We opened in 2009 because we wanted to provide a high quality surf camp. However since this is a new concept in Cabarete (and for the world) we do frequently get asked questions on why our prices might be higher than other surf camps, guides, apartments etc. here's why:

 

Transparent pricing
We think we have created a completely transparent pricing structure, so you know how much your holiday is going to cost. We don't lure you in with low package price that provides crap accommodation, a beaten-up-surfboard, 10-minute instruction and call it a "learn-to-surf-start weekend package" so you are forced to upgrade to end up in a half decent room. Furthermore, our prices are set for the year and we guarantee not to change our prices once you have booked. All our packages describe exactly what you get and how much you will pay.

 

We know we are not the cheapest place.
Briefly: if price is your only criteria, then Swell Surf Camp is not for you.
We offer a high quality surf holiday in a new, clean and very comfortable environment with highly qualified staff. Our instructors, unlike any other surf camp in town, are Internationally-accredited surf coaches with months of training and years of experience. We are confident that our prices reflect the quality of everything we offer. If you want something cheaper, there are plenty of other places in Cabarete (and around the world) to choose from. We can even tell you where those places are. However like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. By the way, everyone who stays at Swell pays the same, so there will be no uncomfortable conversations where find out you paid more than the person sitting with you at dinner. By the way, Swell does not use any travel agents to sell our rooms so all your money goes into your surf camp experience.

Transportation
We very deliberately built Swell where it is. It is located so that you do not need to rent a car or bike to get to the surf, restaurants or bar and everything can be done on foot or with our surf transport that is included in the packages. You can save yourself a good amount of money in not having to rent a car, or save hugely on not having to go to the hospital after you rented a motorbike.

 

Quality food
We like good food ourselves and want to serve good, freshly produced breakfasts and dinners. Yes we could make cheaper package pricing (or even better margins for our business) by serving a bread roll and greasy eggs like a lot of places in Cabarete do. However as we wouldn't fancy that for breakfast ourselves, we do not serve it to our guests either.

 

Quality surf lessons

Our surf instructors are the most qualified coaches you will find in the Dominican Republic. They have years of teaching experience, Life Guard and first-aid training and are good surfers themselves. In order to attract such highly qualified people, we pay them quite a lot more than other camps do; That's more of your money being spent where it matters. As a result, your progress is normally much quicker and safer, so you could even end up saving yourself money by going with Swell.

 

No false advertising

What you see is what you get at Swell. Have a look at our gallery, how it looks on the Photos is how it's going to be when you arrive, or better. Yes we have wide angle lenses and we can take pictures of the room, stitch the Photos together in photoshop and make the room look 4 x bigger in the Photos, but we think the rooms look great as they are and we want you to be pleasantly surprised on arrival - no disappointment at Swell . Swell experience is not just about one person; we have a real Team spirit, from our drivers who collect you at the airport to the lady who cleans your room.

An Owner of Swell answers ALL your emails and inquiries.

Clare, one of Swell's founders is always the person who will answer your email. Some people say she's 'scary-quick'......Ask her anything you want (but do check the FAQ's first because we think we've got most things covered) and you'll get a down-to-earth and above all honest reply. We'll say again, client disappointment is our worst nightmare and misleading or dishonest answers can only lead to that outcome. If you sent us an email and we didn't respond there might be 3 possible reasons why; 1. your mail went into our spam and missed our regular checks; 2. our reply went into your spam or lastly, 3. you asked to stay for free or in exchange for washing up on a Tuesday.

 

Check our client feedback

Do check our reviews on sites like Tripadvisor.com or our Facebook Fan Page or our Facebook Friends wall, as they are from real guests who stayed with us. It's clear they were all very happy they chose Swell and the majority have returned for a 2nd visit or are planning to (one guest is already into double digits!) If you have any doubt about whether the reviews are genuine, contact the reviewer and ask them yourself.

 

OK, still think you want to stay somewhere else?

Have fun, see you in the water, hope you catch some good waves.
Maybe during your stay have another look at the above, it might make more sense to read this whilst you are staying at a cheap surf camp or in a souless condo a long way from town, so you know exactly what we are talking about here (You can tell us how your getting on with the greasy eggs, the insects in your room or the 25 minute walk into town ;-) Actually, don't bother to write, it wasn't as if we didn't warn you.

Have any questions?

Feel free to contact us: via this form

 

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