate and social responsibilities and policies have been pursued since the resort was built. They opened two schools and a health clinic in the community and have plans to build a new town center, school and hospital.
For 2010, their goals include putting into place an integrated coastal management plan, land development and continuing to expand their educational programs.
Punta Cana
Punta Cana is part of the newly created Punta Cana-Bávaro-Veron-Macao municipal district in La Altagracia, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. The area is best known for its beaches and balnearios, which face both the Caribbean and Atlantic, and it has been a popular tourist...
, La Altagracia Province, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
; established in 1969 by businessman and hotelier Frank Rainieri and Theodore W. Kheel
Theodore W. Kheel
Theodore Woodrow Kheel was an American attorney and labor mediator who played a key role in reaching resolutions of long-simmering labor disputes between managements and unions and resulting strikes in New York City and elsewhere in the United States, including the 114-day long 1962-63 New York...
, a New York attorney and labor mediator. The area now encompasses 26 square miles (67.3 km²), and includes Tortuga Bay hotel, The Puntacana Hotel, a Six Senses Spa, an ecological reserve, four residential communities, several restaurants, two 18-hole golf courses and the Punta Cana International Airport
Punta Cana International Airport
Punta Cana International Airport is a privately owned commercial airport in Punta Cana, eastern Dominican Republic. The airport is built in a traditional Dominican style with open-air terminals with their roofs covered in palm fronds. built the Punta Cana International Airport in 1984. A number...
.
History and Development
In 1969, Frank Rainieri and Theodore Kheel acquired a 58-million square meter lot on the eastern end of the Dominican Republic, which was covered with jungle. Their first project was a 40 guest hotel called the Punta Cana Club.In 1987, they constructed The Puntacana Hotel. In 2006, Tortuga Bay opened, a boutique hotel designed by fashion designer Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta
Oscar de la Renta is one of the world's leading fashion designers. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1973.-Career:...
. Tortuga Bay is a Leading Small Hotel of the World and a member of Virtuoso.
Corporate and social responsibilities and policies have been pursued since the resort was built. They opened two schools and a health clinic in the community and have plans to build a new town center, school and hospital.
Amenities/Facilities
- The Puntacana Hotel: It has 160 rooms and 21 beach casitas. The hotel was completely refurbished in October 2009.
- Tortuga Bay: A small boutique hotel, made up of 15 villas on the beach which are designed by Oscar de la RentaOscar de la RentaOscar de la Renta is one of the world's leading fashion designers. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1973.-Career:...
.
- Six Senses Spa:The spa uses medicinal plants from the area in some of it’s treatments. The spa has eight indoor private treatment rooms and outdoors palapas overlooking the beach.
- Real Estate: Tortuga Bay, Corales, Hacienda and Arrecife make up the resort’s real estate communities, known collectively as The Estates. Residents include Oscar de la RentaOscar de la RentaOscar de la Renta is one of the world's leading fashion designers. He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1973.-Career:...
, Julio IglesiasJulio IglesiasJulio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
and Mikhail BaryshnikovMikhail BaryshnikovMikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
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- Golf: The resort has two golf courses: La Cana (designed by P.B. Dye) and Corales (designed by Tom Fazio). A third golf course , Hacienda, is scheduled to open in 2011.
The Ecological Foundation
The Puntacana Ecological Foundation started in 1988. It includes an ‘iguanatorium’, organic vegetable gardens, etymology exhibits and a medicinal plant garden. The Foundation also hosts groups from universities like Virginia Tech, Harvard, Columbia, Cornell and the University of Miami to conduct research and educational programs.For 2010, their goals include putting into place an integrated coastal management plan, land development and continuing to expand their educational programs.