A New Luxury Beach Resort Is Coming To Puerto Plata

By NAN Business Editor

News Americas, PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic, Fri. Oct. 24, 2025: Meliá Hotels International and Grupo Puntacana are expanding their footprint in the Dominican Republic with the launch of Meliá Bergantín Beach, a luxury resort that underscores renewed investor confidence in the country’s northern coast.

A new hotel is coming to the DR.

The development forms part of Punta Bergantín, a state-backed tourism and real estate trust designed to revive Puerto Plata as a major destination. The project – supported by Grupo Reservas and the Ministry of Tourism – covers more than 10 million square meters of coastal land and is being structured under a low-density, sustainability-first urban model, aligning with global ESG tourism trends.

At a groundbreaking ceremony on October 21st, Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá Hotels International, and Frank Elías Rainieri, CEO of Grupo Puntacana, were joined by Banco de Reservas President Leonardo Aguilera, Banco Popular President Christopher Paniagua, and Project Executive Director Andrés Marranzini Grullón.

The two conglomerates – among the Caribbean’s most influential tourism players – aim to leverage the Dominican Republic’s strong post-pandemic recovery and new infrastructure investments to diversify beyond the Punta Cana–Bávaro corridor.

A New Northern Anchor for Dominican Tourism

The Meliá Bergantín Beach will feature 400 rooms, integrating Meliá’s signature hospitality with new MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) infrastructure, multiple dining options, pools, a spa, and family-oriented amenities.

The resort is expected to serve as a flagship for Puerto Plata’s comeback – attracting international travelers, investors, and regional conferences, while generating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs.

“Puerto Plata has enormous potential to reassert itself as a global tourism destination,” Escarrer said in a statement. “With this project, we’re reaffirming our long-term commitment to the Dominican Republic and to sustainable development that benefits local communities.”

Rainieri added that the collaboration with Meliá “extends the vision of Punta Cana’s success story to the country’s north coast,” marking “the beginning of a balanced, nationwide tourism model.”

The Dominican Republic welcomed over 8.5 million visitors in 2024, a record high according to the Ministry of Tourism, and officials expect the Punta Bergantín development to further boost arrivals in 2026 and beyond.