OCEANFRONT VILLA ON CONTADORA - INTERNET, SATELLITE AND A SAFE

We spent a week in Villa 21 and enjoyed the best vacation we've ever had. From the moment we boarded the high-speed ferry to the island, we knew we were in for a great time. The staff was friendly and exceptionally helpful. We had overloaded on goodies for the condo, but they helped us load & unload it all quickly & effortlessly.
We had looked at satellite pictures of the island, website reviews, and taken the excellent advice from the owners before we arrived, but these didn't dim the initial beauty when we motored into the bay and unloaded onto the water taxi.
The condo at the villa was in really great shape; clean, well maintained, and very convenient to the main activity centers of the island. The grounds were very well-kept, and the entire time we stayed, they kept a steady vigil. We had a short wait to get into the villa because the ferry arrives a little earlier than the staff could have it cleaned for us. They let us drop our bags at the villa until it was ready. The beach was beckoning and before we knew it we were moved in & ready to go island exploring.
Walking all over the island is relatively quick & easy. Paved streets & obvious gravel paths with a steady up & down of the hills of the island gets the blood flowing and in the dry season heat, we were ready for an umbrella drink at one of the various resort bars. A little spendy for casual afternoons, but perfect for a stroll around the island. We took the Coral Divers snorkeling tour of the closer islands one morning and then just rented snorkeling gear and tried a different beach each day. The waters are warm & inviting, the crowds nonexistent, and the atmosphere relaxing and stimulating simultaneously!!
Between cooking for ourselves in the fully stocked condo kitchen we tried 3 resturants; Geralds, Romantica, and the Rincon Hot Plate. All served about the same dishes, fresh caught fish & seafood, but our favorite was the Ricon. They set up a tabletop grill, an excellent ceviche', & platters with all the spices & dips you can imagine. You cook your choices at the table as you chat & drink with friends. Sharing the flavors, different sauces, & combinations brings back the festivity of dining!
This island is not for the full-service-resort-minded traveler. These people are friendly, self-sufficient types that expect the same from you. We thoroughly enjoyed interacting with most of them.
If you like to indulge in the local culture, you will LOVE this little slice of heaven in the Pacific.

Christopher's property in Contadora was great. My wife and I were there for a week in December and had a very quiet relaxing time. We decided to rent a house after researching the local hotels and I'm glad we did. The house was clean well tended, and the internet and satellite TV was great for the mornings we had to work. It has a partial view of the sea, and was an easy walk down the 50 or so stairs to a small private beach. Contadora is small enough that you can walk to all the beaches. I can honestly say the most people we ever saw on the beach with us was 6 (that may have been because of our dates). The people in the surrounding houses were friendly and helpful, and the closest B&B (Geralds) was fine for lunch and dinner and was a short walk from the house. There are several other places to eat, all with the same basic menu. Overall Contadora is beautiful but it's not for resort lovers nor is it a culinary holiday. It is about being surrounded by nature, quiet, and great beaches. The food is fresh, local, and satisfying, and the people are friendly and mellow. Lastly, I will say that Christopher was very responsive to all our questions and needs, and his staff on the ground was extremely helpful. There is a big deserted resort on the island that, when it gets bought and renovated, will change the tone of the place. For better or worse I don't know. So I suggest going sooner than later, so you can say, "I remember when this was a sleepy little island."

We spent three nights at the villa and from beginning to end our experience was great. Had a super relaxing time. Gerard's restaurant is less than a block away with good food and great service. We did visit other restaurants but Gerard's was the best of them. The beach is only steps away, it feels as if it was a private beach. Of our three day stay we were basically by ourselves at the beach most of the time. Thanks for a great vacation time Chris. We will def be returning!