Accor expands its Dominican Republic pipeline to 23 hotel projects

Accor has signed a series of new hotel development agreements at its Paris headquarters. They take its Dominican Republic pipeline to 23 hotel projects and nearly 6,000 keys. For travellers who choose hotels with care, two openings matter most, both from the Handwritten Collection: a 95-key boutique hotel on the cliffs of the north coast at Cabrera, expected in 2028, and a 350-key lagoon resort at Miches on Samaná Bay, expected in 2030.

The agreements were signed during Dominican Republic Week in France, which runs from 19 to 23 October. Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, the Dominican Minister of Industry, Commerce and SMEs, attended the ceremony. Across the whole pipeline the figures are considerable: nearly 6,000 keys, equivalent to about 6.5% of national hotel capacity, more than 1,000 branded residences and up to 9,000 direct jobs. That is a large commitment from one hotel group to one country, and over the coming years it will shape where and how many visitors stay.

Most of the activity is at Miches, which is planned as a 207-hectare resort destination with several brands. The plan includes a 250-key Swissôtel, a Grand Mercure and a Novotel Resort with 1,000 keys each, and an ibis. A luxury branded hotel is also planned there under a memorandum of understanding, with 250 keys and 100 branded residences. Accor has not yet said which brand it will carry. For readers of this site, that brand will be the detail worth waiting for.

The Handwritten Collection Miches is the most clearly defined of the Miches projects. It is planned as a 350-key lagoon resort facing the bay where humpback whales gather each winter, so the seasonal migration becomes part of what the place offers. The hotel will anchor a 36-hectare master plan that also includes 400 branded residences. It has been signed under a franchise agreement and is expected to open in 2030.

The Handwritten Collection Cabrera is a much smaller project. It is a 95-key boutique hotel set on the cliffs of the north coast, also signed under a franchise agreement, and is expected to open in 2028. That makes it the earliest of the named projects with a confirmed opening year. Its size, and the fact that it stands apart from the larger resort clusters, will suit travellers who prefer a quieter stay with a strong sense of place.

Accor’s plans reach well beyond Miches and Cabrera. At Juan Dolio, a 400-key Pullman will sit above a 4,000-seat convention centre, so the coast will be able to host large conferences and events. Two exclusive development agreements will also bring ibis hotels, with 550 keys, and ibis budget hotels, with 700 keys, to locations across the country. Together these projects show how broad the group’s plans are, from conference business to budget travel, with a small number of more distinctive hotels among them.

For now, the practical point is timing. None of these projects can be booked yet. The first Handwritten Collection opening is expected in 2028 and the second in 2030. The luxury hotel at Miches is still under a memorandum of understanding and has no named brand. Until Accor confirms the brand and an opening year, it belongs on a watch list. It is not yet something to plan a trip around.

The Dominican Republic is worth following closely. Cabrera is the hotel to plan for first, and the north coast is a good reason to start thinking about a visit in 2028. Miches is the bigger story over the longer term: a whale-watching bay, a lagoon resort and a luxury address still to be named, all within one planned destination. We will report on each project as Accor confirms brands, dates and the details that matter when you book.

Source: Accor