Living in Paradise
Firstly, before we even arrived at Casa Margarita, we were already amazed with the efficient and thoughtful communication that Jeff and Theo provided. Having never stayed outside of an all-inclusive in Mexico, I was weary and anxious (to say the least). I had a slew of questions that I felt I needed answered before booking our vacation, and every single question was answered honestly, quickly, and with great attention-to-detail. We all have seen the pictures of the property, so it is a no-brainer that this place is gorgeous, but the great customer service that was offered before even booking was what really sold me on the place. On top of that, our airline had to change the dates of our arrival and I immediately contacted Jeff about this concern and he quickly got me in for a longer stay, no questions asked. The place is a steal for what you get.
Leading up to the arrival of my boyfriend and I, Theo was so thorough at providing us all the information we needed in order to get to the place, how entering the property worked, local places to eat and buy food, etc. Jeff also provided us with details of car rentals and taxis as my boyfriend and I were unsure of how we wanted to transport ourselves around town.
Upon entering into Casa Margarita, it is essentially like walking into the gates of Heaven. We were in Casita Luna. One level below the pool and I cannot say it enough: THE VIEW IS EVERYTHING. My boyfriend and I went on this vacation for rest and relaxation, so sleeping in was something we intended to do, and we both usually like blackout shades, but we couldn't help but leave the blinds open so we could wake up to the sunrise with THE MOST BREATHTAKING view you will see. We ate on the terrace every morning and the view somehow got better and better. You could not hear any of the hustle and bustle of town, which was surprising, because when you walked about 1-2 minutes down the property, you could hear so much. We were there for 10 days and we knew that guests were essentially in every part of the property (main house, pool house, Casita Sol, etc.) and I thought for sure that it would be a crowded pool or we would be fighting for lounge chairs. No. Out of the 10 days I was there, I had the pool to myself 9/10. The one time someone else was there, we crossed paths for maybe 5 minutes? It felt like we had the entire villa to ourselves. It was amazing.
Rosa, the housekeeper, always kept our room tidy. We did our best to take care of the room ourselves, but every other day she would come in and tidy up some more, add new towels if need be, etc. One time, we left the dishes uncleaned from our breakfast that we made as we got up later and didn't have as much time to clean up, because we wanted to get to the beach ASAP. We came back and she cleaned all our dishes which was shocking to us, as we assumed that would not be on her to-do! It was excellent. The grounds were always nicely maintained and the pool was kept clean as well (Note: it is not a heated pool, in case that affects your decision, though it shouldn't because the pool is so refreshing with the most stunning of views). Anytime we needed extra things (ie. new water jugs, how to find the light switches, etc., Theo and Rosa were quick to help us out). There was one really chilly night and it felt like maybe a storm was coming. Sure enough, lights started to go dim and then the power went out. Not knowing what to do, I messaged Theo (ON CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT, I might add) and even though the power came back on within minutes, he still responded to update and inform us on the situation - that to me, was excellent service.
The room itself is all we needed, it had plenty of drawer and cabinet space if you are someone that likes to put away your clothes, but we live out of our suitcases and left them on the floor and we still felt like we had ample room to move around. The kitchenette was stocked with everything you could need for small cooking. I made chorizo, bacon, and eggs almost every morning and had more than enough room and equipment to do a decent cooking job. They are a little short on forks and plates, so if you have a third person staying with you in this room, that is something to maybe inquire for extra utensils, etc. They even had tupperware which was so nice when we had extra cut-up fruit or wanted to take some homemade guacamole with us to the beach. Additionally, the A/C and Wifi were both on-par. There were even some nights that we got up and had to turn off the A/C because it was so cold - which, when it is 28 degrees outside, it is wonderful to know you can come in your room and feel refreshed. I know people are going to Casa Margarita to 'get away from it all', but we all like to tune into a good Youtube, Netflix, FaceTime, or even scroll through our social media. When we stayed at an all-inclusive, it was essentially like you had no cell service. However, on nights when my boyfriend and I were lounging around, he would be watching something on Youtube, and I would be watching Netflix and neither of us encountered buffering or slowness. I even brought my phone to listen to a podcast by the pool and it had impeccable Wifi there, too. As more people arrived to the property, it got a little slower, but still, it was great connection.
The *only* and I truly mean it when I say the *only* thing that lacked for us was the comfort of the bed. Now, my boyfriend likes a soft bed and can be picky, so I don't take his opinion into account as his expectations are very high. However, I am someone who can pretty much fall asleep anywhere and genuinely like a firmer bed, but even for me, it was hard on the hips some nights as I am a side sleeper. It was not intolerable, but if a bed is a big thing for you, then it is something to consider.
Many guests have already commented on the hill. To me, that is nothing that should affect the score of this beautiful place, as it is made very clear that it is on a large hill, and like anything, there are risks for the reward. If you want stunning jungle and partial ocean views with only the sounds of birds and other animals, then it is a factor that you have to take in that it comes with the price of a hill. The walk is about 4-6 minutes depending on your shoe choice and your speed. The walk back up is about 6-10 minutes depending on the time of day (heat and temperature drastically affected our time) and again, your shoe choice and speed. There are treads that make it easier to walk on, but the cobble stone can be a killer if you don't have supportive shoes. I highly recommend that if you have knee issues, do not like uphill climbs, have mobility issues, etc. that you should seriously consider if this is the place for you. With that being said, because we walked up and down the hill 2 times a day (once in the morning/afternoon and then again at night for dinner), we started to get tired and asked cab drivers around town how much it would cost to get a ride back up the hill. We are not the best hagglers, but it seemed from the downtown-ish core (3 minute drive to the property) it would be about 60-80 pesos (about $6 CAD). Additionally, if you are going to rent a car, I would highly recommend (as Jeff and Theo will direct you too as well) to get something that has higher bottom. A small car may not make it up the hill, or if it does, it may be difficult. Our taxi driver from the airport had a typical sedan-like car and he got stuck almost immediately on the hill. We were able to get up, but we all were on our toes as we were afraid of getting stuck again or scraping the bottom of the car. I would suggest a truck or SUV if you want no issues. Also, renting a golf cart may be something of interest as well. Again, it is not to say that I would say "do not come if you have mobility issues", but it is something that if you have trouble with stairs (to get to Casita Luna you have to go down about 20 stairs) or hills, that you should take this into consideration, but book at your own risk by fully being warned by guests and Jeff.
Ultimately, would I come back? YES. 1000 times over, yes! After showing my family the pictures from our vacation of this remarkable place, we are already trying to find time to book out the whole place for our family to stay.
Thank you to all that are involved with the creation of Casa Margarita - keep up the wonderful work!
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