John                                  Mark

WHY THE NAMES?

We wanted to give our new Villa a name that embodied our vision. A place where friends come together and new friendships are made. Something positive. Villa Amistad means Villa of Friendship.  Each of the four main apartments were named after a special friend that offered us guidance, motivation and help during our renovation of the Villa and start of our new business.  We honored them by naming each apartment after one of them.

Miguel's Mirador: is named after Miguel who works at the Villa. He used to help us out here and there when we needed him but, after graduating university, he began to work as a full-time employee and a jack of all trades.  He keeps very busy translating all our integrations, the website, and guidebook into Spanish. Plus all of his help in the office from reservation assistance, accounting, and guest services.  During busy turnovers, Miguel steps in to help the team prepare the property for new guests. He has been extremely helpful over the years and we are excited to have him with us.  On his free time he loves to explore the Botanical Garden, take walks along the Malecon in the evenings, or play his Nintendo.  He is looking forward to traveling and exploring the world now that he is working.

Ivan's Bella Vista is named for our friend Ivan. He has been one of our closest friends since we moved to Puerto Vallarta, always offering help and moral support. Sometimes after a late night out on the town, Ivan would come over the next morning to help with cleaning or some task. He is a true confidant and friend. You can meet him personally at Reina's Bar in the Romantic Zone where he is a popular and friendly bartender. 

Curiel's Retreat is named for one of our closest friends in Puerto Vallarta. Curiel, one of the most popular bartenders in town was born and raised in the area. A fantastic person with a caring heart, Curiel has made a name for himself in Puerto Vallarta for his welcoming attitude. You can also find Curiel as head bartender at Reina's Bar.  Curiel has always offered his help and connections and been a true friend. Curiel is also a fantastic hiker and has started his own hiking tour business. He knows all the great hikes to waterfalls and swimming spots.  We are honored to name Curiel's Retreat after him.

Jonathan's Lugar: is named after Jonathan, who also works at the Villa.  He started off as John's best friend here in PV and we asked if he would prefer to work with us.  He jumped at the chance. Jonathan is probably one of the nicest guys I've ever met and he is always there to offer help when we need it.  Jonathan has a passion for travel and has been exploring Europe and South America the past several years on his free time.  He loves trying out restaurants, camping, hiking, and just having a good time with his friends in Vallarta.

Just like our friends are each different and unique in their own special way, each apartment is also unique with its own personality and interesting architectural traits.

THE CREATION OF VILLA AMISTAD:

Mark purchased the Villa in the Spring of 2019.  The original Villa (Villa Pedregoso) was one of the original large homes in the area. It was beautiful in its open air hacienda style and multitude of brick arches. But, the Villa was never completely finished. The design also wouldn't be attractive to the expectations of 21st century travelers. Most people expect a clean living space with modern amenities and air conditioning. The original Villa while unique and beautiful needed some tender loving care and some greatly needed maintenance and upgrades. It took months to completely gut the building. Structural engineers were brought in to create a lighter and stronger structure. Steel reinforced posts and beams were installed throughout the building and new walls along with sound proofing materials. All new plumbing and electrical was greatly needed along with a water pressurization and filtration system for clean pure drinking water.

The original Villa had 4 floors but, the top floor was removed in the phase 1 of construction. A salt water pool was installed and the home expanded on the third floor with 2 large balconies providing wonderful ocean views. The 2nd floor apartments were also slightly expanded and provided with their own private balconies and terraces. Each bedroom now had its own private bathroom and the apartments were now able to be closed up to allow the use of air conditioning. The Covid Pandemic of 2020 threw a big wrench into everything. We both lost our jobs and had to use our savings to complete the Villa.  During the pandemic, construction projects were one of the few business activities that were not halted.  Mexico does not have unemployment benefits or many social services so, we were happy to be able to offer a source of income for about 50 families who had workers at the construction of the Villa.

Villa Amistad is the result of countless hours of labor and planning. We are also thankful for the outpouring of support of many of our friends and family. If not for their support, guidance and mentoring, Villa Amistad probably would not have been completed. At Villa Amistad we carry our concept of friendship and gratitude to our guests with friendly service and a never ending drive to make their stay with us a joyous and memorable experience.