“You don't have to die to get to heaven” Before my stay at Casa del Perro Feliz, I had never been to the Yucatan peninsula and I found the listing for the house on the internet. As you know, there can be a big difference between the experience promised in the listing and your actual stay. Everything about my 10 days at this fabulous house far exceeded my expectations. The house is spacious and sweet. Maria and Ulises, the caretakers, are dedicated and gracious. The bay is a Caribbean dream. We were there for the Christmas and new year holidays and we almost never even saw our neighbors--which meant we had the whole bay to ourselves. The nearby town of Tulum was exciting and the food was great. There are many things to see in the peninsula but, for us, the most magnificent were the cenotes. Swim in as many of them as you can. There is one 5 minutes walk from the house, but our favorite was the Grand Cenote, a few minutes drive. This was a memorable and rewarding trip for me, my wife and our 3 children. I'm saving up so we can go back.

“Beautiful House” With a perfect view of the blue ocean and a really nice service we fully enjoyed our stay in akumal, the Hause is clean, comfortable, with a nice view and a pool. I can just say good things about it, is well located, just one minute walk from the restaurant and bar la buena vida and 5 minutes walk from the beach and the dive shop. Thanks for everything

“Amazing Villal & Vacation!!” Rarely do I ever take the time to write reviews of my hotels, villas or destinations but the team behind Villa alma Rosa is incredible and deserve a shout out! I'm an avid visitor to the Riviera Maya, Akumal & Tulum and was looking for a villa to help ring in my birthday with some friends. The communication between Marina at Riviera Maya Haciendas was incredible - quick response, courteous and happy to accommodate every need and request. Everything was organized for me according to my needs prior to arrival i.e. grocery shopping, food menus, villa prestocking, flowers, maps etc. If you're looking for a villa rental with a true "concierge" type of service then alma Rosa is right up your alley. When we arrived the house, I was really impressed at the care that goes into alma Rosa. The furnishings, details, color and character are all tastefully so done and warm that it really adds to the experience. The outdoor area/pool/beach are beautiful and well maintained, this is where we really spent most of our days/nights. The bedrooms/bathrooms are very beautiful with amazing beds/linens and furnishings. I've rented quite a few villas in the Riviera Maya and a lot of them feel cheap and have poor construction etc. Villa alma Rosa is a real home! I briefly met the owner when I first arrived who was lovely but wanted to get out of our hair so we enjoyed our time. The chef Carlos and his wife/housekeeper Jafet are the 2 sweetest people on the planet and to be honest are part of the sole reason that I would rent alma Rosa again. The food, attention and love along with hard work that they gave us every day was simply amazing and I was so grateful to have them there with us. They felt like family when we left! Overall I will absolutely be returning to alma Rosa soon but at the same time don't want to spread the word - I think this is the best kept secret & villa in the area! Thanks again to the alma Rosa team! xoxo Daniel

“The best & most picturesque beachfront hacienda on the Riviera M” My husband and I had the pleasure of staying at Hacienda Kukulkan during our Mexico trips, and consider it by far, the most gorgeous private home on the beautiful Mayan coastline! So look no further, you have found your dream vacation home in the Caribbean! From the minute we walked in, it completely took our breath away! The front of the house opens to a big tennis court on the left. There's even a fully equipped gym with panoramic views of the ocean, all which gave us the added motivation to work out on our vacation! ? The center of the house has an open air courtyard with a cute pond, and pretty patio furniture, and all rooms are built around it, some with spectacular ocean views. We spent many a night doing dinners under the moonlight and breakfast when we wanted to just laze in. The maids did a wonderful job with cooking & housekeeping, going out of the way to make sure we were comfortable. What is so impressive is that every room and every piece of furniture is custom designed! We spent hours in the fabulous pool overlooking the ocean, with music playing in surround sound throughout the villa. The location was awesome! Puerto aventuras surrounding a beautiful dolphin marina is convenient, close to all the night life & shopping at Playa and also the fabulous Tulum beach ruins. We felt safe and secure in this gated community! 3 years later, we were back to get married & the ambience was surreal! The courtyard, steps from the ocean, was perfect for our Reception, with Cocktail Hour by the pool. We hosted our family there, and the 8 bedrooms were more than sufficient to accommodate all. Our wedding was a huge success and our guests cannot stop talking about the gorgeous hacienda! We highly recommend Hacienda Kukulkan as your abode, to enjoy paradise in style! Like us, you would go back!! We are thankful to the owners (Rick & Sandy Spell), Marina of Riviera Maya Haciendas & Eddie, and maids like Mariana who made our stay there so memorable!

“Beautiful Home Perfectly Managed” The home was beautiful and the service was top notch. Mimi the concierge is among the best we have ever worked with.

“Super fabulous, very happy family...” The property and villa is exceptional. Very well decorated and has the best vibe for entertaining. Mimi was our concierge and was very helpful and welcoming. This was a surprise trip for my family. All they knew before hand was cancun airport. I had pre arranged night time chef service. That was a+. we had 15 people who were all accomadated for at ease. Anna Paulo was our main chef. She made beautiful desserts! We also had Martin as a daytime bartender, he made sure everyone had a beverage from the dock to the pool to the garden. Good stuff :) The family enjoyed taking the golf carts into the dolphin area with shops and stores. We rented them for the week. The villa had them ready when we arrived in the driveway. Best thing ever was the night entertainment. Worth every penny . Water drums and fire dancers. 1 hour show. So amazing. You feel the drums and the water color splashing about with heat from the fire ...it's quite impressive, must see! I'm already making plans for the next trip back. We felt safe. Had everything a large group needed. Very accomadating. Playa Del Carmen was pretty close by by taxi. Bring water shoes if you go in the ocean. My next trip will include a tequila tasting at villa for one of the nights and a day trip to the salt caves and everything else the same :) Super Fabulous Vacation @ Hacienda Del Mar!! Summer From Michigan

“A'Mazing L'Alize” From the minute we decided to book L'Alize until we boarded the plane to leave Roatan we were given top notch service. Our pre-trip planning was a breeze and we had tons of help from the owner and manager. Upon arrival we were met at the airport and taken to the local grocery store to stock up on supplies. From the store it was about a 20-minute ride to L'Alize. Thankfully the house came with a van because the walk out to the road is steep!. We were given a tour of the house by Tish (the manager) and introduced to Olga, Edie, and their family (our caretakers, cooks, and concierge). The house is as described, perhaps even better, and pictures can not show how truly amazing it is. From the second you walk through the door you are preoccupied with the incredible view out every window. We spent a great deal of time on the decks but there were nights we had to eat inside because the breeze could be a bit much. However, waking up in the morning in the master suite is unbelievable! The breeze rolls through the room, the sound of the ocean is in the distance (along with a rooster), and you can lay in bed and watch the sunrise as cruise ships pass by. The kitchen is very well stocked and it was easy to cook for our large group (12 total). There are stairs everywhere at L'Alize and you must conquer a fair amount of them to get to the beaches. Both beaches are decent and Edie attempts to keep them clean but a fair deal of trash can wash in each night. The surf was a bit much for snorkeling for most our group but it was possible. The main beach in front of the house is next to the caretaker's house but the second beach (a 10 minute walk) is quite secluded. You are between West Bay and West End and both are easy to reach (we spent the majority of our time between the two). South Shore Zipline is a very short ride from the house (You will pass it daily). We ended up spending $140 for gas but we were constantly on the move. You will not be sorry if you stay

“A beautiful, large, private home, bring the whole family!” Casa Tortuga was a wonderful place to rest and relax or to come home to after a long day of adventure in and around Tulum. We had 4 adult couples and it was still more space than we needed. Kitchen was fully stocked with what we needed to cook our own meals and we enjoyed spending time together in the kitchen and main room preparing meals and eating and hanging out. We loved getting to use the ourdoor grill, the kayaks, the hammocks, beach chairs, etc. Gabi and Luis were excellent hosts and made us wonderful breakfasts each morning from local produce in the local styles. She also helped us set up a fishing trip and locate other services we were interested in during our stay. Would highly recommend for a family getaway as there are fun things for everybody to do, whether its hanging out and relaxing on the property or making a short drive to scuba, snorkel, hike ruins, shop, eat/drink, lounge on another beach, fish, the list goes on! Was a great place to rest and rejuvenate and still enjoy some exciting Mexican adventures.

“Spectacular retreat/ rejuvenating!!!” After first discovering this place through family, I have since vacationed her every chance I get with my husband. And now since having a baby we now bring her along as well as the place is right on the beach, the pool is to die for and everything you could ever think of is taken care if for you. The staff, Carla and Marco are a delight if we decided to stay in Carla would make our meals... Marco would keep everything looking just a stunning as when we arrived... The house can be your own retreat or get down and invite your friends and have bob fires on the beach an let loose... Your close enough to walk to Marthas a local restaurant on the beach. If you surf you just have to wake up and walk down the beach to the right... If you need to hit up the locals and get your groove on the little town is just a short trip down the road... With amazing local crafts and restaurants... Boraborracha on a Sunday night is the place to watch some local dancing eat drink and be merry... We've recommended this house to many friends one if which loved it so much he returned and got married there!!! Everyone gets their own villa with their own open air bathroom The "ariba suite" is like living in your own jungle tree house. The "domed" suite has an insane massive open bathroom you can see the ocean from every suite and the hot tub is perfect for that afternoon dip after your surf or horseriding adventure. Can not wait to return with a bunch if friends in March 2011. To celebrate a 40th birthday. If your looking to get a way for a peaceful yoga retreat, surf, wedding or to just mix with some local Mexican culture and do nothing but lounge by the ocean/ pool this is your nirvana. Thank you all at Cangrejo e Toro for giving me a home away from home. XoxSiew