Is the all-inclusive mandatory? The all inclusive is mandatory because it includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks at 3 restaurants, all beverages (including liquor), the delivery of bottles of liquor to your Suite, maid service, transportation to and from the airport, your fridge stocked daily with water, soda and beer, daily kid's club, nightly beach parties and access to Nirvana Beach and the VIP Bar by the pool. The rental fee is paid to us and the all-inclusive is paid to the resort upon arrival. Children age up to 3 are free, children ages 3 through 11 are 50% of the adult rate, children age 12 and above are charged at the adult rate.
What is the booking process? Booking is done directly through us. Once you are ready to book, we will need you to confirm the first & last name of the lead passenger for the reservation as it appears on their passport, number of adults & children under age 12, which property you would like to stay at, accommodation type/size, and desired check-in/out dates. We will then send your reservation in to the resort. Within a week we will email you the resort confirmation along with the rental agreement. At that point, 50% of the total rent is paid to us and the remaining balance is due 30 days prior to arrival. When reserving within 45 days of arrival (or within 90 days of a holiday booking), payment via PayPal or credit card is required prior to submitting the reservation.
Are there any other costs? On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve the resort holds a Gala Event with a mandatory fee of $80 per person, per event (children 3 to 11 are ½ price). The fee is paid to the resort upon arrival.
What forms of payment do you accept? The rent is paid to PW Vacations by check, money order or bank draft in US dollars. We also accept PayPal & Credit Cards. There is a 4% handling fee added when paying via PayPal or Credit Card.
What payment method does the resort accept for the all-inclusive package? Visa, M/C, Discover, American Express, and cash (US Dollars and Pesos). The resort does not add the VAT Tax when paying the all inclusive with a credit card, but your credit card company might charge you a foreign exchange fee. You should contact your credit card company before arrival to check.
What is the best currency? American currency is the most convenient. The DR uses Pesos. The Excursion Center has to add an 18% VAT Tax to credit card charges, so it's cheaper to pay for excursions with cash. To avoid credit card fraud, we suggest using cash when making purchases off property. There is no ATM on property, and the closest ATM only allows $50USD per withdrawal and charges a fee.
What about tipping? There are no set tipping guidelines at the resort, however the staff works so hard that most guests choose to tip their favorite people. In the Dominican Republic, the current average wage of hotel staff is equivalent to $9.00 US dollars per day after taxes. So, a little bit goes a long way. Bring lot's of $1's. Since your maid works the hardest for you, we usually suggest a few dollars/per bedroom/day. You can tip her daily, or at the end of your stay. The beach butlers might keep checking on you if you tip them a couple of dollars with your first order. After dinner, if you had good service feel free to leave a couple of dollars per person on the table. We just generally tip a dollar or two whenever we are given good service. Again, this is not expected by the staff. They are grateful for anything.
Is the resort safe? The resort is a gated community with check points to make sure only registered guests and employees are on the resort grounds. Security personnel can be seen 24 hours a day on property keeping an eye on everything. If you have a ground floor Suite we do recommend that you do not leave personal items unattended on your patio, as other guests may find them tempting.
Do you own a specific Suite?
No. There are 105 Suites ranging in size from 1 to 3 bedrooms. The majority of the
Suites are 2 Bedroom. As Platinum Supreme Shareholder members with Chairman's Circle Club affiliation we have access to
all of the Suites year round. We can also provide you with multiple Suites if needed. It is important to note
that over Christmas/New Year's when the resort is at maximum capacity the resort institutes a minimum occupancy of 1-3 people
in a 1 Bedroom,
4-6 people in a 2 Bedroom and 7-8 people in a 3 Bedroom.
Have you ever seen the movie Step Brothers? Yes! And this is a frequently asked question...
Are there set check in or check out days? You may check in or out on any day of the week and stay as many or as few nights as you wish.
How do airport transfers work? We arrange for your pick-up at the airport. The resort requires airport transfers to be scheduled more than 5 days prior to arrival. Because of this any missed or cancelled flights will require guests to provide their own transportation to the resort. Airport transfers back to the airport are scheduled once at the resort with your VIP Services Representative.
What airports can we fly into? The nearest airport is Punta Cana (PUJ). It's about 25 minutes away and we can provide unlimited transfers to and from this airport. We highly recommend waiting to purchase airfare until after your reservation has been accepted for processing by the resort.
Can we get transportation from the airport in the resort’s limo? No, this is reserved for Members only.
Are cribs provided? Yes, just let us know if you need a crib and we will forward the request to the resort.
Are there any areas we are not allowed to go? Aquarella Beach, the Carpe Diem restaurant and after hours lounge are for members only, other than that you have full access to the resort.
Are there excursions we can book through the resort? Yes, there is an excursion desk at the resort and there is an aqua center on the beach where you may book water sports, snorkling, and diving.
Where can I get internet access? There are Wi-Fi hotspots at the beach, pool, and lobby. If you need Wi-Fi in your Suite, you may pay for it at $15 per day per device, or $60 per week per device.
How far is the beach? The resort is built right on Bávaro Beach. You can be lounging on a beach bed with a drink in hand within 5 minutes of leaving your Suite.
Do I have to listen to a sales pitch? No, this is in no way a requirement. It is your decision whether or not to see a presentation of what the resort offers. Many past guests have decided to purchase a vacation membership after seeing what a value Lifestyle Holidays is. If you feel strongly about not learning more about resort membership, here are some tips to avoid accidentally ending up in the sales office: If a resort employee offers you a tour, a free t-shirt or a welcome package just reply with a firm "No, thank you" and walk away.
Is there a washer/dryer in the Suite? There are not any in the Suite but there is a laundry service available for a fee.
How do we make restaurant reservations? Restaurant reservations are made after arriving at the resort. You will be assigned a VIP Service Representative when you arrive that will help you make your restaurant reservations. Restaurant seatings are at 6:30 and 8:30.
Is there a dress code? Breakfast and lunch is casual. Shorts or a cover up over your swimsuit for the ladies and a t-shirt with your swim trunks for the guys is fine. Dinner is a time to dress a little nicer. The restaurants appreciate at least Dockers and a button up shirt for the guys and a dress or pant suit for the ladies.
Do the Suites have safes? Yes. Each Suite has one safe. The resort charges $20 a week or $3 per night for use of the safe.
Does the resort provide towels? Yes, towels for the resort pools and at Nirvana Beach are provided. The laundry service is performed by an outside company, and when the resort is busy we have observed times when towels can be a little scarce. In your rooms, it is preferred that you place your towels on the floor when you would like them to be replaced (this is to preserve water and energy).
Do I need to bring a hair dryer? You do not need to bring a hair dryer. Each full bathroom will have a hair dryer.
Do I need to bring power converters? The outlets at the resort are US compatible.
Is the water safe to drink? Whenever you are in a country other than your own it is advisable to avoid drinking tap water. There is plenty of bottled water in your Suite as well as a 5 gallon water cooler in each hallway outside your Suite. We also recommend using bottled water to brush your teeth and to make your coffee, and the ice used throughout the resort is bagged from purified water.