We brought all of our 5 children, ages 16 to 21, and my parents. It was only a 15 minute walk to all the shops of 5th Avenue - either along the beach or through the streets of the gated community. The kids often ventured off to the shops on their own. We felt very safe here and would definitely recommend this property to a larger family with older children.

We brought all of our 5 children, ages 16 to 21, and my parents. It was only a 15 minute walk to all the shops of 5th Avenue - either along the beach or through the streets of the gated community. The kids often ventured off to the shops on their own. We felt very safe here and would definitely recommend this property to a larger family with older children.

Tara was a huge help beyond just the house

Tara was a huge help beyond just the house

This originally was a family vacation in 2021, however Covid hit us and our trip had to be moved to January 2022. Stirling was great to work with and we had no issues moving our trip, however life happens, and the trip for 10 turned into a trip for two. The house is beautiful. If you have a large family, you will have plenty of room, however we didn't feel overwhelmed by the house with just the two us. The property is in a gated community, and we felt very safe. The pool was wonderful and the beach was steps away from the house. They have everything you need for the beach: chairs, towels and umbrellas. My only suggestion is that when you walk to the beach, go to your right, the sand and water is less rocky. The welcome packet that Stirling and Tara send, is extremely useful, make sure you read it. The car service from the airport was so easy. Tara helped us set up our reservations and then communicated with us the entire day. She sent pictures to help us navigate the airport exits and to find our driver, who was waiting on us, even though our flight was delayed. The relief of not having to deal with transportation was priceless. We took advantage of the grocery service. I highly recommend it. Having the house already stocked with food was a luxury, especially since we arrived late. We also took advantage of the chef services. If you have a large group, this is the only way to go. The cost was reasonable, the food was wonderful and we had a lot of fun talking with the chefs. The menu to select from is varied, and we were able to try lots of different local cuisine. If you like to cook, the kitchen is well stocked with all the kitchen tools you need. We used the grill one day and BBQ hamburgers. We also checked out suggested restaurants. If you like Italian food and pizza, you must go to Romeos. We taxied to the restaurant, but it wasn't a bad walk home, because the property is centrally located. If you walk home, you will go down their pedestrian center and they have lots of fun things to do there. We didn't really go anywhere, by choice, this trip was more about relaxing and healing, and this was the perfect place. This was our first time staying at a home, instead of a resort. We loved it here. Tara the house manager was wonderful to work with, and Stirling the owner answered all our questions leading up to the trip, which gave us peace of mind. We will come back, it was that wonderful.

Villa Golondrina was an exceptional property. We spent most of our time in Playa floating around the pool which, thanks to well tended hedges, is very private. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and well kept. The bedrooms are spacious, decorated with local art, and most importantly the beds are super comfy. It does get warm inside but who needs to spend time indoors when the pool is there! Tara, the property manager is a huge asset to this property. She is very responsive and helpful. Prior to our arrival, she helped us to set up a private chef (whose food was delicious) and airport transfers, as well as answering about 1000 questions. Check in was a breeze, Tara met us at the property and gave us a quick tour and lay of the land. During our stay, members of our party got sick and when she dropped in with the cleaning crew, helped them to find a doctor and reach an ATM. We later had more mishaps which she was also able to facilitate a solution. She really went above and beyond for our group and we are incredibly appreciative. Everyone in my party agreed, we would book this property again in the future - but maybe not in sarggasam season.

Villa Golondrina was an exceptional property. We spent most of our time in Playa floating around the pool which, thanks to well tended hedges, is very private. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and well kept. The bedrooms are spacious, decorated with local art, and most importantly the beds are super comfy. It does get warm inside but who needs to spend time indoors when the pool is there! Tara, the property manager is a huge asset to this property. She is very responsive and helpful. Prior to our arrival, she helped us to set up a private chef (whose food was delicious) and airport transfers, as well as answering about 1000 questions. Check in was a breeze, Tara met us at the property and gave us a quick tour and lay of the land. During our stay, members of our party got sick and when she dropped in with the cleaning crew, helped them to find a doctor and reach an ATM. We later had more mishaps which she was also able to facilitate a solution. She really went above and beyond for our group and we are incredibly appreciative. Everyone in my party agreed, we would book this property again in the future - but maybe not in sarggasam season.

We had one full family of 4 with two kids between 5-10 years older. Plus extra family members! The kids could make the walk to town, walk to the ferry, etc. or it was a short $6 USD cab ride. We were not able to enjoy the beach due to sea grass but the pool and the home’s amenities made us not miss it as much as we otherwise would have. With fresh water available every day and a fully stocked kitchen just a mile from town- we never went without! We would highly recommend the on-site Chef for dinner - ask Tara for details! Would definitely stay again! Notes: beds were super comfortable and the room a/c cooked down each so quickly we didnt miss central air! The whole house is open air on demand! Neighborhood was safe and Tara the property manager, her handyman husband Luiz, and the groundskeeper Henry were all warm and welcoming!

We had one full family of 4 with two kids between 5-10 years older. Plus extra family members! The kids could make the walk to town, walk to the ferry, etc. or it was a short $6 USD cab ride. We were not able to enjoy the beach due to sea grass but the pool and the home’s amenities made us not miss it as much as we otherwise would have. With fresh water available every day and a fully stocked kitchen just a mile from town- we never went without! We would highly recommend the on-site Chef for dinner - ask Tara for details! Would definitely stay again!Notes: beds were super comfortable and the room a/c cooked down each so quickly we didnt miss central air! The whole house is open air on demand! Neighborhood was safe and Tara the property manager, her handyman husband Luiz, and the groundskeeper Henry were all warm and welcoming!

We had one full family of 4 with two kids between 5-10 years older. Plus extra family members! The kids could make the walk to town, walk to the ferry, etc. or it was a short $6 USD cab ride. We were not able to enjoy the beach due to sea grass but the pool and the home’s amenities made us not miss it as much as we otherwise would have. With fresh water available every day and a fully stocked kitchen just a mile from town- we never went without! We would highly recommend the on-site Chef for dinner - ask Tara for details! Would definitely stay again! Notes: beds were super comfortable and the room a/c cooked down each so quickly we didnt miss central air! The whole house is open air on demand! Neighborhood was safe and Tara the property manager, her handyman husband Luiz, and the groundskeeper Henry were all warm and welcoming!

Wonderful property with great communication from the owners. It’s beautiful and authentic. Just steps from the beach. Housekeeper Luci’ and Senor Abel were so helpful. She cooked us dinner one night to celebrate a birthday. Playacar Phase 1 has security and feels very safe. Overall wonderful experience. We will definitely be returning to this property.

Wonderful property with great communication from the owners. It’s beautiful and authentic. Just steps from the beach. Housekeeper Luci’ and Senor Abel were so helpful. She cooked us dinner one night to celebrate a birthday. Playacar Phase 1 has security and feels very safe. Overall wonderful experience. We will definitely be returning to this property.

Wow! We thought we were renting a fabulous home in a great location, and we were correct! What we didn’t know was that we would also get a detailed write up of recommendations for restaurants, shopping and excursions, great referrals to a local driver and a wonderful and attentive housekeeper and property manager. What an added benefit! The house is situated 1/2 block from a gorgeous beach, the pool and the house are amazing and we had a terrific week. The owner, Gloria, was extremely helpful in providing tips to plan our trip and all of her recommendations were accurate and wonderful. We used Absolute Adventure Tours for a day trip to 3 cenotes and used Gloria’s driver for a day trip to Coba and Tulum ruins - both trips well worth it and a great break from the beach. We can’t recommend this rental more highly! Our family of 5 (3 young adults and 2 60-ish parents) had a great week!

Wow! We thought we were renting a fabulous home in a great location, and we were correct! What we didn’t know was that we would also get a detailed write up of recommendations for restaurants, shopping and excursions, great referrals to a local driver and a wonderful and attentive housekeeper and property manager. What an added benefit! The house is situated 1/2 block from a gorgeous beach, the pool and the house are amazing and we had a terrific week. The owner, Gloria, was extremely helpful in providing tips to plan our trip and all of her recommendations were accurate and wonderful. We used Absolute Adventure Tours for a day trip to 3 cenotes and used Gloria’s driver for a day trip to Coba and Tulum ruins - both trips well worth it and a great break from the beach. We can’t recommend this rental more highly! Our family of 5 (3 young adults and 2 60-ish parents) had a great week!

We enjoyed a great stay at Villa Golondrina. The description is most accurate. Location is perfect, second row from the beach, very quiet, 15 mins walk from downtown Playa via the beach or the street. Owner Gloria provides a lot of help and insights to prepare the trip, and was very accommodating to all requests. Sr Abel and Sra Lucy provide excellent service to take care of the house and the grounds, making your life very comfortable and easy. If anything that could be improved, price is on the high side for the Holidays.

Villa La Golondrina is just as advertised; a comfortable and welcoming retreat just a few steps to the beach, and a quick walk to Playa Del Carmen. Our family of five adults and four little ones (including a baby) recently stayed there for 10 days and enjoyed every minute. The pool is big and nearly always shaded which provides a nice escape from the beach when needed. The house itself is squeaky clean, with comfortable beds, air conditioning in each room, and fans everywhere to help you beat the heat. Everything we could've needed was there, from beach chairs, umbrellas and toys, to chip clips for leftover snacks. And the staff was unbeatable. Luci, the housekeeper kept everything spotless, Sr. Abel, made sure the pool and yard were kept up each day, and Angeles, the cook we hired for our stay, fed us SO WELL. The owner also kept in close contact with us, checking in before and during our stay, and making herself available for any questions while we were there. We couldn't have asked for a better place to spend our vacation!

Gloria Kelso, the owner, met us and introduced us to her lovely home and also provided us with things to do and restaurants to visit. Her housekeeper was warm and helpful as was her property manager. Our family is from Chicago and we had a perfect time in the sun. My husband and I highly recommend this rental property.

My family and I stayed in this villa for a week and had an amazing time. The house is great for a large family or group of friends. Each of the four bedrooms is spacious enough and has its own bathroom. The villa's location was perfect for our group. We were right across the street from the beach, making it easy to hop back and forth between the pool and the beach. We were a 10-15 minute walk from town (manageable even with small children) with easy access to cabs as well. The house comes with as much filtered water as you would like. Luci keeps the house clean, and Abel is available for any issues that come up during your stay. We appreciated the ability to have our kitchen stocked upon arrival and have delicious meals made by Angeles. Gloria and her daughter Stirling were great before the trip in answering any questions we had. We look forward to staying here again!

We just returned from a wonderful stay at Villa La Golondrina. Before we even arrived, I knew it was going to be a great trip. Gloria and Stirling provided us with very useful information, helped us with transportation, and took all the guesswork out of our planning. Once we got to the property, we were delighted with the house and the space. As one previous reviewer said, the authentic charm of the place made you feel like you were someplace special. Each unique room, the bathrooms, and the kitchen were great! With a group of 9, the space was ideal to spread out or be together. Everyone spent more time around the pool than at the beach and loved going up on the roof for the sunrise or to enjoy the evening breeze. Angeles cooked a fabulous meal for us(I think that was one of our favorite things) and Luci was so pleasant and accommodating when the teenagers were sleeping late. It was truly the relaxing vacation we were all looking for. We had a fun dinner at El Fogon and enjoyed walking the streets in Playa del Carmen. I really hope we have the opportunity to go back. Thank you Gloria and Stirling for all your help and sharing your home!

The villa is truly amazing, with lots of room to spread out. Each room (bedrooms, living spaces, kitchen, bathrooms, outdoor spaces) were spacious and we enjoyed the open living / dining / kitchen. The balcony off of the master was a great place to enjoy a glass of wine - you felt like you were in a jungle (or in a Disney theme park because the trees looked so perfect, you could assume they were fake). All the bathrooms were lovely and unique - especially the master one! And the roof top terrace, was a bonus - another quiet spot and a great place to check out the surrounding area.

From an email that was sent to the owner after our return: "You have such a beautiful home and I can't thank you enough for making it available to us and for your hospitality. The location was ideal and very comfortable, and everyone couldn't have been happier with their accommodations. It was an especially nice touch having daily maid service! Luci came over every morning around 8:30 and spent the entire morning cleaning up after us. Angeles fixed us dinner the last night and it was delicious! I hope she wasn't insulted that we could come close to eating all the food she brought. We're all home now and a bit exhausted from our trip. There are so many things to do in and around Playa del Carmen that one week is not nearly enough. If we were not enjoying your pool or the beach we would be on the go constantly. We used Sr. Anselmo for one day to visit Tulum and Akumal, and went back to Akumal another day by ourselves using a van that was conveniently located at the entrance to Playacar. Also a couple of our party was insistent on fishing one morning. Beyond that there was a lot of shopping, exploring the town, and trying some new restaurants. We should have stayed with your restaurant recommendations but we did try El Fogon on your list which everyone agreed was probably the highlight. You own a jewel in Playa del Carmen! "

Our large group of 9, which included teenagers and my elderly mother in law, were extremely comfortable at the beautiful Villa Golondrina. The house is so comfortable, and the Mayan style and architecture made us feel that we were really somewhere special. The grounds were lush and tropical, the bedrooms were comfortable, the bathrooms were awesome, and we LOVED the open air concept. The street the villa is on is quiet and steps from the beautiful beach. We especially loved the upper deck for hanging out and relaxing- what a fabulous view! Our two favorite bedrooms were the upstairs suite and the charming back bedroom. We felt very safe in Playa, and can't wait to return. Gloria and her daughter Stirling were very gracious and wonderful to work with! Thank you for sharing your wonderful retreat with my family!

This was a wonderful villa and site, well maintained, very practical and the staff was very friendly. The beach at that location is very beautiful and clean. I would say it felt like being at home, it was heavenly. I would go back anytime and plan to do so in the near future. Thank you once again to Gloria for making this a wonderful stay.

We are packing up and trying to wind down after a flurry of touristo activities over the last couple of days, and a spectacular week. We did squeeze in one last night time trip to 5th ave Haagen Das, walking down the cobbled lane through the amazing Playacar neighborhood. The surf was huge today coming up almost to the walls of the beachfront properties. My legs are aching after just a few good body surf rides and continuous bracing to keep from getting swept away by the riptide--it was a thrill. Angeles is your not-so-secret advantage for a relaxing villa vacation. She made a real difference in the quality of our week in Playacar. Tonight we had chillies rellenos and chicken cutlets. We are definitely going to miss her. The pool and its positioning close to the house was another real plus. There were easily over 100 kid hours of fun over the week. Thanks to Gloria and her staff for sharing your beautiful home with us. It was a week we will all treasure for decades.

Back from our 3rd holiday at VLG. It was like coming home again. Loved opening all the doors and windows, letting the breeze flow through, bringing the outside in. Although our week here was a little on the cool side and we didn't get in the pool as much as previous stays, it was still nice to sit around the pool and outside patio and just enjoy the beautiful surroundings after a busy day of excursions. Gloria, the owner, is always a pleasure to talk with and always available to answer questions or problems should they arise. Not one person in our group of 8 adults would hesitate to recommend this villa. It has the charm of Mexico, the comfort of home and we hated to leave when our time was over. Thank you again, for sharing your lovely home with us.

Well, sadly our trip is now history. I did want to let you know though how absolutely wonderful your villa in Mexico is. We absolutely loved our stay. The ability to open so many doors on the main floor was awesome and made us feel like we were outside when reading in a living room chair. We loved having so many places to sit....hammock, chaise loungers, chairs, balcony, living room. The chef, Angeles, was OUTSTANDING! She was so sweet and was a fabulous cook. We all wanted to take her home with us. She was worth every penny. Luci and Sr.Abel were gracious, responsive to our needs and anxious to make sure we were happy with the villa Your suggestions about visiting XCaret and Coba were perfect. Both were tremendously enjoyed. The villa was clean, the pool was cleaned every day, the chef left the kitchen spotless, Luci was awesome in daily housekeeping and laundry. I just cannot say enough about how happy we were and how perfect our vacation was! Thank you so much for sharing your villa.

We had a terrific Thanksgiving week vacation at Villa la Golondrina. Beautiful and well cared for home/accommodation. A terrific pool on the property, two minute walk to the beach, quick walk to Playa del Carmen and a very secure/comfortable place to enjoy each other! We had three generations in the house and had a perfect vacation. Very relaxing and safe. We used the recommended private chef, and the rest of the staff were warm and welcoming. Gloria is very helpful arranging transportation, and suggesting things to do while staying in Playa. We felt very much at home and recommend it highly.

Our family of 5 spent a week at Villa la Golondrina and we didn’t want to leave. This was a very relaxing vacation. Our teens who are normally swamped with schoolwork were so grateful to have a comfortable, quiet place to do some “fun reading” and lounge around the garden in the hammock or in the beautiful pool. VLG is located in the quietest part of Playacar on a dead end street and we thoroughly enjoyed the serenity. The house is so nicely furnished and equipped we didn’t want for anything. The staff are very friendly and extremely helpful. We strongly recommend the kitchen stocking and chef service for at least a day or two, it made our vacation so much easier. This is a perfect place for a family vacation – lots to see and do in PDC and the surrounding area, or just enjoy the luxury of Villa la Golondrina. Thank you Gloria and family.

This is the perfect vacation home if you love safety of a gated community, beach access, a private pool and amazing views. We had a group of 10 (family & friends) stay here last week for my 30th birthday and it was a vacation that none of us will ever forget. The private chef, housekeeper, house manager & owner of the home all were incredibly welcoming, helpful and made us feel right at home. I can't stress enough how gorgeous the home is - better than any picture can do justice! We are already talking about when we can come back. The owner was so helpful in getting our large group taken care of: transportation, directions, payment, restaurant recommendations, etc. From the bottom of my heart, this was the best vacation I've ever been on.

This is a fabulous house and I would highly recommend staying here. The architecture is absolutely wonderful with beautiful domed ceilings in many of the rooms. The kitchen is absolutely enormous and has everything you need to make a great meal. The main living room is to die for--very cozy and a great place to enjoy coffee in the morning. The pool is quite large and is tiled in beautiful blue, surrounded by a gorgeous garden. Then there's the rooftop view, with its breath taking view of the ocean. The house is within walking distance of the shopping district and a resort hotel for any excursions you'd like to purchase. I highly recommend this villa.

There were 11 of us staying here in June (my parents, sister and her family and my family-kids ages ranged from 4-14) and we had the most wonderful time. It is always a little nerve-wracking to rent a home sight unseen except for internet photos. Frequent contact from the owners prior to our arrival definitely calmed those fears. And when we arrived, we were thrilled with the villa's size, location and quality. The pool is huge, definitely the biggest one in Playacar Phase 1. And the villa is located at the end of the street on the farther side of the development from the 5th Avenida shops so virtually no foot traffic. And literally one house back from the beach-and what a gorgeous beach! You can access the shops and restaurants on 5th Avenida by walking thru the neighborhood or along the beach-it's a bit of a walk but not terrible-did use a stroller for the 4 year old. The daily staff took wonderful care of us but remained very unobtrusive. Nice big bedrooms and lots of bathrooms, perfect for an extended family group. We would definitely stay here again and didn't want to leave!!!

My family and I were so fortunate to have found this beautifully authentic Spanish house by the beach. We were literally steps from the beach but yet it felt so private. The house was perfect for our large family. There was so much to love about this place. The location was perfect, the house was clean and spacious, the pool always clean and refreshing. The staff was lovely and they took such good care of us. Thank you Gloria for all the great tips. They made our trip extra special. I would highly recommend using Angela to stock the kitchen and cook a few meals. We had so much fun planning our meals with her. Although we speak very little Spanish she somehow knew exactly what we were asking for. The walk to 5th avenue took us through the quaint neighborhoods and right past several Mayan ruins. We enjoyed everything about our trip and would not hesitate to return to Villa La Golondrina. It is truly a special place!