El Rancho Perla Negra is off the beaten path. If you are looking to experience "real Mexico" then this is a wonderful place to call "home" during your vacation!

Our host David, and his "right arm" Maria are helpful and friendly. Diana will make sure that no detail is overlooked. They all make sure that you feel very welcome at the Rancho and in Mexico! They will also give you as much - or as little - attention as you desire during your stay.

Pool and common areas are immaculate. The pool is refreshingly cool (warmed by the sun!). Rooms are small but adequate. Beds and pillows were comfortable. Plenty of hot water and shower pressure to go around. Purified water containers (and a fridge-cooler in the stand) are in every room.

I was worried about lack of air conditioning. We kept our windows open and the fan running and that did the trick - cool air coming off the ocean helped keep things tolerable. Definitely leave your flannel jammies at home! ;)

The Rancho is conveniently located if you want to explore further than Manzanillo. We spent time in El Centro (Manzanillo) but also ventured to Cuyutlan and Armeria. A rental car is a plus but there are also many buses if you wish to get around that way!

The Rancho was the perfect vacation spot for us - intimate, rustic, and comfortable. Thanks to David, Diana, and Maria for this terrific gem!

We looked at the Web site before visiting Perla Negra. Our first reaction "Oh My God". The ambiance, the setting and the tropical growth surrounding the villa are awe inspiring. To attempt to describe being able to gaze out through the coconut palm trees into the open Pacific Ocean and the black Volcanic sand beach words can not really describe it. Neither can they describe the beautiful sunsets that even rival Arizona sunsets, where we are from. The atmosphere in one word Enchanting.
An important issue on everyones mind is: IS it clean. YES from top to bottom. The rooms are spotless. they have a huge kitchen that you can try your hand at cooking the local food OR eating at the greatest restaurants. Plus a dining room and the living room with satellite TV and music. With such beauty and solitude surrounding us we chose to read and listen to music over watching TV on the veranda overlooking the ocean.
The swimming pool is a plus after a long day of shopping in the city of Manzanillo, which is 5 minutes away and its as easy as catching the bus at the entrance to the Ranch.
The breeze from the Pacific Ocean is always wonderful and Cool.
This little Oasis sanctuary sits on 40 acres of heaven. The Weather Was Wonderful

We stayed at El Rancho Perla Negra this past Jan. and loved it! It is very peaceful, and isolated. It is a 20 minute bus ride to town, although we rented a car which worked great. Driving, though, is definitely not for the faint at heart. Be prepared to get lost- a LOT - because no one seems to have a street map for Manzanillo. The patio and pool were fabulous, and we had the whole place to ourselved for most of the week. Having access to a kitchen was a great option - we cooked breakfast and lunch most days, or had snacks. We did chose to go into town for several dinners. The rooms were simple, but very clean. The only thing that would have improved our stay would be air conditioning!! Also, if you plan to go down to the beach, make sure you bring bug spray, as the mosquitoes were almost as bad as they are in MN!

We loved Manzanillo and the surrounding countryside. We spent a day driving to Colima with a stop at the waterfall on the way back (by far our favorite stop of our trip) We flew into Puerto Vallarta and drove down (this saved us lots of money on airfare) It was a gorgeous drive - and there was a great place called the Botannical Gardens, just south of PV. Great for lunch.

We very much enjoyed our stay at the ranch and would proabaly stay again. It's great for budget travel.

The Ranch is a fun place to be! Relax on the patio, sun bathe,swim, read, fix your own libations and food IF and WHEN you want. Very relaxed atmospher! Beautifully maintained pool and grounds. I had a peaceful stay at the ranch for 12 glorious days. Only minutes from Manzillo, where you can enjoy the Mercado, THE local market, and pick up fresh foods to cook back at the ranch, or enjoy the fantastic local cuisine while you're in town. I'm already working on a plan for next year, (with Davids help) to rent out the whole Ranch with family and friends. Thank you David and Maria for an experiance I'll always treasure. PB