Villa Estrella Mar - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

I walked up to the counter and the guy who had developed my film stepped up smiling. He said to me "that is the nicest hotel I have ever seen". I just grinned and replied "it's not a hotel, it's a house!" He looked at me dumbfounded and mutterred "huh?"

Many vacation villas use their view as a selling point, but with this villa the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and Banderas Bay takes second place to the visual treasure of the property as it descends down to the ocean. Native tropical vegitation forms a perfectly balanced jungle around the various structures on the property. You proceed from the front gate just a few yards to an elevator shaft. Within just a few minutes the door to the elevator opened and we were enthusiasticly greeted by the Houseman Paco and his assistant Marco who would be retrieving our luggage. As the elevator doors opened once again, we realized the rear of the elevator was made of glass allowing for an impressive ocean view as you descend into paradise.

After the tour Paco suggested that we should meet by the pool in a few minutes for a greeting of margaritas, chips, guacamole and fresh salsa. Not being one to spoil the party, I was suited up and ready to cool off in about 20 seconds. The three day weather forecast before I left for Puerto Vallarta had predicted heavily clouded skies and thunderstorms for each day we would be down in the region. On this day though the skies were only lightly clouded with no signs of a thunderstorm in the horizon. The only thing I could possibly complain about was the extreme humidity. I live in a very dry desert type climate and not being used to this type of heat, I was already looking like a human water fountain.

At the rear of the swimming pool is a stone fountain fronting the two story guest wing of the villa. To the northern side of the pool is the living area consisting of four levels and including a second elevator. Pool side there is a large serving area and wet bar with a enclosed full size refrigertor in addition to the 2 mini refrigertors. One of three seperate entertainment systems can be accessed from this area as well. There is also a covered patio which could easily accomodate large events. On the other side of the swimming pool you get an appealing look at the heavily landscaped southern side of the property, as well as some of the interesting designs of neighboring homes and villas.

Eventually wiped out by a long and adventureous day, Ronna and I were ready to hit the sheets. We rode the elevator up to the top level which consists of the Master Suite which is approximately 3,500 square feet in size. The suite has a large wrap around terrace offering 270 degree views. We spent a few minutes admiring the ocean before calling it a night. I was delighted to realize that the bugs (which typically destroy me when traveling) were nowhere to be found. The king sized bed looked so inviting and we decided to accept its generous invitation. A great day at Villa Estrella Mar!

I buzzed to be let in and soon the large wooden door opened leaving both my companion Ronna and I standing speechless for at least a minute or two. My first impression was that this was the adult version of the Magic Kingdom you always dreamed about as a child.

Paco asked if we would like a quick tour of the property which we gladly accepted. The only problem though, is how do you take a quick tour of a 20,000 square foot villa? A few years ago I had read a report that many Japanese children had been suffering from a visual image overload from watching various television programs. Was I possibly feeling the same effects as we ventured through the six bedrooms, nine bathrooms and ten+ patios and decks spread out over the grounds? We would be spending the next two nights at Villa Estrella Mar, and I was already wishing it would be the next two weeks. In my past occupation as a Real Estate Appraiser in San Diego county, I inspected many fine homes including a few 10,000+ square foot homes in the exclusive Rancho Santa Fe area, but none of them compared to this architectural marvel.

The pool area was where Ronna and I spent a large portion of our time.
What I quickly began to notice was that the swimming pool always seemed to have the most photogenic reflections. From some angles it was of the landscape, while at other angles it was of portions of the villa. While walking back and forth across the pool I began to laugh when I realized that I couldn't decide what I actually wanted to visually survey more? At one end of the pool (which is level across) you are able to look down to ocean and slightly used beach below. At the other end you are able to stare at a great deal of what the villa has to offer.

The Villa Estrella Mar features a staff of 11 including a houseman, assistant houseman, 2 chefs, 3 cleaning ladies, 2 groundsmen and security in the evening. They all seem to have been trained well since the entire villa and surrounding grounds were immaculate. Each of the staff always seemed busy the few times that I did see them while wandering the property. Even the finest details appeared to be covered as I remember watching one of the groundsmen stop to peel a slightly dying frond from one of the poolside palms.

Dinner the first evening at Villa Estrella Mar was wonderful. Seated at a table watching the sun set into the Pacific was an awsome experience. This would be considered a premium view table at a fine restaurant but at this villa it was just one of many tables you could chose to dine at. We had planned to have dinner in Puerto Vallarta the following night, but based on the delicious traditional mexican meal we had just finished, tonight's whole dinner expereince confirmed that we would be dining in for the second night as well. Paco suggested a bacon wrap filet with shrimp and garlic sauce. A bottle of white wine from Chile might also fit the bill.

While we were finishing our meal, I received a phone call from the secretary of Open Air Expeditions informing me that the planned private tour for this evening of the Sea Turtle nesting grounds would have to be cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. Although a bit disappointed from this call, I was also a somewhat relieved knowing I would have additional time to relax in our temporary dream home.
We decided to head back to the pool for a little private party time. We were now alone in this waterfront mansion as we frolicked in the pool at times like playful children. I think we were already becoming extremely comfortable with our upscale and exotic surroundings. Although the villa is so large in size, it always seemed to project a very relaxed feel. Mose

The next morning I took an early stroll around the grounds and down onto the beach below. It looked to be a beautiful day and didn't seem to be quite as humid as the previous day. The beach fronting the property, known as Olas Altas, is very picturesque and appears to be seldomly used. The sandy area is bordered on both sides by large rock outcroppings. These barriers seem to be what assist the waves to continually break in front of the property.
You seem to be always aware of the relaxing sound of the surf anywhere on the Villa Estrella Mar grounds.

Our cab driver from the airport seemed to be somewhat confused while searching for the property. I don't think this was due to his lack of experience, rather I think he was having a problem because he probably has never taken a fare into this neighborhood.

After finally stopping for directions at a Real Estate office, the cabbie now seemed determined to deliver us to our final destination. Located in the lower portion of the upscale Conchas Chinas area to the south of downtown, the villa is fronted by a worn cobblestone road. As we pulled up Villa Estrella Mar we were only able see the large privacy wall fronting the property. Our taxi driver wished us well as we proceeded to the front gate.

Paco and his assistant Marco were a pleasure. Both spoke very fluent English and one of them always seemed to be just around the corner when you needed them. The majority of the staff typically leave around 5:00. Although arrangements can be made to have some of the staff available later into the evening if needed.

I headed back into the property knowing that breakfast would soon be served. For breakfast we were treated to large glasses of orange juice and a very nice selection of fruit before Paco arrived to take our main order. We told Paco that we would be exploring the city later this morning, and he told us a Taxi could be here within minutes. After a filling breakfast we headed back upstairs to gather a few things for our short trip into the main area of town. I called for a cab and was shocked to realize the cab had arrived in less than 120 seconds. Obviously staying at Villa Estrella Mar includes VIP service.

Sad to say but our trip into town was short lived as the humidity reared its ugly head once again.
After about an hour we decided to retreat back to the villa with mas cervezas in hand. I was told that the time of year we were visiting was one of the most popular travel weekends for people who live in Mexico. This would make sense in that most of the shops were dead, I imagine
the local tourists would much rather be spending their time on the beach.

Back at Villa Estrella Mar disaster struck. I was standing on the master deck somewhat in a visual trance when I managed to let go of my digital camera. I started to panic as I watched the camera fall 4 stories. But wait! The camera had hit a giant palm frond and seemed to stop. Then the camera slowly slid off the frond and into the jungle. I wasted no time getting to the elevator and heading down. Once in the jungle brush I spotted the camera with one side burrowing approximately 1/8th inch into the soft dirt. I picked up the camera and lo and behold, it worked.

Ronna and I finished the afternoon off poolside in anticipation of dinner. Marco came by to tell us about the special Mushroom sauce which had been brewing for the last few hours. He also dropped off a plate of coconut meat to snack on. Finally it was time to head upstairs and prepare for dinner. A call from downstairs came in asking where we would like to dine? We decided on the same table as the previous evening for dinner. A bottle of wine and a Mexican salad preceded the main course as we watched another colorful sunset. Now the moment had arrived as the serving tray was brought to our table. A gourmet dinner in every sense. The sauce covering the bacon wrapped fillet was delicious. The jumbo shrimp had been cooked to perfection. Everything was exactly how I had hoped for. Situated on one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, I began thinking I could probably handle this each and every day.

We would finish off the evening with a drink by the pool and a quick dip to cool off. Then it was time to head upstairs for one last night before my dream bubble was to burst. For some reason I had trouble sleeping the second evening and decided to take late night walk once more around the property to see how it projected in the darkness. I thought back to being a child at Disneyland and realizing there was about 6 more good rides I hadn't had a chance to ride and it was already almost closing time. I now had the same type of feeling in my body. I would soon be leaving this once in a lifetime experience and I was just going to have to settle for what I had already experienced. Villa Estrella Mar shines brightly even at night. Strategic lighting around the property makes for pleasurable viewing. I spent a few minutes in the Gym admiring the wall of photos supplied by the owner. Who were these people I wondered, and had they all had a chance to experience Villa Estrella Mar?

I took a walk through the main living level (3rd) and into the kitchen. The sounds of the ocean seemed to be the only noise stirring at this late hour. I stood on various decks around the property trying to suck in all the view potential each offered. Walking through the five other master suites, I tried to imagine how others had felt while staying here. Finally I made it to the pool and decided to spend a few minutes relflecting on just how amazing the Villa Estrella Mar truly is. Now it was time to head back upstairs and soak in the jacuzzi tub while watching the sun rise over Puerto Vallarta. A relaxing way to finish my stay!

Villa Estrella Mar surpassed every expectation I had imagined. The staff was wonderful. The food was excellent. The villa itself had proven to be the finest private rental villa in all of Mexico. The interior is so beautifully decorated. The Mexican and Latin American art makes you feel as though you are touring a museum at times. The short distance to downtown is also a plus. An amazing villa by all means.

Thanks to everyone involved including Mexican Destinations in assisting Travel Invasion in making this review possible. To learn more about Villa Estrella Mar and how you can rent this property, please click the link below!