Vacation Rentals by Owner

Paradise off the beaten track

Guest: SZQ (Sunnyside, NY)
Date of Stay: 02/13/11 Review Submitted: 03/07/11

My boyfriend and I just returned from a wonderful week in this fabulous house. I normally am not a big review person, but we enjoyed ourselves so much I just wanted to put a good word in! The house was spotless and very well maintained. It has a really bright airy feel with plenty of space. The pool in the backyard is amazing...especially for lounging and afternoon drinks - if you don't feel like making the short walk down to the beach. The beach is great as well - especially if you're a surfer - and even if you're not. Its not a wide, suntanning beach but that doesn't really matter. It does the trick. And if you feel like a stroll you can walk down the beach a ways to a restaurant/bar (which also has a driving range for those who want to practice their swings.) Its a little but out of the main town but that's alright as long as you rent a car...and makes it much more private. All in all a great spot!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Excellent Dominican rental property !

Guest: barber (ottawa, ontario CANADA)
Date of Stay: 02/05/11 Review Submitted: 02/18/11

We just got back from Cabarete and stayed in this fabulous house. It had it all ! It was absolutely gorgeous. The rooms were huge and clean. The pool and backyard were a dream with lots of privacy and a great outdoor grill. The beach was excellent and very close. The house was immaculate, well equipped with everything you need when you go away on vacation. Made life simple. I recommend this property and will absolutely be returning!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

surfing encuentro beach, horses all over the place, walks on beach, amazing backyard gazebo

Guest: chicoman (Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/16/11 Review Submitted: 02/20/11

lounging in the hammock, surfing every morning, reading up in the screened in loft, walking the beach to Cabarete then taking a moto concho home, we really enjoyed staying at the villa. I would recommend to anyone that has any interest in learning to surf or to advanced levels to stay in this villa. i looked around while staying here and found nothing comparable. i hope to return again next year. don't book my week!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

house under par

Guest: oscar (paris, francer)
Date of Stay: 12/19/10 Review Submitted: 12/31/10

the house is in poor shape from electricity to kitchen. All furniture are the cheapest you can find on the island a very bad experience

Owner response:This reviewer has a grievance against me that has nothing to do with my villa. His review is about spite, not the villa. Please ignore it.

Recommended for:

Very Special Place

Guest: Nicole (Toronto)
Date of Stay: 12/04/10 Review Submitted: 02/18/11

My friends and I loved it here! We stayed the first week of December--perfect time of year to visit. We had beautiful, sunny weather all week. The house was beautiful. Sunshine and fans filled every room so there was a lovely, warm breeze all day long. The house was cleaned everyday. The cleaning lady, Rosa was the best...she even did our laundry! There was a wifi so we could email pictures of the days events to our family back home, and a blender for pina coladas. On either side of the path that led down to the beach we could often see exotic birds, and from time to time grazing horses. The property is gated, and there are neighbors close by, but there is much untouched land behind the property leading to the beach. It felt like we were somewhere very special. There was a refreshing pool, and a large, shaded hammock. We sat under our gazebo every evening watching the ocean until the sun disappeared. The owner, Jordan was very professional, and extremely helpful with suggestions on where to find the tastiest local restaurants, and happening bars at night in the charming town of Cabarete. I highly recommend asking him for recommendations--we never would not discovered these places on our own. We walked around with constant smiles all week, and plan to make it an annual trip! Nicole L.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car.

A DREAM COME TRUE

Guest: T T from T (New york)
Date of Stay: 06/27/10 Review Submitted: 02/18/11

I gotta be honest. At first, I was a little wary about renting a random place from a random dude in the Dominican. Who knows what you are really getting yourself into right?! So, I talked to the owner of the house and he was super cool. He took the time to really paint a picture of the house, the surroundings, etc... I chalked this comment up to hyperbole: "it is the perfect vacation spot." But seriously, I can confirm. This place surpassed my wildest dreams. The owner also hooked us up with "insider's info" including restaurants, bars, excursions and secret surf breaks!!!! OH YEAH! We arrived by plane, rented a car and drove to the house. Super easy. Super quick. The house kicks it. It's really clean, open and luminous. You have exquisite ocean views and it's a short walk along a path to the beach. There's a break just in front of the place so you can be first in the water every morning if you're into that. You should be! If you want to just chill you can do that poolside. Cook something up on the grill and lounge in the elevated hammock. What's not to like? Seriously, it's stunning. Another bonus: this place is really close to Cabarete - an amazing town with great food, people, parties and world-class kite-surfing...talk about a work out! The best part is that we felt like we had our own little slice of the Dominican, if only for 10 days. You're off the beaten path which, in my mind, is priceless. If not for the mild sunburn, I felt local. I will definitely be returning as soon as I can. Big thanks to the owners for all the insight! Love those guys. Thomas

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Our Favorite Vacation

Guest: The Coconuts (New York)
Date of Stay: 05/30/10 Review Submitted: 05/10/11

We had such a truly wonderful time here. The house, yard and pool are absolutely lovely, the view of the road and the lush tropical trees and fields to the beach: beautiful, the beach itself felt like a private beach for locals and surfers... I can't say enough. If staying in a gorgeous home off the beaten path and away from tourists and cheesy over manicured holiday vacation type places is your thing, this is it. Cabarete is only ten minutes away and there you have all the beach side bars, restaurants and souvenir shops you could want. The guards on the property with the guns was a little disarming at first but they are very sweet people and I felt nothing dangerous about the area besides the fact that you have to watch your purses and wallets but that is very true in NYC where we live any way. Rosa came every day and cleaned the whole house!!!! I could not believe it and it made me feel a bit guilty. She was so great with our girls and has such a warm spirit. Joso the gardener and pool guy came every day too to make sure everything was just right. Sitting in the cabana that looks out over the pool at sundown, sipping the good rum and coke while watching the free roaming horses being brought back to their stable every evening with my girls chomping on fresh mangos and my man grilling up pork ribs and roasting peppers etc....man, does it get better? My only problem with writing this review is that I am afraid everyone will try and flock to this place and make it hard to reserve time here. Muchos Muchos Gracias for the great memories!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Perfect Paradise Vacation

Guest: l'il T (New York, New York USA)
Date of Stay: 05/29/10 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

This is the perfect place for a sunny get-away! If you're looking for a vacation off the beaten path, with all the amenities but with the freedom and adventure of staying in your own place, then this is it! You'll love the house and the location. We were lucky enough to spend nearly two weeks in this paradise, and we can't wait to get back. The house is clean, well-equipped, stylish and comfy, with a nice kitchen, two lovely bedrooms, a great lounge area and an awesome screened-in room on the second level (great for breezy naps - and has a view of the ocean!) However, as nice as all that is, you'll most likely spend all of your time in the backyard sunning and relaxing-- that's what we did! There's a grill, a huge pool, chaise lounges, a jacuzzi and an amazing gazebo with a hammock- it's the perfect place to spend lazy days in the sun with a tropical drink... The location is also super great-- so close to a super local-feeling beach (5 minute walk), and just about a ten minute drive to the vibrant little town of Cabarete, which is full of cute little cafes and bars on the ocean. We had a great time bar-hopping along the beach. If you want to be more productive, there's tons of stuff to do in the area - we recommend taking a paddle boarding lessons from Maui Bob and driving up the coast to discover hidden beaches. We were a little hesitant initially to take this trip, but the owner was so helpful and informative... the instructions to get to the house were super clear and everything was ready for us when we arrived. The owner was also super informed about the area- you could tell he knew his stuff. He answered all of our questions prior to our arrival - from where to get cheap groceries to where the best places to surf or where to get breakfast. Thanks for a great trip! We can't wait to go back!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Private Paradise!!

Guest: Erocka (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/17/10 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

We are a couple in our early 30's who love to do our own thing and independently explore new places so this house was our first choice over a tacky all inclusive resort. As you can see from the pictures the house is immaculate, everything is super clean and tastefully decorated (no towel-swans or psychedelic bedspreads here!). Our favorite part of the house is the backyard from which you can literally see the beach and hear the waves crashing on to the shore! Suntanning in the pool on one of the backyard's float-able bean bag chairs is the ultimate!! We cherished our time cooking up food and hanging out with a cold one back there! Cruise down to the beach (which is like 2 seconds away) and it's hipster-surfer mecca! There are lots of little surf schools and places to grab fresh juice and stuff. Its not super out of control though, there is plenty of space to lay down a blanket and chill out. In the evenings we went into Cabarete pretty much every night. Its such a cute town!!!! There are a bunch of restaurants & bars which open out onto the sandy beach. The caliber and creativity of the food and drinks at some of the restaurants is outstanding. It was breathtaking dining on the freshest seafood watching the sun set on the ocean. If your tired after dinner your quaint and comfy home is just a short cab ride away. We, however, spent many late nights partying it up, there is no shortage of vibrant nightlife in Cabarete!!! We had a great time, Cabarete is awesome. This place is perfect. If you love to surf than staying here is a no-brainer. Happy Vacationing!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Muy Bueno

Guest: Ian (Vancouver, BC)
Date of Stay: 02/28/10 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

Great place! 5min walk to a very beautiful undeveloped beach with great surfing. Mostly we did our own thing hanging out at the house by the pool, and having back yard BBQ's. This is a quiet, relatively undeveloped area, so there aren't a lot of services (bars, restaurants, etc) close by, so you should consider a rental car. Cabarete has lots of great beach bars/restaurants and it's only about 5 mins away by car. The maid Rosa was very friendly although her English wasn't very good...she kept the place very clean. The owner Gordon (or Jordon?) was easy to deal with and very responsive to our questions. Tip: It's a beautiful walk (approx 1hr at a leisurely pace) along the beach to downtown Cabarete...good for exercise and sightseeing.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Highly recommended

Guest: Jeff (Maine)
Date of Stay: 02/09/10 Review Submitted: 02/17/11

Not that we felt in danger at all during our trip, but the house did come with armed guards at the gate. A bit overkill but it was super secure. If you are a surfer, then this is the perfect house for you. If you are a swimmer or a wader...not so good. Pool was clean and quiet as was the house.

Recommended for:

A Sunny Slice of Paradise

Guest: Billy (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/20/09 Review Submitted: 03/01/11

I enjoyed one of my most memorable Christmas vacations at this beautiful house which is just a few minutes walk to an amazing surf break and only a few minutes drive from the beach bars, restaurants and amenities of charming Cabarete. The house was immaculate and kept that way during our entire stay by the friendly housekeeper Rosa, who was always smiling. Whether you are looking to surf in the morning, relax by the pool for the afternoon, fire up the barbecue for an evening meal, or lie on the hammock in the gazebo and enjoy the stars at night, I highly recommend this property for a relaxing, restful and fun vacation. This property had everything we wanted... I will be back.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect for Us!

Guest: M&P (Haiti)
Date of Stay: 09/03/09 Review Submitted: 02/17/11

The homeowners, property manager and workers were very pleasant and easy to work with throughout our stay near Cabarete. The house is in near-new condition (as the pictures show) and on the high end of the smaller, reasonably priced properties in the Cabarete area. To stay here, having your own transportation is a must. With grocery stores nearby, the kitchen and outdoor BBQ made breakfasts and poolside dinners simple and enjoyable, maximizing our time at the beach while not having to eat out ALL the time. (Check the utensil drawer to make sure they have all the utensils you will need before you go grocery shopping--you might need to bring or buy specialty items) In-house laundry is a bonus. The house is simple, quiet, very clean and well kept. We would recommend it to any small family, couple, or small group of friends. As with staying in any house rental in the tropics, "quirky" things can and do happen: brief power outages, ant invasions, etc. This happens even at the 5-star resorts. If you're easy going and content staying just minutes up the road from Cabarete's premier kiteboarding beach and downtown strip with surf shops and beachfront restaurants; this is a great choice!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

A Great Experience!

Guest: Rue (Bay Area, California)
Date of Stay: 04/30/09 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

Hi Judy, Greetings and I hope all is well with you and your family! I just wanted to follow up with you now that we have returned home and again mention to you how much Michael and I enjoyed our stay at your Ocean Winds Villa. I hope you can forward this message to the villa owners. From our arrival at Ocean Winds everything was a class act. Your visit during our arrival answering all questions we had and pointing out features of the villa got us off to a great start. The villa was everything and more that was represented in the ad on the internet. The entire villa was very clean and we felt very comfortable there throughout our stay. The housekeeping service we received from Rosa could not have been any better. If I was a owner there Rosa would be the idea type of person I would like to have onboard as part of my staff. We could have not have felt more safe with the security staff we had. At random times through the nights we could view the staff patrolling the grounds front and back. We would also see a gentlemen attending to the pool at different times cleaning out leaves and starting the circulation etc. Michael and I spoke about the satisfaction we had with the villa and when we return in the future we will not want to stay anywhere else. We will also highly recommend Ocean Winds to friends visiting Cabarete. Thanks for making this a great vacation for us and we look forward to returning. Regards, Scott

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Vacation

Guest: Jordan McCall (Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/09/09 Review Submitted: 02/25/11

We loved our time at this private villa. The views of the ocean are magnificent and the pool is a perfect place to spend the day.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.