Great experience

Guest: George (California)
Date of Stay: 10/22/11 Review Submitted: 11/01/11

This is an exceptional property for families to enjoy all that an oceanfront villa has to offer in Baja California Mexico. The location was isolated (1.5 hour drive from San Jose Del Cabo) but for our group that meant more time together (eg. ATV's) and we did not have any temptation to go to the Cabo hot spots until we left. The house was spacious and always neat and clean. Each room had its own bath and a/c. Property management took care of all the details. The food and margarita's were outstanding. For our family, this will be a trip not forgotten.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

An excellent place to et away from it all!

Guest: SCUBA newbie (san diego)
Date of Stay: 07/15/11 Review Submitted: 07/24/11

I am typically a type A personallity, working all the time. It took a place as peaceful as Casa Cardonal to make me put away my cell phone and email for a week. The property is secluded from hte lights and sounds of any cities, so it was easy to see how the starry night skies inspired so many myths in ages past. The comfort of the beds and the luxury of the kitchen were phnomenal. We had the house staff cooking for us breakfast and dinner, and the meals were great. But if you are a chef, you may want to purchase more in the town market before heading to the casa to use the fantastic cooking facilities for a memorable barbeque or a romantic dinner of fresh fish. We went out for the serenity as well as the notable SCUBA diving, and the dive boat picked my girlfriend and I up on the water directly in front of the casa. The diving was great but from the looks of things, the fishing is even better. If that is your game, I anticipate you will be in heaven considering the number of fishing boats and the smiles on the fishermen's faces. For us, The coral reefs, the many types of fish and an amazing pool waiting for us when we got back were the highlights of the vacation.Imagine that slight breeze of the trade winds gliding through the open living room just tickling the hairs on the back of your neck as you sipped on a margarita. This is how we unwound as the sun set each night. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves baja but is trying ot avoid the clutter of Cabo.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with young children.

Better than a Four Seasons

Guest: Eric (Costa Mesa, CA)
Date of Stay: 12/27/10 Review Submitted: 06/24/11

This testimonial is long overdue! One of my favorite patients recommended that I visit Casa Cardonal due to our shared love of the ocean, sun & fun... I could write for hours, but it still wouldn't do this place justice. We are lucky to have the opportunity to be exposed to such luxury in baja's isolated paradise. I'm looking forward to returning soon... great fun & the big surprise was the warm welcoming staff and support we had while we stayed at your lovely Casa... not to mention all your great neighbors! BTW My wife is a fan of the Four Seasons... and she is asking about our next planned trip back! Please let me know how I can share on your site some of our family photos/video of scuba, fishing, kitesurfing from our trip! Thanks for everything- The Vanek Fam

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Guest: Victoria Calverley (Toronto, Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/14/09 Review Submitted: 03/14/09

Our extended family group has been booking villas for a week over New Years for seven years, and this year happened on Casa Cardonal. We couldn’t have been happier. Our group ranges in age from 11 to 80 with a good representation of teenagers in the mix. We felt entirely safe letting them come and go, taking the ATV to the market or to explore the desert, testing their skills in the sea kayaks and snorkeling off the beach. With its lovely casita and many alcoves, Casa Cardonal provided places for everyone to find quiet spaces. But when evening fell, we all migrated to a most lovely central room opening onto the ocean, big enough for all of us to gather to practice our margarita-making skills, learn to make tacos with Francesca in the kitchen over cocktails, sit down to dinner and follow up with endless card games! One of the best ways to end the day was in the hot tub under the stars, listening to the crash of the surf and planning the next day’s activities. But the jewel of Casa Cardonal is Octavio who truly made our stay unforgettable by looking after everything from our fantastic meals to fishing trips and a girl’s trip to Todos Santos for lunch and shopping. All in all - and especially for a family group looking for a laid back, barefoot vacation - we couldn’t have asked for better.

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Guest: Pete DiDomenico (Virginia)
Date of Stay: 03/10/09 Review Submitted: 03/10/09

Our family vacation to Casa Cardonal was wonderful. The house and location were both absolutely amazing. We took advantage of all the amenities the Casa has to offer including a couple fishing trips with Mino, kayaking, atv rides through the desert, shuffleboard, and of course plenty of time relaxing by the pool/hot tub and on the beach. The folks that took care of us during our stay were wonderful. In particular, Octavio and family catered several delicious meals for us and our 18 month old son developed quite a crush on Maria who came by daily to clean the house. I highly recommend Casa Cardonal if you are looking to really get away and relax. There is some action in Los Barilles nearby but Casa cardonal offered everything we were looking for without having to go anywhere. A few recommendations to those that book here: 1) Make use of Octavio's catering service. The meals are great and pretty inexpensive. Ask him to do lobster one night if he is able to get it. 2) Octavio booked us a masseuse (Nancy) that came in from Los Barilles. She came to the Casa with all the equipment, was extremely professional and gave great massages. A wonderful way to start our vacation (so good we had her come back again for another 3 hours later in the week) 3) Make sure to go to the taco stand at least once. Great food and great chance to meet some of the locals.

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Guest: Tiffany MacCallum (Jamestown, New York)
Date of Stay: 01/06/09 Review Submitted: 01/06/09

My family, 11 of us in all, just spent our Christmas break at Casa Cardonal. My parents, sister and brother-in-law and their 2 children met us from Montana. As we only get to see each other a few times a year, we were looking to make the most of our holiday together. With a father who doesn't enjoy the all-inclusive type of vacation and children ages 6 down to 6 months, plus a couple of husbands that need a variety of things to keep them busy ... we were looking for something unique. I would definitely say Casa Cardonal exceeded our expectations. Right from the start, Octavio and his family made our stay completely relaxing. The meals his wife prepared for us were amazing! We especially enjoyed our tortilla making lesson, though we don't have quite the skill that she does. We had a great time interacting with their family. Mino, the caretaker, took many of us out fishing several times, including the children. His patience, despite the language barrier, was incredible. Maria kept everything in perfect order in the house, which with all the children, wasn't easy. We made many trips on the 4-wheelers to the store, visited the taco stand and a neighbor up the road building a house out of bags of dirt. Other than that, we simply enjoyed the house and it's amenities. The children spent many hours going between the pool, spa, and ocean. The weather was also perfect, not sure if that was part of the great deal or not?! We appreciate the fact that the Colwells opened up their home to us. We will have memories for a lifetime.

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Guest: Susan DeRamus (Birmingham, AL USA)
Date of Stay: 12/02/08 Review Submitted: 12/02/08

My four girlfriends and I spent our annual Girl's Getaway at Casa Cardonal and we had a FABULOUS time. We have been all over the Caribbean and this was our favorite place of all! We rented both the main villa and guest house (so much space!) The estate has every possible luxury (including the most gorgeous views of the Sea of Cortez!) that you can imagine. The hot tub in the evening was a highlight, with the stereo system that is awesome throughout the patio/pool area. The taco stand down the road was incredible...the best tacos (and atmosphere) that we have ever had! Mino, the caretaker, was the perfect host (and boat captain) with an infectious smile! The infinity pool leading to the beach was the perfect backdrop for our pictures. We were spoiled beyond belief! Octavio was the best. He (or should I say his wife) catered several of our meals and we are still talking about them. The day tour was a treat as well. We are already talking of a return trip!!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/09/08 Review Submitted: 01/09/08

Our visit last April was fantastic! I can't imagine a better location for our vacation, right on the beach overlooking the Sea of Cortez. The estate was wonderful, and everyone took great care of us. We can't wait to come back!

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Guest: Richard Spraker (-)
Date of Stay: 01/08/08 Review Submitted: 01/08/08

We had one of the best family vacations ever. My son, daughter in law and two grandkids stayed in the Casita, and that worked out perfect. They had their own kitchen and could take care of all their own random eating habits. My wife, son and I stayed in the big house and woke up every morning to the rising Baja sun filtering its way through your palatial gazebo. The hub for everything was definitely your infinity pool. Your design of the "beach" entrance was the best. The kids, ages 4 and 1, could play in the shallow water all day and we didn't have to worry about the 3' to 5' deep ends. It's definitely a pool that caters to both adults and kids. Your caretaker, Mino, was a huge help, and skippered us every day to the fishing grounds on you panga, the Pesca Alert. We caught lots of yellowfin tuna and dorado, all on live bait. Your boat ran great and Mino made sure it was clean, gassed and ready to go each day. On our last day, we took the boat and one of your jet skis for the 20 minute run to the Giggling Marlin Club at Muertos Bay. Saw lots of porpoise, had a great lunch, and witnessed my son upside down in their famous block and tackle rig. We also toured El Cardonal and the surrounding area on your ATV's. Fortunatley and miraculously, we did it without incident and returned in time for an intense shuffleboard match and a jacuzzi as the sun set over the Western horizon. Two last things - Meals: We utilized Octavio's catering service for a full Mexican meal on our opening night. It was very reasonable and quite delicious. I would definitely recommend his services to anyone not wanting to prepare their own meals. We also went to Taco night on Wednesday in the town square. You bring your own beer/cokes and for $23 I fed the entire family on shrimp, fish, chicken, and beef tacos. They were great. We loved everything and can't wait to get back! Thanks for a great week. Rich Spraker

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Guest: Kely1 (Barstow,ca)
Date of Stay: 11/13/07 Review Submitted: 11/13/07

What an amazing experince! This home is awesome....Honestly it is sad because I know that anywhere else I stay will never touch the experince I've had in this beautiful home! Mino was a great help! Maria kept the place beautiful, and Octavio's family cook the most delish meals! Thank you so much for this oppritunity to enjoy Mexico! Kely Torres

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