Eden Roc and Zoëtry make the Caribbean top 10 in the 2026 Readers Choice Awards

Two Punta Cana resorts have landed in the Caribbean top 10 of Condé Nast Traveler's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards. Eden Roc Cap Cana sits at #6 with a score of 99.07, while Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana comes right behind at #7 with 96.59. The survey, the magazine's 39th, pulled 798,867 votes from readers, according to the note published by the MITUR.

Eden Roc is no newcomer to this list. It has collected mentions since 2021 and is the only Relais & Châteaux member in the country. Its 67 accommodations range from standalone beach suites to private villas and four new oceanfront units, with a spa just named the best resort spa in the Dominican Republic at the 2026 World Spa Awards. Zoëtry makes its debut with a different formula: adults only, all inclusive, 51 rooms split between thatched-roof two-story buildings and standalone villas around two winding pools, a one-minute walk from the sand.

This result has to be read as a destination story. Condé Nast awards sway the buying decisions of the high-spending American traveler, the one who books suites and does not count towels. Two Dominican properties in the same top 10, on a ranking traditionally dominated by Anguilla, St. Barts, St. Lucia or the Virgin Islands, signals that the local offer now competes in the segment where the real Caribbean luxury battle is fought. Punta Cana remains the strong card, but the recognition goes to boutique and experience-driven hotels, not the big volume all-inclusives. That is the takeaway for investors: the premium traveler is rewarding curated product, Dominican-identity cuisine, signature spas and human scale, not just beach and buffets.

For the industry there is a spillover effect. Every mention like this feeds the country brand, pushes average rates up along the Cap Cana and Bavaro corridor, and hands MITUR ammunition when selling the destination at international trade shows. It also squeezes regional competitors, who have used these rankings as a sales tool for years. The open question is how many Dominican hotels we will see in the next edition, because with 798,867 votes shifting every year, the visibility Condé Nast hands out is the kind that moves bookings.

What to watch now: whether Eden Roc and Zoëtry cash in on the momentum with packages aimed at the US market, whether MITUR folds these mentions into its overseas promotion campaign, and whether other boutiques in Samaná, La Romana or Puerto Plata step up to fight for a spot on the magazine's radar. There is enough depth for the list to stop being an isolated case.