Casa Portamare - Modern Oceanfront Villa

The location of Casa Portamare was great—walkable to Santa Cruz with stunning views. The covered pool was a smart feature for the intense Huatulco sun, even though we didn’t use it.

The property is open air and has issues with wildlife and security that were not properly disclosed. Coatis (cute little guys, but not great house guests) entered the house in the evening, ransacking any food they could access, leaving droppings and urine on the counters and floors. The refrigerator actually has locks on it to prevent them from accessing that. The cupboards do not. Security was a major concern for us—doors couldn’t be locked from the outside, there were no safes or secure storage, and we didn’t feel comfortable leaving valuables behind. The stairs were steep and numerous. While this didn't cause an issue for our group - anyone with accessibility issues would have major problems with this house and it should be noted in the listing. The kitchen was poorly stocked. We were left with one kitchen towel and one role of paper towel for a week stay. There basic things like a large bowl (for mixing something) that weren't included. We picked up one knife and the handle fell off. It's unfortunate because there is a ton of potential the the house and the view and location really are amazing. It just needs some serious TLC, security features and animal proofing. Our trip was booked for seven nights and we left after one. With that said, the team Booking.com took our concerns very seriously and delivered excellent customer service in working with the host and securing a refund for the remainder of the stay.