FAQ MAIN | villaaltamira

•Can you describe the floor plan for Altamira?

Ground floor-features 2 queen beds, full bathroom and efficiency kitchen. This was remodeled and includes a new walk in shower.
Main floor-Kitchen, living room, bedroom with queen bed, queen futon, full shower/bath, full patio.
Top Floor-Master bedroom with queen bed, private bathroom, private balcony. The upper two levels offer spectacular ocean views. The ground level is separate from the upper two levels with its own entrance and can only be accessed from the outside.

•Is the house luxurious?
Villa Altamira is a comfortable, well maintained, fully equipped Caribbean style home perfect for families or couples. It is a very nice home, not luxurious by any means but very comfy!We do our best to keep it updated, comfy and clean. Most importantly we take our guests feedback seriously and address any and all suggestions or concerns to heart.

•Does the Villa have Air conditioning?
Great question! The ceiling fans and breezes were more than enough, but, not for everyone. We have installed A/C in every bedroom incuding minisplit remote units for the two main floors for you cool sleeping comfort.

•Where in Vieques is the house located?
Altamira is located on a hilltop in Bravos de Boston a small neighborhood just outside Isabella Segunda.

•What is the address for the house?
Physical addresses are kind of sketchy on the island. Describing how to get to the house usually will suffice. As you pass the ferry station on your left heading towards the lighthouse in Isabella take the right hand turn just after the ferry station. It is a hilly road that climbs. Take the second left (you can follow the yellow signs for beach doggies or “perro playas”) . When you get to the T take a left (the sign will say take a right for beach doggies but don’t) then a right up the hill. Towards the top of the hill the house is on the left side. There is a plaque on the gate post “Villa Altamira”. Remember Villa Altamira is on the new map you will receive upon arrival. If you prefer GPS the coordinates are 18° 9'16.02"N and 65°26'22.48"W.

•How far is the house from town? Can I walk to town?
The closest town is Isabella Segunda. It is about a 15 minute walk from Altamira. We walk this frequently in the evening after dinner or early morning for a bakery run. If you would like to see a map of Vieques or Isabella go to http://viequestravel.com/index.html. We walk it daily with the kids for shopping, snacks and just fun exercise!

•Are there any restaurants nearby? Can I walk?

The closest restaurant is the Bravos Beach Hotel http://www.bravobeachhotel.com. It is a 5 minute walk from Altamira. The town of Isabella also has many restaurants and is very close as well. For a full listing of Vieques eateries and links to their sites go to http://viequestravel.com/restaurants.html .

•What else is there to do in Vieques?
Lots more to do! See what the New York Times travel section had to say click here

•How far is the beach from Altamira?
There are lots of beaches in Vieques. Altamira is a 5 minute walk to a very nice snorkeling/swimming cove "La Lanchita" (pictured on our website www.villaaltamira.com ) . It is just a short walk down the hill to the ocean. For a full list of island beaches go to http://www.vieques-island.com/beaches.shtml .

•Is Altamira private?
Yes. The house is very privately situated on a hillside facing north. Additionally it is privately landscaped. There is a vacant field next door where a horse usually grazes. The surrounding homes are residential and sufficiently far away so they do not lessen its private feeling. The property is fenced and gated as well.

•How large is the lot that Altamira is on?
It is on about a 1.5 acre lot. There is a vacant field next door where a horse usually grazes. There is a producing lemon tree on the property, bananas and plantains (feel free to pick some for cooking or drinks!)

•Can you describe the view from Altamira?
The house faces North toward the Sonda de Vieques or Straits of Vieques. There is about a 180 degree panorama that includes the Faro or Lighthouse, the ferry station and the main island of Puerto Rico in the distance. On clear days you can see Culebra in the distance. On clear nights the mainland lights twinkle in the distance. You can enjoy watching the arriving/departing ferries from one of the balconies. There are lots of pictures on our website that feature the view!

•How far is the nearest supermarket?
There are two nice-sized supermarkets on the island and many smaller grocery stores. The closest supermarket is in Isabella which is a 15 minute walk or 5 minute car ride.

•Is there a TV in the house? DVD?
OK we compromised! There is now TV and DVD in the Villa. What we enjoy most about Altamira is the escape from TV. However, we realize that our guests may feel otherwise and at times enjoy a movie on a rainy evening. We recommend you skip the movie and take time to chat quietly and enjoy your company. Lots of books. Lots of time to sit by the pool or on the patio and enjoy the beauty and serenity of the island. But if you must indulge, the TV is there.

•Is there a CD player/stereo at Altamira?
We are planning on upgrading to a home bluetooth system but we recommend you bring your own speaker for music until we can do so.

•Are there wine glasses? Martini glasses?
Great question! Yes and yes again!

•Does the kitchen pantry have basic necessities?
Yes. There is usually a nice selection of spices. We encourage the cleaning staff to leave all non perishables for other guests. That means salt, sugar, oil and vinegar and lots more are usually there.

•Is the water safe to drink?
The water is municipally supplied, tested and safe to drink.

•Do we have to worry about Malaria or other mosquito borne illnesses?
No. We are not aware of any infectious diseases to worry about on Vieques.

•Do I need to bring linens or towels?
No need to bring either. Both are available at the house.

•Is there a washer and dryer? How about a hairdryer?
Yes all of the above are on site for your convenience.

•How large is the pool?
The pool is 30 by 15 free-form style. No diving is allowed. There is a neat waterfall that kids and adults love to sit under. The views from the pool are spectacular. There is a patio set as well as lounge chairs for sunning. The pool deck was expanded and accent lighting added in 2014.

•Who maintains the pool and how often?
The pool is cleaned on Saturdays. Guests are asked to skim leaves/debris as needed. The filter/waterfall is automatic and runs 10 am- 8pm. The house manager is available if there are any issues with the pool including urgent cleaning.

•Do I need to worry about bugs/mosquitoes?
Altamira is full screened so you can enjoy the evening breezes indoors and not worry about the bugs. Sunset does bring some mosquitoes outdoors at some times of the year (summer mostly) but not too bad. Much better than here in Maine where we live!

•Do I need a car in Vieques?
Yes. To really get the most out of your island vacation a car is recommended. I guess scooters would work. You want to be able to explore secluded beaches and feel free to roam.

•Is there a BBQ grill?
Yes. There is a Weber Smoky Joe kettle (the small one) for hard core bbqers or smokers. How best to cook your mahi mahi, well that’s up to you.