Aguada Of The Seas

The beach was the highlight: Playa Espinar was less than 20 feet away, beautiful, and nearly empty most days. A 15-minute walk along the sand took us to Parque Colón, another lovely beach with a few more locals and a huge treehouse for kids. We also drove to several other beaches up the coast, all different. Peña Blanca was our favorite, where we snorkeled and saw sea turtles; we also went to Rompeolas and Crash Boat. Our family of 25 had a blast. Hernandez airport was about 20 minutes away, and there was a bakery down the street where we picked up fresh bread and pastries each day. The restaurant downstairs served delicious food with friendly service, and across the street locals gathered at Melvin's, a welcoming bar where everyone was generous. The rooms were nice, but most showers didn't have hot water. Only the bedrooms had AC, so the rest of the place got unbearably hot. We cooked breakfast in the same room each day and brought fans into that unit to stay comfortable. Otherwise, we were at the beach or gathered on the open wraparound porch. Some sheets were stained, and the towels were old and thin, though usable. They provided bar soap, shampoo, and conditioner. We drove to San Juan one day, a 2.5-hour trip. This isn't a fancy tourist resort, but it gave us the genuine Puerto Rican experience we wanted. We loved it so much that my husband is taking steps for us to move there in about five years, and I'm all for it. One Thursday night, I think, the restaurant below got rowdy and played very loud music until 2 or 3 a.m., making it hard for those of us trying to sleep.

The view straight out toward the beach was the one good thing. I expected a clean room, but there were roaches (cucarachas).

I've stayed here several times and keep coming back. It's a great vacation spot, and it works well for remote work too. You can hear the waves crashing through the day, and the space is a decent size for its location. They have a generator and a water cistern in case power or water goes out. I love supporting local businesses in PR. Wepa!

We came across this place on Google while looking for somewhere to stay for the night. At first we weren't sure, so we called the owner. He offered to let us see the apartment before deciding whether to stay or move on, and was very nice. A housekeeper met us there and was sweet, though there's no on-site housekeeper, maintenance, or other staff. These are basically beach house apartments for rent. Ours was spacious and very clean. The air conditioner is in the bedroom, as in many Puerto Rican homes, but leaving the door open cooled the rest of the apartment nicely. We cooled the place that way, then shut the bedroom door at bedtime and slept in a nice cold room. From the balcony you can see the beach, about 100 yards away. The restaurant and bar downstairs was great, and the people were helpful and friendly. It wasn't noisy during our weekday stay, though weekends might be different. We'd stay again for the price and convenience if we were in the area.