It's the comfort zone afforded by the property and we have stayed at many over the years. Blue Cave, Heartbeat, Kuyaba, Beach House Villas, Beach Club Condos, Fun Holiday, Caribbean Delight, Rondel,,,, Our desiginated drop place since 2002 with a few exceptions has been Mariposa.
On all properties WE look for and have found on most:
AC, big patio with electrical outlets for coffee maker/toaster/juicer/i-pod dock/blender, we like the stove top at Mariposa for stay at home dinners, we like having a restaurant on property if you don't feel like cooking breakfast or want to supplement lobster pasta with hot bread and a salad or desert, secure parking, 24 hour security it's nice to leave an igloo outside at night and know it will be there in the morning, I love the bustle of the beach but I love for my property to be shady quiet when I walk away from the beach, foot showers at beach and by room, staff that will do laundry or cloths line if you want to shower wash some stuff, wifi, we are older folks and I don't mind saying it - a couple nights a week will find us on patio at 1 a.m. with i-pod dock keeping rythm but we are old enough to know that loud does not trump quality when it comes to our music and that it is our music we don't have to make it our neighbors who may or may not share our taste in music and visa versa, Staff - caring but not overbearing, I have noticed that a good gardener can set a lot of atmosphere for a property, a chef that tells you when the veggie/fruit truck is out front, I am a dog owner at home - I know multiple generations of dogs on some properties - I don't mind my buddies laying at my feet at night - they may be dropping by my door while I'm asleep all night, closeness of other food options and some mini shop options is nice although as a driver Shamrock is a daily ice stop, quality of beach furniture is a plus
I know there is a lot of discussion on this board about "how is the beach at,,,," , I have never seen the beach not be good somewhere. I have seen 50 yards of beach at Mariposa, I have seen it's current water at the wall state, one thing I am confident about is that the sand moves, the property that has water lapping at it today can be buried in 5 feet deep sand after the right storm a year from now,,,,,, the luxury of 40 some trips is that we do not have to have the perfect sun, temp, beach each trip. A storm from central america is differant than a storm over cuba is differant than the most beautifal trade wind day you have ever experienced,,,,,, each brings it's own understanding of the Island.
Sorta sounds like we are picky, but really we are pretty self sufficient, the best thing about there is it is not here and I mean that at every level from the noise and confusion of life to the weather,,,,
