Just to set the context, I'm a woman in my mid-30s who travels for pleasure frequently and lives in NYC. Just got back from a stay here over xmas 2007.

Culebra Beach Villas
I have to agree with the other reviewers, that when you go to Culebra Beach Villas, you should go into it knowing what to expect - and you will not be disappointed. These are clean places to sleep, somewhere to keep your beer or beach drinks cold and to hang your snorkeling gear or bathing suits to dry - but not much else. You don't need anymore as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world sits feet away. You definitely stay here for the location. The villas are very basic. We stayed in #10, which was a 1-bdroom. Paid US$175 per night. The outer room had 2 twin beds and since there was only 2 of us traveling, we were able to spread out our stuff. Our villa was complete with microwave, fridge, stove, sink, etc. -- what you need to put together a snack or lunch. The bedroom was fine, the sheets and pillowcases appeared to be clean - athough if you have dust mite allergies as I do, best to bring your own pillow/sheet dust mite covers - I could tell there were a lot of dust mites in the bedroom. Our villa didn't have a hammock but there were several nearby and they are big enough for two. Although we would've loved a little more water pressure in the shower, we had plenty of room, hot water, in the bathroom etc. If you desire large bath towels, bring your own. The ones they give you do the trick, but they are small and they are not changed during your stay (the sheets/pillowcases are not changed either unless you are there longer than 4 days). Ditto on beach towels as they are not provided. All other places to stay are in town or by the harbor - this is the only place steps from the beach. Our front door lock was squeaky and the AC in the bedroom wasn't as strong as we'd like, but hey, you're in Culebra!

Beach
I've been to a lot of beaches around the world - this one is truly breathtaking. Pristine white sand. Gorgeous blue water with mild surf and no condos or other buildings anywhere in sight. Very few people as well. . Definitely walk the beach at night - the stars are amazing.

Other stuff
Tony, who runs the front desk, is helpful and responsive. He set us up with kayaks and made some local calls for us (our cells didn't get any reception at the Villas, only in town). We rented beach chairs for $5 each per day (though they take them back at 4pm). We saw some people bbq-ing, but we thought the grills were a bit spartan and dirty and ours was missing the grill part. Lots of beach cats, hens and roosters and a friendly but nosy beach dog at the Villas - we had fun with them as they are relatively clean and tame and we even bought some cheap chicken feed in town. While the road to the villas is bumpy as it is unpaved, we preferred being able to "get away" even from the small town in Culebra so we were really alone. The Villas runs on cisterrn water - better to be safe than sorry - drink only bottled water, you can buy it by the gallon relatively cheaply in the supermercado in town. Snorkeling by the hotel is not great, the reefs are pretty dead. If you check the threads for Culebra, you'll learn there are closeby snorkling sites that are excellent.

Make sure you buy what you need in town - sun screen, snacks, mosquito/bug spray (a MUST) etc as there are no amenities like this at the villas. Strongly recommend you rent a car if you are staying more than a day or two.

I recommend eating at Barbara Rosas - great home cooking, right on her porch. Mamacitas was good for breakfast and dinner as well, and had a live drum band playing at night.

My Family and I stayed at Culebra Beach Villas last summer, and was amazing, the place is so fresh, the room was very clean and the peole are very friendly. We waked up and went directly to Flamenco Beach, that was awesome. That does not have comparisson, you "are" in the best beach. And during the night, you can see the most wonderfull sky with a million of star, because there is no light contamination. I want to return the next winter.

Our family of 5 stayed in 3-bdrm unit #4-A for 4 nights in March. My expectations were low after reading the reviews. But we had a fantastic stay and would probably return. The location right on Playa Flamenca is unsurpassed - pristine and private. Even on the weekends, it wasn't that crowded (I know that may be different in summer when Puerto Ricans vacation there).

Our unit was on the 3rd floor - lots of stairs, but that wasn't a problem for us. The balcony overlooked the beach - the views were fantastic. The unit was spartan, but extremely clean. The beds were OK, linens were basic. The kitchen was stocked with all the basic essentials for cooking, but nothing else was supplied except sponge and soap (e.g., no paper towels). We used the BBQs downstairs. Tony, the property manager, was friendly and helpful. He gave us his restaurant recommendations and happily fixed a A/C unit in one of our bedrooms. Ice and water are available for sale from the office. A car is a necessity here, in my opinion, for grocery shopping and restaurant meals in town.

If you want to be on one of the most spectacular beaches in the Caribbean, you like privacy and peace and you don't mind self-catering, Culebra Beach Villas is for you. If you expect ANY amenities, don't consider it.

Great location but were eaten alive by the bedbugs in shack number 11. Also, the chickens will wake you up in the middle of the night and you won't get much sleep. They charge you for ice, the building 'manager' is not very friendly, never staying here again.