Overall it was a very well-designed place that felt very comfortable with a good stock of coffee/tea/sugar/sweetener alternatives/etc plus they give beer/soda/hard seltzer too! Terri was a great asset and was so responsive and great to have her to coordinate the trip on Whats/app as well as general Q&A including planning trips. The housekeeper and groundskeeper/general handy-person were also great, responsive, and very nice. A nice plus is dishes cleaned every day and laundry done mid-way if you stay for a week.
Several things we noticed not mentioned in other reviews
- The biggest downside was how far the villa is from the main town in the peninsula which wouldn’t be as much of an issue if 40 of the 60 minutes you have to drive is unpaved roads riddled with potholes with most of the road unlit in mostly forested areas. It’s a total of 60 minute commute from the main town San Pedro on a golf cart so it’s not a trip that many can easily do especially if one has health problems or even if you need to go to the bathroom. If there’s an issue like a rainstorm (a common occurrence in a subtropical region) the only place nearby is the Sapphire resort’s Gem restaurant which gets stale after a point despite the great service including they will deliver to your villa plus the nicely-made food. Frankly it started to become a downside even wanting to stay out a bit later but worried about the commute back when in September it starts to get dark by 5:30 PM in hurricane season. The worst part is that if one has a medical emergency the closest clinic is at least 30 minutes away by golf cart.
- If you are thinking of getting supplies when you arrive from water taxi/the airport, you are better off on your own because Terri took us to places were overpriced and poor quality including Farmstand which had rotting lettuce when we wanted to get produce.
- A supposed plus side is that the villa is closer to Secret Beach than San Pedro but it’s highly overpriced and locals told us that it is just now known for the sunset but has been wildly commercialized.
- You’ll notice there’s better golf carts which is accurate since certain resorts get better equipped carts that are privately-owned. Our cart didn’t have working brakes and the reverse was pretty hit/miss which we think is more of an issue with Avis which is where they rent their carts. Terri offered to switch our carts but after a point it’s more about the provider than the specific cart. Also, unlike resorts where they will fill it up for a small fee (~$5) you are responsible or incur a $60 charge for not filling it up completely which complicates matters when you live an hour away from the closest gas stations both in San Pedro.
- The private beach was nice but wasn’t the most hospitable for swimming especially with the frequent algae buildup which is likelier a factor of the season when we arrived. You’ll notice the difference when you are at Secret Beach or the water in the town.
Our overall take is that it’s a lovely place that would be a hot spot if it was a lot closer to town. It’s a great place if one is looking to purely stay at the villa with little plans to leave the premises.