I have vacationed at casa de campo before (did not stay in a villa there). I did rent a villa with some friends in Jamaica a couple of years ago. We were near Ocho Rios, a place called Mamey Bay. Villas provide a level of privacy unmatched by any hotel/resort. In JA we had a cook - talk about delicious jerk chicken, and saltfish and ackee! The cost of the villa, food (we bought it), and tips for our cook at the end of our stay was equally shared. It worked out great! E-mail me if you need more information. Also, check Debbie's Dominican Republic Page - (http://www.computan.on.ca/~pdowney). There is a great review by someone that rented a villa in Sosua at Haciendas El Choco. The review is very similar to my experience in Jamaica.
Hope this helps,
Natasha
