Our group of 3 families had high expectations of a 5-star villa for our first trip to DR but sadly, we were disappointed.
Communications with Fabio were flawless and polite. But Fabio's local point-of-contact, Enrico (our "concierge", if you will) was unprofessional, abrasive, rude and seemingly dishonest. Upon arrival, Enrico demanded our remaining balance in cash, US dollars only, despite an email I had from Fabio assuring that credit card payments were acceptable (albeit with a fee). Having such a contentious "welcome" certainly soured our enjoyment of the property. He also did not follow-through on various requests I had been directed to send him (making arrangements for a chef). Upon our departure, Enrico tried to strong-arm us into paying 3000 pesos CASH for a toaster that would have been rejected by Goodwill and broken before our arrival. Having such a rude local agent is unfortunate for Fabio.
As for the property itself, we loved the pool and being able to make meals together in the large kitchen. We overlooked the minor inconveniences of the oven not working, the tiny 4-cup coffeemaker (for a property that allegedly accommodates 16 people!), and the non-functioning dishwasher. We made do with the outdoor BBQ, made endless small pots of coffee and were grateful for Ruthie the maid who did the dishes for us daily. Other details were more difficult to tolerate -- the smell of mildew in the rooms and closets (easily remedied by simply opening up the house a day prior to our arrival); finding a live mouse in a kitchen drawer; the assurance of a washer & dryer available for our guest use that really isn't (even the maid hauled towels & sheets off the property to launder them); the lack of sufficient water pressure in the 3rd floor bathroom, making it essentially unusable. Our group understood the property to be "secure" but didn't expect that to mean an armed guard (AK47 + sidearm) posted at the villa gate each night (although we came to like him very much & appreciated his being there).
We found the immediate area surrounding the property to be run-down and littered. Prostitution is still very much prevalent in Sosua. Local restaurants provided good meals, nothing outstanding. But Alicia Beach is beautiful and worth the walk. We found ourselves at the grocery store daily, hauling back provisions, especially large bottles of drinking water. Locals at the market and in restaurants were friendly & helpful.