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S P E C I A L  F E A T U R E S
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SAMANA : THE DR'S RISING STAR, PT. 3 of 3
By Guitze M. Messina
In our previous two articles we have taken a tour through the history of Samana which led us to its cultural mix. We also saw some of its spectacular beauty from waterfalls to caves and from pond-like beaches to secluded islands.
Lastly, we talked about some of the wonderful luxury resorts that many Dominican investors have developed along some of the best international luxury brands.
In this, our last article of our series on Samana, we will take a closer look at the last of the small luxury resorts developed by Dominican investors and later we will take a closer look at the future of luxury in Samana, the new developments that will be started and what we see as opportunities that remain open in the luxury market in the most beautiful peninsula in the Caribbean, Samana.
Altamar Estillero
I have mentioned that Samana has some pond-like beaches with lush vegetation, and perhaps the image in mind is best represented by the beach in Altamar Estillero (www.altamarterr.com. The caress of the breeze in your body gives you a natural therapy of peace.
This is a small development that wants to take full advantage of a perfect location in Las Terrenas, and without being pretentious it just lets nature fill every sense of the visitor to its fullest. With a modern architecture and just meters away from the beach this is the perfect investment for those who just want natural simplicity without giving up the comfort and luxury that we deserve today.
The closeness to all of the advantages in Las Terrenas, helps the visitor enjoy many amenities that do not have to be included in the development. This reduces noise, traffic and provides all the peace and quiet that is the most important element in this small luxury development. I hope that all of the readers take a few minutes to look the web site and it will give you a quick idea about what Samana is all about, enjoy!
In the cards, Samana also has other luxury projects that will be started in the next few months and I would like to cover the ones that from our conversations with the developers will start construction shortly:
Angsana Samana Bay
Tourism & Leisure Consulting Magazine says that "We are certain that Angsana Samana Bay will help the country position itself as one of the high-quality destinations of the Caribbean." The Banyan Tree and Angsana brands are each known around the world for luxury and top of the line installations.
 The master plan for their Samana resort has it all, great marina design, restaurants, rental pool, a calm green beach with superb views from the apartments and villas and, most of all, attention to every detail, from architecture to the linens of each bed, everything is planned to be the best.
I invite all of our readers to take the time to see the website www.angsanasamanabay.com and if you are lucky enough to visit the area and see the location for yourself, you will have no doubt that paradise is looking at you through your own eyes. In a recent conversation with a sales executive from Nexus DR, the local firm that is handling the project; they expect to launch their pre-sales by January 2010 at the latest.
Terrazas de Coson
Another project that is scheduled to start in the next three months is Terrazas de Coson, www.terrazasdecoson.com - a project that has taken the environment into account at every step of their planning process. I had the privilege to speak to the engineer of the project and he was kind enough to explain the detail and care with which the owners are respecting the environment of the location.
The modern minimalistic design shows this respect for nature and at the same time tries to submerge the guest in it with open spaces, natural materials, and a low density design that will allow the owner to feel "one" with nature.
 The development will also have a boutique hotel and if all of these amenities were not enough, then the location will provide the rest, at just 10 minutes from Las Terrenas, which will allow one to find many more restaurants, delicatessens and the like, while enjoying the great scenery of the mountains and the beaches of Coson.
Looking back at the success to date of the developments that we have listed, we have seen a clear trend that in these tough economic times it has been the Dominican developers who saw beyond the current situation and invested despite the difficult economic climate.
It is clear that market conditions seem to favor these investments in Samana, and with the financial turmoil perhaps a bit more under control, foreign developers will soon be starting their postponed investments in the Samana area, and others will surely dive into one of the best and most lucrative destinations in the world, due to the large spread between construction costs versus sale prices. |
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 Sosua, Dominican Republic
A secure gated community that offers luxurious beachfront condominiums, Infiniti Blu stylishly incorporates living space with lush tropical gardens and a charming semi-private beach.
The first class ocean front development of 20,000 square meters (approximately 5 acres) combines spectacular views with a hi tech sophisticated infrastructure contained within European standard architectural detail.
The spacious Caribbean condos range from 159m2 (1711ft2) to 355m2 (3821ft2). Each one is carefully positioned so there is no need to cross a street while you walk through the tropical gardens to either of the two pools or to the beach, and is just a short five minute walk to town.
For more information:
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NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Golf
We feel that a luxury golf resort has enormous possibilities in Samana since none of the developments that are under construction have taken golf into consideration. The reality is that the DR has become the golf capital of the Caribbean and golf is the leisure sport "par excellence" so it is clear that Samana needs a top development that includes golf and a great brand.
6-star and Beyond
The DR has some great luxury developments but none has a 6 star hotel with villas and condos, that possibility is also a great opportunity that must be considered.
Unique Concepts and Brands
The DR has some of the most respected and important luxury brands included in its developments, but there is tremendous opportunities for a brand that is very "rare or perhaps not found in the American Continent" that alone has tremendous marketing power. The other possibility is a unique concept or design, something that you cannot find anywhere in the world. Samana is the perfect venue for such differentiation strategy; it just has to start as an idea.....
Conclusion
The future looks bright for Samana and for the Dominican Republic; in a year where tourism has declined in most countries we have received the same amount of visitors than in 2008 a rare exception.
Dominican investors have started a trend that now international developers are starting to follow, it just makes great business sense to invest where growth never stops. The reward has mostly come to the local developers that started the trend, but with better and more luxurious brands coming in, the international players are also going to have a good share of the profits.
The big winner is the typical buyer of luxury or retirement real estate; that looks for a piece of paradise, with zero property taxes, great ambiance, and a possibility to live beyond the simple "island life". The country is also benefiting since so many retirees are finding that they can make a contribution beyond "pure enjoyment" and they have started a new venture that they love in a country that grew in their hearts.
SAMANA HAS GREAT UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR FOREIGN INVESTORS AND DEVELOPERS ALIKE.
With this brief tour of our favorite destination on the island of Hispaniola, we have tried to show you what the Dominican Republic is doing to change its focus into Luxury tourism projects and development. We have noted how the Dominican developers that believed in the country have done well and continue to see great opportunities in the country which has maintained the highest growth rate in the Americas.
 Samana has great untapped potential for foreign investors and developers alike. For investors a place that has a bit of everything and for developers a country with high profit potential due to the large spread of cost of construction versus sale prices, perhaps a unique opportunity in a very competitive world.
We hope that you have enjoyed our stories of the different places, the history and the present of this wonderful land, if you have, then we have done our job, now it is your turn to come and "experience" for yourself what words will never be able to describe! See you then! |
Author : Guitze M. Messina. Born in the Dominican Republic, Guitze is an industrial engineer by vocation and has worked in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in that capacity. In 1996 Mr. Messina became a management consultant for various Dominican companies. In 2005 he joined Diesco Group, a new manufacturing facility that produces and markets plastics for the construction industry. These products save time, energy and money for builders and clients of large buildings and hotels. His work in this area has given Guitze the first-hand opportunity to work with the exploding luxury development real estate industry in the Dominican Republic.
Email : Guitze M. Messina
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Randy Mitchelson
Estero,
FL
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Randy Mitchelson, Licensed Mortgage Professional
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