A Review of Villas Carrizalillo in Puerto Escondido, Mexico

My wife and I decided to have a destination wedding in a small tourist village in southern Mexico called Puerto Escondido. We chose this location for a variety of reasons including the beauty of the area, the value, and the great lodging at Villas Carrizalillo. It turned out to be just as great as we expected and has made Villas Carrizalillo and Puerto Escondido a vacation destination for us and our guests for many years to come.

What is Puerto Escondido like?
Puerto Escondido is a small fishing village about 100 miles southeast of Acapulco. It's on the Pacific Ocean in the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca. Over the last thirty years it has become a vacation destination by many, originally because of its great surfing. After the surfers came, the backpackers came, and then the retirees, families and other vacationers who were sick of the commercialization of Mexican cities like Cancun and Cabo. Puerto Escondido is a bit more rustic, but very safe. It's a great value filled with friendly locals, excellent food and a unique and authentic atmosphere.

How was the service at Villas Carrizalillo?
The staff at Villas Carrizalillo was very attentive to the needs of a wedding party. My wife and I got married at the local Catholic Church, in warmer temperatures, I might add, and the Villas Carrizalillo staff had refreshments ready outside for us. For our reception, the Villas Carrizalillo staff brought in a mariachi band, and set up a great bar. Finally, for dinner, which we held at the outdoor restaurant at Villas Carrizalillo, the staff actually speared a fish from the day before and served it, along with chicken, as the main course at our wedding dinner.

What made Villas Carrizalillo special?
Villas Carrizalillo was the perfect setting and the absolute best location in Puerto Escondido for a destination wedding group to stay. There are a number of beaches in Puerto Escondido, but only a few of them are safe to swim in at any time of the year. There are even fewer beaches that are secluded. Villas Carrizalillo looks over a cliff at Playa Carrizalillo. This is a beautiful, secluded beach where it is safe to swim in year round. Villas Carrizalillo is at the top of the cliff and has a private staircase down to the beach. If you're from the United States and don't speak very much English, it was nice to have the owners, who are both American, there to assist you during the wedding process. The owners also made some great recommendations for a photographer, mariachi band, day trips to the lagoon, car rentals, and any other questions or needs that we required.

How much does it all cost to have a destination wedding there?
One of the reasons why my wife and I decided to have our wedding in Puerto Escondido was because it's considered the best value in Mexico. A taxi ride anywhere in the city is $2, hotels are about $30/night, and it's difficult to find a place where dinner costs more than $10-$12 per person, drinks included. Beer is usually $1. For our reception dinner at Villas Carrizalillo, we figured it would have cost more than $150/person to do something comparable in the United States. At the Villas Carrizalillo, it worked out roughly to about $20/person. Our guests all stayed at the Villas Carrizalillo as well. Depending on which villa you choose, it worked out to less than $100/night with the discount for renting out all the villas. For a destination wedding, I don't know of a place where it could have been cheaper.

If you're looking for a place to have a destination wedding, or if you're just looking for a vacation spot that is a great value, Puerto Escondido is the place to go, and the Villas Carrizalillo is the place to stay.