- Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

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Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: Marguerite (---.washdc.fios.verizon.net)
Date: 12-30-09 15:34

Just returned from 5 days on Culebra. Beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, great people, good snorkeling, very relaxing. We were a little surprised by the trash around the island, but compared to the "big" island, it was pretty clean.
However, our trip was marred by our accommodations. We spent a LOT of money on a place that I could never recommend. Dirty, shabby furniture, thread-bare towels/linens; and a bathroom that flooded every time we took showers were just part of the problems. It was filled with mosquitoes that we battled every night. My poor daughter had over 50 bites from something on her legs, and that was with the use of Deet! Perhaps it has been let deteriorate because it is for sale, but just a little money invested in it would make it tolerable. We wanted to move, but all other places were filled. 2 years ago we were in Costa Rica and stayed in guest houses. Nothing fancy, but clean, delightful places that enriched our trip. I am sorry to say that Casa Ensenada did not do that for us in Culebra. Buyer beware!

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: butch pendergast (---.ph.ph.cox.net)
Date: 01-01-10 20:07

Marguerite, as the owners of Casa Ensenada, we are saddened by your comments. In twelve years of owning and operating Casa Ensenada, this is the only negative comment we’ve seen on the Internet. In fact, just the opposite is the case. In this forum, for example, Casa Ensenada has received many complimentary comments. This speaks to the quality of the accommodations and facilities at Casa Ensenada.

In reply to your specific comments:
1) The guest rooms, including the furniture, are cleaned before each rental. The furniture, though not new, is not shabby; it is in good condition.
2) Similarly, the towels, though not new, are not threadbare. We replace linens way before they are worn out.
3) A leak recently started in the piping inside the shower wall of your guest room. We are awaiting a repairman to fix it. In the meantime, as you must have seen, there is the note posted in the bathroom about the problem. We apologize for the leak.
4) Occasionally, mosquitoes can be a problem in Culebra. However, if the doors at Casa Ensenada are kept closed, there is no problem of significance. All guests are requested to read the Guest Information, which clearly states “Mosquitoes may come into rooms through doors left open". In addition, it has been our experience that when Culebra guests discover bites on their legs, invariably the bites are due to no-see-ums at the beach, not to mosquitoes. No-see-um bites do not show up until hours after they occur.
5) Even though Casa Ensenada is for sale, we regularly inspect and test equipment and facilities and promptly replace anything that does not operate properly.

Marguerite, we are sorry that you were not fully pleased with Casa Ensenada. We are glad, however, that you enjoyed the beautiful island and the great people of Culebra.

For readers of this forum, we encourage you to go to our website, www.casaensenada.com, and read comments by former guests. Those verify that Casa Ensenada has an excellent reputation.

Butch and Jackie Pendergast
Owners of Casa Ensenada Waterfront Guesthouse

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: Michael (---.netvisao.pt)
Date: 01-02-10 06:32

I can vouch for Butch' post. I only hear good things about Casa Ensenada. I also know the place personally!

Bites on the legs are usually no-see-ums!

Enjoy Culebra!

Michael

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: Debbie (---.dynpool.wntpr.com)
Date: 01-04-10 20:12

I should take a picture of my legs right now! We "battle" maybe one or two mosquitos in our house each day/night. I try to stay indoors at dusk and dawn, and yet the no-see-ums have demolished my legs in less than a week. No-see-um bites are small, round and red. Mosquito bites tend to swell and itch immediately and then, as long as you don't scratch them, reduce to pretty much nothing to write home about.

I'm sorry, Butch and Jackie, that you got this less than stellar review here. The facts speak for themselves - people that do their research will know that this review is the minority opinion. I have read nothing but nice reviews about your place over the years.

(and for the record, I have never met Butch and Jackie, so this is not a personal defense. . .)

Happy Diving!
Debbie

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: Marguerite (---.washdc.fios.verizon.net)
Date: 01-05-10 21:37

We have traveled all over the world and I am very careful about selecting places to stay, especially now that I am traveling with children. I know that one of the other guests complained about their accommodations as well while we were there. In our travels we have stayed in fancy hotels and modest guest houses. We did not expect fancy @ Casa Ensenada, (and did not need that) but I did expect better for what we paid. We paid more @ Casa Ensenada than we did at the El Conquistador!

We live in a humid climate and know about bugs of all types. We know to keep doors shut to keep bugs out. But it was hard to keep the mosquitoes out when they were swarming at our front door. My poor daughter was attacked each night. No question they were mosquito bites. Large, swollen and red. She was miserable. So it was a big deal for her. We debated each day about spraying the place with bug killer and having the chemicals all over our stuff, or taking our chances that we could kill the mosquitoes before bedtime and spare her another sleepless night. Not much of a choice.

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: Robert T. (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: 01-08-10 11:58

My wife and I stayed there 2 years ago this Summer. We rented the Grande room and were somewhat disappointed as well. We had actually planned to stay 2 nights in Culebra, and could only make it one night. It may be that we are unaccustomed to Island living, but when we saw a huge cockroach run through the kitchen cabinets, that was it for us. We cut our stay to only 1 night, thankfully air flamenco let us leave early. We actually plan to come back to Puerto Rico this year, but will only be making day trips to Culebra to enjoy the beaches, as staying there overnight is just not an option to us. It appears that most of the accommodations are really lacking as far as comforts.

I also wrote a post travel report, and loved all the people saying, that Culebra is a different kind of place, it's either for your or its not. LOL

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: Frank (---.static.gwi.net)
Date: 01-08-10 13:18

"Culebra is a different kind of place, it's either for you or it's not."

Yup, that about sums it up.

For me, it's a good thing that so many others find it lacking. I have heard from old-timers that at one point in time, Culebra had more amenities than St. Thomas. Whether this is apocryphal or not, it certainly makes the point.

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: David Streever (64.89.5.---)
Date: 11-14-10 08:14

We have stayed at Casa Ensenada for two years in a row. I have never met Jackie or Butch, and have no reason to feel biased.

My experience at Casa Ensenada has been great. I haven't seen a single cockroach or silverfish or... anything. We did let some mosquitos in our room our first day, and got bit a few times before we killed them. So what? Mosquitos are a reality in this climate and environment.

I'm sorry about what happened to your daughter, but really, you expect people to believe that with children, there is no way you let in a few mosquitos? We are grown adults who are careful, but still leaving the door open for just a moment or two can let some in.

I'm almost paranoid about things like bed bugs/cockroaches, being completely disgusted with that sort of thing, and yet I've had no problems whatsoever in Casa Ensenada. I am sure that you COULD find a cockroach here--or at any other modest accommodation--but that is a fact of life in the climate.

Every time we have stayed here it has been clean, well-kept, and the manager (Karen) has been very friendly and super helpful. Our experience here has made us want to come back over and over, and it has become our "annual trip".

In addition to our room being re-rented, the other two rooms are rented by the same people every year. Literally all three rooms have the same 3 groups now 2 years in a row. If it was filthy and disgusting as the OP states, would 3 different groups who don't know each other continue to come back here?

It is a really great place to stay, relatively inexpensive, and even includes a free kayak, which is a ton of fun to just go paddle around the bay with.

The reality of Culebra is you have to set your expectations at something reasonable. It is a very tiny island with a very limited tourism trade and little access to the main island. You can't expect a year-round operation of michelin restaurants and NYC taxi services, and yet all of the negative comments I see seem to have these expectations.

Culebra is perfect if you like being on a tropical paradise off the beaten path, away from many tourists, and you are able to live without dark rye & wheat bread for a week (this is the hard part for me). If you expect valets and private cars and people to walk you around holding your hand, you should go somewhere else.

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: Geronimo (---.customer.broadstripe.net)
Date: 11-15-10 09:59

Dave S, I believe you might be able to get your dark rye and wheat bread at El Eden's. They have a large selection of liquors and other "big city" foods.

And one should expect mosquitoes in the tropics. Trust me, when they are really bad there they shadow out the sun and devour you like a school of hungry piranha that haven't eaten in a month.

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Re: Casa Ensenada Guest House

Author: Vicki moore (---.dhcp.jcsn.tn.charter.com)
Date: 11-15-10 23:34

The no seeums nearly ate me alive this summer, despite bug spray.

Vicki in Tennessee

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