Vieques: Isabel II or Esperanza for Lodging?
 

Planning a trip with DH in May 2013. It appears there are more lodging options in Isabel II, but a friend who visited told me she prefered Esperanza.

What are the pros and cons of each?

I've only stayed in Esperanza (for a week, a couple of times) and prefer it because it's closer to the beaches and we like the Malecon and restaurants overlooking the ocean.

Visited Isabel a couple of times but usually only on the way to and from the ferry and felt no need to do so otherwise.

It's you again Sassy!!! :-)

Sounds like my friends sentiments. I guess they rented a house in Isabel but said they kept driving to Esperanza. And I guess purchasing gas can sometimes be a challenge.

Where did you stay on your visits?

Hi Deb :)
I'm on the Caribbean boards because it's cold today LOL!

We stayed at Hectors by the sea the first time we visited. Very pretty
http://www.hectorsbythesea.com/

On our second trip we stayed in a rental house called Casa des Moines
http://www.enchanted-isle.com/byowner/casadesmoines.htm

Loved both experiences Hectors is in a fantastic spot but the house rental was more roomy and less expensive.

I posted reviews and reports on Tripadvisor as that was the forum I used for research. The Vieques forum there is far more active than here.

Isabel is definitely grittier than Esperanza where there is a growing expat community. It's a fair way to drive between the two (over the top little windy road) so we preferred to stay put after driving back and fro to the beaches at least once a day!

If you decide to rent for a week then take a cooler and pick up some stuff in PR before taking the ferry if you are going that route. Almost everything is available on Vieques but it's a little more expensive and can run short of things including gas at inconvenient times!
We were there for Thanksgiving a few years ago so we took along a few special bottles of wine rather than pay through the nose for poorer quality stuff on island.

Here's a link to my old trip report.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic....html#15390968