Frequently Asked Questions When Renting a Luxury Villa in Dominican Republic (FAQ)
1. What’s the price range for villas in Dominican Republic?
In the luxury segment, in Dominican Republic, it generally ranges between $2,500 and $25,000 per night, but this varies by destination and of course season. Click here to Explore our Luxury Villas.
2. How is the price determined, and are there length of stay requirements?
We will reimburse you for returned items in the same way you paid for them. For example, any amounts deducted from a gift card will be credited back to a gift card. For returns by mail, once we receive your return, we will process it within 4–5 business days. It may take up to 7 days after we process the return to reflect in your account, depending on your financial institution’s processing time.
3. What is included, and what type of services do I get?
A lot, particularly compared to most luxury hotels where you usually get your room or suite, and maybe a fruit basket when you check-in. You get a personal butler and private chef for breakfast and lunch, both of whom are dedicated to you. You can have your chef cook dinner as well if you want. There is also a team to help with pre-arrival planning and concierge staff, you get daily housekeeping services, your own golf cart and the concierge will coordinate offsite activity and in-residence spa services. In the case of Dominican Republic, the villas we represent offer access to the restaurants, bars, spa, and golf course and fitness club, and spa, all just minutes away via golf cart ride. The villas are all in 24-hour gated security and there is an onsite emergency medical response. However, these are all the types of things you should ask about as villas can often be just a private home on a public road.
4. What costs are additional?
Food and beverage are extra, but you are charged on the costs of what we pay plus a 5% currency buffer, so if you order a dozen lobsters, you pay the cost of buying the lobsters. Rental cars or car service, spa services, golf, and fishing, yacht charters can all be arranged for cost. We don’t mark things up the way hotels do, so you can get the same offsite experiences often for 30% or even 50% less than if you booked via a hotel you are staying at. For what luxury resorts charge for a room service breakfast, you probably cover your food costs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well in a villa, so you get a lot of value without sacrificing quality.
5. What are some of the advantages of a villa versus a hotel and vice versa?
This can vary quite a bit depending on hotels and villas because they are each different, but in general, villas provide far more privacy than a hotel. There’s no running for lounge chairs at the pool as all the villas we represent have full private pools. You have private full-time staff on hand to cater to your every need, so you aren’t waiting to call somebody who then has to get back to you. There’s far more space to relax as you don’t just have a hotel room or suite available, but anywhere from 3,500 to 25,000 square feet of combined indoor/outdoor living space. When we say villa, they are truly ultra high-end luxury residences built to the same standards you would build your own home.
Also, as mentioned, the cost of eating and drinking much less than a top resort. You for the cost plus a small 5% markup to cover currency fluctuations so you won’t be paying $30 for one margarita.
In terms of the villas we have in the Dominican Republic, they are each individually owned within a gated community with its own private club which is never very busy. It has a great swimming beach and has pools, poolside service, several restaurants, a beach activity desk, a kids club, and even In-residence food delivery. You have the option of enjoying total privacy in your villa or meeting other guests and homeowners in a more social setting at the clubs.
While not all villas have as many amenities – and this is something you should definitely ask about, Casa de Campo Resort for example offers Polo, Golf Tournaments, full gym with free weights, machine weight equipment, cardio equipment, private and group classes, a 25-meter lap pool, tennis court, park with basketball court, mini soccer pitch and fun areas for young kids.
In terms of dining, menus can be tailored to guests’ likes and there are no set menus. Whatever you want our butlers and chefs accommodate. We do not add a 15% resort and service fee to our rates. The high-end resorts In Cabo all add this, which can add up very quickly.
6. How far in advance do I need to book the villa, and how do payments work? Are there cancellation fees and deadlines?
You generally need to book at least two days prior to arrival and need to pay via a wire transfer. That said, as each villa is different, booking in advance makes much more sense since you are going to have the widest selection of what’s available. It’s not unusual for customers to book their next stay while they are still in the villa, as they want to make sure they can get that same villa again on the dates they want. Generally, a 50% deposit is required to make a reservation and it is refundable until 60 days prior to arrival. The balance is due 60 days prior to arrival and at this point the stay is non-refundable. Christmas and New Year is 90-day cancellation and the initial 50% deposit is non-refundable. However, due to COVID-19, we are more flexible with cancelations and will offer a full refund for any travel disrupted due to a travel-related restriction that prevents the guest from taking the trip. Guests should check to make sure they understand this provision fully.
7. How do I find the villa? How do we get access?
Most of the time our concierge staff arranges transportation from the airport to the villa. In this case, the driver will take guests directly to the villa. If a guest is driving themselves, we can provide directions and their names will be recorded at the security gate for access. Guests are met by one of our concierge staff, butler, and chef when they arrive at the villa. They will receive the keys to the villa and golf cart and will be provided an orientation of the villa. This, however, isn’t universal and something you should ask about with each villa rental.
8. What if something needs to be fixed? What if we need something after hours?
Again, this varies by location and the management company. In our case, we have 24-hour maintenance staff who can manage any repairs needed. Think of it as all of the same services you would expect at a 5-star luxury resort, but with all the advantages of the villa experience. Many of our guests who have less than stellar experiences with previous villa rental comment that we really provide hotel-level services, so when renting, definitely ask the provider if it is round-the-clock and weekend maintenance. It’s not always the case.
9. Should I get travel insurance? What if something gets damaged while we are there?
Yes, always a good idea. For any damage over normal wear and tear, the guest is responsible to pay for the repair or replacement. We collect a credit card upon arrival, which is used on the guest registration form. While we inspect every home before you arrive, it’s always good to take a look yourself and let us know right away if something looks off. Certain villas do require a security deposit equal to one night of the stay, but this is typically sent back within 48 hours of the departure and we have yet to have an owner retain any of it. Read our Website Policies for more Details
10. Will it be too crowded if all the bedrooms are taken?
We generally have a two-person per bedroom policy so it never feels too crowded. The villas are all built with the expectation there will be a full house so you will find ample places for dining as well as relaxing by the pool and other main areas of the villa. Between balconies, terraces, the pool area, and interior space, there are lots of areas to get a bit of private space.
