Villa La Menina

La Menina makes an impression that lasts a lifetime when she greets you.

Inside Casa de Campo, which is situated along the coveted Costamar oceanfront, the villa faces an endless horizon where the Caribbean turns from sapphire to silver throughout the day. You enter through a large foyer where a reflecting pool reflects the light and the room is elevated with a cathedral-like calm by vaulted artisanal ceilings. From the first step, La Menina reads like a modern Caribbean estate with a cozy, giving family home on top—elevated, yes, but never distant.

Here, life revolves around easy, bright circles. A popular spot for leisurely breakfasts and leisurely sunsets is a circular oceanfront deck that puts you at the water’s edge without ever leaving the garden. In order to allow afternoons to flow between laps, loungers, and the sounds of kids playing on the lawn, the pool is positioned to one side.

With tall doors thrown open to the trade winds, conversation drifting toward the terraces, and the sound of the sea bringing everything into a slower rhythm, the grand living room naturally transforms into a gathering place in the evening. The terraces outside, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and the kind of open sky that gives the impression that time is abundant, reverberate with the same sense of space and tranquility.

The interiors of La Menina are meant to be lived in, not just looked at. There are spacious sitting areas for gatherings, peaceful nooks for reading and phone calls, and dining areas that flow naturally from informal family meals to formal dinner parties. While expansive openings maintain sightlines fixed on the sea, the materials—handworked wood, cool stone beneathfoot, and artisan ironwork that pays homage to the island’s craft traditions—tell a story that belongs here. The kitchen is set up for both performance and connection; it is close enough to the action to allow conversation and cooking to coexist, but it is also discrete enough to maintain seamless service when a chef is in charge.

The private spaces are equally comfortable. With en suite bathrooms and views of the garden or the ocean, bedroom suites are designed to provide privacy and equality so that no one feels like a guest on their own vacation. Evenings invite an early night and a later chapter; morning light comes softly. La Menina’s design promotes natural ventilation when you want to live with doors open and salt on the breeze, and climate control is instantaneous when you want the house sealed and cool. Every threshold—from the foyer to the salon, from the salon to the terrace, and from the terrace to the deck—feels thoughtful, circulation is level and sensible, and storage is where you need it.

Although it’s simple to spend whole days at La Menina without leaving the grounds, part of the attraction is being a part of Casa de Campo. The resort’s top-notch facilities are close enough to allow for impromptu choices, such as a late tee time after an unrushed morning or lunch by the water followed by a quick swim. After that, you return to a villa that reestablishes the tranquility that probably drew you here. The soundtrack consists of palm fronds, gentle conversation, and the distant sound of waves on rock. The mood is relaxed and the color scheme is coastal.

The coherence of its components is what distinguishes La Menina. The entryway’s reflecting pool serves as both a pause and a welcome. Without making a sound, the vaulted ceilings add grandeur. The sea becomes a daily ritual thanks to the circular deck. Even the most photogenic moments seem unposed because of how the gardens soften the architecture. For families and friends who wish to move in and stay for a while, it is a house that embraces ceremony—cocktails at sunset, lengthy dinners under the stars—while staying steadfastly practical. The best of Caribbean living, condensed into a villa that knows exactly where it is and who it is for.

Activities nearby that you can partake in from the villa:

• For distinctive Caribbean holes and expansive views of the sea, start at Casa de Campo’s Teeth of the Dog or Dye Fore courses.
• Enjoy sundowners by the water, snorkeling, and paddleboarding during a leisurely afternoon at Minitas Beach Club.
• Explore the resort’s cliff-top artists’ village, Altos de Chavón, with its cobbled streets, galleries, cafés, and sunset views of the Río Chavón.

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