Girls Week at Casa Blanca

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/13/10 Review Submitted: 02/05/10

What a great place for a girls getaway! The house was great and was truly 50 steps from the beach. We were able to walk downtown to shop, eat, and drink. It was especially nice to have a maid and someone to get our groceries--we loved the fact that we didn't have to think about all those things like we do at home. It was a perfect getaway for us and I know we would love to do it again next year!!!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, age 55+, girls getaway.

Wonderful vacation home

Guest: Barb (Cleveland, Ohio, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/07/12 Review Submitted: 01/23/12

Our family of 10 (ages 7-92) spent a lovely week at Casa Blanca. The home is spacious, tastefully decorated and the staff wonderful. We cooked most meals there, using the outdoor grill often. The hot tub and pool were in constant use, especially by the young ones. The double-lot made family outdoor games memorable and the beach chairs were very much appreciated. Air conditioners in each room were great for those who needed it a little cooler. The daily towel art was beautiful and minor maintenance issues were taken care of within 24 hours. A wheel chair was delivered when we arrived for our 92 year old, making it possible for her to stroll with all of us in town and take the ferry for a day to Cozumel. We cannot say enough about the wondrous brunch prepared by the Epicurian Caterers. They easily accommodated one family member allergic to wheat, gluten, and lactose intolerance. Our vacation at Casa Blanca is one we will never forget and we hope to return there in the future!

Owner response:Thank you very much for your thoughtful comments and your understanding for the maintenance issue. We would love to have you back again next year and offer you a 10% return guest discount. Thanks Curt Henderson.

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

Perfect Group House, Great Location!

Guest: LJC (CHICAGO)
Date of Stay: 01/01/12 Review Submitted: 01/11/12

I recently stayed at Casa Blanca with 11 other between 25-40 year olds and we had a blast. The house was literally 50 steps to the beach and a real short walk downtown to 5th Ave. We even walked all the way to 28th and the 5th pretty quickly. There are many great restaurants in the area and grocery shopping was pretty easy to get to if needed. The housekeeper can also do some if you make a list. The house was spacious and had enough bathrooms and enough beds. With 12 people some did sleep on the couch which was very comfortable. The maid was wonderful. She came everyday and we were so impressed with her towel origami daily. We were surprised with 2 bottles of wine when we walked into the door as well. It was great having our own pool and hot tub. Hot tub was great on the cool nights we had! We cooked a few group dinners using the grill and the well supplied kitchen. I recommend this place to groups from families to even young adults like we were. The house is well maintained and everything you read on description is spot on

Owner response:Leslie, Thank you for your great review. You were a pleasure to work with and hope we get to see you again, Curt Henderson, Colorado

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

Already making plans to go back!

Guest: Vanessa L.
Date of Stay: 08/14/11 Review Submitted: 12/20/11

Our stay at CB this past August was absolutely incredible. We were 6 adults staying at the house but there was definitely room for many more! We booked CB for a few days before our wedding day to get some relaxation before some of our guests arrived into town. We had an AMAZING time. Here are a few highlights of our stay: The Beach: The beach is just a few steps away & since it’s a private, gated community, we had NO ONE around us! It was total paradise. We are SO happy we had these relaxing days before we transitioned over to the resort for our wedding, because most of the beach at the resort was full of coral & we were only able to swim in a certain area. CB also made sure to have beach chairs, a cooler, towels– everything we needed for a perfect day at the beach. Julian: The property manager, Julian, was there for anything we needed. We didn’t get our list of groceries out to Curt in time for our trip, but when we arrived, we told Julian what we needed & he was back with our stuff in just a few hours. He was very helpful in suggesting places to eat/visit & answering any questions we had. He was also available at any time we needed, day or night. Security: We were very very impressed with the security in this community. There was always a watchman going around the neighborhood & whenever we called the front gate requesting a cab, one of the security staff would come to the house to confirm that we called & to let us know that a cab would be arriving in a few minutes. No one can go into the community without checking in with the guards, so we always felt very safe. Location to Quinta Avenida: CB is about a 10 minute walk to town. We did the walk daily, We even had my energetic & in-fabulous-shape 72 year old mother-in-law with us who also did the walk daily so you know it’s doable. We enjoyed the walks & we always felt safe when walking thru the neighborhood. It’s enough of a walk that you can get into town in just 10 minutes, but also get out of town & be in peace, quiet and serenity back in CB Curt was definitely a pleasure to work with & was available for any questions we had. The pictures shown truly represent the property – everything is in great condition & very comfortable & spacious. Overall, if you want a home away from home, definitely don’t hesitate to stay at CB– you will not be disappointed and will leave with MANY amazing memories of Playa del Carmen! I am now planning a girl’s getaway trip for next year at Casablanca! :)

Owner response:Vanessa, Thank you for your kind and positive review. We love to hear about the fun the families that stay in our home Casa Blanca. Please remind us when you are looking to book another trip that you have been before and we will apply a return guest discount for you. Thanks Very Much. Curt Henderson.

Recommended for:

Best Vacation in a long time!

Guest: Chris - Colorado (Evergreen CO)
Date of Stay: 06/01/11 Review Submitted: 09/13/11

What does one write after reading other stellar reviews about Curt, his staff and the amazing Casa Blanca? I'll try to sum it up this way...the Best Vacation in a long, long time. We (2 families with a total of 3 kids) visited Casa Blanca during the 1st week of June 2011. We were met at the Cancun airport by Curt's recommended shuttle service and headed off to Casa Blanca where we discovered Casa Blanca in its beautiful condition and incredible setting, and YES... truly 55 steps to the beach! Playa and the surrounding areas where quite safe and extremely accomodating to visitors. Julian (house manager) was incredibily helpful, always assuring we had everything we needed to make the most out of our visit. On the recommendation of Curt, we hired Carlos and Tawny of Epicurean Chef services and truly enjoyed being taken care of for several evening meals and an amazing brunch (well worth the money)! Needless to say, we've secured our return trip for June 2012. Thanks again to Curt, Julian and the rest of the staff that makes this desitination a thing to remember and something to return to!

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

The home away from home

Guest: bride (minnesota)
Date of Stay: 08/18/11 Review Submitted: 08/23/11

This was the perfect space to host an intimate family wedding with style, luxury, and all the amenities. All of the rooms have a unique and beautiful decor and feel clean and spacious. The master bedroom is truly a MASTER bedroom, feeling more like its own little apartment. The owner provided us with all we needed to know before coming and things were well prepared by his staff. The location is nice, and fits the discription well. The transportation service recommended by Curt couldn't have been better. They assisted our group throughout the entire stay and were well under the price of most other companies. I would absolutely come back and would recommend this for people considering a nice wedding destination property for themselves and/or family. We hope to be back again soon!

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

Kansas Family

Guest: Kansas Family (Lenexa, Kansas)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/10/11

Casa Blanca was a very good experience for our family (5 kids 16-28 years old). The proximity to the beach is a huge plus, coupled with a reasonable walk to 5th Avenue either via the beach or through the gated entrance. Julian was very helpful in making sure our visit was pleasant by stocking the refrigerator and bringing in extra beach chairs to make sure our family each had access to one, which was defintely needed. The maid service was top notch and we would recommend Felipe's transportation service as his prices are fair and he even waited an extra 45 minutes for us to return from deep sea fishing. All the bedrooms and living areas were well furnished, the kitchen was large for family meals but could use some appliance updating to the toaster, toaster oven and coffee maker. Carlos from Epicurean makes a wonderful meal and was a highlight of the trip. The rooftop deck is ample size and provides some wonderful views, but could use some additional seating and/or a table or other upgrades compared to other roopftop decks in the neighborhood. The pool really is larger than the pictures indicate and is private from the road. The pool and ample beach towels, cooler, hot tub and outdoor shower was definitely a plus when returning from a hot day at the beach. The beach is wonderful and private by Casa Blanca and literally was 54 steps to the sand. Curt is great to deal with and his information packet was beyond helpful in terms of things to do, places to eat etc. H&C Meats is a real find when eating in and we used the outdoor grill many times as well. Overall Casa Blanca is a great place to experience Mexico, Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel, XPLOR, and great deep sea fishing (Wahoo Tours).

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, tourists without a car, families with young children.

Casa Blanca is the place to go in Playa del Carmen

Guest: Bill (Southampton, MA, US)
Date of Stay: 05/24/11 Review Submitted: 06/06/11

Having been to Playa del Carmen 4 prior times and usually staying at the Iberostar, we had high expectations going into Casa Blanca. We were not disappointed. The house is just as represented. We were scheduled to arrive one hour earlier than planned as a result of a flight change. One phone call to Julian, the caretaker, and our scheduled ride from the airport through Felipe(the driver suggested to us by Curt) was adjusted and our van was waiting for us early at the airport. The refrigerator was being stocked when we arrived and the house was spotless. There were 5 of us: my wife and I, my two sons aged 23 and 26 and my son's 22 year old friend. Plenty of room for us to spread out. My sons were worried about not having the all-inclusive available to us as at the Iberostar, but quickly decided that this location was better because of its proximinty to downtown and the 5th avenue nightlife. They loved the pool and nothing beats the rooftop deck for a drink or two after dinner. The view of the sea and Cozumel was spectacular. The housekeeper(I could never quite get her name) was wonderful and very friendly. Playacar itself is an extremely relaxing gated community; well maintained and with easy walking access to the bars, restaurants and shopping of 5th avenue. The beach at the house is awsome. We were worried prior to going down about beach erosion because of what the the hurricane did to the area a few years ago. The beach was back and wider than it was. . Probably about 75 yards from the street to the water. It was like having a private beach. The satellite photos on the website are probably quite old, because the beach is one of the best I have seen in the Carribean; and we have been to various places in the Carribean 19 or 20 times. Take the suggestion from Curt to have Carlos and Tani who own the Epicurean Chef to cook a private meal or two for you at the house. We had them in twice and each dinner was fantastic. They are great people and put on an amazing meal at a very reasonable cost. Carlos also owns a Spanish Tapas restaurant called Tierra Espana just off 5th Avenue. We went to try it our second night there by pure chance, and discovered during the evening that Carlos was to be our chef at the house the next nigth. That also was a great meal. Curt was extremely easy to deal with. Don't hesitate to rent this house.

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

Fabulous Location!

Guest: Prairiedawn (york)
Date of Stay: 01/27/11 Review Submitted: 02/15/11

Stayed here the last week of February. Everything is as wonderful as I hoped. I loved having tea on the rooftop terrace watching the green parrots fly by. If you enjoy birds this is a great location to watch them heading for the Xman Ha Aviary (go at noon when they are feeding the birds!). We had a handicap person able to walk a small amount with crutches - which was necessary as there is a low step up into the house and into the showers. Otherwise he could access the pool patio area and go all the way to 5th ave in his motorized scooter. The staff was friendly and everything was kept spotless. The jacuzzi pump burned out and was sent for repairs so it only worked a couple of days. We loved snorkeling at Yal Ku, Akumal Beach and highly recommend seeing Xcaret and the evening show and meal. Took a private taxi to Ria Lagartos to see thousands of flamingos (!) it was a long 3 hour drive one way but interesting variety of landscape and villages and cities to see.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing, people with disabilities.

Fantastic Playacar Home!

Guest: BT (Dallas, Texas)
Date of Stay: 11/21/10 Review Submitted: 11/30/10

My family and I had a fantastic time at Casa Blanca over Thanksgiving! Curt was a pleasure to deal with and truly goes out of his way to ensure his guests are well taken care of. The home is well kept by the daily maid service and the house manager Julian was attentive to our every need. Curt's restaurant recommendations were spot on! I highly recommend HC Meats. Just get 2-3 kilos of meat and it's great to snack on all week. We will without a doubt be back! Thank you Curt!

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