We stayed at the lovely Colina II Suite 802 from May 19 to 25th. To give a perspective of our Mexican travel experiences. This is our 3rd trip to Mexico(first to PV). We had stayed in 4 star boutique hotels in Playa del Carmen, Westin Lagunamar in Cancun and Banyan Tree Mayakoba in the Mayan Riviera. Here are my comments:
1. Beautiful, casual yet elegant decor. We spent hours at the outdoor area(love the 2 separate lounging areas). The view was magnificent. Even thought it was hot on the streets, there was always a breeze because of the location. I actually needed to get some cover ups because I was a bit chilly in the shade. There were furniture and accent pieces that were not in the website photos and the place was nicer than the pictures suggest. It was still very new looking(I believe the building is about 3 to 4 years old). Insect repellents would come in handy if you are the kind to attract mosquitoes.
2. Location – yes, it is high up the hills. It is about a 15 minute walk down some steep road and stairs(bring good walking shoes with traction). We took the taxi the first day 50 pesos each way within the Romantic zone. Once we got oriented we walked up and down the hill everyday. You will need to be of average shape to do so but it really wasn’t too bad. If you are the type to like to go in and out all day, then this is not a place for you, otherwise, the view and tranquility up at the unit was worth the walk and more. I would also like to recommend pvrexpress, they are a delivery service that works 7/24. They will shop at the 24 hour Walmart and order from restaurants for you. It cost only 35 pesos for restaurant delivery and 50 peso to add the shopping to the order. Well worth it, we got a meal and a whole week’s worth of supply for 50 pesos(please tip the delivery guy generously, the time they spent vs what is charged tells me that they make very little money). Their call service was very professional and they even offer suggestions on local produce and fresh catches in the local markets. Once we found this place, staying up the hill was not a problem at all.
3. Amenities – within the condo – all sorts of kitchen supplies and appliances, the kitchen windows open out to the outdoor areas. Our regret was that we did not stay long enough to fully utilize the kitchen, it was also restaurant week so you can see our dilemma. They also have 2 CD players, one with an ipod dock, lots of CDs but very few of recent music. DVDs. 2 TVs but there was a reception issue with the TV in the bedroom, which I am sure could have been resolved but we weren’t there to watch TV. Lots of towels, big and smaller.
Washer/Dryer(our fav). Comfortable and beautiful sofas and chairs. There was no mid week maid services, but then again, it wasn’t needed and no use paying extra for it. They have a safe was it wasn’t bolted down. Lots of extra comforters and linens.
The internet was fine with good connectivity if you are not streaming any videos or downloading in high volume. They have Canadian and American channels on TV. An outdoor telescope but we could not get it working. An intercom that you can call down to the guard.
Outdoor amenities – lush and well manicured grounds. There were very few occupied units during our week so it was super quiet. They have a swimming pool but was quite shallow, a gym in a palapa hut. We can tell that the outdoor space is a work in progress still. There was a crane next door with dug up land, so I would inquire about the noise level and amount of dust when construction starts again.
4. Staff – the security guards were great. They would always come out to greet you and try to help when they can. Gus – the building super?, waited for us in our unit the first day and provided the orientation of the condo and area. He stayed beyond his office hours and was very patient with our questions. We see him around the building all the time. He also provided a phone number that we can contact him in case of emergencies.
Overall, we were very glad to have chosen to stay at this condo. We felt very safe the whole time. I still miss it and would highly recommend it to others.
SY
Toronto, Canada
