Casa Grande Mountain Retreat

There are a few things you should know up front before you book here. 1) there is no AC... so if you're going in the dead of summer and you're sensitive to heat, think twice. 2) the restaurant has limited food choices, the menu doesn't really change, and it's *expensive*. For example, one night for 3 people we paid about $180 for 3 gyro sandwiches, 3 fruit juices, a beer and 2 desserts. The food was fine but is honestly an area for improvement. I don't mind paying money for good food, but we all wished there were more local choices and less "pasta bolognese"/chicken gyros. 3) if you are at all sensitive to rainforest noises like coqui or other frogs, this place isn't going to work for you because every night is a riot of noises almost all night long. We loved it, some might not. 4) its rustic. No mini fridge in the room, no options for lunch except what's on offer in the snack case (when we were there it was granola bars, yogurt, chia pudding, and rice with plantains). The rooms are clean and comfortable, but it is rustic. And like in many parts of PR, you can't flush your used TP. The surroundings are absolutely gorgeous, the pool is lovely, the grounds are meticulously kept. All of the staff is super friendly. The trails down to the river are a fun excursion, so bring shoes you can scramble across rocks in. We loved Batey Adventure Tours about 25 mins away, the river kayaking adventure was wonderful and don't miss Mathias cafe next door to the Batey office. Roast chicken, alcapurrias, habichuelas, and other delicious food awaits. It's a favorite of locals. Finally, the resort is LGBTQ friendly so they get 500 stars from us just for that.

There is no TV, no closet, no AC, no mini fridge. The lighting in the bathroom is non existent. Showering at night was difficult since there was terrible lighting and the bottles in the shower weren't labeled where I could see them. The grounds are pretty though. But I would not stay here again.

This hotel would not be the correct choice for most people. There is no air conditioning, TV, or frig, and it is very (!) remote. We took a Google recommended way and could have easily gotten stuck or dead (the hotel sent better instructions but I didn't read all of the details). The restaurant doesn't have so many choices and is mostly "healthy". The jungle location, however, is so nice! We were so surprised that there were NO mosquitos, unlike the rest of PR. This is probably due to having no standing water and so many birds. (The birds, frogs, crickets made it tough for me to sleep well, but my wife loved it.) The bed is really comfortable, with cotton sheets. The super strong fan made it comfortable and even cold as the night got cooler; this higher, forested location makes AC not needed. The food quality and patio dining were fantastic, also. An automatic tip of 18% is added, which I didn't notice, but the staff fixed this the next day. We also did the nice (and free) yoga class. The pool is very nice and we took a nice walk along the river adjacent.

Serenity Now! This place is a hidden gem nestled in Utuado. If you are looking to disconnect and just breathe in pure oxygen, night sounds and morning song birds this is the place. Private and clean. Eco friendly. Beautiful botanicals surrounding the trails and walkways. A must do if you need some R/R. There’s a restaurant on site food is reasonable and very delicious. Enjoy the few pics I’ve posted. I will be back Casa Grande! Thank you Emily and Crystal for the exceptional hospitality!

Fantastic calming getaway in the Puerto Rican mountains above Utuado. Stayed for two nights, enjoyed the food and hiking trails, hospitality was excellent. Loved exploring more of what the island has to offer. Will definitely return for another visit.