We are sure you’re excited about your upcoming stay and we a looking forward to having you!
eXtreme Hotel is not a typical hotel, we are an eco hotel that works to support our environment – and as such we have a few quirks in how we operate.
Here is a little more information to help get you settled in:
Cabarete
About Cabarete
Cabarete is a small ocean-side beach town located on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic. The AM hours offer great surfing for all levels at El Encuentro beach. In the afternoon at Kite beach, the eastern-blowing trade winds and thermal currents combine to create world class kiting conditions. At night, family and friends come together to eat international cuisine and enjoy a booming nightlife.
Time Zone
We are in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone with no daylight savings.
Weather
It is sunny and warm almost all year long. On average it is around 25C (77F). During Summer (June-August) it can reach up to 38C (100F), but we also have wind 300 days a year, helping keep us cool and the mosquitos away. Rainy season on the North Coast lasts from October to April.
Best Season to Visit
Summer the temperatures are higher, but the wind is consistent making it great for kitesurfing.
Fall is wetter, but less crowded allowing better rest and rejuvenation. Fall is also the best time for surfing.
Winter has the coolest temperatures, but it is also our high season which makes for large crowds and even bigger parties.
Getting to Town
Walking: Takes about 30 minutes along the 2km stretch of beach and it’s free! It is not recommended to walk along the road as there are no sidewalks and the drivers do not respect the roadlines. Do not walk at night along the beach or road.
Motoconcho/Mototaxi: Takes about 5 minutes and costs 50 RD ($1 USD) / person during the day and 100 RD ($2 USD)/ person at night. They often drive recklessly and do not have helmets, but are the most common and offer an easy way to get around town.
Taxi: Takes about 5 minutes and costs 300 DOP ($6 USD)/ taxi. We are located right next to the taxi stand, and reception would be happy to arrange one for you.
Shared Taxi (Carritos): It costs 35 pesos. From the hotel, cross the road, wait for a taxi with a box on the roof to pass by and flag it down. Be prepared to cram in.
Public bus (Gua-Gua): It costs 25 pesos. From the hotel, cross the road, wait for a small van to pass by and flag it down.
Safety
Cabarete is safe, but just like anywhere you should take precautions: Respect the locals, don’t carry valuables or leave them unattended, and walk in groups (especially at night). Furthermore, the beach makes for a lovely stroll in the morning, but at night it is poorly lit and is not recommended for walking.
Money
Credit cards are not accepted almost anywhere due to fraud and the high taxes associated with their use (28%). Cash is King.
Most tour companies and taxis, and some restaurants will accept USD. Dominican Pesos (RD) are necessary for motoconchos, small vendors, and for tipping.
There are 2 main banks in Cabarete: Scotia Bank and Banco Popular. It’s worth checking with your bank if one charges fewer fees than the other to withdraw money. You can use the ATM to take out up to 10,000 RD (200 USD) at a time. If you need more, you must go inside with your passport to see a teller.
Wally’s exchange is one of many businesses in town that can exchange foreign currencies for Pesos.
There is also a Western Union located inside Janets for wire transfers.
To find out more about money in Cabarete, check out our blog.
Tipping
Tipping is customary in the Dominican Republic and helps support locals.
For restaurants, a 10% service charge (Ley) and 18% sales tax (ITBIS) are often included on your bill. These are mandated by law. Sometimes the tip is also included, look for the word propina or servis. If not, an additional 10% of the total should be given as a tip.
For maids, $1-2 tip per night is common. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but everyone appreciates some extra pocket change. Tour guides and their drivers can be tipped around $35 for a full day tour.
We have wonderful activity instructors, maintenance men, and reception staff that all work hard to make your stay relaxing and fun. Please keep them in mind as you take tours, book activities, or relax by the pool. To find out more about money in Cabarete, check out our blog.
Food
Our property has a breakfast area that focuses on farm-fresh, organic meals and smoothies made with exotic fruits. They also offer vegetarian/vegan lunches. La Mesa Taina, also located on-site, serves up delicious meals with ingredients from Taino Organic Farm. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and are well-known for their sushi.
There is a wide variety of restaurants in town serving up local and international cuisines. Being right off the ocean, many of these spots showcase delicious seafood dishes. If your looking for some recommendations check out these blogs.
Breakfast, Cafes, Pizza, Street Food, Restaurants, Supermarkets
Nightlife
The nightlife in Cabarete is a mix of locals and tourists alike gathering along beachfront bars and dancing the night away. Thursdays and Saturdays are the biggest nights of the week, with the party really heating up around midnight. However, every night of the week offers something unique. For specific recommendations check out our blog.
Day trips
While the North Coast is known for its amazing kiting, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and beaches, there’s more to explore than just the ocean. If you are looking for other ways to get your water fix there are day trips to visit lagoons or whitewater raft, and our farm tour includes an amazing afternoon river float.
El Choco National Park offers the perfect backdrop to enjoy hikes, mountain biking, and cave exploration. Other adventurous activities include ziplining, 4-wheeling, horseback riding, and waterfall tours. Ever wonder about Dominican cuisine? There’s a Rum and chocolate tour or join one of our trips to Taino Farm to explore where the sustainable systems that keep our hotel guests well fed.
For a partial list of activities check out our blog. While you are here stop by reception for more information and bookings.
Booking and Payments
Room Reservation
For availability, email us us via our form! Let the hotel know your dates and desired bed configuration (one double, two singles ) when booking your stay.
To confirm your booking, we require a 25% deposit. Payments are via Paypal, Zelle or bank transfer.
The balance is due before arrival. We only accept credit cards via Paypal.
Deposits are non-refundable, but are transferable to other stays within the next 12 months.
Retreat Reservation
For availability, get in touch with us via our form! Let the hotel know your dates, package, and desired bed configuration (one double, two singles or one double and one single) when booking your stay.
For each retreat we require a 25% deposit to reserve your stay.
This can be paid with PayPal adding an additionl 5.9% surcharge to cover their fees.
We also accept bank transfers and Zelle.
The remaining balance is due before arrival. We only accept credit cards via Paypal.
Deposits are non-refundable, but are transferable to other stays within the next 12 months.
Bringing a Group
We are an ideal location to hotel yoga studios, teachers, families, girlfriend getaways, or fitness groups on their retreats and holidays. We can work with you to turn your group’s vacation dreams into a reality Our team will work with you to handle the logistics and operations, so that you’ll be free to enjoy your time here and focus on your group! Find out more here.
Changes and Cancelations
Deposits are non-refundable, but are transferable to other hotel stays within the next 12 months.
In the event of a natural weather event, delayed flight, or other travel emergency outside of our control, we are unable to offer credits or refunds. We highly recommend buying travel insurance to cover for these types of emergencies.
Before Arrival
Airports
There are 4 main airports in the Dominican Republic.
Puerto Plata (POP)
Taxi: $35 USD and takes about 20min. The hotel can arrange a taxi pick-up for you. A taxi is necessary if you have more than 1 piece of luggage or are traveling at night.
Public Transport (Gua-Gua): 40 RD ($1 USD) and takes about 45min. You can catch one about 1km from the airport on the main road. Gua-Guas can only be used if you have less than one piece of luggage and are traveling by day.
Santiago (STI)
Taxi: $100 USD and takes about 1h 30min. We recommend Coco Tours. A taxi is necessary if you have more than 1 piece of luggage or are traveling at night.
Public Transport: 290 RD ($6 USD) and takes about 2h. Use Caribe Tours to travel from Santiago to Sosua. In Sosua take a public bus (Gua-Gua) to our hotel. You can catch your Gua-Gua by heading east, crossing the street, and waiting on the opposite side of the bus station. Gua-Guas can only be used if you have less than one piece of luggage and are traveling by day.
Santo Domingo (SDQ)
Taxi: $250 USD and takes about 4h. We recommend Coco Tours.
Public Transport: 420 RD ($8 USD) and takes about 7h. Use Caribe Tours to travel from Santo Domingo to Sosua. In Sosua take a public bus (Gua-Gua) to our hotel. You can catch your Gua-Gua by heading east, crossing the street, and waiting on the opposite side of the bus station. Gua-Guas can only be used if you have less than one piece of luggage and are traveling by day.
Punta Cana (PUJ)
Taxi: $400 USD and takes about 7h.
Public Transport: 820 RD ($16 USD) and takes about 10h. You need to take a bus from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo from there you can take Caribe Tours to travel from Santo Domingo to Sosua. In Sosua take a public bus (Gua-Gua) to our hotel. You can catch your Gua-Gua by heading east, crossing the street, and waiting on the opposite side of the bus station. Gua-Guas can only be used if you have less than one piece of luggage and are traveling by day.
Samana (AZS)
Taxi: $150 and takes about 2.5 hours.
Public Transport: There is a once/day bus that passes by the airport. $10 US.
Renting a Car
It is not recommended to drive in the Dominican Republic. Not many roads are well maintained or well lit. Our hotel does offer free parking for our guests. However due to the ubiquitousness of different public transportation options, it is unnecessary to rent a car here.
Suggested Packing
It is necessary to pack a beach towel, all toiletries, and a reusable water bottle.
It is recommended to bring bug-spray, sunscreen and other sun protection (hat, sunglasses, aloe)
Clothing wise you should bring at least one swimsuit, beach footwear, and other summery clothing. Cabarete is a laid-back beach town so there is no need for fancy clothes or too much make-up.
An umbrella or poncho can help with the occasional rainy day.
If you are surfing or kiteboarding think about sunglasses with straps to keep them on as well as rashguard.
If you are working out, taking a circus class, or practicing yoga with us you should bring comfortable athletic clothes.
In general if you forget something, it is available here. Less is more.
The Hotel
Our Green Vision
Living off the grid does not mean sacrificing comfort. We have consistent wifi, electricity, and hot-water. We harvest the sun via our solar panels and the rain using our rainwater collection system.
Our onsite meals are farm-to-table and full of fresh and organic ingredients.
We are constantly looking to build with recycled materials, reduce energy consumption, and decrease our environmental impact.
Learn more here.
Rooms and Amenities
All guests receive their own private room. The room are all the same, with a private bathroom, partial ocean view and come with a fridge, drinking water, and a queen or double bed. There are overhead fans, personal fans, and screened in patios making the rooms well-ventilated without the need for air conditioning.
The rooms do not have a kitchen, laundry services, or television.
The ground floor is cooler, more private, and has better beach access for kitesurfers.
The upstairs rooms have a partial ocean view .
The front rooms have a view of the ocean, and are on a first come first serve basis.
The hotel has a pool, gym, and yoga loft, as well as skateboarding ramp, aerials studio, and big lush tropical garden.
Check-in and Check-out
Connect with the host via WhatsApp before your arrival and keep us up to date of your progress. Your host will be here to greet you and get you quickly settled into your room.
Electricity and Internet
The outlets (Type A and B) and voltage (110 V) are the same as in the US and Canada. You do not need any adapters if you are coming from these two countries.
We have wifi at 2 access points which covers almost all corners of our property. The wifi is on it’s own backup and is not affected by any power outages. We have a 300m/w fiber connection, which is the fastest available. We do not share our connection with non hotel guests, ensuring enough bandwidth for most people working remotely.
We run on solar power, and we have a generator for back up. There is a slight delay on the generator, but the wifi is non affected by power outages.
Laundry and Cleaning
We do not offer Laundry services at our hotel. However, there are plenty of places in town that wash and fold laundry for 50 RD (1 USD) / Pound.
Parking
We offer free on site parking for guests who have or choose to rent cars. It’s inside our secured property.
Security
We have a lot of solo female guests and we we take security very seriously. Our security was designed by a Navy Seal.
There is no property access to non hotel guests at any time.
We also have 24-hour surveillance and a security guard 7 nights a week.
Furthermore, inside each room is a safe for guarding your passport, extra cash, laptops, and other valuables.
But most importantly, we are an active member of the local community, having been here for over 20 years. We have developed a strong bond as we can only successfully operate with the community’s support. That is by far the best possible security.
Didn’t find the answer you were looking for?
Send us an email at info@extremehotels.com