| Casa Cielito Lindo Do you have air conditioning? Yes! The bedrooms have A/C Units and there are fans in each room. How many bathrooms do you have? One full bathroom with a shower. How many does the house sleep? The house sleeps a maximum of 8 people. The house has three bedrooms, one with a king sized bed, one with a full-sized bed, and one bedroom with two twin beds. There is also a futon in the family room. Are there beach chairs? Yes, we have two beach chairs for you to use and take to the beach. Is there a cooler to take to the beach? Yes, there is a large cooler bag. Ice is easily obtained at the convenience stores located about two blocks away. Is there a washing machine and Dryer? Yes we have both. Is there a dish washing machine? No, sorry. Do you have a TV? Yes, there is a TV, however reception is very poor on the island, so we just use it for playing one of the many DVDs. Do you have a telephone? We've found that most guests brings a cellular phone. (Yes, your cell phones will work in Vieques. Some spots better than others, but we've had very good luck with reception in Esperanza. Therefore, we do not have a local land line in our home. Are towels, sheets and other linens included? Yes. Is there parking available for a car? Yes! There is a parking pad alongside the house and plenty of open space inside the gate. Is the neighborhood quiet? Yes and no! There is very little traffic noise. This is a Caribbean island, semitropical and mostly rural. There is a night time noise of tree frogs called coquís. The coquís, or small tree frogs, will serenade you to sleep at night. Every once in a while the Malecon gets busy, mostly during holidays, and because of our close proximity to all of the restaurants, music and laughter can sometimes be heard. Is the neighborhood safe? Yes! Most of the crime on the island is in the form of car probing from the beaches where people leave things unattended. There are regular police patrols of the major tourist beaches. But, take your keys, drivers license (if you are driving), and any valuables out of the car and make sure your personal belongings are within sight while at the beach or in a restaurant. As most of you would do at home, lock and deadbolt the house when you are not there and when you go to bed. Are you going to be in Vieques while we will be there? No, you’ll be in our house! However, if you need anything during your stay, or need assistance at the house, please contact Joe and Mimi, our property managers who are truly wonderful and knowledgeable people. They will help you with anything they possibly can, from providing recommendations to great restaurants, beaches, and snorkeling sites to fixing a clogged toilet or broken refrigerator. Joe and Mimi are on- call 24 hours throughout your stay should you have questions or concerns about anything! Joe and Mimi live a few blocks away, so if help is needed, they are ready and willing. Are pets allowed? No. Unfortunately we cannot allow pets at the house. We apologize for this convenience although getting pets to the island may be more of a challenge than its worth. Do you have an emergency water supply? No, currently the house does not have back-up water. The following provides approximate distances to local amenities: Airport: About ten minute drive, on north coast of Vieques. Ferry port: About ten minute drive, near downtown Isabella. Hospital: About five to ten minute drive on road into Isabella (a small hospital but they do have an emergency room). Grocery stores: There are some convenience stores near by which have beer, wine, liquor and some food. The Tienda Verde (green store) is five minutes walk and has the biggest selection in Esperanza of food staples, beer, wine, liquor and ice.. Supermarket: Ten miles, one en-route to Isabella, one in downtown Isabella. The Green Store has many staples and is at walking distance, there is also another convenience store right next door that is open at normal business hours. Restaurants/Bars: All bars and restaurants in Esperanza are right around the corner from our house. The Malecón, or "boardwalk", is THE island hot spot for dining. There is no need to drive! Pharmacy: Ten miles in Isabella. Convenience stores have basic necessities including soap, shampoo, toothpaste, pain killers, sun screen etc. *Our property managers will fill you in on all the details once you arrive. They are Vieques residents and know the island like the back of their hand. Nearest Beach: Five minutes walk (Esperanza Beach at the Malecón). Nearest really nice beach (Sun Bay) 15 minutes walk or five minutes by car, approximately 1 mile from the house. Travel What is the best way to get to Vieques from San Juan, PR? You have three options: 1. Fly, You can either fly from San Juan International, or Isla Grande airport. San Juan International is the more convienent option. You essentially depart your commercial carrier, pick up luggage at baggage claim, and re-checkin at the commuter air counter. If you fly from Isla Grande, you will take a 20 minute cab ride to a smaller commuter airport. The benefit of Isla Grande is a savings of approximately $30 per ticket each way vs. SJU. Airline schedules and contact information can be found on www.enchanted-isle.com . The ride is scenic, and will take about 20 minutes. If you have a party of one to three people, it is generally more cost effective to fly vs. the ferry. 2. Ferry from Fajardo, This is the least expensive option, especially if you have a party of more than 2 or 3 people. The passenger ferry is loacated in Fajardo, about 40 miles East of San Juan, and an hour to hour and a half depending on traffic. We have used Sra. Ilca Rivera who runs a very prompt and easy to access taxi service. As of summer 2007, they charge $60 for a one-way trip, in a 15 passenger Air Conditioned van. Their contact info is: vconpadin_04@hotmail.com , or Office: 787-889-2410, Mobile: 787-644-3091. 3. Rent a car from LeaseWay (http://www.leasewaypr.com). You can pick up a car at the airport upon arrival, and drop it off at their Fajardo office. Upon dropping off at their Fajardo office they will take you to the ferry, it's only a couple miles from the office. They do charge you $25 extra to drop off the car in Fajardo. If you plan on staying a few nights in San Juan (or anywhere on mainland Puerto Rico for that matter) this may be a good option. The drive to Fajardo is easy, it's basically East on Route 3. It's nothing to worry about, the drive isn't bad at all. There are a few malls, Wal-Marts, and many restaurants on the way from San Juan to Fajardo. Do I need a passport to travel to/from Puerto Rico/Vieques and the United States? No, U.S. citizens do not need a passport to travel to Puerto Rico from the mainland US or it's territories. The following is extracted from the US Dept. of State web site: The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will not affect travel between the United States and its territories. U.S. citizens traveling between the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa will continue to be able to use established forms of identification to board flights and for entry. If traveling outside the United States or a U.S. territory, a passport or other secure document will be required. For example, a person may travel to and from the United States to the U.S. Virgin islands without a passport or other secure document, but under proposed regulations, a passport or other secure document would be required to re-enter the U.S. Virgin Islands from the British Virgin Islands or another country as of December 31, 2006. What is the closest international airport? San Juan Iational (SJU) is the closest international airport and is on the big island of Puerto Rico. Vieques does have its own airport, VQS, approximately 20 minutes from the guesthouse. Flights are available daily from SJU to VQS or from Isla Grande, another airport located on the main island to VQS. Flights to Vieques from Isla Grande are less expensive than flights out of SJU but you must take taxi from SJU to Isla Grande if you go that route. Feel free to contact us if you want to know more about the process of departing out of Isla Grande. Do you provide airport transportation? Our property managers are available to pick you up and take you to the Vieques airport for $35. You can also take a taxi from the airport to the guesthouse or arrange for your car rental company to meet you there. The taxi driver can also drop you off at the car rental agency to pick up your car. They are aware of all the agencies. Do we need a car on Vieques? No, but it would be nice to rent one if you would like to explore the beaches in the Vieques Wild Life Refuge. All of the local shops and restaurants are accessible within a 2 minute walk from Casa Cielito Lindo. You can get to Sun Bay, the public beach, within 15 minute walk and públicos are also available to take you to the supermarket in Isabella II on the north side of the island. However, there is so much to see and explore on Vieques like the beaches at the Wild Life Refuge, we believe that to truly get a true sense of the island and all its beauty, a car is needed. How do we get from the Vieques airport/ferry to Cielito Lindo in Esperanza? From either place, you can take a publico (taxi-van), which will be waiting outside the terminals. If you are renting a car, some car rental agencies on island will drop off your rental car/SUV at our property the day of your arrival, before you arrive. Ask them upon renting. Reservations Do you have a minimum stay requirement? Yes. We generally require a minimum 5-night stay In Season and Holiday weeks. However, if there is availability for a shorter time period that you are thinking about, please contact us and we’ll see if we can work something out. Do you have a refund/cancellation policy? Yes. Our cancellation policy is as follows, all dates from the START of your stay at Cielito Lindo:
2. The balance of your payment, including security deposit and 7% room tax is due 30 days before your arrival date 3. Cancellation more than 60 days before your arrival will result in a full refund of all monies received 4. Cancellation between 30-60 before your arrival will result in a refund less the $500 initial reservation deposit 5. Cancellation 14-30 days before your arrival will result in a refund less the $500 initial reservation deposit if Cielito Lindo is re- rented for the time period you reserved the house for, and no refund if the house remains vacant. 6. Cancellation 14 days or less will result in no refund. Lindo or its belongings during your stay. This $350 will be promptly returned (within 14 days) after your stay assuming no damage outside of normal wear and tear was done. Can we pay by credit card? Yes. You may pay with a credit card through the PayPal link, which will be included in our email to you. This provides you, the guest, security and convenience. Do you charge any other taxes or fees? Yes. We charge the 7% room tax imposed by the government of Puerto Rico on vacation rentals like Cielito Lindo. Do you charge a per guest fee? No. Our house sleeps 8 comfortably and we don't mind if you have 1 or 8 people staying. We do ask no more than 8 please. What is the Check-In and Check-Out time? Check-In time is 3PM. Check-out time is 10AM, either of these times may be modified only with approval from our caretakers. It may, however, be acceptable to leave your luggage at the house while you spend your last day on the beach, just check with our caretakers ahead of time. Activities Can we rent kayaks? Yes, there is a shop on the Malecón which rents kayaks. Last time we've checked, they rent for $30 a day. Is the “Bio-Bay” worth it? Yes! It is a must see. I thought I was dreaming the first time I experienced it. One of the most exciting and surreal adventures of Vieques. Try to go when there is no (New) moon or little moon. The darker, the better! Not only the water glows but you will be able to see millions of stars in the night sky! Are there organized trips to the BioBay? Yes. We recommend Blue Carib Kayaks as your tour guide but there are plenty of other companies that provide organized tours. How is the snorkeling? Snorkeling at the many beaches on Vieques is pretty good. There are some spots better than others. A couple of organized snorkeling tours do exist. Our property managers can lead you to some hidden spots to see amazing sea life. I want to go snorkeling. Do I need to rent gear or where can I buy it? Things change in Vieques often, but you may be able to rent snorkeling gear in one of the shops or tents along the Malecón. Our care takers can fill you in on his status upon arrival. There is also a dive/sport shop in Isabel which also rents gear, Black Beards: www.blackbeardsports.com Please visit www.enchanted-isle.com for more information on traveling to Vieques. |
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