Glad we had the pool
Submitted: April 27, 2012
Stayed: April 2012
My wife and I stayed at Casa de Suenos for 8 nights and enjoyed our visit. It did meet the description and was very clean and well maintained. Aaron, who cleans the grounds and pool, and Guadalope, who cleans the house, were very nice and effiecent. The issues we had were that there were little things that we thought should have been there, i.e. charcol for the BBG (its a pain to have to haul charcoal from the store), BBQ tools (not just kitchen utenciles), A flashlight (it gets dark early and walking along the road is tough), a kayak (instead of having torent one (which is expensive and a hassle to get to the house), and a couple of bikes (I know they are subject to wear and tear, but it is a hassle to have to go to town to rent them and then return them). We would have been willing to pay a little more to have accessto these items, just to avoid the hassle factor.
Be prepared to spent a significant sum of taxi's or a golf cart rental to get around. And the land taxis are not as reliable as you might want. The water taxis were fine.
We were not impressed with the food available in the restaurants and were less impressed with what was available to cook at home. Forget getting a nice steak to BBQ, or even hamburger that would form patties. Of course we in the USA are spoiled with the fresh fruit and vegetables we have available, so don't expect those to be up to our standards for your cooking either. It seems that all US products are about double US prices, so look for local products, some of which were very good.
The weather was great for us and our only issue was the mosquitoes after the rain. That is another thing that the owners could bhave done better - provide citronella candles or put some bug spray out for use, at least until you get to town to get your own.
But, all that said, we had a very relaxing vacation and the snorkling was great. And we really enjoyed the pool. That was the best feature for us and we used it every day for several hours.
Owner's Response: Upon confirming a reservation all guests are encouraged to contact our property manager regarding other needs, including transfers, Tropic Air flights, golf cart and bicycle rentals, cooking, provisioning, excursions to the mainland, fishing, diving, etc. Phone numbers are readily available to reach the management company during the stay, and we have had many positive comments affirming their helpfulness. We also invite guests to express concerns directly to us by e-mail; we do respond. This particular guest contacted us with several questions prior to booking, including the availability of kayaks and bicycles, and we are very sorry he did not reach out to us while there, as some of the other difficulties he encountered may have been alleviated.
To address a few of the specific complaints: There is a battery-operated lantern in the master bedroom closet and a flashlight in the kitchen. BBQ tools are in a kitchen drawer. As guests come and go, we find that they leave items such as books, sunscreen, bug spray, coffee, condiments, spices, charcoal, and even open liquor bottles for the next guests to enjoy. It’s unfortunate that this particular guest did not find charcoal or bug spray among the extras. There are provisioning businesses on the island that could have saved the guest a lot of time and effort fetching the desired items, had he been inclined to use them. We have tried, but not been able to find citronella candles that are effective. During the rainy season our gardener uses a fog sprayer to help keep the number of mosquitoes under control.
We encourage anyone planning a visit to Ambergris Caye to inform themselves as much as possible about the island and its culture prior to arrival. This property is located in Central America, not the USA, and that means expectations for the environment, food, and amenities should be adjusted to fit the location. This property is a 2 BR, adults only rental, and does not seek to be all things to all people. As much as we would love to have kayaks, bicycles, and even a golf cart available for our guests, it simply is not practical without secure storage facilities and a 24-hr caretaker on the property; that would not only significantly increase the rental rates, but also take away from the unique privacy our guests currently enjoy. If having the type of amenities suggested by the reviewer is a priority to you, we would suggest you look toward a more upscale rental or larger resort for your accommodations.
Helpful votes: 5/7
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