Caribbean Luxury Villa, Private Beach house rental, Dominican Republic Vacation Rentals, Playa Cofresi Vacation Villa

What are the housekeeper's duties and hours?

Is there phone/ internet access?

How do I get around?

Is it safe in the Dominican Republic?

I don't speak Spanish. How will I communicate?

Where can I get medical attention?

When is the hurricane season?

What are the entry requirements?

Is Haiti a problem neighbor?

What are the housekeeper's duties and hours?

Our primary housekeeper generally works 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Saturday. Sunday is her day off. On that day, a back up maid will come in just to prepare breakfast, clean up, tidy the villa, make the beds and then leave. She generally leaves by noon.

Is there phone/ internet access?

A cell phone is available for guests to use, but local and or long distance phone card minutes must be purchased. This service enables you to send and receive calls. There is a $50 charge for any damage to or loss of the cell phone.

High speed DSL: Internet service is available at the house. Internet connection and fax service is also available at the Sun Village Business Center or Taino Plaza.

How do I get around?

If you do not have a rental car, taxis are readily available in Cofresi across from the front entrance to the Hacienda resort. Taxi rates are posted so you can check the fares, and confirm the amount with the driver. It is not customary to tip the drivers.

Is it safe in the Dominican Republic?

The Dominican Republic has the lowest crime rate in the Caribbean. However, this is a third-world country and there is petty crime. For that reason, common sense should prevail and the villa should be locked up at night or when you leave the house and the maid is not there. Likewise, you should not leave valuables unattended in plain sight while at the beach. These are the same precautions most of us take at home.

Your villa has a night watchman on duty each night from dusk until dawn. His presence acts as a deterrent to petty crime and has served us well, since there have been few problems here in Cofresi. There is also a local police sub-station within Playa Cofresi at the gate to Hacienda Resorts. There are officers readily available in case of emergency.

I don't speak Spanish. How will I communicate?

As the Dominicans often say, “No problema”. First of all, many Dominicans now speak English. Julio and Gabino speak English. Nelsida is still learning English, but she manages to understand what you need or want. We have a complete meal planning guide that has the Spanish translations so that you can show Nelsida what you would like her to prepare. Our guests tend to be adventurous and enjoy the challenge of communicating in a foreign land.

Where can I get medical attention?

If you need medical service, contact Gabino or Julio for assistance. For minor ailments, there is a 24 hour emergency clinic a few hundred yards from our front door at the Sun Village Resort. For more serious problems, attentive medical service is available at CENTRAL MEDICAL BOURNIGAL HOSPITAL located on Antera Mota in Puerto Plata. They offer 24-hour service and accept credit cards.

When is the hurricane season?

Actually, hurricanes are rarely a problem along the north coast of the Dominican Republic. Due to a number of factors, such as the low lying mountain range along the coast, and the direction of the Gulf Stream, hurricanes tend to head toward Florida, missing the country. Occasionally a hurricane travels off the southern coast of the country through the Caribbean Sea, and hits Honduras or other nearby areas. At most there will be a day or two of rain, but rarely any damage.

For more information on weather go to http://dr1.com/travel/expect/weather.shtml

What are the entry requirements?

All visitors entering the Dominican Republic must have a valid passport. A birth certificate with raised seal, driver's license or other photo ID is no longer sufficient. Upon entering the airport in the Dominican Republic, each visitor will be required to fill out a tourist card and pay a $10 entry fee in U.S. dollars or Euros. The tourist card asks where you will be staying. Just write “Private Home in Playa Cofresi, Puerto Plata”. There are no street names or addresses in our community.

For current information on foreign travel for US citizens, check: www.travel.state.gov/ For general information on the Dominican Republic check: http://dgtravelnow.com or http://www.dr1.com/

Is Haiti a problem neighbor?

Even though Haiti shares 1/3 of the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, the border is closed except for some commerce. A mountain range from north to south creates a natural boundary and makes any illegal passage extremely difficult. Visitors to our community are not affected by any issues in this neighboring country.