PreTrip Guide 2015-test

Discovery Bay, Jamaica PRE-TRIP GUIDE Everything you need to know before you go! (If you still have questions, just ask us!) Email: [email protected] Phone: 866-624-7684Please be sure to SHARE THIS INFORMATIONWITH ALL THE MEMBERS OF YOUR PARTY!ARRIVAL DETAILS MusicJamaican Entry Requirements Safety IssuesAirport SmokingImmigration & Customs TelephoneAirport Transfers TelevisionDirections to Mais Oui TennisVilla Registration TransportationTHINGS TO TAKE WITH YOU WaterHOW TO PACK Water-sportsTHE VILLA THE STAFF … YOUR VILLAAir-Conditioning HOSTSBeach/Beach Access People You Will MeetBeach Equipment TippingBedrooms MAIS OUI MEAL PLANNINGCheck-In/Check-Out Policy Meal PlanChildren Availability of FoodsElectricity THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOUGames GOHandicap Accessibility BanksHot Tub/Jacuzzi Complaints and MaintenanceInternet Access Medical Care:Library Lounge Money ExchangeOccupancy PhotographyPool RestaurantsProperty Damage TimeQuiet Enjoyment and Parties THINGS TO DO & PLACES TO SEE

ARRIVAL DETAILS landing you will proceed through Immigration.JAMAICAN ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Depending on your arrival gate, there is usually a long walk to the immigration area so planIt is required that all travelers regardless of age accordingly. The declaration form that was givenhave a valid passport. Citizens of the US and to you on the flight must be completed both topCanada do not need visas to enter Jamaica. and bottom, front and back, then signed frontHolders of passports from some countries need and back as well. Automated kiosks are in placevisas while others do not. Please check with the to process passengers as of late 2014 whichJamaican Embassy or Consulate in your country expedite the process.of residence to verify the entry requirements. Your address in Jamaica is:Those who reside in the US or Canada will alsoneed proof of their right to re-admittance to the Mais Oui Vacation VillaUS or Canada. A US passport, an alien Lot #5 Bengal Harbour Placeregistration card or Discovery Bay, Jamaicaother valid re-entry permit would suffice. You will be delayed in immigration if you do notAIRPORT put an address on the form.For your travel arrangements, your destinationshould be Montego Bay, Jamaica. The Donald Your next step will be to clear Customs. TouristsSangster International Airport in Montego Bay is generally use the “Nothing toapproximately 50 minutes drive from the villa. Declare” lines. Please do not carry live animalsThere is another airport in Kingston; however, (including pets), plants (including fresh fruits),Kingston is about two and a half hours away uncooked meats, or illegal drugs as such may bedepending on the traffic and road conditions. prosecutable offenses. After clearing customs,Should you elect to fly into Kingston, you will be in another lobby-like area before youtransportation will be at an additional cost. actually get outside. The luggage carts that were used inside the airport terminal may not goIMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS outside the building. Therefore, once you haveEveryone visiting Jamaica must pass through left the customs area, be prepared to either carryImmigration and Customs. After your luggage yourself or use a porter. We usually use a porter and tip US$1 per bag. A new Arrival Concierge service called Club MoBay is now available at Sangster International Airport. They provide a dedicated arrival representative to greet you and not only escort you but help fast-track you through Immigration and Customs. They assist you with your luggage

retrieval and then take you to their Arrivals transported, via a private car/van service to theLounge to enjoy a host of relaxing amenities villa. Enjoy the sights on your way to the villa.while they coordinate your ground transportation. The drive will take under an hour and is aPlease note: Transportation to your destination is wonderful first introduction to the island ofNOT included in their service. Jamaica.AIRPORT TRANSFERS Important note if you intend to drive yourself . . . We do not recommend our guests drive inOften there are people both inside and Jamaica. If you choose to ignore this advice,outside asking if you want a ride. Politely please note driving in Jamaica is on the LEFTsay “No, thanks”. Often they will ask if you hand side of the road. We stronglywant to call the driver which we usually suggest/advise that you use a van and driverdecline and make a quick call on our own service but if you do decide to rent a vehicle, wephone then return it to airplane mode. recommend that you rent a car/van with driver. IfAlternatively, the Club MoBay service you do rent a car but use our driver(s), you must(above) will manage this scenario for you put their name(s) on the rental car insurancewith ease. Please note that although Mais policy. It is not easy adjusting to driving on theOui is a registered villa, many agents at left. Additionally, the roads are narrow andthe Information Desk have trouble winding in areas. You will be in unfamiliarassociating the name “Mais Oui” with its territory. Jamaican drivers also are not the mostFrench pronunciation “May wee”. Short of courteous. Nevertheless, others have driven insome emergency or undue traffic etc., our Jamaica before. So, use your judgment baseddriver WILL be there on time. Usually our on your driving skills and experience.driver is easily recognized as the personholding a sign saying “Mais Oui” and yourgroup name (we use the name of the personsigning our rental agreement).We provide one complimentary round trip airporttransfer for the rental party per booking.Please note that this is not per person but perparty/rental. This amenity has no cash value andno refund is available should you choose tomake your own arrangements or decline thetransfer. We can arrange for additional airporttransfers if necessary. You will need to provideus with your arrival and departure information assoon as they are available so that we can makeproper arrangements. Please provide yourairport of departure, city of departure, airlinename, flight number, and your expected arrivaltime in Montego Bay. You should also includeinformation for your departure flight so that yourairport arrangements can be made even beforeyou get to Jamaica. If we provide or arrangetransportation, you will be met at the MontegoBay Airport. Your party will be comfortably

Always make sure you have adequate gasoline. wonderful place to come and visit to celebrateYou do not want to run out of gasoline at night in these wonderful events!an unfamiliar location. Check your spare tirebefore you leave on trips. Carry a jack in your THINGS TO TAKE WITH YOUtrunk. Gasoline is expensive in Jamaica - pricesvary based on location but are roughly about Almost anything you would need for yourequivalent of US$4 per gallon. vacation is available in Jamaica. There are a few caveats, howeverDIRECTIONS TO MAIS OUI (1) you may need to go to a city or larger town to get specific items.Directions are provided on the off chance you (2) on merchandise that is imported you canuse a driver who is not familiar with the villa. expect to pay premium prices.Please do not publicize these directions as we (3) Selections may not be as wide as you aretry our best to main the privacy of our guests and used to back home. For example, Kellogg’s Cornthe security of the villa. Flakes or its Jamaican counterpart are readily available in almost any town but you may have aFrom Montego Bay Airport you will follow the hard time finding, for example, “Cocoa Puffs,main road going east towards Ocho Rios. Follow Posts Golden Crisp or any fancy special cereal”.the main road bypassing Falmouth, Duncans, The best advice therefore is this - Bring with youBraco and Rio Bueno. (the Bengal River) using anything that you consider a “must-have” or thatthe new highway. You will pass Bay Vista on the you cannot do without.right and the Queen’s Monument on your left at (4) If you are a connoisseur of fine wines, youthe point marked “Scenic View”, right next to the may consider bringing your favorite with you. Ifvilla. You will be about one minute’s drive or so you exceed the amount of alcohol that customsfrom the villa at this point. Take the first left-hand will allow each person to bring into the country,turn after the Queen’s Monument. This is you will no doubt be charged duty. Over theQueen’s Crescent. Note that you must turn left years the selection of fine wines and spirits hasoff the main road to enter the area. You will see improved. The driver typically stops with gueststhe wall around at property at the junction on on the way to the villa to stock up on theiryour left. You will also be able to see the villa. desired spirits. If there are specific wines orMake the next left. Turn left again then proceed spirits desired and we know ahead of time weto the house on the left hand side of the road. can try and source them for you but we find that the initial stop outside the airport is the mostVILLA REGISTRATION successful in this area. (5) Children’s cereal - available in Jamaica but isYou will be asked to complete a Villa expensive and the selection can be limited. CornRegistration Card upon your arrival at the Flakes are most popular. Local varieties of cornvilla. It is the equivalent of our check in process. flakes, for example, are available but the do notBy law, we are required to keep a record of all quite taste like “Kellogg’s”. If you must haveguests who stay with us as proof that we are certain cereals such as Quaker Oats or Postactually running the villa as a business. We have brand cereals, you should consider bringinga strict privacy policy which is very short and them with you though nowadays most aresimple – We do not share your information with available in the stores.anyone outside of law enforcement. Some (6) Snacks - canned nuts, chocolate, raisins,information is optional such as birthday and candy bars, Pringles or Frito-Lay Brand chipanniversary. We only use it to remind you of a

snacks, for example, are likely to be more pants (jeans or khakis for example) if you plan toexpensive than what you are used to. Try some go horseback riding. If you plan to go out in theJamaican snacks such as banana chips, coconut evening a nice pair of slacks and a shirt woulddrops and other local treats which are good be fine. A few restaurants request that men wearalternatives. You’re there to sample the culture jackets - most have no such requirement. Avoidanyway, right? clothes that must be ironed and or dry-cleaned.(7) Sports equipment - many of these items can Bring things that can be mixed and matched.be rented, however bring your own if you desire You may need a light jacket for late eveningsa specific kind. We recommend you bring water depending on the time of year. Sometimes, earlyshoes for various water activities. Guests are in the morning for tours, it can be chilly - so thewelcome to make use of whatever we have at jacket is handy. By 7 or 8am, it is warm andthe villa. there is no need for them. Bring at least two(8) Prescription medications – make sure you swimsuits that way you won’t have to worrybring an adequate supply with you. Not all about putting on a wet swimsuit. If one is a bikini,brands are sold in Jamaica and they may be that is nice. Some people wear them duringexpensive. Additionally, the pharmacy will need some spa treatments - it’s up to your level ofa prescription from a local doctor to be able to comfort.dispense the medication to you. This may alsobe true for items normally available over the THE VILLAcounter where you are from.(9) Toiletries: tooth-brush, tooth-paste, AIR-CONDITIONINGmouthwash Mais Oui’s open design including in-door atrium(10) Batteries of all sizes and types are takes advantage of the strong sea breezes.expensive Ceiling fans are located throughout the villa. All(11) Suntan lotion bedrooms feature state-of-the-art, remote-(12) Insect repellent is a definite must! We controlled mini-split air-conditioning units.have been doing well with mosquito zapper- Electricity is expensive in Jamaica. The first stepracquets as they tend to level the battlefield a in our efforts to go green has been to change outlot by reducing their numbers efficiently. all lighting to LED and fluorescents. You can(13) All-natural fish food (from the pet store)to feed the fish when you go snorkeling.(14) Most important - bring a good, relaxedattitude.... Life in the tropics isdifferent. There is no rush. No need forimpatience. Just relax - everythingwill be alright (ev’ry ting irie mon!)HOW TO PACKPack light. Pack your suitcase then remove halfthe clothes. Think casual. Noneed for high heels or dress shoes unless youplan on attending a wedding. Leave theexpensive jewelry at home - please (you will onlystand out as a tourist). It is simply not necessary.Simple tops and shorts will do fine (and reallyare best for the climate). Bring a pair of long

help us in our green initiatives. Please close all this point.doors and windows, including louvers, when theair-conditioning is on otherwise you risk over- We recommend that you not use any beach aftertaxing the system and may cause it to shut down. dark. There is no lifeguard on duty at eitherWe would hate for your vacation to be affected beach.by malfunctioning air conditioners. It is okay touse the air-conditioning to supplement the BEACH EQUIPMENTeffectiveness of the ceiling fan. Please do not We have some snorkeling sets, which can berun air-conditioning units when you are not in the borrowed if you speak withrooms. the staff. We try to have a few on-site at all times but their availability dependsBEACH/BEACH ACCESS on the care given to them by the prior guests. You may want to consider bringingMais Oui is located near the border of Discovery your own if you prefer a more accurate fit or toBay and Rio Bueno - a very historic area in be sure that you have a set to use.Jamaica. Historians still debate over whether Also consider bringing small packets of all-Columbus landed in Discovery Bay or Rio Bueno. natural fish food as this really helpsMais Oui is in Discovery Bay but overlooks the to attract the fish. Avoid snorkeling at mid-daybeautiful Rio Bueno Harbor. As you lie on the since this is when the sun is at itsbeach, or view the sea from Mais Oui, imagine hottest. Wearing a T-shirt and using sun-screenColumbus’ ships - the Nina, Pinta, and Santa will help you avoid sunburn. We have beachMaria - approaching shore. (The Pinta was towels, beach umbrellas, and picnic baskets. Asreportedly recently discovered off our shores in a reminder, water shoes are very helpful for most2005 – but this is unconfirmed). beach activities. These are especially important for climbing the falls at Dunn’s River, for example.Mais Oui is located a very short walk from asmall local beach. If you walk about 2-3 minutes BEDROOMSto your left, you will find the staircase leading to The villa has eight (8), air-conditioned bedrooms.the small, rustic, secluded beach cove.It is undeveloped and natural and is so All bedrooms have hotel grade mattresses,beautiful that is has been designated ascenic view. Watershoes may come inhandy at this beach. Within a 2 minutedrive around the bay is a larger beachpopular with our guests for variousreasons. Longer stretch of shoreline onwhich to jog and is also the home-basefor the local river rafting and tubingcompany. Use the larger beach tospread out and undertake activities. Formore seclusion, use the smaller beach.After heavy rainfall, there may be atemporary drop in water clarity due tocontributions of the nearby Rio BuenoRiver (named so by ChristopherColumbus himself) which enters the sea close to

hypoallergenic mattress covers, premium linens, clocks and computers, may not keep accurateblack-out curtains, ceiling fans, and en-suite time. Electricity is extremelybaths (except the Papaya loft which is a two expensive in Jamaica. Please turn off lights andbedroom – one bath suite). Bed configurations appliances such as ceiling fansare: 1 king size bed, one has two queen beds, and air conditioners when not in use or you areone has two double beds, four have twins which not in your room. Turn off the jacuzzi and poolcan be made into kings and one full size bed. jets when they are not in use. It has happenedThere are additional beds in some of the rooms on occasion that the electricity is cut off for shortat the villa allowing additional guest flexibility periods of time. Should this occur, do not panic.depending on the needs of a given party. If it is evening time, our staff will provide lamps, candles and/or flashlights as needed.CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT POLICY It has happened on occasion that the power inCheck-in is at 3 pm. Check-out is by 11am. the area is lost. There is also an emergencyPlease understand that we can only be flexible if generator powerful enough to handle basicthere are no guests arriving on your departure necessities of the villa should there be adate. We must have the property ready for the prolonged power loss. It will not handle the usenext group of guests who may very well be of air conditioners.coming in on the same day that you are leaving. GAMESCHILDREN We have indoor games such as Outburst, Taboo,Children are welcome. The villa is child friendly Trivial Pursuit, Chinesenot child-proof. Parents (not villa staff) are Checkers, Chess, Tic-Tac-Toe, Backgammon,responsible for the actions of their children Playing Cards, Wii and Dominos. Please enjoyincluding damages. For their safety, children them but be careful to return all parts for the nextmay not use whirlpool baths, swimming pool, guests. It is veryexercise equipment or jacuzzi without adult difficult to get replacement parts in Jamaica assupervision. The pool is not railed. Neither is they will have to be obtained from abroad. Wethere a life-guard on duty. Children may not have outdoor games such as a basketballaccess the tennis court or the garden practice hoop, tennis, badminton, outdoor chess,unaccompanied due to the presence of the water checkers and volley ball.features there. The use of thefacilities at Mais Oui is at the sole HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITYrisk/responsibility of the renters. We have loads Mais Oui has 2 levels - 3 if you include the upperof activities for children - books, crayons, games most level of the roof deck.(I just took a Wii down with 2 controllers) and There is a step down into the living and diningvideos. rooms. The remainder of the first floor is on one level. There is a bedroom suite onELECTRICITY the first floor which has two full sized beds.The electric current is 110 volts, as it is in the There are no ramps and the villa is not ADAU.S. but operates on 50 cycles compliant.instead of 60 cycles. As a result, any electricplug-in device with a timer, such as HOT TUB/JACUZZI The hot tub uses a gas heater and takes about 45 minutes to get heated. Please give the staff adequate notice to set this up for you. To

conserve energy, the hot tub is only turned on donations to local town and school libraries. Weupon request. have also connected the Wii here because the easily moved furniture gives groups space forThe villa provides two tanks of propane for your such indoor activity, without disrupting theuse during a week’s stay.Most guests use the hot tub activity in the family room.after dinner and two tanks is OCCUPANCYgenerally more than enough The maximum occupancy for the villa is asto last for the duration of the stated in your rental agreement. The villa maystay. Guests who choose to not be booked at a lower occupancy level thanuse the hot tub more often required with the intent to “bring additionalwill have higher propane guests along” or “meet up on the island”. Rentalneeds. Additional propane fees will be assessed for each additional guestwill incur an additional cost on a per person, per night above that specified into the guests. We highly the rental agreement. This fee shall be paidrecommend that you turn off immediately or the additional persons shall havethe unit when it is not in use to vacate the property and the renter is into avoid unnecessary violation of the rental agreement. This is actuallywastage of propane. a safety issue. POOLINTERNET ACCESS The water depth in the pool is 3 1/2 ft at the shallowest end and 5 feet at the deep end. ThereWiFi internet access is inthe main areas of the villa(family room, living room,around the pool and barareas). It is a 4G, cellular based solution best forchecking email and websites. Guests with a laptop with built in WiFi should be able to simplysee the network and connect. Please rememberthis is not a secure connection even though apassword is needed. Please note that as with allsuch services, we do not guarantee internetaccess. We pay our bills to request the service,but, we are at the mercy of the internet provider’savailability.LIBRARY LOUNGEThe library lounge houses a wide assortment ofbooks - mystery, horror, sciencefiction, literature, plays, children’s stories etc.Please handle them with care. Please leave abook if you take a book. Please return them totheir space at check out. We sometimes make

is no lifeguard on duty, use is at your own risk. families/groups of responsible adults only.Diving is not allowed in the pool. Please shower Absolutely NO house parties or functions suchbefore using the pool to remove suntan lotion etc. as weddings are allowed without advancedfrom your skin. Unattended children may not use written permission, planning and arrangement.the pool at any time. Parents, your children areyour responsibility. Please watch them closely MUSIC/Entertainmentaround the pool and the villa in general. There is an entertainment system with radio,PROPERTY DAMAGE cassette and CD player in the family room. TheGuests are responsible for the contents of their TV in the family room gets DirectTV. Becauserooms. Damage to the property or lost items will this is satellite, you may not get the usualbe assessed above rental rates. Please take channels you expect, and the functionality of thecare of the property as you would your own that system is at the mercy of the weather. For theway we will be here to take care of you and your computer savvy, we have a computer connectedfriends on your next visit to us. Avoid sitting on to allow internet browsing.furniture in wet bathing suits as this may damageit and make future use uncomfortable. Also SAFETY ISSUESplease try not to place glasses on tables without Guests should use reasonable cautioncoasters. Many of the furniture items at the villa appropriate for living in a foreign countryare hand-carved or made by locals and are and in a home with a swimming pool. Guests aredifficult to replace. There is affordable “renter’s solely responsible for injuries and damagesdamage insurance” available at a very resulting from activities in which they engage inreasonable cost. We recommend this service in at their own risk. Such activities are understoodlieu of a damage deposit. by renters to include the following: activities off the premisesQUIET ENJOYMENT AND PARTIES activities on or off water including swimming poolWe wish to maintain a family atmosphere for the and spa excursions even if offered orquiet enjoyment of guests. We rent to arranged for you equipment belonging to villa such as snorkeling gear, exercise, bicycles, etc. Use no glassware near or in the pool. No running on the pool deck. No diving in the pool. Report all spills immediately to the staff so that they may be properly taken care of. Please lock all windows and doors at night. This includes bedroom windows and balcony doors. In particular, the sliding door for the ground-floor bedroom must be locked at night. No running between the levels of the roof deck. No horseplay on the roof deck. And please, again, NO DIVING INTO THE POOL ESPECIALLY FROM THE BALCONY AREAS!!!!

For your own safety and ours, please do not garden as open water features are present ininvite strangers onto the property. Under no this area. We have a few tennis racquets andcircumstances may strangers come to the house balls at the villa but please feel free to bring yourand stay overnight. own. As was mentioned before, all these items have to be imported into the island at significantSMOKING cost, not the least of which is shipping andMais Oui has a strict no-smoking policy. No customs duty, so loss from damage or misusesmoking is allowed inside the house at any causes us to incur additional unnecessarytime. Please do not violate this rule as it would expenses.place the staff in the awkward position of askingyou to not smoke in the villa. Please restrict this TRANSPORTATIONactivity to outside the villa and grounds. The villa is just off the main access road for theAdditionally, there will a charge of US$175 per area. Nevertheless we do not suggest that youbedroom to professionally clean each room in try to go to the road to get taxis unless you arewhich there is the smell of smoke. This will be already familiar with the area and or withpromptly deducted from any damage deposit. If a Jamaica. We have made special arrangementsdamage deposit was not collected, you will be to provide for your transportation needs. Webilled accordingly. We will rely on the report from highly recommend a van and driver service forthe staff to make this decision. Please be sure to the duration of your stay. Please see our tourinform all members of your party of this menu for full details.restriction. WATERTELEPHONEIf you have questions about the villa which Our area is supplied by a private water company.require that you speak with the staff Water lock-offs are rare. At any rate, we haveor manager in Jamaica, we suggest that you first two water tanks holding 1200 gallons which willtry to reach Dave on his cellular phone at 876- supply the villa with water for at least a few days.361-2527 or 448-8846. Alternatively, you may The water in Jamaica is safe to drink. As anreach Ruby at 876-399-4571. We will loan you a added precaution, there is a filter attached to thecellular phone for your use while on the island. water dispenser on the fridge. Additionally,This will be the number that you should share drinking water is boiled. Bottled water is readilywith your family and office. Incoming calls are available for purchase in grocery stores. Wefree. You will need a Jamaican phone card to provide the initial 5 gallon bottle of water on ourplace calls however. This cell-phone is only water dispenser complimentary for our guests.active when guests are in residence. If you callbefore or after that time, no one will likely answer WATERSPORTSit, or another group whom you do not know mayhave taken possession of it. Please do not forget Kayaks are available for guestto return the cell phone loaner use at your own risk. Thebefore you leave. presence of life jackets is not guaranteed. Please speak withTENNIS Dave about this at the villa. As with all other devices, their useUnattended children will not is at your own risk. We dobe allowed in the tennis

frequent inventory checks to make sure that all The Overseers... (These are people whom youequipment is present and working. Please and the staff can contact should there be anyunderstand that this is a villa, not a hotel, and unforeseen problems)therefore amenity offerings are subject to change.We make all reasonable effort, and even go Dave is the vibrant knowledgeable fellowbeyond the call of duty, to have everything in responsible for the construction of theplace, but please understand that Jamaica is an villa and who will go out of his way to help youisland. As such, all parts etc have to be imported. obtain anything you need. HisPlease do your part to make this ready for the cellular phone number is 876-361-2527 or 448-next guest by taking care of the property and 8846. Guests usually rely on him heavily duringequipment in an appropriate manner. their stay. He operates our van and driver service for the villa and is our concierge. HeYOUR VILLA HOSTS knows the island well, is familiar with many of the local sights and activities and can give you thePEOPLE YOU WILL MEET “scoop” on what prior guests have enjoyed doing.Mais Oui’s staff uses a team approach to ensure Dave should be your first contact for technical orguest satisfaction. While staff members have amenities related issues you have during yourclear job descriptions, they are not limited in their stay. Please feel free to reach out to him at anyduties, nor in the extent to which they may assist time.you. The following list will introduce you topeople you may meet. The specific people you Ruby is the on-site manager for the villa andmeet may vary depending on handles more of the housekeeping issues.vacation schedules, days off, etc. Selvyn is a retired Jamaican businessman. Selvyn is responsible for the landscaping of the grounds. Day-to-Day Staff . . . There are a host of individuals who you may not see, who work together in concert to create the Mais Oui Experience. At Mais Oui, the staff works as a team to satisfy your needs. Not all staff members will be present at all times during your stay. Additional staff may be present depending on party size etc. TIPPING Tipping 10-15% of the cost of villa rental is standard in the villa rental industry in Jamaica. The gratuity serves to cover the staff for overtime and efforts to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Feel free to tip based on your level of satisfaction with their service. There is a tendency for the more “visible employees” to get tipped more so than the people who are

behind the scenes, some of whom you would hearty. Please arrange for your party to dinenever see much. If, however, there are together as much as possible. In addition, pleaseemployees who you feel deserve additional adhere to the suggested meal times and thoserecognition, please feel free to tip directly as you you arrange with the staff. This is especiallychoose at the end of your stay. important for dinner as not all of the staff remain on site at night and need to be able to leave forMAIS OUI MEAL PLANNING home at a reasonable hour in order to return theMEAL PLAN next day and meet your needs.Meals at Mais Oui are simply wonderful. We tryto obtain the freshest locally grown produce for Please note ... It is illegal for lobsters to be harvested between April 1 and June 30. This lawour guests. Preference for meal service is “family is an effort to protect the lobster industry instyle” which means meals are served in plattersto everyone at a given sitting. Other serving Jamaica during their breeding season.styles are available based on your needs/plans. Frozen lobsters may be purchasedThere is no menu to “order from”; however, we without restriction and is a viablecan provide a list of suggested meals that have alternative during the restricted season.been enjoyed by our guests. The meals that are Please help us to do our part in protectingserved will depend on what you request to be Jamaica’s lobsters. There is otherwise nopurchased. restriction on fish and shrimp as far as weBreakfasts tend to be heavier than the typical are aware.American breakfast. However, if you want onlycoffee and toast, that is certainly your choice. Guests provide their own food/suppliesJust let the staff know. Lunches are usually light which the staff will prepare. Wefare such as sandwiches, Jamaican patties, recommend you budget US$45 – 50 permeatloaves, and salads. Dinner tends to be person per day for meals if you want 3 meals per day, and US$35 per person per day for two meals. Specialty foods such as shellfish and imported meats can easily increase your budget. Typically we recommend serving two entrees with dinner, especially with larger groups. This helps to ensure that all guests are satisfied with their meals. For example, if you have a group of 16 people, it is unrealistic to expect that all will want to have the exact same meal at a given sitting. It is imperative that each member of the group is aware of the estimated budget for meals. They should also realize that our staff is limited by the amount and quality of food that they are provided. Estimating grocery costs is imprecise. Much depends on the menus you want, how generous you wish your portion sizes to be, and current market prices. The Jamaican Government Consumption tax (GCT) of 17.5% is applicable to

certain food purchases. Obviously, the total you plan on paying in any means other than incosts may vary so anticipate that your staff may cash, please discuss this will us prior to going torefund money at week's end. . . or ask you for the villa.more money depending on what you requested. =====There are a few options for handling the Meals and meal planningshopping scenario: - 2 entrees with each meal (variety) 1) You may accompany the staff to do the - List of suggested meals to choose from shopping. Some people enjoy this. Others - Inform staff of special needs or allergies don’t. ===== 2) The staff shops for you. You will need to AVAILABILITY OF SPECIALTY FOODS pay for their transportation. Typically the The staff will try to accommodate all your wishes. round trip taxi fare to Ocho Rios is US$50. Please understand that because this is an island, This involves a dedicated taxi which is some food items may not be available, and those used to go from store to store on your that are may come at a premium. Items that are behalf. If you hire the van and driver imported are influenced by supply and demand. service for the week, it is possible for the Some items may not be available if they are not van driver to help coordinate the staff in season. Also consider that natural grocery shopping, assuming that you occurrences such as drought, or conversely, have no plans for using the van during heavy rains, may also affect availability. If you that timeframe. have any special dietary requirements, please notify us when booking, and remind the cook 3) A store account can be set up whereby when you meet with him or her. items are delivered to the villa and you pay upon delivery THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 4) Some combination of above BANKS Banks are open 9am to 2pm on Monday toOn your first day at the villa, your cook will meet Thursday. On Fridays, many close at or by 4pm.with you regarding menus for the week. The staffwill finish the week's shopping based on your COMPLAINTS AND MAINTENACEdiscussion. Being able/willing to plan meals for at Every effort is made to keep the villa and itsleast two or 3 days in advance will make inventories/amenities in good working order. Noeverything easier. This will reduce the number of refund or rate adjustment shall be made for anyunnecessary trips to the stores. During major unforeseen mechanical failures such as theholiday periods, such as Christmas and New supply of electricity, water, pool filtration systems,Years, certain food items (such as ham) have to air conditioning, hot tub, whirlpools, televisions,be purchased in advance to ensure availability. internet, Satellite TV system, appliances etc.Generally on the day before departure, the staff Guests should attempt to deal with problems onwill present the final receipts with the totals to the spot through their villa staff and manager.settle the bill. Please note that the best fruits and Vacating the property will not be consideredvegetables are obtained from farmer’s markets sufficient cause to claim a refund. If the problemwho only deal in cash and do not usually provide is not solvable and the guests choose to vacatereceipts. The same applies to local fishermen. theCredit cards are readily accepted at the supermarkets if you are present with ID. Guests mayprepay for their first few meals for their stay. If

property, a pro-rated refund minus a cancellation digital cards with you.service charge of 50% will be given. The nightsthat were spent at the villa will be charged at a A word of caution, be careful whenpro-rated nightly rate (weekly rate charged photographing people - to avoid undesirabledivided by seven). In no event will a claim for confrontations. Jamaicans in general do not likerefund be entertained if lodged after the rental to be photographed unless they are askedperiod. permission beforehand. Some may ask for a copy of the photo. Some may ask for a tip. ManyMEDICAL CARE may not. DO NOT photograph JamaicanThe Emergency system is activated by dialing children without asking their parents first ! ! !119 for Police and 110 for Ambulance. If youneed medical attention, the Tretzel Medical TIMEClinic is located just a few minutes drive from the Jamaica functions on Eastern Standard Timevilla. The telephone number is 876-973-3568. and does not observe daylight savings time.Additionally, MoBay Hope, a major diagnosticand treatment center is about 45 - 50 minutes It is our hope that the information we havefrom the villa. The telephone number is (876) provided will help you to prepare for your trip to953-3649. Please check with your insurance Jamaica and to Mais Oui. Although Jamaica hascarrier prior to arrival to determine your level of many trappings of American life, it is still acoverage in Jamaica. You may wish to obtain foreign country and so while many things appearadditional travel health insurance for added similar, many will not be the same as they are atsecurity. your home. We hope that you enjoy a REAL Jamaican experience and that you will comeMONEY EXCHANGE back to visit us soon. If you have any otherTry to exchange only what you need so you do questions, please feel free to ask us. We wantnot have to try to change back too much money you to have a memorable time in Jamaica. Ifwhen you leave. Many places on the North there is anything not covered and you realize itCoast, however do accept US dollars. Not all once you are in Jamaica, don’t worry… just askplaces accept Canadian dollars or British pounds. our staff. They will help you. We’re sure of it!PHOTOGRAPHYOpportunities abound for great photography.Take lots of film (old school) or large capacity We look forward to your visit. Until then, think and dream Jamaica! ! ! ! ! ! !

Discovery Bay, Jamaica PRE-TRIP GUIDE Everything you need to know before you go! (If you still have questions, just ask us!) Email: [email protected] Phone: 866-624-7684Please be sure to SHARE THIS INFORMATIONWITH ALL THE MEMBERS OF YOUR PARTY!ARRIVAL DETAILS MusicJamaican Entry Requirements Safety IssuesAirport SmokingImmigration & Customs TelephoneAirport Transfers TelevisionDirections to Mais Oui TennisVilla Registration TransportationTHINGS TO TAKE WITH YOU WaterHOW TO PACK Water-sportsTHE VILLA THE STAFF … YOUR VILLAAir-Conditioning HOSTSBeach/Beach Access People You Will MeetBeach Equipment TippingBedrooms MAIS OUI MEAL PLANNINGCheck-In/Check-Out Policy Meal PlanChildren Availability of FoodsElectricity THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOUGames GOHandicap Accessibility BanksHot Tub/Jacuzzi Complaints and MaintenanceInternet Access Medical Care:Library Lounge Money ExchangeOccupancy PhotographyPool RestaurantsProperty Damage TimeQuiet Enjoyment and Parties THINGS TO DO & PLACES TO SEE

ARRIVAL DETAILS landing you will proceed through Immigration.JAMAICAN ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Depending on your arrival gate, there is usually a long walk to the immigration area so planIt is required that all travelers regardless of age accordingly. The declaration form that was givenhave a valid passport. Citizens of the US and to you on the flight must be completed both topCanada do not need visas to enter Jamaica. and bottom, front and back, then signed frontHolders of passports from some countries need and back as well. Automated kiosks are in placevisas while others do not. Please check with the to process passengers as of late 2014 whichJamaican Embassy or Consulate in your country expedite the process.of residence to verify the entry requirements. Your address in Jamaica is:Those who reside in the US or Canada will alsoneed proof of their right to re-admittance to the Mais Oui Vacation VillaUS or Canada. A US passport, an alien Lot #5 Bengal Harbour Placeregistration card or Discovery Bay, Jamaicaother valid re-entry permit would suffice. You will be delayed in immigration if you do notAIRPORT put an address on the form.For your travel arrangements, your destinationshould be Montego Bay, Jamaica. The Donald Your next step will be to clear Customs. TouristsSangster International Airport in Montego Bay is generally use the “Nothing toapproximately 50 minutes drive from the villa. Declare” lines. Please do not carry live animalsThere is another airport in Kingston; however, (including pets), plants (including fresh fruits),Kingston is about two and a half hours away uncooked meats, or illegal drugs as such may bedepending on the traffic and road conditions. prosecutable offenses. After clearing customs,Should you elect to fly into Kingston, you will be in another lobby-like area before youtransportation will be at an additional cost. actually get outside. The luggage carts that were used inside the airport terminal may not goIMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS outside the building. Therefore, once you haveEveryone visiting Jamaica must pass through left the customs area, be prepared to either carryImmigration and Customs. After your luggage yourself or use a porter. We usually use a porter and tip US$1 per bag. A new Arrival Concierge service called Club MoBay is now available at Sangster International Airport. They provide a dedicated arrival representative to greet you and not only escort you but help fast-track you through Immigration and Customs. They assist you with your luggage

retrieval and then take you to their Arrivals transported, via a private car/van service to theLounge to enjoy a host of relaxing amenities villa. Enjoy the sights on your way to the villa.while they coordinate your ground transportation. The drive will take under an hour and is aPlease note: Transportation to your destination is wonderful first introduction to the island ofNOT included in their service. Jamaica.AIRPORT TRANSFERS Important note if you intend to drive yourself . . . We do not recommend our guests drive inOften there are people both inside and Jamaica. If you choose to ignore this advice,outside asking if you want a ride. Politely please note driving in Jamaica is on the LEFTsay “No, thanks”. Often they will ask if you hand side of the road. We stronglywant to call the driver which we usually suggest/advise that you use a van and driverdecline and make a quick call on our own service but if you do decide to rent a vehicle, wephone then return it to airplane mode. recommend that you rent a car/van with driver. IfAlternatively, the Club MoBay service you do rent a car but use our driver(s), you must(above) will manage this scenario for you put their name(s) on the rental car insurancewith ease. Please note that although Mais policy. It is not easy adjusting to driving on theOui is a registered villa, many agents at left. Additionally, the roads are narrow andthe Information Desk have trouble winding in areas. You will be in unfamiliarassociating the name “Mais Oui” with its territory. Jamaican drivers also are not the mostFrench pronunciation “May wee”. Short of courteous. Nevertheless, others have driven insome emergency or undue traffic etc., our Jamaica before. So, use your judgment baseddriver WILL be there on time. Usually our on your driving skills and experience.driver is easily recognized as the personholding a sign saying “Mais Oui” and yourgroup name (we use the name of the personsigning our rental agreement).We provide one complimentary round trip airporttransfer for the rental party per booking.Please note that this is not per person but perparty/rental. This amenity has no cash value andno refund is available should you choose tomake your own arrangements or decline thetransfer. We can arrange for additional airporttransfers if necessary. You will need to provideus with your arrival and departure information assoon as they are available so that we can makeproper arrangements. Please provide yourairport of departure, city of departure, airlinename, flight number, and your expected arrivaltime in Montego Bay. You should also includeinformation for your departure flight so that yourairport arrangements can be made even beforeyou get to Jamaica. If we provide or arrangetransportation, you will be met at the MontegoBay Airport. Your party will be comfortably

Always make sure you have adequate gasoline. wonderful place to come and visit to celebrateYou do not want to run out of gasoline at night in these wonderful events!an unfamiliar location. Check your spare tirebefore you leave on trips. Carry a jack in your THINGS TO TAKE WITH YOUtrunk. Gasoline is expensive in Jamaica - pricesvary based on location but are roughly about Almost anything you would need for yourequivalent of US$4 per gallon. vacation is available in Jamaica. There are a few caveats, howeverDIRECTIONS TO MAIS OUI (1) you may need to go to a city or larger town to get specific items.Directions are provided on the off chance you (2) on merchandise that is imported you canuse a driver who is not familiar with the villa. expect to pay premium prices.Please do not publicize these directions as we (3) Selections may not be as wide as you aretry our best to main the privacy of our guests and used to back home. For example, Kellogg’s Cornthe security of the villa. Flakes or its Jamaican counterpart are readily available in almost any town but you may have aFrom Montego Bay Airport you will follow the hard time finding, for example, “Cocoa Puffs,main road going east towards Ocho Rios. Follow Posts Golden Crisp or any fancy special cereal”.the main road bypassing Falmouth, Duncans, The best advice therefore is this - Bring with youBraco and Rio Bueno. (the Bengal River) using anything that you consider a “must-have” or thatthe new highway. You will pass Bay Vista on the you cannot do without.right and the Queen’s Monument on your left at (4) If you are a connoisseur of fine wines, youthe point marked “Scenic View”, right next to the may consider bringing your favorite with you. Ifvilla. You will be about one minute’s drive or so you exceed the amount of alcohol that customsfrom the villa at this point. Take the first left-hand will allow each person to bring into the country,turn after the Queen’s Monument. This is you will no doubt be charged duty. Over theQueen’s Crescent. Note that you must turn left years the selection of fine wines and spirits hasoff the main road to enter the area. You will see improved. The driver typically stops with gueststhe wall around at property at the junction on on the way to the villa to stock up on theiryour left. You will also be able to see the villa. desired spirits. If there are specific wines orMake the next left. Turn left again then proceed spirits desired and we know ahead of time weto the house on the left hand side of the road. can try and source them for you but we find that the initial stop outside the airport is the mostVILLA REGISTRATION successful in this area. (5) Children’s cereal - available in Jamaica but isYou will be asked to complete a Villa expensive and the selection can be limited. CornRegistration Card upon your arrival at the Flakes are most popular. Local varieties of cornvilla. It is the equivalent of our check in process. flakes, for example, are available but the do notBy law, we are required to keep a record of all quite taste like “Kellogg’s”. If you must haveguests who stay with us as proof that we are certain cereals such as Quaker Oats or Postactually running the villa as a business. We have brand cereals, you should consider bringinga strict privacy policy which is very short and them with you though nowadays most aresimple – We do not share your information with available in the stores.anyone outside of law enforcement. Some (6) Snacks - canned nuts, chocolate, raisins,information is optional such as birthday and candy bars, Pringles or Frito-Lay Brand chipanniversary. We only use it to remind you of a

snacks, for example, are likely to be more pants (jeans or khakis for example) if you plan toexpensive than what you are used to. Try some go horseback riding. If you plan to go out in theJamaican snacks such as banana chips, coconut evening a nice pair of slacks and a shirt woulddrops and other local treats which are good be fine. A few restaurants request that men wearalternatives. You’re there to sample the culture jackets - most have no such requirement. Avoidanyway, right? clothes that must be ironed and or dry-cleaned.(7) Sports equipment - many of these items can Bring things that can be mixed and matched.be rented, however bring your own if you desire You may need a light jacket for late eveningsa specific kind. We recommend you bring water depending on the time of year. Sometimes, earlyshoes for various water activities. Guests are in the morning for tours, it can be chilly - so thewelcome to make use of whatever we have at jacket is handy. By 7 or 8am, it is warm andthe villa. there is no need for them. Bring at least two(8) Prescription medications – make sure you swimsuits that way you won’t have to worrybring an adequate supply with you. Not all about putting on a wet swimsuit. If one is a bikini,brands are sold in Jamaica and they may be that is nice. Some people wear them duringexpensive. Additionally, the pharmacy will need some spa treatments - it’s up to your level ofa prescription from a local doctor to be able to comfort.dispense the medication to you. This may alsobe true for items normally available over the THE VILLAcounter where you are from.(9) Toiletries: tooth-brush, tooth-paste, AIR-CONDITIONINGmouthwash Mais Oui’s open design including in-door atrium(10) Batteries of all sizes and types are takes advantage of the strong sea breezes.expensive Ceiling fans are located throughout the villa. All(11) Suntan lotion bedrooms feature state-of-the-art, remote-(12) Insect repellent is a definite must! We controlled mini-split air-conditioning units.have been doing well with mosquito zapper- Electricity is expensive in Jamaica. The first stepracquets as they tend to level the battlefield a in our efforts to go green has been to change outlot by reducing their numbers efficiently. all lighting to LED and fluorescents. You can(13) All-natural fish food (from the pet store)to feed the fish when you go snorkeling.(14) Most important - bring a good, relaxedattitude.... Life in the tropics isdifferent. There is no rush. No need forimpatience. Just relax - everythingwill be alright (ev’ry ting irie mon!)HOW TO PACKPack light. Pack your suitcase then remove halfthe clothes. Think casual. Noneed for high heels or dress shoes unless youplan on attending a wedding. Leave theexpensive jewelry at home - please (you will onlystand out as a tourist). It is simply not necessary.Simple tops and shorts will do fine (and reallyare best for the climate). Bring a pair of long

help us in our green initiatives. Please close all this point.doors and windows, including louvers, when theair-conditioning is on otherwise you risk over- We recommend that you not use any beach aftertaxing the system and may cause it to shut down. dark. There is no lifeguard on duty at eitherWe would hate for your vacation to be affected beach.by malfunctioning air conditioners. It is okay touse the air-conditioning to supplement the BEACH EQUIPMENTeffectiveness of the ceiling fan. Please do not We have some snorkeling sets, which can berun air-conditioning units when you are not in the borrowed if you speak withrooms. the staff. We try to have a few on-site at all times but their availability dependsBEACH/BEACH ACCESS on the care given to them by the prior guests. You may want to consider bringingMais Oui is located near the border of Discovery your own if you prefer a more accurate fit or toBay and Rio Bueno - a very historic area in be sure that you have a set to use.Jamaica. Historians still debate over whether Also consider bringing small packets of all-Columbus landed in Discovery Bay or Rio Bueno. natural fish food as this really helpsMais Oui is in Discovery Bay but overlooks the to attract the fish. Avoid snorkeling at mid-daybeautiful Rio Bueno Harbor. As you lie on the since this is when the sun is at itsbeach, or view the sea from Mais Oui, imagine hottest. Wearing a T-shirt and using sun-screenColumbus’ ships - the Nina, Pinta, and Santa will help you avoid sunburn. We have beachMaria - approaching shore. (The Pinta was towels, beach umbrellas, and picnic baskets. Asreportedly recently discovered off our shores in a reminder, water shoes are very helpful for most2005 – but this is unconfirmed). beach activities. These are especially important for climbing the falls at Dunn’s River, for example.Mais Oui is located a very short walk from asmall local beach. If you walk about 2-3 minutes BEDROOMSto your left, you will find the staircase leading to The villa has eight (8), air-conditioned bedrooms.the small, rustic, secluded beach cove.It is undeveloped and natural and is so All bedrooms have hotel grade mattresses,beautiful that is has been designated ascenic view. Watershoes may come inhandy at this beach. Within a 2 minutedrive around the bay is a larger beachpopular with our guests for variousreasons. Longer stretch of shoreline onwhich to jog and is also the home-basefor the local river rafting and tubingcompany. Use the larger beach tospread out and undertake activities. Formore seclusion, use the smaller beach.After heavy rainfall, there may be atemporary drop in water clarity due tocontributions of the nearby Rio BuenoRiver (named so by ChristopherColumbus himself) which enters the sea close to

hypoallergenic mattress covers, premium linens, clocks and computers, may not keep accurateblack-out curtains, ceiling fans, and en-suite time. Electricity is extremelybaths (except the Papaya loft which is a two expensive in Jamaica. Please turn off lights andbedroom – one bath suite). Bed configurations appliances such as ceiling fansare: 1 king size bed, one has two queen beds, and air conditioners when not in use or you areone has two double beds, four have twins which not in your room. Turn off the jacuzzi and poolcan be made into kings and one full size bed. jets when they are not in use. It has happenedThere are additional beds in some of the rooms on occasion that the electricity is cut off for shortat the villa allowing additional guest flexibility periods of time. Should this occur, do not panic.depending on the needs of a given party. If it is evening time, our staff will provide lamps, candles and/or flashlights as needed.CHECK-IN/CHECK-OUT POLICY It has happened on occasion that the power inCheck-in is at 3 pm. Check-out is by 11am. the area is lost. There is also an emergencyPlease understand that we can only be flexible if generator powerful enough to handle basicthere are no guests arriving on your departure necessities of the villa should there be adate. We must have the property ready for the prolonged power loss. It will not handle the usenext group of guests who may very well be of air conditioners.coming in on the same day that you are leaving. GAMESCHILDREN We have indoor games such as Outburst, Taboo,Children are welcome. The villa is child friendly Trivial Pursuit, Chinesenot child-proof. Parents (not villa staff) are Checkers, Chess, Tic-Tac-Toe, Backgammon,responsible for the actions of their children Playing Cards, Wii and Dominos. Please enjoyincluding damages. For their safety, children them but be careful to return all parts for the nextmay not use whirlpool baths, swimming pool, guests. It is veryexercise equipment or jacuzzi without adult difficult to get replacement parts in Jamaica assupervision. The pool is not railed. Neither is they will have to be obtained from abroad. Wethere a life-guard on duty. Children may not have outdoor games such as a basketballaccess the tennis court or the garden practice hoop, tennis, badminton, outdoor chess,unaccompanied due to the presence of the water checkers and volley ball.features there. The use of thefacilities at Mais Oui is at the sole HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITYrisk/responsibility of the renters. We have loads Mais Oui has 2 levels - 3 if you include the upperof activities for children - books, crayons, games most level of the roof deck.(I just took a Wii down with 2 controllers) and There is a step down into the living and diningvideos. rooms. The remainder of the first floor is on one level. There is a bedroom suite onELECTRICITY the first floor which has two full sized beds.The electric current is 110 volts, as it is in the There are no ramps and the villa is not ADAU.S. but operates on 50 cycles compliant.instead of 60 cycles. As a result, any electricplug-in device with a timer, such as HOT TUB/JACUZZI The hot tub uses a gas heater and takes about 45 minutes to get heated. Please give the staff adequate notice to set this up for you. To

conserve energy, the hot tub is only turned on donations to local town and school libraries. Weupon request. have also connected the Wii here because the easily moved furniture gives groups space forThe villa provides two tanks of propane for your such indoor activity, without disrupting theuse during a week’s stay.Most guests use the hot tub activity in the family room.after dinner and two tanks is OCCUPANCYgenerally more than enough The maximum occupancy for the villa is asto last for the duration of the stated in your rental agreement. The villa maystay. Guests who choose to not be booked at a lower occupancy level thanuse the hot tub more often required with the intent to “bring additionalwill have higher propane guests along” or “meet up on the island”. Rentalneeds. Additional propane fees will be assessed for each additional guestwill incur an additional cost on a per person, per night above that specified into the guests. We highly the rental agreement. This fee shall be paidrecommend that you turn off immediately or the additional persons shall havethe unit when it is not in use to vacate the property and the renter is into avoid unnecessary violation of the rental agreement. This is actuallywastage of propane. a safety issue. POOLINTERNET ACCESS The water depth in the pool is 3 1/2 ft at the shallowest end and 5 feet at the deep end. ThereWiFi internet access is inthe main areas of the villa(family room, living room,around the pool and barareas). It is a 4G, cellular based solution best forchecking email and websites. Guests with a laptop with built in WiFi should be able to simplysee the network and connect. Please rememberthis is not a secure connection even though apassword is needed. Please note that as with allsuch services, we do not guarantee internetaccess. We pay our bills to request the service,but, we are at the mercy of the internet provider’savailability.LIBRARY LOUNGEThe library lounge houses a wide assortment ofbooks - mystery, horror, sciencefiction, literature, plays, children’s stories etc.Please handle them with care. Please leave abook if you take a book. Please return them totheir space at check out. We sometimes make

is no lifeguard on duty, use is at your own risk. families/groups of responsible adults only.Diving is not allowed in the pool. Please shower Absolutely NO house parties or functions suchbefore using the pool to remove suntan lotion etc. as weddings are allowed without advancedfrom your skin. Unattended children may not use written permission, planning and arrangement.the pool at any time. Parents, your children areyour responsibility. Please watch them closely MUSIC/Entertainmentaround the pool and the villa in general. There is an entertainment system with radio,PROPERTY DAMAGE cassette and CD player in the family room. TheGuests are responsible for the contents of their TV in the family room gets DirectTV. Becauserooms. Damage to the property or lost items will this is satellite, you may not get the usualbe assessed above rental rates. Please take channels you expect, and the functionality of thecare of the property as you would your own that system is at the mercy of the weather. For theway we will be here to take care of you and your computer savvy, we have a computer connectedfriends on your next visit to us. Avoid sitting on to allow internet browsing.furniture in wet bathing suits as this may damageit and make future use uncomfortable. Also SAFETY ISSUESplease try not to place glasses on tables without Guests should use reasonable cautioncoasters. Many of the furniture items at the villa appropriate for living in a foreign countryare hand-carved or made by locals and are and in a home with a swimming pool. Guests aredifficult to replace. There is affordable “renter’s solely responsible for injuries and damagesdamage insurance” available at a very resulting from activities in which they engage inreasonable cost. We recommend this service in at their own risk. Such activities are understoodlieu of a damage deposit. by renters to include the following: activities off the premisesQUIET ENJOYMENT AND PARTIES activities on or off water including swimming poolWe wish to maintain a family atmosphere for the and spa excursions even if offered orquiet enjoyment of guests. We rent to arranged for you equipment belonging to villa such as snorkeling gear, exercise, bicycles, etc. Use no glassware near or in the pool. No running on the pool deck. No diving in the pool. Report all spills immediately to the staff so that they may be properly taken care of. Please lock all windows and doors at night. This includes bedroom windows and balcony doors. In particular, the sliding door for the ground-floor bedroom must be locked at night. No running between the levels of the roof deck. No horseplay on the roof deck. And please, again, NO DIVING INTO THE POOL ESPECIALLY FROM THE BALCONY AREAS!!!!

For your own safety and ours, please do not garden as open water features are present ininvite strangers onto the property. Under no this area. We have a few tennis racquets andcircumstances may strangers come to the house balls at the villa but please feel free to bring yourand stay overnight. own. As was mentioned before, all these items have to be imported into the island at significantSMOKING cost, not the least of which is shipping andMais Oui has a strict no-smoking policy. No customs duty, so loss from damage or misusesmoking is allowed inside the house at any causes us to incur additional unnecessarytime. Please do not violate this rule as it would expenses.place the staff in the awkward position of askingyou to not smoke in the villa. Please restrict this TRANSPORTATIONactivity to outside the villa and grounds. The villa is just off the main access road for theAdditionally, there will a charge of US$175 per area. Nevertheless we do not suggest that youbedroom to professionally clean each room in try to go to the road to get taxis unless you arewhich there is the smell of smoke. This will be already familiar with the area and or withpromptly deducted from any damage deposit. If a Jamaica. We have made special arrangementsdamage deposit was not collected, you will be to provide for your transportation needs. Webilled accordingly. We will rely on the report from highly recommend a van and driver service forthe staff to make this decision. Please be sure to the duration of your stay. Please see our tourinform all members of your party of this menu for full details.restriction. WATERTELEPHONEIf you have questions about the villa which Our area is supplied by a private water company.require that you speak with the staff Water lock-offs are rare. At any rate, we haveor manager in Jamaica, we suggest that you first two water tanks holding 1200 gallons which willtry to reach Dave on his cellular phone at 876- supply the villa with water for at least a few days.361-2527 or 448-8846. Alternatively, you may The water in Jamaica is safe to drink. As anreach Ruby at 876-399-4571. We will loan you a added precaution, there is a filter attached to thecellular phone for your use while on the island. water dispenser on the fridge. Additionally,This will be the number that you should share drinking water is boiled. Bottled water is readilywith your family and office. Incoming calls are available for purchase in grocery stores. Wefree. You will need a Jamaican phone card to provide the initial 5 gallon bottle of water on ourplace calls however. This cell-phone is only water dispenser complimentary for our guests.active when guests are in residence. If you callbefore or after that time, no one will likely answer WATERSPORTSit, or another group whom you do not know mayhave taken possession of it. Please do not forget Kayaks are available for guestto return the cell phone loaner use at your own risk. Thebefore you leave. presence of life jackets is not guaranteed. Please speak withTENNIS Dave about this at the villa. As with all other devices, their useUnattended children will not is at your own risk. We dobe allowed in the tennis

frequent inventory checks to make sure that all The Overseers... (These are people whom youequipment is present and working. Please and the staff can contact should there be anyunderstand that this is a villa, not a hotel, and unforeseen problems)therefore amenity offerings are subject to change.We make all reasonable effort, and even go Dave is the vibrant knowledgeable fellowbeyond the call of duty, to have everything in responsible for the construction of theplace, but please understand that Jamaica is an villa and who will go out of his way to help youisland. As such, all parts etc have to be imported. obtain anything you need. HisPlease do your part to make this ready for the cellular phone number is 876-361-2527 or 448-next guest by taking care of the property and 8846. Guests usually rely on him heavily duringequipment in an appropriate manner. their stay. He operates our van and driver service for the villa and is our concierge. HeYOUR VILLA HOSTS knows the island well, is familiar with many of the local sights and activities and can give you thePEOPLE YOU WILL MEET “scoop” on what prior guests have enjoyed doing.Mais Oui’s staff uses a team approach to ensure Dave should be your first contact for technical orguest satisfaction. While staff members have amenities related issues you have during yourclear job descriptions, they are not limited in their stay. Please feel free to reach out to him at anyduties, nor in the extent to which they may assist time.you. The following list will introduce you topeople you may meet. The specific people you Ruby is the on-site manager for the villa andmeet may vary depending on handles more of the housekeeping issues.vacation schedules, days off, etc. Selvyn is a retired Jamaican businessman. Selvyn is responsible for the landscaping of the grounds. Day-to-Day Staff . . . There are a host of individuals who you may not see, who work together in concert to create the Mais Oui Experience. At Mais Oui, the staff works as a team to satisfy your needs. Not all staff members will be present at all times during your stay. Additional staff may be present depending on party size etc. TIPPING Tipping 10-15% of the cost of villa rental is standard in the villa rental industry in Jamaica. The gratuity serves to cover the staff for overtime and efforts to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Feel free to tip based on your level of satisfaction with their service. There is a tendency for the more “visible employees” to get tipped more so than the people who are

behind the scenes, some of whom you would hearty. Please arrange for your party to dinenever see much. If, however, there are together as much as possible. In addition, pleaseemployees who you feel deserve additional adhere to the suggested meal times and thoserecognition, please feel free to tip directly as you you arrange with the staff. This is especiallychoose at the end of your stay. important for dinner as not all of the staff remain on site at night and need to be able to leave forMAIS OUI MEAL PLANNING home at a reasonable hour in order to return theMEAL PLAN next day and meet your needs.Meals at Mais Oui are simply wonderful. We tryto obtain the freshest locally grown produce for Please note ... It is illegal for lobsters to be harvested between April 1 and June 30. This lawour guests. Preference for meal service is “family is an effort to protect the lobster industry instyle” which means meals are served in plattersto everyone at a given sitting. Other serving Jamaica during their breeding season.styles are available based on your needs/plans. Frozen lobsters may be purchasedThere is no menu to “order from”; however, we without restriction and is a viablecan provide a list of suggested meals that have alternative during the restricted season.been enjoyed by our guests. The meals that are Please help us to do our part in protectingserved will depend on what you request to be Jamaica’s lobsters. There is otherwise nopurchased. restriction on fish and shrimp as far as weBreakfasts tend to be heavier than the typical are aware.American breakfast. However, if you want onlycoffee and toast, that is certainly your choice. Guests provide their own food/suppliesJust let the staff know. Lunches are usually light which the staff will prepare. Wefare such as sandwiches, Jamaican patties, recommend you budget US$45 – 50 permeatloaves, and salads. Dinner tends to be person per day for meals if you want 3 meals per day, and US$35 per person per day for two meals. Specialty foods such as shellfish and imported meats can easily increase your budget. Typically we recommend serving two entrees with dinner, especially with larger groups. This helps to ensure that all guests are satisfied with their meals. For example, if you have a group of 16 people, it is unrealistic to expect that all will want to have the exact same meal at a given sitting. It is imperative that each member of the group is aware of the estimated budget for meals. They should also realize that our staff is limited by the amount and quality of food that they are provided. Estimating grocery costs is imprecise. Much depends on the menus you want, how generous you wish your portion sizes to be, and current market prices. The Jamaican Government Consumption tax (GCT) of 17.5% is applicable to

certain food purchases. Obviously, the total you plan on paying in any means other than incosts may vary so anticipate that your staff may cash, please discuss this will us prior to going torefund money at week's end. . . or ask you for the villa.more money depending on what you requested. =====There are a few options for handling the Meals and meal planningshopping scenario: - 2 entrees with each meal (variety) 1) You may accompany the staff to do the - List of suggested meals to choose from shopping. Some people enjoy this. Others - Inform staff of special needs or allergies don’t. ===== 2) The staff shops for you. You will need to AVAILABILITY OF SPECIALTY FOODS pay for their transportation. Typically the The staff will try to accommodate all your wishes. round trip taxi fare to Ocho Rios is US$50. Please understand that because this is an island, This involves a dedicated taxi which is some food items may not be available, and those used to go from store to store on your that are may come at a premium. Items that are behalf. If you hire the van and driver imported are influenced by supply and demand. service for the week, it is possible for the Some items may not be available if they are not van driver to help coordinate the staff in season. Also consider that natural grocery shopping, assuming that you occurrences such as drought, or conversely, have no plans for using the van during heavy rains, may also affect availability. If you that timeframe. have any special dietary requirements, please notify us when booking, and remind the cook 3) A store account can be set up whereby when you meet with him or her. items are delivered to the villa and you pay upon delivery THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 4) Some combination of above BANKS Banks are open 9am to 2pm on Monday toOn your first day at the villa, your cook will meet Thursday. On Fridays, many close at or by 4pm.with you regarding menus for the week. The staffwill finish the week's shopping based on your COMPLAINTS AND MAINTENACEdiscussion. Being able/willing to plan meals for at Every effort is made to keep the villa and itsleast two or 3 days in advance will make inventories/amenities in good working order. Noeverything easier. This will reduce the number of refund or rate adjustment shall be made for anyunnecessary trips to the stores. During major unforeseen mechanical failures such as theholiday periods, such as Christmas and New supply of electricity, water, pool filtration systems,Years, certain food items (such as ham) have to air conditioning, hot tub, whirlpools, televisions,be purchased in advance to ensure availability. internet, Satellite TV system, appliances etc.Generally on the day before departure, the staff Guests should attempt to deal with problems onwill present the final receipts with the totals to the spot through their villa staff and manager.settle the bill. Please note that the best fruits and Vacating the property will not be consideredvegetables are obtained from farmer’s markets sufficient cause to claim a refund. If the problemwho only deal in cash and do not usually provide is not solvable and the guests choose to vacatereceipts. The same applies to local fishermen. theCredit cards are readily accepted at the supermarkets if you are present with ID. Guests mayprepay for their first few meals for their stay. If

property, a pro-rated refund minus a cancellation digital cards with you.service charge of 50% will be given. The nightsthat were spent at the villa will be charged at a A word of caution, be careful whenpro-rated nightly rate (weekly rate charged photographing people - to avoid undesirabledivided by seven). In no event will a claim for confrontations. Jamaicans in general do not likerefund be entertained if lodged after the rental to be photographed unless they are askedperiod. permission beforehand. Some may ask for a copy of the photo. Some may ask for a tip. ManyMEDICAL CARE may not. DO NOT photograph JamaicanThe Emergency system is activated by dialing children without asking their parents first ! ! !119 for Police and 110 for Ambulance. If youneed medical attention, the Tretzel Medical TIMEClinic is located just a few minutes drive from the Jamaica functions on Eastern Standard Timevilla. The telephone number is 876-973-3568. and does not observe daylight savings time.Additionally, MoBay Hope, a major diagnosticand treatment center is about 45 - 50 minutes It is our hope that the information we havefrom the villa. The telephone number is (876) provided will help you to prepare for your trip to953-3649. Please check with your insurance Jamaica and to Mais Oui. Although Jamaica hascarrier prior to arrival to determine your level of many trappings of American life, it is still acoverage in Jamaica. You may wish to obtain foreign country and so while many things appearadditional travel health insurance for added similar, many will not be the same as they are atsecurity. your home. We hope that you enjoy a REAL Jamaican experience and that you will comeMONEY EXCHANGE back to visit us soon. If you have any otherTry to exchange only what you need so you do questions, please feel free to ask us. We wantnot have to try to change back too much money you to have a memorable time in Jamaica. Ifwhen you leave. Many places on the North there is anything not covered and you realize itCoast, however do accept US dollars. Not all once you are in Jamaica, don’t worry… just askplaces accept Canadian dollars or British pounds. our staff. They will help you. We’re sure of it!PHOTOGRAPHYOpportunities abound for great photography.Take lots of film (old school) or large capacity We look forward to your visit. Until then, think and dream Jamaica! ! ! ! ! ! !