We recently spent a week at the Villas Jazmin and found the whole experience to be somewhat underwhelming. The weather was great and we certainly did a lot of relaxing but then there was little else to do.

First of all, the villas are very spartan. We were a little dismayed to find that there was no microwave or coffeemaker. They provide the type of old fashioned stovetop coffee pot that most of us would use on a camping trip. 2 days of that and we were searching out a department store in Puerto Plata and bought a nice coffeemaker for the equivilant of 20 dollars US. Money well spent. About Tuesday of the week I realized that they were selling microwave popcorn in the office and speculated were one popped it. When we asked at the office the receptionist seemed shocked that we were without one and within minutes we had a microwave. Now, doesn't it seem like someone inspecting the room prior to our arrival might, maybe have noticed that? Hmmmm... We did very much appreciate the nice stereo system (OK, big boom box) that was in our villa.

We did not sign up for the meal plan, actually we skipped the presentation. We like to search out the local food and try different places and generally we were not disappointed. Try Don Quixotes or Club Caruso. The two meals that we did eat at the Villas ( a dinner and a lunch) were OK but certainly not what I would have wanted to eat the entire week.

There are lot's of people in this world who seem to think that all-inclusives are the ONLY way to go and that's fine. Just not the way we like to do things at this stage of our lives.

We also had a huge problem with always having to walk through the bar/resturant to get anywhere. We did figure out about Wednesday that if the Internet Shop was open we could short cut through there. Felt like we were teenagers sneaking out at night!

We have a sort of ritual on the trip home where we talk about whether we would go back and in this case we are thinking probably not. We are very conservative people and truly do not expect a lot, a coffeemaker, a microwave, good food at a reasonable price. Constambar is quite far from Puerto Plata and transportation is pricey. We have no problem taking local public transportation but it doesn't seem to exist.

Also, it's been years since I have traveled with children but I can't imagine spending a week at Villas Jazmin with kids in tow. They would be bored to tears.

I feel the need to express the truth about my stay at this establishment for the good of future holiday makers.
Firstly, the good points even though there were very few....
the staff were extremely friendly and I was especially impressed with the cleaning service.
HOWEVER, there were no other English people at the hotel and therefore there was no English influence on the menu or in fact in the whole hotel! Although the food was nice if not sometimes under-cooked I was sold the "meal plan" and therefore we were forced to eat at the hotel all the time and when I arrived home I was diagnosed with SALMONELLA. I've been incredibly ill for the past few weeks and I'm utterly disgusted.
Also, another complaint about this holiday would be the lack of facilities apart from a beach (which was filthy) and supermarket. So if your idea of a holiday consists of boredom and Salmonella book up now!

I do not recemmend the villa during hot months. The only nice thing about it that it is so close to the beach.: 5-10 min walk. We did not buy the meal plan and therefore were treated not as nice as the people who did. There are a lot of restaurants nearby with great food, good prices. Explore the area near by.

I totally disagree with the disparaging reviewer from New York. Villas Jazmin was a great time and totally relaxing. I went there with 2 other friends and we met other people there that we hung out with during the day and at dinner time.

We stayed in a two room villa next to the tennis court. The furniture was simple, yet functional...although the futon/couch in the living room could be a bit more comfortable for sleeping. The cleaning ladies were great with replacing towels and linen.

The food at the restaurant was incredibly delicious!! I could not wait to sample the various dishes each night. Try the grilled fish filet or the fried fish...mmmmm... My compliments to the chef, Moreno. Meals ranged from about 250 DR pesos to 500 pesos. At the time we were there, the exchange rate was 32 pesos to $1 US. The serving staff were very friendly, helpful, and had a great sense of humour. They made our stay very comfortable. Thanks to Juan Carlos, Pedro, Yajaida, José, and Ramón for being so nice.

Bill was the RCI host who was very informative in outlining what was available at the complex. He was very friendly and had really bad jokes to share. Ask him to tell you his "Interrupting Cow" joke. Villas Jazmin has an area on the beach that's reserved for the patrons. Beach chairs may be obtained from Carlos for 40 DR pesos....a little over $1 US. Large water jugs for the room were $5 US. Internet access was 10 pesos (about 33 cents) per 15 minutes. Taxi to and from the airport was $40 US...a bit steep. We were asked not to tip at dinner time, but could do so at the end of our stay, IF we thought the service was good.

The staff in the office, Wendy, Jendi, and Oscar were quite helpful and friendly. They even arranged babysitting service for one of the couples who wanted to go on an excursion without their 13 month old. I think that they were charged $7 US for the day. The best excursion was the Jeep Safary ($42 US)...the climax was treking through the forest and streams to a gorgeous waterfall which we climbed seven out of the 28 levels. We subsequently slid down the rocks or jumped to get back to our starting point. There was a couple who could not swim and one was a bit heavy. However the guides were great in helping them "climb" the falls...as they did with all of us. For this excusion, remember to bring water shoes/sandals. If not, they have water shoes that they rent. Also, they charge for a mandatory life jacket (about 30 pesos). One excursion to avoid is the Punta Rusia...beautiful beach/sandbar, but expensive and the drive to the beach is longer than the time spent on the beach. I think the excusions are a bit too pricey, but you can decide for yourself.

The beach (5 minute walk) was nice but a bit rough on the feet...watershoes are recommended. However, if you go to the far end of the beach (away from the Villas Jasmin reserved area), the sand is softer, the water deeper, and there is more space to swim. On the weekend, the beach is a zoo, but during the week it's pretty quiet. The beach is maintained well: rubbish is collected daily and the seaweed is raked into piles...although more appears each day. For food, there is a small blue shack beside the vendor stalls...great food and cheap prices. Try the garlic spaghetti or fried fish...delicious!

I would recommend this place for people looking for a relaxing time. If you're looking for party central, this is not the place. Although there are a few bars that might accomodate this. Other perks...Guy's Ice Cream and Luci's magic massage hands...a real treat!
One thing that's sorely needed is an ATM...have to go to town or a gas station to access one.