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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs)
Why a Villa?
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A private
villa is a unique vacation experience!
Many
travelers return to the same villa year after year
and come to think of the property as their Jamaican
“home away from home”. This is because villa
vacations are all about personalized attention and
service. Do you prefer breakfast at noon? No
problem. Would you like having a pool all to
yourself? Lounging in a hammock in your own private
tropical garden? This is what a private villa
vacation can provide. Privacy, the ability to set
your own schedule, genuine relaxation, and the
opportunity to experience true Jamaican hospitality
and service.
What is the
difference between a villa, apartment/condo and
cottage resort?
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A villa
is a free-standing private home that is made
available for rent to vacation travellers. Private
villas range from 1-8 bedrooms in size and offer
additional living space such as living rooms, dining
areas, patios or verandahs. Some also have dens or
recreation rooms. Almost all private villas have
their own private pool and full staff.
Apartments and condos range from studios to 3
bedroom units and are generally found within small
complexes with shared pool facilities. Most
apartments and condos offer fully equipped kitchen
facilities or kitchenettes for guests to do their
own cooking. All apartment/condo units offer daily
maid service and some offer additional cook service.
Cottage
resorts vary in style – some offer free-standing
individual cottages, while others offer different
accommodation-types housed within one building.
Whatever your preference, we have the style of
accommodation you need!
What is the maximum
occupancy of a villa?
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As a
general rule, villas have a maximum occupancy of 2
guests per bedroom. Therefore if you are a party of
six, we suggest a three-bedroom villa. If you are a
party of eight, a four-bedroom villa is most
suitable, etc. Since villas are wonderful
accommodation choices for families, additional
children may be accommodated beyond the maximum
occupancy if enough bedding is in place at the
particular villa chosen. In some cases, additional
adults can be accommodated, however additional
person charges or cot fees may apply.
What is the minimum
night-stay?
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There is
a two-night minimum stay.
Are
the rates per person/per
night?
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Rates
posted on this site are per person, per night! Rates
are $65.00USD per person, per night, per villa, and
based on two people per bedroom.
What are the
dates for
high & low season? Are there any periods with
surcharges or discounts?
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Most
properties have two rates – one for high season and
one for low season. High season runs from December
16 – April 15 and low season from April 16 –
December 15. A majority of properties also have a
surcharge for the Christmas/New Years period and a
few also have a surcharge for Thanksgiving. In some
cases, select properties also feature “shoulder”
rates in which rates are lowered! In general,
“shoulder” or discounted rates fall in May/June or
September/October.
CALL TODAY FOR YOUR SPECIAL
RATE!
Are
damage deposits
required at this villa?
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A select
number of villas require a prepaid damage deposit.
This deposit is refunded to you after departure as
long as no damage has occurred to the house and its
contents. Call us today for more information
regarding deposits.
Is
tax and gratuity
included?
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Most
private villas include tax in their rates. Staff
gratuity however, is not included and we suggest a
minimum of 10-15% gratuity for staff services.
Gratuity is based on the total villa cost and should
be paid to the staff directly at the end of your
stay. Additionally, we suggest you divide up the tip
among the staff instead of leaving one lump sum.
Using your own discretion, you may choose to give a
larger portion of the tip to the staff member who
provided the majority of the services or who
provided services above and beyond the call of duty.
At apartments/condos and cottage resorts, Jamaican
room tax and service charges may not be included in
the price of your rental and would be collected
locally. We will always advise you of the
percentages collected for local tax and service
before you confirm your reservation.
Does this property listed have
full staff? [back
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Yes, our
villa come with a staff of three including a cook,
housekeeper and gardener/houseman. A difference
between apartments/condos where staff is generally
limited to daily maid service.
What
services do the staff provide?
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The staff
is responsible for all aspects of meal preparation
as well as keeping the property and grounds clean
and maintained. The staff can also do grocery
shopping for you if you like. Household laundry is
done by the staff, however personal laundry may be
at an additional cost, depending on the villa
selected. You will also find the staff to be an
invaluable source of information on the area. They
can tell you about local restaurants, attractions
and entertainment. If you need a nanny or a taxi,
they can also assist in setting up these types of
services.
Does the property have security?
All
properties represented by JAVA are licensed by the
Jamaica Tourist Board and like hotels, provide
security. At private villas, this usually means that
in addition to the houseman, a licensed security
guard comes on duty around sunset and patrols the
grounds throughout the night.
What additional costs
should we plan for?
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Food,
transportation, tours & excursions, and incidentals
(e.g. phone calls) are not included in the cost of
your rental. Food costs can vary greatly depending
on your tastes and needs. Simple meals like a
traditional Jamaican chicken fricasee with rice and
salad can be quite affordable. If you prefer
multi-course meals or entrees requiring imported
ingredients, then the food cost can rise
significantly. An estimated average would be about
USD $150-$200 per person for a week for meals. Costs
for tours and excursions can be obtained by
contacting local tour operators – inquire with your
staff upon arrival for recommendations. Local phone
calls from your villa are generally complimentary,
however keep in mind that calling from town to town
in Jamaica is considered long distance. Outbound
international calls are usually not feasible from
private villas (unless you call collect) as
international calling codes are necessary, however
phone cards can be purchased for this purpose and
you can also leave the number to your villa with
friends and family so they can call you instead.
Can I use my cell
phone in Jamaica?
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Jamaica’s
cellular system operates on the TDMA and/or GSM
network. If your cell phone is TDMA or GSM
compatible and your provider has a roaming agreement
with Jamaica’s Cable & Wireless Mobile or Digicel
Jamaica, you may use your cell phone in Jamaica. Be
warned however that the roaming charges can be very
expensive. We recommend you check with your cellular
service provider in advance to make sure of
compatibility. Alternatively, you may also rent a
cell phone in Jamaica and set up a temporary account
with Jamaica’s cellular provider.
Can I access the
internet in Jamaica?
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If you
choose to bring your laptop and would like to access
the internet while in Jamaica, you may set up a
temporary account with Jamaica’s Internet Service
Provider – Infochannel – located in Kingston. You
will need to call them and provide the villa
telephone number as well as a credit card number for
billing purposes. To protect your computer, we
highly suggest taking a surge protector along.
Alternatively, you may also visit a cyber center in
any of the major resort areas in order to access the
internet.
What is the electrical
system in Jamaica?
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Jamaica’s
electrical system is the same as the U.S. – 110
volts / 50 cycles – so you will not need an adapter
if you opt to bring items requiring electricity such
as hairdryers or portable stereos.
What are the payment
requirements?
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Once you
have are ready to confirm your reservation, a
deposit of 1/3 or 3 nights (whichever is greater) is
required. Your balance will come due 45 days prior
to arrival. For holiday reservations, the deposit
amount is 50%. Payments must be by personal check,
cashiers check or official bank check (sorry no
credit cards or money orders please!).
What are your
cancellation policies?
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In
general, private villas and apartments are
nonrefundable items. We therefore highly recommend
purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance is
available and can be added to your booking up until
the final payment due date (but not there after.
Should you need to cancel your reservation and have
not taken travel insurance, we will always do our
best to negotiate a refund, however success cannot
be guaranteed. If we are able to negotiate a refund
for you, a cancellation fee will be assessed at the
time of negotiation. Changes and/or revisions are
subject to a $50.00 fee.
CALL US
TODAY! |
