Beautiful Villa,Very affordable-perfect location!

Guest: JR22 (Springlake, NC, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/02/09 Review Submitted: 03/13/09

In A word -Fantastic! This villa has a beautiful view of the Golf course, is very comfortable and nicely finished and has a perfect location right next to the pool with a nice easy walk to the beach and members beach pool club. We opened up the windows and had the cool Caribbean breeze blowing through the villa while we were there and then at night we didn't evan need the 2 AC units that the villa has. My wife and I slept on the Queen bed and our 2 kids slept in the loft area which has a low roof but was perfect for our teenagers and would be a great option for younger kids too. We found everything to be in perfect working condition (not sure how the folks below didn't) and towels, linens and furniture was all in great shape and seemingly new. The villa inside and its surrounding area has a really nice Mediteranean feel and the grounds are beautiful. The hotel has great restaurants and amenities that we made full use of and we found some great restaurants just outside the resort. The owner Richard was very helpful in giving us direction on things to do and we found the Rio Mar area VERY convenient for the Rainforest, Horseback riding and ATV Rainforest tours, Bioluminescent bay kayak tour(at night!) Catamaran day trips snorkelling on the reefs and of course Old San Juan! Strongly recopmmend this villa to families of 4 for activities and beach vacation and also to couples for a nice quiet romantic getaway.

Owner response:Thanks for the review Josh and glad you liked the place! I hope we can help you with your vacation next year!

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

Awsome Villa!!

Guest: JNE (Port St. Lucie,Florida)
Date of Stay: 11/18/10 Review Submitted: 11/23/10

In a word -Awesome!! I stayed at this villa with my wife for 5 days to celebrate our aniversary.This villa has a beautiful view of the Golf course and mountains. It is very comfortable and is perfectly located right next to the pool with a nice easy walk to the beach and members beach pool club. We opened up the windows and had the cool Caribbean breeze blowing through the villa while we were there and then at night we only neede 1 of the 2 AC units that the villa has. My wife and I slept on the Queen bed and ejoyed the great breez with the calming soulds of the coqui.There was a nice loft for children or teens. We found everything to be in perfect working condition. Towels, linens and furniture was all in great shape.We especially ejoyed the wi-fi. The villa and its surrounding area has a really nice Mediteranean feel and the grounds are beautiful. The security in this place was outstanding, they were friendly and always made sure the apropriate people were entering the grounds. The owner Richard was very helpful in giving us direction to the Villa. The Rio Mar area is VERY convenient to El Yunque Rainforest as well as all types of activities in the near by town of fajardo. We would highly recommend this villa for couples and small families. We will defenitely be back. Thanks Richard

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.

great view, close to beach, closer to pool

Guest: Robert Monroe (new york)
Date of Stay: 04/05/10 Review Submitted: 06/16/10

In A word -Fantastic! This villa has a beautiful view of the Golf course, is very comfortable and nicely finished and has a perfect location right next to the pool with a nice easy walk to the beach and members beach pool club. We opened up the windows and had the cool Caribbean breeze blowing through the villa while we were there and then at night we didn't evan need the 2 AC units that the villa has. My wife and I slept on the Queen bed and our 2 kids slept in the loft area which has a low roof but was perfect for our teenagers and would be a great option for younger kids too. We found everything to be in perfect working condition and towels, linens and furniture was all in great shape and seemingly new. The villa inside and its surrounding area has a really nice Mediteranean feel and the grounds are beautiful. The hotel has great restaurants and amenities that we made full use of and we found some great restaurants just outside the resort. The owner Richard was very helpful in giving us direction on things to do and we found the Rio Mar area VERY convenient for the Rainforest, Horseback riding and ATV Rainforest tours, Bioluminescent bay kayak tour(at night!) Catamaran day trips snorkelling on the reefs and of course Old San Juan! Strongly recopmmend this villa to families of 4 for activities and beach vacation and also to couples for a nice quiet romantic getaway.

Recommended for:

Beautiful Villa in Excellent Location

Guest: Leogirl (New York, NY)
Date of Stay: 03/06/09 Review Submitted: 03/19/09

We would strongly recommend this villa to anyone looking for some peace and relaxation. Villa has a fabulous Mediterranean feel and is much like a loft. You can open the windows in their entirety and intake the beautiful views of the golf course. It was very well kept with all the necessary amenities. The pool is steps away with a grill and area to dine/entertain. It’s very quiet and secluded so for action you have to head over to the resort where you have access to most of their facilities such as their pool and poolside tiki bar, beach, casino, restaurants, and concierge service. Resort is gorgeous and you get excellent service… iguanas everywhere! The property is very close to most attractions and excursions…10 min to Luquillo beach, 10 min to El Yunque… 30 min to San Juan…40 min to Old San Juan. Make sure to go to a gift shop across from Rte 3 past the Eureka gas station… I believe it’s called Coqui International… for some awesome souvenirs to take back home. Staying in this villa is an excellent alternative to paying the high room prices at Puerto Rico resorts which don’t include much. Beds could have been more comfortable, but who’s worried about sleeping with so much to do?! When we arrived it was exactly as Richard, the owner, had said. He was very helpful and answered all our questions. Can hardly wait to go back next year!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

Beautiful Clean Villa in great resort location!

Guest: scratch (St Louis, MO, USA)
Date of Stay: 03/07/09 Review Submitted: 03/15/09

Wow! Me and my husband have just returned from a week at this villa and what an awesome experience we had in Puerto Rico! The villa was immaculate with beautiful furnishings and an amazing view of the Golf course. Richard the owner was always available for any questions we had about the local attractions and tours. The villa was right next to the pool which we enjoyed every morning and then of course the nearby hotel beach and members pool are which was really private. The hotel restaurants were pricey but there were lots of well priced alternatives outside the resort serving local style food. Richies was expensive but great view...Also try Hacienda Carabali's grill. Its a ranch close to the villa in the foothills of the Rainforest that offers local food and also Rainforest ATV and horseback riding. Also a go kart racing track for kids. The description of the villa was right on and we found the property in a neat well made up clean state. This villa was very affordable compared to the nearby alternatives and we definitely recommend it.

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

Poor Villa, Excellent Resort

Guest: D.M. (Austin, Texas)
Date of Stay: 01/17/09 Review Submitted: 03/09/09

First let me mention that the Rio Mar resort is fabulous. So many activities and excellent beaches and restaurants. We will definitely stay within the resort again. As far as the villa is concerned,it does have a beautiful view, however,the villa pictures and description are misleading. The property description never mentions that the loft doesn't actually have a king bed, but that it has two twin mattresses laying on a wood floor. Nor does it mention that you can barely sit up on the bed, let alone stand up in the loft. The picture does not show the bottom of the bed so you have no idea that it's that short up there and that what you are looking at is not a complete bed. We had a terrible time trying to get sleep. Spoke to the owner early in the week then could not reach hime the rest of the time even after leaving messages. Also, many things were not working (A/C, fan, microwave, toaster). The owner's only response to that was "thanks" for letting him know. He's certainly not concerned about getting return customers. Lots of other options for this resort, go with someone else's villa!

Owner response:Since this review I have added a Queen Bed to the downstairs main area so the sofa bed is not necessary. The above rentor chose to sleep in the loft and not on what was the sofa bed which is a questionable decision. I am always honest and upfront about the upstairs loft arrangements as you will see from the description of this space here and on my own website. Its more like a bonus for 2 kids. Adults should sleep downstairs on the Queen Bed. (which unfortunately was a sofa bed for the above rentor since the proper Queen wasn't added) However I have to add that 99% of visitors are VERY satisfied and I have many positive reviews and great letters from rentors who stayed BEFORE the queen bed was added. I also have many repeat rentors. I have testimonials available and you can also call any of my repeat customers who can tell you that the villa is VERY good value for the price and perfect for a family vacation or romanitc getaway for a couple. I live in the area and am always available to help with any requests

Recommended for:

Disappointed

Guest: Greene (San Jose, CA)
Date of Stay: 01/08/09 Review Submitted: 01/15/09

I have had very good experiences with previous rentals on Home Away. I was very disappointed with this Studio. The mezzanine was not as pictured. You have to go up a short narrow stair and crawl into the mattress that is situated on the FLOOR. The space between the floor and of the mezzanine and the ceiling is not much (you need to crawl to get in bed). The sofa bed was an alternative but even that was pretty old and in bad shape. I called the manager and asked if another villa was available and I would pay the difference. Was told no, and he would not give us our money back. We left that day to and found a hotel, never used the villa. I am writing this review because I would not like anyone to go through this bad experience while on vacation.

Owner response:Out of 54 satisfied rentors since Jan 2006 and 36 positive reviews (available at your request) Dianes is the first negative one. I still take it very seriously. If you have read this far you will hopefully also have read/go onto read the other review published which is very positive. I have 36 other positive reviews which I can e-mail to you after scanning from the visitors book in the villa. I'm not sure how the Mezzanine can not be as pictured! A picture speaks a thousand words and is not really open to interpretation. If Dianes review casts any doubt about wether this villa is right for you please feel free to contact me and allow me to send you information/pictures that will eliminate any doubt you may still be having. This villa is a true gem and apart from Diane ALL rentors have been very happy. I think Diane forgot about the (new!) sofa bed option when she arrived and since it was not made she assumed the Loft was the only option. The loft is great for kids and also adults who come with poetic souls and a fun spirit. An unhappy rentor is unacceptable to me which is why, since Dianes review I have changed the sofa bed to a Queen size bed. (now pictured). The sofa is still there as folks love it. I truly hope that this negative review will not put you off this villa as people who have stayed have really enjoyed the villa, Rio Mar and its location and proximity to all the hotel amenities and local attractions. I believe that by helping people and providing a great product, people will come back to the villa and the island. I work in tourism and we rely on word of mouth for our success. Having satisfied rentors is of the most importance to me. By the way...I am the owner not the manager as Diane states.

Recommended for:

Why a small hotel room when you can have a Villa?

Guest: Omaira (Bloomfield, NJ)
Date of Stay: 07/24/08 Review Submitted: 08/22/08

I absolutely loved my stay here! Richard's description of the villa is on point. It has a charming Mediterranean Style very clean, convienient, comfortable, and safe. The view from the villa outside is spectacular. Has all the amenities anyone can need from coffee to beach towels, you name it they have it. The pool is right outside the villa and the beach is a short walk away. El Yunque Rainforest is about a 5-10 minute drive away, definately worth visiting and enjoying a nice hiking trail with beautiful views take a camera. Give Richard a call if you need a bigger place he can help you with that also, very kind and professional. All one needs to do is relax and enjoy your Home Away from Home! Richard & Margie thank you for making my stay so enjoyable, I will definately recommend this place to all my friends and family.

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