Heaven on Earth

Guest: Jan44 (Wellesley, MA)
Date of Stay: 01/22/11 Review Submitted: 02/03/11

What can I say? The house is utterly stunning. I knew it was going to be special after looking at the pictures on the website, reading previous reviews and talking with Patrick and Michael but I never imagined it would be quite so spectacular. Everything about the house is pure perfection – the location mid-island and close to markets, the site high on the hill looking out to the north, the roomy open living space and especially the fashionable décor. It could easily be featured in a design magazine. The furnishings, wall decorations and luscious colors of the rooms create an atmosphere of welcome luxury. The kitchen is beautifully equipped and the gas grill on the terrace adds to culinary possibilities. We chose to eat in every night except for one (dinner at Trade Winds in Esperanza on my husband’s birthday) and having breakfast on the porch became one of our favorite times of the day. This was our first visit to Vieques and we’ve fallen completely in love with the island. The beaches are amazing and, even at “high season”, wonderfully unpopulated. We’ve lived and traveled in many parts of the world but have never found a stretch of sand more spectacular than Blue Beach. And then there’s Caracas…and Green Beach…and Sun Bay. You can’t go wrong wherever you choose to set up your beach chair. Bioluminescent Bay is extraordinary; don't under any circumstance miss experiencing the phenomenon of moving your hand through the water and producing flashes of light. One tip: do arrange for your car early. We ran into lots of folks who were unable to secure transportation. We rented from Martineau and that, in itself, was a trip: two gas guzzlers with battery problems left us stranded first at the market and then at the house temporarily. I say temporarily because the 24-hour emergency number provided by the rental company produced speedy results each time. Eventually we got the Jeep Liberty we had originally reserved and from then on we were very happy campers. Finally, this will sound strange but I especially appreciated the well-oiled, easy turning locks to house, gate, and laundry room. I love it when things work they way they’re supposed to. We came to Vieques to escape winter and found a relaxed, friendly island where everyone we met seemed genuinely happy. All our plans for exotic future winter vacations have changed. We know where we’ll be next year if Patrick and Michael will have us.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+.

Guest: Joan & Dick Nyberg (St. Paul, MN)
Date of Stay: 03/14/10 Review Submitted: 03/14/10

We loved our week at Casa Dos Chivos. Patrick and Michael anticipated our every need, from a well-stocked kitchen to beach towels and beach chairs. The house is as comfortable as it is spacious, clean and beautiful. Karen, the property manager, provided invaluable advice. It was reassuring to know she was just a phone call away. We made reservations after sending our only child off to college. We learned that an empty nest can be awonderful place -- especially if it is in Vieques and is as well-feathered as Casa Dos Chivos.

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Guest: Sioux & Andrew (Wilmette, IL)
Date of Stay: 01/01/10 Review Submitted: 01/01/10

We absolutely loved staying at Casa Dos Chivos. This was our 2nd trip to Vieques in 18 months. We fell in love with the island the 1st time and stayed in a nice casita in a good location, becoming initiated to "navigating" life on Vieques; ie, got familiar w/grocery shopping, chose our favorite beaches (Caracas, Navio & Sombe), learned Colmado Mambo had more obscure necessities (eg, Benadryl) than the larger Morales stores, learned our way around the island in general. For our most recent trip (11/16-12/1/09), Andrew checked out VRBO to see if we could do better than the 1st place in which we stayed for comfort, cleanliness, amenities and location--which had been pretty good. Also, it had to be a "single family home" vs. one in which a studio or 2nd part was rented to strangers. We decided 1 gets what 1 pays for (Dos Chivos was about $200 more per week, but reasonable), and the photos were enticing. Since we knew the various barrios, we liked the convenience of Dos Chivos's location to the road to "our" beaches, the grocery stores, the Tuesday produce market, and to both Isabel II and Esperanza (and the home of "the flan lady", Yvon), while remaining sufficiently isolated and private in a lovely barrio away from main roads, on a hilltop with a fabulous view. The Website does not do justice to Dos Chivos! It's much lovlier, "classier", larger and even more comfortable than we'd expected! It was ultra-clean, totally comfortable in terms of lay-out, furnishings and amenities (even a fabulous library!), super convenient for getting where we wanted to go, very private w/phenonenal hilltop Atlantic breezes! We used the a/c only once or twice, and were glad it was there. The laundry room is terrific and everything was well-stocked. The beach chairs, umbrellas, towels and cooler were just what we needed! Every cooking accoutrement was at hand. The veranda kept Sioux glued to the view for hours. The feeling of openness was fabulous: the jalousie windows allowed for excellent ventilation and the floor-to-ceiling double-doors made it feel like we weren't even inside. We had gone there with the idea of talking to a Realtor about buying, but as more days passed during our 2-week stay, we changed our minds. We decided we could not afford a place nearly on par with Dos Chivos + management as great as Karen, so we'd just make DOS CHIVOS our "Vieques 2nd home"! Dos Chivos is exactly what we'd design for ourselves (were we as creative as Michael and Patrick, eg, th

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Guest: Sherry and Steve (Madison, NJ)
Date of Stay: 06/25/09 Review Submitted: 06/25/09

We had a wonderful stay here at Casa Dos Chivos. The location was excellent (almost center of the Island). The interior was spotless and beautifully decorated. The bathroom was well lit with plenty of hot water (a rarity in the tropics). It was very thoughtfully stocked with books, games, first aid kit, washer/dryer and beach supplies. Karen (the manager) was willing to offer any advice about the island, and the owners were very prompt and professional with the booking and helpful internet welcome package. This villa is a great value in Vieques and we highly recommend it for couples or families! Steve and Sherry, Madison, NJ USA

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Wonderful Villa - Enjoyed our stay

Guest: Sherry and Steve (Madison, NJ)
Date of Stay: 06/07/09 Review Submitted: 06/22/09

We loved Casa Dos Chivos for many reasons: Excellent location (almost center of the Island). The interior was spotless and beautifully decorated. The bathroom was well lit with plenty of hot water. The a/c worked well in bedroom with ceiling fans throughout. It was very thoughtfully stocked, with books, games, first aid kit, washer/dryer and beach supplies. Karen (the manager) was willing to offer any advice needed about the Island, and the owners were very professional with booking and internet welcome package. We thought this villa was a great value in Vieques and we highly recommend it! Steve and Sherry, Madison, NJ USA

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with teenagers.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/12/09

We recently got back from staying at Casa Dos Chivos and could not have asked for a better experience. This was our third trip to Vieques and our first time staying in a rental property - this house far exceeded our expectations. From the gorgeous terrace and view to the wonderful accomodations, everything was perfect. Micheal and Patrick were so gracious, and Karen was a great resource - she even brought us fresh grapefruit our first morning there! We would highly recommend Casa Dos Chivos to anyone!

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/20/09

We just returned from a delightful stay at Casa Dos Chivos. The photos on the web don't do it justice. The minute we arrived we felt at home and on the last day, it was hard to leave. I could see myself living in the casa. It had everything you could need for a vacation. I loved the tropical decor, papaya and mango colors, art and furniture. We loved sitting on the deck and looking at the Atlantic and surrounding neighborhood, listening to the sounds of the island. We grilled whole snapper and lobster from the fish market and found a small fruit market for papaya, grapefruit, mangoes, bananas and limes and even a gal selling her fresh baked bread and citrus marmalade that was out of this world. Driving was an adventure (a rental car is a MUST), natural speedbumps (culverts, potholes, a mare standing in the road nursing a foal and iguana crossings can make the going scenic and slow. The beaches are gems, deserted, white, fine sand, aquablue. We loved Red Beach. The Bio bay was unique, the night we went our guide had a megalaser and pointed out the constellations...amazing. Our flight over was quick and laid back..our pilot was eating Doritos and licking his fingers while flying. Hopefully, Vieques can remain unspoiled, some good came out of the naval base in that all that land is now wildlife preserves with beautiful beaches. There is no light pollution, so the stars are incredible. Many thanks, Michael and Patrick for sharing your lovely, island home. Karen B.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/11/09

What a beautiful spot. We have been coming to Vieques for years, but this is the first time we rented a house. We loved it, even better than we had expected. It is in a great location, beautifully furnished and decorated, has every convenience/ammenity you could possible want, great view and oh so comfortable. A massage on the balcony with Ingrid Bergman is pure heaven. I highly recommend Casa Dos Chivos.

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/08 Review Submitted: 12/08/08

We stayed at Casa Dos Chivos in mid-November 2008. We had never been to Puerto Rico or Vieques before so it was all new and we weren't exactly sure what to expect. All I can say is that we are already planning our next trip back and we would not think of staying anywhere else on Vieques as long as Casa Dos Chivos is available. It is fantastic! We had never tried a VRBO before either, so I was a little apprehensive, but Casa Dos Chivos turned out to be the highlight of our trip. We especially enjoyed the large balcony with far-reaching view and the huge comfy bed. You really could not ask for a more private setting or a more relaxing atmosphere. Having all the amenities of home while in paradise made for a perfect stay. The owners and property manager are great to work with and are obviously pros. Casa Dos Chivos exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend it to anyone without reservation. Scott and Shanna Seattle, Wa

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/14/08

We chose Casa Dos Chivos for our Vieques vacation from July 2-9. If you are considering renting this property, do not hesitate! Michael and Patrick have been very easy to work with from day one. Their house manager met us upon arrival on the island and escorted us to the casa. She is extremely friendly and helpful - there if you need her and absent if you don't. The house itself is situated more towards the center of the island but is closest to Isabel Segunda and convenient to grocery shopping etc. The area is residential and is located at a higher elevation to allow for stunning ocean, PR and Culebra views from the wrap-around porch. Other surrounding homes also had their balconies situated such that they were looking at the same view and not at you. We felt a definite sense of privacy on the balcony. We rented the home using the 1BR option. The interior is fantastic - very clean and spacious and tastefully decorated. There is a full kitchen, sitting area with couch, dining table, king size bed and a large shower. We immediately felt very comfortable and appreciated all the little amenities that the casa provided - DVD's, stereo, grill, avacado and other fruit trees on the property, beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers, shampoos, soaps, ear plugs in the bedside table, etc. (We never found a need to use the earplugs - there are roosters next door but the bedroom AC lulled us to sleep just fine). There was also a hose for cleaning gear after days at the beach. The gated carport was a bonus as it added to the safety factor although we did not worry about it much in that neighborhood. We spent most of our nights cooking in, sipping Medallas and enjoying the sunset views from the balcony. You will likely be lured to do the same. Go - rent Casa Dos Chivos and ENJOY - you will NOT be disappointed!

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