Eden Roc Cap Cana

Eden Roc Cap Cana imports a Côte d'Azur sensibility to the Dominican Republic's east coast. Set within the enormous gated Cap Cana development south of Punta Cana, the resort arranges its accommodation as freestanding suites and bungalows around lagoon-style pools and tropical gardens, nearly all with private pools of their own, decorated in a colourful, polished style—canopy beds, hand-painted tiles, marble bathrooms—that nods to the great Mediterranean resorts.

The beach club at Caletón, a short buggy ride away, fronts one of the coast's prettiest coves: a sheltered half-moon of calm turquoise water backed by cliffs, with a pool, cabanas and a strong Mediterranean-Caribbean kitchen. Back at the main resort, dining is a genuine strength for the region, from Mediterranean fine dining to Japanese-Peruvian menus, and the wine cellar runs deep.

Families are unusually well served for a hotel of this polish—kids' club, family suites, calm swimming at the cove—while the estate beyond adds the Jack Nicklaus-designed Punta Espada course, one of the Caribbean's best, plus a marina and equestrian centre. It is a manicured, gated world rather than an immersion in Dominican life, and priced accordingly, but as a complete high-end compound on this coast it stands alone.