Culebra

My wife and I spent four days in Culebra. Not a bad island for people who like to get away from major resorts, casinos, the unsightly cruise-ships with their dreaded crowds, etc.

Here's what I liked about Culebra:
- Above average snorkeling
- Good beaches, white sand, blue water and not too crowded
- Island is not over-developed (but getting busier)
- Good restaurants if you ask the right people where they are (Frommers wasn't any help here)
- We enjoyed exploring the numerous beaches by driving around the island, which had a geographical feel similar to St. Barts.
- Beyond spending time with my wife exploring the island, I thought reading a novel with a glass of rum+coke w/lime was the high-light of the trip.

Here's what I didn't like about Culebra:

- rental cars (usually new jeeps) are expensive at +$80 per day after insurance, taxes and other fees. It's difficult to get around the island without a rental so plan accordingly. You can save money by avoiding insurance or getting an older vehicle (both at your own risk). We rented our jeep directly at the Bahia Marina Resort. I noted that the Carlos rental establishment at the airport had identical rates.

- in my opinion, the majority of the island's citizen's aren't going to warmly accept your presence. My wife and I are laid back and go out of our way to be polite. Unfortunately, you aren't always going to get the same treatment from the island's 2,200 citizens, who haven't fully embraced the role that tourism plays in helping their local economy. Not a big deal, we're low maintenance and we weren't expecting to be treated like gold, and that's not to say that other's who travel to Culebra won't have positive interactions with the locals.

- my wife didn't enjoy the 30 minute puddle-jumper flight from San Juan's Isla Grande airport, especially in the afternoon when intermittent storm clouds are in the area. It was a bumpy ride in a small 4-6 passenger plane, but at $100 per round-trip and saving you multiple hours of car/ferry travel, I thought it was worth it. Stick to the morning flights...


Bahia Marina Resort

We stayed in the new condos (Phase 2). Newly constructed, looked just like the pictures in their website (click on 'Buy a Villa' link). Phase 2 had closer access to their pool compared to staying in the Phase 1 units. Pleasant grounds on a hiltop with decent views, but nothing breathtaking. The new kitchens are great if you're staying for a week and want to do your own cooking (go to Milka for groceries).

Phase 2 was still under construction, however, we were on the far end of the new developments and were never bothered by noise, just the sight of two shell buildings without windows, occupants, etc.

Our condo was two-bedrooms and more space than we needed; we still booked it since it was the only thing open for our last-minute planned trip. No complaints, we were able to negotiate a lower rate given that the Phase 2 facilities weren't fully booked, and we liked the fact they were brand new (again, check out their pictures on their websites).

We tried one restaurant (Shipwreck bar and grill) at the resort: service was terrible, food was ok. We weren't expecting 5 star service-cuisine, but our waiter ignored us when he discovered we weren't in the mood to drink or order a 4-course meal. The lobster entree was over-cooked and over-priced. A one-time bad experience, but then again, we took it with a grain of salt... you can't let a bad restaurant review ruin your overall lodging experience.

For restaurants we look for reasonably priced local-cuisine, doesn't need to be fancy. Not to be found at Bahia Marina Resort. Try El Eden or Suzies (BYO), both down by Milka. Service at Mamacita's was a tad pretentious, but their atmosphere and pina colada's are compelling.

We would still consider going back to Bahia, maybe after checking out a few other spots. It's a safe bet if you want to see the island for the first time. Good luck planning your trip, hope this helps, and thanks for posting your timely reviews for others to read and assess.

My family and I went there to acompany my wife who had some work to do in Culebra. It is hard to find anywhere the kind of attention we received while staying there. Our ferry from Fajardo to Culebra was late so we got to Culebra pretty late. Shortly before we got there, I received a call from the hotel beacuse we have not shown up. Later,they call me again to see if I wanted them to keep their restaurant open a bit longer than usual so we could have dinner, I said yes and they did. I must say that the food was also great. You will get to see that its owner and and employees really and sincerely care about their clients. I havee to go back again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great attention, you would remember this people for a while!!

Beautiful view to the Bahia from the room and pool area, great dinning and great customer service. Amazing place to spend time with your loved ones.

My husband and I just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary with a trip to the Caribbean. We spent four days on Culebra. The room we had at Bahia Marina was unbelievable for the price. We had a wraparound deck, kitchenette, bedroom, two full bathrooms and a killer view of the bay. The staff picked us up at the airport, and were very accomodating during our stay. We enjoyed wonderful meals at the Shipwreck bar. I would strongly recommend this condo resort-hotel to anyone.