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James Baumgaertner
Best Location, True Beachfront, Luxury 2 BR Condo, Villas Del Mar C 105
| 14 Reviews | |
| Sleeps | 6 |
| Bedrooms | 2 |
| Bathrooms | 2 |
| Half Baths | 1 |
| Property type | condo |
| Minimum Stay | 2 - 6 nights |
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Puerto Aventuras Condo Rental Photos and Description
Two Bedroom Luxury Condo, Ground Floor, Closest to the Beach and the Pool
Villas Del Mar C105, otherwise known as Casa Kokai, is the single most popular two bedroom beachfront condo in all of Puerto Aventuras. It is in the perfect location. It is directly on the best part of the very best beach in PA, it is right next to the biggest pool in PA, it is in the very best condo complex, Villas Del Mar, and it is within very close walking distance to all the restaurants, the marina, the dolphins, the golf course, and everything else.
Puerto Aventuras is the crown jewel of the Riviera Maya. It is an incredibly beautiful, planned, gated beach resort community. It is the only location on the Riviera Maya with its own marina and so you will have easy access to dive boats, snorkel boats, charter fishing boats, yachts, catamarans, and other watercraft. There is also a dolphin encounter with over 20 dolphins, a sanctuary for manatees, and also sea lions and stingrays. It's almost like a mini sea world and it's all free. Of course if you want to swim with the dolphins or the manatees you pay a fee, but you can certainly watch everything for free. The dolphin area is lined with many restaurants and tourist shops as well as bakeries, drugstores, and small grocery stores. Because it is a gated and guarded community, The crime rate is extremely low, it's also quiet without any heavy traffic, or barking dogs. It is simply lovely...I call it PA Paradise.
My wife and I own two condos in PA, Villas Del Mar C105 (Casa Kokai) and Villas Del Mar C 205. Both condos have identical floor plans. Casa Kokai is on the ground floor, and VDM C205 is directly above it. The lower unit has the advantage of being directly on the beach with no need for stairs. The upper unit has the advantage of having a better breeze, better view, more privacy and it's quieter. Both condos were totally renovated within the last few years and they both have beautiful gourmet kitchen with granite counters new appliances and dining table with room for seven.
We have a separate utility room that contains a washer dryer a toilet and a sink. It offers the advantage of being able to close the door when the washer and dryer is on. Many of the other two bedroom condos don't have the utility room and so the washer dryer is in the kitchen and there's no extra toilet. Having the extra toilet when you have five or six people in the condo comes in very handy! We have 2 1/2 bathrooms and two bedrooms.
The master bedroom is truly masterful. It is quite large, in fact it's big enough to put down a king-size bed directly in front of the king-size bed and there would still be enough room to walk around. The master bedroom in VDM C105 ( as well as C 205) is bigger then any other master bedroom in the C building. The bedroom also has beautiful views in three directions. It has a king size bed and it has a chest of drawers with 16 different drawers, a dressing area, and a good size closet with a hotel safe. The master bathroom also contains a private Jacuzzi bath in addition to a shower. The second bedroom contains two full-size beds. In Mexico they call them matrimonial mattresses. The second bathroom has a shower. The second bedroom in Casa Kokai also has a sliding glass door leading to a step out terrace where you can quietly read or sunbathe or sleep in a hammock. It is the only private terrace that comes off of a second bedroom in the entire Villas Del Mar complex. The living room has two couches a flat screen high def TV, free Netflix and free wifi.
Please be sure to click on the YouTube video in order to see the beauty of the condo. If you can't get it via direct clicking through this website, simply Google VDM C105 YouTube. There are several videos including videos of the upper unit.
It's important to point out that the Villas Del Mar complex is the nicest condo complex ( by far!) in all of PA. It has a lot of green space, a very large two leveled pool, and a large private beach with powder white sand. The beach is beautifully maintained by our maintenance staff. The staff will also happily provide you with free lounge chairs and they can set them up underneath one of the palapas.
What is particularly important is that our beach directly in front of Villas Del Mar is fantastic for sunbathing, playing, swimming and snorkeling. The water is even safe for toddlers because we have a barrier that prevents the heavy waves from splashing a shower and washing out the beach. The barrier crates is warm lagoon with soft sand bottom that is perfect for playing and for swimming in shallow water. Beyond the barrier, there is superb snorkeling. As you walk down the beach heading south you'll come across other condo complexes including Quinta Maya, Quinta Sol, and Villas Del Mar 2. The beaches in front of these condos are much smaller, the sand is much coarser ( you will need sandals) and the water is not swimmable because it's way too shallow with a coarse rocky bottom. In other words it's impossible to swim off of those beaches. Please be aware that Villas Del Mar 2 is a totally separate condo complex from Villas Del Mar. It is much smaller, has a smaller pool, and a much smaller beach. The similarity pretty much ends with the name. Villas Del Mar (sometimes called Villas Del Mar 1) is more desirable and it is also much closer to all of the fun things in the marina area.
The beach directly in front of Villas Del Mar also has some of the very best snorkeling on the Riviera Maya. You do not have to go out in a snorkel boat to appreciate the reefs. You also don't have to purchase a wristband or pay for parking as you would need to do at Akumal or Xelha. Simply put on your mask fins and snorkel and paddle out until you get close to where the water is breaking. It will take you about 5 to 10 minutes to paddle out. The reef in this area is between 1 foot and 6 feet deep and so you will see the coral in all of its beauty with abundant fish life and you'll probably also see a few sea turtles and perhaps a stingray. I particularly like to do some night snorkeling. Simply go out with an underwater flashlight around twilight and snorkel for about an hour. You'll be able to see lobster, crabs, morays possibly cuttlefish. You can then come back to a hot Jacuzzi and a cold cerveza.
I bought these two condos beachfront condos in 1998 while they were being constructed. To this day, I am not aware of any other better two bedroom beachfront condos anywhere on the entire Riviera Maya.
- Suitability:
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- Long-term Renters Welcome
- children welcome
- non smoking only
- pets not allowed
- wheelchair accessible
About James Baumgaertner
My wife, Peggy, and I have been diving in Mexico since 1982. We live in Wisconsin and we love the Caribbean coast of Mexico. We bought two condos in Puerto Aventuras, Villas Del Mar C 105 and VDM C 205 in 1998. We also own a lakefront property in Bacalar on the southwest shore of Laguna Bacalar named Quinta Mai. We rent all three properties year round.
James Baumgaertner purchased this condo in 1998
Why James Baumgaertner chose Quintana Roo
Simply stated Puerto Aventuras is the best location on the Riviera Maya. Villas Del Mar is the best condo complex in PA. The C building is the best building in the VDM complex because it's directly on the beach. Our two condos, VDM C105 and VDM C205, are the largest two bedroom condos in the C building and they are perfectly located with beautiful views of the beach and the pool. You simply can't do any better anywhere on the Riviera Maya!
What makes this condo unique
Casa Kokai is directly on the best part of the best beach. There is jacuzzi on the large terrace, private jacuzzi bath in the master bathroom, a gourmet kitchen that was totally renovated in 2013. The master bedrooms in C 105 and C 205 are much bigger than any other master bedroom in the other two bedroom condos in the Villas Del Mar C building. The beach is the best in PA with powder white sand, great swimming, and fantastic snorkeling.
Guestbook comments from the manager
June 2006 on VDM C 105:
We have traveled to the Riviera Maya many times but have always
stayed at resorts. As good as those places have been, this vacation
surpassed our other experiences. There is a reason there are so many
good reviews of Villa Del Mar on this site!
We booked our vacation through the owner directly, Jim Baumgaertner
and stayed in his ground floor unit VDM C-105 (also called Casa
Kokai). He was great to work with and the condo was exceptional. It
had plenty of room for our family of 5 and was well appointed with
all the amenities we needed. Also, the folks that manage the property on
site were very helpful, spoke perfect English, and easily available.
I can honestly say that this was a perfect vacation! The combination
of the condo together with Puerto Aventuras itself made this a great
and unique vacation. Here are the things that I think make it so
special: stepping off a large patio right onto the sand, a large
private 4 person hot tub on the patio, just to the left of the patio
is a fantastic 2 level pool with tiled water chairs and multiple zero
entry points(we could even watch our kids play in the pool from the
condo or the beach), a beach with several good qualities- sandy
swimming areas right in front of the condo, private palapas &chairs
(no cost), calm water & some days it was as calm as a lake, a reef
close to shore for easy snorkeling(my 10 year old and I saw many sting
rays,a lobster, an octopus, a barracuda, and of course a lot of fish),
rocky areas down the beach with tidal pools to explore, and the Omni
Hotel next door will serve you drinks and has great lunches with a
restaurant right on the sand (about a 50-100 yard walk).
Reviews
5 based on 14 traveler reviews
AMAZING PLACE TO STAY
Amazing location and condo! We stayed here two weeks in July - first time ever being in Mexico. I searched the website for months trying to find the best place for our family of four for our vacation (two kids 13,7). What Dr. James Baumgaertner has shown for pictures and his walk around video is exact! We could not ask for a better vacation spot. The workers are so friendly and accommodating. After we booked with James he gave us a ton of information about the area which we relied on quite a bit. His manager that is on site was very helpful as well - if we ever needed anything he was there for us.
There are so many places to stay at Villa Del Mar for condo rentals - but I can say I believe we picked the very best one. When going for a walk down to the other area where there are different villa del mar condo rentals - the beach is definitely not as nice as where we stayed.
It is the perfect spot to be by the ocean. Ocean was amazing! The two pools are very clean and not too many people when we were there. The snorkeling was so fun to be able to do it right outside the condo. The beach right outside our condo is a great size, not too busy, love the little area for younger kids to play in the ocean without having the waves get them.
The condo itself is absolutely beautiful and very spacious. The balcony has an amazing view. Very clean. Has tons of drawers.
Short walk to pretty much anything you need. Loved that we could eat a meal in the condo or walk anywhere within a few minutes to eat out if we preferred.
It was also very handy to rent the mini van that James has available. Since this was our first time to Mexico we definitely went out almost every day and explored different places. First day we were nervous to leave but after day one, we were old pros. I felt very safe.
I would recommend this property to anyone that wants an amazing family vacation, wants to be as close to the ocean as you can get, doesn't want to have the all inclusive feeling with hundreds of people around you, wants a relaxing, comfortable beautiful place to stay. Thank you to James for being so helpful and accommodating and to his wife (which I had such a wonderful chat with on the phone before I booked).
This was an absolutely beautiful vacation spot to be at. We look forward to the next time we come to Mexico. We will definitely come back to this property. P.S. My son misses "Fire" the Iguana that seems to live at the rock by the pool;)
EXCELLENT VACATION!
Our family of four just returned from a week at Casa Kokai (Villas Del Mar C105), and it was absolutely perfect! This condo has all the comforts to make your stay stress free and fun. You are literally steps from the best beach in PA, as well as steps from two amazing pools. Our kids (14 and 12) loved this condo and they never once got bored.
The town of PA is totally safe and slower pace than Cancun which made for total relaxation. You are a short walk from the center of town which has great restaurants, ice cream and the dolphin discovery attraction.
The property owner, Dr. Jim Baumgaertner, provided all the information we needed to make our total vacation stress free!
We also took advantage of the van offered by Dr. B and was able to explore the area. We visited Mayan ruins at Tulum, snorkeled with sea turtles at Akumal Bay, shopped in Playa Del Carmen, and visited the XPlor adventure park. All these attractions are just a short drive from the condo.
We had ZERO problems on our trip and will return to Casa Kokai for sure. If you are thinking about a great trip with your family, this is it!
Wonderful relaxing vacation spot
We spent a week at VDM 205 and had a fantastic time! It was very clean and the location was phenomenal! We have 2 children, ages 6 and 9 and it was perfect! Definitely the best beach in PA. The pools are very large and excellent for the kids as well as swimming laps (if someone wants to do that on vacation). The condo was very large and comfortable as there was a nice breeze. There is air conditioning but it wasn't needed. PA is a few minutes walk to enjoy shopping, interacting with dolphins and manatees, or people watching. The people are very friendly and this felt more like a small town than a tourist trap. We especially enjoyed the peace and quiet away from the crowds. We rented a car and enjoyed our trips to the grocery store and local cenotes. When we travel, we always try to get more of an authentic experience that includes trying to speak the language, interacting with locals, and enjoying the local wildlife. We especially enjoyed watching the agouti at the complex and were rewarded our last day there seeing a momma and her babies. As we had a car, we roamed up and down the coast and felt like we were staying in the best area for our needs. We enjoyed Akumal (saw lots of very large turtles) and Half Moon Bay (go to Buena Vida restauraunt-awesome) but felt the beach was too rocky for our small kids. That being said, some of the area at VDM is rocky but the rocks are smooth and there is a large area of just sand that is very shallow (due to the rock wall breakers). The actual sand on the beach is very smooth and great for kids to dig and create. The photos of the place are spot on. I agree with the other reviews that it is very secure and we always felt safe. The owner and property manager were great to work with-very helpful and accommodating. We definitely will return!
Tina G
I have been renting this place since 2012. Someone recommended for a vacation spot for family with small children. I understood when I got there as the unit is is right in front of the warm beach and the pool is also right next to the unit. The place is tight with security and very safe. The owner is very quick to respond and arranges to take care of any problem or help you might have, and the manager is fluent in English and accommodating. The shopping area is within walking distance. I like the driving to Soriana to shop for grocery - this way I get the true sense of being in Mexico. I highly recommend this place for anyone who wants the quiet, peaceful vacation with family or friends.
VDM C205
My family and I just returned from a fabulous week in this condo. It was exactly what what described -- clean, airy, new kitchen, and perfect location next to the beach and the pool. We sat out on the balcony morning and evening, drinking coffee, drinking wine, playing cards with our kids, reading, and just taking in the beautiful view. We also did a lot of snorkeling, exploring, visiting cenotes, jumping off a small cliff, swimming with the dolphins, and jumping the waves. Jim Baumgaertner, the owner, was so easy to work with -- and on top of that, he was very helpful with tips on transportation, places to visit, places to eat, and what to pack. Jaime Revilla, the property manager, was available and helpful as well. Though this was our first visit, it will not be our last. We cannot wait to go back!
Perfect relaxation
The condo was perfect -- clean, airy, beautiful kitchen, fabulous views, and right on the beach as well as being poolside. We traveled with our 3 children (13,12 and 10) and they just loved it there, alternating between swimming in the pool and swimming in the ocean. We walked the beach, snorkeled in front of the condos, took daily walks to watch the dolphins swim, and did a lot of reading and relaxing. The kids wandered on their own as well, and we felt safe letting them do so. The condo is the perfect location being walking distance to everything. Plus, the beach is nicer than other areas -- it is combed every day and there was plenty of room to spread out on the provded beach chairs. We did a couple of day trips -- to snorkel with sea turtles, swim in a cenote and eat at a lovely beach front restaurant. The owner, Jim, was great to work with and was very informative -- as was one of his friends who was renting the unit below us. Loved all of their tips! I loved that the housekeeper came to clean a few times, making my vacation nicer -- and though we did not need Jaime, the manager, for much, he was very friendly and helpful. I wish we did not need to leave, and we will definitely be returning! I highly recommend it. Thanks Jim!
Map
Photos
Rates & Availability
Puerto Aventuras Condo Rental Rates
- Rental Basis:
- per property
- Manager accepts payment in:
- USD
| Rate Period | Nightly | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Event | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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September October
Sep 1 2016 -
Oct 29 2016
2 night minimum stay
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$190
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$1,330
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Oct 30/Dec 17
Oct 30 2016 -
Dec 17 2016
2 night minimum stay
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$250
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$1,775
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Holiday Season
Dec 18 2016 -
Jan 5 2017
6 night minimum stay
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$350
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$2,450
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Jan/April
Jan 6 2017 -
Apr 22 2017
3 night minimum stay
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$325
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$2,275
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Late Spring/Summer
Apr 23 2017 -
Sep 3 2017
3 night minimum stay
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$250
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$1,750
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Sept Oct
Sep 4 2017 -
Oct 31 2017
2 night minimum stay
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$190
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$1,330
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Nov to Early December
Nov 1 2017 -
Dec 15 2017
2 night minimum stay
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$250
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$1,750
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Holiday
Dec 16 2017 -
Jan 5 2018
6 night minimum stay
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$350
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$2,450
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My Standard Rate
2 night minimum stay
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$190
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$1,330
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Additional information about rental rates
| Cleaning | $59 |
Rates are subject to change until reservation is confirmed. Renters are responsible for damage to the property. Review rental agreement for details on payment and cancellation policies. Trip cancellation insurance is recommended.
Manager's Cancellation Policy
- Available arrival
- Available stay (no arrival)
- Unavailable
Amenities
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