To be totally honest, the primary reason we chose to stay here was because we wanted to have our wedding on Montones Beach, and our reception at Olas y Arenas. It's not mandatory to stay here in order to have the reception there, but it turned out to be extremely convenient.
Definitely the best aspect of this hotel is the location. Just about every villa is literally steps to the beach (but be warned that some are not - be sure to ask). If you were to go out on your deck and throw a ball you could probably hit the water. The beach is extremely quiet during the week, and you feel like you've got your own private beach. A lot of villas have kitchens so you can easily run up to your room to get snacks or a refill on your drink. And for the really prepared they have grills (provide your own charcoal).
Do yourself a big favor and make a run to the WalMart and supermarket when you arrive to stock up on necessities (out on RT 2, about 15 minutes away). With the exception of the restaurant there is nothing else open or nearby during the week. The snack bar/gameroom did open but not until the weekend. Other restaurants are a short drive away, but probably not within walking distance.
The restaurant onsite, Olas y Arenas, is truly a hidden gem. The owner Zelma is a transplanted NYC gourmet chef who creates some of the most delicious dishes I have ever had. We had our wedding reception at her restaurant and to say it was phenomenal would be an understatement. The food was fantastic and her staff went out of their way to make sure we all had a good time. By the end of the night everybody was dancing.
Now for some warnings. For starts, the experience with the front desk was unpredictable. Sometimes you will get a very friendly and helpful person, and sometimes you will get the complete opposite. Luckily my wife speaks fluent Spanish which helped a lot. It's also important to note that you have to pay extra for daily maid service, which is really a must. They also provide very limited cleaning supplies for the kitchen (no sponge, paper towels, etc) so you might want to throw some of this into your luggage.
As mentioned above, there's not much around besides the beach and the restaurant. Unless you intend to eat at the restaurant for every meal, I'd highly advise getting a rental car. I suppose it is possible to walk to the restaurants near Jobos beach, but it's not a short stroll (btw - the little yellow shack with the white bars on it has some of the best mahi-mahi pinchos you will ever have). Also as mentioned it would be a good idea to make a trip to WalMart or one of the supermarkets to stock up on supplies.
Lastly, be warned that if you need to check out early, you have to do so the day before! We learned this the hard way, but luckily my brother in law wasn't leaving yet so he checked us out.







Value
Rooms
Location
Check in / front desk







