The Dominican Republic, once a distant second fiddle to such Caribbean destinations as St. Thomas and Anguilla, has confidently stepped into the spotlight thanks to an impressive crop of luxury resort developments, 21 golf courses (including designer courses by Dye, Nicklaus, and Palmer), and attention from celebrities, politicos, and style icons like Brad Pitt, the Clintons, and Oscar de la Renta.

If the record breaking one-day sale of 68 estates in Donald Trump’s Cap Cana development (totaling upwards of $300 million) is any indication, the Dominican Republic is new, improved, and hot. Helium Report takes a sneak peak at a few of the high-profile, upcoming luxury real estate developments in the Dominican Republic.

Roko Ki

This multi-billion dollar, 2,700-acre development features a Westin resort, beach club, spa, aquatic center, and a Nick Faldo-designed golf course. The 360 varied private residences include beachfront homes, jungle bungalows, and “EcoDream” villas with spa-appointed roof decks. Properties here range from $400,000 to $4 million.

The Estates at PuntaCana Resort & Club

Co-investors Frank Ranieri, Ted Kheel, Oscar de la Renta, and Julio Inglesias have developed three luxury communities, collectively called The Estates, with the same commitment to style and privacy that they adhered to during the construction of their own Estates homes. Homeowners will have full access to the 15,000-acre PuntaCana Resort & Club, including the La Cana golf course, spa, and more than four miles of white sand beaches.

Corales, the most deluxe of the three Estates communities, offers 140 home sites starting at $1.8 million. Residents of Corales will have exclusive access to the Tom Fazio-designed golf course, clubhouse, and beach club, all set to open in 2008.

Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, Cap Cana

The 194 privately owned beachfront Ritz-Carlton residences are scheduled to open in 2010 along a 2-mile stretch of beach in the 30,000-acre luxury resort, golf, and marina community of Cap Cana. Residence owners will have full access to the Ritz-Carlton resort, including its 16,000 square-foot spa, private beach club, and five restaurants and lounges.

Trump Farallon Estates, Cap Cana

Also in the massive Cap Cana compound, Trump Farallon Estates will include 68 estates with at least 1.5 acres each, all within a gated community high on a bluff overlooking the ocean. But you’re out of luck if you want in on this action; all 68 homes, ranging in price from $3 million to $12 million, sold in a single day in May 2007.