What to Expect

We are located in Maricao, Vega Alta, Puerto Rico which is a township on the Northern coast of the island, approximately 30 minutes west of San Juan. Book a flights to arrive to SJU Lois Munoz Martin International Airport (SJU). Casita will provide transport if you are attending a retreat. If you are coming solo, or with others we can arrange transport - but we suggest a car rental. There are a multitude of companies in and around the airport (free shuttles).

La Casita is situated on 2.5 Acres of private, partially gated land. Our neighbors are a considerable distance away and do not have the ability to easily see into the grounds. The grounds include a wealth of native plants, fruit trees, and we are working on our organic gardens, and building our coop for laying hens. And yes, we do have pretty good wi-fi.

We are in a “typical” hilly, rural, Puerto Rican neighborhood – meaning you will hear people living their lives (music from afar, children playing, drive-by Puerto Rican car advertisements 😊, horses or bikes on the road, roosters in the morning, and the beloved Cochi at night). It is peaceful, but there can be moments of high activity — don’t be surprised at a random period of busy LIFE.

We are directly across the street from the Maricao Community Center and are blessed with the ability use these facilities for our retreats and recreational activities (air-conditioned building, basketball court with bleachers).

At the present moment, all guests are housed in La Casista - 4 guest rooms/3 bathrooms upstairs & the ground level, open-air marquesina - which serves as a relaxation zone, dining room, gathering place. The sleeping quarters are double occupancy with shared bathrooms. There are steps up to the sleeping level, so if special accommodations are needed, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We hope to one day have container pods or Superabdobe domes for additional sleeping space.

As is commonplace in Puerto Rico, La Casita is not air-conditioned. However, we are about 8 miles from the beach, and blessed to be at an elevation where there is usually a lovely gentle trade wind. All bedrooms have ceiling fans, and if needed, there extra fans that can be provided for your personal comfort. Note, in the winter months (Dec-Feb) it can be chilly at night, so a light sweater can be helpful.

We are not off grid (yet) for energy or water. As an island nation, Puerto Rico must respect and conserve its freshwater resources. There are times that the municipality turns the water off, to reduce usage. In these moments La Casita converts to its cistern supply. We ask all our beloved guests to respect the water conservation efforts of the community, and we will do our best to encourage responsible water stewardship during your stay.

Last point, we are in las colinas (the hills) and in a tropical environment!! Please expect to see nature in process. You will run across tropical critters (lizards, spiders, insects) - we do our very best to keep them in their natural environment, but if they wonder into ours we do our level best to return them where they belong, or to say a quick prayer before sending them on to the next life 😊.

Have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!! Estamos a la orden - we are at your service.