Villa Iguana

We had a great time. The house was plenty big for two couples and we would recommend for larger parties.
Manuel and Araceli were wonderful hosts and we loved meeting their three kids as well. The meals they prepared for us were delicious. Manuel was full of helpful information and assisted in making reservations.
It would have been nice to be able to walk to markets and more than one restaurant. Pandana Restaurant was wonderful. The food, service and atmosphere was hard to beat.
The towns of Tulum and Akumal are tourist driven and the prices are higher than in the United States and taxis were $60 USD+ for 15 minutes or less.
The setting of the house with the "private beach" was perfect and Soloman Bay was peaceful without peddlers or vendors.
The house is for sell and it is apparent the homeowners don't want to invest in repairs or upgrades.

The location of the property is spectacular. Right on the beach in Soliman Bay. The water is crystal clear and the reef right off shore has amazing snorkeling. Pandano's restaurant is a 9min walk down the beach and has a bar as well. Amazing food and beverages. Only issue was the property is in need of some TLC. Water pressure is abysmal and there were some maintenance issues. The property manager and the staff were excellent though. Worked hard to make our stay fantastic. Oh, and the internet was as advertised. Fast and dependable. 4.9 stars overall for sure.

My family (9 people total) had the best time for a long wedding weekend at Villa Iguana. The staff are amazing and every meal that was prepared for us was delicious. They went out of their way to make the time there special. The setting is beautiful: the water on the bay is warm and no waves so it was great to take the kayak out and go snorkeling. Everything was a 10/10.

We stayed in this home with another family. Very spacious and comfortable. The location is great with a large backyard that is meant for vacation lounging.

The caretakers on site were attentive to every detail and provided an amazing level of service for our families (a few meals, kid sitting for a night out, and more).

You will love this place.

Minar and Claudia really make the vacations for our family. They are fabulous on-site hosts. Their food is amazing, and they bend over backwards to be helpful.

The house is very clean though could use some updates. Minar and Claudia make up for where the house is a bit older. We've found the on-site managers make or break a great house.

Our stay at Villa Iguana was so incredible! The place was absolutely beautiful and Akumal Villas made the logistics super easy. Claudia and Mynor were so nice, so helpful, and are excellent cooks. I highly recommend having them cook you a meal one night, it was the best meal of the trip!

This was our third stay at Villa Iguana. We love the location, but most of all, we love how welcome and relaxed we feel there. The caretakers Myner and Claudia are deeply kind, very talented, and endlessly helpful. And their food is ABSOLUTELY NOT TO BE MISSED! Ask for their specialties, they are wonderful cooks, and what could be better than a multi-course meal ready when you ask for it right where you are???

We had an amazing 3 weeks vacation at this villa. Mynor and Claudia were amazing hosts and took great care of us. They provided lots of help to us and the place is cleaned and maintained daily. The place is beautiful and the ocean was so warm to swim, snorkel and kayak daily. Took long walks and swam in the pool too. We hired a chef and the food was exceptional daily. The property manager Gustavo and Maria Laura were terrific to deal with also. They helped us with several personal emergencies that came up due to traveling with babies. We felt like we were with family as everyone is caring and kind and provided exceptional service. That is the real magic of Villa Iguana. We will return someday soon. Thank you for a wonderful family reunion.

Minar and Claudia are such lovely hosts and the best food we could ask for in the area. They will bend over backward to make your stay wonderful. The beach and outside areas of the house make it great for a group or a cozy place to read.

This was our 5th stay at Villa Iguana and we all had a great time overall. We keep coming back every year because we love the house, the location and especially Myner and Claudia as they do such an amazing job taking care of the house and all guests. Our group consists of some excellent cooks and we always look forward to cooking delicious local foods on our vacation so my biggest issue is the oven. It just doesn't work properly at all so we were unable to cook many of the things we had planned. The stove top is fine, but oven is not and really needs to be replaced. The qualify should represent the house but is currently lacking. Also the 2 slightly functioning refrigerators is off-putting. It has been that way for a couple of years now but should be addressed as it takes away from the qualify of the house. The other concerning thing is the amount of parties going on in Soliman Bay now. The house next door had 4 different groups of people during our 2 week stay and all they did was party at all hours. If we wanted that atmosphere, we would stay in Tulum. Soliman Bay should do more to protect the peaceful vibe they always had. It would be heartbreaking to see it become a party place.

We researched hundreds of properties before deciding on Villa Iguana, and we were not at all disappointed! Ultimately VI had everything we were looking for -- beautiful isolated beach, spacious home and lots of multi-use outdoor space. In short -- privacy, privacy, privacy!

Let's begin with the outdoor living area because that's where we spent 90% of our time. Just outside the screened door of the indoor living/dining area, there's a covered outdoor area where we found ourselves convening in the mornings with coffee and books and again at lunch. Just beyond the covered porch is a small but well-maintained pool, a row of six comfortable chaises (easily moveable to take advantage of the sun), two more chaises with views of the ocean, two large and comfortable seating areas (both shaded), three hammocks under a palapa, and finally eight loungers right on the beach. So, you see, there are many different options for seating depending on your desire for sun or not. We happened to experience quite a bit of wind the first two days, making it difficult to lay at the beach, so protected areas were welcomed. (We had very little sargosa seaweed though!)

Our ONLY complaint about the outdoor space was that it would have been helpful to have a gas grill, as it was tricky to light the charcoal in the wind and a pain to do it twice a day if we wanted to grill at lunch and dinner. And we did bc the dated kitchen, while well-equipped, was far from a chef's kitchen (note: no dishwasher).

Otherwise, the interior was quite lovely with beautiful en suite bathrooms and comfortable(ish) beds. However, the TVs in each bedroom did not replace the fact that there was no communal sitting area in which to convene as a family to watch a movie/show (hint: bring an HDMI cord and crowd into a bedroom).

In closing, our visit was outstanding and Claudia and Minar were both lovely and helpful (Cheetos as fire starters?!), present in the mornings while also giving

Great house. Perfect for 3 generation family gathering. Away from the busy-ness of the coast. Claudia and Meiner were fantastic caretakers and cooks. the beach was clean and tended daily.

Villa Iguana was beautiful! Just as the photos showed. Beach was two steps away and cleaned every morning. The staff was friendly and attentive, the house was clean & well kept up. We had a problem with one of the air conditioners on the third floor and they replaced it immediately. Loved our stay, would go there again any day!

The location is excellent, Soliman Bay a treasure. We were lucky with a clear beach that week, with no sea grass. We are a family of 9 and this was our 7th biannual gathering. While loving the property, what brought us back a 2nd time was Claudia and Myner -- friendly, kind, professional, helpful, excellent cooks, and the house was beautifully cared for.

Wow! We choose this villa because it had such a nice outdoor area with a pool and right on the beach in a safe area away from the bustle of town...and it delivered more than expected! Our family trip included kids, parents and grandparents so it was important to have options for everyone. The bay is protected by a reef so our tween boys were able to swim and snorkel safely right in front of the house. We took the kayaks out and moored on the reef directly in front of the house to find excellent snorkeling (we ventured out one day to check out other snorkeling spots but quickly found out the snorkel spot at the house was the best and nobody else was there!). There are several outdoor areas to make use of - chairs and hammocks right on the beach to get a tan or take in the view, a few steps back toward the house but before the pool there are two seating areas on either side of the yard with beach/ocean views but a little more shady and private (great for grandparents to read and sip cocktails while watching the kids play and taking in the ocean view, at the pool there are lounge chairs both in the shade and sun, the patio directly off the house has a huge table for dining, and a seating area for hanging out close to the house. I think we only went inside to sleep!! Claudia cooked us dinner several times and we ate like kings! She's a fantastic cook and the portions were big enough that there was lunch leftovers the next day. Definitely have her cook for you! Myner (spelling?) kept the grounds perfect. The inside of the house was very nice too w/ comfy beds. Although very private with lots of vegetation (you can't really see your neighbors) the houses are quite close together. We had kids and so did the houses on either side so there was a lot of joyous laughter etc. Silence lovers take note! You can't choose your neighbors :) there might be kid noise. Joyful kid noise lovers there will likely be new friends for your kids to meet.

We had an amazing vacation on Soliman Bay at Villa Iguana. The Villa is just beautiful inside and out and Claudia and Mynard are absolutely wonderful and accommodating. We had 3 delicious dinners prepared by both of them. You can certainly tell that they want you to be happy! We snorkeled with turtles, stingrays and so many colorful fish. We kayaked and learned how to paddle board too. The weather was just perfect and the meal we had at Pandano down the bay at the Jashita was second to none! What a week! Loved it!

We had a great time and the house was clean and comfortable but it certainly needs some upgrades especially the kitchen. The pool could do with some heating in the winter as the kids found it quite chilly . The people who take care of the house do a great job and keep it very clean . We also had them cook several times and they did a great job.

We travel in family from Buenos Aires with the highest expectations, because we spent two weeks in May in the same location but in a hotel accomodation.
Provided we were seven in the family including two girls, 4 and 5 years old these time we choose a house to allow a better relationship among the members of the group with different preferences and plans.
No matter these initial high metrics the two weeks stay at Bahia Soliman was a very pleasent one. Landscape amazing, climate magnificent, the house impecable, and the support crew of the property Minar and Claudia very efficient and warm.
I do not know if we will have the opportunity to
enjoy a similar trip in the future, but if so, we will surely considere return as a lovely option.

Villa Iguana is lovely in every way. The Villa is beautiful and well maintained. The beach in front of the villa is absolutely perfect. That said, the high point of the stay was the Myner and Claudia. They were so very lovely to be around and totally helpful. We had not planned to have them cook for us but after the welcome dinner we couldn't resist. The food was absolutely delicious and the presentation magnificent. It was a perfect vacation for our family and friends.

We loved our week at Villa Iguana. We had two families with kids aged 9-17. Everyone had a fantastic time. The house was clean and there was plenty of room. The patio area is amazing, tons of seating and a good sun-shade mix to meet all needs. The beach front is peaceful with very little foot traffic and a lot of privacy. The bay is great for snorkeling and kayaking...lots to see. The caretakers/housekeepers/chefs were great. We had them prepare 3 dinners for us. All were fantastic! Loved our stay!

We cannot say enough about Villa Iguana and the lovely couple, Myner and Claudia, who care for it. The location is amazing- on a perfect, non-rocky piece of beach in the center of Soliman Bay, where you can walk right into the water even without aqua socks as you'd need in other parts of the bay. Some of the best snorkeling around is at the reefs right offshore. You can walk or swim out to the smaller ones or take the kayaks out to the bigger ones. Spectacular!!! Have Claudia cook some meals for you- she is a fantastic chef! The only thing that was less than perfect on our trip was that a part of the plumbing in the master bath toilet broke early in our stay, creating a horrible smell (we had to vacate the room for a night) and was not diagnosed right away. But once they realized what it was, they fixed it immediately and we had no further issues. We had such an amazing time we barely even remember that one issue. We also booked yoga at the villa with Sofia, who is excellent- highly recommend! We cannot wait to return to Villa Iguana!

We stayed at Villa Iguana in January 2016 (10 adults, 1 toddler) and we couldn't have been more pleased.

First, the home itself is beautiful, clean, and modern. The outdoor space was super accommodating and easily navigated by our toddler. The beach was clean and the water was the perfect temperature. The location was great, far enough away from the big resorts to feel less touristy and private, but still close to many things to do. We really didn't feel a huge need to leave the property as there was plenty to do (we kayaked to the reef to snorkel, lounged in the hammocks, walked up the beach along the beach, got massages under the palapa, and we went to the hotel bar at the front of the bay in the evenings). We did go to Dos Ojos Cenote, Coba, and into Tulum (all fantastic).

Claudia and Myner were seriously the sweetest couple. Myner was super helpful with decisions on what adventures to go on. He picked us fresh coconuts on several occasions and cut them open for us to drink, delicious! Claudia kept the home very clean and even made us gorgeous flower arrangements for the evening my brother in-law proposed to his girlfriend. I had just asked if we might be able to have a few flowers to put on the beach and she went so far above and beyond. I can't say enough good things about the 2 of them.

Since we were a large group of big eaters we took Chef Antonio's private chef service for the week. Victoria and Manuel were fantastic, they cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner.The food was great, and they were accommodating to special requests. Victoria even made sure to make my son a small piece of grilled chicken or rice on nights that the food was too spicy.

When we left all we could talk about is how we all couldn't wait to come back again and how there is so much more to do in the area that we hadn't yet done.

Thank you for a wonderful stay,
The Lugashis & Temples

4 couples plus my husband and me had an absolutely wonderful week at Villa Iguana and Mynor and Claudia who take care of the house were nothing but super helpful and sweet. The outdoor area is particularly well set up for a group and we loved just relaxing in the hammocks on the beach and making cocktails by the pool. We also went out for drinks and ceviche a few times at other places that were at either ends of the beach, a lovely walk along the shore. The house was kept impeccably clean each day and we really appreciated having the kitchen cleaned every morning as we were cooking a lot. Thank you for a lovely trip, we'll be back!

After a tricky arrival late at night, we awoke to a beautiful house and lovely beach. The staff were amazing, and we looked forward to each meal. Overall, a total success. Many thanks.

Villa Iguana was everything we had hoped for and expected. Our two families (with 7 kids) enjoyed every aspect of the Villa from the gardens to the pool to the beach. The kayaks made for some memorable snorkeling out in beautiful Solimon Bay. Minar and Claudia were gracious hosts and the 3 dinners they prepared were fantastic (the chicken pibil is a must!). The Villa location is also great with a short drive in either direction to Akumal or Tulum. We all loved it and hope to be back soon!

I had the opportunity to spend my 40th birthday at this amazing villa with my wife and friends. The house is beautiful! Everyone enjoyed themselves to the fullest. All the rooms were thoughtfully done and we so comfortable to stay in. The kitchen fit our needs and the living space was perfect for those lazy days of lounging. We are definitely coming back!!!!

Great place to stay and relax with kids! So much nicer than a 5 star hotel!

Couldn't have had a better vacation other than maybe a little less rain! But overall it was truly paradise and the caretakers were wonderful as was our personal chef! That was the smartest thing to go with 11 people and very reasonably priced! Food was fabulous!

Villa Iguana was suberb. We have been to area six times and Villa Iguana is the only one we have rented twice-its really that nice and the caretakers are fantastic.

The road off of Route 307 to the Villa is in drastic need of repair. It may impact our decision to come back to this gated community in the future.

Villa Iguana was a wonderful house. The caretakers, Claudia and Myner were the perfect host going well beyond the expected to make our stay unforgettable. Claudia is an amazing cook. Soliman Bay is the perfect place to stay especially if you enjoy snorkeling. You can just walk into the water and you are swimming with Loggerhead turtles and lots of fish. There were several kayaks to use and tie onto a buoy to snorkle on the plentiful reefs. Perfect!

We had a great time with our family in V.Iguana, the complete equipment of the house is outstanding, the outdoor furniture is so confortable, may be is neccesary to complete some missing units of the snorkeling equipment, just to say a little detail to improve; but is a house with a very good owner eye looking everything.

More than I could have imagined!! Beautiful home!

We enjoyed a perfect vacation with our extended family (10 people). The house had big common areas and plenty of smaller private spaces to spend time. The food that Claudia prepared was excellent and she and Myner were very sweet and helpful. The snorkeling in Soliman Bay was wonderful 5 out of 7 days. There is a lot to do in the surrounding area. The house, pool, beach and bay was very kid friendly. The beds were comfortable. The only thing was the directions to the house were confusing and took both parties a lot of trial and error to find. Great vacation!!!

Its a great house, in a great location...close to lots but a world away.

Thanks to claudia and myner for working so hard.

The house was very nice, great location. It was secluded, great views.

special mention for caretakers Claudia and Miynor, they are great!

A great place to go for eight 60ish year old women. Endless laughs and relaxation. Activities (kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, walking, massage, cooking, etc.) for the active, solitude when desired, just a true mind clearing time with no pressures, no time schedules, no chaos. Hosts truly genuine and accommodating.

A great place to go for eight 60ish year old women. Endless laughs and relaxation. Activities (kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, walking, massage, cooking, etc.) for the active, solitude when desired, just a true mind clearing time with no pressures, no time schedules, no chaos. Hosts truly genuine and accommodating.

We really enjoyed our stay in Villa Iguana. This area of Mexico offers so many different things to do.

The road from the highway and the dirt road from the gate to the villa is deplorable. It will be a factor when we consider our next rental in the Akumal area next year. We are considering a villa in South Akumal Bay partly due to significantly better road conditions.

I would recommend Iquana to a friend buy I would caution them on the road condition.

A most beautiful location, quiet except for the breeze, with outstanding cleanliness and a helpful staff. Benjamin cooked for the ten of us and we all agreed he did an outstanding job. Claudia (housekeeping) and husband Mynar (houseman) were keeping the indoors and outdoors spotless. The only drawback is the distance from town. Walking to town was nearly impossible, however taxi cabs were available from Tulum. There are two beach bars within walking distance and both were very hospitable.

Staff was EXCELLENT!!! Groundskeeper and Housekeeper did fantastic job! Very friendly and always around to help when needed. Chef's were Exellent as well - as usual.

Staff was great and made the trip. Ricardo is fantastic!!!!

Villa Iguana was a wonderful experience for the Pullen Family. Everyone enjoyed our stay. The only grumble we had was no one was on the premises when we arrived to greet us. Otherwise, all was perfect.
Leigh Pullen

We loved our stay at Iguana. The place is beautiful; Susie and Ricardo (maid and caretaker) are meticulous about cleaning, (inside and outside every day) and very helpful people. They made us feel at home and taken care of. Antonio, the exec chef, planned a wonderful menu for the week (taking our preferences into account) and got great value in the costs of our food. We spent $500 and ate like kings! He speaks English very well and is knowledgeable and helpful about anything you need to know for touring the area. Wilbur the cook had fresh fruit, juice and coffee ready every morning (until everyone got up and then he made breakfast?), prepared lunch (when we wanted) and dinner, (including cocktails when requested) and stayed until the last dish was done at night. They have bottled water throughout the house and boil tap water before washing dishes. We only left the place two days because there was so much to do there (snorkeling, kayaking, beach, pool, etc) and we were having too much fun relaxing and enjoying being pampered.

We were two families with 4 adults and 4 (teen and pre-teen) children. Not all 4 bedrooms are “master suites” where the bathroom is private, but each bedroom essentially has its own bathroom. All bathrooms have beautiful tile work, but no tubs, they are all showers. They had baby cribs in the closets, and a high chair, so they are prepared for the toddler set. (that said, there is a lot of marble floors, spiral stairs, and a pool for as toddler hazards, your ability to relax would depend on how wobbly and/or fast your child is) Plan on tipping all four employees; they work hard, and we were happy to tip them for the comfort and great service, but it wasn’t in our original budget, so I am just sharing so you can plan on another $800 to $1,000. We would have spent more eating out, so it is a good value! It is a long (2 hour drive) from Cancun, that meant long travel days. The beach on Solomon bay is so much nicer

We came to Villa Iguana as a family with 2 adults and six children ranging from teens to age 10. We had an absolutely wonderful time! The house and grounds were in wonderful condition and just as the photos depicted them. Although the homes are very close together, the landscaping and the depth of the lots offers plenty of privacy. The caretakers, Suzy and Ricardo, were very polite and helpful and keep the home in immaculate condition. Although the home and views were breathtaking, the "icing on the cake" was definitely having Jose to cook for us. It was a wonderful treat and removed any stress we had about food and water. The meals were delicious; we never tired of them, and Jose was so accommodating and helpful. There are numerous sights nearby, a few restaurants (but Jose's cooking is best!), and we enjoyed shopping in the small town of Tulum. I wish I spoke some Spanish, but we got by using a dictionary, and initially it was difficult to find the turn off road at night as there was no lighting. You will better off with a car as well, since very little is within walking distance. All in all, it was a marvelous vacation, relaxing and beautiful, and I would very definitely like to return again someday!!