“Fabulous St. John Get away!” My husband, 16 year old daughter, her friend, and myself vacationed at Villa Catalina from June 5-June 12, 2012. From being met at the ferry dock, Myrtle took care of every need we had. The home was incredible and very comfortable for our stay. The kitchen is well stocked, the bedrooms very comfortable, and the beach towels, chairs, and ice chest are a definite plus! Villa Catalina is just minutes from Cruz Bay and very convenient to beaches, restaurants, shops, etc. The deck and pool area are great in the mornings and evenings, and the grill was a must have as we cooked plenty meals out in the evenings. There was a grocery on our way back in to the villa which had a great meat selection as well as wines. The thing I think I would say i liked least is the third bedroom being accessed from outside and down stairs. Though this was not a problem for the 4 of us it was just a little inconvenient. What we loved most was the peace and quiet of the area, the great breezes blowing across the decks in the evenings. This was a wonderful place to stay and we cant wait to return. A definite slice of heaven!

“Clean apartment in safe area, lovely hosts, beautiful beach, convenient to all area attractions” I stayed here Thanksgiving week 2014 with my husband and 3 children: 12, 14, and 16. We had the most wonderful experience and would gladly return. I am happy to recommend it to you. Everything you read in the other reviews about the hosts, Kevin and Madelin, is true. They are incredibly friendly, responsive, and responsible people. I had corresponded with Madelin through FlipKey, but it was Kevin who met us at the car rental place and guided us to the apartment, which is situated about 25 minutes east of the airport in a small town called Loiza. As Kevin explained to me that first evening, there are 3 ways to get there, and during the course of our stay we tried all 3. The coastal road (the straightest shot from the airport) is best suited for daytime driving, especially if it is your first time in the area, but it became my favorite way to get to and from San Juan. Anyway, Kevin was great about showing us the apartment that first evening, telling us how everything worked, giving us some helpful tips, then leaving us to explore on our own. We were pleased to see that groceries, including milk, juice, bread, cheese, and ham had been provided for us. It made us feel very welcome! For the remainder of the trip, they remained very easy to communicate with, responding to texts immediately. That meant a lot to me. About the apartment: It is very modern and immaculately clean. Everything we needed that week was there: cooking implements, sheets, towels, beach paraphernalia, detergents. It felt very comfortable and convenient. The place is not big, but felt perfect for our family of 5. There are two balconies and when you keep their sliding doors open, you get a nice cross breeze in the apartment and can enjoy the sounds of the surrounding nature in the evening. We did not need to turn on the air conditioning a single time. The apartment is in a fairly extensive, gated condo complex, which was quite empty of others for the week that we were there. The apartments seem mostly owned by folks who live in the city and who either rent them or use them on the weekends. (Things were a little livelier there on the weekend, we noticed). It felt a little strange to be there (almost) by ourselves, but it was something we quickly got used to and enjoyed. It was quiet! And it felt very safe, which I came to appreciate as well. The guards and other staff of the condo complex were friendly and helpful. There was plenty of parking, too. Now for the best thing: the beach! The apartment complex has its own stretch of beach which was beautiful and very clean. We hung out there for several hours every day. The tide was high most of the times we were there (low tides were 7pm and 5 am or so), and the waves were quite high. Good for romping, but not dangerous. The water was warm and clean. Sand was very soft. And the views were truly lovely. The apartment was a good choice for the beach alone. A note: you need a key to get to the beach, as well as to the pools on the property. You do need to keep an eye on that key! The guards come around and close the gates if they see them standing open. It was explained to us that it wasn't safe to leave the beach gate open for outsiders to wander in. Indeed, one evening we "lost" a pair of shoes on the beach to someone who apparently needed them more than we did. We had come to Puerto Rico with the idea of exploring, and we did! The apartment was perfectly located for this. The rainforest is really close, and so are the ferries to Culebra and Vieques. We went to Viequies for the day one day, taking the car on the ferry. Keep in mind that a spot on the ferries needs to be reserved ahead of time, so call as soon as you know when and where you want to go. We made our reservation the night before, and were told we were lucky because they sell out. San Juan (incl. the charming Old San Juan) is very close as well. One day we made a rather ill-fated trip to the West Coast We did not have a proper map, and kept getting lost. Then the kids got hungry. Then we got lost again. And again. By the time we got to Rincon it was almost evening. Moral of the story: buy a map before you come to PR. There are no maps to be bought anywhere, only simplistic maps that you can get for free, but no real, geographically accurate maps to be found. Or do as modern man does, travel with a GPS. We did not. Back to the apartment: There are some Western style supermarkets if you go east on the coastal road (128), then onto route 3. But there are some small local grocery stores if you go in the opposite direction, toward San Juan, including fruit and vegetable stands on the side of the road. I wish I had discovered those sooner. On the whole: would I do this again? Yes, and I hope I will one day. Would I recommend it to a friend? YES? To an enemy: NO! This is too nice for my enemies. Thank you again, Kevin and Madelin, for lending us your lovely apartment!

“spectacular views with affordable villa” My husband and I had wonderful time in the Tropical Garden villa we rented from Jacqueline. This is not the typical rental where you pick up your key and you're on your own. Jacqueline met us after we arrived on the ferry and rented our jeep to follow her up to the villa. Her home is part of the property to which her four rental villas are connected, and everything is well kept. She was so friendly and helpful providing advice and making sure we had everything we needed. By the end of the week, we had become friends. The Tropical Garden villa has a spectacular view overlooking Great Cruz Bay, Chocolate Hole, and Heart Bay, which you can enjoy from the deck, living room and bedroom. It is on the lower level and has a secluded feeling. It has a full kitchen and a gas grill in the garden. There is a hot tub with a view that you can find at the end of the path through the tropical garden. The beach chairs and cooler that were provided were very much appreciated during our many outings to different gorgeous beaches every day. We have fond memories of waking up and seeing that incredible view and enjoying our breakfast on the deck. We also enjoyed staying in the White Seagull villa for the latter part of the trip when it was available. We would stay in either one again. Jacqueline went above and beyond to make our stay extra special. We were sad to leave but very happy to have a new friend in St. John!

“Excellent property and great destination!” Our stay here was wonderful! We just came back a few weeks ago (Jan 7-14) from our trip and we are ready to book for the next year! We had such a great time: Accommodations - The apartment is very clean and modern. It has nice comfortable beds and lovely décor in every room. The kitchen is stocked with all necessary utensils and appliances. Bathrooms are clean and modern. I loved the cherry wood doors and marble countertops all around. There is a large balcony that you can eat or relax out on. Beach chairs, towels etc. is also provided for you. Beach - you can go downstairs and you are at the Bolongo Bay beach, its lovely, you have all the water sports options that you would find at a typical resort right there. If you walk past the restaurants and the hotel (5 minute walk along the beach), there is a great snorkeling spot past the rocks, very cool! We had a rental car so we also drove (about 15 min) to Smith Bay. This beach is pure heaven! It seems to be mainly visited by locals and is not crowded with perfect white sand and beautiful calm blue waters. Pool - There are a couple of pools that you can use. We used the one by the beach; it had a tap to wash off the sand as well. The pool was nice and clean and the water was pretty warm. Food - Like I mentioned you have everything you need to prepare your food 'at home' if you are on a budget or have specific dietary needs. There are many supermarkets that deliver or you can shop in a warehouse type place (CostUless) or a supermarket (Pueblo) or some local stands that are all around. There are three popular restaurants directly in the Bolongo Bay area so you don't ever have to leave the area if you choose not to: • Iggys - casual burger type place• Mims - fancier place that serves sea food• Lobster Grill - very fancy There is a lot to do on the island and its neighbors, but we have small kids so we took it easy this time and just enjoy the water. Next time we rent this apartment, we will explore the island.