We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in one of Caribe's penthouse condos (vrbo #124617). The moment we entered our condo, we were speechless. We were immediately impressed by the upscale decor and large rooms. The high-end kitchen made cooking a pleasant adventure. The dinner table could have easily sat 8, maybe even 10. The wet bar with its wine chiller and separate ice machine added a very nice and much appreciated adult touch to the family vacation. The laundry room was, of course, indispensible, and it contained little extras like sand toys and floats. Sunset views from our balcony were spectacular.
There are several pools, many heated, both indoor and outdoor. The outdoor pools are all so large that they never seemed crowded, and there were always plenty of chairs available. The kids loved the slides and tubes at the pools. Our favorite was the (heated) lazy river. Again, it never seemed crowded, and there were more than enough innertubes. Only the indoor pools had closing times, so we never had to worry about missing out on that one last swim. My favorite way to start the day was a trip around the lazy river, which I could enjoy however early I got up. All of the outdoor pools have either a zero-entry level or a 6in. deep level with several small fountains, all great for the little ones to play in.
There are boat docks for those who bring or rent boats. Each building has a grill by its docks. There is an outdoor, enclosed toddler playground which was never overrun by bigger kids. The health spa has a wide variety of exercise equipment, and each treadmill, stairclimber, and stationary bike had its own tv. Assigned parking meant never having to search (our space was right outside the elevator entrance). The gated entry had a guard present at all times, and all condos have interior entrances. There is also a deli, a game room, and a shuttle to the beach, but we were so busy enjoying the pools, playground, lazy river, kitchen, wet bar, and views that we never used these extras.
It seemed that most of the other vacationers were families, but we were never bothered by wild, loud kids running loose. I actually experienced a father make his teen son apologize for running into the elevator ahead of my toddler and me. Knowing that the resort attracts polite families who have control of their kids is definitely a plus!
Our only complaint was that music was piped into the pool areas early in the morning, and it was loud enough that we could hear it even on the top floor balcony. At that time of day, all we wanted to hear was waves and birds.
My kids, ages 1-20, have declared Caribe as the best vacation spot we've ever been to; and I'd certainly have to agree with them!
