Vacation Rentals by Owner
Villa Chinola, High Standard Property 2 Min from Sandy Beach [#269084] | View Property
Las Terrenas
Villa, 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths (Sleeps 7)
$ 1600-$2560/wk
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Traveler Reviews (12)
Beautiful Villa Chinola!
Guest: NP
(Baltimore, MD)
Date of Stay: 02/04/12
Review Submitted: 03/22/12
My family stayed at Villa Chinola for one week in February. The owners were very responsive to my inquiries about the property and negotiating our stay. The villa is clean and extremely charming with lots of light and color (the photos are representative and once you arrive it is even more charming than pictured). It had everything we needed. Stephanie was just lovely and she came every morning to clean with a big smile. The night manager is also the happiest guy and we looked forward to seeing him and laughing with him in the evenings (he looks after the villa in the evenings and you wouldn't know he is even there....but we enjoyed his company so much that we sought him out to chat). We rented a car at the Santo Domingo airport and it was an easy and quite scenic drive to Las Terrenas (2 or 2 1/2 hours maybe on nicely paved roads). I was glad we had the car (we were traveling with a 16 month old toddler) because each day we drove to a new beach (playa coson and playa bonita were our favorites, both about a 10 minute drive or so from the villa) or different part of the island (Las Galeras was a great day trip). The town of Las Terrenas has a lot to offer and we enjoyed browsing through the shops, having coffee at the french cafe, and dining at the many fine restaurants. I highly recommend a stay at Villa Chinola and can not express how lovely the staff was and how easy the owners were.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Little paradise!!!
Guest: Carina L.
Date of Stay: 01/07/12
Review Submitted: 02/04/12
We had a lovely time in this beautiful house. Whatever you may need is there and more. A perfect retreat yet close to the beach and the village. Isabelle is a wonderful person and told us everything we needed to know about Las Terrenas. Stephanie's smile was a pleasure to see every morning. She cooked for us several times and we enjoyed her meals. Eating fresh fish on the beach was ideal. Paco Mar was our favorite. The Quad was fun. Do we want to go back??? Absolutely.
Recommended for:
Paradise Found!
Guest: Nancy
(New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 04/18/11
Review Submitted: 07/03/11
Las Terranas is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. We have been coming here for many years since our honeymoon, 20 years ago. We now visit with our children. This time was extra special because we have found a new place in paradise. Our stay at Villa Chinola was a wonderful experience. Our family of five (2 adults and three children, ages 19,13, and 11) enjoyed every minute of our stay. The pictures accurately depict the beauty of the villa. The villa is acutually more beautiful in person. It is immacuately kept. Our housekeeper Stephanie was very helpful and so nice. She made us a fabulous Doninican lunch one day. Each room has its own bath and shower. The bedrooms also have screens to make sleeping comfortable. We did not have to use the AC because there were great night breezes. The town of Las Terranas offers shopping and great restaurants to eat in. We had exceptional meals. The beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world. We have been coming here for many years and this time was one of the best thanks to our stay at Villa Chinola. We will certainly choose to stay here next time. What a great experiece. Dominque and Jouan have made this vacation house a home. There was a bowl of fresh fruit and rum (Barcelo of course!) waiting for us. All the ammenities we needed for a comfortable vacation were right there.Thanks again for allowing us to share in the beauty of Villa Chinola.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Lovely Place
Guest: Claudia
(Brooklyn, NY)
Date of Stay: 02/20/11
Review Submitted: 03/28/11
The property was beautiful and well-maintained and Isabelle helped us with all of our questions. The walk to the beach was a little longer than we had thought, but that might be because we were dragging a 2 year old and 4 year old with us. The beach was long and beautiful with empty stretches one way and small restaurants and bars the other way. We would highly recommend this place to our friends and hope to go back next year.
Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.
Best vacation ever!
Guest: Maya
(NYC)
Date of Stay: 02/13/11
Review Submitted: 04/02/11
I don't even know where to begin. Our stay at Villa Chinola was FA-BU-LOUS! It's been 6 weeks since we came back and all I can think about is going back. Everything was perfect: pick-up at the airport; arrival at Villa Chilola where Isabelle was waiting for us; meeting Stefanie, our housekeeper/cook; discovering the beautiful house; exploring the whereabouts; etc, etc. The trip from Santo Domingo is 3.5 hours, the last part (1 hour) being on a dirt road. But the trip is well worth it! The house is just perfect. What I loved most compared to other villas in the Carribean is that Villa Chinola has a real... Carribean feel! You mostly live outside so the house is really well-designed, with quality material. The pool is not very big but suited our needs (3 adults + 2 young kids) and the beach is really not far away. We didn't feel like we needed a car or a quad because you can catch moto-conchos on the main road (people on motos who take you to the city center for a low fare). We went everyday to the Pueblos de los Pescatores to buy fresh fish and seafood. You should definitely hire Stefani as a cook because she is just amazing! Thanks to her, we've had the opportunity to try home-made Dominican food! And it was just delicious! She also BBQed fish and lobsters! We also had lots of plantains. Yummy! As for day trips, we went to see the whales and the parque de los haitises. It was beautiful! And Isabelle is of great advice. We so much loved it that for the first time in our life, we want to go back to the same vacation home, at Villa Chinola! Now I am wondering if I should be so positive about this vacation: I wouldn't like it to become so crowded that we can't go back ;-)))
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Beautiful House near the Beach with Pool
Guest: Nina
(Vienna,Austria,europe)
Date of Stay: 12/21/10
Review Submitted: 01/14/11
In the beginning we have eben afraid of booking a house over the Internet, but everything worked super.Paul,the Taxi Driver pickes us up from the AirPort with a van enough Space for 8 People and suitcases.It is a Long drive,about 3,5 Hors, and the last Hour you only drive 17 km over a Hill Street,but the streets are in such a Bad condition that you can only drive very slowly.I think that is the reason why in las terrenas is Not so much Tourist,only individuell,because for man Tourist These streets are nothing.they Jus Prüfer a 20 minutes Ride to a five Star Getto.If you go on th stop of the Hill Street you have a wonderful View over the semana bay. When we arrived in Villa Chinola Isabelle,the Manager and Stephanie the cool were waiting for us. Isabelle took care about us the whole time, she helped organizing tours Motor bicyclettes etc because the People only speak french and spanish there. Stephanie the cool is a very nice woman,she makes the cleaning of the House everything day except sunday. Most of the time we stayed in the house and had dinner and Lunch there and I found the Fee of the Cook with 140 € per Week not much,because if you go for dinner with 8 people you Need more than 100. €, it is Not so cheap. Ten minutes away from Villa Chinola the fishermen meet every Day till 13.00 and you can get exzellent fresh fish, langoustes, oysters etc for good money.You also find a BBQ in the house, where you can grill all these things. If you want to go for good Dinner I can recommend the indigo,directly on the beach and the el corazon, 10Min drive per Taxi from the Villa.The el corazon is Leader by a Swiss and a german and its Not cheap but really exzellent cuisine and beautiful Location in a City House. The more we stayed in las terrenas the more we loved it its like Inn Bali 20 Years ago,you go by motorcycle some times Three of us (the Dom Rep. People drive with Five People...) to the town,you go Shopping in the supermarket which has Not so much things,but its ok,you IND good Wines also there. On the streets you can buy all fruits like pineapple,chinola,oranges,bananay,papaya etc. Just opposite of the boulangerie you can find a frech guy,who sells very good rum and cigars. In Case you Need a doctor go to Dr.Miguel Polanco,He is good and Not so expenisve and Inn Case you Need a Hospital he tells you where to go. So those who Love individual holidays in an original village you wil Love Villa Chinola and las terrenas.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, romantic getaway.
Outstanding property with privacy, style, and charm
Guest: Phil and Marsha
(Dominican Republic and Rhode Island)
Date of Stay: 03/26/10
Review Submitted: 04/25/10
We had a fabulous visit to your lovely homes (both Villa Chinola and Villa Pachuco) with our friends from Rhode Island and it was just the kind of vacation that we wanted. The design, architectural details, furnishings, colors, beautiful landscaping, and the responsive and attentive staff all added to the experience. Isabelle, your property manager, is wonderful! We enjoyed the beaches(Playa Bonito, Playa Ballenas, and the exquisite Playa Cosin) and restaurants (The Beach at Cosin and several at Playa Ballenas) , but also enjoyed the serenity of the villas and spent many hours reading, painting, cooking and resting in the privacy of the villa during our eight days stay. The care and love that has so obviously gone into each place is unusual for a rental. We hope to visit again. Marsha and Phil (DR and Rhode Island)
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.
A Wonderful Week in Las Terrenas
Guest: Shanny NYC
(Brooklyn NY)
Date of Stay: 03/20/10
Review Submitted: 04/25/10
After a perfect stay to Villa Pachuco in Las Terrenas in 2009, we decided to rent from the same owners for our 2010 vacation. This time we were in Villa Chinola. The house was smaller but perfect for our group. The grounds were beautiful and clean. It was great to have the choice of walking right out to the pool, to walk 5 minutes to the beautiful beach, or to drive 5 minutes into town. The location of Villa Chinola is perfect as you can walk or drive to many of the nearby destitinations. Playa Las Ballenas is the perfect beach for people of all ages -- warm and calm. We were travelling with a baby, a toddler, a 7 year old and grandparents and everyone was happy. Isabel, the caretaker, was warm and hospitable. She made sure that everything was as we requested. Before our arrival, Dominique, the owner, was always extremely responsive and didn't miss a single detail. We took advantage of the cooking service while we were there -- it was very convenient and our cook wasn't the best but she did a good enough job. We're all looking forward to visitng again soon.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.
just perfect !
Guest: Laurent
(SBH)
Date of Stay: 11/10/09
Review Submitted: 11/24/09
I stayed with my family in villa Chinola 1 week in Nov. 09. The villa is splendid, Spanish style with a lot of charm, everything is in a perfect condition. The terrace is pleasant and opens on a very flowered garden and the swimming pool. The rooms are spacious and fresh, with the option to use air-conditioning (we didn't use it , the villa is cool). The location of the villa is ideal, 2mn walk to the beach " Las Ballenas" , a splendid white sand beach, and also very close to the village, better from my point of view than playa Bonita and Cosson which are beautiful as well but too far away from the village. Isabelle was charming with us, with plenty of good advice on the best things to do in Las Terrenas. Many thanks also to China the housekeeper for her effectiveness and her kindness. We loved Las Terrenas, such a great beaches and beautiful country side ! The Dominican people are very pleasant and friendly . See you next year for sure !
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.
Beatyfully Holiday in Villa Chinola
Guest: kuffo
(Istanbul/ Turkey)
Date of Stay: 09/17/09
Review Submitted: 10/07/09
We was between 17-24 Sept. there and it was a fantastic Holiday for us.The House is good designed,secure and verry private...The pool was absolutely my favorite..The People in Las Terranas are verry friendly and the Service and Personal of Villa Chinola verry helpfull. Isabelle was everytime there,when we need her help. great thanks also to our driver (-friend) Paul and the local Housemate woman.. It was generally a excellent Trip for us and we will never forget it... I can just recommend this place and we will book it also next time... Thanks guys,you made a big job!
Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.
Irina, Toronto ON, Canada
Guest: IrinaP
(Toronto)
Date of Stay: 07/05/09
Review Submitted: 09/10/09
We have rented Villa Chinola for 4 weeks in July 2009. At the beginning I was a little bit scared, because it was our first experience of renting villas from the internet and since we are travelling with 2 little kids (3 y.o and 1 y.o), I wanted to be sure it is 100% safe and same as on the pictures. BUT let me tell you, this is the rear case when reality is better: our family enjoyed every single moment of the stay at Villa Chinola. Beautifully decorated, very clean, grounds carefully manicured and absolutely safe. We enjoyed early morning swimming in the sea and closer to the afternoon we moved back to the villa and sipped margaritas by the pool. We didn'r rent a car, instead I was using local taxi to shop for groceries, It cost me about 15USD for a shopping trip. Almost everyday we were purchasing fresh seafood from the local fishermen and had it deliciosly cooked by China, who is also villas housekeeper. Villa's managers, Leticia and Isabelle, were very attentive and replied on my requests within moments. We have had a very happy holidays at Villa Chinola, so the next time the opportunity for the vacation comes, it will be our first choice to go! Cheers, Irina
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children.
Our wonderful Trip to Las Terrenas
Guest: Scally
(Naperville, IL USA)
Date of Stay: 03/26/09
Review Submitted: 04/29/09
We just came back from a wonderful vacation. It was our first time to the Dominican Republic. We stayed at Villa Chinola for 8 nights. We didn't know what to expect when we booked our vacation, since we didn't find any reviews on the villa. Villa Chinola was so beautiful. It exceeded our expectations. Our kids 3, 6 and 8 had a wonderful time in the pool. It was about a five minute walk to the beach and restaurants. The area is so beautiful you'll end up walking for miles, discovering new beaches and the town. Even our 3 year old enjoyed our walking adventures. We were very sad to leave and hope to be back next year.
Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.