Award-winning Caribbean eco resort
Eden Caribe is a luxury Caribbean eco resort which was recently awarded the ‘What Green Homes Excellence Merit Award 2008’ and has just been put forward for the ‘Green Horizons Gold Award for Eco Building.’ Situated in an area of the Dominican Republic which looks set to enjoy a boom in both tourism and property prices, Eden Caribe has been attracting buyers and investors alike.
"The Dominican Republic, particularly the southwest coast, is experiencing unprecedented capital growth, especially in the luxury sector," explains Mark Prickett, the managing director of Eden Caribe UK – the company behind the project.
"Many experts see the Dominican as the last genuine investment opportunity in the Caribbean, which is why we’re delighted to be able to offer buyers the chance to invest in Eden Caribe. Prices start at just £109,000 for a 115 metre apartment, with up to 75% finance available, subject to status. Anyone looking to invest will also be able to enjoy rental guarantees of up to 15% contracted for two years, as well as an estimated return on investment of 100% in three years."
The resort itself is nestled within lush forests where residents can relax next to the freshwater spring waterfall, which generates the majority of the electricity for the project, or pick fresh fruit and avocados from the trees.
Each of Eden Caribe's spacious apartments is carefully positioned so as to benefit from the cooling sea breeze, while being protected from the direct overhead sunlight by an overhanging terrace. All glass is double paned and heat reflecting, which has the effect of giving the apartments uninterrupted sea views while keeping them cool, resulting in reduced reliance on air conditioning.
"Everything about the development has been designed with nature in mind. Given the fact that it is set in a fruit forest, we wanted to build around the natural surroundings rather than go in and clear a space to build, and this can be seen everywhere in the various features of the resort, such as the boundary wall which incorporates mature trees," says Mark.
"The ethos at Eden Caribe is to prove that you don’t need to have a negative effect on the environment when building a luxury resort. This has been achieved by recycling water, using sustainable energy and implementing an innovative design aimed at reducing energy consumption. All of the buildings at Eden Caribe are heavily insulated for sound and heat - again reducing the energy consumption. Another benefit of this is that maintenance charges are roughly a quarter of those in other resorts in the country."
Eden Caribe is not plugged into the local grid and instead produces all of its own power via a combination of hydroelectricity, solar energy, gas turbines and eventually wind power too. All of the resort’s water is supplied via the mountain spring found onsite, while all grey water (i.e. water from sinks, baths, washing machines, etc) and water for the swimming pools and water features is recycled and then cleaned through bio disc technology.
"All of the wood used at Eden Caribe is sustainable and comes from a local supplier rather than being shipped in, and if any trees should be felled for the project, then there is a replanting scheme in place. All of the stone and basic building materials used in the construction of the resort are sourced locally too," Mark explains.
"We are also proud to say that any excursions to Eden Caribe organised through the UK office are carbon-offset via climate care, and no petrol cars will be allowed on site and no plastic bags will be used. As you can see, we really have worked hard to consider a wide range of environmental factors. We’ve even found a use for all of the fruit produced on site by setting up a scheme whereby the local women can use jam-making machinery bought by Eden Caribe, and harvest the mangos to produce marmalade!"
Eden Caribe overlooks one of the most popular beaches in the southwest of the country at Playa San Rafael. Situated just 0.5km away from the development, this beach is not only popular for its beauty, but also for the fresh water pools which lie next to the beach itself.
"There are plans in place for a luxury marina at Playa San Rafael, which will be able to accommodate super yachts, while the new international airport at Barahona and the opening of several new highways have resulted in a number of large hotel and golf complexes being built," Mark adds.
"Several medium-sized projects and many smaller projects are also sprouting up along the coast, stretching from Barahona onwards. Collectively, these developments look set to make this region one of the best investment opportunities currently in the Caribbean."
Eden Caribe is first-and-foremost a Caribbean eco retreat, encompassing the many mod cons required by today’s travelers.
"The combination of clever design, which results in low energy consumption; the choice of materials; and of course the rich natural and sustainable resources found on site, all make Eden Caribe one of the most interesting and truly environmentally-friendly resorts in the Caribbean," Mark explains.
"What we have done is add to this a lot of the packages requested by today’s investors to offer a resort which earns buyers money, on top of paying for itself, based in one of the most vibrant real estate markets, while simultaneously looking after the environment."
Click here for more information, or to enquire about Eden Caribe
Information provided by Eden Caribe UK.
Eden Caribe UK is the company behind the Eden Caribe Caribbean eco resort.
© PropertyIndex.com 2008 | Last Updated: 08 December 2008
