Mare Mio Guest House — Hotel in Parroquia Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

I stayed a couple of nights here in the room with a private bath. I was greeted by Alejandra upon arrival, though she seemed uncertain which room would be mine. Her mother (I believe) showed up a bit later with a "guest" who apparently was working at the affiliated restaurant? I'm not sure. It was a bit confusing who lived there, stayed there, and was just visiting. ||||I did not get much of an intro to the property, just that I could use anything. There were no rules, information, or guidelines other than to wash one's feet before getting into bed. I would have loved to do laundry (mentioned in the listing) but the machine was full most of the time I was there and there was nowhere to hangs things up that were in there. The back garden is a bit dirty and dusty. I tried hanging my wetsuit on a gate, seat, and table and each surface was dirtier than the previous one.||||The room was clean and spacious, though the in-room safe (mentioned in listing) was not functional and not attached to anything; even if I could lock it, someone could walk off with it. There was no housekeeping service during my stay, though it was included in the price (through booking dot com). ||||The breakfast is at a location a few blocks away, closer to the center and the docks. It's fresh, made-to-order, and substantial. You can also pay for your room there (cash only).||||The "airport shuttle" (mentioned in listing) is non-existent. I requested information about it when I booked (through booking dot com), and it never came. When i was there, I asked the proprietor at the restaurant and he said you can walk, or call a cab, or come here and there are cabs all up and down this street. It was about a 20-minute walk, which is fine, but for those who are counting on a shuttle, know that it doesn't exist.||||The location is across the street from the beach and little hard to find as it says it's a private residence and looks a bit abandoned. Bring your ear plugs -- it's noisy at night with goats, chickens, and seals all singing the songs of their "people." Bring your eye mask, too, if you want to sleep in a dark room. The other bathroom is attached to this one and there's a glass window up high that lights up your bathroom and bedroom when someone is in there. There are also lights in the back garden and only sheers for curtains.||||Speaking of the bathroom, don't try to adjust the shower head. You'll get an electric shock. Every time. I learned in subsequent properties on this trip that this was the heating mechanism for the water that I was touching. In other properties it was grounded so one did not...

Booked a room as a bed and breakfast through another site. Reservation process and communications with owners family was very smooth. They arranged for someone to pick us up at the airport, gave us a quick orientation to the facilities and both room and house keys, then left us to settle in. ||The whole house was clean and airy with local furniture, shared bath and nicely equipped kitchen. As part of the orientation we were shown the conservation practices, which were further clarified by strategically placed information signs. Room was furnished with 2 double beds, a built in closet and shelving and a large curtained window overlooking the back yard. ||Quick freshen up and we were ready to explore the town of Puerto Baquerizo, which is small enough to cover on foot. |Right across the street from Mare Mio we were on the harbour beach treading our way between sea lions by the dozens! Fantastic experience.||The naval base was to one side and the city to the other. We walked around the harbour, figured out where to meet our ship the next day and returned to find one of the family members (Whitman, the father) had stopped by to check that everything was in order. He also provided a nice snack, interesting conversation and an offer to show us around. Since he us a licensed naturalist guide, we took him up in his offer and were able to visit some areas and get an understanding about the islands' history and economy from a local perspective. ||Whitman returned the next morning with some fresh bread and made us a nice breakfast. We followed that with a trip to another part of the island and returned in plenty of time to freshen up and meet our boat. |Highly recommend staying at Mare Mio if you like simple uncomplicated stays and getting to know your hosts and...

The Galápagos Islands are wonderfully unique and this house is the perfect fit for your trip to San Cristobal. The house is very spacious with all the amenities you would expect… refrigerator, stove, microwave, washing machine and most importantly there is A/C in each room. Understand that this is not a modern new build home but a quaint older home that has everything you need. The most important part of this house is the host family… the Cox family. Whitman and his family are the most gracious hosts you could ever imagine. They are just amazingly wonderful people. They go out of their way to make sure you have the best experience not only in the house, or in their cafe but on their island. They are very proud of this island and are happy to talk with you about its history, give you some pointers on where to go and even direct you to the right adventure guide if you need it. The best guide you can find on the island is Whitman. You will not find anyone more giving with his time and more proud and knowledgeable about San Cristobal and the Galapagos. If you need a five star hotel, this is not for you… if you want a five star experience than you will not go wrong booking Mare Mio...