El Siglo newspaper announced that the Spanish hotel chain, Iberostar will invest US$35 million to build a hotel in the Dominicus (Bayahibe) beach area, adjacent to the National Park of the East. Iberostar already operates two hotels in Punta Cana and a hotel in Costa Dorada, Puerto Plata. This would be their fourth hotel to open in six years in the DR. In total they have 1,450 rooms in the DR. El Siglo reported that the chain purchased 125,000 meters for the development of the 500-room hotel that would be ready for winter 2001. Other hotels already operating in the area are the Viva Dominicus, the Dominicus Palace, Gran Dominicus, Coral Canoa. José Antonio González said the new hotel would operate as a five-star all-included property. He described the DR as the best-value-for-money destination in the Caribbean. (7 January 2000)
