Eden Roc Cap Cana and Zoëtry Agua make Caribbean top 10

Eden Roc Cap Cana and Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana are the two Dominican resorts that made it into the Caribbean top 10 of Condé Nast Traveler's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards. Eden Roc Cap Cana took 6th place with a score of 99.07, while Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana landed at 7th with 96.59. The survey, in its 39th edition, drew 798,867 votes and left the Dominican Republic with two properties among the region's ten best, as reported by Dominican Today.

The numbers don't happen by chance. Eden Roc Cap Cana has been a Readers' Choice winner since 2021 and is the only Relais & Châteaux property on the Caribbean list, with 67 accommodations spanning beach suites, private villas and four oceanfront rooms. Its Eden Roc Spa by Natura Bissé was named the country's best resort spa at the 2026 World Spa Awards. Zoëtry Agua, meanwhile, is an adults-only all-inclusive with 51 rooms and villas around two pools, a one-minute walk from the beach, and makes its debut on the list with a kitchen that blends Dominican recipes and local ingredients.

For the destination, the recognition carries a direct economic read. Condé Nast Traveler doesn't move bookings on its own, but it does put Punta Cana in the conversation for the high-spending traveler comparing Caribbean options before deciding. That profile spends more per night, stays longer and drives consumption in restaurants, transport and tours outside the resort. This outlet's previous coverage has shown how the Punta Cana brand leans on international awards that later translate into occupancy and higher average rates.

The presence of Eden Roc Cap Cana and Zoëtry Agua in the top 10 also tightens competition among hoteliers in Bávaro and Cap Cana. Every recognition of this kind pushes the rest to raise service, dining and sustainability standards if they want to feature in upcoming surveys. For the country, it is an asset that reinforces the Dominican Republic's position as a luxury destination in the Caribbean.

Two things are worth watching. First, whether hotels like Eden Roc and Zoëtry hold their scores in 2027, because staying there is harder than getting in. Second, whether the rest of the Dominican luxury market uses this pull to position new proposals in Samaná, Puerto Plata or La Romana. The showcase is open and the whole Caribbean is competing for it.