Vacation Rentals by Owner

Casa Dos Chivos: A wonderful gem of a villa on the unspoiled island of Vieques

Guest: Karen & John (East Sandwich, MA USA)
Date of Stay: 03/10/12 Review Submitted: 03/18/12

Having just returned from a fantastic week on the island of Vieques and Casa Dos Chivos, no photographs can do justice to location overlooking the sea and the north side of the island as well as the thoughtful detail that Michael and Patrick have put into their two-level villa. As one couple, we rented the one-bedroom unit on the top floor and enjoyed sweeping views of sea and sky from our wonderful veranda. Renee, the manager for the property, greeted us at the airport, helped us collect our rental car and provided us with lots info to get us started. When we arrived the villa was spotlessly clean. Casa Dos Chivos takes your breath away when you step through the door: it is tastefully decorated and so comfy. We love to cook so we appreciated the well outfitted kitchen and gas grille. The set up for our ipod, wifi, and dvd collection with flat screen tv are thoughtful touches - but the library is the best with a wide variety of beach reading to please any taste! We explored many of the beaches (Blue Beach was our favorite) but loved returning to "our home" at the end of our Vieques adventures. We slept so soundly in the quality king-sized bed and woke up with coffee on the veranda every morning. The hosts provided beach chairs, umbrellas, and coolers so lunch on the beach was easy. The washer and dryer are so convenient, too! Michael and Patrick also have a great guest guide that is an easy overview of getting oriented on the island - beaches, restaurants, activities are all there. The guest comments are also rich in details making it easy to have a great vacation even as first-time visitors. We fell in love with the island vibe and can't wait to return to Vieques and Casa Dos Chivos. The people are friendly and kind - we gave a local named Pedro a ride to work one morning and when he saw us at the market 2 days later he gave us a big hello like we were long lost friends. It was a nice experience! We also fell in love with the horses that seem to be everywhere on the island - especially the little foals with their moms. Amazing! This feels like the real Caribbean experience that we all long for when the weather is tough in the Northeast...warm turquoise waters, soft white sand, warm Easterly breeze and swaying palms trees. We would suggest flying to Vieques as the ferry is unreliable - there are three airlines that fly into Vieques and we had a great experience with Vieques Air (VAL). We will happily return to Casa Dos Chivos again!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Heaven on Earth

Guest: Jan44 (Wellesley, MA)
Date of Stay: 01/22/11 Review Submitted: 02/03/11

What can I say? The house is utterly stunning. I knew it was going to be special after looking at the pictures on the website, reading previous reviews and talking with Patrick and Michael but I never imagined it would be quite so spectacular. Everything about the house is pure perfection – the location mid-island and close to markets, the site high on the hill looking out to the north, the roomy open living space and especially the fashionable décor. It could easily be featured in a design magazine. The furnishings, wall decorations and luscious colors of the rooms create an atmosphere of welcome luxury. The kitchen is beautifully equipped and the gas grill on the terrace adds to culinary possibilities. We chose to eat in every night except for one (dinner at Trade Winds in Esperanza on my husband’s birthday) and having breakfast on the porch became one of our favorite times of the day. This was our first visit to Vieques and we’ve fallen completely in love with the island. The beaches are amazing and, even at “high season”, wonderfully unpopulated. We’ve lived and traveled in many parts of the world but have never found a stretch of sand more spectacular than Blue Beach. And then there’s Caracas…and Green Beach…and Sun Bay. You can’t go wrong wherever you choose to set up your beach chair. Bioluminescent Bay is extraordinary; don't under any circumstance miss experiencing the phenomenon of moving your hand through the water and producing flashes of light. One tip: do arrange for your car early. We ran into lots of folks who were unable to secure transportation. We rented from Martineau and that, in itself, was a trip: two gas guzzlers with battery problems left us stranded first at the market and then at the house temporarily. I say temporarily because the 24-hour emergency number provided by the rental company produced speedy results each time. Eventually we got the Jeep Liberty we had originally reserved and from then on we were very happy campers. Finally, this will sound strange but I especially appreciated the well-oiled, easy turning locks to house, gate, and laundry room. I love it when things work they way they’re supposed to. We came to Vieques to escape winter and found a relaxed, friendly island where everyone we met seemed genuinely happy. All our plans for exotic future winter vacations have changed. We know where we’ll be next year if Patrick and Michael will have us.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Joan & Dick Nyberg (St. Paul, MN)
Date of Stay: 03/14/10 Review Submitted: 03/14/10

We loved our week at Casa Dos Chivos. Patrick and Michael anticipated our every need, from a well-stocked kitchen to beach towels and beach chairs. The house is as comfortable as it is spacious, clean and beautiful. Karen, the property manager, provided invaluable advice. It was reassuring to know she was just a phone call away. We made reservations after sending our only child off to college. We learned that an empty nest can be awonderful place -- especially if it is in Vieques and is as well-feathered as Casa Dos Chivos.

Recommended for:

Guest: Sioux & Andrew (Wilmette, IL)
Date of Stay: 01/01/10 Review Submitted: 01/01/10

We absolutely loved staying at Casa Dos Chivos. This was our 2nd trip to Vieques in 18 months. We fell in love with the island the 1st time and stayed in a nice casita in a good location, becoming initiated to "navigating" life on Vieques; ie, got familiar w/grocery shopping, chose our favorite beaches (Caracas, Navio & Sombe), learned Colmado Mambo had more obscure necessities (eg, Benadryl) than the larger Morales stores, learned our way around the island in general. For our most recent trip (11/16-12/1/09), Andrew checked out VRBO to see if we could do better than the 1st place in which we stayed for comfort, cleanliness, amenities and location--which had been pretty good. Also, it had to be a "single family home" vs. one in which a studio or 2nd part was rented to strangers. We decided 1 gets what 1 pays for (Dos Chivos was about $200 more per week, but reasonable), and the photos were enticing. Since we knew the various barrios, we liked the convenience of Dos Chivos's location to the road to "our" beaches, the grocery stores, the Tuesday produce market, and to both Isabel II and Esperanza (and the home of "the flan lady", Yvon), while remaining sufficiently isolated and private in a lovely barrio away from main roads, on a hilltop with a fabulous view. The Website does not do justice to Dos Chivos! It's much lovlier, "classier", larger and even more comfortable than we'd expected! It was ultra-clean, totally comfortable in terms of lay-out, furnishings and amenities (even a fabulous library!), super convenient for getting where we wanted to go, very private w/phenonenal hilltop Atlantic breezes! We used the a/c only once or twice, and were glad it was there. The laundry room is terrific and everything was well-stocked. The beach chairs, umbrellas, towels and cooler were just what we needed! Every cooking accoutrement was at hand. The veranda kept Sioux glued to the view for hours. The feeling of openness was fabulous: the jalousie windows allowed for excellent ventilation and the floor-to-ceiling double-doors made it feel like we weren't even inside. We had gone there with the idea of talking to a Realtor about buying, but as more days passed during our 2-week stay, we changed our minds. We decided we could not afford a place nearly on par with Dos Chivos + management as great as Karen, so we'd just make DOS CHIVOS our "Vieques 2nd home"! Dos Chivos is exactly what we'd design for ourselves (were we as creative as Michael and Patrick, eg, th

Recommended for:

Guest: Sherry and Steve (Madison, NJ)
Date of Stay: 06/25/09 Review Submitted: 06/24/09

We had a wonderful stay here at Casa Dos Chivos. The location was excellent (almost center of the Island). The interior was spotless and beautifully decorated. The bathroom was well lit with plenty of hot water (a rarity in the tropics). It was very thoughtfully stocked with books, games, first aid kit, washer/dryer and beach supplies. Karen (the manager) was willing to offer any advice about the island, and the owners were very prompt and professional with the booking and helpful internet welcome package. This villa is a great value in Vieques and we highly recommend it for couples or families! Steve and Sherry, Madison, NJ USA

Recommended for:

Wonderful Villa - Enjoyed our stay

Guest: Sherry and Steve (Madison, NJ)
Date of Stay: 06/07/09 Review Submitted: 06/22/09

We loved Casa Dos Chivos for many reasons: Excellent location (almost center of the Island). The interior was spotless and beautifully decorated. The bathroom was well lit with plenty of hot water. The a/c worked well in bedroom with ceiling fans throughout. It was very thoughtfully stocked, with books, games, first aid kit, washer/dryer and beach supplies. Karen (the manager) was willing to offer any advice needed about the Island, and the owners were very professional with booking and internet welcome package. We thought this villa was a great value in Vieques and we highly recommend it! Steve and Sherry, Madison, NJ USA

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/09 Review Submitted: 04/11/09

We recently got back from staying at Casa Dos Chivos and could not have asked for a better experience. This was our third trip to Vieques and our first time staying in a rental property - this house far exceeded our expectations. From the gorgeous terrace and view to the wonderful accomodations, everything was perfect. Micheal and Patrick were so gracious, and Karen was a great resource - she even brought us fresh grapefruit our first morning there! We would highly recommend Casa Dos Chivos to anyone!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/19/09

We just returned from a delightful stay at Casa Dos Chivos. The photos on the web don't do it justice. The minute we arrived we felt at home and on the last day, it was hard to leave. I could see myself living in the casa. It had everything you could need for a vacation. I loved the tropical decor, papaya and mango colors, art and furniture. We loved sitting on the deck and looking at the Atlantic and surrounding neighborhood, listening to the sounds of the island. We grilled whole snapper and lobster from the fish market and found a small fruit market for papaya, grapefruit, mangoes, bananas and limes and even a gal selling her fresh baked bread and citrus marmalade that was out of this world. Driving was an adventure (a rental car is a MUST), natural speedbumps (culverts, potholes, a mare standing in the road nursing a foal and iguana crossings can make the going scenic and slow. The beaches are gems, deserted, white, fine sand, aquablue. We loved Red Beach. The Bio bay was unique, the night we went our guide had a megalaser and pointed out the constellations...amazing. Our flight over was quick and laid back..our pilot was eating Doritos and licking his fingers while flying. Hopefully, Vieques can remain unspoiled, some good came out of the naval base in that all that land is now wildlife preserves with beautiful beaches. There is no light pollution, so the stars are incredible. Many thanks, Michael and Patrick for sharing your lovely, island home. Karen B.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/10/09

What a beautiful spot. We have been coming to Vieques for years, but this is the first time we rented a house. We loved it, even better than we had expected. It is in a great location, beautifully furnished and decorated, has every convenience/ammenity you could possible want, great view and oh so comfortable. A massage on the balcony with Ingrid Bergman is pure heaven. I highly recommend Casa Dos Chivos.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/08 Review Submitted: 12/07/08

We stayed at Casa Dos Chivos in mid-November 2008. We had never been to Puerto Rico or Vieques before so it was all new and we weren't exactly sure what to expect. All I can say is that we are already planning our next trip back and we would not think of staying anywhere else on Vieques as long as Casa Dos Chivos is available. It is fantastic! We had never tried a VRBO before either, so I was a little apprehensive, but Casa Dos Chivos turned out to be the highlight of our trip. We especially enjoyed the large balcony with far-reaching view and the huge comfy bed. You really could not ask for a more private setting or a more relaxing atmosphere. Having all the amenities of home while in paradise made for a perfect stay. The owners and property manager are great to work with and are obviously pros. Casa Dos Chivos exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend it to anyone without reservation. Scott and Shanna Seattle, Wa

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/08 Review Submitted: 07/13/08

We chose Casa Dos Chivos for our Vieques vacation from July 2-9. If you are considering renting this property, do not hesitate! Michael and Patrick have been very easy to work with from day one. Their house manager met us upon arrival on the island and escorted us to the casa. She is extremely friendly and helpful - there if you need her and absent if you don't. The house itself is situated more towards the center of the island but is closest to Isabel Segunda and convenient to grocery shopping etc. The area is residential and is located at a higher elevation to allow for stunning ocean, PR and Culebra views from the wrap-around porch. Other surrounding homes also had their balconies situated such that they were looking at the same view and not at you. We felt a definite sense of privacy on the balcony. We rented the home using the 1BR option. The interior is fantastic - very clean and spacious and tastefully decorated. There is a full kitchen, sitting area with couch, dining table, king size bed and a large shower. We immediately felt very comfortable and appreciated all the little amenities that the casa provided - DVD's, stereo, grill, avacado and other fruit trees on the property, beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers, shampoos, soaps, ear plugs in the bedside table, etc. (We never found a need to use the earplugs - there are roosters next door but the bedroom AC lulled us to sleep just fine). There was also a hose for cleaning gear after days at the beach. The gated carport was a bonus as it added to the safety factor although we did not worry about it much in that neighborhood. We spent most of our nights cooking in, sipping Medallas and enjoying the sunset views from the balcony. You will likely be lured to do the same. Go - rent Casa Dos Chivos and ENJOY - you will NOT be disappointed!

Recommended for:

Perfect

Guest: JoeBK (Brooklyn, NY)
Date of Stay: 06/08/08 Review Submitted: 06/17/08

This is the second time I have stayed in Casa Dos Chivos, it is a great house with everything you could want. The house is newly furnished with the best of furniture and the kitchen is stocked with anything you could ever need. The view is amazing, I looked forward to starting off my day with a coffee on the balcony just gazing at the breathtaking view. The property manager is an amazing woman, great to deal with and the owners are very responsive and easy to deal with. I plan on returning to Vieques and Casa Dos Chivos again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/11/08

We stayed in the upper portion of Casa Dos Chivos for a week. It is spacious, thoughtfully appointed, and well maintained. It has a beautiful ocean view, with the islands of Culebra and Puerto Rico in the distance. It's location is handy to both sides of Vieques. The property manager was friendly and helpful. We would be happy to return to Casa Dos Chivos, and may rent the entire house next time and bring the family!

Recommended for:

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/20/08 Review Submitted: 02/20/08

It's scary committing to a week or more at a place over the internet - if it doesn't pan out, are we going to spend our vacation somewhere we don't want to be?We were delighted to find that Casa Dos Chivos exceeded our every expectation. It's spacious, comfortable, well-appointed, and clean. It really is even nicer than the pictures. We hung out every evening on the large terrace and watched the sky and sea, and on our cloudy day, we stayed home and read from the small but excellent collection of books. I can’t imagine a more comfortable home away from home. The two of us rented the upstairs, which was luxurious in its spaciousness for us.Michael was very helpful in communicating about the reservation as we were making our decision about where to stay, and obviously cares about the quality of the whole experience. Karen met us at the car rental place, and gave us the quick tour of do's and don'ts for Vieques that helped us feel comfortable for our whole stay. She's a great property manager, and was available to help when we had questions.The Casa is located in the hills in the middle of the island, so it's a 10 minute drive to anywhere, and is a relatively quiet neighborhood. There were a couple of times that neighbors (not nearby) were playing radios a little loud, but it was just part of the texture of island life, and for the most part, all we remember is listening to the coqui frogs and crickets weave a beautiful aural texture every evening.After a day or so of cloudy weather, the solar hot water system wasn't getting the shower as hot as we'd like, but apparently that's a pretty rare occurrence on Vieques, and it was heated right back up the next day when the sun came back out.Vieques is the perfect place if you don't want to be engulfed by tourist resorts. There are amenities for tourists, like kayak rentals and a week's worth of decent (and two exceptional) restaurants, but please DON'T GO if you want to buy t-shirts and think a 20-story Hilton with poolside service is a keen idea for a vacation. Leave Vieques to those who appreciate the absence of that stuff.By the way, we learned about cycles of the moon too late - we thought the bio-bay was out for us because we were there during a full moon. It turns out that a few days after the full moon is perfect, because even though it is still mostly full, it doesn't come up until late, and the bio-bay tours are early. Since there are about three things to do on the whole island (sn

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/08 Review Submitted: 02/19/08

It's scary committing to a week or more at a place over the internet - if it doesn't pan out, are we going to spend our vacation somewhere we don't want to be? We were delighted to find that Casa Dos Chivos exceeded our every expectation. It's spacious, comfortable, well-appointed, and clean. It really is even nicer than the pictures. We hung out every evening on the large terrace and watched the sky and sea, and on our cloudy day, we stayed home and read from the small but excellent collection of books. I can’t imagine a more comfortable home away from home. The two of us rented the upstairs, which was luxurious in its spaciousness for us. Michael was very helpful in communicating about the reservation as we were making our decision about where to stay, and obviously cares about the quality of the whole experience. Karen met us at the car rental place, and gave us the quick tour of do's and don'ts for Vieques that helped us feel comfortable for our whole stay. She's a great property manager, and was available to help when we had questions. The Casa is located in the hills in the middle of the island, so it's a 10 minute drive to anywhere, and is a relatively quiet neighborhood. There were a couple of times that neighbors (not nearby) were playing radios a little loud, but it was just part of the texture of island life, and for the most part, all we remember is listening to the coqui frogs and crickets weave a beautiful aural texture every evening. After a day or so of cloudy weather, the solar hot water system wasn't getting the shower as hot as we'd like, but apparently that's a pretty rare occurrence on Vieques, and it was heated right back up the next day when the sun came back out. Vieques is the perfect place if you don't want to be engulfed by tourist resorts. There are amenities for tourists, like kayak rentals and a week's worth of decent (and two exceptional) restaurants, but please DON'T GO if you want to buy t-shirts and think a 20-story Hilton with poolside service is a keen idea for a vacation. Leave Vieques to those who appreciate the absence of that stuff. By the way, we learned about cycles of the moon too late - we thought the bio-bay was out for us because we were there during a full moon. It turns out that a few days after the full moon is perfect, because even though it is still mostly full, it doesn't come up until late, and the bio-bay tours are early. Since there are about three things to do on the whole island (snorkel, biobay, lounge around), book a time that includes a good biobay night. A calendar illustration of how it works can be found at Golden Heron, which you can get to by Googling "vieques biobay schedule." Anyway, discovering how nice Casa Dos Chivos is was the perfect start to a great stay, and we loved it more when we left than when we arrived. We plan to return! Allen & Chris

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Jim (Boston, MA)
Date of Stay: 01/01/08 Review Submitted: 01/04/08

Casa Dos Chivos is a perfect place to stay in Vieques. It is centrally located between the two main towns, Esperanza and Isabel II, and it is in a residential section of the island, allowing some insight into the local culture. Inside, it is spacious, clean, and comfortable, with a genuine feel of a tropical villa. Outside, there is an amazing wrap-around porch with an outstanding view of the landscape, culminating in a fantastic view of the Atlantic. Casa Dos Chivos is well-stocked with linens, towels, and kitchenware, and there are beach chairs, umbrellas, and coolers. These creature comforts make staying at Casa Dos Chivos easy and enjoyable. It also makes it hard to leave! We loved the island and Casa Dos Chivos. We hope to return again and again!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Love our Keens (waukesha wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 12/01/07 Review Submitted: 12/19/07

Our stay at Casa Dos Chivos was awesome. My husband and I rented the upper level of the house, which is enormous with beautifully decorated furniture and everything you could possibly need on vacation (fluffy white towels, first aid kit, sewing kit, etc .) We also appreciated the king size bed which is hard to find in vieques rental units. The wraparound porch gives a great view and you really get the feeling that you are living there rather than just visiting. The property manager met us right on time at the vieques airport and we were whisked away to this beautifully appointed home. Just what we needed after a long day of traveling!!! If you are looking for solitude and extraordinary beaches than Vieques is for you!!! In our twenty years of travel this house ranks as one of the best!!!

Recommended for:

Guest: AW
Date of Stay: 09/05/07 Review Submitted: 09/04/07

[Excerpt of review posted by this guest on Tripadvisor] "In terms of where to stay, we rented CASA DOS CHIVOS (the upstairs portion) for the week. Sufficient words do not exist to describe how beautiful the house is or how wonderful our time there was. The owners are extraordinary people and their property manager is a wonderful woman who is totally organized, helpful and available if needed but in the background respecting your privacy if not. The king bedroom has air conditioning and the space is beautifully decorated and maintained. everything you need is provided and there is just nothing so wonderful as grilling at night on the ENORMOUS open terrace looking over Isabelle and the ocean. the breeze is consistent and fabulous, and the view of the milky way at night is to die for. we spent most of our house time on the terrace eating dinner, playing scrabble, stargazing and drinking wine. GO. stay with them. you'll love it. The house is huge and has a downstairs suite which can be rented as well if you have a family. There's no pool at the house which some would consider a disadvantage but which we actually liked as it would have been too easy to stay put!! the house is about 10 mins from Isabelle and 10 mins the other direction from the south shore beaches."

Recommended for: