Vacation Rentals by Owner

Akumal in the winter

Guest: Susan (Kremmling, CO)
Date of Stay: 01/21/12 Review Submitted: 05/16/12

The condo was great but the location was exceptional. Beach level and a beautiful beach at that. Everything we needed was available in the condo. The only thing I would change is the location of the TV. Can't easily watch it from the comfortable couches. Plenty of good restaurants in the village and a small store for incidentals just up the street. We would definitely return.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Getaway! Beautiful Beach!

Guest: Ashley (Toronto, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/13/11 Review Submitted: 05/10/11

Just wanted to say thank you again for sharing your beautiful spot on half moon bay! We had a wonderful time swimming with the turtles every day! The playa paradise staff were terrific, and your suite is lovely. Privacy and relaxation on a wonderful beach. Lots to do within walking distance when you want. Just what the doctor ordered! We will certainly be in touch to visit again! Cheers Ashley and Jeff

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Exactly what we wanted!

Guest: Beth (McDonough Ga)
Date of Stay: 08/17/10 Review Submitted: 09/03/10

My husband and I were there Aug 17-20,2010. We got to experience the turtles laying eggs up and down the beach at night, and it was a trip watching others stroll the beach with their little red-filtered flashlights, marking nests with little flags. Akumal itself was wonderful, and we didn't want to leave. We didn't cook while we were there. There's a great little restaurant called La Lunita four condos up that is open 7 days a week, even for breakfast! Wondeful ham and cheese omelets and gourmet dinners. But don't miss Lol Ha on Akumal Bay while you're there. I will say the directions to get there were confusing. We were looking for a couple of huge all-inclusives called something like Copacabana and Robinson Tulum. We never saw the first indication that these two existed, so we ended up nearly at Tulum before we realized we had missed the turn. Look for Bahia Principe big stone wall and then look for the Akumal Playa RETORNO to take a left turn into the village. Just past the police station, you will see the Super Chomax grocery. Don't expect it to look like an American store. There's just a little blue sign, and directly across the street from it is the Publocito store. Go through the arches and bear left.....slowly. La Bahia is quite a ways down this little road, but it IS there. You'll love it. My husband's Verizon email worked fine in the condo, and there will also be an office number for emergency communication. We will definitely go back to Akumal. And we loved the ground floor, directly on the beach location. Enjoy!

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Guest: Kathi & Rob (Durango, CO)
Date of Stay: 05/17/10 Review Submitted: 05/17/10

Had a wonderful week at your condo! The location was perfect. The condo was very clean and comfortable. Loved the decor. The staff was very attentive to our needs and took very good care of us. Our week went by way too fast!

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Guest: Peter Philip (Hillsdale)
Date of Stay: 03/31/10 Review Submitted: 03/31/10

A perfect place for a wonderful, relaxing vacation. Everything was neat and clean when we arrived, and the response from the manager was excellent. I would recommend it to anyone.

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Guest: sue 12 (-)
Date of Stay: 03/26/10 Review Submitted: 03/26/10

Dear Robert and Kassie, It was perfect! Sanibel is beautiful and your condo was a home away from home -- it left nothing wanting. It surpassed my expectations set by the online photos. Due to flight delays, we arrived very late Saturday -- it was 2:00 a.m., should I say Sunday -- and we were all eager to get to bed. Just as we pulled into the parking spot, a security guard for the complex drives up in a golf cart and helps us carry in our luggage. Grandma was very impressed and we all very much appreciated the help. We had many family meals around your wonderful kitchen table, which easily accommodated the 6 adults, my son Liam, whose 7, and my nephew Sebastian, 11 months old. Although it was a little on the cool side -- we always had lunch on the lanai. The sun was shining, the view was wonderful and the family was all together -- what more can you ask for. We went for long walks on the beach, played soccer and volleyball and relaxed by the pool. Everyday was memorable . . . except the one where I turned 45, I wish I could forget that part but the family wouldn't let me . . . the candles would have sufficed, but they just had to get a card!

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Guest: amy214 (garden city, ny)
Date of Stay: 03/21/10 Review Submitted: 03/21/10

The condo was exactly like the photos and was a terrific home for us during our Winter Break (February 13, 2010). We are a family of four with two young children ages 7 and 4. Both boys loved their bedroom and loved stepping right off the patio onto the beach. The area was quiet and peaceful, yet close enough to restaurants and water activites. Our family had a wonderful vacation and would return to this condo again. The front desk was also very friendly and helpful!

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Guest: Randy Brougher (NY, NY)
Date of Stay: 02/12/10 Review Submitted: 02/12/10

Stayed first week of November, 2009. Family of four w/ children 10 & 11. Fabulous week! Got up early to watch sunrise over the ocean every day. Snorkeled right off beach most days. Visited Tulum ruins, Yal Kul lagoon twice, local towns. Cooked in breakfast & lunch, went out most dinners. La Cueva highly recommended. Would definitely come again. Owner and staff were both highly accommodating.

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Guest: Nick34 (Boulder, CO)
Date of Stay: 10/06/09 Review Submitted: 10/06/09

Wonderful place for our family of five: comfortable, quiet (mainly), coral just off the beach (to the north 100 meters), great food (fresh vegetable vender in town 2 days/week, plus fresh tortillas from town above. We hope to return before long.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/11/09 Review Submitted: 05/11/09

We had a wonderful stay at La Bahia #1. There is nothing better than waking up in the morning and opening the patio doors right onto the beautiful white sand beach. The condo is spacious and comfortable, and the staff are great, very helpful with requests and kept the grounds and condo very clean. The beach is peaceful with lots of chairs and shade (palapas and trees - just watch out for falling coconuts!). Nice to have the wifi and iPod connection for the stereo too!

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Guest: Paige4 (Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 03/16/09 Review Submitted: 03/16/09

We stayed here for a week March 7-14, 2009 with our 11 year old son. It was absolutely perfect. Just steps from the patio we were on the beach lounging in the chairs or snorkeling Half Moon Bay. Isabel and Javier did an outstanding job making sure we were well taken care of on our trip also. We are looking forward to returning very soon! Thank You for opening up your beach home to us!

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Guest: James Joy (Meeker, CO 81641)
Date of Stay: 03/12/09 Review Submitted: 03/12/09

We stayed in your Unit #1 for three weeks and enjoyed it very much. The ground level made it easy access. Everything needed for living was there, however a TV for watching American football would have been nice since we are football fans. But to that avail we walked to Akumal Beach to watch the Super Bowl - great time. A few things we did find: the screen door needed attention, when it rained the lowest floor got wet and the beds are VERY hard. We have stayed in La Bahia twice now and would do it again. Oh, the maid and manager are awesome.

Owner response:Thanks for your comments. Since your stay, we have added satellite TV with 150 channels including NFL. Also, the unit has been completely retiled, and we have purchased new stand-alone beds in the guest room, in place of the cement slap beds that most units in Akumal have. Thanks!

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Guest: Elizabeth Cramer (Lakewood, CO)
Date of Stay: 12/19/08 Review Submitted: 12/18/08

We very much enjoyed our stay in La Bahia #1. It was perfect to be right on the beach in a lovely condo with a private patio. The village was charming and we enjoyed the walk to and from town. The food at Lol Ha and The Turtle Bay cafe were our favorites. I wish we had time to try La Lunita. We would definitely stay at this condo again. It made for a very laid back vacation. ec

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Guest: David Terrien (Castle Rock, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 06/18/08 Review Submitted: 06/18/08

We certainly and emphatically echo the many positive sentiments previously noted here in the LaBahia #1 guestbook ! The staff, the condo, the Bay, the town...all exceeded our expectations. Clean, comfortable, quiet, secure. Right on the beach. Perfecto ! We'll be back with any luck at all, and we'll recommend LaBahia#1 for those discerning few whom shall appreciated a vacation retreat far from the madding crowd...Thank you to the kind and attentive staff William and Eus, and also to the owners, all of whom could not have been more pleasant and accomodating.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/06/08 Review Submitted: 05/06/08

I love the condo, so close to the water and very convenient to town. We didn't rent a car but rode bicycles. The most fun was biking back at night in the dark hitting unexpected potholes in the road. What fun!

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Guest: Sara13 (Atascadero, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/05/08 Review Submitted: 05/05/08

I just wanted to say that La Bahia was an excellent place to stay in Akumal. We loved it there and definately will go back someday with our family. The beach was spectacular. The first two days were extremely windy so the water conditions weren't the greatest but after the wind died down the beach was amazing. La Bahia is perfectly decorated and we were excited that there wasn't a TV or computer to be tempted by. The maids were great and always kept the condo super clean. Thanks for sharing your condo with us. We loved it.

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Guest: Meg Whelan (Alexandria, VA)
Date of Stay: 05/04/08 Review Submitted: 05/04/08

We just returned from a fabulous week at La Bahia #1, it could not have been a better stay. Taking 3 steps outside and feeling sand in my feet is my idea of a perfect vacation. We were often the only people on the beach, which led to a week of complete relaxation. The condo is so comfortable, with cheerful decor, it really was the getaway that we all needed. Thank you for opening up your home to guests - I hope to be back soon!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/14/08 Review Submitted: 04/14/08

Terrfic week in March 2008. Location, location,location. The best beach front on Akumal Bay. Perfect shade from palm trees and palapas on the sand just steps from the terrace. Nice clean and fresh unit with a great staff. Owners were patient with my many questions and provided plentiful and detailed information about the rental and the area. Can't wait to return.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/07 Review Submitted: 12/01/07

What a wonderful place, a wonderful vacation. La Bahia is a beautiful condo. It was very clean, great location. I can't say enough about it, it was wonderful!! Thank you. Thanks for all the vacation tips. A highlight of our trip was seeing a turtle nest hatch while we were relaxing on the beach. A once in a lifetime experience. Lynn

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/31/07 Review Submitted: 03/31/07

Perfecto! From start to finish, our experience renting La Bahia #1 was excellent. Visiting Akumal, our family really felt like we got a taste of the real Costa Maya. The town is filled with friendly people, great restaurants, and natural beauty. The condo is bright and breezy, a great place to relax after a day of activity or lounging. As previous posts have mentioned, the water in front is rocky, but you can get past that no problem with some water shoes. Hopefully we'll be back sooner rather than later!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/26/07 Review Submitted: 02/26/07

The one word review is--spectacular! The details are even better, location, staff, facilites. Highly recommended.

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Guest: Lynne Fabricant (Oregon, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/03/07 Review Submitted: 01/02/07

We found La Bahia Number 1 through Vacation Rentals by Owner dot com. We stayed there Dec 13 through Dec 22 2006. We felt we were taking a bit of a risk as to whether we would find the property as we imagined it from the photos and information online. We were also a bit hesitant about mailing off payment directly to the owner. We found that the property and location exceeded our expectations and the owner was a pleasure to work with and represented everthing fairly. The location on the beach is beautiful and very peaceful. The reception and cleaning staff were wonderful. The condo is nicely decorated and was very clean. Our two younger children 15 and 17 years old were comfortable sleeping on the couches in the living room or on the hammock hung on the front patio. It felt extremly safe there. We looked at one of the top floor units while there and although the view from up high is fantastic we prefered being at beach level and thought Number 1 was much more tastefully decorated. It is also larger. We rented bicycles. It is a 15 minute walk or 5 minute bike ride to the center where the grocery store and bi-weekly produce market is. We would be delighted to return and would recommend this spot to others.

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Guest: Rhythm Earthsong (n/a)
Date of Stay: 05/04/06 Review Submitted: 05/04/06

I wanted to let you know how fabulous our time was down in La Bahia. It was recommended to us as one of our agent's favorite properties, and after staying in unit #1 for a week and checking out some of the other properties down there, we couldn't agree more...it's perfect! I'm sure some of the other condos and Casas, like Luna Azul nextdoor, have equally nice open & spacious room layouts, etc., but when we return (soon, I hope!), we'll be very pre-disposed to requesting that exact same condo again. The staff - William and Manuel and the maids, were so sweet and helpful. We made daily runs into the centro cluster around Lol-Ha and the SuperChomak, for great meals and other things, but we were always happy that where we actually chose to stay was back in the quiet exact center of Half Moon Bay. And we just walked to some of our nicest meals, at La Lunita - superb! - and La Buena Vida. We had good snorkeling experiences and lots of good rest time under the palapas right out in front of our room. We'll definitely rent this condo from you again - unless we find a way to actually buy one for ourselves! I'm one of those "methodical research" kinda guys, and when we first decided on a trip to Akumal, I started a long hunt to narrow down the best bay, the best lodging, the best snorkel spots, etc. I narrowed our choice down to 3 or 4 condos on Half Moon and one possible choice (Las Casitas) on Akumal Bay. La Bahia kept emerging as a clean spacious favorite. A couple inquiries with the agency folks sealed the deal, especially when we told them we wanted to be right on the beach on the first floor, and your condo became available. When we entered it on our first night, I got the resounding "Wow, this is great!" approval of my very particular wife and 14 year old son, and I knew I had done good! For at least that week I was the world's greatest Dad again. And the on-site staff people, William, Manuel, etc. were so great and so helpful. Turns out my wife would've hated Las Casitas Akumal's location, not wanting to look out over smelly boats and rocky shoreline. I assume some of the other neighboring HMB condos are similar to yours, but we think we got the best place, and now that we know you we'll probably just stick with #1

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Guest: Jean-Fran?ois PRAT (FRANCE)
Date of Stay: 03/11/05 Review Submitted: 03/10/05

We just come back home after wonderfull hollydays in Mexico. We first land at Merida where we spent two days visiting the town and Uxmall. Then we drove to Chinchen Itza and we stayed there 2 nights visiting the archeological site. We joined Akumal as planned visiting Tulum ruins, Yal-Ku Lagoon, Xcaret Park, Dos Ojos cenote, etc. The kids were very happy to swim with turtles just in front of the condo where we met many fishes to. The first class service provided by William, Eustachio at the reception, Rene on the beach, and Sylvia made our staying very comfortable. We really spent unforgettable hollydays in Akumall. Famille PRAT

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Guest: stephanie3 (Waterbury, CT)
Date of Stay: 07/23/04 Review Submitted: 07/23/04

What a wonderful time we had in Akumal. We've already tossed around the idea of going back sometime and, of course, recommending to all our friends that they visit. Everything about our stay was fantastic: the condo, snorkeling, food, excursions, etc. Early during our stay, we had some thunderstorms that knocked out power on the Bay for the night. It made for an interesting "camping" feel! It was our first time swimming with sea turtles and seeing the babies hatch (definitely the best part). Thanks for the tip on bringing watershoes, they were a great help!

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Guest: Tim Taylor (-)
Date of Stay: 07/05/04 Review Submitted: 07/05/04

What a wonderful place! Everything was clean, very nice and quite roomy. Location on the bay was fantastic! The people were very friendly, too much to do in a week and still have time for relaxation so we are coming back and recommend this wonderful condo and the great staff to anyone who desires a quiet family getaway!! The Taylors

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Guest: The Nadeau Family (-)
Date of Stay: 06/20/04 Review Submitted: 06/20/04

The stay at the condo was great! We were able to leave the front doors open and let the breeze come in and walk down to the beach and snorkel. We could float and watch the sea turtles grazing on the ocean grass in the late afternoon. The lagoon nearby was great, but we were urged not to wear sunblock in order to protect the water, and we all got sunburnt and have since peeled. The water already had some sort of petroleum in it, but we enjoyed the caverns, colorful fish, etc. The restaurant down the beach, La Buena Vida, was our favorite! Ate there three times during the week! The Corner Store was expensive and lacking in stock. Renting bikes was fun! Rented a car from Tulum and visited the ruins at Coban and Tulum...awesome! Playa Del Carmen was fun, Cozumel was a bust. The best thing about staying at this condo was being among the Mexican people. We enjoyed getting to know some of the vendors who would come by on the beach. We all got henna tattoos! Akumal isn't touristy; it is a community of hard working people who do their best for others. It was a great education for all of us. Thank you!

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Guest: thomas family1 (seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 04/13/04 Review Submitted: 04/12/04

We enjoyed our stay at the condo, great location. The kitchen was well stocked, but the beds were very hard. (Cement frame with a mattress on it). We were dissappointed that the beach was so rocky. (bring your aqua socks). Also,it was very windy the whole week we were there in March, but we ventured out and found some incretable beaches a few miles away. We had a great time seeing the ruins. We loved Sylvia, the maid, she was friendly and effecient.

Owner response:The normal building in the whole area is to construct built-in furniture, such as beds, from cement, as wood is in very short supply. The beach itself is wide and all fine sand - the rocks the Thomases are referring to are the coral heads as you enter the water - water shoes are definitely a good idea. Winds vary, and occasionally get heavier, but usually provide a comfortable, cooling breeze.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/10/04 Review Submitted: 03/10/04

Great Place! Wonderful decorations - very light and cheerful and Mexican. The location is great - wonderful beach, great snorkeling right out the door! We loved it! Thanks.

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