The location, the view and the architecture are to die for. This is truly a unique property with some past and recent movie cultural history. Meals on the building's terrace or the barbeque terrace can be wonderful with the surrounding scenery. The gated property lends a sense of secluded privacy. With access to a dip pool and the ocean, we had a great time. The cooks that were recommended provided delicious meals. Night time provided a fantastic starry night scenery. I believe I took hundreds of photos of the property.
However for the price one pays for such a luxury and a five star expectation, I would expect a little more service from the property manager, and that the facilities would be in a little more working order. It's an old building , so expect a little dust, some smells, bugs and old world charm, but make sure that basic house cleaning was already done in the rooms and that lights and door knobs actually work. There was a dearth of working sun umbrellas in the beginning, the satellite TV was on the blink and the Internet wireless was slow and did not work on the lower floor or outside. The manager did not seem to be in a special hurry to remedy these issues, so keep reinforcing requests with communication. The building power will also be a little sensitive, so don't overuse the AC and don't put on every single light. The kitchen was fine although a bit dark. The oven is tricky, so make sure you ask for directions. The cutlery and china was all in order but surprisingly there did not seem to be enough real wine glasses.
For me the bedrooms were comfortable, and there was no real need for AC. Most of the windows let in a cool breeze and most of the bug screens are in working order. Again the views from the bedroom are fantastic. However, the master bedroom has a little bit of an odd layout. The bedroom is on one floor but you need to walk up a rickety wooden stairs to the bathroom. However, go up another winding staircase, and you have access to the tower's roof, which is spectacular. My favorite room was the upstairs common room with a dining area, a small kitchenette, TV viewing area and access to the terrace.
Privacy was pretty good, but be aware that the property is shared with a bungalow property. This was fine since the bungalow guests were quite nice. We loved the ocean access. There is shared access down to the ocean via a trail and concrete staircase, but be aware that this "private" access will be deluged on the weekends by curious tourists swimming in from a nearby beach to check out the property. It might help if the management posted a privacy sign. The stairway access is in working order but be careful with the stone steps at the bottom, they are starting to deteriorate. Invest in a beach chair to bring down, because the ocean access platform is small and rocky. At the platform, access to the ocean is easy, but you need to step onto a rocky ocean floor. Investing in water shoes, may be a good idea. A sandy beach with shells is close by, you only need to swim a hundred yards and the water gets pretty shallow quickly.
Overall, this was a great experience if you are willing to overlook some shortcomings and don't mind paying for the view and this unique historical property. read more
