Guest Comments

Casa del Cielo de las Estrellas Guest Comments

Check also our Ratings at the Tripadvisor and VRBO vacation rental listing sites

Rudolf and Larissa Jung

To contact us:

Phone in Germany: 0160 4637 132

Phone from US: 011-49-160 4637 132

E-mail: flodur54@hotmail.com

I. Orovio (July, 2008)

I wanted to take a moment to let you know just how much I appreciated the time my family spent at your “Casa del Cielo de las Estrellas”. My wife and I travel a lot and we generally make a point to never go to the same place twice. However, it appears that’s changed as we are already discussing our projected return to your slice of paradise!

Every day for the past 2 weeks I used your kayaks to take my 6 year old son and 8 year old daughter to the nearby reef for snorkeling – their lives are forever changed! We saw turtles, rays, rainbows of fish and lobster!! We actually were able to get lobster on an almost daily basis and used your outside grill for them several times – perfect!

Your guard dogs were very friendly to us and did their job well by keeping a few other dogs away. My kids made a point to put out extra food and water for them and struck a strong bond with them.

The wind at night easily made up for the lack of a/c during the night. The stars were indescribable from the roof – the lack of pollution and complete absence of any city light made them amazingly visible.

Mahahual close by offered us easy meals and bottled water, while still far enough away to give us the “Robinson Crusoe” lifestyle we were looking for.

Finally, I’d like to drop a special note on your care taker Darvey. This is a special man indeed. He took complete care of all our needs. He even offered to go to town for us to get extra supplies the first night we arrived (we arrived late at night). Every morning he was raking the beach as the sun rose. Thru out the day he was performing various projects on the grounds. I do not speak fluent Spanish and he does not speak fluent English, but thru our combined efforts we easily understood each other with ease. On top of his respectfulness and impressive work ethic (it amazed me that he never seemed to be idle) I want to say on a personal note: He’s a real gem. He and his family gave us our full privacy to the whole property. Eventually my kids and his son found each other and struck a great friendship – Every morning my kids went looking for Jose! On Sunday Darvey and his Uncle even took me out free of charge to hunt lobster! (I told them I was having trouble getting them – “no mucho lungosta” I said, but they knew better) We ate well that night! I couldn’t put a price on that kind of service. The hospitality of his entire family drowned out any mild language barrier we experienced – I actually learned some Spanish! He started as the care taker but he ended up being my friend.

Your property is spectacular in it’s own right – but the people you have tending it push it to the next level of bordering on magical.

We plan to return next year to enjoy your balcony, catch more lobster, and visit my new extended familia: Darvey!

Pictures of our adventure at your Casa can be found online here: Feel free to link to them if you wish: http://fatdow.com/images/Ivan%20Oberon%20Noel%20Orovio/Mahahual%20Family%20Vacation%20July%202008/index.htm

Oh, and for anyone else visiting:

1. Little kids will love chasing the crabs on the beach at night with a flashlight.

2. Feed the puppies and they will love you and keep any other animals off the property (they seem to know the boundaries well)

3. Every morning a tortilla man passes by around 7am and you can get fresh hot tortillas for 11 pesos – get some packaged cheese and / or eggs in town and you can easily have nice breakfast every morning.

4. Bring some bug repellent because some nights they might get the better of you, but sometimes not - it just depends on the wind level.

5. If you use the kayak go diagonal right from the beachfront for an amazing set of coral reefs – it’s ¾ to the reef line and directly out from about 3 house structure over – this sounds vague, but you won’t miss it if you go that way. Or you can just kayak straight out and once you’re close to the reef line go right until you see them.

6. Never even saw a shark and Darvey assured me many times that they are not an issue. The barracuda however make frequent appearances on the reef – I hear they taste great but I couldn’t get close enough J they can be intimidating as they are not scared of people but if you move towards them they usually move away… and then they come back.

7. All the appliances worked fine. Make sure you keep the fridge closed to help keep it’s temp low. And if you run out of water (we took a lot of cold showers because we were in the sand a lot) just tell Darvey and he’ll turn on a pump and it only takes 15 minutes to get water again from the gravity fed water tank on the roof.

8. And if you want to do some world class fishing then just drive to Xcalak (30 minutes away) and you can hire a local boat for trolling the ocean or Bone fishing in the bay flats.

9. Or you can float the kayak over the artificial reef and I let my little boy catch fish on his spiderman fishing rod until his heart was content – the fish action is constant there and perfect for a small child with little patience J

10. In Mahahual, The “Tapas Bar” has the best ceviche, but the no name place next to it with the loud music has everything else better, including the people. (this is on the boardwalk where they put out table in the waters edge). And if you want some amazing Italian food – try the place called “the roots” – it isn’t cheap but the owner is from Italy (doesn’t speak English) and makes fresh pasta daily – it was great! And the inside ambiance and charm of the place was a real treat as well.

11. And if you bring a laptop and need absolutely need to check your email then you can go to “Aroma” café and the nice German owner is broadcasting out a free wireless connection – he also makes fresh sweet spice muffins every morning which we all loved. From Mahahual lighthouse, go inland to the first street and take a right and you’ll find it. Next to him is a good little corner store where you can get dog food, Gatorade, cokes, cheese, eggs, chorizo, candy bars, etc. and a lot of other supply type items.

12. There is one Pemex (gas station) in the area. They will take USD but if you do this then watch your total and do the math yourself – they tried to short me 150 pesos ($15) until I caught it - - I suggest just paying in pesos and if you are unsure then don’t request a fill up, rather just say you’d like a specific amount (300 pesos of Magna por favor = $30 of regular). And you need to go early in the mornings as they tend to run out of fuel in the afternoon.

S. Skidmore (January, 2008)

We really enjoyed staying at your home. We found the deck extremely relaxing and spent a lot of time there. Darvi was great for taking care of things, cleaning up the beach, etc but was in and out several times to plug/unplug the inverter, fix the toilet, and have the light fixture fixed with the electrician. Darvi was very nice, friendly, and helpful and the house clean and well equipped. We thought the roof deck was great for tanning and star gazing. We hope that the town recovery effort goes smoothly as the destruction from the Hurricane last summer was amazing. We will definitely consider staying at Casa del Cielo de las Estrellas for future trips!

M. Wolters & M. Olson (December, 2007)

We stayed at this property for a week approximately Nov 28-Dec 5, 2007. The house itself was extremely comfortable and clean and larger than we expected. The kitchen was well-supplied for dishes, etc. but the refrigerator was quite small but understandable considering the solar electricity. The two-burner stovetop had a problem so we only had the use of one burner, a challenge when cooking a meal. The house is very airy with many windows so we were entirely comfortable without A/C.
We were there approximately 3 months after the hurricane and although the town of Majahual was devastated, this property seemed to be in an oasis, with the house untouched and even the foliage surrounding it in better condition than expected.
Lastly, the caretaker was very helpful and friendly. We hope to return in the near future.

P. Flaherty (August, 2007)

We had a wonderful time at the house. it was beautiful and comfortable both day and night. scuba, cooking, relaxing, stargazing - it was an incredible vacation. darvey, the caretaker was very friendly and helpful, and there was nothing about the house or the area that was a surprise. you were also a pleasure to deal with, fair and reasonable, and we were very happy with the honesty in advertising. All in all, it was very rare in my experience of vacation rentals. we will certainly be in touch with you in the future about renting the house again. THANK YOU.

V. Golding (July, 2007)
Casa del Cielo de Las Estrellas was every bit as wonderful as the online pictures led us to believe. The kitchen was well-equipped (we cooked all but one night), the beach was beautiful, and the porch was cool, breezy, and relaxing.
We stayed here at the end of a 2-week trip and it was the perfect end to our trip. My husband snorkeled out to the reef each day. I snorkeled at the coral heads closer in while he did this, then he took me out to the reef in the 2-person kayak and I snorkeled from there. The coral and fish were amazing! One afternoon I saw a giant (10-12 feet long including tail) eagle ray. Our 3 boys were happy snorkeling closer to shore or swimming out to the nearer coral heads and kayaking to the reef and back.

Finding groceries in Mahahual was tough, but we managed. Also, the caretaker got the food truck to stop by for us a couple of mornings and we were able to buy fruits, veggies, and tortillas from it. The caretaker was very helpful and took great care of us as well. If we return to the Yucatan, I will definitely rent here again.

D. Berrigan (April, 2007)

Casa Del Cielos is delightful. The snorkeling is excellent and Majajual is close enough for shopping and dining and the cultural spectacle of global tourism but far enough away so as not to intrude much. Some will find the ATV's that pass each day annoying, but I understand that the owners have received permission to move the road so this should prove less prominent an issue (Owner comment: the road has been moved). We particularly liked the design of the house and the shady upstairs deck.

L. Linsky (January, 2007)

The house is wonderful; the upstairs is very breezy at night so great sleeps always. The kitchen is well equipped and laid out and the whole place is so beautiful that just hanging out is a pleasure. Our two kids (ages 4 and 7) found the reef amazing and it was a short and easy kayak ride to get to.

The house was well maintained, very clean, and quiet. A perfect spot to relax.

H. Naigus (May, 2006)

Thank you so much for allowing us the time we spent at your villa. Your house is amazing and Mahahual is beautiful! I have about a year left in school and am thinking about moving there with my education degree to help with the education down there. I would love
to live there but the living expenses can definitely be a road block. (fingers crossed) Anyways, your caretaker was a tremendous help, a wonderful host, and a joy to be around; I felt at home there. I will definitely rent from you again. You should find that we took very good care of the villa, and the dogs that came with it. They were sweethearts!

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L. H. (March, 2009)

It is hard to express what a wonderful time we had! The house was lovely and the gardens beautiful - you have made a wonderful place to escape! We loved the people of Mahahual as they were so kind and friendly. There were great restaurants which surprised us for such a small town. You were so lucky to have the hurricane mostly miss your place. We loved sitting on the upper deck in the evening, surrounded by palm trees. We seemed to spend the rest of the time under the palapa or in the water snorkling.
And, Darvey was great and available at all times if you had a problem. We did run out of water a couple of times at the beginning until we got used to what we could do to conserve it. We had lived two years in the Philippines in similar circumstances so we found your place very adequate. Darvey has a lovely family and we liked having them there when we traveled away for a day.
We may go back to your home next February but we have not firmed up our plans yet. Thank you for letting us stay at your home. I wish I were there right now!
L.H.

S.D. (February, 2010)

...

Most importantly, let me tell you that we had a wonderful time at your house, beach, and reef. What a special place you have built. The information on your web site as well as the additional information you provided via email all led to us knowing what to expect and what not to expect. We loved Mahahual and the surrounding environs and that it was mostly (except when the cruise ships were in) off the tourist track.

What few issues we had, Darvey was always there to assist. In addition to putting the part in the refrigerator, he had to do something to the water pump one day because we suddenly had no water. Darvey is definitely a "keeper" in my book. Not only did he check in every day, and early on checked in 2-3 times a day, to be sure everything was going O.K., he spent a fair amount of time drawing us maps to stores in town, explaining about that coconut beetle in your window sill, taking my husband fishing the first time (and gave him 3 of his fish), and just generally chatting with us. He's a hard worker and certainly watches over your house. He's personable, cheery, resourceful, and just an all around nice guy. I particularly enjoyed him because I speak Spanish and we could converse quite well.

The first 3-4 days were overcast and pretty cool. But the last 4 days were warm, clear, we had the windows open all night, and we soaked up the sun. We used the yellow 2 person kayak to go to the reef a couple of times and snorkeled. We also used the same kayak to do some additional evening fishing and my husband and our friend managed to get enough fish for a dinner for 3 as well as to make ceviche for a lunch. Having the big ice chest available really helped as no matter the weather, we managed to consume a fair amount of cerveza. After all, it was vacation!

The first night we had dinner at the Travel Inn which was very good. We didn't get to the house until a little after 7 PM since we had stopped in Playa del Carmen to do the main grocery provisioning. We took a day trip to Xcatel and had lunch there. Other than that we did all meals at the house. We used the BBQ several times. Getting that carbon to light was a bit of a bear, but we managed each time to get it going.

We used the roof top for some sun bathing as well as one night of a spectacular electrical light show and star gazing.

...

You have been great to deal with and I would certainly recommend you and your great house for people who want to get away from the usual touristy setting. I know that some people would never want to go some place like this but then, I imagine they wouldn't go looking for someplace like this.

...

But thanks again for letting us rent your place. I would do it again, though now we're talking about taking our travel trailer from Georgia to Mexico for a winter. If that's the case, we won't be renting a place we'll be in our travel trailer. However, if we don't do this, we may be checking in with you again next year.

Lee family (May, 2010)

I would like to extend a very warm “Thank You” for your hospitality and use of your vacation home. What an absolute treasure you have built there and Darvey was fabulous. We had a truly fantastic time, from just relaxing to the extensive snorkeling we did at the reef. We usually did two trips a day out to the reef. We did take one day to go to Chacchoben and Cenote Azul, and this was a great day as well. As you stated on your website the fresh pineapple is not to be missed. I could go on and on, but suffice to say that all of the information you have noted on your site is extremely helpful and accurate.

All in all I cannot speak highly enough of the home you have built, and the Lee family will treasure our memories of your home and the reef. You have been a pleasure to work with and thank you for all of your help in the process. Maybe we can return again next year, we enjoyed it that much.

Regards,

The Lee family

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S.H. ( Februar - März 2012)

Wir haben einen wunderbaren Urlaub im Haus von Larissa und Rudolf verbracht. Die Strandvilla ist sehr geschmackvoll eingerichtet und es fehlt an nichts für einen rundum erholsamen und auch erlebnisreichen Aufenthalt im - Casa del Cielo de las Estrellas - in Mahahual.
Die Sonnenauf und Untergänge, von der Dachterasse aus genossen, werden uns immer in der Erinnerung bleiben.
Der Garten ist eine Augenweide und die Informationen von Rudolf und Larissa waren sehr hilfreich. Die Schnorcheltour mit Rudolf ans Riff war natürlich ein Höhepunkt unseres Urlaubs. Dafür, Dir lieber Rudolf, unseren herzlichen Dank!
Sehr schön ist die neue Verkehrsführung um das Grundstück herum, so dass kein Autoverkehr mehr stört und man den Privatstrand voll genießen kann. Von den beiden sehr lieben Hunden fühlten wir uns immer sehr gut bewacht. Wir werden auf jeden Fall wieder kommen!

Siegfried, Renate und Ilona

T.B. (March 2012)

Dear Larissa and Rudolf, thanks for renting us your absolutely amazing beach villa! This week in your little Caribbean paradise has been our most relaxing and enjoyable family vacation ever! Only one wish was left unfulfilled: we wished we could have stayed much, much longer! Your nicely designed house (everywhere touches of an artist are seen), your stunningly beautiful surrounding garden-park and your landscaped beach are without comparison at the Costa Maya. Unbelievable you made renting your house more affordable compared to essentially any other rental in this region. We do have the experience for making comparisons: This was our fourth vacation in a Costa Maya rental house since 2005 and we have been to both Costa Maya regions, to Uvero-Majahual and to Xcalak. However, even though we loved our previous stays too, the week at your villa created a vacation satisfaction class of its own! We can’t wait to return to Casa Cielo Estrellas and we are making already plans for February 2013. Your website (which is also full with other very useful information on almost everything) describes your house without exaggeration –which indeed is very rare in rental descriptions- but yours is a gross understatement. The villa is much bigger and nicer in appearance than it seemed from looking at your website plus you have in addition very spacious outside living areas (balcony, roof patio, terrace, beach seating areas). Your beach lot is a gem. It’s a secluded and tranquil spot not just because of its unusual large size (250? feet private beach), but also because of the lack of any developments on adjacent lots and because the beach road is more than 300 feet away from the water front and does not cut your property. We never heard any car noise and in fact all week noticed only once someone making a stroll along the beach. The garden that surrounds your house is breathtaking. Flowers, colorful butterflies and tropical birds everywhere! Our daughter spent hours at your freshwater pond feeding the fish. You surely know about the huge crawfish she discovered in the pond (a freshwater lobster?). During the night we saw enormous blue crabs and the amazing purple hermit crabs. It felt like living in the middle of a botanical garden! Amazing how you were able to create such an oasis of diverse plants and trees despite of the hurricane damage 5 years ago. Your beach is exceptionally not just because of the good drop off into the water (at all previous houses we had to walk endlessly over sometimes muggy ground before we reached water depths where we could swim), but also because you landscaped it so thoughtfully with beautiful patches of native beach plants that interrupt your sand areas. What a contrast to the prevalent sandy waste lands on neighboring that are the unfortunate result of clear-cut shore cleaning!

Our kids got up at 6 am almost every day and we hardly could get them to eat breakfast before they enjoyed the day with snorkeling, kayaking or swimming. In the evenings fishing and preparing the fresh caught fish on the beach grill became almost a ritual (Thanks Darvi for the bait sardines). We never thought it possible our children could survive without complain an entire week without computer or TV! We had a lot of other activities planned for this vacation (trip to Kohunlich, etc.), but it was almost impossible to convince anyone to leave your heavenly place even for a short shopping trip to Majahual.

Thanks again to make your place available to us. We will be back!!!

The B. family from Switzerland

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L.T. (July 2012)

Our stay in the beachfront villa was absolutely lovely. A highlight was kayaking out to the reef, tying to a buoy and snorkeling the other side of the reef where the coral and fish were abundant and amazing. Other highlights were reading in the hammocks by the sea in complete privacy, cooking our lobsters which the care-taker, a really great guy, caught for us, experiencing a brilliant "light show" when a storm blew in across the ocean at night, beautiful sunny days just relaxing, and amazing trips to the ruins including a hike into the jungle with a Mayan guide. The owner's extensive notes on both trips to take and general guide to the villa itself were so helpful. Rarely does an owner take the time to be as thoughtful and thorough. I think it would be difficult to do without a car if you plan any trips. However, you may want to consider a 4 wheel drive if you are renting due to the condition of the road south of Mahahual. If you are not planning trips and can arrange transport to Mahahual, a taxi into town would be easy to do and not very expensive. All in all, it was difficult to leave the beauty of the "naturally landscaped" property and lovely home. We hope to return to Villa Casa del Cielo de las Estrellas!

I.K. (January 2012)

Dear Larissa and We stayed at beach villa for a week, and that was most perfect time in our vacation in january. We were two, but house is perfect for 4 people- 2 good bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, perfect roof-top sun-deck and big living room with kitchen and sofa. Beach front location gave perfect fresh air and silence all arround, in yard lots of tropical birds and two very very nice doggies! Small town mahahual is just 15min by car away (actually close, but the road is small and sand-based - small shops, bars. Beach - totally emty, in the sea - privately made reef and lots of fish! Sun rise in sea - perfect! And coconuts in the garden! We were lucky to meet owners - traveled together to local carpenteria, lonley beaches, watched birds. Check beach villa homepage for lots of things to know if on the way or before trip! Owners consult on any question, very helpful! If travelling by car, closest BIG shopping around 1-1.5h away in Chetumal from south and to the north biggest cities. And if You want to be back in reality - hard rock cafe is 25min away :)

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S.H. (January 2013)

Our trip to Mahahual was most enjoyable! The house itself is quite beautiful inside, tiled throughout. There are shaded porches on the first and second floors looking out on palms, sea grapes and the beach. There is a top viewing deck to observe countless stars with a resident iguana. They have an extensive library of books on sea life, plants and Mayan culture. Also, the wireless connection was very much appreciated.

The property is large and very private with a pond, an exceptional array of trees and plantings (some orchids) and numerous paths to explore. During our 2 week stay the wind blew constantly which felt wonderful, and kept the bugs away; we were never hot. The last day there was no wind, therefore numerous bugs. Being there in January, very brief strong rainstorms came and went quickly nearly every day that were both dramatic and refreshing.

As for beach combing, there were no shells, but plenty of interesting seedpods. Since recycling has not arrived in this remote area, unfortunately the beach had plenty of discarded plastic. This makes me realize interest or concern for ecology is still quite new in most parts of the world. Because my friend enjoys birds, along with the pelicans and frigate birds soaring overhead, we enjoyed a jay's serenade with a remarkable vocal range. We had some glimpses of a hummingbird, yellow banana twit, and red headed woodpecker as well.

With the strong breeze and some water chop, at first I was concerned about water safety, however, once realizing the wind and waves were always coming inland my uncertainties vanished. While I never found the artificial reef directly out front, the spot

to the right marked by 2 floats was a small area offering good snorkeling. Saw many striped grunts, a blue tang, butterfly fish, Sergeant major, needlefish, wrasse, and a spotted trunkfish. Also, I saw several lionfish, a blue parrotfish and 4 cuttlefish. I enjoyed visiting this spot regularly to more closely observe fish behavior there.

While travel to get there is a bit arduous, and driving the dirt road from the small town of Mahahual is rather challenging with deep potholes and slow going (20+ minutes for 8.6 kilometers), it's well worth the effort. For those who value spending time in a place with privacy and a host of natural wonders to appreciate and enjoy, I highly recommend this place!

Susan , New Bedford, MA USA

J. R. (December 2012)

“Wonderful seaside house"

Beautiful location very close to the sea situated in a lovely garden - a wonderful place for a holiday away from the crowds, although there are several small cafes and hotels fairly near which offer good food.

The house is well laid out and a caretaker lives in the grounds to answer any queries. The sea is lovely and warm and the snorkelling is good - we spent a lot of time in the sea! Kayaks are available at the house, which we used to go out to the reef. We would definitely like to go back, but would probably hire a jeep or similar as the beach road was in poor condition. Booking was very straightforward and the owner gives a huge amount of useful visitor information on his website

Jane from England

I. R. (October 2012)

We had a great stay at Mahahual Beach House. It is a big fully equipped house with a great roof terrace and a private beach. The caretaker is very friendly and helpful, the guard dogs very friendly and the artificial reef (build by the house owner) amazing. Therefore, that you can use the kayaks you can go for snorkeling and relaxing in the beach palapa or at the big balcony, holidays a extremely relaxed and quite and you have a lot of time for the family (in our case). It is necessary to make the proper grocery in Tulum because in Mahahual you have only small mexican shops where you get fresh fruit and vegetables and tortillas but not prepacked or pre-cooked meals. The beach road between Mahahual and the house could be a little rough with deep water filled potholes but is more an adventure than a problem. And it is important to bring enough mosquito spray with you otherwise you will be eaten by these little tiny beasts. All in all read the more than useful recommendation of the owner on the website and do what he suggest and you will have a brilliant stay away from every tourist destination. We really enjoyed our stay and would recommend everybody who is looking for a quite, naturally and well equipped holiday destination.

R. family, Germany

A. R. (October 2012)

Made holiday with two children (8 and 10 years) the beach villa was perfect. The little garden with the pond and its crabs, the private beach with the palapas, the kayaks, the artificial reef (made by the house owner) ... all that made our stay very short timed and interesting.

The caretaker and his family is very nice, helpful and friendly and the guard dogs are very friendly.

Unfortunately, we were a little unlucky with the weather because of influences of "Sandy" so we were happy having so much space for relaxing on the big balcony, playing with children, cooking etc.. we enjoyed it very much!

It is very important that you make your proper grocery in Tulum in one of the supermarkets because in Mahahual you have only small shops with fresh vegetables, fruits, tortillias, etc. but more or less no packed things. If you need something special ask the caretaker, we are sure that he will help you.

We were there at the end of October so the Hurricane season has nearly ended and the road from/to Mahahual was in a little bit a poor condition so we need 40 min for the 8.5 km from the house to Mahahual... but to be honest, it was a great adventure and not dangerous.

We can recommend the house, it is well equipped, has a lot of space, the property is very very nice arranged and the roof terrace is amazing! If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing holiday -Mahahual Beach House is definitely the right destination!

A.R. from England

E. and C. B. (September 2012)

This home is an absolutely charming villa right on the beach. The efforts put into making and maintaining Casa del cielo de Estrellas by the owner and house keepers family are obvious. The reef once reached is a great and safe snorkeling location with live coral and numerous fish species. Sept. is the wet time of year, brief thunder storms occur on some days and is heavier inland so the local river is flowing full speed and is tinted red. Water quality at the beach can be terrible if the wind blows out of the northwest. But, nearing the reef becomes beautifully clear. Additionally, make sure you bring plenty of high percentage Deet bug spray, Jungle Juice is best for the biting flies. Keep the high quality screen doors closed you don't want those things getting inside. Be prepared for the heat and humidity, if the wind stops it can get a little uncomfortable this time of year (Sept). The house keeper Darvey, is a magnificent and likable guy, but you will need to speak some Spanish to get the best info out of him. Scuba diving from Mahahual, especially three tank dives scheduled expedition style take you south of town. The reefs there are some of the best in the world with amazing live corals, sponges, and other marine life. This is Mexico free of the mega resorts and all the crowds, but comes with some of the bad also. No resorts so no big money, so no beach cleaning and trash on the beach is everywhere. (We were there soon after H. Ernesto so it might have been worse than normal). We had a great time and will be returning during a different time of the year. A day trip to Bacalar Lagoon is possible, but anywhere else is too long a journey with the beach road needing repair and the Mahahual highway it adds one hour X 2 to your trip. We stayed in both Chetumal and Tulum for one nighters easily finding cheap comfortable accommodations during this slow season.

B. family, USA

D.L. (July 2012)

"Mayan Dream Holiday"

Everything you could imagine for a wonderful Caribean holiday. The white sand beach fringed with coconut palms, the reef for snorkelling, the lobster you can buy from local fishermen and grill on the barbecue, the roof top sun deck where you can watch for shooting stars as they flash across the milky way.

You're far enough from the local town not to be bothered by other tourists, but close enough to take advantage of all the restaurants and bars.

There is a wide range of things to do and sites to see, all of which are mentioned in the owner's web site which is a mine of information. Thanks to the site we had a very clear idea of what to expect and it allowed us to save time hunting for details by ourselves.

Darvey, the caretaker, did everything possible to make the stay memorable. He is very efficient and extremely courteous. A real plus for the property.

As said in the reviews above, the beach road is pretty bad (but this mustn't stop you from coming) and you may want to stock up on food from one of the bigger supermarkets in Playa del Carmen or Chetumal.

All in all a wonderful Caribbean getaway.

L. family from France

D.B. (June 2012)

“Amazing place to unwind!!"

Kayaking, swimming and relaxing all in a beautiful setting. Was extremely warm in June and just beware of leaving important belongings(ie: eyeglasses) by the beach or on tables outdoors as the dogs, as adorable as they are) love to chew them up. Besides that our stay was amazing and we would definitely consider going back.

Danielle, Montreal, Canada

M.N. (April 2012)

We spent almost 2 weeks at this lovely sea front villa, which is surrounded by a stunningly beautiful beach, garden and jungle. If you like a secluded and tranquil vacation spot- this is it! Mahahual is 3 hrs away from the touristy areas of the Mexican Caribbean, but we did not mind the long drive in exchange for a holiday away from the hustle and bustle of the resort towns of the northern Yucatan. Casa del Cielo de las Estrellas sits in an exceptional nice Costa Maya location on the beach 5 miles south of Mahahual. The area is not developed and there are no other rental houses in proximity. The closest permanent neighbor, the Cabah-na cabanas with a nice bar, is about a quarter mile away. The reef in front of Casa del Cielo beach is very healthy and beautiful. Also the drop off at the beach allows swimming right from the shore. Every day we got up early in the morning to have coffee viewing the spectacular Caribbean sunrises and then spent most of our time snorkeling, swimming and kayaking. We had 2 stormy days which we used for excursions to the Chacchoben ruins and to collect sea beans and shells on beaches south of the house (special thanks to the owners for providing very detailed information and tips for these trips). The house is of a very artistic, but also practical design. It is very well equipped and nicely decorated. Carpentry work by local artisans gives the house a very special touch. Its octagonal shape with windows facing all directions of the windrose, allows for an optimal climatization by the sea breeze. I like to mention the library: aside of many good reads it contains an almost comprehensive collection of more than 30 Mexico or Mesoamerica nature guides (reef fish, plants, trees, birds, reptiles, mammals and even about star gazing). The outdoor facilities (terraces, balcony, multiple seating areas) are great. They are exceptionally large and inbedded in the landscaped garden or beach area. We especially liked the bench at the freshwater pond. Many birds came to the pond ofr water and it was therefore a very good spot for bird watching. We recommend Casa del Cielo without reservation and hope we can come back.

M.N., USA

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