Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hibiscus House
Paseo Urraca 6781 1638,
contadoravacationrental.com
.
Five light,
modern rooms, several with French windows opening onto the back patio, which in turn looks
out over tropical forest. There's also a comfortable, shared living-dining and kitchen area,
which you can use to cook your own food. The owner, a pilot, can fly
you t
o and from the
island in his own plane, and golf cart rental is cheap. Breakfast included.
$110
Hotel Perla Real
Paseo Urraca 6982 0962,
perlareal.com
.
Lovely modern rooms set
incongruously round a Spanish colonial-style courtyard with fountain (only running in the
rainy sea
son!
), stran
gely
juxtaposed with a jacuzzi. Two suites with kitchenette are available.
Doubles
$110
, suites
$155
The Shoppette
Main square 6542 0791.
Above the shop and
fonda
are eight new, feature-
less en-suite tiled ro
oms
with good mattresses and cable TV. The main advantage is that they
are relatively cheap.
$75
Villa Romantica
Playa Cacique 250 4067,
villa-romantica.com
.
Superbly located on
the bluff overlooking the beach, though the quirky decorations - seemingly straight out of
Vegas - may not be to everyone's taste. Beds
are l
arge and comfy and rooms have cable TV
but you'll want a sea view to justify the price.
$105
EATING AND DRINKING
As with accommodation,
eating
options are limited and supply problems from the capital can
mean some dishes are not always available - though the vast stocks of Möet and Chandon in
the village shop on the main square look unlikely to run out.
Casa Tortuga
Paseo Urraca 6253 6000.
Genuine Italian restaurant in family environment
(which may mean sharing a table with other guests). Pricey but tasty set three-course menus
cost around $30, with wine on top. Reservations are a must.
Wed-Sun 6-10pm.
La Fonda de Clarita
Behind the main square.
Formerly
Sagitario's
, this is the better of the
two cheap local
fondas
, offering a handful of tables and a good place to chat to locals. The
menú del día
, usually involving chicken or fish with abundant rice and lentils, is tasty and
good value at under $5.
Daily 7am-2pm & 6-9pm.
Gerald's
Above the airstrip 250 4159.
Tiled
rancho
with comfortable wooden furniture
providing a congenial ambience to enjoy the best cuisine on the island. Specialities are sea-
food and meat dishes (mains from $13), accompanied by moderately priced wine served in
elegant lead crystal glasses.
Daily noon-3pm & 6-10pm.
Restaurante Romántica
Playa Cacique 250 4067.
The food's usually decent enough, but
the delightful breezy cliff-top setting is the real draw. Everything is grilled, with seafood, in-
cluding lobster and crayfish, the house speciality ($12-45).
Daily 7am-3pm & 6-10pm.
