Excellent Stay at Vecinos during Christmas week of 2011 - strongly recommen

Guest: Sunny (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 12/24/11 Review Submitted: 01/09/12

We stayed at Vecinos with our two children for the Christmas week of 2011. We had a fantastic time. We came to the Dominican republic for windsurfing. We had booked the vacation with friends, who ended up canceling their trip due to safety concerns. I was full of concerns myself but pleasantly surprised -all was safe and clean. The apartment was very nicely built with a gorgeous open floor plan for the the kitchen, living room and with huge upstairs bedroom with nice high ceilings. The masterfully maintained tropical garden surrounds the balcony and is reflected in smartly placed mirrors to give a feel of a tropical paradise - and also some shade. The children enjoyed the pristine pool by the garden. We ate fresh picked passion fruits! Best of all were having Les Lynda for hosts. They were extremely helpful, gave us a ton of information and even lent us a Spanish dictionary to help get around. At the end, I felt as if this was a visit to friends, because they were so nice. Useful hints for going around and things to do. 1) It is best to fly to Puerto Plata (POP) if visiting Cabarete – otherwise the drive from Santo Domingo is 4.5 hours. If you fly through Santo Domingo, it is best to take a cab to the north shore, ~$200 USD, very well earned by the Dominican drivers. 2) We rented a car for $32 per day all insurance included at Cabarete It is best to drive short distances, because many of the roads are narrow and the local driving customs are somewhat strange. Actually similar to Rome and Naples with the thousands of motorinos driving around. 3) Vela has a great windsurfing, kayaking, Stand UP Paddle Boarding , boogie board equipment., etc. If you windsurf, make sure you work out before the trip. 4) We did horseback riding (first time for me!) at Luisa and Tommy horse ranch. It is well worth it, on a horse back one can go in places of magnificent beauty that are otherwise hard or maybe even impossible to reach. 5) The zip-line at Monkey Jungle is an experience of a lifetime! 6) The caves are amazing with stalactites, stalagmites, and sometimes silk-feeling fresh water natural pools. If you go to the state park, there is no wait and the price is more than reasonable for what you see. 7) We did not have time to see the waterfalls, others say they are also worth seeing. 8) Restaurants are something I don't normally talk about, but the ones at Cabarete are superb. There is a wide variety of local, often organic fruits and vegetables, the chick

Owner response:It was a true joy to meet Svetlin + Milena with their wonderful sons, Michael + Daniel, and host their family Christmas vacation with us at Vecinos! We were so impressed that they didn't let others (who had not even visited the DR) discourage them from coming with warnings about it being unsafe. Instead they followed their own plans, and had a great time here! Their main goal was to windsurf, but even when the wind didn't co-operate, they made the most of the myriad of other fun activities around, exploring and learning about our diverse island country. They embraced a positive, open-minded attitude, and found new experiences they hadn't even thought of trying before. Following their spirit of independence + adventure, the whole family went ziplining at the near-by Monkey Jungle. Adventurous + open to trying new things, they went horseback riding and really enjoyed it. They talked about discovering the natural beauty of backwoods trails and mountain streams in our National Park reserve. We've been extremely lucky in having the most wonderful people find, choose + trust us to host their holiday stay! Invariably, kids staying here have a great time - which helps their parents do the same :) Plus there's the added benefit of Les + I getting our "grandparent-fix" - great fun. With so many activities to choose from available close by, "kids-of-all-ages" are sure to find something they enjoy, making great memories to bring back home. Svetlin, Melina + family are very welcome to come back and stay with us again anytime - and all their friends + families too! :)

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.

Three month winter rental

Guest: Georges and Ghislaine (Laval, Quebec, Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/06/11 Review Submitted: 05/15/11

Vecinos is for us like an oasis. The condo is very nice, spacious,clean and modern; freshly painted, beautifully landscaped. We stayed for 3 months. After awhile we started to feel like a member of the family of Less and Lynda, the owners. Every Saturday was "Market day" where we purchased delicious home made lasagna. pastries, etc. while meeting lots of tourists and Dominicans. Of course, nothing is perfect. Kitchenware needs upgrading and a microwave oven would have been great. Supermarket is a bit far but walk-able. My husband did go to Janet's supermarket on foot and taxis are available for around 3$. Also, folding chairs and beach umbrella were missing. Luckily we had brought our own folding chairs to bring to the beach. The sea is very rough close to Vecinos, but the beach is quiet and good for walking in both directions. The condos were very safe and secure. There is a wall that surrounds the property as well as a gate that is locked overnight. They also have three dogs for added security. They are friendly to us but not to intruders.

Owner response:The 3 months we had Ghislaine, George + Francoise as guests did create a great bond with them, and they contributed so much to our Vecinos community! It's wonderful to have fellow Canadians spend time here - almost as good as taking a trip back home - :) It was fun to see them going on some of the numerous day trips available to see the great diversity of our island. George' brought his camera and had lots of photo-op moments, capturing a vast array of colorful shots of the locals and their culture. He's also a computer "buff" and appreciated our high-speed wi-fi internet access. Francoise + Ghislaine are voracious readers, and went through many selections from our extensive library - spending hours reading poolside or at the beach right across the street. When they got too warm, they'd cool off in the pool, or splash in the ocean where it's protected by an offshore reef near-by. Our condos are easily maintained, and they kept it spotless and still had lots of leisure time for themselves (even without the optional maid service). Since our location is in the middle of the expat community, they found lots of fellow French Canadians within walking distance - both in town, and down the street - to socialize with. Since there's lots of time on vacation to socialize - it was a win/win all around - for the neighbours + them :) We appreciated their flexibility about the minor inconveniences that are inevitable in a third-world country - such as power interruptions or crowing roosters. They also helped "orient" other guests who passed through on shorter stays during their time with us, and made them feel welcome - including them in our friendly community! Guests with less travel experience had the benefit of getting a "heads-up" about what to expect. - which helped them feel more comfortable. We thank them for their feedback which gives us the opportunity to improve things - like better cookware and kitchen appliances - for future guests. We thank them for choosing us at Vecinos for their Cabarete holiday! and feel lucky they did! We'd love to see them come back for another vacation anytime!

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

expats in the DR

Guest: Julie&Ron (Hurley, New York)
Date of Stay: 04/21/11 Review Submitted: 04/26/11

Great place, nice people, unique experience....don't miss Saturday morning (and early afternoon) market....German pastries by Christina & Lynda's carmel rolls (sticky buns). This was our second visit and certainly not our last.

Recommended for:Age 55+, pet owners, families with young children.

Wonderful holidays at Vecinos condo

Guest: simointe (Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/05/11 Review Submitted: 04/21/11

We were there two weeks in April. Lynda and Lees are very human persons, always helpful to answering a question or fix a little thing for us. The property is very pleasant, the trees and plants are beautiful. It is clean and charming. The beach the other side of the street is very beautiful and not crowded. The property is a little outside of Cabarete town, 3 or 4 kilometers away, but easy to reach my mini-bus by day. The night life of Cabarete is difficult to reach tough. We definitely recommend this place.

Owner response:Simon + Chantal + family were great guests who were a delight to share our home with! The 4 daughters and their parents spent many happy hours playing in the pool and taking day trips to the numerous attractions + activities around. They didn't need to rent a vehicle as they got everywhere they needed to go by either walking or taking the public transport "gua-guas" (mini-buses), taxis or regular buses. The adults took turns taking the kids to some of the numerous activities available close by - which gave everyone time for themselves, or together - to do what they enjoyed most. Snorkeling in near-by Sosua , windsurfing on the world-famous Cabarete Bay, or just spending a sunny family day at the beach, were some of their highlights they told us about. They took full advantage of our great location - far enough from town to be peaceful and tranquil, yet close enough to get there easily for shopping, dining or entertainment. They were also happy about the convenient beach restaurant and bar right across the street that's open for breakfast, lunch or dinner - where they had great food at reasonable prices. It was very handy for them to just walk across the street with the girls and enjoy a nice family meal at the beach. On days they preferred to eat at home, they found the condo kitchen + dining room very convenient as it was fully stocked with cookware + dishes and the familiar GE fridge and stove that's so reliable "back home". They didn't have to carry bulky sports equipment with them, as they could easily rent it in town, saving them the hassle of bringing it with them. Since they were the only guests here during their stay, the whole resort was basically theirs to enjoy as their own private space. They made great use of the pool and common areas, playing games and enjoying the pets - which is always a joy to see. Everyone had a great time and found things to do that were great fun for them - which shows there are an amazing variety of fun activities available all around - suitable for every age range. The condos are easily maintained, so they didn't need to spend a lot of time cleaning. That freed up most of their time for family fun-in-the-sun activities - the best reason for tropical vacations, after all! We were happy to see how much they enjoyed spending time with each other at our place, and experiencing various adventures near-by. We told them that they're very welcome to come back anytime! ...and to tell their friends too :)

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children.

A great stay in Cabarete for Chris and Cindy from Ottawa, Canada, the first week of March,2011.

Guest: Chris (Ottawa, Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/28/11 Review Submitted: 03/10/11

We really enjoyed our stay with Les and Linda, as fellow Canadians and owners of the property. They were very helpful in every way and Les entertained us with his singing and guitar one night. Linda said that she went into town to Janets, the grocery store, by motorcycle, which also could be walked in 20 mins. So the first day found Cindy and I returning from the store with two large bags of groceries, both of us on a motorcycle, with the driver. The price was right and a new adventure to tell our friends about. They have provided really nice condos which are well furnished, clean and bright for our stay. The pool is great and a nice way to keep cool after a morning at the beach, which is about 200 yds away The location, just East of Cabarete, is ideal, as it is quiet and away from the hubub of the main tourist area but close enough to easily go to the many restaurants any time of the day, or our favourite time Happy Hour. We would recommend it to anyone.

Owner response:Cindy + Chris were awesome guests - especially with this being one of Chris's first trips abroad. Their sense of adventure had them traveling on the local motoconchos (motorcycle taxis) and gua-guas (mini-van buses) to points as near as our fav groc store 1km west, to as far as Puerto Plata (an hour west) to take in the tourist attractions. For a break, they spent hours poolside meeting and bonding with another guest couple from Vancouver. It was neat to see them become great friends and share meals together across the street at the beachfront restaurant + bar which is such a great resource for our guests. Thx for spending your very special vacation time with us, Cindy + Chris, please come back anytime, and tell all your friends about us! Hope to see you back soon - Les + Lynda + pets :)

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.

Nice place to stay, would do it again.

Guest: Marv (Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/08/11 Review Submitted: 02/24/11

We found Vecinos a great place to stay for my wife, myself, mother-in-law, and kids 6yrs, 4yrs, and 2yrs. It is a bit of a way from the center of Cabarete and most people wouldn't walk the distance, but if you've stayed in Cabarete before you also know that there can be a lot of noise from the road. We had nice quite nights at Vecinos with a beauitiful garden area and pool, and some pets including dogs, cats, turtles, geckos, frogs, and some young chicks to keep our kids entertained. Getting to town was very easy and inexpensive. Most days we took the Gua Gua (a local mini van that will pick you up and drop you where ever you ask) this was a great experience for the kids and very cheap. $2.50 would get all 6 of us to the center of town. There is also restaraunt just across the street for those times when you didn't want to cook, or if you needed a late' on the beach in morning. It served good food and was reasonably priced for being right on the beach.The kids particulary enjoyed Taco Tuesday. The beach across the street was nice and is suitable for relaxing, walking, beach combing, etc., however the shore break made it unsuitable for swimming with the kids. The center to east end of the main beach at Cabarete is much more suitable for that. I like to kiteboard, and it is a bit of a ways to kitebeach. Again, the Gua Gua was cheap and easy and so were the moto taxis. A normal private taxi was also easy to come by, but a bit more money. One day I did see some kites in the air at the beach just across the road from Vecinos, so it is kiteable. The ocean appears to be quite turbulent there and there must be a reef or some sand bars that create lots of breakers, so I personally wouldn't try it without someone who knows the area. At Vecinos we felt safe and secure. The rooms were clean and spacious and offered everything we needed. The Saturday Market was also something neat about this place. We swam in the pool everyday, even after we played in the ocean because the kids loved the pool! Les and Lynda were always willing to help out, offer advice, or just chat. They are honest people who genuinely want you to have a good time. The other people we met at the condo were all friendly and appeared to be having a good time. Sam the gardener was also very nice. WE GOT WHAT WE EXPECTED AND MORE FOR THE PRICE. Don't expect a "resort" atmosphere like you at an all inclusive or at one of the ritzy condo developments on the beach and you will be happy at Vecinos

Owner response:Les + I were so pleased + entertained to watch Marvin, Christie, Grandma Beth + 3 girls enjoying their stay at Vecinos! They liked the convenience of the beachfront restaurant across the street where they could easily walk to with the kids. They especially appreciated it after their late arrival - when everyone was tired + hungry and just wanted to eat and go to sleep. The girls were as cute + entertaining as the baby chicks that held their fascination for hours. It was a joy to see their interaction with all our pets + our pets really thought so it too! They had a great time poolside with Mom + Grandma, while Dad went kiting on his own for awhile. The pool toys were so happy to be enjoyed again! Les was thrilled when they went exploring along his fishponds, waterfall + bridges, watching the fish, turtles + gekkos. They played on his giant swing hanging from the palm trees, and kept a watchful eye on the baby chicks, turkins, + chickens scratching + pecking in their endless quest for food. They remembered each one's name + said good-bye to them by name when they left. The whole family fit right into our wee community, + the kids were lovingly "adopted" by the "rest of the village" - much to everyone's enjoyment and entertainment - so it was a win/win all around. We couldn't help but chuckle when Les told the girls he was so happy to have met such fine young ladies, and 2-yr old Iris piped up saying she wasn't a "young lady" - she was "Iris"! We thoroughly enjoyed having this wonderful family as guests for a few weeks! With our own grandkids so far away, we especially appreciate the wonderful kids who come to visit as our own. Also, since we've lived here now for 6 yrs, we are happy to share our "insider knowledge" with our guests about our favorite resources for taxis or vehicle rentals, money exchanges, groc shopping, restaurants, tours, souvenir shops etc. For golf enthusiasts, the DR's "Pebble Beach", Playa Grande is only an hour away, with a world class golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones. An hour to the west is Ocean World + Casino with a large waterpark, swimming with dolphins + Vegas-style shows. We enjoy hearing about our guests' experiences around the area - what they've enjoyed most or least. That way, we build up our repertoire of recommendations for future guests' reference. We offer excellent value + have a great location! Come on down and check us out - we'd lo host your next Cabarete vacation with us at Vecinos!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, age 55+, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with young children.

Daves review of Vecinos

Guest: Dave (Huntsville Ontario)
Date of Stay: 12/14/10 Review Submitted: 01/27/11

Les + Lynda have an extremely are extremely outgoing and pleasant in nature with quality help like Janet and Sam. They have a top quality condo - small, but top quality - very clean rooms. Gardens are very nice, along with the pool. Their Saturday Market is very interesting as it makes it a touch of Canda and a touch of the DR. Ocean + beach are a very rewarding sight, with miles and miles of sandy beaches. I have spent 6 wonderful weeks and I shall return.

Owner response:It's a real joy for Les + I to see our guests enjoying our resort like Dave did! He told us he was able to achieve exactly what he set out to do on his holiday with us - relax and recharge his batteries. It's wonderful to see how all our guests interact in our mini-community, and have so much fun relating to each other poolside. They're perfectly at ease - spending "alone-time" privately in the tranquil setting of their own condo in our lush tropical gardens, or poolside chatting with the other guest or 2, staying with us when we're full. We've been extremely fortunate in the best guests ever! finding us and coming to share our beachside resort home for a few days, weeks or even months. They find it really convenient to have an excellent beach bar + restaurant directly across the street on the ocean, where they have good food for breakfast lunch or dinner, at very reasonable prices. We're also close enough to town for it to be easy to get to all the downtown amenities and entertainment. Our guests tell us they find the convenience of being on the main street a real asset as they don't need to rent a vehicle, but can get around quickly and easily on the public transport options that pass by every few minutes, and are very economical. They also appreciate the wide range of activities that are so easily accessed from a number of tour operators in town.......everything from adventure sports to entertaining zip-lining and canyoning, to horse-back riding along the beach or inland up the hills to breath-taking waterfalls. There are the ancient caves to explore and marvel at, with their crystal clear water pools to dive in for a refreshing dip. Equally exhilarating is the complete freedom to simply relax by the pool or on your sunny condo patio with a good book and read until you doze off. Awake + repeat until your "batteries" indicate a full re-charge and life in general becomes much more manageable :) During mango season, a must-do is to stand in the ocean up to your knees, biting into a deliciously ripe mango, with juice dripping off your elbows and chin. That's a lifetime memory for sure! We so enjoy meeting people from all over the world + hearing about their past experiences + future dreams. Our place is an ideal spot to spend your vacation! We're happy to share our "insider knowledge", gleaned by living here full-time for 6 years. Let our warm + heartfelt "Welcome to Vecinos" start your next unforgettable Caribbean vacation in world-renown Cabarete, D.R

Recommended for:Girls getaway, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, romantic getaway, age 55+, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, pet owners, sightseeing.

Guest: Gene (-)
Date of Stay: 12/18/09 Review Submitted: 09/28/10

Perfect getaway GeneW Bronx, NY, USA Review Submitted: January 6, 2010 Date of Stay: December 2009 The property is very well maintained, and ideal for independent travelers. I came to Villa Vecinos with my wife and children, and the owners went an extra mile to accommodate our needs. Lynda and Les provided us with all necessary info about the environment, and gave a lot of insider's tips on traveling around. The place is serene and very relaxing, rooms are clean and spacious beyond expectations. We enjoyed many walks on the beach and around Cabarete (it takes only 20 minutes to get there on foot, or 5 min in a cab). The beach is virtually across the road, with very decent bar and restaurant nearby. Since there are only 4 units in the villa, you hardly feel presence of other guests and can quietly relax at the big pool, which is very clean and refreshing. The kitchen is well equipped and fully functional; groceries may be easily purchased in Cabarete and fruits (amazingly tasty!) from street vendors. We would be happy to come there again, and recommend Vecinos to all our friends. Recommended for: Adventure Seekers, Tourists without a Car, Families with Teenagers, Families with Young Children, Romantic Getaway

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Guest: Yoly (-)
Date of Stay: 07/03/09 Review Submitted: 09/28/10

yoly Review Rating : 5/5 "Our stay at Vecinos could not have been more relaxing. Les and Lynda were so helpful and had a lot of good advise as to where to eat, places to go and general town information. This is great for surfers and the nite life at the beach with all the wonderful food and drink is fantastic. They allowed us to take our Yorkie dog (who was given to us-he was somewhat abused) they were very understanding and their 2 dogs were just wonderful. Really am looking forward to staying again. If you want to experience the REAL LOCAL ATMOSPHERE, this is the place to go. Very roomy, clean and really just perfect for us.

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Guest: Simone + Loredana (-)
Date of Stay: 04/07/09 Review Submitted: 09/28/10

from Mr. Simone F. Accommodation 5/5 Amenities 5/5 Surroundings 5/5 Overall 5/5 Remarks - "gli appartamenti sono molto ben arredati e ben puliti, la proprietaria offre un servizio ottimo inun contesto molto familiare, si fa presto ad abituarsi ed è comesentirsi a casa. Non ci sono rumori tranne i piacevoli canti delle famiglie de locali che vivono intorno. Gli appartamenti sono immersi in un incantevole giardino tropicale." Would you recommend this self catering rental to a friend ? Yes Would you trust Vecinos for your next holiday rental? Yes From Loredana - stayed May 8 - 17/09 a chi è incerto dove alloggiare a cabarete consiglio:VECINOS. noi abbiamo alloggiato li e siamo stati benissimo,i proprietari sonodue persone stupendesono di origine del canada,posso dire che mi sentivo a mio agio in tutto,ungiardino stupendo,la casa bellissima e tranquilla,riposante per chi ha bisogno di rilassarsi l'unico rumore,il piccolo ruscelloche serpeggia nel giardino,una stupenda piscina.a circa tre km.dal paese,raggiungibile anche a piedi. un ottimo guardiano chesorveglia giorno e notte.per ulteriori informazioni,sito web.VECINOS CABARETE. aggiungo la mia mailper chiarimenti

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