Checkin time is between 3:00 pm and 9:00 pm.
If you plan to arrive later in the evening, please let us know so we can best prepare ourselves. You may request an early checkin. However, it cannot be guaranteed and is dependent on availability.
Sadly, all good things come to an end.
Checkout time is at 11:00 am
You may request a late checkout until 12:00 pm. After that time late checkout fees apply.
We offer on-site free parking at each villa for a single small or medium-sized car. Larger vehicles, like vans, or additional vehicles can park for free in our general parking area near the entrance.
We only allow cars and small vans (including taxis) to drive
up to the villas and park there. It is not permitted to
drive between villas. Only our service vehicles can go
everywhere to provide services or move guests
around.
Buggies, quads, motorcycles and noisy cars are
banned and must remain in the general parking area, so as to
not disturb the peaceful environment of Ocama’s residences.
Each of the 8 villas is located between 6 and 15 minutes walk from Playa del Amor. A 5-minute walk from Playa del Amor over a rocky path takes you to Playa Breman, while a 7-minute walk in the opposite direction takes you to Playa Ermitaño.
If you're not in the mood to walk, you can call for a ride and one of our staff will give you a lift to our closest beach, Playa del Amor.
Designed to meet the highest standards of functionality, aesthetics, and convenience, Ocama offers fully equipped kitchens that feature appliances such as stove, oven, refrigerator, potable water dispenser, as well as cookware, utensils, and kitchen gadgets for preparing meals with ease.
Our Chef and his team prepare a variety of international and Dominican meals on demand and deliver them to your villa as room service. Meals are charged separately and are not included in the rate.
To allow our chefs to plan as well as possible for their groceries, meal preparation, and delivery, we ask that our guests let us know in advance which meals they would like. The ordering times are listed in the menu.
Also important is that you let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or food intolerances so we can account for them.
There are several good restaurants in downtown Las Galeras and Samaná town, 25-45 minutes drive away.
Ocama is located in a remote part of the island without supermarkets and with limited availability of supplies. Therefore we highly recommend you pass by a supermarket en route. If you come with one of our trusted taxi drivers, he will happily take you to one.
If you come on your own, we’ll provide you with the location of where to go shopping. We also offer a pre-arrival grocery shopping service for guests who are unable to do their own shopping.
If you forgot to pack an essential item, such as a toothbrush, razor, repellent, our small on-site shop, La Pulperia at Ocama, will have them available for purchase to ensure your comfort. Most of the products we offer are eco-friendly, chosen carefully by our team to avoid the use of harsh chemicals or toxic components.
For cables and phone chargers, depending on the type of cable required, we might have them available for loan.
To ensure that you make the most of your stay and create memorable experiences, we offer concierge services as well as an in-villa guidebook that will provide information about hotel amenities, nearby attractions, excursions, spa services, etc.
Let us know if you’re interested in any of these and we will be happy to send you more information.
All services that we organize for you, including on-site meals and drinks, excursions, spa sessions, taxis, rental cars, and tips can be billed to your room and paid for at the end of your stay, using one of several digital payment methods. These include Airbnb Money Request, Zelle, and PayPal.
Depending on the payment method, surcharges may apply.
We try to be as fair as possible with tips for our staff. All food and drinks coming from the kitchen are priced with a 10% tip included (by law), which goes directly to the kitchen staff. Any tips guests leave are distributed equally among the other employees, so both kitchen staff and all other staff get something for their efforts.
You can leave tips in cash or we can add them to your final invoice.
The smaller the town, the less electronic payment options are available. Las Galeras is very small, so be prepared to pay in cash everywhere, with the exception of a few businesses. Most stores and restaurants will accept dollars, but you will get a better deal if you pay in Dominican pesos.
Guests who are driving themselves must have cash available for the tolls along the highways. Only Dominican pesos are accepted, and 2000 pesos bills are not accepted. Cards are not accepted.
At the time of this writing, the trip from Santo Domingo (airport or downtown) costs 460 pesos (approx. 8 USD) in tolls.
The trip from Punta Cana (airport or resort area) costs around 1000 (approx. 17 USD) pesos in tolls.
We do not offer currency exchange. We recommend exchanging some money for Dominican pesos when you arrive at the airport. Alternatively, in downtown Las Galeras you can exchange cash dollars and Euros at the Western Union and at the Banreservas bank.
Should you arrive early or depart late, we can easily put all of your luggage in storage and allow you to take advantage of the facilities without the extra worries.
If you are coming from the United States, you won’t need a plug converter or power adapter. The DR uses the same outlets and 110V AC as the United States.
If you are coming from Europe, you will need a plug converter and maybe a power adapter. Many electronic devices, like laptops and phone chargers, work on both 110V and 220V.
However, other devices from Europe, like electric shavers and hair dryers, only work on 220V and will require a power adapter.
Ocama retreat offers fast internet connections over optical fiber in all villas and several common outdoor areas, including Playa del Amor.
Our bandwidth and speed is perfectly adequate for most remote office work.
Part of the Ocama concept is to promote connection with ourselves and the beautiful natural surroundings.
Our villas do not have televisions, but we offer an array of activities, such as hiking, beach hopping, excursions, and other amenities such as complimentary Wi-Fi, board games, books, yoga, and fitness equipment. Bring your own device as we have good internet connection.
We welcome a maximum of 2 dogs per villa, weighing up to 25 pounds (12 kg). A pet fee of $200 per stay is added with a stay of up to five nights, while stays of six or more nights include an additional $200 deep-cleaning fee.
Please keep your dog on a leash when walking around the retreat. Your dog should never be left unattended in any part of the villa or the retreat. In the exceptional case of leaving your dog unattended in the villa, it must be locked in an appropriate kennel.
Please make sure your dog does not cause a disturbance by continuous barking. Also, make sure that you pick up your dog’s excrement anywhere on the property.
Housekeeping will only be performed if your dog is either
properly kenneled or not present inside the villa.
Due to health regulations, dogs are not permitted in the
pools.
Additional charges will apply should any damage occur, including scratch or bite marks, holes dug in the yard, and excessive staining on cushions or sheets.
No cats are allowed.
As Ocama is located in a remote area, far from large cities, we have taken several approaches to ensuring the health and safety of our guests.
To ensure safety, peace of mind, and privacy of our guests, we offer round-the-clock security. We have security personnel, several of whom patrol the retreat all day and all night, guarded entry points, and video camera surveillance.
In the villas, you will find first aid kits with essential medical supplies in case of minor injuries or emergencies. The kits contain bandages, alcohol, antiseptic wipes, and other basic medical supplies to address common ailments or injuries.
Providing medications, even over-the-counter ones, could potentially lead to complications if a guest has an adverse reaction or if there are any misunderstandings about dosage or suitability for their medical condition. For this reason, at Ocama, we only provide paracetamol and charcoal pills as over-the counter medication.
As we are in a remote area, we recommend guests bring any other medication they may need during their stay.
We also offer assistance in finding nearby pharmacies or medical facilities if guests require further medical assistance.
Should a guest require medical attention or additional medication, we offer house visits from local doctors, particularly for minor illnesses or injuries that do not require emergency care. These doctors can prescribe adequate medicine for any ailment that you may have.
Many of the doctors speak English. Alternatively, we can organize one of our own to join you during your doctor’s visit to ensure that you receive appropriate medical care with ease.
Upon arrival you will find a guidebook with general information about Ocama. In this book you can also find emergency contact numbers and nearby medical facilities.
In the event of a medical emergency, we can assist with arranging an ambulance or other transportation to quickly and safely take guests to the nearest medical facility.
The Dominican Republic, contrary to other tropical destinations, is not known for its poisonous animals, thus, encountering insects or small animals (frogs, lizards, spiders) will be more of a nuisance than a health risk.
We implement a strict pest control policy and offer daily housekeeping service in our villas to ensure minimal entry of insects or other pests into our villas. However, as we are surrounded by a lush forest we recommend bringing repellent, keeping food sealed, avoiding leaving dirty dishes or crumbs out to help deter insects or other animals from entering the villa. Additionally, keeping doors and windows closed can help prevent them from entering.
However, if you have concerns about specific insects or allergies, it's best to let us know.
To avoid mosquito bites that can potentially be dangerous, we recommend the use of insect repellent.