Penthouse Garrafon

"Airbnb Review #907987882589675436 #203222"

Great spot, would recommend. Being across the street from Garrafon de Castille was amazing, great little beach club top spend the day at with wonderful snorkeling. Sunset views were great. Some of the photos that are shown on the listing are very selective in their angles (there is some construction happening across the street) and there is currently no working safe even though it is listed on the posting, but overall the place was great. Would 100% recommend utilizing Julia, she was fantastic and super helpful. Would stay there again!

"Airbnb Review #804375543886459027 #186953"

This spot set us up for a fantastic Isla Mujeres experience. Two couples who love to cook- we took full advantage of the kitchen and Weber grill on the deck. Chedraui, fruterias, and the fish coop across from the Pemex in el Centro were our go-to food spots, along with the small taco stand called Ferry Tacos on the Nkrth Eastern side. Eat at the carts. Any of them. Restaurants were expensive, so we just loaded up on tacos and tortas and groceries. The private beach below the apartment was perfect for snorkeling and quick, mellow access to the water. If you want to be in the middle of a party then this spot won’t satisfy your appetite. But if you want a stellar view, quiet nights, and the best golf cart commute to town up the east side of the island than this place is for you. We’ll be back.

"Airbnb Review #794207196372109577 #185079"

The place is certainly in a beautiful location, but it is a little old and could be kept a little better.

"Airbnb Review #763848844716125082 #181475"

This spot is run by expats and is not cared for in the way that Mexicans would take care of a property. It’s obvious that they are just trying to make money off of the community without paying any attention. We have stayed in 70 air bnbs over the past year and a half and most of them were in Mexico. This place was one of the worst prepared spots that we have stayed in. Their personal stuff was left in the closet and in the fridge. They left no hand soap, only two rolls of toilet paper, and a half full 5 gallon of water for four adults on a week long stay. The air conditioner leaked directly onto the bed the entire week and the ceiling fans did not work. When we arrived the wifi didn’t work and the host did not respond to our message for two days. Someone came by to check on us and said they would have the 5 gallons of water filled but they never returned.

The island is beautiful and there are many other wonderful and well taken care of air bnbs to check out.

"Airbnb Review #702905694879667800 #169546"

We had a lovely week at the Airbnb. Great location! We loved being on the quieter end of the island. The beach club downstairs was great! We also walked to the beach down the path from la joya hotel (just down the block) it was also nice with its natural shade over the water from trees. We could also walk (though a little bit farther) to parque kin ha which was beautiful. Punta sur is very close also!

We were traveling with two adults, a 10 year old and a 1 year old and the place was perfect for us. The Penthouse was clean, comfortable, and great for relaxing after a day at the beach or cooking a fresh catch. AC works great in every room. I had read reviews mentioning issues with water pressure and hot water. When we first arrived we did experience very little hot water and low water pressure. It turned out that the water tank on the roof was not refilling automatically as it should have been and the property manager JJ fixed this for us. As soon as it was refilled we had AMAZING water pressure and HOT showers. It was wonderful! JJ was terrific at helping us with any issues or questions and Julia was a great resource for us as well. We did have groceries stocked in advance (thanks to Julia) which was a great option for us. There is a small tienda called Super Jimmy but it is too far to walk and has limited options. The large grocery store that is closest is called Chedraui and is about 10 min in Taxi but it has pretty much everything.

The amenities at the property were plentiful! The rooftop is spectacular and the views just lounging in the living room and bedroom are spectacular.

We did not rent a golf cart but we were lucky to meet the BEST taxi drivers who gave us their direct numbers so we could call them as needed. They were able to recommend great local spots for eating, shopping, beaches, and we really enjoyed getting to know them. If you’d like to find them they drive taxi number 0009 - Francisco drives the day shift from 5am-5pm and Jorge drives the night shift. They are really gems and I cannot recommend them enough.

All in all we LOVED our time at the penthouse and would certainly stay again or really at any property by Everything Isla. They are amazing at what they do!

"Airbnb Review #708022921937902043 #170559"

This is an incredible find! We booked a very last minute trip to Isla Mujeres and JJ (the property manager) and Julia (the concierge for this property) ensured we had everything we needed to have a great trip! From fixing any issues we had to scheduling trips and taxi rides, this trip was a breeze. This condo is well located on the south side of the island and easily accessible with a golf cart! Highly recommend you booking this condo!

"Airbnb Review #695635154719118432 #168136"

The views from this place are priceless. It is difficult to find but I hope they provide better instructions in the future. The kitchen is well equipped and drinking water is provided. The restrooms need updating and mattresses are super firm.

"Airbnb Review #683394537930450482 #165892"

Awesome location. We had a great time and the condo is beautiful. If we needed any assistance we were able to contact the property manager, JJ, who assisted us without hesitation. Will be back!

"Airbnb Review #615903285216713511 #152094"

Nice view but not worth it

"Airbnb Review #605124204404346307 #150288"

The Pent house is just as described! Use Julia ! We did the door to door and ordered groceries to be delivered. Everything was stocked and ready for us when we arrived. She made our trip carefree and wonderful. Rent the golf cart you will need it. We loved the little beach club just below the condo. Garrafon Castilla. It was perfect. The North beach was crazy busy. Go to Soggy Pesos on Tuesday and have a margarita they are so good. There are a lot of stairs but the view is worth it. Spectacular.

"Airbnb Review #560845956741257176 #143180"

Excellent location, wonderful management! I can’t say enough about our stay or Julia!!!!

"Airbnb Review #547855530952083147 #141147"

This was an amazing place to stay. The view was super beautiful. The island was amazing. Julia the concierge was an excellent help to help us rookie travelers take care of odds and ends related to our trip. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.

"Airbnb Review #550739732519380218 #141568"

We LOVED the location, the spectacular rooftop deck (and the amazing sunsets from it!!), the bottled water, access to a safe, and all the seating in the kitchen and living room! There were so many amenities - from the beach towels to the snorkeling gear to the stocked kitchen cabinets! The water pressure isn’t the greatest (which made it a bit difficult for a gal with long, thick hair) and we took more than one cold shower but the Property Manager JJ was great! He was very responsive and actually came over within minutes of me texting him to show us how to get hot water out of the showers (but be warned, the water never really gets hot.)

Julia set up our golf cart rental for us and I highly recommend you use her for that! She actually could have helped out with a lot more but it just didn’t work out for our group.

We’ve been to Isla four times and have always stayed on the north side. I have to say that we loved staying on the south end of the island. It’s so much quieter and less crowded. Make sure you go to Garrafon Park right behind the building. It’s a small, quiet nice beach, with easy access to great snorkeling. We saw a stingray off to the left of the beach by the reef. Others saw a barracuda, puffer fish and more. There were just a ton of fish. There was shade, chairs, snacks, and you could rent towels, snorkeling gear etc. - but the Penthouse has all of that so we didn’t need to rent anything. You can BYOB but they also have snack bar/drinks.

Thank you again for allowing us to stay at your place!!

"Airbnb Review #508006754835389079 #135853"

The views from the patios were everything! This place was perfect for us (4 friends), the beds were comfy and the kitchen was sufficiently stocked to allow us to make smoothies and cook dinner when we didn’t feel like going out. We enjoyed being at the south end of the island away from the hustle of the north end. Highly recommend Punta Sur for sunrise, the Joint for mojitos and live reggae music, and Kin Ha beach club for drinks/water access. And definitely get a golf cart! Such a fun vacation, we will be back to Isla soon!

"Airbnb Review #492228498680907238 #133285"

I can't review on the rental because we never got a chance to be inside. When we got to our rental we were not able to get in. Somehow our reservation wasn't on the books, even though our money was paid in full. So we ended up at a different hotel for the week of our stay.

What I can review on, is how great Julia was to help with everything that went wrong with our reservation. Even though we ended at different hotel, julia was still always available to help us. The owner also was great during this time and apologized for all the mistakes.

We will be back and hopefully get another rental through Everything Isla, I do recommend them still after a miscommunication on our reservation. They all were great. Thank you

"Airbnb Review #481808739436021619 #131143"

We had the most wonderful time at Penthouse Garrafon and can’t wait to come back and explore more! The location is exactly where you want to be on the island and the sunsets from the rooftop deck are unmatched. And the sunrise from Punta Sur was worth waking up that early! Pay the few dollars and walk down to the point and down the stairs for a special treat. And if flying back to the US, the Covid testing center trailer at Punta Sur was the cheapest we saw and they were very nice and efficient. Thank you for sharing your beautiful piece of paradise with us!

"Airbnb Review #422474741250348213 #120002"

Great location, beautiful views, concierge, Julia, was very responsive and helped make arrangements for us. Fabulous roof top deck!

Water pressure is an issue and hot water is hit or miss…

"Airbnb Review #415936897650324974 #118843"

This place is phenomenal! We loved absolutely everything about it. It is clean, the air conditioning works well, the beds are comfortable, the deck and view are EVERYTHING! The nice touches such as fresh water, snorkel gear, beach bag and towels, a personal concierge, etc.
Things to note: USE Julia, the concierge! She prearranged our golf cart and booked us a once in a lifetime private whale shark charter with Ceviche tours. If you are on the island during the summer months, find a way to take this charter. We have not stopped talking about it! My advice is to take even more advantage of her services. Next time we are back we will most certainly use the pre-shopping option. After a few days we started getting a bit tired of having to eat out every meal and it would have been nice to have some groceries. There are a few stores on the island but it is difficult to find what you need.
To get from the Cancun airport we used Booking.com and arranged transportation to the ferry terminal for $24. They want up to $80 if you try to grab a taxi at the airport. We did make an error going back and mistakenly took the wrong ferry. No big deal except the terminals are about 1/4 of a mile apart . With luggage and the heat it was a bit of a trek for us to get to the correct meeting location for our ride to the airport. Just make sure you book the correct Puerto Juarez ferry terminal depending on which ferry you take.
I wanted to write in the guest book but never got to to it. Take the time on the 1st night to read the recommendations. We almost missed seeing Punta Sur but noticed on the last day that almost every guest had recommended it. It is so close to the condo and it is incredible! From the entrance it looks like a small ruin but what you can't see is that on the other side there is a walking path that takes to the waters edge with breathtaking views. Our family also geeked out on the sea creatures and fossils you can see in the coral. There are food carts and a snack bar but it was closed at sunset. I think they missing out on a great opportunity for happy hour drinks there at sunset. We were kind of shocked they close the bar/snacks before sunset.
As far as food goes our favorite places were the simple ones. We got a smoothie every morning from the little vender on the side of the road just north of the condos. He was so friendly and the smoothies were delicious. We did visit the Joint, but beware of the bugs there. They have bug spray available-Use it! We preferred to eat at the places along the water because it was cooler and scenic. The Boutique Hotel that is just north of the condo- off the main road and on the water side (I can't remember the name) is kind of a hidden treasure. You have a bit of a walk to the restaurant but the sunset was incredible and the food was good. To be honest the food was pretty similar everywhere we ate. My husband tried shrimp tacos many times and I leaned more toward the skewers. It was all pretty tasty but the best food I had the entire trip was the Ceviche on the boat. One morning we did that the golf cart to the other side of the island to a place that was rated as the best Huevos Rancheros on the island. We had a rooftop view and I loved it but my husband and kids didn't because it had plantains in it. We went to get gas in the golf cart one afternoon and ended up on North Beach with the tourists. I was glad not to be staying there but we did have fun hanging out in the water (the sand is very soft) and having a couple of drinks while we listened to the music from all the boats. If you are sensitive to the sun like we are you can't beat the $20 sun shirts in the shops on the north side of the island. We also had a good meal there....but it was hot in the restaurant.
The little Garrafon park right across from the condo is worth the $6 entry fee. It is small but has easy access to awesome snorkeling. They also have some shade, chairs, snacks and gear if you need it. One morning we climbed down the rocky area right across from the condo to go snorkeling. Then we realized it was much easier to enter through the park, so that is what we did the next day and we really enjoyed it. We always made sure we were back at the condo for showers before sunset on the deck. Then we would go to dinner after sunset. The views on the deck are spectacular! I would never stay anywhere else!

"Airbnb Review #407933467768746719 #117269"

This is the perfect penthouse to enjoy while you are visiting Isla. This was our second time to stay on the island. We are so thankful that we booked this apartment because it allowed us the opportunity to enjoy the South side of the island. We loved the location and all the little extras made these a great selection. The snorkeling is outstanding just steps out the door. The apartment was super clean and the views are so beautiful it will take your breathe away. The sunset is FANTASTIC to enjoy on the decked out roof top. The air conditioners worked great and the host was super helpful. We had a dream vacation in this AirBNB and would highly recommend. Thank for everything!! Can’t wait to come back!!

"Airbnb Review #402184253671130590 #117426"

If you’re looking for a private, quiet, and scenic place to stay on Isla Mujeres, THIS IS THE PLACE TO STAY! Our experience was actually better than some of the resorts we’ve stayed at! I booked this 4 day trip while in the security line at the airport (spontaneous). Everything Isla and team made this trip seamless and completely stress-free. Communication was fantastic! We didn’t know when we booked, but this stay comes with a Concierge, Julie, and she is AMAZING! She arranged our van to the ferry from the airport, arranged our ferry ride, booked our golf cart from the ferry to the condo, coordinated our COVID tests, booked us private sunrise yoga and massages on the outside patio, and SO much more! Julie really made this stay one of the best trips yet! The condo has TV and WiFi so you can be as connected or disconnected as you want. Everything was pretty well stocked and supplied. As others have mentioned, keep in mind you do have to climb a few flights of stairs but everything else makes it worth it! We appreciated that the location was on the South side of the island, away from the tourists and hotels. It was very quiet and very safe! We walked around and drove around even after dark. This place is a brief walk to Punta Sur which is breathtaking. We highly recommend staying here if you get the chance!

"Airbnb Review #390566138547789081 #115027"

Great quiet 2BR 2BA on the quiet south side of Isla. AC in all rooms. Be aware it’s 5 flights of stairs to get to the penthouse, but the view is so good you won’t care. Bring binoculars so you can watch the boats going back and forth between Cancun and the island. The small Castillo Garrafon has a good snorkeling beach across the parking area, but make sure you bring water socks to protect your feet if you want to swim. Rent a golf cart (ask Julia if he concierge for a reco rental place) and explore! The south side is a fantastic place to visit away from the hustle and bustle of the Playa Norte area. Don’t miss Punta Sur and the ruins just around the corner from this place!

"Airbnb Review #757316156 #108894"

Super amazing place close to the south point! Amazing balcony with the best view, soooo amazing sunsets! We had some small issues but it got fixed way quicker than expected which was super nice!