El Hotelito at The Rainforest Experience Farm

The place itself was attractive and well built, and the rooms were thoughtfully designed. But the listing was totally inaccurate. We came hoping to relax for a few days, see the advertised “largest flower farm n the Carribean,” and walk beautiful trails. There was no flower farm, just old irrigation pipes in the woods that suggested there may once have been one. There was only one trail into the forest, and it took about an hour to walk slowly. El Yunque's beautiful waterfalls are on the other side of the forest, a day trip away. Service was minimal and often grudging, and the owner seemed more interested in our money than hospitality. We paid an extra 20/night on top of the $160 room rate for an extra person, but the fold-out couch mattress was impossibly cheap and uncomfortable. The owner left for his house in town after dinner, leaving guests alone with no service or security except four dogs. The dogs were nice enough, but barked loudly every half hour through the night at other animals in the forest. Other guests called the owner in the middle of the night to complain. Hot water was unreliable, and breakfast was cheap, with a toaster that didn't work either morning. The owner kept putting it back out. When we left after two nights, our taxi to the airport cost $90, but the driver refused to come up the hill. To his credit, the owner drove us and our luggage down to meet the taxi. Dinner was good and cheap at $13, and he makes a great cocktail, which was welcome in the circumstances.

Frogs, birds, and iguanas rustling in the bushes are part of the day and night here. This is a lovely place to relax, explore nearby trails, and enjoy the wildlife, or just sit on the deck with a cocktail and have a nice conversation with the owner. It's on a hill surrounded by El Yunque National Park, with magnificent coastline views. One tip, if the hot water stops working, let them know and they'll flip the switch to get it running again.

We traveled all around Puerto Rico during our week there, and this was my mom's favorite place we stayed. Rafael made the best rice and beans for dinner and coffee in the morning. It was beautiful and really comfortable, and we loved walking the nearby path to see the tropical flowers and visiting the adorable, very friendly dogs.

The views and location are absolutely worth it if you know what to expect. The drive is tricky, though not as difficult as other reviews had led me to think. The host is very nice, but breakfast and drinks were bad, and the in-room amenities were lacking: no electricity, only room-temperature water, and low water pressure and volume.