200-Room St. Regis Cap Cana Opening Opening April 2025
The St. Regis Cap Cana will open in April 2025, and is now bookable. Here's what to expect from this new Dominican Republic luxury resort.
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200-Room St. Regis Cap Cana Opening Opening April 2025
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Thats a high price point ......I was in Cap Cana a couple times just for a visit ....not a lot was happening
Cap Cana is larger than the borough of Manhattan. Not walking distance unless you are a marathon runner......................
I'm not sure but when it was first built, it was for SI Resort but I'll ask around
I just don't think any hotel in DR can get away with charging those types of prices if they are employing Dominicans to provide the service and the maintenance. The education levels just don't stack up, and Dominicans' experience of customer service that they grow up with is based on the atrocious levels of service you get in banks, shops, hospitals, anywhere, where the aim is always to make you wait in line, and the customer is always wrong. Also not taking responsibility for anything is embedded in the national culture.
When hotels are cheap and cheerful it's fine. But the minute you start going north of US$500 a night, people are going to expect service, they're going to expect things to work all the time, things to arrive on time, nobody to run out of anything, no lines, no shouting etc. etc. And I just can't see that ever happening. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm definitely not prepared to risk US$ 1000 a night of my money to prove myself right.
When hotels are cheap and cheerful it's fine. But the minute you start going north of US$500 a night, people are going to expect service, they're going to expect things to work all the time, things to arrive on time, nobody to run out of anything, no lines, no shouting etc. etc. And I just can't see that ever happening. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm definitely not prepared to risk US$ 1000 a night of my money to prove myself right.
Wasn't this formerly the Fishing Lodge? There used to be a lot of complaints about that property, maintenance wise.
There are exceptions to that. I just did my Marbete at Banco Ademi and the 2 ladies that helped me were stellar. I often shop at Bravo in San Isidro and eat at the Round a few blocks east. Both of them are extraordinary with service. I stopped in on a Sunday a few weeks ago at Parriada (sp?) D'Freddy and had great food and great service. Just awesome.
EDEEste, Paso Rapido, and BanResevas do however fit the Dominican stereotype quite well.
When I opened the Sportsbook at the Hard Rock in 2010 I needed staff. I don't remember exactly but most books were paying ticket writers minimum salary. What I did was double it for starters and promised a raise at 3 months when becoming a permanent employee. I had literally hundreds of applicants. First a math test because we deal with high wagers. My test eliminated 75%. And from the rest I picked the girls I thought would be good. Also managers were paid in US Dollars at a starting point of $500 a month. I had the best available even if it cost me. These hotels can do the same......
I do not doubt the service level will be good, maybe not on the service level of say St. Regis in Paris but good enough. Those traveling to the DR are aware that there will not be the level of service as again say Paris, but they are aware of that. Most that come to Punta Cana (Bavaro, Uvero Alto, etc) are looking for the all-inclusive service but those that travel to Cap Cana are looking for something a bit more upscale, that is my opinion. I just wonder if there will be enough to offer at the St. Regis to keep people coming.
Also hotels charging these prices hire a lot more employees than normal. Having 3 bartenders at a beach bar instead of one for example certainly provides better service. And all around more employees means better service. I would agree with you on service completely........
Oh yes, I agree there are examples of good service in DR. But infrastructure and the fact that we're on an island and difficult to get supplies mean that very often things break down - ACs, hot water, internet being the typical ones to go in hotels. And the fact that the majority of staff delivering service in a hotel - waiters, cleaners, bar staff - are not paid a lot and are not highly educated means that in their eyes, these types of things are not a huge problem. Staff at that salary point don't generally get why hot water is important, they've never had it. They have their phones with their Fayboo and their whatsapp, and they don't see why WiFi is an issue. And they most often live with no A/C so again can't see that it's a big issue. And just add to that that their experience of customer service is usually being told to take a ticket, stand in a long line and shut up. That's all they've experienced since birth, they've never experienced fancy service as individuals. For someone of limited education you're asking a miracle to make that leap, and in my opinion it usually goes wrong.
I for one have never ever stayed in a hotel in DR where there hasn't been at least one unresolved issue during my stay.
The issue with the Hyatt is the bars only have 2 servers the majority of the time. The family side was worse IMO as you also have the kids getting their drinks, sodas, juices, slushy type drinks, etc... As I posted earlier, I do not doubt the service level of the St. Regis will be good, I just wonder if it will be good enough, offer enough to keep people coming back.