Las Casitas

Situated on a quiet residential street, Las Casitas stands out from its neighbors -- its bright yellow “cupula” domes are hard to miss. There aren’t any signs on or near the property that indicate its status as a hotel, just a tiny painted plate near the door that reads “Las Casitas” in script lettering. Inside, a tiny front room serves as the lobby. A few simple sofas, a corner desk, and scattered artwork make up the decor, but it's all fairly forgettable apart from the undulating brick ceiling. In the back of the reception room, another door leads to the hotel’s courtyard and its seven guest rooms.  

Las Casitas is managed by a sweet middle-aged gentleman that lives on-site with his family. He cares for the property and helps guests with whatever they may need, but he doesn’t speak any English, so communication can be difficult for some travelers. Throughout the day, the proprietor can be found caring for the gardens, cleaning the pool, and managing the front desk, and at night, he offers to drive guests into town for dinner. Las Casitas' guests are a mix of American, Canadian, and Mexican travelers, that range from families, to couples, to solo travelers.  

Las Casitas is located in a residential neighborhood, about a 10-minute walk from downtown Guayabitos. Rincon de Guayabitos, a sleepy beach town about 40 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, is popular with Mexican travelers -- particularly families from Guadalajara. The town is filled with tiny hotels, casual restaurants, and open-air bars, and it has a gorgeous beach that’s great for people-watching. English-speaking tourists are not catered to here -- so those who don’t speak any Spanish may find it difficult to communicate and get around.

Rooms are the biggest disappointment of Las Casitas. The hotel’s seven apartment-style rooms are spacious and can accommodate large families or groups, but they’re not clean, and have odd floor plans that lack privacy. In all of the hotel’s rooms, surfaces are dusty, furniture is old, and amenities (like kitchen utensils and bathroom towels) feel worn. Rooms also have musty/moldy odors, and we spotted a few instances of mold along refrigerator doors and bathroom faucets. Though each room is a bit different from the next, all have strange layouts with lots of stairs and lofted spaces. Living, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom areas aren’t separated by walls, some only have accordion room dividers for privacy. In one room, we found the bed wedged between the refrigerator and the open shower. In another room, hanging beads were the only separation between the toilet and the rest of the apartment. Rooms’ authentic Mexican accents, like vaulted brick ceilings and hand painted bathroom sinks are nice touches, but not enough to overcome their other pitfalls.   

There aren’t very many on-site amenities at Las Casitas. The hotel has a tiny pool, which along with the surrounding garden, is beautifully maintained by the manager. The pool is too small for swimming, but guests can take a dip in the water or relax on one of the surrounding lounge chairs. Besides the pool, the hotel has free Wi-Fi and a secure parking lot where guests can park for free. The Wi-Fi works well, and it's easy to connect to with the provided password.