Vacation Rentals by Owner

A little pice of paradise

Guest: Karen (Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 12/17/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

My family and I traveled to Zihuatanejo for a much needed vacation. What we found was paradise! The condo is fantastic with views that surpass any 5 star resort (the pictures don't even do it justice!). We found the staff friendly, the location ideal, and the condo full of any and every amenity we could possibly need while away from home. The property was in fantastic shape and very clean. It is clear that this condo is used as much for the owners personal use as for renting by the quality of the furniture and appliances (as well as how well it is stocked). The owners made it easy for us to show up and know where to go, what to do, and how to navigate the local customs - this was very helpful given that our children - ages 9 and 10 are better at Spanish than we are! Restaurants and beach were in walking distance as was the ability to take killer walks for exercise. We loved that. We will be returning!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

GO, you won't regret it. Safe, relaxing and spectacular..

Guest: BcDano (Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/25/11 Review Submitted: 03/07/12

This is simply a great place to stay and take in the beauty of Playa de Ropa, Zihuatanejo. Spectacular view property that is a very (like very very) short walk to an amazing beach. Complex has two gorgeous infinity pools that are sparkling clean. Grounds are manicured to perfection. The unit itself is massive for two couples with a covered veranda/deck that again is huge. Equipped to perfection with everything a gourmet cook could want and wow did we eat. We also took in several of the great restaurants within walking distance. We walked to town two days. Easy and safe with no issues. Harriet the property manager is a delight and really made our stay that much better. Will return to be sure.

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

Simply the best!

Guest: Lynn (White Rock, B.C.)
Date of Stay: 11/27/10 Review Submitted: 12/11/10

We just left this paradise a few days ago and we knew we'd go back! It was everything and more what the website displayed. This place is gorgeous! An avid googler and information seeker, I came across this website with a friend when seeking out the best place for two couples to enjoy 10 days of bliss. This was it. The manager, Harriet, happened to be there at the same time and what a delight she is. She put together a comprehensive guide for her guests that was gold In our pockets! Everything from good eats to shopping, you name it. Harriet manages three units in La Casa Que Ve Al Mar which includes her own Suenos Del Mar - also absolutely beautiful with amazing art and tasteful decor. Restaurants to visit (and there are plenty) are Tango's, Porto Il Mare, Lety's, Banditos to mention a few favorites. We will return (and soon, we hope)!

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

Going through withdrawals!!

Guest: JG&MM (Calgary, AB, Canada)
Date of Stay: 04/24/10 Review Submitted: 05/02/10

Sadly we just arrived home here in Canada on May 1st from Casa D'arte, and had a REALLY hard time sleeping last night. Not waking up to the fresh ocean air blowing in our room all night, and the comforting sound of the waves breaking down at Playa La Ropa makes living back here in the city a tough thing to do. Casa D'Arte is hands down the nicest place we have stayed at before. We have stayed at some other nice condos in Puerta Vallarta before (we were even upgraded to a penthouse before) and none of them compared to this place. The owner was right in that the pictures do not do it justice. You have to be there in person to take in the full experience with the warmth, the smells, the sounds, and of course the sights. Every morning I would wake up, walk out into the veranda area (where we spent most of our time when in the casa), and just laugh to myself every day. The condo itself is so incredibly beautiful, that my girlfriend joked that she wanted to pay the owners to fly up here to decorate our place for us. The craftsmanship, decorating, and all the beautiful art in this unit, make it a place that truly inspires. The little details in the place make it truly incredible and strangely, it seems that you grow a little more attached to this place every new day that you spend there. We used the air conditioning our first night that we arrived as we were fresh off of the plane and not aclimatized. We never used it again for the rest of the trip. We just opened the bedroom doors to the veranda and let the ocean breeze come in, and the sound of the waves. It was very very comfortable. I have never had such good sleeps in my life. The location is perfect in my opinion. Its a bit of a hike into town, or you can just grab a cab ($3) or bus (.50 cents). The walk is nice, and takes about 15-20 mins depending on where you are going. There is a nice boardwalk along the beaches you can take about half way as well that takes you rigth into town, if you dont want to walk along the road (it's a much nicer walk going this way). The staff at the building, and all the people staying there, both full timers and visitors were all great people. The town of Zihu is a quant little sleepy and friendly town, and Casa D'arte is a perfect base location to stay at to explore all the surroundings (although even just staying in the Casa is all you really need for a little R&R). Cindy and Harriet were very friendly and accomodating, and Harriet's guide is top notch - very helpfull!!

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

Paradise in Mexico

Guest: Cannot wait to get back! (Calgary)
Date of Stay: 02/27/10 Review Submitted: 04/20/10

Just wanted to let you know that our stay as Casa d’Arte certainly exceeded our expectations. The weather was outstanding, the beach was incredible, the community was delightful and the condo was simply the best. We spent most of our time on the spacious deck lounging in the hammocks enjoying a good book. We were up early every morning (unusual for my wife) to enjoy the magnificent view. When we did drag ourselves away, we found your recommended restaurants at the beach were certainly excellent for lunch. Just a short inexpensive taxi ride to town & we enjoyed more delightful restaurants for the evening. Your instruction manual/guide was extremely helpful and made our stay that much more enjoyable. We ate out much more that we usually do - selected places from your guide and were never disappointed. The condo staff were great and a special thanks to Sergio at the security gate. What a pleasant, helpful gentleman! We plan to come back soon.

Owner response:Thanks so much! We love it when people have great vacations and enjoy our place as much as we do. We hope all our guests walk in and say wow, this is fantastic! It's so much better than the internet! -- Cindy

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

Guest: Chris
Date of Stay: 01/23/10 Review Submitted: 04/10/10

I had intended on emailing you both upon our return to tell you what a wonderful time we had at Casa d'Arte! Yes, we are happy visitors! What a fabulous place you have there in wonderful Zihuat. We had a great time last year which is why we returned. We met Al and Sue and Connie last year, among others, and it was great to reconnect with them this year. We also got to know Doug and Sandy. We got snoopy and checked out other condos there. We came to the conclusion that Casa d 'Arte is definitely the gold standard. The terrace and view are spectacular and the art is amazing. We are already looking into returning next year.

Recommended for:

Awesome view from hammocks, lounges, large terrace

Guest: Celia and Ron (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 12/28/09 Review Submitted: 01/16/10

We were so pleased to find that Casa d'Arte lived up to the posted description, and more. The condo is part of "La Casa Que Ve Al Mar" in a lovely area of Zihua...easy walk to beach, and more. We felt at home immediately and secure. The condo is very comfortable, very clean, and has a staff that one can count on! The concierge, Eliezer, was helpful in many ways, and helped us to communicate in Spanish. Loved all the fun perks that the owners provided, including written highlights and reviews regarding fun and sun from manager Harriet. The infinity pools were delightful: after a time at the ocean, we would come home to shower off at our "own" pools, then dip or dive into the lovely & refreshing waters... Ahhh! Absolutely beautiful views from the edge of the infinity pool overlooking Zihuatanejo Bay, and Playa La Ropa. The sunsets were breathtaking! We highly recommend this property- you shall not be disappointed. Saludos, Celia and Ron

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Simply, richly, beautifully ideal.

Guest: MetaGrrrl (San Francisco, California)
Date of Stay: 10/10/09 Review Submitted: 11/03/09

Casa D'Arte was exactly what we two busy professional couples needed for a thoroughly relaxing getaway. Their website gave us a very good idea of what to expect, but despite all the photos we weren't prepared for how beautiful a place it and Zihuatanejo. We received a great price and above-and-beyond-excellent service from Harriet in preparing for our trip; thanks to her detailed guides we had no worries and could fully relax both before and during the trip. We strongly recommend this lovely rental and hope to return soon. If you're like us, you don't need to do anything special. Just enjoy the condo, its amazing terrace, and the infinity pools in the complex. Or stroll down the hill 5 minutes, plant your toes in the sand under a palapa, and enjoy another great, inexpensive meal at Paty's. We did go out for one fancy meal we would strongly recommend at La Casa Que Canta. We also had good dinners at the Tides and Kau Can. Hot tip: if you arrive late, The Tides is a fancy but worry-free first stop for an after dark dinner. We traveled in mid-October and only had rain overnight two nights. The days were perfect. *sigh* It's too soon to go on vacation again, huh? Darn.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

We found Paradise at Casa d'Arte in Zihua!

Guest: Bob Hanson, Vermont
Date of Stay: 10/09/09 Review Submitted: 04/16/10

We walked in the door and our first reaction was a ?"jaw-dropping wow"! The unit is beautifully ?decorated with bright colors and as we walked ?through the unit to the large, shaded terrace the ?view was stunningly magnificent. We could hardly ?drag our eyes away. The unit is very comfortable ?with AC which we only used in the bedroom at night.??At the condo, we spent almost all our time on the ?beautiful and quite large terrace with wi-fi, hammocks, lounge chairs, bar-b-cue grill, ceiling ?fan and beautiful ocean breezes.??The staff at the condo, Casa Que Ve al Mar, are ?helpful and delightful. We practiced our limited ?Spanish with the security guards and we all enjoyed ?doing that.??We found no need to rent a car as it was a short 10 ?minute walk down to Playa La Ropa where we spent ?our days at Patty's. Taxi cabs are plentiful, ?inexpensive and almost every driver was delightful.??We found Harriet's guide to Zihauatanejo to be ?extremely helpful in every way as this was our ?first trip to Zihau. Harriet's guide contains ?recommendations for restaurants, shopping, ?sightseeing, what to bring, and answers just about ?every question you might have.

Recommended for:

Simply, richly, beautifully ideal!

Guest: By MetaGrrrl from San Francisco, CA
Date of Stay: 10/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/16/10

Casa D'Arte was exactly what we two busy professional couples needed for a thoroughly relaxing getaway. Their website gave us a very good idea of what to expect, but despite all the photos we weren't prepared for how beautiful a place it and Zihuatanejo. We received a great price and above-and-beyond-excellent service from Harriet in preparing for our trip; thanks to her detailed guides we had no worries and could fully relax both before and during the trip. We strongly recommend this lovely rental and hope to return soon. If you're like us, you don't need to do anything special. Just enjoy the condo, its amazing terrace, and the infinity pools in the complex. Or stroll down the hill 5 minutes, plant your toes in the sand under a palapa, and enjoy another great, inexpensive meal at Paty's. We did go out for one fancy meal we would strongly recommend at La Casa Que Canta. We also had good dinners at the Tides and Kau Can. Hot tip: if you arrive late, The Tides is a fancy but worry-free first stop for an after dark dinner. We traveled in mid-October and only had rain overnight two nights. The days were perfect. *sigh* It's too soon to go on vacation again, huh? Darn. More...

Recommended for:

Relax In Outdoor and Indoor Beauty!

Guest: Pacific Northwest Escapee (Vancouver, Washington)
Date of Stay: 03/21/09 Review Submitted: 03/27/09

This two-bedroom condo is truly unique. The art and decor should be in Architectural Digest, if it's not already. The two bedrooms are situated so that there is privacy between the two bedrooms, which was important to us, but there is definitely an advantage to being in "our" bedroom with sliding glass doors facing the ocean. The back bedroom is a bit quieter, however, since you don't hear the waves pounding, and it's also cooler if you decide not to use the air conditioning. We have stayed in different condos in this same complex before, so it is worth mentioning that Casa D'Arte is truly special, even within a very special group of condos, in terms of it's location, view, interior design, and amenities. At the same time, I want to say how wonderful the staff at the whole condo complex are. There is 24 hour security, and the manager/assistant managers are terrific, including helping us with our bags when we arrived and in choosing restaurants. They are warm, gracious, knowledgable, and helpful--it would be impossible to say enough good things about them. Another way in which this unit stands out is the support from the rental agent and owners prior to and after your arrival. They sent high-value information that helped us plan and enjoy our trip, including up-to-date information on restaurants and activities. Again, although we were already familiar with the area, this service exceeded our expectations with better, more specific information that we typically have received. This condo would be a great choice for a couple on a honeymoon or romantic vacation, or if you wanted an extra room for guests who were coming for a visit during part of your stay. It's close to the beach and some excellent restaurants. If you don't relish sitting on the beach, you are within easy access of snorkeling, diving, fishing, para-sailing, and kayaking options. We liked reading on the large, shaded patio surrounded by beautiful plants. The only people, other than children, who should not stay here are those who are unable to walk up a half-flight of stairs to the elevator, or if you are physically unbalanced--the railings on the porch are beautiful, but they would not stop an intoxicated adult or anyone else who leaned too far over and lost their balance.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Casa d'Art

Guest: RandJ (St. Albert, AB, Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/24/09 Review Submitted: 02/17/09

We loved our end of January 2009 vist to Casa d'Art and Zihuatanejo. Casa Que Ve Al Mar and Casa d'Art were both picture perfect. The temperature was consistently 32 degrees centigrade (a significant change from our Canadian January weather), but we adjusted quickly, visited the beautiful Playa Ropa daily and always had time to relax in the infinity pools. We explored the backside of Playa Los Gatos and made our way to the lighthouse, but ran out of energy in our attempt to hike to Manzanillo Beach...next time. The taxis and municipal bus to Zihua were always delightful and we managed to explore much of the city and surrounding Ixtapa during our stay. We had drinks at Casa Que Cante and will plan for dinner at our next visit. Puerto de Sol was fun and the flambe dessert yummy. We had a couple of breakfasts at Casa Cafe and it was always filling and healthy... and the coffee the best we found in town. Casa d'Art was most relaxing. We loved the huge terrace; it was the perfect place for reading, sunset watching and snoozing. Since our retrun to Canada, we have had many occasions to praise the vacation itself, the hospitality of all the people at Casa Que Ve Al Mar (staff and guests) and the enjoyable, peaceful lifestyle of Zihuatanejo. Thanks for the all the advice and recommendations provided in advance of our visit! Take care, Alberta, Canada

Recommended for:Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.