Beautiful Beach Get-Away

Guest: Erika (Kentucky, USA)
Date of Stay: 12/26/11 Review Submitted: 01/21/12

Vista Azul Lodge is a gorgeous, spacious home with ample room for a large party. The decks on each level offer beautiful views of the water and a relaxing environment. The description of the lodge on the listing was accurate, yet exceeded our expectations. The beach is just steps away from the front of the lodge and is great for snorkeling, fishing and is especially suited for surfing. Vista Azul Lodge staff are friendly, courteous and extremely helpful. There are several restaurants walking distance from the lodge and I would recommend Bibi's for the banana pancakes for breakfast. This is a great vacation spot if you are looking to relax or fill your days with activity.

Owner response:On behalf of the Vista Azul Lodge staff, we are all very pleased to hear you all had a wonderful stay at the Lodge. We look forward to accommodating you again :)

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

Best Vacation Ever!

Guest: Hannah (Portland, OR)
Date of Stay: 11/21/11 Review Submitted: 12/07/11

13 of my friends and I recently met up in Bocas for a week long vacation. I was expecting the house to be really nice, but I would have never imagined that it was going to be as gorgeous as it was! The house couldn't have been more perfect for all of us. Each bedroom having its own bathroom gave everyone their privacy, and the large common areas were perfect for everyone to hang out in together. Peter and Tico were there to assist us with any of our needs. I would highly recommend having Ari make her delicious dinners. Armodio the caretaker was there to help with anything you needed including making us bonfires any night we wanted. Fabian was there within 5 minutes of calling to take us wherever we wanted to go. The volleyball court was a nice surprise and provided us with countless hours of fun. We ended up spending more time at the house than we had anticipated. It was so nice to have a sandy beach right in front and a nice surf break just a short paddle away. The house is in the perfect location where the whole group didn't have to be doing the same thing all the time. Bocas town being only a 5 minute boat ride away was very convenient, but it was still far enough away where we felt nice and secluded. The chitras (sand flies) were a little out of hand, but once we got the magic bug oil from the Pickled Parrot we didn't have issues with them. We all had the time of our lives and are hoping that we can return for many years to come. Peter, thank you so much for sharing your house with us, it was truly my most memorable vacation ever!

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

Spectacular Island House

Guest: Andy (Newport Beach)
Date of Stay: 09/05/11 Review Submitted: 09/14/11

I recently returned from 4 days at Vista Azul Lodge with a group of 6 people and had a great time. The house is unbelievable and very picturesque, definitely the best in Bocas! I would recommend this to anyone looking for lodging in this area. The house was also very close to everything (2 minutes to Bocas town) but the same time far enough away to be isolated if we wanted. Armodio the groundskeeper was very attentive and was there to assist us at anytime and we were able to arrange all boat taxis with Fabian. He took us on a couple of excursions and had a great time. Tico was very helpful with any questions and information to make sure we got the most out of our stay. Overall a great trip to Bocas and would definitely like to return.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, adventure seekers, sightseeing, families with teenagers.

Beautiful Home

Guest: Andre (Atlanta, GA USA)
Date of Stay: 07/25/11 Review Submitted: 08/01/11

Peter thank you so much for your hospitality, our stay at your vacation home was a wonderful experience. This 5 bedroom house is amazing, the house comes equipped with everything imaginable. We were finding new things for like two days, even water shoes for the beach :) This house is so nice people kept looking over wanting to come in thinking it was a hotel, one person even asked us how much we rented the chairs for. We were a huge group of three families totaling 14 people and we were well accommodated. There are so many things to do on the island that you will not be disappointed. The main thing that made this trip great was the care taker of the home, he went beyond his duties to make sure we were comfortable at the home, if there was anything we needed he was there to take care of it. The only negative thing about our stay at the home was that the main bathroom downstairs was out of order and the WIFI at the house needed to be reset constantly which made it a little tough to research our next adventure. However this was a small price to pay for the wonderful memories we got out of it...

Owner response:Thank you! We are delighted to hear that you and your family enjoyed the lodge. We have taken care of the problem with the downstairs bathrooms dual flush and everything is flowing properly. :) The WIFI seemed to be an external problem with the internet company, that problem has also be resolved. Thanks Again, The Vista Azul Family

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, sightseeing, families with teenagers.

Best Trip Ever!

Guest: Jasmine (San Diego, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/25/11

12 of my closest family and friends visited Vista Azul for a week over the Fouth of July and had the time of our lives. The house was absolutely stunning and got quite a lot of attention from all the beach goers. This house seems larger and better looking than any of the Hostels and Hotels in the area. The rooms were perfect for the couples who wanted privacy and the great room was an excellent place to spend time playing games or eatting good home cooked meals together. There are several small bars and resturants within a few minutes walk. The salty American who runs the Pickeled Parot is hilarious. We even fell in love with the Rasta dog that joined our crew for the week and even came snorkling with us. Cosmic Crab has a great Sunday Brunch. Fabian was great for daily boating trips, Amarrio was a champion and took a lot of pride in keeping the place running smooth. Probably the best investment was having Ari come to the hous everyday to take care of cleaning up, cooking and grocery shopping-truely made for a hassel free week. Only negative is the bugs. Several people really got bitten badly so make sure to take precautions. However, this one issue was completely overshadowed by the amazing unforgetable time we had there. Thanks Peter!

Owner response:Thank you very much for the wonderful review! We are working on a solution to the sand flies, by purchasing some equipment to be placed throughout the gardens of the property, to help control the sand flies. The overall feed back from our guests is an incredible memorable time which far out weighs the sand fly's. Warm Regards, The Vista Azul Family

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

Absolute paradise!

Guest: Elaine (New York)
Date of Stay: 06/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/11/11

Wow! The house was so beautiful and secluded, the island couldn't be more beautiful. 5 minute beach walk to great happy hour and restaurant, be sure to take a few boat trips to surrounding beautiful and peaceful beaches. We loved every detail of this house, the perfect holiday we will be back!

Owner response:Thank you Elaine for your kind words. We are so glad you fully enjoyed your stay at the Lodge. You have to love those beach bonfires with the moon and the waves lapping up onto the beach. It's special :) We hope to see you all again.

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

Perfect location for everything

Guest: Douglas T. (Columbus, NE)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/26/11

My wife and I and two other couples enjoyed Vista Azul for a week in June. Even though it was the rainy season, we enjoyed several days of sunshine and great snorkeling in front of the house. Though the reef is small, there was an amazing variety of sealife including nurse sharks, small rays, large schools of various reef fish and my favorite - a lionfish. Three of us are schoolteachers and we were there primarily for rest and relaxation to start our summer. Vista Azul is located perfectly for lazing on the beach, floating in the shallow water or walking isolated beaches. Carenero is a very small island. One morning, my wife and I walked around the entire island without encountering another soul until we reached the village on the other side. The house itrself is a wonderful retreat with everything one needs for entertainment or relaxation. There were two great bars just a short walk down the beach ( Pickled Parrot with an eccentric ex-pat owner/bartender and Bibi's on the Beach with amazing Happy Hour drinks from 4 to 7). There was also a great restaurant a little further into the village called Dona Mara's, although Bibi's also served fantastic seafood. We never left Carenero except to go to Bocas Town ( a 5 minute water taxi ride away from the dock in front of the house) for quick trips for supplies. Another plus at Vistal Azul was Armadeo, the caretaker. He was always nearby whenever there was a question or something was not working at the house - no hot water, fixed quickly by replacing the empty propane tank in back. The one drawback we encountered was the chitras - sand flies. Make sure to bring plenty of Deet as the local home remedy repellants sold at the bars are not very effective. The nasty little critters ate us alive until we finally figured out that only at least 30% Deet held them at bay. That said, the chitras were a minor inconvenience in what was a wonderful vacation at a fantastic location.

Owner response:Thank you so much for your kind words. If I had to submit a posting, your words would have been it, even the part about the sand flies ! The trick there is knowing when to not be outside i.e. just after rain or drizzle. The time of year and month weather wise, plays a big part. It's nice to hear another happy guest :) Hope to see you again soon. Saludos, Andrea and Peter Kent

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

Amazing vacation rental.Pictures don't do it justice

Guest: Bryanlut (Austin,Texas/United States)
Date of Stay: 04/03/11 Review Submitted: 04/19/11

Peter has a wonderful home with everything you could ask for. He made us feel like family and provide us with any information we needed before and during our trip. He went out of his way to make sure we had a wonderful time. We had a group of eight with two families ages ranging from 29 to 70's. Every room with attached bath and private balcony was beautiful. The property care taker Arimodio was always available with a smile building us a fire on the beach one night to getting us a fresh coconut to drink out of. Ari the cook was also great she always had a smile on her face and took great care of us. The property location is perfect. Less than five minutes from town but felt like a secluded get away at night and in the mornings. The beautiful views of the jungle behind the house and the white sand beach in the front made this the perfect house. We even got to encounter a tree sloth right on the ground with in a foot of us. Peter arranged Fabian a local water taxi guy to take us around when ever we needed and took us on tours all over the islands. Peter also arranged varrious fishing tours with some of his friends. Even caught my first tarpin..150lbs!! We will definitely be coming back to this location. Bocas is a wonderful place and the secret will shortly be out on this beautiful destination. Thank you again Peter for the wonderful vacation.

Owner response:Hi Bryan & your two families, Thank you so much for your very kind words. The Lodge team, is very pleased you all had a wonderful time. Do remember to send a picture of the 150 lb.Tarpin you caught on 30 lb. line, so we can post it with the other pictures. Would love to see the fish :) It also looked like you took full advantage of the divers who came by the house selling lobster and the such. Nice :) We thoroughly enjoyed having you all stay at the Lodge and look forward to your return. Kind Regards, Andrea & Peter.

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

It doesn't get any better than this!!

Guest: lauren (Vancouver Island, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/15/11 Review Submitted: 03/05/11

Myself and a group of friends rented Peter's house for 10 days and seriously couldn't have had a better vacation. The house is gorgeous, even better than the photos online, the perfect mix of luxury and practicality with a breath-taking location. We were the envy of everyone who walked by!! The beach in front of the house is the best on the island, sunlovers from all over seek it out to soak up the rays. We were extatic to see that there was a fantastic surf break literally right in front of the house...an easy 5 min paddle and you were riding beautiful friendly waves perfect for both beginners and intermediate surfers. No shortage of places to rent boards from either, there are great deals just down the path. We enjoyed having Ari keep the place nice and tidy (and sand free) for us while we were at play. She was so helpful and even helped us to practice our spanish. Armordio, the caretaker is a warm heart willing to do anything to make your stay perfect. He even built us a fire on the beach and chased down the fisherman on his surfboard so we could buy fresh fish. Peter made himself available for any questions we had, even at peculiar hours of the night :)Caranero has all you need just steps away but make sure to take advantage of Fabian and his boat service to take you all over the islands, the adventures are endless. We were a group of couples ages 27-33 and we were not bored for a second. This vacation destination is the perfect mix of rest, luxury, adventure, exploration and nightlife. We have travelled a lot and this trip definitely makes it to the top of our favorite list. Thanks Peter for a fantastic time!!!

Owner response:Hi Laura and the rest of the gang, It was our pleasure to have you stay at the Lodge and thank you very much for your kind words :) I must say, you maxed out your stay, mixing it up with every possible available activity and experiencing a wide variety of memorable moments. It made me realize your ten day stay made this possible, as most guests say, I wish we had booked for longer. Thank you for treating our home with respect. We look forward to seeing you again and continuing our conversations :) Armodio and Ari send their regards. Do keep in touch. Abrazos, Andrea and Peter.

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

Great location, central to Bocas activities and beautiful, spacious property

Guest: cludden (Ojai, California)
Date of Stay: 02/05/11 Review Submitted: 02/13/11

Vista Azul provided us (a group ranging from nine to 11 people, couples and singles) with a great and memorable vacation home. The house is incredibly spacious. Rooms offer private baths, king beds (twins also available) and a welcoming open floor plan with a large living area and connected kitchen. Also worth mentioning is the air-conditioners in each room. You might not need it every night of your stay, but it's a definite treat for colder blooded folks. The property is a quick water taxi ride to Bocas Town, where you'll find great dining variety, night life and boutique shopping, but its location is pleasantly removed from the in-and-out of daily life in the busier town near by. We had a blast exploring the nearby beaches, surf breaks and watering holes (Bibi's offers a great happy hour and is a quick two-minute walk down the path). Local guides were readily available to take us to landmarks further away, such as Starfish Beach and Bird Island. The local house staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. We opted to do our own grocery shopping and cooking, but were told these services were available for a nominal fee of $30/day. The kitchen is fully equipped. Washer/dryer are also available, however water is limited so we only used once or twice. Although it didn't bother us, it's worth noting that the beach out front of the house is not a private beach and locals and visitors alike end up in the "front yard" from about 10:00am until 4:00pm. Again, not a huge deal unless you're looking for total privacy. Wireless is available, but not entirely reliable. And definitely take lots of bug spray; the sand flies/flees were definitely noticeable throughout the day. All in all, the house is a great find. Although none of our crew were getting hitched, it would have made for a great small family wedding destination or family reunion location. As it was, we were a group of family and friends, all ages and activity levels, coming in from all over the states and we all had a blast during our stay. Highly recommended for a those looking for a fun, family-friendly, community-friendly, luxurious vacation home!

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