Renovations are pretty much done!

Well December 2010 was a glorious first month for us spent at the "South House" and we're happy to show some of the results of the work and shopping that have gone into the place this year. Please check out the pics of the apartment in this album at http://picasaweb.google.com/109672392649936856584/KRSouthHouse?authkey=Gv1sRgCLq4yfDt4436Lw# if you'd like more info on what it looks like with new furniture, new paint, new lights, new art, PHEW! Time for a cocktail, too much shopping!

Pictures!

Hey everyone - we sorted through some pics and have made a little slideshow on Picasa.  Hope this helps to give you a sense of the place. Click on the album link below to view.

Picasa Album

Happy Sunday!

Renting the South House

Hey everyone - us again.  So we feel kind of weird taking money for you staying at our place.  Unfortunately, the reality of condo fees and a mortgage means that it will make it less of a pinch for us...and allow us to continue to reno (saving for a new kitchen) the south house.  These rates include our lovely rental agent to help you out a bit (someone to give you keys, make sure you have propane and the things you need) and also someone to clean the place at the end of your stay. If you are staying longer than a week, and want housekeeping weekly we can arrange this for you (at your expense).

So after much research and deliberation, this is what we've decided to rent for.  Payable in US funds please because only US or Dominican pesos are usable there.  For extended stays we're flexible on rates, so just let us know what you're thinking.

From November to May
$300 for 1 week
$500 for 2 weeks
$800 for a month

From May to October
$250 for 1 week
$400 for 2 weeks
$600 for a month

Thanks! Kim and Rob

Welcome to our Blog - Info about our "South House" for you!

Hey everyone!  So we've been getting tons of requests for info and pictures about our South House (which of course is our little condo in Coconut Grove at Playa Encuentro, Cabarete, Dominican Republic.  We figured the easiest way to share info with people is to post it this way.   Pictures of the completed condo won't be posted until December when we are there because we did lots of work this year (totally repainted, put in windows, brand new main bathroom, all new appliances, almost all brand new furniture etc etc.).

Ok, so things you should know if you are considering visiting our South House by Kim and Rob

• It's located on the North Coast of the DR. Fly into Puerto Plata (West Jet has best flights - no direct from Winnipeg but lots of same day via TO).  Not IN,  but between two medium sized towns Cabarete and Sosua about 5km from Cabarete, and 7 from Sosua) in a pretty rural area, with mountains in one direction, and ocean in the other.  It's about a 30 minute taxi ride (about $30) from the airport.  We don't really recommend renting a car- taxis are pretty cheap, and driving is insane! One thing you need to know is we're just off the main road between the two towns - very convenient, but also means some traffic noise and as the DR is the "motoconcho" aka motorcycle capital of the universe...well, it's not the wilderness! This also means that you can get to the towns quickly and easily by either taxi or "guagua" which is like a little crazy bus/van thingy. Occasionally with chickens as passengers. 
• The condo is 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths - the master bedroom has a queen bed and the second bedroom has bunkbeds and a futon-style couch that sleeps 1-2.  The apartment can sleep 5-6 quite comfortably. All beds are brand-new. We have a brand new full size fridge and propane stove (what most homes have in DR) and bottled water (like "culligan") is available at the mini-mart that is in the building (Kim note - ice-cold Presidente beer and bread/milk/treats also there :)  Don't drink the tap water but there's plenty for bathing and washing.
• It's a pretty regular type of home - we love it but it's more of a 3 star than a 5 star experience. The building isn't brand new but we fell in love with the people - Canadians, Americans, Israelis, Dominicans...most of whom speak English and have tons of great suggestions of where to go, to eat, to shop etc. Very comfortable, very easy-going, not a party condo.  Many of the residents live there year-round. 
• There's a GREAT pool that is solar heated throughout the year so it's lovely and warm.  There's also a shared bbq (charcoal) out by the pool that you can use, and there's a laundry drying area, (we have a little Dominican washing machine in the bathroom...we can explain how to use if you go).

• We're not on the beach, but on the top of a small hill looking down to the ocean - beautiful breezes at the top of the hill mean we don't need AC in the apartment (there are also ceiling fans in every room). It's 15 minutes "door to shore" to walk down the hill at a leisurely pace to the ocean.  Playa Encuentro, our beach, is a "raw" beach - there are no large resorts on this beach and it's not groomed, but it is clean.  There's a couple of  restaurants, a handful of surf schools and a horseback riding place.  There's also a minimum (can't say none, but it's few) of beach vendors so VERY low key.  You can swim, you can surf or kiteboard, you can ride horses on the beach, and you can walk for hours along the beach seeing only a handful of people (more in high season or during Masters of the Ocean ).  Spectacularly beautiful beach - it's what sealed the deal for us. There are shallow areas that kids can play in or for wading, and there's wavy fun surfing areas.  Always wanted to surf (or want something for your kids to do during the day)?  Check out the surf schools like Cabarete surf camp .  There's also awesome beaches in both Cabarete and Sosua to check out - totally different vibes. More on these towns later.

• We are located next door to a hotel - Coconut Palms - which looks almost the same as the condo building (Coconut Grove).  Serious benefits to this are: Taxis ready almost all the time, excursions are available from the hotel so you don't have to go into town to get a tour, there's a yummy restaurant (not super cheap but yummy) and they have a "tut-tut" - a little open jeep truck which goes up and down the hill to the beach, and you can hitch a ride if you don't want to walk back up for a few pesos.  The hotel business also means that there's a restaurant right at our beach - Club Mendy - with DELICIOUS cocktails and food...no need to bring a picnic if you don't want to!
• Grocery shopping is easy to do - real supermarkets in both Cabarete and Sosua - about a $10 cab ride either direction.  Food is overall about the same as here - produce is incredible and inexpensive (mango so good I actually licked the cutting board), meat is more $ as are "processed" name-brand foods. Restaurants are often VERY reasonable - at "Hideaway Beach" hotel, at Arsenio's (STUNNING on the beach restaurant) which is walking distance from our place - on Tues/Wed night they have $200 peso prix fixe dinners for example ($6). 

Ok, more pictures and more info about Sosua and Cabarete to come, as well as the pricing for rentals (it feels weird to us to be doing this so we're kinda slow).
Thanks for reading!
Kim and Rob