vieques
 

we are interested in going to vieques next february. we love hotels on a beach so any suggestions would be appreciated. if you could speak a bit about what the accomodations are like that would be great. has anybody who has been there booked there entire trip with american airlines and how much was the fare? approximately. thanks.

There are no hotels on the beach on Vieques other than Martineau Bay and that beach is the worst on the island.

From your post I get the impression that you required lots of "service" and I don't think Vieques would suit you.

Vieques is more of a "do-it-yourself" destination and, if you aren't willing to do even the most basic research about the place, then I think you should look elswhere.

Check out St. John or maybe St. Thomas.

They may have more of the services you will likely need.

peterboy is right. Martineau is the only hotel, and he is right about the beach. The beaches on the Caribbean Sea side are nicer. (Martineau is on the Atlantic).
In Esperanza there are guest house-type rooms. They are very simple, nothing fussy. They are across the street from the Malecon and that has water access, you can walk the beach to Sun Bay, but I would not swim at the beach at Esperanza, it is busy with boat traffic, etc.
It is a very laid back island, with just about nothing to do except go to the various beaches, explore the Navy lands, and do not miss Bio Bay.

peterboy...you totally misinterpreted my posting. when i asked about the accomodations i wasn't interested in finding out if there were any luxury hotels. in fact, the places we've gone to have been small hotels that were on the beach like siboney in antigua and victoria house in belize. i thought your reply to me was a bit hostile and i kind of resent your jumping to the conclusion that i'm lazy about researching an island. i spend months trying to find out about any of the 8 islands we've gone to so far. my experience on this board has been to ask "basic" questions and get a bit of a headstart in my quest to find a great place to vacation. i don't appreciate being told to "look elsewhere". the very reason i'm interested in vieques is because it's a place where you can see the caribbean as it used to be. i hope i've "clarified" my intentions.

We love Vieques. With that said, it's probably not the best place for hotels on the beach. Martineau Bay and BBH are both on the beach/water, although one needs to drive to the best beaches - which are truly spectacular. My recommendation would be to rent a villa and a car and go exploring. I think Vieques is probably like what I envision St. Barts to have been like 30 years ago (ok, it's not French). Let me know if you have any questions.

Like mentioned above, only Martineau Bay that has a beach at the hotel. However, we stayed in a house on Vieques and really enjoyed driving around the island in our jeep to different locations and finding the beautiful, empty beaches that Vieques has to offer. It was really something different for us and we find ourselves wanting to get back as soon as we can.

If you can get to San Juan, its very easy to get to over -- we flew from San Juan and was so easy and not expensive. I have seen other posts suggesting flying out of Fajardo (sp?) and not enough difference in airfare to justify time to get there.

We rented through vrbo.com, I believe, that we found off of : www.enchanted-isle.com

Its a beautiful island that hasn't been overdeveloped and the beaches haven been taken over by Hyatts or Hiltons. Thank goodness!! BYOE -- bring your own everything

My apologies putch...your post was a vague request for a lot of information...seemed lazy to me at the time...I guess I was having a bad day.

You reference to "hotels on the beach" conjured the scene in my mind of the typical cancun-like sprawl and this is something I hope I never see on Vieques. Someone expecting such a thing on Vieques should be "waved off" to somewere more developed.

Again my apologies if I misjudged you and best of luck with your research.

Well, I don't have firsthand experience yet, but my husband and I are going to Vieques with our 13 year old granddaughter next month. We picked it based on the reasonable prices of accommodations, the great snorkeling, lovely beaches, relatively undeveloped setting, the nearly-unique bioluminescent bay experience, ease of getting around by car, etc.

We have chosen to stay at Hacienda Tamarindo, which includes a full breakfast in its rates. It has nice sea views but is not on the water. I think we're paying around $250/night for a two bedroom suite, but their smaller rooms are much less expensive.

I also liked the look of His Island House and Bravo Beach Hotel. I believe they are in a similar price range of Tamarindo. There are smaller, less expensive guest houses on the island as well.

hi ejcrowe, we would be going to vieques from n.y.c. and am trying to figure exactly how we'd get there. how are you getting there? i'd like to start planning for next february now and try to take advantage of my miles with american airlines. i will look into Hacienda Tamarindo. since your "advice" was so good regarding antigua, i trust your judgement.
peterboy...thanks for the apology.

With American miles you should be able to get all the way there since American Eagle will be flying there by the time you go. If not, just get a cheap flight to SJU and take a puddle jumper fron San Juan or the ferry from Fajardo ($2).

hi, putch--

we're flying american from hartford into san juan and then transferring to a local carrier for the vieques flight in order to maximize time in vieques. our american flight arrives in san juan around 11:00 and the vieques flight on american eagle doesn't leave until 3:00. we'd rather be on the beach by 3:00!

on the way back i think we're going to take the ferry back because it's more flexible than the flight schedules. we'll enjoy the boat ride and then also the taxi back to old san juan, where we're staying our last night.

there have been a couple of really negative reviews on Hacienda Tamarindo on TripAdvisor, but overall they are pretty positive. I liked the location and I've had very pleasant interactions with the staff via email and telephone, so we're going in hoping for the best. I really like the fact that they have an honor bar, so that husband, granddaughter, and I can all help ourselves, day or night, to drinks & sodas and just record them in a notebook. I've only experienced that once before, on Guana Island for our honeymoon, and I loved it. Much more convenient just to mix your own to your own preferences.

I'll give you the whole lowdown when I get back around the end of May.

thanks for all the info. on vieques. what do you mean that american eagle will be flying there by the time we go? ejcrowe...you say that there is an american eagle flight that leaves for vieques at 4 p.m. does it leave each day at only that time? both my husband and i have spoken to people who've gone to puerto rico and had people robbing their belongings from their cars. would you consider vieques a "safe" island? ejcrowe...i'm assuming you do since you're going with your grandchild but i am curious to hear if anybody has had any safety issues in vieques. thanks.

The last time I checked, American Eagle service was only once daily from SJU to Vieques, sometime in the 3:00-4:00pm range. This new service began in December 2005, I believe. It's possible that they will expand their service by the time you're planning to go, but who can say?

I've not found anything in my own reading on Vieques to cause any concern about our trip. WE never leave anything of value in the rental car anyway, but it certainly would be a bummer having to deal with a broken-into car. With the exception of Haiti, there's no place in the Caribbean that I would not go, based on safety issues alone.

American Eagle was supposed to start flying in December '05 but apparently they have yet to receive some sort of TSA approval (Vieques' airport currently doesn't have any metal detectors, xray machines, etc.). The current thinking is that the flights will start this summer, but who knows. Even if they haven't started it's very straightforward and easy to get there. Re crime, like everywhere else Vieques has petty theft but nothing more than that. It's certainly nothing to keep one from going. Just take the normal precautions you would take anywhere else. You'll love Vieques. It's an awesome spot.

American Eagle was suppose to start flying into VQS in December, but still has not. There is still no word on when. Island time, you know!
Cape Air is somehow affiliated with American Airlines and can transfer your luggage.
All the small hopper plane services run multiple times a day back and forth to SJU.

If you leave your car unlocked and nothing of value inside, no one will bother it. They think if it is locked you may have something worth breaking in for!

I have never felt unsafe, even while alone.

Thanks for the correction about the American Eagle flights. They were showing up on www.aa.com in early March when I booked our tickets. It bugs me when something like that happens--you're trying to purchase a product or service that is marketed as already available when in fact it's not. Oh, well, I wasn't going to take the AE flight anyway! :)

the one time we had a rental car broken into was in st. martin where they broke into the trunk and took my l.l. bean canvas bag that had nothing more than a bathing suit i loved and some personal items; nothing of value. i know the "rules" with rental cars in the caribbean...leave nothing in the glove compartment, backseat, etc. don't invite trouble. i'm glad to hear the general consensus is positive about vieques.
any recommendations for a "small" hotel near a beach with rooms that you'd like to spend a week coming back to after a day of exploring the island. we like places like: bucutti beach in aruba, victoria house on ambergris caye in beliz, coyaba in curacao, oyster pond beach hotel in st. martin, siboney beach in antigua. something along the order of these hotels. thanks.

I would look into Haciendo Tamarindo, Bravo Beach Hotel, or Inn on the Blue Horizon. For something completely different (but great if it's up your alley) look at Hix Island House.

the cable station Fine Living did a piece on the hix island house. i thought it looked too futuristic in that it was all concrete and very "cold" looking.
ejcrowe...i can't wait to hear what you thought of vieques and haciendo tamarindo.
i will carefully consider where to stay after that. right now i'm leaning toward
inn on the blue horizon.

I will make a trip report as speedily as possible after my return. My husband and I both fell asleep last night reading PR guide books. We're just now getting into the counting down the days routine.

I'll also try to get over to Inn on the Blue Horizon for drinks or dinner one night, too. Not the same as staying there, but at least it's first hand information. In the meantime, have fun with the research!

part of the fun is in the planning and anticipation! i agree. somebody on line also mentioned bravo beach hotel in vieques. have you any info. on that one?
i hope you have a wonderful time and come home with some great stories to tell.

We looked at the Bravo hotel and were enticed by its good reviews but not so impressed with the website. The website (as I recall) didn't have a lot of detailed information about rooms, ameneties, rates for extra person, etc. It looked very cool and hip, but we wanted a place that exudes warmth and welcome, if that makes sense. I could have totally misread the place, I grant you. And a vacation is really what you make it, after all, at least in my opinion. No doubt we would've been happy there, but at this point I'm well-primed to love the Hacienda Tamarindo.

If you haven't been there yet, you can find reviews on all of these hotels at tripadvisor.com.

I replied to another post about the Inn on the Blue Horizon. We have been there for cocktails at their beautiful outdoor bar several times. We dined there (at the outdoor bar with the bar menu) and it was great, but I think they have changed chefs since then. The restaurant has a new name. The grounds are peaceful and beautiful and you always feel secluded, but I just felt that it was for the really elite. And that is fine, but there are all kinds of people and everyone is looking for something different. So it was not "us"! We prefer to be out there with the locals getting a feel for the culture.
We were at BBH last night, at the Palms bar, you feel like you are away from the rest of the world in this little outdoor bar within the pool area. It is a bit upscale, but comfortable. We dined from the tapas menu and the food was excellant.
I cannot offer any info about the hotel itself, except that it is in the Isabelle II part of town so you need to go through town and all the reconstruction of the roads. They are a trip!
Hacienda Tamarindo, is beside the Inn on the Blue Horizon, so is near Esperanza, it is closer to the tourist type restaurants. Do try the local places...

soggydollar, you say you feel the Inn on the blue horizon is for the "elite". were you "uncomfortable" there? i like a place that is a combination of very nice but comfortable. i don't want to "rough it" on vacation but i also don't want to be intimidated by the surroundings or the staff. can you clarify what you mean?
thanks.

After finding out our house was double booked, we were put into a different house and location. We thought our vacation was truly not going to be what we wanted it to be.

What we discovered was that Vieques was not about your "housing". Because its so low key and not very developed, you spend your time in the towns and beaches.

While we ended up with a house on the hill with a view from the pool of Culebra and Puerto Rico; our best memories are of our drives through the neighborhoods and towns.

Just go and enjoy! We can hardly wait to get back!!!

The staff at Inn on the Blue Horizon was very nice, and very welcoming. This one bartender there was a hoot! We went inside the check in office to get some info and the young man working there was extremely helpful and nice.
I guess what I felt the last time there was here are all these couples sitting around this beautiful circular bar, but no one had a smile on their face! It was sooo quiet.
So I guess what I am trying to say is that the guests we saw that night were kind of "stuffy". There I said it and I hope I do not get blasted!!!
You will feel comfortable with the staff, it is a beautiful place.
As Beachgirl said, you may find yourself out exploring and spending time on the beach, that where you stay may not matter!
But the hardcover book, "Vieques" by Gerald Singer. Lots of info in there. We hiked to this black sand beach (down an old dried up riverbed). We learned about the hidden things like that from the book.
Have fun...

i know exactly what you're saying. wherever we've stayed in the caribbean, the only time we're usually at the hotel is in the morning for breakfast and in the late afternoon and early evening when we're getting ready to go out to dinner. many times i haven't even taken a swim in the pool because we're out exploring in our rental vehicle all day. the thing is we do like to come back to a "nice" room with a "nice" bathroom and a pleasant place to sleep that's not loaded with bugs that bite. i agree that the island is the thing we're most interested in but it's terrific to have a lovely place to stay with a staff that's friendly and helpful.

Then I think you will be extremely happy at the Inn. The setting is serene and tranquil, and the staff is welcoming.
Try calling them or emailing for their brochure, it includes pictures of some of the rooms and the grounds.

how far is a beach from Hacienda Tamarindo and Inn on the Blue Horizon? just curious because it's lovely to take a walk first thing in the morning and at dusk. also, how far a ride is it from the "airport" in vieques to these hotels? i assume one has to take a cab to the hotel. the suggestion was to make sure you rent a jeep. does everybody agree who's been there? my husband drove a n.y.c. taxi when he was in college so he's pretty fearless about road conditions but if a jeep would be better i'd like to make arrangements.
thanks.

Rent a 4x4. I think most of the rentals down here have 4x4. There are "mini-craters" on the road to Navio Beach and it is a beach you really do not want to miss.
Also for exploring the Fish and Wildlife grounds.
There are lots of taxis waiting at the airport to take you to your hotel. But if you rent a car, perhaps they can meet you at the airport.
The hotels you are talking about are about 1-2 miles from the waterfront in Esperanza, which connects to Sun Bay. A wonderful place for a morning walk.

my husband is an avid saltwater fisherman and always brings his gear when we travel but rarely has any luck fishing from piers or gettys or the shore in the caribbean. does anybody know of any good places for him to fish in vieques without going out on a boat?

ejcrowe-have you returned from your trip to vieques and hacienda tamarindo? if so, how was it?
putch29

ejcrowe doesn't leave for Vieques until May 19th! I think you can hope for a report around the end of May ...which I'm eagerly awaiting! :)

hi, putch and highflyer--

I leave next Friday morning and will return very late on Tuesday evening. I'll see what I can do to have a trip report posted by the following evening, but if not, definitely by the end of the week.

Let me know if y'all have any specific questions or interests that haven't been addressed here on the forum, and if I can, I will check them out while on the island.

Hi ejcrowe!

We're travelling to PR (3 nights)and Vieques (4nights) in Nov. We've booked Hectors by the Sea on Vieques (I was considering the Haciendo Tamarindo but I read that children under 15 weren't accepted there... we have a 9yr old and a 15yr old).

We're interested in the Biobay tour (are you going with Island Adventures?), good beaches to snorkel from and maybe a snorkeling trip by boat.

Any up to date food recommendations would be appreciated too (the more casual the better).

I look forward to hearing about your experiences and I hope you have a wonderful time... bon voyage!

we're trying to decide between martineau bay, haciendo tamarindo and inn on the blue horizon.

Depends on what you are looking for. Tamarindo and Blue Horizon is a toss up, more or less. Both are boutiquey hotels. Martineau Bay is a more traditional resort-like hotel with probably 6 or 8 times the numbers of rooms that the other two have. All are great.

would you say that they are all the hotels are kind of "equal" and that we should take the hotel that offers the best deal, in terms of price? since i'm trying to see if any tour operators can give me a package that includes air and land, it seems like i should go with the best numbers since there aren't great differences in the "quality" of the hotels.

The only one that you are likely to find as part of a package is Martineau Bay. As I said earlier, it really depends on whether you want something large or small. For other reviews, I would advise you to check out tripadvisor.com