We had five nights between the end of a cruise and our return to the UK. We wanted to avoid the usual San Juan extension and do something more local. This area, and particularly the apartment, were a fantastic choice.

While I wouldn't have given up the cruise, the five leisurely days in Elio and Maria's two-bedroom, ground-floor place in Casa Del Mar were just as special, in their own way. I could easily see spending two weeks here. There was none of the characterless feel you often get from holiday rentals; the place was beautifully and comfortably furnished, complete with original paintings on the walls and cheerful, tropical colour schemes. Internet, cable TV (a bit dodgy on the connection), air conditioning and ceiling fans let the husband lounge without fear of sunburn, while I could take to the patio furniture, with sea views, or walk across a short stretch of exquisitely maintained lawn to be on the beach.

The complex sits on a beautiful small bay, with short walks in either direction tipping backwards to other bays and other views. It's the Atlantic on this side of the island, so the surf and clarity are more like Florida than the Caribbean, but I was happy.

It wasn't very crowded until New Year's Eve, but the people who were there were all families quietly going about their own business. Everyone was exceptionally friendly and mostly native Puerto Ricans. Evidently most Americans from the mainland hole up in the Wyndham resort and rarely come out. What a waste! Our next door neighbours even brought us a plate of traditional food on New Year's Eve so we could have the local holiday experience, and everyone was quick with local restaurant and shopping recommendations.

This is a really exceptional location. The Casa Del Mar complex is very quiet, and exquisitely maintained. The lawns and gardens are exquisite. It's down a back road ... feels like the middle of nowhere, especially at night when the coqui frogs start up and it sounds like you're deep in the jungle. Despite feeling remote, however, you're well connected by fairly good roads and there's lots to do. You're in El Yunque rain forest in 20 minutes and Fajardo is just up the road, from where you can do deep sea fishing, catch ferries to outer islands, etc. And when it came time to leave, we were at San Juan airport in 45 minutes. Took us longer to check in than to get there!

I'm writing this from cold, gloomy England, and really wishing I were back at Elio and Maria's now!