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 out front of our place, or at at El Encuentro beach. In the afternoon here on 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 36C (100F), but we also have wind 300 days a year, helping keep us cool and the mosquitos away. The 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 road lines. 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 less 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 beach front dining area that focuses on farm-fresh, organic meals and smoothies made with exotic fruits. A lot of our produce is provided by our sister organic farm, Taino Farm.
We also trade with other local farms to increase our variety.
We eat vegetarian and are mostly vegan and gluten free. It’s easy to avoid the non vegan and gluten options and still have a great meal every day.
For those looking to exploreThere 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
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 to info@extremehotels.com adding an additional 5.9% surcharge to cover their fees.
We also accept bank transfers and transfers processed through Zelle.
At check-in, the remaining balance will be due in cash in USD or Dominican Pesos. We do not accept credit cards.
Deposits are non-refundable but are transferable to other stays within the next 12 months.
Changes and Cancellations
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 these types of emergencies.
Before Arrival
Airports
There are 4 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: $200 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.
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. Make sure to pack enough comfortable work out clothes to last throughout your stay. 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.
We provide all equipment to use during fitness classes and for personal use outside of class time. It is not necessary to bring anything for your fitness classes except an open mind. However, if you need a brace or body support we recommend you bring it along.
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 two onsite restaurants are farm-to-table and specialize in 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
The room interiors are all the same and come with a fridge, drinking water, private bathroom, balcony, and one queen or a double and a single bed. There are overhead fans, personal fans, and door-less screened-in patios making the rooms well-ventilated without the use of 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 and a view of the trapeze.
The front rooms have a view of the ocean (cost $50/week more).
The hotel has a pool, gym, and yoga loft, as well as on-site trapeze school, kite school, and restaurants.
Check-in and Check-out
Check-in is from 3pm-6pm at reception.
Check out is from 8am-11am at reception.
If your flight is arriving earlier than 3pm or leaving later than 11am, we can arrange to hold your luggage at reception.
Electricity and Internet
The outlets (Type A and B) and voltage (110 V) are the same as in the US and Canada. You should 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. We also have a 3rd wifi network at our onsite restaurant.
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 30-50 RD (1 USD) / Pound.
Garbage is removed daily. Sheets and towels are cleaned every other day to help save water and energy.
Parking
We offer free on-site parking for guests who have or choose to rent cars.
Security
Our security gates were designed by a Navy Seal. They are required to pass before reaching any room and lock automatically behind entering guests. Visitors are welcome in the bar, pool, or lobby, but our strict no guest policy means that only registered hotel guests can go past these gates.
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.
Fitness Retreats
Retreat Rules
There are none!
We promote healthy and mindful living on our holidays, without deprivation. This is your holiday, and we encourage you to do what feels good for your body.
We advocate that everyone participate in the activities they signed up for to get the most out of their retreat, but if you find the class schedule too intense, you plan an excursion for the day instead, or the bed was too comfy to leave in the morning, you are free to skip classes at will.
Style and Difficulty
Our fitness classes are typically a mix between HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and Crossfit style workouts with a focus on proper movements to increase range of motion and strength, which are the cornerstones of fitness. No matter what style of class, we focus on self-care and meeting your body where it’s at.
Unless otherwise noted, we do not ask our teachers to teach any one specific style of fitness class, so students who are used to a specific work-out style should keep an open mind coming to our retreats.
We pride ourselves in creating an in-depth multi-level fitness class for both complete beginners and long-term gym nuts. Our teachers are qualified to help you get to the next level of your work-out, whatever that may mean to you. If you have any specific goals for your time with us, please let your teacher or retreat leader know. Groups are small so the teacher can respond individually to students.
Special Diets
Our menus are all organic, and mostly vegetarian but they can include both meat and fish. We can currently cater to vegetarians, as well as gluten and lactose-free diets. There are limited options for vegans, raw foodies, and those with severe allergies at this time. Please let us know of any dietary restrictions you might have when you are booking so we can be adequately prepared.
Traveling Solo
Traveling alone is a great way to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate. A majority of our clients are solo travelers. We do not arrange shared accommodation between guests, but the environment is fun and social with lots of people around to hang out with during activities and outside of class time. While you may arrive solo, you will never feel alone. You might even find a new friend to book with for next year’s vacation.
Bringing a Group
We love to host gyms, teachers, families, girlfriend getaways, or fitness groups on their retreats and holidays. We can work with you to turn your vacation dreams into a reality, and with us in charge of the logistics and operations, you’ll be free to enjoy your time here, deepen your practice, and relax in tropical paradise! For availability, get in touch with us via our form!
Personalizing Your Retreat
The packages listed on our website are flexible according to your needs. Retreats can start on any day of the week and can be shortened or extended depending on your vacation plans. Some activities can be added or removed, but we only offer packages to guests who are staying in eXtreme accommodation.
Didn’t find the answer you were looking for?
Send us an email at info@cabaretefitnesscamp.com
