Vacation Rentals by Owner

Doesn't get any better than this!!!

Guest: Dempy (Ohio)
Date of Stay: 03/11/12 Review Submitted: 04/19/12

This was my 4th year staying at Dragonfly and we say we're going home now instead of on vacation. This year I even saw a mommy and baby manatee while snorkeling right in front of the house. My husband likes to use the kayaks while I snorkel which works out great when I get tired. HE PULLS ME AROUND!! Plus there's an ouside shower to get the salt off or cool down. Dragonfly is far enough from town, Mahahual, to have all the privacy you can ever want on your own private beach, but close enough to run to town for supplies or dinner...Everything you need to cook is provided, except the food of course, but there are also great eats in Maha. Ours favorites in town are !00% Agave, Tropicante, Nahochka(sp) and there are great places on the beachroad to town. Travel Inn, Maya Luna, and The Italian Pizza place top the list. Leave before dark for dinner because the scenery along the beach road is stunning. The usual potholes and topes (ropes),but well worth it for view... Dragonfly is very cozy and decorated nice but every time we get there Whitney, the owner, has added something to make it even more special.....We spend most of our time on the huge porch lounging or eating. The caretakers are there for any little thing you need..... One of the best parts is the upstairs bedroom with the outdoor bed. The breese and waves and view can't be beat. I'd recommend Dragonfly to anybody, couples, families, friends. We'll be booking again soon, but not soon enough!!!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Muy tranquilo!

Guest: E and T (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 11/03/11 Review Submitted: 11/11/11

We are a couple who stayed at Casita Dragonfly for 4 nights in early November, and wished we could have stayed longer! The house is very cute, with a lot of thought given to the many touches that make it so comfortable, homey, relaxing, and fun. As an earlier guest mentioned, hot showers and internet access are not to be taken for granted in this part of the world. The kitchen is both convenient and cost-saving, but be sure to also venture out to some of the great restaurants in the area (the nearby Hotel Castillo serves really yummy seafood!). While there are lots of things to do and places to explore in the area (e.g., snorkeling, Mayan ruins), the house is also a perfect place to just hang out on the porch or on the beach and unwind, read a book, and enjoy the sea breezes. The owners are very communicative and responsive in general: they are up-front and accurate about what to expect and what not to expect, and they encourage questions (the detailed information provided on the VRBO listing itself is a good indicator of this). They clearly want to ensure that you are well informed about the house and the area so that you will be happy during your stay. Whitney coordinated our reservation and before our arrival provided a ton of information about the house, what to bring, where to eat, activities, etc. This is an especially fabulous place for independent travelers who have been to Mexico or other developing countries before and know what to expect from a less developed region. While the lovely beach in front of the house is raked daily, the adjacent beaches are not, so expect sea grass and some sea trash washed up on the beaches if you go for a walk. Depending on when you go there might be sea grass in the water. If you are animal lovers like us you will enjoy the dogs on the property. They really enhanced our stay. They are very sweet dogs and good companions, and it was reassuring to know that they would bark at anyone who might approach the house. It was pretty quiet in the entire area during this time of year, with a lot of houses and hotels unoccupied. This might make some people feel isolated, while others, like us, will welcome the solitude (although the caretakers are nearby, so you are not completely alone). It seemed like businesses were starting to gear up for high season as we were leaving. I imagine that things will get more lively in general, but that the house has a peaceful and private quality to it year-round.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

More Pease

Guest: Marcella G
Date of Stay: 10/21/11 Review Submitted: 11/05/11

Hi Whitney! The house is amazing thanks!!! We want to stay longer... Is that possible?

Recommended for:

Despite the October Mosquitos---

Guest: Doug and Debbie
Date of Stay: 10/15/11 Review Submitted: 11/05/11

Hi Whitney, I'm sure that D.probably already replied, but I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay in both of your places. The rain was really no big deal. What's a little rain, right? The mosquitoes, however, were relentless in Mahahual. Still, it was a wonderful time. Your house is lovely and very welcoming as are your caretakers (and the beach dogs!). Loved Mahahual although it is a little (a lot) slow in October. Never thought I'd say this but we actually went into town when the cruise ship was in because all the shops and restaurants were open. The town was definitely rocking and we had a great time. We loved restaurant 100% Agave. For quality of food and service I'd put it ahead of any restaurant in Akumal for half the price. Our time in Mahahual was so limited we stuck to your restaurant recommendations. We did stop at Tropicante, but it was our first real sunshine day so we just had a couple of cold ones and some nachos. I did get a great massage there, wish I could remember the young women's name. Feel free to use any of our comments on your guest pages. I almost forgot, MAS IMPORTANTE!! Deb fell in love with your upstairs bed at Casita Dragonfly. Make, model, mattress, where you got it and the bed fans too? Thanks, Doug Again thanks for sharing and hope to do it again soon. Doug

Recommended for:

Guest: Lance M
Date of Stay: 03/13/11 Review Submitted: 03/26/11

Whitney We had a great time. The house is beautiful. The location amazing. The sea picturesque. All in all it was a great vacation and we will highly recommend your place to friends. Met some very cool people too, Mexican and foreign. Thanks Lance

Recommended for:

Guest: Santiago L
Date of Stay: 01/16/11 Review Submitted: 02/06/11

Whitney, Sorry for not responding earlier. Things have been crazy lately! EVERYTHING was outstanding. We loved your new candles!! And the new housekeepers were AMAZING. The only problem were mosquitoes. We had to buy and use mosquito repellent. However the wind came and the problem with mosquitoes ended. Thank you very much for everything and we hope to return soon. Take care and hope to meet you in one of our visits to Mahahual. santiago

Recommended for:

Loved it, loved it, loved it!

Guest: Heather (NJ)
Date of Stay: 07/21/10 Review Submitted: 08/12/10

Thanks again for renting us your wonderful little piece of paradise! Our week in Mahahual has, like always, gone by much too quickly. I really have to thank you for two things: internet and hot water! We had some of the worst rain I’ve ever seen in my life… seriously thought we’d blow into the sea, yet the internet kept working!!! And your shower rules! It was the absolute best hot shower I’ve ever had in Mahahual. Your dogs are sweet babies, and I wish I could have stayed longer just to hang out with them. If my dogs ever found out that these guys get to hang out and play on the beach all day, they’d be furious. While Phantazmo will never admit it, I think we’re almost friends. The house was more than comfortable. I only cooked one night (too many restaurants), but I enjoyed lighting all the candles and playing Jazzy songs on my laptop… add to that a little rain and ocean breezes and it was a really romantic night – not that anyone fell asleep early from a little too much wine:) The master bedroom upstairs almost felt like a tree house…amazing breezes… loved it!! Julie stopped by to check on us… all was good. The caretaker was always available if we needed him, and he raked the beach every morning. My absolute favorite part of the day was sipping coffee under the palapa porch and watching the sun rise. The only sounds were the birds and the sea… it was divine… we had a wonderful time!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Guest: Matt
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 06/20/10

Hey good evening Whitney! We have now spent 2nights at yr fantastic "Casita Dragonfly" and we totally LOVE it!!! Also, we've gotten in touch with Julie and we're now all set up for some great diving, too! We are set up for the rest of our nights! Thank you!

Recommended for:

Guest: KSD
Date of Stay: 04/18/10 Review Submitted: 06/26/10

Wish we had another week here. .. As far as being torn between other parts of Mexico?...not us. Mahahual hands down. D says you've created a monster. But he's going to take this monster back to your house in Jan-Feb!!! . The bay was calm this morning and I swam out to the reef. 2 turtles, 4 rays, bunches of starfish and tons of fish. Wasn't too far at all, just took my time and enjoyed it. Got some got pics of rays and starfish. Those starfish don't look real. Like somebody put them there for the tourists...... thanks again for a wonderful vacation KD Added upon return to the states: Hey Whit, I'm back home and that sucks!! But it was a wonderful vacation. I just want to thank you one more time for everything and for letting us stay in your home.

Recommended for:

Great Vacation

Guest: L and A (Chicago, Il)
Date of Stay: 04/02/10 Review Submitted: 06/20/10

Hey there, I just wanted to let you know we had a wonderful vacation here at casita dragonfly. we love your place. We saw beautiful fish out at the reef though it's a long swim out. Yesterday I saw a spotted eagle ray out at the reef. Mostly we have been enjoying snorkeling in the shallows finding sea stars, schools of minnows, hunting lobsters and crabs. . Albert will write a testimonial for your website when we get back. Thank you!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway.

Guest: Tom F
Date of Stay: 03/12/10 Review Submitted: 03/11/10

First of all I would like to say that I have enjoyed my time here immensely. I have enjoyed the bike ride to work every day and made friends with many of the local canines (with the help of dog treats and kibble). The dogs, we treated as if they were our own. Cindi brought treats and milk from Canada, so they got absolutely spoilt. Becky and Julie have been extremely helpful in dealing with the setbacks regarding any problems we encountered. Honestly, you have a gold mine here, a Lovely house in the Caribbean on the Ocean. Quiet mornings are splendid, the sound of the ocean soothing, the reef is so close and fun to dive. The hand book is nice to have available. Over the years, we have had our favorite restaurants, which include the Travel In and Maya Luna. We would like to add another very, Mexican authentic restaurant, El Muelle, ('the pier'), at the start of the malecon. It's a lovely place to stay or live.

Recommended for:

Guest: Ellen and Steve
Date of Stay: 03/01/10 Review Submitted: 06/20/10

Sorry to be so late in responding to your email.......hit the floor running when I got back and have barely had a moment to breathe! Casita Dragonfly worked out WONDERFUL for us! Even the workers on the palapa roof our first day - it was a great cultural experience to see how they fastened the grass onto the framework -- I'd wondered how they did that! (This was the positive part of the situation.......and I like to know how things work) We were glad they held off on the other days though, so thanks for arranging that. They were very unobtrusive while there - but it was much more relaxing without them around. (OWNERS COMMENT--Brand new Palapa was a day late in being finished--so we called them off so guest could enjoy 90 percent of the porch :o) Nahin (the caretaker) was very gracious and most helpful. He has the most kind face! So does his wife. Made me wish my Spanish was much better just to be able to chat with them more. I showed her my knitting and she said she did weaving (if I understood her correctly We would like to come back to Mahahual some time, It won't be for a couple years, as it's New Zealand next winter (So if you can file our name away, that would be great. I do want to complement you on your description of the place. How you describe the WONDERFUL, tranquil remoteness of Casita Dragonfly, perfect! We used the BED FAN the last night we were there, as it had been really hot that day - what an amazing contraption! It was MOST helpful that you were there to show us how to use it, so my suggestion with that would be to include some photos of how to set it up in your little "house manuel". Might save some wear and tear on it too. (OWNER COMMENT--there are directions in the book) being SHORT - of both legs and arms I did feel a little like I was sleeping in "Papa Bear's" bed.....as it's high off the floor - BUT EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE!! It was very nice to have two bed lamps for reading - lots of places there is only one......and the paper shade on the one over the bed is beautiful - I took pictures of how it was made....... Julie, (our manager) by the way, was very nice and helpful - and she dropped by once or twice just to see how we were doing and if we needed anything. Thanks for sharing your "slice of heaven" with us. Hopefully we WILL make it back one day. All of our friends and family LOVED our stories about staying there.....so maybe you'll get some of them there too!

Recommended for:

Guest: Michelle
Date of Stay: 05/12/09 Review Submitted: 05/11/09

Hi Whitney... Everything was perfect. The house clean and beautiful! Full power and water the entire weekend (even for 6 of us!). The caretaker took good care of everything, making sure we had everything we needed and keeping the beach clean. It was really paradise for us! It was also brilliant that our friends could bring their dogs too... I think they may of enjoyed it more than us, they love the beach and swimming... they even followed us out to the reef on the kayaks!! We all live in Mexico... me and my partner lived in Mahahual for a while before Dean and really wanted to return now that it's recovering so we brought some friends along too! We're thinking of returning too to do some diving in Chinchorro so maybe you'll be getting another mail from me!! Michelle

Recommended for:

Guest: Al and Margaret S
Date of Stay: 03/10/09 Review Submitted: 03/09/09

What a great time at your house in Mahahual! Wish we'd stayed there longer/ Very comfortable..........We enjoyed dining out and needed more time for more restaurants! had fun in and around Mahahual having a beer, eating, sitting beachside! Never had to start generator! Estaban ran the water pump twice! What a great guy! he netted us sardines for fishing. He had a much fun as we did. We caught snapper, yellowfish, grouper. Nothing big, but more than sizeable enough for a fish fry....We gave the second bunch we caught to Estaban and his family! We couldn't eat them all! He (or his wife) made us tamales and empanadas.....Soooooo good! Our adult kids are as excited as we are to head to Mahahual again! They want to go with. THANKS AGAIN!

Recommended for:

Guest: Elayne A
Date of Stay: 02/15/09 Review Submitted: 02/14/09

Whitney, We all absolutely loved Majahual and The Dragonfly. It was an extremely enjoyable and relaxing vacation. I'll let you know when we can get away to visit again. We've had a LOVELY visit and look forward to returning soon. We love your casita! Thanks again for your fantastic hospitality! Take care, Elayne

Recommended for:

Guest: Santiago L
Date of Stay: 01/31/09 Review Submitted: 01/30/09

Whitney,How are you???Our stay in Casita Dragonfly has been just WONDERFUL!!! We love it and are having a great time and very productive too, considering how hard it has been to work and not snorkel all day long!!Thanks a lot for your help… and let´s keep in touch.. We are Casita Dragonfly Fans!

Recommended for:

Guest: Jane28 (Austin, TX)
Date of Stay: 12/30/08 Review Submitted: 12/30/08

We loved our stay Christmas week at Casita Dragonfly. It's such a peaceful getaway from the usual crowds further north on the coast. We were worried about the long drive, but we broke it up on the front and back end with an overnight stay in the Tulum area. It's a very well-paved highway getting down to Mahahual. The road from "downtown" Mahahual to the house is unpaved and pot-holey, but it makes you slow down and enjoy the views along the way. We had no problem in a compact rental car. Every time we'd venture out of the house, we'd come back and wonder, "Why'd we leave this place?" It has the best views, the best beach, wonderful breezes, great shady porches, and a conforting interior. We could walk up and down the beach and didn't see more than a dozen people the whole week. We ate most of our meals in because we found it so convenient to grill fish on the beach or eat our lunches and breakfasts on the porch. We took a day trip to Xcalak and one to El Placer/Rio Indio, and dove with a local dive shop on Christmas day, but other than that, we really didn't want to leave the house much. We were never hot in the house, and it was particularly breezy in the upstairs bedroom at night. In fact, I think this was the least sweaty trip I've ever taken to Mexico! It was just a great trip to kick back, read a good book, and clear your head from the usual worries of everyday life. Thanks, Whitney!

Recommended for:

Guest: Melissa W
Date of Stay: 12/21/08 Review Submitted: 12/20/08

Other than internet and phone issues (mine wouldn't work anywhere in Majahual- my provider uses CDMA, not GSM), we had a wonderful time. The house was perfect, the view and the beach were stunning! We had a bit of rain and a lot of sun and wind. We ate well, drank well, read lots of books, took the kayaks out a couple of times. We even ventured into town while the cruise ships were in and had a good laugh. Now were back home, and there is snow on the ground. Quite a shock as it hardly ever snows in Vancouver. I uploaded a couple of pictures to my facebook account (I couldn't help but want to show off what a beautiful part of the world we visited!). Thanks again, Melissa

Recommended for:

Guest: Lance D (Los Angeles. CA)
Date of Stay: 08/10/08 Review Submitted: 08/09/08

Whitney, I can't tell you how much we LOVED Casita Dragonfly. We were a bit worried about staying in a house with no air conditioning in the summer, but you were right , the ocean breeze is almost constant. When it did stop, which was almost never, the fans and those Bedfans (i had never seen those before--they are great) kept us very comfortable. That master bedroom---those views upstairs---unbeatable. The beach to ourselves? Unheard of anywhere else we have stayed on that side of Mexico. It was an amazing getaway and I wish it would have been more than 4 days. We had many plans to head inland to see the Ruins, maybe go to Chetumal for some shopping, but the relaxation we found at the Casita overtook any ambition we might have had, to leave the beach. Except for going into town for food, I think the furthest we traveled was to the reef out front. The kayaks were great. We even saw rays and dolphins from the kayaks! Thank you for all of the info you provided too, for snorkeling, scuba, restaurants, you were great. The house was great. We will be back!

Recommended for:

Guest: Carlijn O
Date of Stay: 07/24/08 Review Submitted: 07/23/08

Dear Withney,We had a WONDERFUL time at your house! It´s just perfect! Really nice,good atmosphere, lovely decorated and of course, so private! We were justamazed when we saw it and we enjoyed every minute of it! thank you somuch, indeed a paradise...We didn´t do much, but read, go out for diner and swim. Unfortunatelythere was too much wind to snorkel. I also met your friend Sarah, she cameto the house to check on us, which was very nice.We had dinner at the Luna Maya with the dutch people and the food was verygood! We also ate at the Luna de Plata and at theTravel In which was just open at our last evening.To make a long story short: it was just perfect. Also Estaban is very nice.Thanks again for a perfect ending.With very kindest regards!Carlijn & family

Recommended for:

Guest: Pam L
Date of Stay: 04/04/08 Review Submitted: 04/03/08

Hi Whitney, We--Ken, Corinna, and I--had a lovely time there. Our trip started with 3 nights in Tulum, then a drive south to Mahahual. We seem to arrive in the midst of thunderous downpours everywhere, and Casita Dragonfly was no exception. By the time Estaban had shown us around, the rain had stopped, and we were ready to settle in. Our 6 nights were just fine. As Ken put it, "Everything we wanted to work, worked," and the place was comfortable and spacious. Estaban and Deb were helpful without being ovely_present. We really have no complaints. My family of 3 had simple requirements: sunshine for those who wanted it, comfortable shady spots when needed, and reasonable beds and cooking facilities. We were happy as clams--would we have changed anything? Maybe one more comfortable place to sit inside ( 2 people sprawling on the built-in couches had to be convinced to move to accommodate a 3rd), but really, not much else. I kayak'd and walked the beach, Corinna sunned herself endlessly, Ken sought out the shady spots--we were all content. We made gallons of guacamole and pico de gallo, and drank plenty of cerveza and tequila. If we had been there another week, we would have done more exploring--up and down the beach road, Bacalar, etc--but for us, it was enough to know those places were there if we wanted, We had a great stay, read lots of books without running out, could have stayed longer easily. I'd return in a heartbeat. Many thanks, Pam

Recommended for:

Guest: Jason Y
Date of Stay: 03/04/08 Review Submitted: 03/03/08

We had a great time. We had a couple issues while we were there - none of these were of too much concern to us, but perhaps it will help you in some way: 1. There were ants in the kitchen when we arrived. Estaban did something amazing the second day and managed to eliminate them all from coming in the house. 2. There was a leak in one of your upstairs water tanks - some nice canadian folks came and replaced one of your valves. That's it. Like I said, it was a great time and we were only minorly inconvenienced by those items. Deb came by and was incredibly friendly and helpful - she recommended visiting Chacchoban and Cenote Azure in Bacalar - which we did, and really enjoyed. They started paving the road along the beach in majahual while we were there - looks like things are progressing along quickly.

Recommended for:

Guest: Tammie L
Date of Stay: 02/05/08 Review Submitted: 02/04/08

We had an absolutely fantastic time. Thank you so much for sharing your space with us. We both came back saying it was probably the best vacation either of us had ever had! Normally at the end of a week somewhere I start to feel ready to go home, but I've been back for days now and can safely say that I'm still not ready! People throw words like paradise around all willy nilly, but I think you can safely say that you've found your own little corner of it in Mahahual. Esteban and his family were fantastic...just the right amount of intrusion (if that makes sense). They were helpful, but also allowed us to have privacy. The only problem is we only speak a few words of Spanish, so we were constantly flipping through our little Spanish/English dictionary. They were very patient with us and even taught us a few words and phrases. Next time the goal is to be able to actually carry on conversations! Snorkelig--We did contact the people you recommended, and Thomas ended up giving us our own private snorkel trip. He was incredibly sweet and helpful...he even stopped by out at the casita on the day before we left. He also gave us his phone number with us after the snorkeling strip in case we needed anything. It was nice to know we had backup in the area. Deb stopped by and was also helpful...and funny. She told us about people collecting doll parts from the beach and that she was starting her own collection so we picked up a few for her on a beach combing expedition. It was pretty funny getting excited about finding a doll leg or head! We're all about jumping into silliness, so all was well! I can't say enough about the entire experience. So...thanks again! We had a wonderful time!

Recommended for:

Guest: Huub W
Date of Stay: 01/15/08 Review Submitted: 01/14/08

We had a great time in your house! Thanks for everything. The caretakers were great. and very sweet We relaxed, cooked our selfcaught barracuda on the beach, snorkelled, went scuba-diving and more relaxing. After this we stayed in Tulem, spent Christmas in Ek Balam, to Coba, Punta Allen and back to Tulum. All together 3,5 weeks of good time and nice surroundings. We are charged to go for many months. Best Regards, Huub

Recommended for: