Casa de Amistad — Hotel in Isla de Vieques

I really don't have enough nice things to say about Casa de Amistad and John in particular. I hope I get a chance to stay there again soon. The guesthouse is clean, comfortable, quiet, cute, well-equipped and within walking distance of the ferry, several good restaurants, and a couple of grocery stores. This is not a cold, impersonal, luxurious, hotel but if that's what you're looking for, Vieques may not be for you in the first place. This is an important point because a "bug and a feature" of Vieques is that most things are slow, unreliable, under-developed, and subject to change without notice. John and Casa de Amistad took some of the "edge" off of that charming uncertainty. I dealt with John at every phase of our stay from booking through departure. He strikes an excellent balance between being attentive to your needs and respectful of your privacy. My wife found the place and booked it, but before our trip I reached out to John for advice about getting to the island and touring the "Biobay". In every single case, John's advice about what to see, how to get there, what to eat, etc. was spot on. On arrival, he sat us down to give us the lay of the land and answer any questions we may have had. He told us that the guesthouse was 90% off-grid, solar-powered and that the only thing that required mains electricity was the A/C. At the time I thought that was interesting but trivial. As it worked out, there was a Puerto Rico-wide power outage just a few hours later! We got back to the guest house fairly late so if he hadn't taken the time to explain the system to us, I probably would have pulled my hair out futzing with the A/C that we really hardly missed anyway since it wasn't really that hot (the room also had a ceiling fan that kept working using the backup electricity). I really had the impression that John cares about his guests and, more importantly, the community of Vieques. For example, I think it's worth noting that I heard from what I believe to be fully impartial third-party on the island, completely without prompting, that he has a reputation for paying his employees well. For me personally, that little off-the-cuff comment was was worth 100...

Staying at Casa de Amistad is like staying at a stylish and welcoming friend's place. The owners John and Mike have put great care into every detail of your experience, including providing beach bags, towels, chairs, coolers and freezer packs for your daily beach outings. They take the time to sit with each guest as they check in so they can give you the best personalized recommendations for beaches, activities and places to eat. The rooms are comfortable, upgraded and clean. The house runs 80% on solar power, great for the planet and for any temporary power issues on a tropical island. When we booked they provided recommendations on tours, car rentals and travel that were all super helpful. The well equipped common kitchen is great for making breakfast and snacks (and meals), there's a lovely patio space, a real bonus refreshing plunge pool and even a rooftop patio to watch the sunset. And lots of street parking and three designated spots in the rear. WiFi, cable tv, air conditioning (ceiling fans throughout if you don't want a/c), a short walk from the ferry or cab from the airport, a good beachfront bar just a block away (but the Casa is nice and quiet for sleeping), grocery store a couple of blocks away, restaurants, bakeries- you really feel like you are staying in the town and part of the community. They literally have everything you could possibly want. Price was very reasonable for what you get. Every space is well designed and inviting - a great place to relax and enjoy your holiday. We are already planning to return to Casa and stay longer to savour their warm, welcoming vibe. Don't stay anywhere...

I'm hesitant to write a good review for this place, for the sole fact that I don't want anyone but me to know about it. Stay away! It's MINE! It belongs to ME only! But in all seriousness, I couldn't imagine a more heavenly retreat. When I was staying here I felt like I was at home with family, but without my annoying sibling or my disagreeable uncle. Just the good ones! Keep in mind it's still in Vieques which has some infrastructure problems, and it's still in the middle of a tropical rainforest, IE there was a lizard in the hotel room, and the "hot" water was just "warm", so if you're the sort of person who would give this place less than 5 stars for that reason, please don't stay there. Lizards are cool! -_- And they keep other bugs out of there. And the place is run largely by solar power so don't be put off by the warm water. It's eco-friendly! What I'm trying to say is the hotel experience as a whole made up for any niggling quirks. They were features, not bugs. The rooms were immaculate and the amenities were top notch. And Mike and John, the owners, were the best. Simply wonderful. Stay...