TRAVEL – Revisting a Favrite Destination of the Past.

How often have been heard those words “Never Go Back”, and how often have we found these words to be so true! And yes, there are always exceptions as i will refer to……..

We have all experienced some get-a-way vacation destinations that we have found to be extra special. So much so that we did not want to leave. One option was to stay on , but mostly reality forced us to leave, carrying home those wonderful memories, and planing to revisit….and yet,sometimes when we did revisit, we agreed with those who said “Never Go Back”; What was then – is not now for whatever the reasons.

My husband and I just experienced the very opposite. My fairytale began in the year 2004, when my brother, my fiance, and I, all workaholics, planned to visit the Dominican Republic, in search of real estate opportunities. Punta Cana was not a well known destination at that time, although Oscar de La Renta had recently built a home there, but upon our arrival at the PUNTA CANA RESORT & CLUB, the three of us knew it would be one day  Within 24 hours, we invested in our first property, a home then in the process of being built, to be a rental income property for us.  During one of my visits to oversee building and design details, I knew that this was to be more than a home I would want to rent to others. Shortly after,  my husband and I retired from our New York businesses and lifestyle, a bit earlier than we expected to, and in 2005 we married on the beautiful beach of the Punta Cana Resort. Of course, we wanted to share this piece of paradise with our family and friends, so we arranged a 4 day destination perfect wedding matrimony and celebration.  As perfect as it could have been, with only one mishap. The minister who was scheduled to marry us that day,became quite ill and would not be able to preform the ceremony.  However, there was a special guy we met. Fernando who was a director in sales, and who we managed to convince to preform the ceremony.  Surely the Rainieri family, owners of the resort, and our new Dominican friends, wondered why he was beginning to speak the vows of marriage to us, but our New York friends only thought of him as a most handsome charming minister.

Yes, on occassion thru out the years we visited our New York apartment, but only anxious to get back to our new home. I found myself back in the design business, building, selling and designing homes for other clients as well, while my husband devoted much of his time to the barn, stables, and caring for his new companion,Dexter a beautiful horse, who quickly became a new family member and dear pal of our dog,Samantha. It was most exciting and rewarding to work with the marvelous Dominican talented craftsmen, designing furnishings, as well as opening a warehouse to house treasures from all over the world, open a design center and later a boutique, but little time wa left for personal activities to be shared with my husband.  In 2013 we moved back to city life, knowing how lucky we were to have had these past 9 years.

This year, we panned a reunion with 3 other couples who had become dear friends of ours while living in Punta Cana.   We each owned homes in the same vicinity.  Two of the couples, who still own homes there hosted the 4 of us who now did not.  We were all so delighted to see that the beauty of Punta cana Resort was now even more so. The golf courses (now 3) were each beautifully maintained . The tennis complex , enlarged and now one of the courts was grass, the beaches still pristine and immaculate, the airport had grown and grown bringing in flights world-wide and offereing the best service a traveler can ask for. The Tortuga Bay 5-star Hotel remains to be one of the most  prestigious in the world, and another beach front hotel, the Westin has been built.  And i cannot leave out one important comment re the charming Punta Cana Village, a few minute drive from the resort, as charming as ever. There was one particular Italian Bistro in that village that had become our second home though-out our years “MAMA LOUISA” . Before our arrival we had asked a dear friend to reserve a table for the eight of us, not mentioning our names. We wanted to surprise Mama Louisa ad her daughter Rosanna who so graciously took care of us through-out the years.  Our plan was just to be sitting at our usual outdoor table.   What a wonderful heart-felt reunion this was for all of us.

AND SO, BRAVO TO THE RAINIERI FAMILY, the founders of this resort who have continued to keep it so very special  and although it has grown so, it still is a family community as they always planned it to be.

AND SO, YES, YOU CAN GO BACK, that is when you find a destination as special as this one. ( i know we will always continue to do so)

Perhaps you will choose to make this your holiday destination this  year. And if you need to know anything more, i am here to inform you of such.

Happy Travels

R