Connoisseurs of the good life often cite A Place in the Sun, the quintessential volume of famed photographer Slim Aarons’ photos of “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places”, as inspiration. Armchair travel is all well and good, but if you truly want to step into the frame, a stay at Eden Roc Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic is as close to a walk-on in Aarons’ world as you’re likely to find these days.
The gorgeous 86-acre beachfront property has only been open for less than 15 years, but speaks of an earlier era of elegance and luxurious leisure that Aarons would have appreciated. The five-star resort has not only earned two coveted Michelin Keys but is also a member of Relais & Chateaux, the collection of properties around the world renowned for excellence in hospitality, gastronomy and sustainability.
Michelin Keys meanwhile are awarded by the iconic Michelin Guide to highly select hotels that “stand out for their unique hospitality concept, character, warm welcome and extremely high level of service.” Eden Roc Cap Cana, impeccable in every detail, is only one of two hotels in the entire Dominican Republic to earn two of them, as well as being the country’s only Relais & Chateaux property.
At times, being on the prizewinning property with its butler-style concierges feels less like the laissez-faire Caribbean than old world Europe – reinforced when you hear some of the restaurant staff speaking Italian, while the management’s accents are French; the Natura Bisse spa hails from Barcelona; and the Aqua di Parma bath amenities are also from Italy. And of course both Relais and Michelin are French. Which is not to say there anything stiff or formal about any of it.
When chic Europeans, or well-heeled travelers of all stripes, want to come to the Caribbean without fear of being served inferior food and wine, or being subjected to anything less than five-star accommodations and service, the Relais & Chateaux and Michelin marques guarantee a flawless experience. Both the name and the environment evokes the iconic Hotel du Cap — Eden Roc and the incomparable Eden Rock in St. Barths, though there’s no formal connection.
Then there’s the Eden Roc Cap Cana’s Riva Bar, paying homage to the legendary Italian yacht builder synonymous with mid-century glamour and Mediterranean luxury. The bar’s design references the craftsmanship and materials found in classic Riva speedboats—the mahogany hulls, chrome fittings, and leather upholstery that made these vessels the top status symbols along the exalted coasts of Italy and France.
Eden Roc Cap Cana was designed to “marry the aesthetics of the French and Italian Rivieras with the natural beauty of the Caribbean coastline.” The architecture draws from Spanish colonial traditions while maintaining the refined sensibility of Mediterranean resort design, creating a property that feels simultaneously familiar and unique amongst the Dominican Republic’s luxury hospitality landscape.
Situated within the famous, gated Cap Cana development, the resort occupies a strategic position along the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic. Cap Cana is a 30,000-acre enclave encompassing beaches, dramatic cliffs, tropical forests, a full-service marina, and Punta Espada, a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course often ranked as the number one course in the Caribbean.
The location places guests just 20 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport, which maintains a dedicated terminal for private aviation. Eden Roc Cap Cana comprises just 65 all-suite accommodations, including 34 inland suites and villas, 26 beachfront suites, and five oceanfront bungalows. Then there are several private, multimillion-dollar villas on the property that are available for rental at times.
These feature multiple en-suite bedrooms, private pools and luxury amenities like a butler or private chef. They range from the three-bedroom Royal Villa to the Four Bedroom Imperial Villa, the Ocean and Golf Five Bedroom Villa, the classically-inspired five-bedroom Villa Parténope, and the six-bedroom Villa Azuree which has a private cenote, all the way up to the Founder’s Eleven Bedroom Villa.
If you want to go full Sim Aarons, getting the keys to one of these is an epic event. But we found that even some of what Eden Roc Cap Cana considers suites have an Aarons-inspired, bungalow-like feel. Every accommodation prioritizes privacy and space, with interiors that balance soothing neutral palettes in cream and eggshell tones against vibrant accent colors like golden yellow, azure, plum, and lime green.
The flooring throughout combines coral stone with hand-painted tiles, adding textural interest and a locally-inspired note to the European-influenced design scheme. The property’s beach club features an Aarons-worthy infinity pool and the Nikkei-themed Blue Grill & Bar, with an emphasis on fresh seafood but a truly globally flavored menu. The private beach holds Blue Flag certification, an international distinction “recognizing environmental management, water quality, safety, and services.”
Mediterraneo Restaurant anchors the resort’s fine dining program under the direction of Executive Chef Gianluca Re Fraschini. The menu emphasizes Mediterranean preparations and ingredients, executed with the precision expected of Relais & Châteaux properties. Our favorite venue however is La Palapa, positioned oceanfront and offering international cuisine and Riviera flair, with influences from traditional Dominican cooking.
Menu highlights include locally-sourced raw bar selections, an incredible seafood paella designed for sharing, seafood risotto, spiny lobster served as a spaghetti dished or simply grilled, grilled, salt-crusted whole sea bass and red snapper, a signature Eden Roc steak frites, or a massive USDA 50-oz Tomahawk with a mushroom sauce; and for desert banana cake infused with rum and served with stracciatella gelato.
The resort also hosts a visiting celebrity chef series throughout the year, bringing recognized names from the global culinary scene, including from other award-winning Relais & Chateaux properties like Twin Farms in Vermont, to create limited-engagement menus. The rotating program “ensures variety for returning guests and positions Eden Roc as one of the Caribbean’s most diverse gastronomic destinations.”
Beyond dining, the resort offers impressive spa and fitness facilities. The spa features Natura Bissé products and treatments, the Barcelona-based skincare line known throughout the European luxury hospitality scene. Treatment rooms, hydrotherapy areas, and relaxation spaces allow guests to structure their days around wellness rituals if desired. The fitness center provides equipment and programming for those maintaining exercise routines while traveling.
Eden Roc Cap Cana stands out for its impeccable accommodations and style, one that makes for a compelling interpretation of Caribbean luxury, emphasizing a boutique feel for guests who prioritize exclusivity, gastronomy, refined service, and the option of staying in a private villa of the type usually reserved for rock stars, A-list actors, and CEOs.