Fun, fun, fun

Mary W. ()
Review submitted: March 15, 2013   Date of arrival: February 18, 2013

We vacationed with my brother and his family and had a wonderful time. Kayaking, both in the mangrove swamp and in the ocean was one of the highlights. The house is simple, yet has everything you need for a pleasant escape. Julius and Nancy were quite accommodating, even arranging for perfect weather.

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Wonderful Family Escape

cornelleyeguy (Cape Vincent, NY, USA)
Review submitted: February 24, 2013   Date of arrival: December 29, 2012

We had been to Puerto Rico before, but not to this area. We were enticed by the description of the property that certainly met our needs - three bedrooms, a full kitchen and a close beach. It was exactly as billed and even more! The house had all the amenities we required, was clean and quiet, had a beautiful yard with a nice pool. The beach was just down the road and was to die for!! It was perfect!! Other pluses were very close to shopping and the autopista, a nature park next door, AND your own concierge! We were also fortunate that the owners were at their house next door and became instant friends. They were not intrusive in any way and endeavoured to make our stay as pleasant as possible. We would return in a shot!!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, pet-friendly, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1

Great for Extended family

Joyce (Rio Rancho, NM)
Review submitted: January 19, 2013   Date of arrival: December 22, 2012

This house was great for our extended family of 8 adults and 3 children, ages three and under. It was just as pictured, older but exceptionally clean, and the beach REALLY is a short walk. If you want the feel of a resort, driving a golf cart to the beach, sharing a pool with strangers after you've carried all your gear down an elevator, this is NOT the place for you. But if you want a feel of the island, kayaks and beach gear at your disposal in the garage ( and not rented be the 1/2 hour), and a crystal clear pool just steps from the back door and surrounded by a nature preserve ( beware of ant bites) then this IS for you. We had only 2 problems : 1) openers/keys -we had 3 rental cars and needed a second gate opener which Nancy, the terrific concierge, quickly resolved, and we made 2 more sets of keys and 2) internet service via an extender did not work. Nancy came by and checked it, but it was a more technical problem than just resetting. Enjoy your stay!

Recommended for: families with young children

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Great Vacation

Anne & Rob (Greenville, NY)
Review submitted: May 27, 2012   Date of arrival: May 20, 2012

My wife and I were celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary and picked the perfect location. The house was very clean, cozy and just far enough off the beaten track to relax but close enough to all kinds of great Puerto Rican sites and activities. Nancy, the concierge, met us on our arrival and made sure we were comfortable and knew where everything was, she also checked in with us before and during our stay to make sure we had everything we needed. The pool is an added bonus and provided a welcome soak after long days of climbing El Yunque, walking through the neighboring nature preserve, exploring Old San Juan and the Camuy Caves or being fortunate enough to kayak out to monkey island with Julius, the owner of this house and the one next door who came down a few days after us with his wife Linda for the Memorial Day weekend. The hammocks in the backyard brought another level of comfort to our visit, not to mention the best nights sleep my wife and I had in many years. We also enjoyed all the wildlife and got to try a delicious mango growing in the backyard.

We chose to cook and eat in most evenings but did check out the local cuisine a few times, I recommend trying a mofongo if you have never tried one. Head east on route 3 to El Makito for a nice night out or walk to one of the several restaurants just down the road. We also were fortunate to meet several of the neighbors who were very warm and welcoming. All in all we had a great time and look forward to a future visit with the rest of the family.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 6 / 6

Family Vacation for 7 adults, todler and baby

ccs3 (Newton, MA 02462)
Review submitted: May 5, 2012   Date of arrival: February 27, 2012

We enjoyed our 8 day stay very much. The house worked very well for our family: 2 active grandparents, three daughters, one husband and one boyfriend, a 3 year old toddler and a 7 month old. The house is very comfortable and flexible. Back yard is shaded with palm trees and pool is great. Beach is 5 minute walk- you can feel the sea breeze all day and night. Beach runs for tens of miles. Great surf- for swimming and kayaking in the waves. Walks in very big nature preserve like a jungle. Day trips by car to El Yunque rain forest, beaches at Luqillo, and other coastal towns. Day boat trip to Monkey Island. The house met all our expectations++ at a very affordable price. Great to get to know Julius, who was there at the time in his house next door. Very good experience! Thank you.

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

got stiffed on my deposit

luis (howell, nj)
Review submitted: February 7, 2012   Date of arrival: November 23, 2011

very disappointed with the house, house needs a fresh coat of paint, master bed room shower door needs to be replaced or fixed, the beach is nothing to brag about,came with friends who had never been to puerto rico,they where disappointed with house. after getting in touch with owner about my deposit, gave me the run around about it, hope they use it to do repairs on the house.

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Helpful votes: 10 / 12

A Great Christmas Vacation!

Travelers (Wilmington, DE, USA)
Review submitted: January 3, 2012   Date of arrival: December 17, 2011

Arrived and used the directions from owner for the 45 minute drive to the property. It was late and we missed the entrance to Villa Palmira at first but were in contact with both Julius and his concierge, Nancy, and they expertly guided us to the house where they both greeted us. The home was immaculately clean! Every need had been seen to. During out stay, our son, daughter-in-law, daughter, son-in-law and grandson (age 2) joined us. Julius and Nancy made extra efforts to see to the comfort of everyone by supplying a portable crib and a wading pool for the toddler. The neighbors were all friendly and helpful. The younger generation all enjoyed kayaking/swimming in the ocean. Everyone liked being outside and just going out for walks in the neighborhood. Hiking through the nearby nature reserve with easy access from the beach was nice. We went to the rain forest (El Yunque) and were impressed with the museum and roads. We drove to the mountainous area of Guavate to enjoy the lechonera restaurants. Some of the mountain roads such as Hwy. 184 are not for the "faint of heart" but you'll never regret the adventure/scenery it provides. Two of the younger set did the bio-bay excursion and still are amazed by their experience. Day trips to Arecibo and San Juan were fun, too. The house was loaded with literature detailing local restaurants/activities/opportunities. Orchids came into bloom in the backyard while we were there and the abundance of local wildlife is easy to see. Some research and pre-registration for activities(expecially the bio-bay kayak trips) is recommended so you don't miss out on anything! Everyone in our family plans to return and take advantage of everything the area has to offer.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 3 / 3

Definitely Charmed!

May (Twin Lakes, IA)
Review submitted: March 27, 2011   Date of arrival: March 20, 2011

Our experience was wonderful. The neighborhood was quiet and peaceful. Neighbors very welcoming. We took advantage of the kayaks and floated through the wildlife refuge. We spent a day "crabbing" with the locals in the wildlife refuge,cooked and ate fresh crabs that evening. The beach was so close we drank our morning coffee looking east through large palms and seeing the ocean. Total enjoyment, relaxing in the private secluded back yard. We walked trails adjacent to the Villa properties, hiked up the trail to the hill overlooking the beach, discovering WWII bunkers. Opportunites for adventures are limitless. Easy access to shopping and groceries, or local resturants.
We took day trips to the Rainforest and Culebra Island. We were totally comfortable, the home was roomy and well supplied with everything we needed. The landlord and assistant knowlegable and helpful.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

A Great Vacation

lukespen (Tracy City Tn. U.S.A.)
Review submitted: January 18, 2011   Date of arrival: December 11, 2010

Our family spent four weeks at Villa Palmira. We have stayed at several beach resorts,after our stay there we all agreed this was the best vacation we've had. We had a quaint three bedroom, two bath, spacious living area with a large back yard with lounges, hammocks, swings, tables and gazebo. From the front door you are a short distance from a natural two and one half mile beach. Most of the time we had it all to ourselves. A short hike over a beautiful mountain is another beach where shelling is wonderful. From the beach you can see the Islands of Vieques and Monkey Island. Our four teenagers kayaked to Monkey Island on Christmas Eve and had a wonderful time. Our house was ten minutes from Walmart, Sam's, Walgreens and most fast food chains. Food and fuel prices were comparable with the States. Things we enjoyed very much were Flamingo Beach on Culebra Island, Rain Forest, Bioluminescent Bays, Monkey Island and don't miss the pig roast the locals have on the mountain. We ate with them two nights. They were very friendly and welcoming to us. All the people we met were very friendly, they invited us into their homes on Christmas and were very helpful to us. In the evening we walked through the neighborhood enjoying the company of the nicest kids and their dogs. For our four weeks stay the biggest worry we had that a coconut might fall from a tree in our front yard onto our rental car. We really enjoyed this trip, everything from the friendly and couterous service from the landlord and his family, the neighbors and everyone we met seemed to try to make our stay more enjoyable. We would recommend this trip to anyone. We hope we can go again. VERY SATISFIED FROM TENNESSEE.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet-friendly, sight seeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 7 / 7

Great stay in tropical Puerto Rico!

Review submitted: April 27, 2010   Date of arrival: April 10, 2010

We enjoyed our week in tropical Puerto Rico and would recommend this particular neighborhood for other families interested in a convenient, safe rental. The house is spacious, and our favorite feature is the lovely landscaped backyard replete with hammocks, reclining chairs and a gazebo. Lots of wildlife to enjoy, short walk to the beach and the mysterious lagoon - a very nice vacation spot.

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Helpful votes: 5 / 6

A Tropical Escape...The Name Says It All

swilan (Morristown, TN)
Review submitted: April 7, 2010   Date of arrival: March 19, 2010

Our family truly enjoyed our stay at this home. The neighborhood was quiet and secure. The house was clean, comfortable, and spacious. The private back yard was a tropical Paradise in it's own right, with lush foliage and plenty of hammocks and chairs to sit back in and enjoy the sights and sounds from the jungle beyond. The beach was a sort walk from the house and was beautiful... You practically had the whole thing to yourself. Their were also many trails that led into the jungle and out to even more secluded stretches of beech.

We were also very pleased with the Humacao area. As you drove out the gated subdivision turning one way, took you to an area that had all the big box stores and restaurants that we are all so familiar with on the mainland. Turning the other direction took you along a 2-lane road following the coast through quaint fishing villages with open air markets and local seafood restaurants.

We were truly pleased with this home and would recommend it to anyone

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sight seeing

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Helpful votes: 12 / 12

Great stay!!!

MeganBird (Boston)
Review submitted: February 22, 2010   Date of arrival: January 30, 2010

This home was everything we hoped for on our Puerto Rico vacation. We were a group of five on the island for a week of hang gliding excursions and this place was perfect. It was comfortable and beautiful- very clean with plenty of space for everyone. The backyard was full of fabulous hammocks and comfy chairs for relaxing and star gazing at night. The beach was a close walking distance and we also enjoyed taking the kayak into the lagoon in the back of the house. We will absolutely seek to stay here again if we're back in town. Not a single complaint in the group and excellent value for money.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 7 / 7

Perfect getaway

ariellealt (New York, NY)
Review submitted: December 26, 2009   Date of arrival: July 12, 2009

We had a great vacation at Tropical Escape! I would definitely recommend it for its convenient location, beautiful decor, and comfortable setup. The private neighborhood allows for peace and quiet away from other tourists, while still giving you the luxury of a very close beach, hiking trails, and nearby shopping. The house is beautifully decorated and spacious, but my favorite part was relaxing in the back yard which is full of plant and wildlife. When we were feeling more adventurous, we visited the Wildlife Reserve and went to El Yunque which is a short drive away. Can't wait to come back!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, pet-friendly, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 5 / 5

Everything we had hoped for and more!

DBarncider25 (New York, NY)
Review submitted: December 13, 2009   Date of arrival: August 27, 2009

I was SO pleased with my rental! The house was very clean, accomodating, and cozy. Every morning after breakfast, I'd take a stroll over to the beach for a swim. I absolutely loved the backyard; it was full of plant and animal wildlife. As the sun went down, I'd use the grill in the backyard to make dinner, pour myself a glass of wine, and unwind. The rental and it's gorgeous setting was everything I needed to get away from it all. On the last day, I didn't want to leave! I wish I could have stayed longer. I will most definitely be a returning customer (Next time I'm giving that kayak a try). Thanks!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, sight seeing, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 14 / 14