Vacation Rentals by Owner
Enchanting Beachfront House on the Costa Maya [#228191] | View Property
Xcalak
Villa, 2 Bedrooms + Other (See Description), 2 Baths (Sleeps 4-6)
From $79 for a double occupancy
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Traveler Reviews (14)
Guest: Andrea & Georg, Munich, Germany
Date of Stay: 01/16/11
Review Submitted: 04/11/11
We really enjoyed our stay here! Especially the great snorkelling, Kayaking and the great hospitality of Giselle and Philippe, also Martha and Gabriel did a great job… Had a wonderful and relaxing time here, it’s sad that we have to leave tomorrow.
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Guest: Fabrice, Marie Claude & famille
Date of Stay: 01/02/11
Review Submitted: 04/11/11
Il est bien difficile d’imaginer depuis nos pays ce que peut être votre région… Philippe m’avait dit : « Tu verras plus nous roulerons et plus tu découvriras un Mexique différent. » Nul doute que je ne pouvais imaginer ce qui nous attendait et ce que nous allions découvrir. A peine arrivés, le premier matin, nous avons couru dans l’eau avec nos masques et nos palmes… Wouha !! Sandra, notre fille, David son mari et nos 3 petits filles, Léa, Maeva et Nolwenn n’en revenaient pas de la beauté de l’eau, des palmiers…La première plongée nous a emmené loin de ce que l’on pouvait imaginer. Que de beaux poissons de toutes les couleurs, des espèces inconnues si belles. Nous sommes restés de longs moments sans bouger, avec toute cette faune et cette flore qui se découvrait de plus en plus. Nous nous doutions que vous aviez choisi un endroit agréable, mais là c’est merveilleux et nous repartons la tête pleine de souvenirs le cœur rempli des sourires de Martha, Gabriel et Yolanda. Nous leur avons fait pour ce dernier jour deux magnifiques temples Mayas sur la plage de plus de 1,5 mètres de haut. Ils ont offerts des bonbons aux filles. C’est avec beaucoup d’émotions que nous faisons nos valises et demain, quand nous roulerons, nous auront tous de la tristesse dans nos cœurs. Merci Gisèle et Philippe, dommage que nous n’ayons pu passer plus de temps ensemble. On parlera d’Xcalak lors de vos prochains événements et spectacles en France.
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Guest: Sara Edwards, USA
Date of Stay: 11/11/10
Review Submitted: 04/11/11
Sabrina and I stayed in 3 different places, we enjoyed Xcalak the most. Such peace, quiet, no need for canned air, the sea breeze was almost a constant. It stormed one night, by morning the deck and dining floor were already dry. We have wonderful pictures of angels, puffers, eels, rays, one eagle ray that was going to fly right over me before it saw me and banked to my lt, what a rush. Also saw turtles, squid, octopus, lobster, crabs, conch, you have it all, I could go on for lines. I'm already to come back. I love the air flow in the house and the fact that the kitchen is it's own little room with lots of light. Thank you too for the bottle of wine, very nice. Gabriel and Martha were always helpful even on their day off. Jane was so hospitable, inviting us to come to their house to snorkel with her. She also helped us with a grocery list translated into spanish. This will become one of our regular packing item. If I could make a living down there I'd be one of your neighbors. I so hope the Mexican government never puts a cruise port in Xcalak, it would ruin the place. One night Sabrina was standing on the dock in town when a run of fish came in. Within a few minutes every family member was there with buckets and lines catching fish as fast as they could pull them in. This is something you never see in Cozumel or Akumal although plenty of locals do fish. You just never see the entire family going at it. This trip we saw many trumpet fish. After the huricanes of 2005 I hadn't seen trumpets for many years. Unfortunately, I also saw many lion fish. Leaky Palapa served Lionfish Tacos one day til they were sold out. I will be back. My daughter needs to come to Xcalak. Will contact you later. We came back to two snow storms and have close to a foot of snow on the ground. Thanks so much.
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Guest: Peggy
Date of Stay: 07/11/10
Review Submitted: 07/24/10
! Muchisimas gracias por tratarnos como familia ! Thank you so much for sharing the wonderful life and adventure with us : the completion of the “muelle” (dock) on the lake, the magic of the reef, its coral and the fish. Philippe, you took the time to come to know us and help us discover so many special phenomena such as hermit crabs at night and the darting schools of baby fish. Our dinners together were a delight, full of joyful sharing and learning. We are so happy you, Gabriel, Marta, Yolanda, Rolando and Jose could join us. We only wish that we could of met Gisele. When we were looking for a place in Xcalak, we kept returning to Casa Caracola. We were attracted by its simple yet beautiful aesthic. We could see the thought and care. We knew it had something special : Joy de Vivre, wonder, adventure, love. Again, ! un million de gracias !
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Guest: Donna, Rich, Bradley, B.C., Canada
Date of Stay: 04/25/10
Review Submitted: 04/11/11
Ah ! We are feeling sad to leave your beautiful spot in paradise ! It was our 3rd time hère in Xcalak but the first at Casa Caracola and hopefully not the last – hope to return again ! Thank you for the wonderful hospitality & fun conversations. It was a perfect break /vacation away from work, the cold weather and the busyness at home.
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Guest: Nigel and Jill
(Comox)
Date of Stay: 03/02/10
Review Submitted: 03/02/10
To get there – no problem. We rented a car and stopped in Playa to to pick up a cooler and staples on the way through. The roads were in excellent condition all the way. Remember to watch for the topes (speed bumps) they are huge in Mexico.The location – spectacular. Sky, sea, trade winds and accessable reef for kyaking and snorkelling. This is a very small undiscovered community, probably the Yucatan's last fronteer. The owners – Gisele and Phillipe are really interesting people and their enthusiasm is contageous. Accommodation – Tastefully decorated, spotlessly clean, very comfortable with breathtaking views.We stayed two weeks. There are places to explore within driving distance from Xclak but for us there was no reason to leave this restful retreat. If we weren't swimming, snorkelling or walking the dogs along the beach we were sitting happily under a palapa reading a good book.We savored the moment each and every day. The place is magical ! Can't wait to get back.
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Guest: Brett Johnson
Date of Stay: 01/12/10
Review Submitted: 01/11/10
Fabulous Experience at Casa Caracola" "My girlfriend and I spent 5 days in the upper unit at Casa Caracola in January 2010. We had an absolutely fabulous time. The views of the ocean from the palapa-style dining room and off the deck are spectacular. There were birds constantly present in the water, including terns, ibises, herons, and brown pelicans. The home was immaculately clean and well cared for by the on site caretakers, Gabriel and Martha, each day. The bed was very comfortable and the property had all of the amenities we could have wanted, including access to bikes and a wide variety of snorkel gear. The home is on a fabulous stretch of beach, and the snorkeling directly in front of the house was the best we tried in the Xcalak area. In addition to an incredible spectrum of colorful fish, we swam with a sea turtle, barracuda, rays, and even a nurse shark. Truly incredible. But perhaps best of all was getting to know the owners, Gisele and Philippe, who are two of the most wonderful people we have met in our travels. They took us snorkeling, answered all of our questions about the area, and bent over backwards to ensure that we had everything we needed and were enjoying our stay. They were an all-around pleasure."
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Guest: Linda Schulz
Date of Stay: 01/04/10
Review Submitted: 01/03/10
It is hard to leave a place of tranquility, beauty, good fellowship, kindness and peace... such a contrast to the "outer world". We wish you both, Gisele and Philippe, continued love in your special refuge.. and hope to meet you again
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Guest: Chelsea Carrera
Date of Stay: 12/22/09
Review Submitted: 12/21/09
Great thank-you ! We loved your place. Gabriel was great, he even prepared us a fish that we caught in Mahahual. We look forward to futur stays at your place. Everything was smooth and went great.
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Guest: Cara and Kyle Nosek
Date of Stay: 11/20/09
Review Submitted: 11/19/09
Thank you for making this place available to rent ! We spent 10 days here and are sad to leave. This whole place really is a treasure. Tigre and Cafe are great entertainment and watch dogs. We kayaked in the lagoon right behind the house and into the lagoon from the Rio Huach. Saw the ruins – mysterioso !! Fished in the Bay with Victor. Went to Mahahual one day and saw the cruise ship. Met Jane and Greg (they live down the street from my uncle back in MN) ! Small world. Many snorkelling afternoons. The lite in front of the house is fabulous and I love the clear water. We stayed absolutely busy from dawn till dusk. The people we’ve met and the conversations and stories we heard will not be forgotten. We will definitely be back . Xcalak can’t be beat. Muchos gracias for allowing us to stay at your casa ! Sorry we didn’t meet. Xcalak is the best kept secret . We love the anti-Cancun style. Slow, quiet, bueno ! The reef is awesome ! The lagoons are mysterious as are the ruins. Fishing with Victor Castro is to die for, if you are a pescador. So many bones. Loved Café and Tigre. I will miss Xcalak until we return.
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Guest: Christian Bauer Konig
Date of Stay: 06/06/09
Review Submitted: 06/05/09
Little ParadiseThanks so much for giving us the possibility to stay here with you in your little paradise. You’ve created a very special warm and charming place. There is nothing better than waking up in the morning and looking at the beautiful scenery. We made our certification for open water divers, snorkelled in front of the house, climbed the lighthouse, had great fish and delicious fruits and a lot of very interesting conversations with you and your friends.Thanks for making our honeymoon so unforgettable. In Germany we say “You always meet a person twice”. We really hope so.
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Guest: David Berry
Date of Stay: 04/04/09
Review Submitted: 04/03/09
Perfect ! Thank you so much for everything. You guys are lovely host. Your house and property is beautiful and you can tell you have put lots of love into it. Casa Caracola was perfect for our first trip without the kids, ever, in 7 years. Thank you for providing internet service so I could have peace of mind and check on the kids. We will see you again.
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Guest: Hector Gonzalez
Date of Stay: 03/20/09
Review Submitted: 03/19/09
Wonderful Stay Thank you for the wonderful stay here at lovely Casa Caracola. The children were enchanted with the life of the reef and it is terrific to experience for only 10 days, a lifestyle in the sun, waves and reef by the sea. I am happy to say that it is much like I remembered some 35 years ago when I swam in these pristine waters with my own Mom and Dad. It is funny how time can be so far and near at the same time! It was a joy to bring my own children at this place.
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