Lying beneath the thatched roof of a spacious open-air pavilion surrounded by wildflowers, the sounds of healing bowls soothed me. The sound bath was followed by a juice session with a nutritionist, an afternoon hydrotherapy circuit and a back massage. I’ve spent the past three days at the Dominican Republic’s newest all-inclusive wellness resort, where amenities rival those of ultra-luxury hotels with four-figure nightly rates. Here, you can stay for under $500 a night.
Far from being places that serve boring buffets and watered-down drinks, hospitality companies have been reinventing the all-inclusive model with more luxurious amenities and designer-approved décor, and Cayo Levantado Resort, which opened this summer, checks all those boxes.
Plus, Cayo Levantado offers something unique in the Dominican Republic: it is the only resort located on the beautiful Cayo Levantado Island off the coast of the Samaná Peninsula, an untouched tropical paradise where thousands of humpback whales migrate during the winter and early spring.
Cayo Levantado Resort
“Samana has been kept natural; it’s not overly developed and you get a real feel for Dominican culture throughout the area,” said Hervé Blondel, the property’s general manager.
One of the island’s three white sand beaches is public, but most tourists leave the island in the late afternoon, so the beach feels completely private.
Courtesy of Cayo Levantado Resort
room
Cayo Levantado Resort is an all-suite resort with 219 rooms including freestanding villas, 12 of which are adults-only and offer direct beach access. Suites are available in multiple categories, with Junior Suites offering 575 square feet of space with king-size beds, spacious indoor and outdoor sitting areas, and private balconies. Family Suites also feature private plunge pools on the balconies and beautiful ocean views.
The suites’ décor is handcrafted by local artisans, from Guayacan wooden coasters and trays to custom candelabras made to resemble palm leaves. Dominican architect and designer Ramon Emilio Jimenez used the island as his inspiration, drawing inspiration from the coast, ocean and island flora and fauna for the room designs.
Courtesy of Cayo Levantado Resort
Food & Drink
Cayo Levantado has four restaurants and six bars, including Carey, which serves seaside Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. Another highlight is Santa Yuca, a casual restaurant in the heart of the island, next to a vegetable patch. Santa Yuca has a slow-food approach to dining, with dishes prepared using fresh, local, sustainable ingredients. I loved the grilled watermelon salad with avocado cream and feta crumble. The menu is divided into four categories – Refresh, Restore, Relax and Renew – to match the wellness regimen each guest chooses during their stay. Both Santa Yuca and Carey are part of the resort’s all-inclusive program.
Manaya, a steakhouse, and Senda, a traditional Dominican restaurant, are both excellent but require guests to pay separately for dining. Senda takes guests on a culinary journey across Dominica with a curated seven-course tasting menu ($160) inspired by Dominican poet Pedro Mir’s poem, “There Is a Country in the World.” The experience begins with a welcome cocktail of sparkling wine infused with limoncello and acacia honey, inspired by the Dominican Republic’s tropical forests, followed by grilled Sanchez shrimp and beet ravioli with local goat cheese, and ends with tender overnight-roasted leg of lamb.
The long list of wines served at the 10 bars and restaurants includes many from Spain (the resort is owned by Spanish hospitality company Grupo Piñero), France, Argentina and California.
Courtesy of Cayo Levantado Resort
Activities and Amenities
The island’s two pools, full-service beach club, and three white-sand beaches will tempt you to spend lots of time sunbathing and swimming in the turquoise Caribbean waters, but what makes Cayo Levantado unique is its commitment to wellness.
Cayo Levantado’s wellness center, Yuvalta, is the heart of the property, surrounded by lush tropical gardens and featuring several outdoor activity spaces, a relaxation area with chaise lounges and an artificial cenote, a meditation room, an atelier, and a nutrition studio.
Daily activities at the resort include breathwork, yoga, boot camp, meditation, shamanic healing, pilates, cryotherapy, sound baths, painting and more. A team of professional instructors will help guests reach their wellness goals and form habits they can incorporate into their daily lives after vacation.
Courtesy of Cayo Levantado Resort
I took classes focused solely on stretching, and when I get home I still do some exercises to help alleviate my back pain on busy work days. Also, the nutritionist I spoke with during my juice therapy session took the time to ask me questions about my daily habits as well as my immediate goals, and recommended foods I should incorporate into my diet to reduce stress and boost my immunity.
Other resort amenities include a fitness center, an outdoor gym for CrossFit training, a beauty salon, and two full-service private beaches (guests can also use the public beach on the west side of the island, just a five-minute walk from the resort).
Courtesy of Cayo Levantado Resort
spa
The Spa at Cayo Levantado offers a variety of customizable holistic wellness treatments that perfectly align with the resort’s four wellness paths: Refresh, Restore, Relax, and Renew. I started my spa afternoon with an hour-long hydrotherapy circuit that included a sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool, showers, and a large pool surrounded by lush tropical scenery. In between plunges, I relaxed in the glass-ceilinged pool area and enjoyed the afternoon rain and palm trees swaying overhead.
The list of body and facial treatments includes relaxing massages, aromatherapy facials, hot stone therapy and beauty services.
Courtesy of Cayo Levantado Resort
position
There are two airports to get to Cayo Levantado. The closest is La Samana Airport (AZS), which is about a one-hour drive from the resort’s welcome lounge and boat dock. You can also fly into Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ), which is about a three-hour flight from the resort.
The 35-acre property is accessible by boat, and you are free to explore the island at your leisure. Cayo Levantado is about a 40-minute boat ride from Los Haitises National Park, a beautiful site of great historical and geological importance.
Accessibility and sustainability
The resort is located on an island off the coast of the Dominican Republic and can only be accessed by boat. The island is covered with paved paths, some of which are quite steep. Each building has an elevator, one of which takes guests to the private beach and beach club.
To protect the island’s ecosystem, the resort implements several conservation and education programs, including removing invasive plants, restoring beaches, and supporting coral nurseries. The resort also offers eco-tours where guests can learn more about Cayo Levantado’s unique flora and fauna.
All-inclusive rates at Cayo Levantado Resort start at $450 per person per night and can be booked here.
