SUMMARY:
GUANICA, PUERTO RICO
Discover Tu Casa at Mary Lee’s by the Sea. Tu Casa is a unique and eclectic four-bedroom five bathroom oceanfront home ideal for ocean, hiking, and/or mountain biking aficionados. Tu Casa is the largest and first of various homes and apartments currently under restoration at Mary Lee’s by the Sea, a small guesthouse loved by locals in Guánica, Puerto Rico. We are still fixing things up in between reservations at Tu Casa but we feel that it is ready to start hosting guests that are flexible with their accommodation expectations. The home has a tasteful mix of new and old. We have creatively mixed vintage furniture and decor from the original Mary Lee’s by the Sea properties with assorted pieces of new furniture, new ACs, a classic 20-year-old kitchen, and watersports equipment. Tu Casa has an expansive wood deck overlooking the Caribbean Sea and Gilligan’s Island, a Watersports Shack with kayaks and paddleboards, and a small dock from which you can launch kayaks or lounge on beach chairs. Also has an acoustic guitar for those guests who enjoy playing some tunes. It is conveniently located a 10-minute kayak paddle from Gilligan’s Island and a 5-minute car ride from the Bosque Seco de Guanica hiking and mountain biking trails. Tu Casa comfortably sleeps 8 guests in 3 king beds and a bunk bed with 2 full mattresses, but you can accommodate up to 10 guests if you are willing to sleep 2 guests in each full mattress of the bunk bed. All Sunday check-outs have a complimentary late check-out of 5pm. Please read the following before booking:
CONSTRUCTION NEARBY: There is construction on both sides of the property Monday through Friday from 7am to 3pm. If you are staying on a weekday, plan to head out during the day until construction finishes at 3 pm. Gilligan’s Island, Ballenas Beach, and Playa Santa are excellent options. Please do not complain about the noise if you decide to stay on the property during these hours, Monday to Friday.
WE ARE FINISHING AN APARTMENT UNDER TU CASA: We are still remodeling an additional apartment under Tu Casa. The handyman and employees working on this unit do not need to access the apartment from Tu Casa, but you may run into them on your walk to the dock.
INTERNET: The Internet is not good, and the cell phone signal is bad. We offer satellite internet that works fine for email and WhatsApp but will not work for video streaming. Gilligan’s Island has great cell phone service, so you can kayak there, drop anchor (included), and take your important call from the water if necessary :).
BEDROOMS OPEN DIRECTLY TO INTERIOR PATIO: The only bedroom with direct access to the main home is the master bedroom. There is another building accessible from the front interior patio with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and a third building accessible from the interior patio with a separate bedroom. This is important to note if you are traveling with young children since you may not want to have them sleeping in a different building than you.
KAYAKS AND WATERSPORTS EQUIPMENT INCLUDED: You will have self-serve access to the Watersports shack, which includes four 2-person kayaks and a large paddle board that is great for adults and beginners, and a small paddle board ideal for small kids or advanced adult riders. There are life vests for ten guests, and the life vests must be used every time you head out on a kayak or paddleboard per Coast Guard regulation. The Watersports shack also has floaties, a full-size fridge, an ice maker, and small coolers for your kayak adventures. All of this is included in the nightly rate.
WING FOIL EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE FOR RENT: There is a wing foil closet with assorted equipment available for rent at an additional cost of $200 per day. It includes a 60L F-one board, an 80L F-one board, 4.2m 5.0m 6.0m, and 7.0m F-one wings, a 2400 Armstrong foil on a 72cm mast, a 1550 Armstrong foil on an 85cm mast, 2 helmets, 2 impact vests, and a pump. This is only available for experienced foilers and is subject to approval.
BRING WATER SHOES: All guests should bring water shoes. The shoreline has sharp rocks you will need to walk over to take kayaks to the water. Parents should be extremely careful with their children on these rocks. Once you pass the rocks, the sea has a grass floor where you can wade barefoot, although most people prefer to have water shoes on.
HANDYMAN ON-SITE: We have a handyman on site working on the other apartments Monday through Friday, 7 am to 3 pm, and performing landscaping every Thursday.
GETTING AROUND AND PARKING:
Renting a car is a must when staying at Tu Casa. There are no taxis or Ubers. There is space for 3 vehicles in front of the property.
LIVING AREA AND KITCHEN:
You will enter Tu Casa directly into the classic kitchen. The kitchen has 20-year-old wood countertops, a vintage backsplash, and is fully equipped with everything you will need to cook for large groups. There is a cascading countertop that seats guests and a center island. Directly beside the kitchen, you have a 10-person dining table with assorted chairs and a reading nook that separates the dining table from the living room. The living room has a large 70-inch flat-screen TV with Directv, seating for 8, and a shelf with assorted books and loads of board games.
OUTDOOR AREAS
There are multiple outdoor spaces for your enjoyment. Tu Casa has a large wood deck with spectacular views just outside the master bedroom, dining room, and living room. The deck has four lounge chairs, an outdoor seating area for 8, and a 4-person dining table. The front interior patio has recently renovated landscaping with fountains (originals from Mary Lee’s), cactuses, flowers, and a 3-person sofa ideal for outdoor reading. Downstairs in front of the Watersports Shack, you have a large deck with seating, an outdoor shower, and a dock.
BEDROOMS
The master bedroom has a queen bed, sofa, 65-inch flatscreen TV, and an extra-large bathroom with a two-person shower and make-up vanity. The second bedroom has a cozier layout with a king bed, 65-inch flatscreen, two reading chairs, and a dedicated bathroom. The 3rd bedroom has a bunk bed with two full mattresses, a 65-inch TV, and a dedicated bathroom. The 4th bedroom is larger with a king bed, sofa, 65-inch TV, 4-person table, and dedicated bathroom with shower and tub. It is important to note that the 2nd and 3rd bedrooms are in a separate structure that is accessed from the interior patio and that the 4th bedroom is also accessed from the interior patio. The only bedroom accessed directly from thhome is the master bedroom.
THINGS TO DO:
Guánica Puerto Rico is definitely off the beaten path but that doesn’t mean there aren’t many things to do. Here are some of our favorites:
AMENITIES:
West Indies strives to deliver top-notch service and amenities to guarantee our guests feel at home while visiting our properties. All of our properties are outfitted with freshly laundered bed linens and towels. We provide 2 bath towels per guest and 1 beach/pool towel per guest. Our properties typically include at least 2 beach chairs and an ice cooler for your road trips.
West Indies provides the disposable amenities necessary to get your vacation off to a comfortable start. These amenities include 1 set of hotel-size soaps and shampoos per bathroom, three garbage bags, one roll of paper towel, two rolls of toilet paper per bathroom, 1 dish soap, 1 dish sponge, and a small amount of laundry detergent. We do not provide unlimited disposable amenities. It is your responsibility to review what is included in the property and stock with whatever else may be needed for the duration of your stay.
HOUSE RULES:
INTERACTION WITH GUESTS:
The West Indies Vacation Rental staff is eager to ensure everything about your vacation is 5-star. Once you reserve, our Vacation Planning Team will send you detailed property information, suggestions on where to eat and what to do, and the contact information of the Guest Service Manager that will be available to assist you during your stay. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you want additional suggestions and expert opinions on what to do during your vacation. We want to make your experience the best it can be!
