This hotel is a bit challenging to find if you're driving yourself in, but that definately has its pluses once you've settled in under the watchful eyes of GM/Owner Wilhelm Sack. The setting is tranquil. The service spot on. The comforts of the villas are just enough and perhaps then just a tad. I found the bed here to quite honestly be the most comfortable feeling and freshest smelling that I have EVER had the pleasure of sleeping on. So much that I chose to nap in the villa rather than under the sun at the pool. Amazing combination of comforts. Nothing is perfect, right? If I had to find one critique it would be the food and wine offerings. For a Relais & Chateaux, I found both leaving a bit to be desired. Dinner was a 9!! course tasting menu which was a bit overbearing and just above average. There was no offer either to pair the courses with selections from their cellar. Okay it's lame to pick on, but the rest of the resort and its staff were truly memorable. I encourage you to look past the nightly rate, because this place truly delivers value to its guests.

C.

My wife and I stayed for 3 days / 2 nights for our 15th anniversary and wish we had booked longer.

We expected nice accomodations and a pleasant setting. Reality lived up to our expectations.

We were most surprised by the awesome sunsets, temperate breeze flowing through the suite, the bed so comfortable it was hard to get motivated to get up, and the quality of the restaurant.

The giant bath tub was perfect.

There were a few glitches at check-in but nothing that was not immediately resolved by the efficient staff. Also, our room's ice maker didn't seem to make ice. An in-room coffee maker (we are not expresso drinkers) would have been nice.

The absence of phones, TV, radios, clocks, was a really big plus. It is hard to truly decompress with all of those distractions. Plus, we were so busy relaxing we didn't have time for these items anyways.

We stayed in a non-ocean front villa (#49) but the view from the bedroom was clear out over the water, the sound of the surf was as if it was lapping up on our back door, and the gentle breeze lasted all night. We did not miss out on anything and we saved a few dollars. The villa was large, clean, beautifully decorated and easily meets expectations for 5-star accomodations.

Breakfast on the beach is an over-the-top nice touch. It is an amazing way to start the day and feel good about life. There is just something special about a rising sun, warm breeze, gentle surf, fresh crusty bread, and a warm cup of terrific coffee. Just add your favorite loved one and life does not get any better!

We are typically pretty thrifty when it comes to food so we planned to eat at local restaurants. The first evening we were tired so we decided to try the resort's restaurant. Our expectations were low. How good could it be with there being only a few guests at the resort? We both had different specials of the day and...ooohhhh my gosh...we said forget about eating local, let's save our appetite and enjoy our dinners at the resort. (to put this in perspective, I travel 75%+ for work and eat out all the time, all over the world, at some of the "finest" restaurants...and this was really good food! I think their formula is a good chef + only 5 to 10 tables per night = lots of special attention to quality). The restaurant atmospere is A+++ romantic and the food we ate was 5-stars (the potato leak soup and the lamb were the best, the lobster and halibut were way above average, and always order the soufle for desert at the beginning of the evening. The soufle of the evening + a nice decaf is the ideal conclusion to a perfect day in paradise).

All the other guests we bumped into around the pool (maybe 6 total in 3 days) were raving about the food as well. I only heard one complaint and it was about the fetuccini - I think she expected Alfredo and it was actually something else. She admitted that the mistake was hers for not reading the menu well.

The wine list is extensive. We were able to find a favorite at an OK price and stuck to it. It was a crisp Pinot Grigio from Trentino that was served nicely chilled. It went down easily as we watched the incredible sunsets from the bar / lounge / patio area while tasting the tapas of the day.

The two resort pools we used were great. The fitness center looked like it needed some attention so we did not use it. The beach was fine. The dunking pool at our villa was very private and became our favorite spot to hang out. A 6-pack of Carona at the local store was $6 and goes well with the dunking pool and a warm afternoon in the sun.

The drive to and from San Juan was enjoyable for us. We like to explore a bit so we did not even consider it an issue. We arrived via the northern route accross the island and returned via the southern route. It provided us with an opportunity to see the entire island and check out some attractions. It is 2.5 hours from San Juan no matter which way you drive.

If you're a little tight on cash...we suggest you save up, its worth every penny. If you have the money for a top-notch vacation, you would be crazy to overlook this resort. It is a gem.

I did not read the reviews until after I returned. Most I see are equally favorable. The unfavorable comments...well, to each their own. You have to make your own judgement on the type of vacation you desire. All I can say is it would be tough to be miserable at this resort...it would take a "special" type of person to depart after a few days and somehow feel unsatisfied.

Wonderful place to decompress totally and entirely. Villa was duplex and all that you could ask for. Garden/partial ocean views are fine and will carry you a bit further pricewise.

Beach is great with warm waters. Not turquoise Carribbean but quite nice. Library/reading sitting area overlooking the ocean while sipping a cocktail by the expert barkeep is from another time.

Rent a car so you can explore. The horned is far off the main drag and you'll want to take day trips.

Overall, we had an amazing time! We were there from Christmas to New Years! It was super relaxing and the pools and beach were just gorgeous. Being that there is really only one option to eat at the hotel, that was a little limiting, but it got you out to enjoy local places. That would be the only drawback, I would say. Other than that, the accommodations were stunning, very clean, and the housekeeping staff was amazing. The restaurant staff was slow and sometimes there was a language barrier, but that is to be expected.