Tortuga Bay Hotel

There are two influential forces whose thematic fingerprints are prominent upon Tortuga Bay Hotel: the creativity of the late designer Oscar de la Renta, and the tranquility of Mother Nature. Located within the sprawling Puntacana Resort and Club, this luxury address serves as an example of what happens when a fashion icon styles a boutique resort. True to his vision, it continues the legacy of this couturist away from the red carpet. The resort and club in which Tortuga Bay Hotel sits is a paragon of sustainability that encompasses a lush 67 square kilometres.

It’s an area that harbours two golf courses (with some tees close enough to be peppered by ocean spray), a Six Senses Spa, plus a plethora of fine dining options – among which is the excellent Bamboo at Tortuga Bay, serving locally sourced delights (with restaurant interiors that were also imagined by the Sultan of Suave). Tortuga Bay Hotel is the most elite experience in the Puntacana haven, and tempts society’s most powerful: it comprises 13 tastefully created beach villas with distinctive sunshine yellow façades and crisp white roofs.

The project was close to De la Renta’s heart – the Dominican Republic was his native island home. “There’s a sense of quiet and peace to the surroundings,” he once remarked, and these sanctuaries sit on a white sand beach, fringed by calm turquoise seas. Expect artful harmony within, where understated and tasteful décor is infused with local cultural motifs. Options are one-bedroom junior suites, two bedroom suites, or three/ four bedroom villas, and each underwent a refresh late last year to enhance the guest experience (such as with up-to-date technology). April marks a milder time to visit the laid-back Dominican Republic, with the oceanfront breeze that lilts through open French doors to balm the heat feeling like an added villa treat. Fashion is transient by its nature, yet the abodes at Tortuga Bay Hotel have represented an enduring De la Renta ‘look’. They’re design expressions that remain stylish, in any season. Charter into Punta Cana International Airport, from which the coastal Resort and Club is a mere 10-minute drive away. The hotel’s VIP airport service will whisk you to the property in a private vehicle. tortugabayhotel.com