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Some comments
from previous guests at Casa Maya Bonita
The decor of the house is as nice if not nicer then any of the 5
star hotels I have stayed at. The location is perfect, in a quite
area with shopping and restaurants within walking distance and just
minutes from the excitement of
Cancun. The owner, Jerry, was very accommodating and willing
to go the extra mile to be sure I was happy and had a stay to
remember. It was comforting to have someone from the US at moments
notice.
Eric S.
Marshfield, WI
We loved Casa Maya Bonita. We stayed a week in February 2007 in the
lower apartment where we enjoyed the space and the unique decor
created by Jerry. The wood carvings, tables, doors and beams were
tastefully placed throughout the apartment. The outdoor furniture
and hammocks encouraged us to relax and enjoy the patio. We realized
that we were staying in one classy house with beautiful furnishings.
We were
not facing the beach, but the house was a wonderful exchange, and we
are hoping to return with friends to rent again. We enjoyed the
house as much as the beach, which was close enough to walk to within
five minutes. Jerry was a perfect host, making sure we had what we
needed, and provided interesting conversations. If it's action,
nightlife, and crowds you're looking for, stay in Cancun or Playa
del Carmen. If a slower pace and some peace and quiet are what you
crave, then Puerto Morelos will fit the bill perfectly. The beach
close by is un-crowded and well tended, and as an added bonus is
formed from coral, not rock, so it never gets hot under the sun. You
can snorkel right off the beach to some close-by underwater rocks
and coral heads for free. Strong swimmers can make it out to the
spectacular reef (a national park), and others can take a tour with
friendly members of the local cooperative, who will run you out and
guide you to their favorite spots. We met people with quite a bit of
snorkeling experience, and all of them said this reef was as good as
any they had seen. We certainly couldn't disagree. If you don't feel
like
cooking while you're there, the town has several very good
restaurants. We met Jerry by chance as we walked down the street the
evening we arrived, and when we saw the house we knew we'd be happy
there (even though it was over our budget), and never regretted our
decision for a minute. We're hoping to return with friends next
year.
Carol and Brent Saskatoon, Sask. Canada
A most memorable experience. Beautiful furnishings, incredible white
sand beach, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, excellent restaurants.
Close to
Cancun and
Playa del Carmen nightlife. Anxious to return soon! My
highest recommendation!
Mitch C.
Royal Oak, Michigan
"Casa Maya Bonita, a house like no
other will make your vacation extra special." That is what owner,
Jerry Thorson, promised, and that is what my family found.
This
unique, quiet, villa-duplex had all the amenities to make our
vacation convenient and restful…and yet it was very accessible to
the beach and the lively downtown of
Puerto Morelos. While many people rightly warn about renting
site-unseen properties through the Internet, the Casa Maya Bonita
experience was outstanding.
We rented both the upper and lower
unit. The advantage of the lower unit is its private patio in back
with exquisite stonework. The upper unit's patio overlooks the
neighborhood and catches the morning breeze. Obviously, Jerry
devoted lots of time, energy, and money overseeing the construction
details of this pleasant vacation home in the heart of the Mayan
Caribbean. From the moment my family and I walked through the
wrought iron gate and entered the coolness of the spacious living
area, we knew we made the right choice for our stay in Puerto.
Jerry
clearly communicated and provided wonderful follow-up to our
pre-trip inquiries. We provided a grocery list, he shopped for our
provisions and made certain we had what we needed upon arriving at
Casa Maya Bonita. Fresh fruit, eggs, and milk were in the
refrigerator. We grabbed the salsa, chips, and cold beer and enjoyed
the airy second level patio within minutes of our arrival. Now,
that's the way to get a vacation started.
A well-equipped kitchen included
unlimited bottled water, convenient appliances and the special treat
of a juicer. My oldest son made fresh squeezed orange juice each
morning using it and the tangy oranges that Jerry bought from the
local farmers.
The Mayan hammocks hanging in both the
upper and lower patios were well used by the kids, between trips to
the beach (about 2 blocks away), snorkeling, scuba diving, and
eating out at great
Puerto Morelos restaurants (same distance).
No five-star hotel has better beds than
those at Casa Maya, and the bath towels were large and fluffy. Each
morning, we enjoyed coffee and our own freshly squeezed juice on the
stonework patios. On Wednesday, the hospitality staff came in to
freshen the rooms, towels, and sheets.
There were a few "bumps" in amenities:
one hot-tub control needed repair, which Jerry attended to. We used
the hot tub in the upper villa that night and found it a nice break
from the ocean. Also, the cell phones in the lower unit didn't
function properly. Since I definitely did not come to this
beautiful place on earth to sit in the hot tub or talk on a cell
phone, I found it no inconvenience at all.
If perfection is
what you seek, you are welcome to go to an all inclusive resort
where folks belly up to the food trough three times a day and while
being constrained to pre-packaged activities. However, if
comfortable, authentic Mexico is what you desire, come to Casa Maya
Bonita---but not on the same week I intend to return next year!
J. H. C.,
Duluth, MN, USA
Dear Jerry
I never expected to visit the Mexican Riviera in our summer. Even
more astonishing, I am emailing to see if I can come back another
week this summer.
The experience was wonderful. I loved the house and seemed to
discover something new there each day, from the carved totem poles
to the
beautiful hand-carved Mexican furniture. I loved sitting on the
large patio, playing Goldilocks and trying out each hammock, and
eating mango
every morning.
Some of my clients had no
idea that I was away from the office. I have never been out of the
country with FREE calls in and out. I probably checked my email more
there than I do here, and I had time to even get information on the
ruins I visited there. (By the way, I never got to Ek Balam because
I got sidetracked going to the park with monkeys.) I have a hundred
excuses for wanting to come back, and am pretty flexible with my
summer, so please let me know of your next openings for just one
week.
Last time I was surprised
at how inexpensive the car rental was, but this time I think I will
just use the bus. It goes to Cancun, to Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and
probably anywhere else I want to go. The taxis in town, as you know,
take you to the top of the hill to get the big bus, and I think they
were under $2, as was the trip to town. It would be a perfect
combination for me to stay in peaceful Puerto Morelos and to visit
Cancun once and Playa del Carmen once. I didn't get to finish my
books, but I had such a great time. Thank you for the hospitality.
I really enjoyed Mauricio
the hammock guy being my guide when I went to the ruins. He was able
to give me so much more personal information
than I overheard the other groups getting, and he was completely
willing to stop and shop at roadside places, and to tell me what was
and was not a good deal. I got great compliments on my new jewelry,
and I just love it. The trip to the sandal factory was great, and I
am sure that some of my friends have never gotten shoes before as a
gift.
I enjoyed meeting Diane at
MaMa's Bakery and meant to go back to buy some of the art work
there, but I got carried away with everything
else. This could become a habit which is hard to break, but the
airfare is only $300 from here, and your place is so reasonable for
the true
vacation it provides. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanks again for a wonderful, wonderful place to stay.
Sandy R. Milwaukee WI.
Casa Maya
Bonita is a great place to stay if you really want to know that you
are in Mexico. We stayed in the upstairs apartment because we like
to sit outside and watch the town go by. The beach is only three
blocks away.
The beds are memorable for comfort: imagine that. This was such a
simple pleasure since we stayed 9 nights.
Having separate bedrooms kept me from going crazy in the mornings. I
am an early riser my sister and her daughter like to sleep in. I
could get up early, take care of any email business on the computer,
make phone calls (on Jerry the owner's free phone), watch TV, jump
into our private hot tub and start breakfast without any body
hearing me or even knowing that I was up.
The Villa is very well
built and any outside noise cannot be heard in the bedrooms. The
furniture is beautiful and hand carved.
Maricio from the hammock
store just down the street was very helpful with anything we needed
or wanted to know. He even took us around the area and explained
things to us. I recommend renting a car to really see all that is in
the area. However the bus system in town is really good.
The food was great, there
is a variety of good places around the town square which, is only
three blocks from the apartment.
I would and will go back
to this place. I would even go all by myself and I would feel very
safe and comfortable.
Lynda from Colorado
The decor of the house is as nice if not nicer then any of the 5
star hotels I have stayed at. The location is perfect, in a quite
area with shopping and restaurants within walking distance and just
minutes from the excitement of Cancun. The owner, Jerry, was very
accommodating and willing to go the extra mile to be sure I was
happy and had a stay to remember. It was comforting to have someone
from the US at moments notice.
Eric Shortt, Marshfield, WI
A
most memorable experience. Beautiful furnishings, incredible white
sand beach, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, excellent restaurants.
Close to Cancun and Playa del Carmen nightlife. Anxious to return
soon! My highest recommendation!
Mitch
Cohen, Royal Oak, Michigan
I
stayed at Jerry's house for 14 days in Oct. and Nov. of 2006. I had
the time of my life. Puerto Morelos is the best place! The house
was incredible. I really love the attention to detail and being
surrounded by awesome carvings and blowing cold air conditioners and
cable TV. The people of the town were the friendliest I have ever
met. I think I must have stayed in best place in town. Thanks to
Jerry.
Steve Turney, Yakima Washington
Our group stayed at Casa Maya Bonita in March 2008, and we are
already planning our next trip based on when Jerry's place is
available! It
was exactly what we were looking for. It is just a very short and
enjoyable walk into town to grab a bite to eat or some supplies, or
just to take a walk down the beach or to the dock to see what is
going on. We particularly enjoyed sitting out on the front porch
(both upstairs and downstairs) on the many hammocks and just
watching the world go by or the sunset set the sky on fire. There
is also a barbecue pit which we used several times. Nothing like
food cooked on an open fire... The interior of the house was also
first class. I myself am well over 6 feet tall, and the California
King-sized bed was just perfect. Internet access was a nice bonus
for those of us who wished to keep in touch with the real world back
home, or to check the weather, and of course the hot tub was well
appreciated and used on many occasions.
Since I have started staying in Puerto Morelos I have only gone to
Cancun for the airport and occasionally for shopping when I could
not find what I needed elsewhere. Puerto Morelos is one of the last
authentic Mexican towns that has not yet been completely overwhelmed
by the growing tourist trade and all of the development that is
rapidly changing the face of the Mayan Riviera. I hope it can stay
just the way it is until well into the future, and I eagerly look
forward to returning again soon.
Kirk Kilfoyle, Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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