Diamond in the rough

Guest: Jersey Boys (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 06/03/11 Review Submitted: 07/17/11

It's a nice sized villa, has a private in-ground pool in the back yard, also offers off-street parking, several balconies with panoramic views of neighboring Puerto Plata area, Mount Isabella is in the distance, and you can even see the statue of Monte Cristo on a clear day, This villa also has free daily maid service, which was great for all of us, because we are just so L-A-Z-Y when we are on vacation. The property's manager, Ben, American born, a fellow world traveler, fluent in both English and Spanish, he was great, showed us all around the village of Costamber, Ben knows the best places in the area for money exchange, (Don't get ripped off by money exchanges at your International airport.) knows the best places in the Costambar village/Puerto Plata area for shopping and eating out, even the best places for buying fresh fish. He always addressed all of our concerns about the property, was a great host and made for great conversation.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers.

This Villa is a SCAM. Beware of misleading claims made on this page.

Guest: Casa (Newton, MA)
Date of Stay: 12/21/11 Review Submitted: 01/12/12

We rented this villa to celebrate my wife 60th birthday with our 3 children and 3 grandchildren (ages 7, 4 & 6 mos). We were excited and looking forward to relaxing. While the villa seems spacious, the condition of the kitchen and bathrooms made it unsanitary and unsafe for children and adults alike. We intended on staying here for 7 days and left after a few hours. Luckily we found a hotel in Puerto Plata (and ended up paying for 7 nights). The claims made on the Villa are misleading for the following reasons: 1) The villa is not surrounded by romantic beaches. One side contains a dilapidated unfinished building (has been that way for the past 20 years according to the owner of the villa), and another is a view of an industrial barge. 2) The kitchen is not modern, but falling apart. There are several leaks from the ceiling, one of which drips from the light fixture (a fire hazard). The kitchen cabinets are full of rust, oil stains, pests, and in some cases, trash and rotting food. 3) Hot water is missing at all sinks. 4) The kitchen utensils were filthy and had old food caked onto them. 5) The maid was no help. When we requested she clean the kitchen, she left. 6) The villa is not safe. Ben (the owner) owns a GUN and 2 large German shepherd dogs that patrol the property. 7) The villa does not have its own power plant. We experienced several power outages in the few hours we stayed there. 8) The villa is not private. Ben was staying in the bottom floor of the villa and could come into the house at any time. 9) There were calcium deposits caked onto each of the bathroom faucets. 10) After dark there are no street lights anywhere around. To get to the shops one has to walk in total darkness for at least 15min. The villa was also not suitable for human habitation for the following reasons: 1) the 2nd floor main corridor had several missing tiles, which exposed dirt and shards of rock underneath. 2) Each bathroom had a sign forbidding toilet users from putting anything (even toilet paper!) into the toilet. This indicates poor plumbing in the facility and is UNSANITARY. 3) The kitchen sink was completely blocked when we arrived. We have pictures documenting all of these claims. All of the above could have been either taken care of before our arrival or disclosed on this website. Do not stay here. This villa is filthy, poorly maintained, and dangerous. We are submitting a formal complaint to VRBO with supporting documentation.

Owner response:Our Villa is beautiful and well maintained. These people reserved our Villa 6 months in advance. When they arrived at the Villa. We gave them a complete walk through and they commented that they thought the Villa is beautiful and asked for the key. We gave them the key and our phone number and told them that if they had any problem to phone and we would respond. They phoned us later and said that the kitchen sink was not draining properly. We told them that best we repair the drain or any other problem the next morning. But they insisted that we clean the drain that night. So we called in a Plumber. He poured a drain cleaner solution down the sink drain that fixed the problem. We did not receive any further phone calls from these people. We do not bother the Villa tenants while they are staying in the Villa unless they call us. A week later after they had moved. We found that all of the beds had been slept in with the bathrooms used as well with soiled towels laying around. They had cooked food in the kitchen with dirty pots and pans and used chinaware and silverware laying around in the kitchen as well that had been used by them. The Villa has a 50 KW Kohler diesel electric power plant and a 16 battery Inverter system. The Villa is never out of electricity. We did not receive any further phone calls from these people. Our Villa has a beautiful panoramic view of Puerto Plata and the surrounding bay and beach area. The Costambar gated community has Police Guards that patrol the streets 24 hours a day. The streets are safe to walk around night and day as well. Now a month later these people have posted this terribly unfair untrue Review above.

Recommended for:

THIS IS THE BEST VILLA WE HAVE RENTED. IN THE 6 YEARS OF RENTING OTHER VILLAS.

Guest: Alrea (Seattle WA U.S.A. )
Date of Stay: 04/28/11 Review Submitted: 06/23/11

We rented the Villa in this Gated Community for 7 days. When we first arrived at the Villa. We were shown through inside and out and were impressed. The Villa is very well built and very private. The Villa Swimming Pool is the biggest, best and cleanest Pool we’ve seen in the 6 years we’ve rented other Villas here in the Dominican Republic. This Country has electric and water problems. But this Villa is completely covered. In that they have their own Kohler 50 KiloWatt Diesel Electric Power Plant in case of any Electrical Outage. They also have their own Fresh Water Well. With a large water tank on the roof of the Villa to cover any Water outage. The Kitchen has a relatively new Gas Stove with a beautiful GE Double Door Refrigerator. The Villa has large high power Ceiling Fans in all rooms. The Villa also has relatively new GE and Frigidaire Split Aire Conditioners. The Villa comes with a daily maintenance man named JORGE. Of whom cleans the Swimming Pool and exterior of the Villa. Along with daily Maid Service, who’s name is MORENA. She cleans the Villa interior daily and launders the Sheets and Towels in the Villa’s new GE Washer and Dryer. Most all of the Villa Cabinets and Villa Furniture are made of Hand Made Solid Mahogany from trees grown here in the Dominican Republic. The Villa is very quiet so as to view and listen to the Villa’s large Wide Screen TV with about 80 Cable TV Channels. The Plants and Trees around the Villa are very beautiful. With many of the Trees covered with beautiful Flowers of all imaginable colorful Flowers. The Villa has one of the best Views in the area. With the view of the 3000 foot mountain with the Statue of Christ at the top. Along with views of the beach and water front with ships coming and going. It’s especially beautiful at night with all of the surrounding City Lights. Since we didn’t rent a car. We were able to walk to the local Store and several Restaurants in about 5 or 10 minutes. If we wanted to go around any further there is a local Taxi Service. You are safe to walk or Jog around this Gated community at all hours of the night and day. As there are Armed Police patrolling the streets 24 hours a day.

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

LOVELY VILLA, VERY COMFORTABLE

Guest: Wendy (Reno, NV U.S.A.)
Date of Stay: 06/12/11 Review Submitted: 06/20/11

This is our 3rd stay in this lovely Villa, my husband, me and our 2 kids, ages 11 and 13 and our French Poodle. I guess I’m like most women. Where I’m most concerned when I rent with the Kitchen and Bathrooms of a facility. The Kitchen has relatively new appliances with plenty of Pots and Pans. Along with Dishes and Silverware. There is an adjacent Breakfast Nook seating 6. With a Dining Room seating 10. We felt very safe walking around this Gated Community with our Dog and Kids. The Police were very nice and courteous as they patrolled the streets. Our favorite eating spot was an Italian Restaurant about a 10 minute walk from the Villa. Which serve the best Pizza this side of Italy. The Villa has large bedrooms with King Size Beds. Along with adjacent private King Size bathrooms beautifully tiled floor to ceiling. Our Kids had their own Bedroom with Bunk Beds which they thoroughly enjoy sleeping in. Our Kids also especially enjoy swimming in the beautiful big Swimming Pool, where they spend half of their time when we stay in this Villa. We all enjoy the way the living room is set up with a large Wide Screen Television that gets about 80 Cable Channels. The Villa is supplied with it’s own Computer with 24 hour Internet. We are also able to get WI FI to get on the Internet with our Lap Top Computer. The Villa is very well maintained by JORGE, the Maintenance Man. Of whom cleans the swimming pool and surrounding exterior area daily. Along with MORENA the Maid, who cleans the interior of the Villa daily along with laundering the sheets and towels with the Villa’s new GE Washer and Dryer. As they say: A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. The 16 pictures on the VRBO Web Site, pretty well show the Villa as how beautiful it is.

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

Beautiful Villa, Surrounding countryside and Tropical Paradise

Guest: Poochy (Oakland, CA U.S.A)
Date of Stay: 05/23/11 Review Submitted: 06/17/11

The Villa is located in a Gated Community called Costambar. With armed guards patrolling the streets 24 hours a day. We didn't have a car. So we walked to local restaurants and market in about 5 to 10 minutes from the Villa. The Villa has nearly all new appliances such as Stove and GE Double Door frig. The relatively new GE Aire Conditions worked great. We had electric full time. The Villa has a Kohler 50 Kilowatt diesel electric plant in case of any electrical outage. Plenty of water with hot water as well. All rooms in the Villa have high powered ceiling fans. The Maintenance Man: JORGE cleans the Swimming pool and exterior of the Villa daily. With the Maid: MORENA, cleans the Villa, makes beds and launders the sheets and towels on their new GE Washer and Dryer. We were impressed by the beautiful dining room solid mahogany table seating 10 persons. The Villa Bedrooms are large with King Size Beds. The attached large tiled Bathrooms are something to behold. The Villa is private in a quiet area about a city block from other residences. We enjoyed sitting on the veranda having drinks. And viewing the 3000 foot mountain jutting up out of the water front at the front of the Villa. As we've been here in the Dominican Republic before and stayed in other Villas. But this Villa is one of the nicest we've stayed in. in the past. The Villa is well maintained along with the Villa Swimming Pool is one of the largest prettiest pools we've seen in the area.

Owner response:IT'S NICE FOR A CHANGE TO HAVE A GUEST POST A REVIEW THAT TELLS THE TRUTH.

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