Casa Isleña Inn
Before you read this, take a look at this comic. You know, for context reasons.
A few months ago I found a special offer on Oferta del Dia for a 2 night stay in Rincón, with breakfast included. If you know me, you know that anything that includes breakfast sounds like music to my ears, so... I didn't buy it. At first.
I like to do my research on Tripadvisor before I buy anything that involves my resting my head on a pillow (breakfast or no breakfast!). Once I did a bit of research on Casa Isleña Inn and felt plenty satisfied, I decided to close my eyes and pay for a non-refundable stay in whoknewwhere (I thank the internet gods for sites like tripadvisor). My booking over the phone was effortless and the staff was exceedingly pleasant, even though I had to postpone the trip from June to August, just a week before leaving.
Check in is at 2pm, a good thing to remember if you get lost (like us) because, unlike most hotels, front desk closes at 6pm (keep in mind that Casa Isleña is an inn, though). The staff was super friendly, and quickly presented us with a map (taking the time to do this which was a definite plus, considering we're obviously locals) and marked the best and nearest spots to have a bite to eat. Once we had our key, we were sent on our way.
Because we were facing the pool, there was plenty of noise, which was a bit of a downer, but I quickly figured out that closing the door fixes that - I swear, it was like soundproof!
One of the things I loved about room 203 was the fact that it was so spacious, I felt completely comfortable doing yoga in the mornings and evenings while facing the ocean, right in my room. That by itself, to me, is priceless. Heck, I can make my own breakfast!
Casa Isleña has a renowned Tapas Bar that I was keen on visiting that same night, but their summer hours rendered my wish impossible. I was forced to venture out from my sanctuary and find somewhere to eat - after a nap, of course.
Here's the first mistake you don't want to make while in Rincon: NAP. It seems that time moves differently in this town, and your internal clock won't necessarily be in sync with it, especially if you're city folk. We set out to have dinner at around 9:30 at a seemingly nearby Thai restaurant called Ode to the Elephants, but I have to say, the map they gave us at the front desk is terrible. We practically couldn't find anything and the GPS in Rincon isn't the friendliest navigator, either. Thankfully, we speak Spanish and we asked some locals on how to get there - but since it took us about half an hour to actually find it, it was already closed. Apparently, practically all of the restaurants close at 10pm. I suggest you set your alarms accordingly if you feel the need to nap.
Mornings are glorious in Rincon. I awoke to the sound of palm trees, waves crashing, and the swimming pool refilling - that is, once I turned the A/C off!! Brrrr!! Breakfast at the inn is served from 7-11am, but it wasn't much, too starchy for my taste: whole wheat bread, bagels, waffles, and cereal (Cheerios and Honey Bunches of Oats). To drink, some orange juice and coffee. I'll save our culinary experiences for another post, but all in all, our stay at the inn was marvelous, and we cannot wait to return.
----------------------
A few months ago I found a special offer on Oferta del Dia for a 2 night stay in Rincón, with breakfast included. If you know me, you know that anything that includes breakfast sounds like music to my ears, so... I didn't buy it. At first.
I like to do my research on Tripadvisor before I buy anything that involves my resting my head on a pillow (breakfast or no breakfast!). Once I did a bit of research on Casa Isleña Inn and felt plenty satisfied, I decided to close my eyes and pay for a non-refundable stay in whoknewwhere (I thank the internet gods for sites like tripadvisor). My booking over the phone was effortless and the staff was exceedingly pleasant, even though I had to postpone the trip from June to August, just a week before leaving.
And so, come August, we packed our bags and set out with our GPS to our little inn. After about 3 hours (traffic in Puerto Rico from San Juan to Rincon through the north can get pretty hairy), we finally drove up to an ample parking area and stepped into the cutest little inn we've ever seen.
Upon entering, the first thing that strikes you is the lush greenery. It has very much the feel of a bright, natural, clean sanctuary - where you can also feel free to be naughty, something you realize as soon as you've glimpsed the bar on the right and the jacuzzi adjoining the swimming pool to the far left!
Check in is at 2pm, a good thing to remember if you get lost (like us) because, unlike most hotels, front desk closes at 6pm (keep in mind that Casa Isleña is an inn, though). The staff was super friendly, and quickly presented us with a map (taking the time to do this which was a definite plus, considering we're obviously locals) and marked the best and nearest spots to have a bite to eat. Once we had our key, we were sent on our way.
I'm sorry to say I don't have photos of our incredible room... and it isn't even pictured on their site, but I at least remembered to snap some pictures of our balcony. The space was absolutely beautiful, clean, and very airy, with a stunning view of the pool and the ocean. It had extra pillows and a warm blanket, organic shampoo & conditioner, aloe vera soap, and plenty of towels. The cable TV was a bit lacking, but on the plus side we had a mini fridge and the air conditioning was superb.
One of the things I loved about room 203 was the fact that it was so spacious, I felt completely comfortable doing yoga in the mornings and evenings while facing the ocean, right in my room. That by itself, to me, is priceless. Heck, I can make my own breakfast!
Casa Isleña has a renowned Tapas Bar that I was keen on visiting that same night, but their summer hours rendered my wish impossible. I was forced to venture out from my sanctuary and find somewhere to eat - after a nap, of course.
Here's the first mistake you don't want to make while in Rincon: NAP. It seems that time moves differently in this town, and your internal clock won't necessarily be in sync with it, especially if you're city folk. We set out to have dinner at around 9:30 at a seemingly nearby Thai restaurant called Ode to the Elephants, but I have to say, the map they gave us at the front desk is terrible. We practically couldn't find anything and the GPS in Rincon isn't the friendliest navigator, either. Thankfully, we speak Spanish and we asked some locals on how to get there - but since it took us about half an hour to actually find it, it was already closed. Apparently, practically all of the restaurants close at 10pm. I suggest you set your alarms accordingly if you feel the need to nap.Mornings are glorious in Rincon. I awoke to the sound of palm trees, waves crashing, and the swimming pool refilling - that is, once I turned the A/C off!! Brrrr!! Breakfast at the inn is served from 7-11am, but it wasn't much, too starchy for my taste: whole wheat bread, bagels, waffles, and cereal (Cheerios and Honey Bunches of Oats). To drink, some orange juice and coffee. I'll save our culinary experiences for another post, but all in all, our stay at the inn was marvelous, and we cannot wait to return.
----------------------
Barrio Puntas
Carr. Int. 413 km. 4.8
Rincón, PR 00677
Main (787) 823-1525
Fax (787) 823-1530
Click here to make a hotel reservation.
Comments