Elsewhere Information
Help us prepare for your arrival!
Download and complete this form to provide arrival and departure information, pre-stocking requests for food and beverages and any prepayments you would like to make. Please complete the form and email it to info@elsewhereja.com at least two weeks before your arrival.
How to get around during your stay.
Some guests choose to rent a car, but most do not. We can arrange a driver to meet you at the airport and transport you directly to the villa. If guests are coming in on different flights, a driver can meet each flight as it arrives. After you are at the villa, Kemoy can arrange a driver and van for you to hold your entire party whenever you need transportation, or you can have a driver and van on standby for the week during your stay. Download this document to get an idea of a few options for transportation and the cost for each.
If you don’t see what you need, let us know and we will be happy to try to arrange it for you. If you are ordering car seats, please indicate on the Guest Information Sheet the age and weight of the child.
Plan your meals for the week.
Seriously, you do not need to plan your week's meals before you get there! If you or your guests have dietary restrictions or specific requests for your first day at Elsewhere, you can indicate that on the pre-arrival form above. After you arrive, you can sit down with Kasandra and select menu selections for each meal. The options are endless and Kasandra will be happy to accommodate any special requests! If you are curious about some options, you can download this sample menu list.
The cost of groceries during your stay will vary depending on your choice of menus. The average guest spends between $50 to $80 per person per day. In general, food costs are higher than what you would find in the US.
To keep food costs down, we highly recommend eating local, in season fruits and vegetables. They are fresh, delicious, and a fraction of buying imported items. Imported strawberries, grapes, berries, and apples can run four to five times what you would pay at home. In season mango, pineapple, melons, bananas, and tropical fruits will be much more affordable.
Likewise, Red Stripe or Heineken are less than half the price of imported Miller Lite, Corona or Blue Moon. Coca Cola and Pepsi are local but Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew are not. The most cost-effective way to purchase alcohol is at Duty Free when you land in Jamaica.
Moderately priced wines are available at the supermarket. If you would like to choose wine, we recommend CPJ Market and Indulge Jamaica for online purchase and delivery. You can also find other imported specialty foods and cheeses as well. If using Indulge, please arrange at least one week before your arrival to ensure delivery before you arrive.
Chicken, pork, pasta, some fish, and certain cuts of local beef are the most cost-effective options. Fresh fish, shrimp, lobster, and beef tenderloin will increase the food bill.
You are on vacation and should treat yourself but if you have a budget, please let Kasandra know. She is happy to help you plan a week of delicious meals that work for you!
Enjoy exploring the waters on Anywhere.
For guests staying a week or longer, we include a snorkeling or sunset cruise on our boat Anywhere. If you are interested in additional trips, you can leave right from your own private dock. Again, you do not need to book in advance and can arrange with Kemoy when you arrive. Download this document for cost information.
Staff Gratuity
It is customary to give gratuity to the staff of 10-15% during high season or 15-20% during low season based on the cost of the villa rental. The gratuity is completely at your discretion based on the service that is provided to you.
At the end of your stay, you will be provided envelopes with a recommended percentage of the gratuity for each staff member. Based on your experience, you are welcome to adjust the amounts as you choose.
Payments during your stay
Kasandra will do the shopping for you and present receipts to you for anything she purchases. You are welcome to accompany her to the various markets to use a credit card, otherwise you will need to pay her for the groceries in cash. The exchange rate used by the supermarket will be used for payments made in US dollars.
As a courtesy to our guests, we also offer the opportunity for you to pay for your groceries, ground transportation and gratuity with the credit card on file. Please review all the receipts and sign the form provided. We are charged 3% for credit card transactions and will add this to your final bill. The Visa exchange rate calculator will be used to convert JMD to USD based on the last day of your stay and foreign exchange bank fees of 2%.
VISA/Mastercard Exchange Rate Calculator