July, 2008

Steve and Valerie,

We cannot thank you enough for allowing us to enjoy Casa Cardonal.

We had Mino take us fishing this morning and we caught a Dorado and hooked up at least 5-6 Marlins, but no luck. One of them straightened out the hook and Mino had to put the boat in reverse, but still no luck, but how exciting.
Needless to say, we are having a terrific time and loving this place.

Thanks again.

-Larry

July, 2008

This place is an "11"!!  Really nice job and lots of thought went into this; hats off to all involved in creating Casa Cardonal!
Fished with Mino yesterday and got skunked!  I checked with some others over at the Giggling Marlin, and we were not alone!  Anyway, all is going well, the crew you have down here is great; we did the Tacos over at the stand last night.  Very nice folks. 
Well - it was a perfect trip!!!  The Casa is fabulous and we really had fun with Mino , Octavio, Maria and the gang.  On Thursday, we had Maria and crew come in and show the gals how to make tamales and tortillas.  It was really fun as the kids (theirs and ours) all chipped in to complete the task!!!  I would recommend it for any other guests as a fun way to spend some time. 
The ATV's were a hit with the kids.  We made like a hundred trips to the Cactus market at low speeds and they just thought that was the best.
As far as complaints, suggestions....  Hmmm....   How about, "Don't change anything!!!! "  Having Mino and Maria and Octavio really makes it care-free.  We have done a trip for the last 13 years as a family and the consensus was - this was the best.  Having the meals and Maria to do the touch up each day is something that we underestimated.  In the past years, while we are a clean bunch and our kids are also, it just seemed that between dishes and making dinner, we consumed a lot of vacation time.  This time we really felt no responsibility to plan out the meals and rotate the kitchen clean up duties. 
Mucho mucho thanks and we absolutely marveled in the attention to detail you and your wife et al put into the place.  The tile work, palapas etc. are all first class. 
The buzz on the way back was to book for next year!!!  So, I will get some dates and sync up with you. Have a great summer and I will be contacting you for the next round!

- Ron V.

May, 2008

Steve, thank you so much for sharing Casa Cardonal with us.  We had a wonderful week, and the children thrived.  The ATV's were a big hit with them, and they spent hours every day in the pool. 

The accommodations worked perfectly for our group.  And of course, Mino , Francesca, Maria Luisa, and Octavio and his family couldn't have been nicer.  Having other people worry about cooking and cleaning made it a real vacation.

You have a very special spot there, as you know very well.

We're back home and I'm having a hard time re-acclimatizing. My first morning home I kept hoping that Francesca & Mary Louisa were going to walk through my front door.  Alas - they didn't and what a rude awakening that was!

We had such a great time and assure you that we will be back. El Cardonal was a wonderful town and I always felt very at home there. Very, very nice.

- Victoria

April, 2008

Just a quick email to say what a great time we had at Casa Cardonal. Mino, Maria, Octavio, and Francesca were all fantastic. The hospitality, food, and setting were all perfect and we felt honored to stay in your lovely home. We fed the group with the fish we caught, and apart from lunch at Lopez Mateos and the Giggling Marlin, we ate at the Casa every day. We loved every moment! The group voted and unanimously agreed that you can't sell Casa Cardonal! It’s a real gem.

Thanks again for everything you and Valerie did to make this a perfect trip for all of us.

Regards,

- Jack

Your amazing home exceeded our expectations.

Octavio and his extended family (he is one of 14 children) provided us food and excursions and information at every turn. We had him and his wife and sister-in-law provide us with most meals. We ate lobster, carne asada, tamales, sierra, tuna, fresh salad, and fresh fruit to name a few of the highlights of the meals. Octavio promised lobster but was not able to get any from the market or the local fishermen for several days. As a last resort he sent out a diver to get them so we could enjoy them on our last night!

The dinners were so big and delicious we stopped asking for lunches and ate leftovers. Having meals prepared for us left us free to enjoy ourselves before and after the meals at the place we most wanted to be – enjoying your beautiful home.

We did go the 300 yards to the to the taco stand for variety. The other home owners all introduced themselves to us. No one can eat at the taco stand without meeting the entire town and everyone already knew where we were staying; “You are the only new faces in town so you must be at the Colwell’s.”

Sergio, Octavio’s youngest brother, drove us to the fresh water swimming hole in Santiago and the next day some of us went to Cabo for the day. Upon their return our friend declared, “Now I know for sure we are in the best place.”

Mino took us fishing, launched the jet skis, provided us with water and coffee beans and otherwise sang away each day as he maintained the place. El Cardonal is a true Mexican community with a few American home owners and one magnificent rental!

-The Hall Family

Steve & Val,

We had one of the best family vacations in years.  Eric and his family stayed in the Casita which worked out perfect, since they had their own kitchen and could take care of all the random eating habits of the grandkids.  Nancy, Evan and I stayed in the big house and woke up every morning to the rising Baja sun filtering its way through your palatial gazebo. We did everything we could possibly do in the five days we were there. 

The hub for everything was definitely your infinity pool. Your design of the "beach" entrance to the pool was the best.  The kids could play in the shallow water all day long and we didn't have to worry about the 3’ to 5' deep ends.  It's definitely a pool that caters to adults and little kids. 

Your caretaker, Mino , was a huge help.  He skippered us every day out to the fishing grounds on your Panga, the Pesca Alert.  We caught lots of yellowfin tuna and dorado, all on live bait.  Little Jack had a ball.  He had as much fun catching the bait out of your bait well as we did catching the fish.  Your boat ran great and Mino made sure it was clean, gassed, and ready to go each day. 

On our last day, we took the boat and one of your jet skis for the 20 minute run to the Giggling Marlin Club at Muertos Bay .  Saw lots of porpoise, had a great lunch, and witnessed Eric upside down in their famous block and tackle rig. Evan and I also toured El Cardonal and the surrounding area on your ATV's.  Fortunately and miraculously, we did it without incident and returned in time for an intense shuffleboard match as the sun set over the Western horizon. 

Two last things - Meals:  We utilized Octavio's catering service for a full Mexican meal on our opening night.  It was very reasonable and quite delicious.  I would definitely recommend his services to anyone not wanting to prepare their own meals. We also went to Taco night on Wednesday in the town square.  All the local Americanos and some locals showed up.  You bring your own beer/cokes and for $23 I fed the entire family on shrimp, fish, chicken and beef tacos.  They were great. 

We loved everything and can't wait to get back! - Rich

Ali & I had what has to be our best vacation ever at your home and absolutely cannot wait to go back. Here it is three weeks later, and I’m still dreaming of waking up in El Cardonal.

Over the past decade or so I’ve visited many different parts of Mexico, mostly off the beaten path, and have come to truly enjoy what can only (and perhaps a bit cliché) be described as authentic Mexico. The combination of the warm people, the unspoiled landscapes and the food that is a world apart from what we can get here as ‘Mexican Food’ or culture is truly amazing. It is admittedly difficult to find such places anymore, but you have clearly picked one of the best to call your second home.

Mino was wonderful to work with, and we had a great fishing trip. Spending four hours on the boat with Mino, I think my Spanish skills increased from 1 st grade to 3 rd grade with his patient help… Riding ATVs up to the best taco stand in the world for an evening of tacos and cervezas will forever be seared in my memory as what a vacation (and perhaps a lifestyle) should be.

Scott and Ali

What an amazing experience! This home is awesome....Honestly it is sad because I know that anywhere else I stay will never touch the experience I've had in this beautiful home! Mino was a great help! Maria kept the place beautiful, and Octavio's family cooked the most delish meals! Thank you so much for this opportunity to enjoy Mexico! - Kely

We are having such a great time. We did a little fishing today. The first crew went out and got skunked. Then my group went out to snorkel the reef. Well as the pics show I caught a Needle fish and my buddy Brian caught the Dorado. We were trolling on the way back to the casa and BAM two fish at once. It was crazy, but amazing!!!!!

The night we went to the taco stand we played football (soccer) with the local kids at the school. What an experience! They're good. But we were better…. just kidding. - Shawn

Just a quick email to say what a great time we had at Casa Cardonal. Mino , Maria, Octavio, Francesca were all fantastic. The hospitality, food, and setting were all perfect and we felt honored to stay in your lovely home. We fed the group with the fish we caught, and apart from lunch at Lopez Mateos and the Giggling Marlin, we ate at Casa Colwell every day. We hated every moment! The group voted and unanimously agreed that you can't sell Casa Cardonal! Its a real gem.

Thanks again for everything you and Valerie did to make this a perfect trip for all of us. I'll call you after we get back on April 7th.

Regards,

- JT

Casa Cardonal...what can I say?!  Amazing.  Gorgeous.  I would even venture "paradise."  Not what I expected in the least, but far exceeded any and all expectations.  Our time at Casa Cardonal was like a step out of reality and an escape from the hustle and bustle that can all too often inundate everyday life.  Time seemed to stand still and there were no other people on the beach or in the ocean for as far as we could see.  From sun-up to sun-down, we were outside enjoying the supremely beautiful natural surroundings, doing everything from swimming, sunbathing, and fishing, to grand kayak trips down the coast (the fish were huuuuge and swam right up to us).  Nights and evenings were just as entertaining with fun games, great company, and an awesome hot tub (oh, and the stars in the sky were the brightest I have seen in years).  If you are looking for a great escape, something more than a vacation, in a beautiful house with great amenities, food and friendly help always willing to lend a hand, look no further as Casa Cardonal has all that and more.  And yes, I realize this sounds too good to be true...but trust me on this one, it's not! - Lyndsay

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