Vacation Rentals by Owner

Paradise

Guest: Jasmine G. (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 07/13/11

This was my second stay at Villa Playamor and both visits exceeded my expectations. The villa is spacious, clean, beautifully decorated, with amazing views of the ocean. The villa staff is helpful, hard working, and friendly with infectious smiles. Your stay here is completely carefree without worries of cleaning or cooking thanks to Nelly and Rosemary. Our group of 11 varied in age from toddler to adult and all had a fantastic time. I would highly recommend if dining out to try La Parillada Steakhouse in town--big portions, great food all at a reasonable price. The jeep safari tour was a hit with the waterfall climb in addition to the catamaran tour to get out at sea. Also, if looking for a beautiful, clean, sandy beach venture out to Cabarete (approx 50 min taxi ride from villa) and spend the day--lots of shops, bars, restaurants. Similar to another review, our group collected $200 per person at the beginning of the week for a "kitty" that was used for food, alcohol, and tips. Agree with having a calculator handy to convert currency. A big thank you to Dr. Spencer for sharing his piece of paradise with us. I hope I am blessed enough to return in the future.

Owner response:We are thrilled that you had such a wonderful time. Thanks for the recommendation on the La Paradilla, we need to check it out! Norm Spencer

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

Paradise!

Guest: Jasmine G. (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 07/13/11

This was my second stay at Villa Playamor and both visits exceeded my expectations. The villa is spacious, clean, beautifully decorated, with amazing views of the ocean. The villa staff is helpful, hard working, and friendly with infectious smiles. Your stay here is completely carefree without worries of cleaning or cooking thanks to Nelly and Rosemary. Our group of 11 varied in age from toddler to adult and all had a fantastic time. I would highly recommend if dining out to try La Parillada Steakhouse in town--big portions, great food all at a reasonable price. The jeep safari tour was a hit with the waterfall climb in addition to the catamaran tour to get out at sea. Also, if looking for a beautiful, clean, sandy beach venture out to Cabarete (approx 50 min taxi ride from villa) and spend the day--lots of shops, bars, restaurants. A big thank you to Dr. Spencer for sharing his piece of paradise with us. I hope I am blessed enough to return in the future.

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

Amazing Property

Guest: John S.
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 08/01/11

If you are looking for the vacation property of a lifetime Villa Playamor is the property for you. The pictures do not do this place justice either do 5 stars. The house is impeccably maintained and the views are amazing. The staff was cordial, professional and efficient. The first evening our group of 12 pooled $200 per person for food, beverages, gratuities which more than covered the week. Please note this group is big eaters. The excursions that were set up were extremely affordable in the $50 price range. I really suggest the tour which includes the waterfalls and countryside tour you really get a feel for the surrounding areas. The Cattamaran Tour is another great value and lunch is included. The pool at the villa was warm and inviting. The patios provided a great setting for this group of friends can relax and unwind. The villa is stocked with many dvds, books and games. Our group really enjoyed an evening playing Taboo. The beach is a 5 minute walk and the casino is less than 10. Speaking of the casino stick to blackjack as these slots are not loose. I would definitely suggest a day trip to Caberete Beach which was absolutely beatiful. Overall, Villa Playamor was the highlight of trip and for one cannot wait to return again. This is the perfect place for family reunions, group trips, a destination wedding or a business retreat.

Owner response:Terrific. We are glad you had such a wonderful time. We will pass the compliments to our staff.

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

The Best Family Vacation Ever!

Guest: Sabrina
Date of Stay: 06/25/11 Review Submitted: 07/27/11

Norm, I cannot begin to put into words how much my family enjoyed our vacation this summer. The villa is more beautiful in person and the staff is absolutely THE BEST! Thank you so much for everything you did to make our vacation wonderful. It exceeded all of our expectaions. We are just waiting for the next time we can visit the DR again. Perfect in every way.

Owner response:Our family is very proud of the wonderful staff we have at our villas. We are always thrilled with reviews like this and will pass along your words to the Playamor staff.

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.

Visitor

Guest: Traveler (Gallatin, TN)
Date of Stay: 06/12/11 Review Submitted: 06/20/11

Went with a group of childhood friends and spouses. Had a wonderful time. The staff is very cordial and quick to accomodate. The villa is lovely and had plenty of room to spread out and relax. I only have two suggestions for making travel a little easier. If traveling with a large group, make a food/drink bank to draw from for when groceries are needed (maybe start with $150 per person). Have someone in the group bring a calculator for converting the currency at stores/restaurants etc. All in all I would definitely stay at this villa again!!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Guest: John
Date of Stay: 07/27/10 Review Submitted: 07/30/10

It's the ******* Family and I can't tell what a wonderful time we are having.Your staff is to die for and we will be returning next summer.Nelly and the rest have made us feel so comfortable.I am so happy and I send you a sincere THANK YOU. I will reccomend your villa to all my family and friends.

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Guest: Greg
Date of Stay: 11/01/09 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

NORM: Just a quick note to thank you and your wife for the wonderful week we just spent at Playamor. Myself and 7 others went down to dedicate some elementary school classrooms we built with the cooperation of the Puerto Plata Rotary Club. It was a big help to us to stay on the North side of Puerto Plata, so we could easily drive to Altimira where the school was (La Jagua school) Your staff was great. Sandy even helped me find a car fix place, after I hit a big bump and it needed a fix. The meals fixed there were just what we wanted and we all loved being there. All your staff did their best to help us. You can bet that you will be the first we’ll contact when any group of us go back. Thanks again

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Highly Recommended

Guest: Rotarian Greg (Petaluma, California, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/28/09 Review Submitted: 11/08/09

Myself and 7 others just spent a week here ending November 6th 09. All of us loved it, the excellent staff, clean premises, good food, and beautiful views. We drove in with a map provided by the owner. It was easy to have meals we needed prepared by attentive staff, find great recommended restaurants in the area, and feel well taken care of by an excellent manager. We even got help finding a place to fix one of our cars in a hurry, and slept like rocks in the air conditioned bedrooms. Even the pool was a perfect temperature.

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

Vacation of a lifetime!

Guest: Christy (Columbus, Ohio, USA)
Date of Stay: 07/04/09 Review Submitted: 07/14/09

My husband and I, along with two other married couples, spent this past week at Villa Playamor. I wanted to personally thank the owner of this villa for allowing us the opportunity to stay here. My husband and I had an amazing trip and it was definitely a vacation of a lifetime for us. All the staff at the villa did a wonderful job at accommodating us and the meals prepared by Nellie and Rosemary were perfect. Everything was well-organized for us, as far as meal planning, excursions, etc so we knew what to expect and could fully appreciate our whole time there. I wouldn't change anything about our vacation in the DR. What a wonderful country, to which we hope to someday return!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Guest: Jack
Date of Stay: 07/02/09 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

Norm, I am happy to report that our trip to DR was wonderful. Your staff, particularly Nelly, is excellent -- I even improved my Spanish with their help. I thought I'd mention a few things that you might want to modify on your website. • The catamaran with Cat Sailing was excellent; the primary contact is Mr Elliot, who owns the boat. (809-299-2668 cell phone) for Sunday private cruises at $1200 for the first 10 people and $60 per person thereafter vs the $78 for open booking the rest of the week. The crew was very friendly, helpful and very safety conscious of younger swimmers. • The zip line, Yasika Adventures, was enjoyed by all and the parents were impressed with the thorough safety briefings and attention to safety during the rides. It is highly recommended by all who participated. The cost was $80 per person if booked directly rather than through an agent. (809-650-2323) • Both of the above picked us up at the Villa after Gabino explained the access. • It is recommended that meal planning be done for several days in advance so Nelly doesn't incur multiple taxi fares. • The suggested menu items were largely excellent but I would recommend sticking to chicken and pork, the beef tended to be tough but not due to Nelly's cooking. • We didn't try the Safari Jeep trip, largely due my wife's condition, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed the pool and the beach. • My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the Mercado Nuevo open market, bringing back old memories of our living in Iraq, Pakistan, and Turkey many years ago. • One curious note -- it didn't seem the the Dominicans have "cottage industries". Most of the souvenir items were imported from Haiti or made somewhere else. We expected to see hats woven from palm trees and pottery items. • Overall, all of our group were impressed with the friendly, helpful nature of the Dominicans, who seemed to have pride and resourcefulness. Case in point

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Guest: Christa
Date of Stay: 07/01/09 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

Dr. Spencer, I am one of Jasmine friends who just spent this past week at Playamor. I just wanted to personally thank you for allowing us to stay at your villa. My husband and I had an amazing trip and it was definitely a vacation of a lifetime for us. All the staff at the villa did a wonderful job at accommodating us and the meals prepared by Nellie and Rosemary were perfect. Everything was well-organized for us, as far as meal planning, excursions, etc so we knew what to expect and could fully appreciate our whole time there. What a wonderful country, to which we hope to someday return. Thank you again. Sincerely, Christy 7/09

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Guest: Liba
Date of Stay: 07/01/09 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

Dr. Spencer, I am one of Jasmine friends who just spent this past week at Playamor. I just wanted to personally thank you for allowing us to stay at your villa. My husband and I had an amazing trip and it was definitely a vacation of a lifetime for us. All the staff at the villa did a wonderful job at accommodating us and the meals prepared by Nellie and Rosemary were perfect. Everything was well-organized for us, as far as meal planning, excursions, etc so we knew what to expect and could fully appreciate our whole time there. What a wonderful country, to which we hope to someday return. Thank you again. Sincerely, Christy 7/09

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Great Villa

Guest: skichristi (Detroit, MI)
Date of Stay: 06/06/09 Review Submitted: 06/18/09

I had a wonderful time!! The house is beautiful, the rooms have a/c though only needed when sleeping, the views are incredible, and there are many places to get away on your own even with a big crowd. The food was amazing, Caribbean style or whatever we chose, not too heavy and all done without any of our help! The dishes were cleaned and even taken from the table at breakfast and lunch so we were on a real vacation!! Even has lots of safety gates around the steps if you have children, but you can keep them open if you are all adults. I will definitely be back!! Thanks Again!

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.

We love Playamor!

Guest: H2OLVR (Tennessee)
Date of Stay: 06/05/09 Review Submitted: 06/11/09

My extended family just returned from our stay and we loved it. The house is spacious, beautiful, and clean. In response to an earlier review - We saw maybe 2-3 bugs in the house the entire time we were there. Nelly, the housekeeper, keeps the house very clean. I traveled with a 5 year old and an 18 month old. Both loved digging in the sand at the beach and playing in the pool. This house is prepared for young children, there are built in gates at the top of both sets of stairs as well as a gate to the pool area. We used the crib provided by the villa - much nicer than any crib we've used in any American hotel. For relaxation, check out the view from the upper porch. The women enjoyed manicures/pedicures poolside. Many of the adults also relaxed via hour-long massages.Only $30 - what a bargain. Nelly makes delicious Pina Coladas. Also ask for the fried plantain rolls with cheese - don't remember what it is called - they are delicious!

Recommended for:People with disabilities, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Guest: Keith
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

Dear Norm and Harletta, On behalf of all of us, we want to thank you for opening up your terrific villa to us last week. We all had a wonderful time! The weather was perfect and your staff were remarkable! Nellie was a doll and terrific cook. Alehandro was particualrily helpful and became one of "the family". Gabino was always there to answer questions and handled the transfers flawlessly. One of our party wants to come down next year at the same time with his extended family. Do you give a discount for returning guests? Again...muchos gracias and we will be back in touch if the villa is available next year. Sincerely, Keith 2/09

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Guest: Mike
Date of Stay: 12/22/08 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

Dear Norm, Just wanted to drop a note to say a huge "Thank You" for sharing your wonderful DR home with us this past week. We just returned, and are already relishing the memory of the amazing time we had at Villa Playamor. The staff you have assembled is top-notch. Every detail was even better than described - from the moment we met Gabino at the airport, to each and every meal made by Nelly - every detail of the trip was perfect! Thank you once again for a wonderful family trip. We are hoping to return one day soon. Best to you in 2009! 12/08

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Guest: Cyndi
Date of Stay: 10/24/08 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

Hi Norm, So sorry I haven't gotten back with you to let you know how totally awesome our visit was!!!! Catching up on 8 days of laundry and kids schedules for when I was gone has been quite an undertaking, but so worth it. I returned home with renewed energy and felt very rested. Your villa is beautiful. We had no problems at all. Nelly is a dream...the food...wow. To not have to set an alarm, but know I had a delicious home cooked breakfast waiting for me was an enormous treat. Nelly is so nice and was always so helpful. We took the Jeep Safari tour and had a great time laughing and seeing DR. My sister and I were scared beyond words going up and down that waterfall, but later were able to say it was totally worth it. We had a guide named Rafeal who was awesome and the young camera guy Andy was great. We privately wondered if the "Domican made statues" were from China but we all bought a few anyway. We also took a City tour with Vincent and we basically told him where we wanted to go. We loved the Botanical Gardens/cable car. We all bought jewelry at the amber museum. We made Victor take us to a local marketplace for fresh fruit...what a neat experience. Crazy! Our favorite restaurant quickly became Ahora's. We would often walk down there for late night appetizers and drinks (like we needed more to eat!!!) and would watch the World Series, UT Game, and Titans game by the ocean. We never made it to the beach, though we went for walks 1 to 2 times a day around the complex. We opted not to go to Ocean world, but 3 of our guests went on a newly opened (6 months) zip line that they raved about! Everyone was so kind and helpful. Gavino and Gus and Nelly's helper and Alphonso? the pool guy. It was a wonderful trip..combined we all took about 800 pictures Thanks again! Cyndi 10/08

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Loved our time

Guest: J P (Goshen, Indiana)
Date of Stay: 06/18/08 Review Submitted: 07/03/08

Truely paradise! Our family rotated in and out of the villa over a two week period of time. The staff was very accomodating and helpful. They were easy to get along with and was truely there to insure a great time by all. The villa was clean and well maintained which is hard to do in a tropical country. We visited the Amber/Larimar gallery, scuba diving, pool side all the time, walked on the beach and snorkeling daily in the cove. Room airconditioners made night sleeping wonderful. The days were filled with warm ocean breezes. We would definately go again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guest: Diane
Date of Stay: 01/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/18/10

Dear Spencers, Our stay in the DR was everything we had hoped for, and much more. The villa is a gem - our son, Robert claimed one chair on the terrace which overlooked the bay and the point as his own and wanted to just stay there forever. Gabino was wonderful - very accommodating, helpful, with a good sense of humor and very charming. Nelly was lovely and we enjoyed every dish she made tremendously. That's no small feat for 13 people of discerning but varying tastes. If you could get her recipe for her salad dressing, we would be eternally grateful. (I forgot to ask for it in the rush of saying goodbye to her. ) Sobeda, Sandy, Alejandro and Raul were all pleasant, helpful and added to our enthusiastically positive experience. We loved Chris and Matty's - had a wonderful breakfast and dinner there and enjoyed talking with Chris. We had a great lunch at Teddy's. 7 of us spent a day at an experimental organic coffee plantation about 2 1/2 hours away, and that was incredibly interesting. Everyone (except Harold and I) spent a day at the waterfalls and had great adventures. Most of us spent a few hours in Sosua and saw the synagogue and Jewish museum. But it was the villa and its accoutrements and surroundings which were the absolute highlight. We loved the pool, the beach, the comfort and the informality. The birthday celebration was a huge success -- we were eating birthday cake half the week. I hope you are getting the sense of how happy we are with our choice. Thank you for your thorough notes which prepared us for what to expect and what to do. Diane 1/08

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Great Family Getaway

Guest: SuzanneQ (South Carolina)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 10/31/07

My husband and I accompanied his family to DR, and we stayed at Playamor. Every expectation was exceeded! The villa was itself was spacious, yet comfortable, perfect for large or small groups. I really enjoyed how everything was provided, including towels and linens, which seemed to be brand new! It was a very relaxing and enjoyable vacation, and having a staff at the house made me feel like I was at a resort. We really enjoyed the pool, and all of the entertainment in TRUE walking distance (less than a mile). I couldn't have had a better first trip with my new family!

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Playamor Vacations

Guest: Kadee (Kingsport, TN)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 10/20/07

I have had the pleasure to spend three different vacations at Playamor over the past three years. Two stays were for family reunions and once for a quieter week with a friend. The staff was very warm and friendly. Nellie was our cook and housekeeper all three times. She is an excellent cook and her flan is some of the best on the island. The villa is exceptionally clean and comfortable. Our housestaff bent over backwards to see that all our needs were met. Our social and sports activities were planned by "Guss". All were fun and entertaining, our favorites were the jeep safari, snorkling and scuba, and the Casino at Ocean World. Again all our activities were planned with graciousness and eagerness to please. The family reunon worked wonderful with the adjoining house Simply Paradise. Playamor was exceptionally clean, friendly, and a wonderful choice for a vacation. One last thing , we loved having the night watchman sitting outside all night watching over our villa. We felt very safe. I hope I am lucky enough to continue my yearly vacations to Playamor. In all our travels, I found Playamor one of the very best.

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The Perfect Vacation

Guest: KatieS (Georgia)
Date of Stay: 07/01/07 Review Submitted: 09/16/07

Our stay at villa playamor was outstanding! The property is gorgeous with a perfect view of the amazing coastline. After a busy day back at work, I think back to the evenings sitting on the porch swing taking in the crystal blue surf. It's a great place for a romantic getaway, family get-together, or alumni reunion with your favorite friends. While visiting, definitely go snorkeling or diving. The dolphin swim at ocean world is also a must do! Some of the new developments in the area have resulted in a rocky path down to the beach, so I'd recommend those with trouble taking a taxi down. Overall, my group enjoyed every minute of it! I've visited twice now, I cannot WAIT to return to rejuvenate sometime soon.

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Not what I expected

Guest: Tina (New York, NY)
Date of Stay: 05/01/07 Review Submitted: 05/16/07

The villa is beautiful as far as layout and space. The only problem our group had with this house was the ROACH infestation. They were in everything from the kitchen to the dining room table, including the refridgerator. The maid is a very good cook, unfortunately we couldn't take full advantage as we didn't want to leave any open food in the house. When we did eat, we ate on the porch by the pool. The beach is not the blue caribbean water you see in the pictures. The city tour and jeep safari tours are very good but not for the weak. There is alot of walking up hills and the waterfalls are not for non-swimmers. All in all, you can have a good time if they clean up the bug problem.

Owner response:Our manager received a call from the complaining guests about a bug infestation and within 1 hour had 4 of our staff turn out to remedy the problem (this was at 10 pm). The house was sprayed and debugged. Having never had this problem in the 2 plus years that we had been renting, the manger investigated and found that a cardboard case containing beer that had been stocked in the villa for the guests' arrival had apparently brought in the roaches (we know this happened in two neighboring villas as well, with literally hundreds of roaches escaping from the boxes when they were opened.) Since that time, cardboard cases of beer have been banned in our villas. The guests were reimbursed for all the food that had been purchased in the villa and were also refunded a large amount of their rental fee even though they chose to stay for the rest of the week in the villa.Norm Spencer, owner

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Best Vacation Ever

Guest: ahicks58 (Knoxville, TN)
Date of Stay: 03/01/06 Review Submitted: 11/01/07

I stayed at Villa Playamor for a week for Spring break and loved it so much I came back for a return visit this past summer. My experience met and exceeded every expectation. The staff was wonderful and took care of our every want and need, the location was gorgeous, and the food was superb. There were plenty of activities within easy walking distance, e.g. the beach, OceanWorld, a casino, several restaurants/bars. Also there was a wide variety of excursions in which they would pick you up and take you on a Jeep safari, snorkeling scuba diving, shopping, you name it. I would highly recommend Villa Playamor or Simply Paradise to anyone planning a trip to the Caribbean.

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It was Wonderful

Guest: flilley (Littleton, NC)
Date of Stay: 07/01/02 Review Submitted: 09/16/07

We rented both Villa Playamor and Villa Simply Paradise and both were fantastic! The staff was wonderful, the villas were perfect . . . well maintained, clean and most of all BEAUTIFUL and SPACIOUS. Now I know how the other half lives!! I hope I can return year after year.

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