Plop On theBeach!!/House with pool/Central to everything in Puerto Morelos

Beautiful, Exotic and Relaxing Hideaway

"teeky" (Pennsylvania)
Review submitted: August 22, 2012   Date of arrival: August 8, 2012

My family of 5 and I just spent a delightful summer vacation at this home and it was wonderful. We thought it may be hot because it was August in the tropics, and were pleasantly surprised that there was a nice breeze coming off the ocean everyday. The water temperature both in the pool and in the ocean was just right. We sat on the porch and watched the ships passing far out at sea, and played on what seemed our own private beach. Even though there were other people in residence, there are few on the beach at any given time. Antonio the caretaker, cut and opened fresh coconuts for us, and we put rum and spices in them, and drank our own version of authentic pina colladas. That was a first for all of us. The house was the cleanest beach house we ever rented, and the oceanfront garden was a delight. We grilled lunch several times right by the ocean, and went out for dinner every night. There are tons of restaurants everywhere you go. A week was not enough time. We'll be back!

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

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Relax...unwind...ocean breezes...no worries....

Trudy D. ()
Review submitted: May 1, 2013   Date of arrival: April 21, 2013

My sister-in-law and I spent a wonderful, relaxing week at Casa Manalou and couldn’t have been more pleased. We were looking for a quiet spot to unwind and recharge. We found it! The house was very clean and comfortable. We slept each night with the windows open listening to the ocean waves on the beach. The breeze was constant and cool. We did not need to use the air-conditioning at all during the week.
The neighborhood was quiet and safe. Most days we were the only people on the beach and in the ocean even though there were other people in the neighboring houses. The water temperature in the ocean was perfect though the bottom can be a little rocky in places.
Antonio, the caretaker, was always there to lend a hand (carrying chairs to the beach, cutting up papaya, hanging up our wet beach towels, etc) and monitoring the property which made us feel more secure. He, very discreetly, made sure that the house was clean and locked. He brought us a coconut drink with flowers and straws, homemade guacamole, and a melon drink that was out of this world! Thank you Antonio!
The car ride into town was easy. We went to dinner in town each night and found the restaurants pleasant and very good. We enjoyed meeting other travelers and locals. Everyone was very laid back and friendly. There is also plenty of shopping available.
We made day trips to Tulum and to the Jungle Spa. The house is conveniently located close to the main highway. We had no trouble finding our way around.
We ate breakfast and lunch at the house every day. We arranged with Louis to have basic food items brought to the house before we arrived. It was well worth the small fee to avoid grocery shopping for the week!
We are already talking about returning to Casa Manalou next year to get away, relax and sleep while listening to the soothing sound of the ocean waves. Can't wait!!

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Fabulous Girls Vacation

Chrissy (Pittsboro, NC)
Review submitted: March 28, 2013   Date of arrival: February 17, 2013

My mom and sisters and I spent a week at the house and had a great time. The property manager Louis and his nephew, Antonio did everything to make our stay enjoyable. They met us at the property when we arrived, and showed us around the place and how everything worked. Louis then took us on a quick tour of Puerto Morelos, pointing out good restaurants, grocery store, etc.

The house itself isn't luxurious, but definitely very good given the price. Antonio kept the house and pool clean everyday and even made us some coconut drinks and guacamole too. The beach is small, so we generally used the pool or drove to another beach. The drive into Puerto Morelos is quick (10 min), though the road is in bad shape. We were thankful we rented the SUV. Some great restaurants in Puerto Morelos, and an internet cafe - just buy a cup of coffee and they give you a wifi password, or pay per 15 minutes to use their computers. The house technically has wifi, but we weren't able to get a signal. You could "plug in" but that required a computer which we didn't bring, we only had our handheld devices.

We went to one of the big grocery stores near Playa del Carmen and did a lot of cooking at the house. $100 bought the 4 of us groceries for the week, including alcohol. Everything we needed kitchen-wise was in the house including a blender for our daily margaritas.

We also drove to Playa del Carmen and some of the sites further south, like Tulum. That was the one downside of this rental. It was just too far of a drive to get to those tourist sites. 1.5 hr to Tulum. It was about 45 min to Playa, so that wasn't so bad. But I think this house would be best for those who aren't too interested in doing a lot sightseeing and more just about relaxing in a quiet private location with a cute town nearby to venture to.

Overall we really had a great time and loved Puerto Morelos. Well worth the money spent.

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

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Helpful votes: 1 / 1