Villa Espada
When you rent a luxury villa in Cap Cana, what's included in the rate varies considerably from one property to the next. Some villas include staff; others charge for it separately. Some include golf access; others don't. At Villa Espada, the nightly rate covers the property, the full staff, two golf carts, member-rate tee times at two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses, and private airport transportation. This article breaks down exactly what's included, what isn't, and what to expect at each stage of your stay.
The following are included in the nightly rate at no additional cost beyond the standard 18% Dominican Republic tax and service charge.
The property itself. Villa Espada is an 8-bedroom, 10-bathroom private estate covering over 10,000 square feet. It accommodates up to 22 guests and sits directly on Fairway 5 of Punta Espada Golf Course, the only privately rentable estate in Cap Cana with a fairway address on the course.
Full staff. A private chef, personal butler, and full maid service are included throughout your stay. The chef handles all meals prepared at the villa. The butler assists with daily coordination, requests, and anything the group needs throughout the stay. Maid service keeps the property maintained daily.
Private airport transportation. Pickup and drop-off at Punta Cana International Airport, approximately 20 minutes from Cap Cana, is included for the group.
Two 6-person golf carts. Both carts are available throughout the stay for getting to and from Punta Espada, Las Iguanas, and anywhere else within Cap Cana.
Member-rate tee times at Punta Espada and Las Iguanas. Both Jack Nicklaus Signature courses at Cap Cana are accessible at member rates throughout your stay. Punta Espada has been ranked #1 in the Caribbean and Mexico by GolfWeek for multiple consecutive years. Las Iguanas opened in 2026 and is three minutes from the villa by golf cart.
All villa amenities. This includes two private pools (a ground-level sports pool and a rooftop terrace pool), a 16-person hot tub, a private spa room with two massage tables and a four-person steam sauna, an outdoor kitchen and bar, an indoor wet bar, a chef's kitchen with a dual-zone wine refrigerator and induction cooktop, a dining table that seats 14 or more, a SONOS sound system throughout with outdoor speakers, and high-speed fiber WiFi. The villa also sits within Cap Cana's 24/7 gated security perimeter.
A full walkthrough of the property is on the villa page and the amenities page.
Being clear about what's billed separately is as important as knowing what's covered. Here's what you'll pay for beyond the nightly rate.
Food and beverage. The private chef's time is included, but the cost of groceries, ingredients, and all food and drink consumed at the villa is billed separately at cost plus a 15% service charge. This is standard for private chef arrangements. Your chef will work with you on menus and shopping in advance of arrival and throughout the stay.
Green fees. Member-rate tee time access at Punta Espada and Las Iguanas is included, but the green fees themselves are billed at checkout at member rates. These are meaningfully lower than full public rates, but they are not zero. Confirm current member rates with Villa Espada at the time of booking.
Activities outside the villa. Scape Park, the Cap Cana Marina, the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center, the El Dorado Waterpark, and other Cap Cana facilities are not included in the villa rental. Costs vary by activity. A full overview of Cap Cana activities and experiences is on the experiences page.
Spa treatments. The private spa room with its massage tables and steam sauna is included in the rate. Bringing in a massage therapist or other treatment provider is an additional cost and requires advance arrangement.
Security deposit. A $2,000 USD security deposit is required at booking and returned within seven days of checkout, assuming no damages.
Understanding the payment and cancellation structure before you book avoids surprises. Here's how it works at Villa Espada.
A 50% deposit is required to confirm the reservation. The remaining balance is due 30 days before arrival. The cancellation policy provides a full refund for cancellations made 60 or more days before arrival, a 50% refund for cancellations made between 30 and 59 days before arrival, and no refund for cancellations made within 30 days of arrival.
All rates are subject to 18% Dominican Republic tax and service charge on top of the nightly rate. Current rates are $2,500 per night in low season (May through October) with a three-night minimum, $4,500 per night in peak season (November through April) with a five-night minimum, and $6,500 per night during holiday periods (Christmas, New Year's, Easter) with a seven-night minimum.
Booking is direct with no OTA commission fees or platform markups. Full details are on the rates page.
The private villa rental market in Cap Cana ranges considerably in what's included versus what's charged separately. Many villas list a nightly rate that doesn't include staff, requiring guests to hire a chef and housekeeping independently. Others are listed through OTA platforms that add commission fees to the rate. Golf access and golf cart availability vary widely.
Villa Espada's structure, in which staff, golf carts, airport transportation, and member tee times are all included in the rate, simplifies the total cost calculation. You're not adding up a la carte charges after the fact. The main variables beyond the nightly rate are food and beverage and green fees, both of which scale with usage rather than being fixed fees.
For groups planning a golf-focused stay of five nights or more, the included access to two Nicklaus Signature courses at member rates is a straightforward financial advantage over villa rentals that require guests to book and pay for golf separately at public rates.
Yes. The chef's time and services are included. Food and beverage costs are billed separately at cost plus a 15% service charge.
Member-rate tee time access is included. Green fees are billed at checkout at member rates, which are lower than full public rates.
Yes. Private airport transportation to and from Punta Cana International Airport is included for the group.
Yes. Two 6-person golf carts are included throughout the stay.
A $2,000 USD security deposit is required at booking and returned within seven days of checkout.
Full refund for cancellations 60 or more days before arrival. 50% refund for cancellations 30 to 59 days before arrival. No refund for cancellations within 30 days of arrival.
The private spa room with massage tables and a steam sauna is included in the rate. Bringing in outside treatment providers is an additional cost and requires advance arrangement.
Yes. Villa Espada is a direct booking property with no OTA commission fees or platform markups. See the rates page for full details.
8 bedrooms, full staff, member golf rates, two golf carts, and a personal butler who arranges everything.
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