We spent a week in this lovely villa for my 50th birthday in mid-December. The villa itself was stunning in every way - beautifully designed, furnished, and located on open oceanfront with incredible views. The decor and art work all throughout were beautiful and quite amazing, really. The staff were the ones who made the entire week so special. Maria is an awesome cook and has the sweetest spirit and presence. Her smile lights up a room. Juan Jose was so kind, fun, willing to help with anything and go out of his way to do so, and he makes the BEST margaritas! Flor had a quiet, gentle presence and was genuinely kind, helpful, and amazing in her work as she was so thorough in cleaning. Having clean folded laundry every day was such an added bonus, making this place and stay over the top. Each of them went above and beyond every day to make our stay at Azul Celeste spectacular, and it was. All three of them as well as the concierge, Paty, were there on the morning of my birthday and helped my family and friends decorate the dining area, surprising me when I came down for breakfast. And then my fam and friends surprised me even more by hiring a full 8-piece mariachi band to come and play. Maria knew them and she and Juan Jose helped arrange this most amazing birthday surprise. And the band - by far the best any of us had ever heard - gave us a 45 minute concert, all during breakfast.
The master bedroom was beyond any and all expectations, especially with that amazing outdoor shower and plenty of space to spread out. The pool area was so nice we spent half of the week just hanging out in and around it, looking out at the water and seeing whales, dolphins, stingrays, and turtles. Everything was perfect except for one piece which was completely out of everyone's control: the beach that had been there was washed away during the hurricane that took place two months prior to our arrival. So we had to drive to one close by (Juan Jose "JJ" as my husband nicknamed him, offered to take us more than once). We were only 8 minutes from the Romantic Zone when anyone wanted to go into town and shop, but once at the villa, it felt like we were miles and worlds away from the craziness of the city. It was heaven. I will never forget the sweet staff, the gorgeous villa, the yummy food, the mariachi band. This place is 5 star in every way. Thank you all so much for making my 50th birthday so special!