By 2021, the world was tentatively reaching for a ‘new normal.’ My entire family felt the collective weight of the previous year, and it was clear we needed a grand escape.
Navigating international travel for a party of seven at the tail-end of a pandemic was the ultimate test of my planning precision. I had to interlace multiple budgets, varying comfort levels, and the diverse needs of three generations. We ultimately selected The Crown Villas at Lifestyle Holiday Vacation Club in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
We secured a sprawling five-bedroom villa, a private sanctuary that served as our collective home-base. With our own pool and a private golf cart for navigating the estate, we had the luxury of choice: seclusion when we wanted it, and the resort’s amenities when we were ready to engage.
The ‘weaving’ on this trip was about effortless care. Each morning, a private chef prepared breakfast in our villa, allowing us to spend long, slow hours by the water. While the resort was operating at a quieter rotation, we spent our evenings exploring the various restaurants across the complex.
We also learned the value of ‘modular’ adventure. While my brother and sister-in-law trekked to the breathtaking Damajagua Waterfalls, my husband and I chose a slower rhythm, staying back to enjoy the pool with Grandma and the children. It was a reminder that a perfectly woven trip allows for different threads to follow different paths, all while remaining part of the same beautiful tapestry.
We left the Dominican Republic with a deep appreciation for the ‘Private Villa’ model—a way to find safety and togetherness without ever feeling crowded.
The Resort: > Our Villa at LHVC was a “home-base” style, with the addition of a sprawling all inclusive resort complex. The resort complex includes at least 6 different resorts, with rooms ranging from studios to 7 bedroom mansions with private pools. Our villa came with a black AI bracelet which allowed us access to almost the entire property.
While the resort complex is beach front, it is a sprawling complex and you may be more than a 10 minute walk from the beach itself depending on the resort you book into. While the food was adequate, the true ‘luxury’ was the private breakfast service in our own dining room. We look forward to returning when the resort is at full capacity to truly test its culinary mettle.
The Weaver’s Perspective: > Multi-generational travel is the most complex weave of all. It requires a ‘Modular Itinerary’—one that provides a sturdy communal core while allowing individual threads to break away for their own adventures. In Puerto Plata, I learned that the best data point for a large group isn’t the destination itself, but the flexibility of the space you call home.
