Casa Marina Galapagos

We grilled tuna on the balcony after buying it from fishermen unloading their catch at the docks, then enjoyed a sunset beer and wine there. The apartment was clean, and the kitchen had everything we needed. It's very close to the downtown docks. I'd definitely stay again.

Our three generations had plenty of space and a great time here. The house has thoughtful design and good materials, and the location made it easy to get around. Everything is close, with the port just one block away, but the house is away from the traffic.

Casa Marina is just a few steps from the malecon's shops and restaurants, and the Marina with its excellent grocery store is only a block away. The home was spotless, with Gloria scrubbing everything daily and paying close attention to detail. The kitchen has every small appliance you could think of, and there's even a propane BBQ on the upper deck. We found everything we could have wanted already there. Whenever we had a question, staff were only a call away. They also helped when we accidentally locked ourselves out of the living and kitchen floor. If we're lucky enough to visit the islands again, we'll plan to stay at Casa Marina.

We loved having a clean, spacious place on land to come back to after exploring. I'm more of a land person, and there are several tour operators nearby for day trips from Puerto Ayora. Taxis are easy to find, though we enjoyed walking around town and down to the tortoise center, with lots to see along the way. The house has great AC in every bedroom and the main living area, and they provide drinking water to refill your bottles before heading out or eating out and saving $3 per meal. The house is in a perfect spot for walking, with so many good food and dessert places just 2 minutes away, and it has an awesome view. The streets felt safe, even when we walked alone at night. Celso's videos before the trip were really helpful, and the booklet with local attractions and directions was a thoughtful touch. We also enjoyed the living room library, especially after realizing we'd forgotten to buy Galapagos guidebooks. The dogs people mention do bark, but I travel with a little $35 white noise machine from Amazon and didn't hear them at night. I actually slept better than at home, maybe thanks to the relaxed Galapagos vibe! Celso was excellent to communicate with and recommended a local baker who made custom birthday cupcakes we all enjoyed. His house manager Andrea and housekeeper Gloria were both very sweet and attentive to detail. We even got to say a quick hello to Celso while he was leading a National Geographic expedition. A beautiful house and a very friendly owner.