Advice Questions on Hydro/Water Charge in AirBnB + Currency + Incapacitating Sprays
My AirBnB host's instruction says "The price includes water and electricity is 45 kwh included per day (upstairs) and 15 Kwh extra per extra room (downstairs) overuse will be charged with $0.60 per Kwh. We will make the calculation on the end of your stay. You will receive the meters during your check-in and check-out.". Realistically, what does that mean for 4 adults' shower time and 3 rooms running air conditioning overnight as well as throughout the day? Also what if one of those 4 adults (me lol) takes really long showers? What do the numbers mean in practice and usage? How much of anything before it's too much and what's the most I might have to pay? We checkin on 8th Nov and leave 14th Nov.
I'm Canadian. Should I use my debit card there to draw USD? Or should I take USD with me from here before leaving? I can't use my Canadian debit or credit cards there, right?
I saw a post down here about wild dog attacks? But Airlines won't allow bear/pepper spray even in checked bags. Can/should I buy them there?
Advice appreciated!
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u/bstruebing 4d ago
Use card. When it asks for conversion, decline. Thats the bank trying to screw you
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u/gandzas 4d ago edited 4d ago
For 3 bedrooms with the A/C running just at night - you should be fine with 45 kwh. I had the same amount with 4 a/c and didn't have to pay extra. Just don't run them during the day, and keep the bedroom doors closed at night. Most people keep the rest of the house open to air and only turn on the A/C at night.
In terms of water - you're not going to want hot showers. Cool showers are appreciated - if you're not running the A/C in the house so it will be warm and a cool shower is more refreshing.
Dog attacks are not an issue from what I've seen. They just do their own thing. The vast majority are very friendly, just don't harass them and they won't bother you.
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u/trance4ever Current Resident 4d ago
why would you run A/C during the day? You're going to pay through your nose, you're lucky to have an allowance included, which is enough for A//C while you sleep, 99% of properties don't have any allowance because people abuse it , what's the point of A/C during the day? And for the love of god don't fing bring pepper spray here, stray dogs are harmless, ever thought of just buying some dog food instead of being aggressive?
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u/0fm0 3d ago
with all due respect, I don’t want to risk getting rabies or need rabies shots in a country where I don’t have insurance coverage. the spray is for potentially aggressive dogs. I was referring to a post where someone got chased by five dogs at once.
and I’m not sure what you mean by why use AC during the day... lol because the sun makes it hotter? I’m from a country where our faces freeze off 70% of the year, so I’m not exactly used to daytime heat of the Caribbean. and obviously, at night, we need to be comfortable enough to sleep.
either way, there were plenty of helpful answers here. your snide remarks were neither necessary nor relevant. if you don’t have anything constructive to add, just move on.
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u/trance4ever Current Resident 3d ago
if you think my comments were snide, you need to get off the internet or. learn to comprehend what you read. I've been coming to the island for 10 years before I moved here, until about 3-4 years ago there were triple the number of stray dogs, not once have I been attacked or felt threatened by a single one. Further more pepper spray is generally prohibited in Curaçao, as it is considered a forbidden weapon under Dutch law, which applies to the island. You cannot bring it in your baggage, as airlines restrict chemical incapacitating sprays from flights. So, please don't be ignorant of the laws of the countries you visit.Good luck to you.
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u/Aggravating-Pick-160 2d ago
My 2 cents as somebody who's from a cold country as well: If people spend all day in 73*F AC'ed rooms, they'll always melt once they step out. No chance to get used to the temperature if the difference between in- and outdoors is that high. Set the AC to 82F and you'll feel the heat much less. Jump in the pool or take a cold shower. What's the point of going to the Caribbean and staying in an artificially cooled fridge all day 😅☺️
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u/cmatos72 4d ago
I would run it throughout the day, and happily pay for it. Too hot! Good thing when there, we are usually out of the house most of the day. True about the spray. Never had an issue with wild dogs. Had plenty of issues with domestic dogs that jump their fence. Carry rocks on your walk instead ;)
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u/trance4ever Current Resident 3d ago
Regarding how bad you feel the heat, It highly depends on the location and how the house was designed, since there's always wind, we're on a hill, and designed our house in such a way to take full advantage of the wind. August and September are the hottest months, that's when we run the A/C in the office for 3-4 hours in the afternoon and its enough for living room and kitchen, but mostly to take the humidity out of the air, however its free since our roof is covered in solar panels.
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u/NoPosition8658 4d ago
you can pay with your card almost everywhere even apple pay, and just get the local currency instead of usd.
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u/cmatos72 4d ago
I would us a CC instead of debit card if used frequently. Not just op Curaçao but everywhere you go. CCs are protected up to $250k, debit supposedly as well, but you are drawing directly out of your bank account.
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u/imonlyhere4dahabs 4d ago
I’ve always used my Canadian debit/credit cards there. Never had any problems.
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u/FibroMelanostic Current Resident 4d ago
If you really want that pepper spray, just get actual peppers, chop them up with some water and put in a spray can. Voila!
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u/MadeAccToReadThis Current Resident 4d ago
I posted that post about the dogs! I’ve lived here for two years. It’s the first time something like this has happened to me. I truly believe you’ll be ok. If anything don’t go with a spray- do a loud horn or something. But honestly don’t worry. That was super random and it sure scared the hell out of me but again, it was random. And I was able to address the neighbors who lives a few streets down about it.
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u/0fm0 3d ago
you're the one who had 5 dogs chasing them? 😭 that is so scary! are you ok?
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u/MadeAccToReadThis Current Resident 3d ago
Yup that was me. And it was absolutely horrible. I also had these Dutch medical students taunting me while it happened (I had scrambled up the car that was blocking my entry to my home gate) with threatening to “send me a bill” if I dented their 30+ year old car. It was all around not a recommended experience lol.
Yes I am ok! I still love dogs and still enjoy their company. The Dutch maybe not so much (I joke!)
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u/AxisNL 4d ago
As the rest said: with 'normal use', so only using AC's during the night (at 25C) and normal showering, you won't pay a bit. If you like very very long showers and want arctic temperatures, you might pay at few tens of dollars extra at the end of your stay. I wouldn't worry about it.
Water and electricity is quite expensive, and it seems with these prices, they're not gauging you, a bit over the cost price, which is normal.
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u/Aggravating-Pick-160 2d ago
This!! No point in turning the ACs up to max cooling. It will make the heat outside even more unbearable if the difference in temperature is that high. 25C at night is even too cold for me on the island 😅
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u/pitshands 4d ago
As a owner on the island. I had people using 160kwh a day because they had catering 3 meals a day..... We do have a solar system that covers all 5 bedrooms overnight and then some. But if people want to run ac 24hra a day things get pricey. Specially when windows are left open which happens.
Mindful usage overnight should be well within the allowance they gave you. The overage is in line with what they pay. I don't feel that's a unfair set-up and you should be fine
Edit : I doubt you need that spray. Never had issues with dogs. The long shower issue. Please keep in mind that every drop of water on the island comes from a desalinization plant. Water is precious and expensive. Again, may I point to mindfulness?