The Dominican Republic – beautiful, tropical, the perfect place for a relaxing island getaway, right? Not if you’ve watched the news lately. At least 10 U.S. tourists have died in the D.R. since June 2018, some under mysterious circumstances with unknown causes of death.

Such a tragic, surprising loss of life is shocking and sad. These deaths have also caused a great deal of hand-wringing for anyone who was planning a vacation to the D.R. … like we were.

Early last month, we were prepping to go on our long-awaited vacation for my friend Mia’s birthday. My hubs and I were so excited for our first vacation away from the boys. We’ve been in a constant power struggle over where youngest sleeps – either in our bed (his preference) or his crib (our preference). We were thrilled at the possibility of no late-night wake ups!!

Despite warnings from our friends, family and every TV news story, we decided to take our chances and go ahead with our trip as planned. I know that some of my family and friends were extremely worried for us. I don’t think my mom slept while we were gone.

Luckily, we came and went safely, and we had THE BEST time!

Sixteen of us – including some of my dearest friends – spent five days at the Cap Cana Golf Course kickin’ it and catching up. We stayed at an amazing home. (Yes, this is a real place – book it on Airbnb!)

A small but lovely staff maintains the property – a private chef, a butler, a concierge and two housekeepers.

The food (which is not included in the rental price) – prepared by Chef Pio – was fresh and delicious. All the time we reclaimed by not having to think about food – no restaurant scouting, grocery shopping or cooking – was invaluable. (More time for the beach!)

Ricardo, the house butler, was right on time with cocktails. One house favorite – with orange juice, sweetened condensed milk and white rum – tasted like the perfect creamsicle.

Another standout feature of the property was the landscaping. The grounds boasted an abundance of fragrant tropical flowers and lush foliage. Some of my favorites are pictured below. These colorful plants definitely added to the property’s “private little carve-out in the jungle” vibe.

For many reasons, I’m so very glad we went. That we could have had a different outcome is not lost on me. I truly hope whatever is causing the mysterious deaths in this friendly, hospitable country is identified quickly. The loss in tourism hurts both the good people who rely on tourist-economy revenue as their livelihood and the worn-down, sleep-deprived people who miss out on their much-needed getaways.