Great house, noisy neighbors

Guest: Lindy (Merida, Mexico)
Date of Stay: 10/07/11 Review Submitted: 10/17/11

The house was awesome. TV's in every room with satellite, great kitchen, pool, etc. Good location in walking distance to shops and restaurants. We took cabs to the beach. Only problem was the nightclub next door that played loud, live reggae music until about 1am. (Which is actually early for Mexican time) I would stay here again and luckily I had ear plugs with me. If you stay here, I would definetly bring ear plugs and maybe reconsider it if you have children. It was like the reggae band was playing in our room. I know you cannot help this I wanted to make sure people know it is a possibility. Other than that it was great.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

This place is AMAZING!

Guest: Denver and Dallas (Denver)
Date of Stay: 05/18/11 Review Submitted: 06/02/11

I have been to Cozumel a number of times, I have stayed at large resorts, small hotels, and other private rental houses. CasaMel is by far the best experience I have ever had. The house itself is amazing and the achitecture is truly one-of-a-kind. It is clean when you arrive and since the housekeepers only come a few times during the trip, you don't feel like you have to leave at any certain time for them to do their job. There are plenty of linens, cookware, and purified water stocked at the house so you have all of the essentials. Having your own pool, hot tub, outdoor grill, cabana, and roof top patio make it a great place to just hang out (or hang over, depending on how you spent the night before). The location is within walking distance to great restaurants like Kinta, Kondesa, and Especias (my personal favorites-all within a 10 minute walk) and the breakfast place just outside the front door is cheap and tasty (less than $10 for 2 people). There are affordable and reliable car rental places just a block and a half away if you want to rent a car (however you don't really need one unless you plan on going out of the downtown area much and dont want to take a taxi). The square is just a few blocks away and is always good for shopping, eating, and people watching, as well as live music some nights. I can't say enough good things about CasaMel, but if you are not a seasoned Mexico traveler, you should be aware of a few things: 1) Water heaters are not what they are in the US, you may have to take the first half of your shower a little on the chilly side-but it feels wonderful after a day in the sun, 2) Geckos, iguanas, birds and yes, even the occasional eight-legged furry friend (tarantulas) find the house beautiful and would like to stop by for a visit-it is a small price to pay and easily removed. This house would be a wonderful option for several couples or groups of friends that plan on spending time together as a group but also as smaller separate groups or couples. You have your own space (bedroom/bathroom/patio) that is individually secured so people can come and go without worrying about their luggage being secure. The rooms are spaced apart to provide adequate privacy and sound is minimized so you don't have to worry about waking others up if one group stays out later than the others or has a bit too much taquila :-) Thank you so much Shirley for a great experience, I have told many friends and family and we will be back!!

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

Fabulous Vacation!

Guest: Mel, Evelyn and Adrian, Robert and Carolyn (Newfoundland, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/04/11 Review Submitted: 04/28/11

We had a delightful two week stay at CasaMel (April 4–18) and concur with all the positive reviews from other guests! The design of CasaMel is distinctive and impressive and set up very well for adults and families with teens with private accommodations for all. The location is ideal – walking distance to the water, excellent restaurants, markets, and the town square, and away from the busier tourist areas. Household staff were friendly but unobtrusive – and did a good job. Requests for water and other incidentals were handled promptly. We appreciated the tips and information from Shirley. We are making plans for a return visit to Cozumel and CasaMel! Muchas gracias y Hasta la vista.

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

Fabulous Vacation Home

Guest: Maes (Boston, Ma USA)
Date of Stay: 10/26/10 Review Submitted: 03/29/11

My hubby and I stayed end of October through first week in November of 2010. The home exceeded my expectations. There are lots of places to eat within walking distance and five minutes to downtown shopping. Great location. The kitchen was large with ample cooking and glassware. The pool was a nice treat but you could also walk to the beach. The home was clean and decorated with flair, lovely and simply. We were delighted the week we stayed there. The room we stayed in overlooked the pool and we loved it. Upstairs was a gorgeous roof deck with awesome views at sunset. There was access to a washer and dryer if need. Shirley, the owner, was available to answer any of our questions. We will return for sure. Thank you, Shirley. This was one of our best vacations. I would recommend this property to any adult who is looking for an awesome place to stay. Mary and Dave from Boston, Ma

Owner response:Thank you for your kind review. Hopefully, we'll see you back in the island soon.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

A Mediterranean gem in Cozumel with a million $$$ view and location

Guest: John Vickers (Houston)
Date of Stay: 02/01/11 Review Submitted: 02/16/11

Just got back from my third stay at what is the absolute greatest deal available today for US travellers. I have been going to this area since 1972 - Isla Muheres before there was a Cancun; Cozumel after Cancun became a tourist trap. Nowhere in Mexico can you find a safer or more diverse place to go that has sun beaches, beaches and more beaches. Enough said about Cozumel. Casa Mel is like being in the cliffside castles I have stayed in on the Mediterranean. The archictecture is inspiring for those who love heights, views and comfort. It is located 4 blocks from the Plaza- what a convenience! You can walk all everywhere in perfect safety and never be more than 15 minutes from your castle and swimming pool. The rooms are large, the air conditioning great, the bathrooms and showers large. This is a million dollar 4 bedroom - 5 story house that rents for a third of comparable properties. I could go on and on - however call me if you want more info, From reading the prior blog, this is not for everyone. If you need to barbeque, sit in a hot tub when you have 17 beaches and like to hunt moose--- this is not for you. John

Owner response:Thank you for your kind review. I hope your travels keep taking you to more fascinating places and that you can make the time to come and stay at CasaMel again. Yours Truly, Shirley

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

Poor accomodation

Guest: Patricia (Alaska)
Date of Stay: 12/25/10 Review Submitted: 02/04/11

We paid a lot of money for a very disappointing week. No hot water. One night we had no water at all. Owner was out of the country the first part of our stay; kept saying it would get fixed but it did not. Said we could shower at her boyfrend's nearby hotel; the staff at the hotel were uncharacteristically rude and commented that they did not know what we wanted from them, (clean towels) and they were not getting paid to help us.The heating unit in the jacuzzi had been removed so while it bubbled, it was cold water. The grill did not work before or after it was "repaired." Air conditioning did not work, batteries had been removed from the remote controls for them. It took 2 days to replace the empty drinking water jugs lined up in the kitchen. It was not especially clean when we arrived; a maid came every two days and did a good job cleaning. Many light bulbs were burned out, even on stairwells, posing a hazard. As we looked we saw, and photographed, dangerous and poorly done wiring. When the hot water tank on the roof broke, water poured into the house, through wiring and onto the steps, which were already dangerously unlit. When the owner arrived about halfway through our stay and we requested a refund of half, she looked shocked and said she would lose money on the deal; she did not understand what we had lost. We saved and planned for a very special vacation/family reunion and although we enjoyed each other and being in Mexico we were so disappointed with these poor accomodations. The owner did give us approx. 10% of our cost back. We are so glad we did not chose to spend both of our two weeks in this location and I would not recommend it to anyone based on our stay. We lived in Mexico and have traveled there many times and have not ever been so disappointed.

Owner response:During the construction of CasaMel, we tried to set an example for the rest of the island, by integrating some enviromentally friendly appliances that are ahead of what is currently available within the proximity of the island. Truely, our Solar Water Heater bursted during your stay in our property and our staff was doing everything possible to get it fixed as soon as possible. We are bringing a back up water heater from the US, to avoid future problens with the hot water. Our staff and I realised that this inconvenience was extremely stressfull for you and we apologized for the situation. Every experience is an eye opener for us to make improvements.

Recommended for:

A fantastic Mexican Getaway

Guest: cb (Meridian, ID USA)
Date of Stay: 12/09/10 Review Submitted: 12/21/10

CasaMel was a pure delight. The gorgeous views from the rooftop decks, the private suites, and the amazingly comfortable beds made our Mexican getaway complete. The house was very clean and had all the accomdations we needed to truly enjor our week vacation. Close to rental cars, the bakery, fantastic dining and the waterfront we had all we needed within a few blocks. The owners of CasaMel know what it takes to create a wonderful travel experience. Thank you!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, girls getaway.

Amazing

Guest: Steve (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 06/01/10 Review Submitted: 06/20/10

After my third stay at this same property, I felt a review should be written for this amazing property. The architecture, the location, the views, the privacy were all better than I expected. Deciding on this property is the easiest decision you'll make today.

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

Amazing!!!

Guest: Steve (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 06/01/10 Review Submitted: 06/20/10

This is an amazing vacation house. It exceeded my expectations the first time I stayed. I've now gone back three times . My kids love it too.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Beautiful House in great location

Guest: Timm2009 (San Francisco, CA)
Date of Stay: 05/26/10 Review Submitted: 06/08/10

I just came came back from Cozumel after a great stay at Casa Mel. The house was really stylish with lots of room for the 4 of us. The property was very clean and well maintained. Really loved getting into the lap pool in the morning and later in the day when things got hot. The location was super with several great restaurants steps away - La Cocay, Pancho's Backyard, Guido's, Kinta, and El Pie de Carbon . The views from the house were great of the ocean. Nice Sundeck on the rooftop as well. I would come and stay again, maybe next winter.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers.