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The current weather in Culebra

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Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: lori (---.coqui.net)
Date:   04-08-04 13:46

I am writing to warn anyone who wants to have a good relaxing time at Culebra to stay away from Culebra Beach Villas!
We spent the past weekend with flooded rooms, breakers that overcharged and left us with no hot water and electricity in the bathroom, bad service, no taxis want to go to the hotel because the road is in bad conditions and our shower was dirty with used soap and shampoo!
Their advertising is totally misleading! I tried to get my money and leave but couldn't find any help from the central offices. I have been to Culebra repeatedly since I am from San Juan, and have never experienced such a bad vacation. If it weren't for the people at JM Scooter Rental and Richi, from Richi's Restaurant,who cheered us up and convinced us to give Culebra another chance we would have left.
So if you want to have a good time, go to a nice hotel, and take a cheap $2 taxi to the beaches. after all, you need a car or taxi to get to the most beautiful beaches since they are protected by the goverment and no hotels can be built in them.
Some beautiful houses are for rent with great views and accomodate a lot of people for a good price. Culebra is a hidden treasure! We just stayed at the wrong place.
I hope you have a good time!

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Heather (---.law.wayne.edu)
Date:   04-08-04 15:49

With all due respect, I have to disagree with everything you're saying. I recently returned from Culebra Beach Villas and highly recomend them. Each villa is privately owned, and therefore it is possible that one will vary in terms of comfort fom the next. Neverthless they all offer one thing that few others can - accomodations directly on one of the world's most incredible beaches. Granted, they lack many (most!) amenities that one might look for at a Marriot. But that's the point of the Villas, and of Culebra itself for that matter. If you want to stay at a hotel that offers fresh towels every morning and a mint on your pillow at night, then CBV is not for you - but neither is the island of Culebra for that matter. However, if you want a private cottage on a nearly deserted beach, a hammock and a private BBQ, then you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not giving CBV a try. It sounds to me as if you failed to do the appropriate research prior to your trip. You say that you've been to Culebra many times. Frankly, you should have known that it is not advisable to stay on Flamenco Beach w/o renting a car or scooter for at least part of the time- the island simply does not offer an extensive public transportation system. I'm sorry that you did not enjoy your trip and left w/ dissapointed expectations, but you go too far in your post. Anyone who has spent time in Culebra - regardless of the amenities provided in their hotel room - who has to be "convinced" by a scooter rental agency to return, clearly belongs at an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas, and not on a laid back do-it-yourself beauty like Culebra.

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Elizabeth (---.fullsail.com)
Date:   04-09-04 09:10

Which unit did you stay in - I am currently scheduled to be there the end of April. Also - how much did your scooter cost to rent? Any feedback you can give would be great.

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Heather (---.ia2.marketscore.com)
Date:   04-09-04 18:52

Hey there!
We actually stayed in two different villas. At first we stayed in 1-C, which is located on the first floor of the main building. After that, we stayed in #7, which is a seperate cottage. Both were nice, althoug the room attached to the main building was brighter, bigger and had a nicer porch (but no hammock.) We rented scooters from J&M rentals ($45/day) -they are located almost directly across from the airport. We also rented a jeep for a few days from Carlos Jeep Rental ($45/day) who are also across from the airport. The scooter was a lot more fun, but lacks storage space (if you want to go to the grocery store for food/beer, etc. w/ a scooter, you'll be carrying a lot of it w/ you as your ride!) Flamenco beach is everything its cracked up to be -pristine and absoltuely gorgeous. However, if you do rent transportation (and I'd defintiely advise it, at least for a day or two) then make the trip out to Zoni beach. Its as beautiful as Flamenco, but far more deserted. Most likely you'll be the only person on the beach! We usually cooked at night, but went to Mamacitas once for dinner - AMAZING! Great crowd, excelent seafood, etc. We also went to the Dingy Dock for drinks and that was great, too. If you decide not to rent a car, keep in mind that getting back to Flamenco Beach at night (12:00 a.m. or later) can be a bit of a struggle. You'll get there eventually - but you may be in for a bit of a wait. Fortunately, Mamacitas makes an excellent Bushwhacker while you do. If it's your first trip to Culebra, you're in for a treat. It's a completely laid-back island that doesn't cater to many people's "I want it NOW" attitude. Inevitably, you'll have to take some things in stride. But that's part of the fun, and I loved it. Have a great trip!

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Nannette (---.att.com)
Date:   04-10-04 14:56

I agree with you 100%. Apparently this person did not get enough information before going to the villas and if she had been in culebra before, she must know the laid back atmosphere. That's the best thing in culebra, laid back atmosphere, slow paced with no big hotels and restaurants.

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Luis Barrios (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date:   12-11-05 10:36

Our visit took place on December 2, 2005. This was our first visit to Culebra. What a beautiful place! Playa Flamenco is indeed one of the best beaches I have visited.

Unfortunately, I can not say the same about Culebra Beach Rental. The condition of the unit we rented fit the description provided by former visitors. I wish I have read these comments first. Our unit (3B) was in bad shape. The kitchen cabinets are falling apart. The plumbing in the kitchen sink was leaking creating mold and bad odors in the lower cabinets. The shower curtain was found in the floor and the rod that held the curtain needed replacement. Missing window screens and a couple of windows that did not open compounded the aggravation. The furniture looks shabby and old. The on-site management responded quickly and fixed some of the problems. However, it makes me wonder how often the on-site manager inspected the units. Overall conditions are not the best. The problems in this unit didn't occurred overnight and could have been fixed long before customers rent the unit.

The units are independently own and therefore the physical/mechanical conditions of the units varies. We have family members who rented a unit on the same week-end and their experience was a hundred times better than ours. The first floor unit (1A) was recently renovated. The decoration and amenities were in good taste.

Overall, our experience in Culebra was positive. Restaurants, the friendly faces of their habitants and the natural beauty of the island save this vacation for us. Culebra is a hidden treasure!

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Adrian (---.prtc.net)
Date:   12-13-05 10:34

Yes, I have to agree Culebra Beach Villas was not great. the rooms smell there are no phone no one is willing to help the pay phone dosent work and if you ask the person incharge of the place he dont seem to care!
I do have to say I met a shuttle driver Aramis who was willing to come pick me up at the villa and take me to Dingi Docks. I had asked Willy from Willys Jeep Rental and he sad call he dose not come out to pickup any body what an ass hole. I do have to say that the owner of Dings Dock was cool and gave me a ride to the Beach Villa. The food was great and the is plenty to drink at a resonable price I do recomend this place to have a few cold ones the staff treats you right.

Adrian

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Michael (---.c3-0.nyw-ubr2.nyr-nyw.ny.cable.rcn)
Date:   12-13-05 10:36

Adrian, please specify your room/villa number and the dates you stayed there!

Enjoy Culebra!

Michael

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Mike (217.169.121.---)
Date:   12-13-05 12:10

I rented a studio (#15) on feb 2005, in a separate building, and the unit was in good conditions, with simple but clean furniture. It's not a luxury hotel, but a good solution for a simple beach-front studio.

If you don't' rent a car/scooter and you need to get the town (to eat or to buy something), and the dusty road is unfeasible, you can walk to the parking at the end of paved road (less than 10 min), and take a cub there.
When you go back to the villas, you can take a cub to the parking, and go on by feet. If it's night I recommend to walk over the beach, because the road is very very dark.
It could be hard to find a taxi to the villas after 7 p.m., so a good idea is to ask the driver to go back to get you at a fixed time.

During the day the other guests of the villas drive road with their cars, and frequently I walked less than 2 minutes, before getting on board.

My Culebra holiday was unforgettable

Mike

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: roberto dorazinni (---.sd.sd.cox.net)
Date:   12-15-05 20:02

Our family is staying at CBV in January. Can anyone tell me the condition of unit #1D ?

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Dan Herbert (144.226.173.---)
Date:   12-19-05 15:39

I will be staying in my third Culebra Beach Villa this next coming week and I can tell you that all of them are different--some good and some very bad.

It's all part of Culebra though. We did the 3-bedroom top apartment 2 years ago and it was fine. This year we are doing a 3-bedroom ground-level villa. You just make the most of it.

I'll talk about my villa here after I return.

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Julie Burton (70.150.119.---)
Date:   01-17-06 14:54

Heather--we are heading to Culebra in Jan--is a scooter all we need to get around the island? and how is the crime there? can we leave our stuff on the beach and not worry about it?

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Jim (---.client.insightbb.com)
Date:   01-18-06 21:56

I would recommend a car. A scooter is fun for a half day or so but a car is easier to live with if you're going to be there for a few days.

Jim

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Re: Culebra Beach Villas/Rentals
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Jean K. Rosselit (---.dhcp.bycy.mi.charter.com)
Date:   01-23-06 10:42

We stayed next door to Culebra Beach Villas at Villa Flamenco Beach which was great. The villas next door all looked different, and some definatley looked better kept than others form the outside. There was food on the weekends at the Coconuts bar and grill, (great fries) but no bar. Mamacita's was BYO while we were there also, (Jan 6-21st) but that was prt of the fun and actually made the dinner charper. You just ask for whatever mixer you need, and they will get it for you along with a glass of ice. Hope you can find out what you need to make a decision, We looked at Culebra Beach villas as well before deciding, and were put off by all the negative comments. I think probaly just depends on which you stay in, but I wasn't willing to take a chance. It seemed a little noisy too from next door. A dog barked for hours one day and nothing was done. Also a lot of construction noise as some of the villas seemed to be undergoing repairs. Where ever you stay the beach was great, and you probably won,t spend much time in your room anyway, its too beautiful outside!!! Have fun. Jean

Jean in Michigan

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