From: "D_Fero" <D_Fero@email.msn.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 10:36:18 -0800

Research conducted by clients who wanted to vet me out at bottom of this page

Subj: A spiritual experience
Dear Leigh,
I don't know whether I should praise you to the heavens or curse your name. Praise because you introduced us to Zihuatanejo and to a very special place in our hearts; curse you because you have ruined all other destinations for us.
There was a time when I could blithely open the Saturday paper, look in the travel section for the cheapest seat sale and head off to some destination like Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Veradero, etc. etc., catching 7 days of sun/fun at a discount. Those days are now gone, thanks to you. We only have eyes for Z.

It was a truly special week. I'm back at work now and find myself unable to explain it to other people -except to say that I'm going back next year for longer. It was restful, it was stimulating; it was sensual, it was spiritual; it was calming, it was exciting; it was indulgent, it was rejuvenating. Late night walks along the waterfront, where the young Mexican couples find their own spaces in the rocks and talk and cuddle all night accompanied by the sound of the sea.
Filete de pescado at Rossy, where the magnificent sunset earns the
applause of diners every night.
Evenings in the town, with the Mexican kids playing and talking and squealing Enchiladas under the stars at La Mango - maybe not five star dining, but the best 8 peso supper I found.
Cantaloupe so juicy and sweet that even its memory is erotic.
Beach soccer at La Madera - every boy dreaming of being Pele, until they fall laughing into a jumble of tangled legs and roll into the ocean to wash the sand away.
And the faces and the people and the clarity that comes with catching your breath and putting your life into perspective and your priorities in order.

Life is like a kaleidoscope -- it's all illusions and reflections, fractured images and pieces. But every once in a while a person gets a clear vision and can see things in their own lives as they really are and as they should be. That happened to us in Z.

Thanks for everything Leigh.
Dani

CASA LEIGH

From: Ron Logan <ron_logan@smartinco.com>
Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2001 11:23:47 -0800

We had a great time. We witnessed a lightning storm that, according to
people that have lived there a long time, Zihuat has never seen the likes
of. Carmen is very helpful.
Thanks, Ron

From: "Jenise Uehara" <jenise.uehara@openwave.com
Date: Thu, Dec 21, 2000, 4:46 PM

It was great, we had a very relaxing time. Condo had a nice view and we were
relieved to see it had a/c in both rooms. Loved the arty decor. I'd suggest
only one thing:
A "welcome" info sheet put in plain sight would have been very helpful...
just the base info about the house. For example if you put dirty laundry in
the white trunk AND prepay it, the the housekeeper will take it away to be
cleaned. The housekeeper will cook for you for approximately $(fill in the
blank). The installer's phone number is (fill in blank). We got her card but
promptly lost it amongst the beach bags and luggage. That type of stuff.

The binder w/ all the menus and info was great and super informative, but
takes quite a while to go thru and find the info you're looking for.

(FYI the fitted bedsheet in the guest bdrm is pretty threadbare and is
ripped in the middle.)

THanks again, I will recommend to anyone interested in Ixtapa!
--Jenise

From: Geoff Menzies <gmenz@az.com
Date: Sat, Mar 4, 2000, 3:54 PM

Hi Leigh,
We had a great trip as usual to our favorite Mexican town. It has
changed a bit since our last visit more than ten years ago but the charm
of La Ropa is still intact. The hotel we used to stay in, Hotel
Calpulli, as you know has been abandoned and we heard that there were
plans for a high rise hotel on that site. In our view, that would
seriously degrade the LaRopa experience and certainly there must be some
restrictions on building height in the area.

We became reaquainted with a native Mexican woman on the beach, who
sells tortuga cream and oil, who we remembered from our last trip so
many years ago. We paid her typical earnings for the day and took her,
her ninito, and her mother to Barro de Potosi for a day of relaxation
and fantastic snapper soup. Although we paid too much for the taxis
there and back, it was worth it to share time with her and give her a
break from the daily grind.

Both Bungalos Ley and Villas San Sebastian suited our needs very well.
Casa Leigh was fantastic with lots of room for the six of us. It was
easy to walk into town from Playa Madera along the beach

Villas San Sebastian #1 was tight for 6 but it worked out okay. Very
nicely laid out and the pool is a nice fringe benefit. We encountered
some interesting critters who were sharing the outdoor living area with
us (bats and a surprise garter snake which was curled up under one of
the cushions), but that's to be expected and they provided much late
night entertainment for me and my 17 year old daughter and friend. The
message is that we have to share this environment, not dominate. Some
less adventurous guests might be a little put off if they made the
discoveries we did. Access to La Ropa was very easy as you had said, a
chance to get a bit of exercise and walk off so many great meals, mostly
on the beach at La Perla, La Gaviota, or Elvira's...our favorite haunts.

We fished locally and snorkelled for a day with Luis Soto( his father
took us out 10 years ago). It was a favorite day; great to get out on
the water. Caught enough bonitas for lunch at Ixtapa Island, dinner at
LaPerla with some left over for Captain Luis. I highly recommend the
Soto family for your visitors. They are very gracious, fun, and
accommodating. We also did some hobie sailing from LaRopa which was
loads of fun and quite affordable.

I hope Zihuatanejo and the local beaches can maintain their local flavor
and charm without too much more growth. I don't think LaRopa can handle
too much more tourist-type activities than it already has going. The bay
seemed pretty busy with sailboats, cruiseships, ferries, fishing,
banana-dragging boats, hobie-cats, and parasailing.

As you suggested, we brought and left some clothing with both Betty and
Marie. Nancy did a great job as the initial welcoming party. We all
stayed healthy.

All in all, a great trip and adventure with very nice digs,

From "Follow the Reader", SF Chronicle/Examiner Oct 27, 1996
"In Mexico I believe I have finally found my Utopia--Zihuatanejo...I stayed in a very comfortable two bedroom, two bathroom, fully equipped condo on the beach of La Madera owned by Leigh Roth of Berkeley. It had a great location for a beautiful walk into downtown, along an enchanting esplanade." Joanne Rodgers, Diablo

From SF EXAMINER, Corrie Anders, Investing Column:
"Run for the Border -- Offers plenty of paradise for your peso"
"Even before NAFTA, U.S. citizens increasingly have been investing in real estate in Mexico...Just ask Leigh Roth...Roth was walking along...Zihuatanejo when she saw a condominium for sale..."I fell in love with it," said Roth, a Registered Nurse in Berkeley. "I'd never seen a building that said, 'buy me.' It was a real aesthetic impulse...She spends half the year in Z. and rents out...Last year she bought a lot on which she plans to build..."

Carmela and I had a wonderful time in Zihuatanejo and enjoyed both places
very much, especially Casa Leigh. We spent hours and hours on the roof
deck, which we had all to ourselves. I swam to La Ropa 4 times. Thanks very much for all your assistance. Carmela and I look forward to
returning to Zihuatanejo and recommending your services to friends and
family. Sincerely,

Tom Drinkard
---------- Original Text ----------

From: "Susan Goetz" <susangoetz@worldnet.att.net
: Wed, Dec 1, 1999, 7:41 PM
We fell in love with Zihuatanejo and now want to go back every year!! We loved Playa La Ropa, especially Rossy's and Las Gatas and Ixtapa Island forsnorkeling where Ishmayael kept us full of food and drink all day long! We hired a boat to take us to Playa Manzanillo and were the only three folks on the whole beach! Downtown was great and Nancy pointed us in many good directions like Any for tamales. I bought ALL my Christmas presents and they are so cool!The house was wonderful! Everything was great and Betty is very good! We met a cool taxi driver named Jose who used to live in California and hetook us all over for the whole time we were there.We hated Ixtapa. Went there one night for dinner and were extremely disappointed! We had dinner one night at La Casa Que Canta and were in foodheaven!! What a cool place!Definitely recommending this to friends and will go back maybe in March orApril....I'm a believer!!Thanks, Lisa

Hello Leigh, I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful accommodations in Zihuatanejo. It was one of the best vacations I have ever had. I fell in love with the town, the people, and the language. Now my goal is to learn Spanish here so that I will be much more fluent when I return. Leigh, I fully plan to come back to Zihuatanejo again, and I hope that your condo will be available. It was just one of the most beautiful places ever. Certainly, Rebecca, Grace and I will try to visit, but I have already told my other girlfriends here about it and am trying to plan something for next year. I'll be in touch! Thank you and best wishes. Muchos Gracias, Sandy

(This man stayed part in Hotel Paraiso Real, then CASA LEIGH)

Dear Leigh,
It was great to meet you in Z. Too brief.
You obviously figure as a major persona there - and it's easy to see why. I liked all of your friends and have developed a case of melancholy that will be a long time shaking. The Hotel Paraiso was fine... architecturally unremarkable, but filled with wonderful people - and perfectly located on one of the earth's nicest beaches. . Everybody was great to the children... Playa la Ropa is, after all... a playground - we miss it terribly. Casa Leigh at La Madera was just wonderful. I am glad that we had a chance to get our bearings before moving in... we were nicely positioned to appreciate the location. The kids went bonkers over Rubins Hamburger's (the people are very sweet) and Carol and I took advantage of the situation by slipping away to La Casa Viejo while they were into their burgers and baked potatoes. I should tell you that while at your place... I discovered a book on the shelf above the bed that blew me away:"Travelers Tales in Mexico". Wow. I read until my wife dragged me away. If you find it dog eared - you'll know who to blame. I wrote down the name of several of the contributors - and have already ordered two of their books. I am very taken with the Indian roots of Mexico. These people are great. With the exception of a few cab drivers... I found a rich and consistent integrity there. I love the people that you seem to have adopted (or is it the other way around?) On the last day I found myself walking the beaches saying good-by to friends.
Carol and I suffered only a little by bringing the 6 kids along - we both had fun - and managed to find ample time for ourselves. Carol (quite a naturalist) enjoyed the walk to the lighthouse behind Playa las Gatas...spotting lizards, snakes, butterflies and flycatchers... the old man who watches over the lighthouse reminded me of my years in Italy in the late 60's. One the nicest memories was one afternoon I managed to persuade my oldest two children to sail one of Miguel's Hobie Cats with me. My son Joseph was at the tiller and Christina worked the jib... I just lay face down on the trampoline feeling the sun on my back and water threw my fingers as the little catamaran slid up and over the swells. We sailed out of the bay and felt a solitude that father and his children rarely experience any more. On the last evening I hurried back to take the Laser out for a short sail. The operator looked at me for a brief moment - saying nothing... then told his assistant to rig a boat. Of course I realized that they had just broken down the boats for the evening... but he could see in my eyes that I very much wanted this last voyage. I sailed out amongst the moored cruisers and into the setting sun in barely enough wind to fill the sail... Carol said she could see me from your rooftop...When I returned, I gave up the boat and immediately dove into the warm water for a last swim. I can still smell the evening.

As a gift to myself, I purchased a marvelous Myan relief sculpture (Tonatiu sun god) on the shell of a tortoise from your friend Tania at the Galeria Maya. She was concerned that it wouldn't pass customs. If you see her tell her it hangs in my studio and is an absolute delight. It fills this room with wonderful warm memories (it was meant to be here).

Lastly, I regret that I didn't have time to enjoy a Margarita with you. I enjoyed many of the paintings and sketches at your place - would love to be a guest at one of your parties someday!

All in all, the regrets are few. The experience was rich and very memorable.
I love Z. Thank you.

My son said: "Maybe our plane crashed, and we're in paradise." He is prone to hyperbole, but clever for an eleven year old.
_________________________________
Salvatore Raciti @ Animation Cafe
VOX 508 754-0328 FAX 508 754-0928

Dear Leigh,

I must say, we just loved your condo/apt. and we loved Z. All of us just had a ball. Joe got to know Oscar and the "good" plumber quite well. Infact, he even got to know some relatives. We visited other beaches, but thought ours had way more personality. Being able to walk to the market each day made the location just perfect for our whole family.

On Sat. the two couples were supposed to check out. The night before one of the men became very ill, and called the doctor. Unfortunately, this was the time that the pump, I think, broke down. They had no water. Since we were across the street, we offered our shower to them. They were just getting ready to come, when the water came back on. That problem was solved. We moved our stuff in as soon as Betty cleaned up. One of the couples had a flight that was late-a charter. So they just left their things in the place, and actually, we got to know them. They were very nice, and had a great time too, except for their friend becoming so ill. Linda said when they left, "I feel like we've been on vacation with you." To which I replied, "Yes, and haven't we had fun!" Anyway, Sunday night our toilet stopped-up, and then we lost all water. The next day, the plumber was back, and he fixed the problem. On Friday, Joe had showered, but the rest of us were just getting packed up and ready to hop in when...no water! The boys decided to go down on the beach and use the public showers. I called Oscar to let him know, never dreaming this could be fixed in time for me to benefit. Oscar said, The water is out all over the house? You'll have water in five minutes." I told Joe that he must be dreaming. Sure enough, the water truck was there in five minutes, and while I was in the shower, hot water even returned. Pretty good service, I thought.
Betty is super. She even helped me with my Spanish--lots of room to improve.
Thanks for the place--Ginny

P.S. Your art work is interesting, and eclectic. We are all quite
impressed that you are published.

Thank you...Rosa and Betty are stars. How lucky you all are.
Best....
Jim

From: Meg Autry <mautry@post.its.mcw.edu
Leigh, wanted to let you know that we had a great time. We used the pool at the Villas Miramar everyday Betty was great and cooked for us one night
excellent food. We brought extra clothes and gave them to her and I
hope left her a big enough tip. Thanks again, hopefully we will be
contacting you in the future.

__________________________________________

BAMBOO BUNGALOW

----------
From: "Marty Chakoian" <Marty.Chakoian@ci.seattle.wa.us
Leigh,

We wanted to touch base with you on our trip, which we thoroughly enjoyed!
We've been back a whole week, and the memories, like the tans, are starting
to fade.

The apartment was fine. Nancy did a nice job of showing us and another
couple around town, including taking us to the Market, which was very
helpful.
It was great having a kitchen. We actually did not do a lot of serious
cooking, but often made a few eggs in the morning or even sometimes for
supper. We mostly ate avocado and mango and tortillas and a fresh salsa
that we concocted. We ate maybe one meal a day out. Every morning after
coffee we walked to Playa la Ropa and ran for a few miles, then swam. Our
big outing for the week was to take the bus to Playa Linda and the boat to
Isla Ixtapa. We had intended to snorkel, but it was cloudy and a little
cool that day, and the water was rough, so we sat on the beach and read
instead. The bus ride was the best part, because we got to see a little
more of the area (and it made us especially glad that we were not staying
in Ixtapa.)

Betty is wonderful. She took great care of us. We tried to make sure all
the dishes were washed before she got here, because if we didn't, she would
clean them too! You might want to think about giving your guests the
option of having the sheets and towels changed every other day instead of
every day. That would have been fine with us, and would have saved water
as well as a little of Betty's time.

Everybody probably tells you their favorite places to eat. Ours turned out
to be the Sirena Gorda, for the smoked fish tacos. We ate a lot of good
food in Zihuatanejo, but that was the best.

That's probably enough for now. We're still adjusting to the cold and
dampness of Seattle and wishing we were back in Mexico. By the way, feel
free to use us if somebody wants a recommendation.

--Marty and Patti

From: lclousto@uclink4.berkeley.edu (Laurel Clouston)
To: zihua@Lmi.net
Subject: vacation
Date: Wed, Feb 16, 2000, 11:37 AM

Hi Leigh!
I am happy to report that Sharon and I enjoyed the best vacation of
our lives. I am refreshed, tanned and immensely content. We met some
spectacular people and really enjoyed Playa Larga on Sunday as you
recommended. All in all, this holiday set a benchmark for vacations to come
. . . Thanks so much for the opportunity,
Laurel.

Laurel Clouston
Chemistry
UC Berkeley

From: "John C Roger" <john.roger@worldnet.att.net
Date: Sat, Feb 5, 2000, 2:52 PM
Very nice, indeed. No problems with the rental, only a little lack of water
pressure in the shower head that prompted Barb and I to come up with
creative new ways to bathe each other!! Weather was warm and beautiful.
Only one incident of underhanded business-the money changer at Banamex tried
to short me some 300 pesos on my f/x transaction; but you know I'm a
banker!!

My fondest memories (not necessarily in order of importance):
- Tacos at El Sanka (I'm in complete agreement with your attorney)
- The abalone plate at La Gaviota ($4!!)
- Little Antonio (he's going to be a total lady-killer when he grows up)
- Sunsets from the hammock
- Our favorite meal at Casa Vieja (Sonora Beef is wonderful and nothing like
we get here)
- The gracious Mexican people
- Tamales at "Any's"
- The Hotel Sotavento & Catalina (sp?) on La Ropa Beach who stopped charging
us for use of their lounge chairs and umbrellas after the second day.
- Your air conditioner
- Finding a Mexican "snow-dome" on our last day (a woman I work with
collects them - go figure)
- Betty's smile
- Doing all of the above with my sweetheart.
Leigh,

The foreign exchange problem was with a teller. She didn't give me a
receipt showing the correct amount of the transaction. Instead of 2,750
pesos, she gave me 2,450 pesos (that's US$30 in her pocket!!) Some nerve.
Antonio is the son of Nancy, our day 1 tour guide. He's a beautiful child
and will definitely break a few hearts along the way. I also forgot to
mention one of my favorite things was the smoked sailfish pate at La Casa
Vieja. If you haven't had it, you must the next time you go. A snow-dome
is a junky piece of brick-a-brac that when you shake it, little pieces of
white stuff float around inside, like snow (I'm sure you've seen them). The
only order I got to bring something home was from a co-worker who collects
these ridiculous things. She has them from all over the world, but didn't
have a Mexican one, until now. As for Betty's smile, I don't know what to
tell you except I thought she was in a permanent state of happiness and
didn't think to take a picture!! By the way, you have a new palapa over the
Bungalos Ley. It was interesting watching it go up. Also, there's a "for
sale" sign on the building, with the name Elizabeth Williams. What's that
about??

Leigh, the Italians have a name for it, "La dolce di far niente", the
sweetness of doing nothing. I've traveled the world, and have found the
place where this sweetness has been developed to its highest level, Zihua!!

Thanks again. John & Barbara

John

From: "Darrell" <glctwo@pacifier.com
Date: Mon, Dec 6, 1999, 9:26 AM

Hi Leigh Just a quick note to let you know how much we loved our time at the Bamboo Bungalow. One way or another we will plan another trip to Zihua, if not aboard our sailboat, we will definately stay at the Bamboo Bungalowagain. That was the first time in Zihua for both of us and are excited at the prospect of returning. Thank you very much,
Darrell McBrayer

August 18, 1999
Thanks, Leigh! Everything was wonderful, Z was wonderful,
the installation intro was really useful.
i've got a couple of boxes of clothing i'd like to send
south, can you tell me who/where to send them?

I've put up a bunch of pictures on my website at
all labelled with Z. if you start with
http://hotcoco.infi.net/~lyons/zihua.html
they're all linked.
Please, please feel free to use any of them in your
Zihua pages, just let me know if you do
so i can get a warm fuzzy feeling.
i'll be back.
happily,
holly

From: Marcus Davies <windav@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 17:50:33 PDT

this is marcus up in Canada. i'm sorry i haven't written sooner. i just
want you to know what a wonderful time we had at the Bamboo Bungalow again this year. everything was perfect -- of course. the troubles we did have were those simple Mexico troubles -- stove ran out of fuel, water tank ran out -- but those problems were handled by Betty as soon as she was able. you're right to think highly of her. we certainly do.

You always wonder when you take your kids on vacation if they're going to
get it. especially a place like Z where there is no Club Med for kids
(thank god!) and no phony amusement parks, etc. I'm delighted
to report that my kids not only got the point of Z, but they excelled at it.
After we'd been there a few days, our 8-year-old son turned
to us on the beach and said: "this is the laziest place in the world." AND
HE SAID IT WITH ADMIRATION AND RESPECT! at that moment I knew there'd be no whining about arcades and Disney world because they got
the rhythm and the beat of Z. it was a WONDERFUL 2 weeks.

I had to write and thank you for that, Leigh. it was possible because of you and the Bamboo Bungalow and your kindness in providing us a great rate for the two weeks. i hope among all my hopes that we'll be able to do it again soon -- if not this winter
then certainly next.

From: phoy@silk.net (Patti Hoy)
Leigh,
Our trip was awesome! Now we know why you love Zihuatanejo. The Bamboo Bungalow was fun. Great location - close to el centro and Playa La Ropa ( our favorite). Betty is Wonderful! Wanted to take home some of your pet geckos, but didn't think they would like Winter. Had 14 hot & sunny days. It was heaven! Keep up the good work with your reservation service. We'll recommend you.
Warmest regards,
Patti Hoy & Tom Fydell

The Bamboo Bungalow worked out great. Betty was a wonder, the hammock was terrific, location was perfect, and the hot water and kitchen were downright luxurious. Love to get back there sometime.
Thanks for your help on arrangements. Understand you faxed/called to
check up on us while we stayed at Rossy's. Appreciate it. Bill.

From: "Garcia, Lupe" <lgarcia@pacifictheatres.com
Thanks for the nice clean place you provided on our three day stay in Zihua.
We had a wonderful time. Next time we go again I will book with you!
_______________________________________________________

VILLA LUZ

Doris,
The house is fantastic, absolutely fantastic. You'll love it. The
beach (Playa la Ropa) is 1 block away - an easy stroll. There are numerous
beachfront restaurants on Playa la Ropa. The beach itself is gorgeous. We
went in February and there were no crowds, the temperatures were perfect.
The town is a 30 minute walk from the villa. Or... a $1.50 cab ride.
There
are cabs all over Zihua and finding one is never a problem. The pool --
that's another matter. We were never given instructions on how to find/use
the pool. We could see it from the balcony, but never hit it. Would have
been nice on a couple of occasions.
Water sports abound - sailing/scuba/boating, etc.... inexpensive.
Visit the "real" market - where the locals shop for groceries. We bought
breakfast fruits for a week that cost us less than $2.00 for the entire
week. The produce is grand. A "Must" is a boat trip ($2.00) to Playa las
Gatos - it's a strip of beach on the other side of the harbor for "day
tripping". You'll find cabanas all over the beach with vendors ready to
tend to your every wish from food to jewelry to "mas cervezas". If you go
there - migrate a little past halfway down the beach from the boat docks
and find "Franco". He's a great guy who serves to please. We enjoyed his help
greatly for two days straight. Mas mas mas cervezas y margaritas, por
favor!
Ixtapa is a 20 minute cab ride for $5.00. It's okay if you like the
"touristy" thing. High rise hotels/gringos etc. Pffffftttttt.........
We spent a morning there and left as quickly as we could to get home to "our
Zihua".
Dealing with Leigh is not a problem. She is efficient and thorough -
at least on our first time. We're trying to rent the house again in June of
this year - getting married in the process - but haven't been able to make
wedding plans in Mexico yet. We're afraid we might not be able to pull it
off without her help. Her contact in Mexico seems to have disappeared
though we only met with this person for a short time upon arrival in
Mexico.
Hope you have a wonderful trip. Make sure the house is still in good
shape for us - hoping that leigh can come through for us again.

----------
From: "STEVEN R ZANTOP" <THEZSTER@prodigy.net
Subject: Leigh, Thank you so very much
Date: Sun, May 21, 2000, 10:42 AM
Leigh,

It's taken months for me to write since our trip to Zihua and Villa Luz. I lost all the data on my computer and could not find your files. Thank you so very much for the wonderful accomodations at Villa Luz in February. My fiancee and I had a marvelous time and anticipate returning next year. As a matter of fact, I wrote to Nancy a short while ago and have asked her to coordinate our wedding in Zihua next spring. As soon as we have actual dates figured out, we will reserve accomodations, no doubt including Villa Luz again.
Thanks again,
Look forward to working with you,
Steven Zantop

From: "Judy Keller" <jud@nextek.net

I wanted to send you a note before I get all caught up in the December rush. We had an absolutely wonderful vacation in Zihuatanejo. It certainly surpassed my expectations! Lee and I had a great time those first few days in Z and found Hotel Citali to be very clean and comfortable. We had a chance to acquaint ourselves and get a very good feel for the area. Then, of course, our move to Villa Luz! The home is just breathtaking and we all fit very comfortably. I enjoyed meeting Luz and Jorge and she gave us a good tour of the house. LaRopa Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches I have every seen. We took a day trip to LosGatos (some of us walked and others took the ferry) and found it to be a nice experience but I was happy just to get back to LaRopa. You couldn't ask for a better view of the sunset than every evening in Villa Luz.
We would have had a great trip no matter where we stayed but having the beautiful surroundings of Villa Luz made it an extra special time. Thank you for all your help and information in helping us plan this trip. Lee and I are already planning to return next year!
I left Luz a note because we had to leave before she returned but please pass on to her again our thanks for allowing us to stay at her home.
Best wishes for a great holiday season,
Judy Keller

Leigh: They were wonderful hosts. I particularly enjoyed slipping between English, Spanish, and German, often using all three languages in a single sentence. We had a delicious and beautifully presented breakfast one morning, and of course, there was the spectacular house.
-John-

We had a great trip and the place you found us was beautiful. LUZ and her husband were great. ---?

Hi Leigh,
. We went on a trip to Playa Blanca, where we took horseback to a secluded beach..untouched by commerce. Most Beautiful.....IXTAPA without the crap... We went to IXTAPA to see what it was all about. HATED it! We stayed two hours and went back to La Ropa. We became well acquainted with the town, surrounding area and establishments.
. The accommodation was comfortable and the adventure superb...
Please let me know what you have available during the October,November timeframe (in anticipation of a honeymoon!!!)
Debbie Adamson and Steve McCulloch
_______________________________________________________

SUITES PARAISO

From: Gustavo Banuelos <gustavobanuelos@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, Feb 24, 2001, 9:11 AM
Leigh,

We're here in ZihuataÒejo having a great time. Irma
is a wonderful host and has extended every courtesy to
us. I feel that we are in great hands and enjoying
every minute of every day. So far the jewel in the
crown has to be Playa Larga. It's one of the most
pleasant places we've been to and the locals have
treated us with complete hospitality.

Anyhow, just wanted to thank you again. We have 3
days left and plan to make of it.

Regards from the (free) internet cafe in Ixtapa,
Gustavo Banuelos

From: "Chris McCullough" <chris-mccullough@worldnet.att.net
Date: Tue, Dec 14, 1999, 2:19 PM
Everything was absolutely perfect! Irma and Jesus were a delight. Thank you very much for all ofyour help. We look forward to our next visit!Chris and Jessica McCullough

From: "Tharrington, Sue" <Sue.Tharrington@Schwab.COM
Date: Mon, Oct 25, 1999, 3:41 PM

Excellent, thank you. Irma was great and the place was wonderful,
especially the view and the air conditioned bedroom. We found the location
convenient to town and to Playa La Ropa, and also to the Kau Kan rest. which
we loved. Thanks for your help with all the arrangements. Sue

Hi Leigh,

Suites Paraiso was great - we had everything we needed there, and it was
close to town as well as La Ropa Beach. The view from the balcony was incredible and almost every night we were treated to the most fabulous lightning show through the clouds over the water.
Irma and Jesus are very warm and friendly people, and we had a lot of laughs
trying to communicate using sign language and our very limited Spanish. We
enjoyed every minute of our vacation and hated to leave. You were right - this will not be our last trip to Zihua.
Marion.Martin@smi.siemens.com Marion Martin phone: 408/ 501-6787

We had a terrific time there and really enjoyed staying in the
Condo's..We think they're at the best possible location with an EZ beach
walk access to town and a short walk to some real nice restaurants..The rooms were extremely clean and well maintained. The view from all of the condos is outstanding! We really enjoyed sitting on the deck and watching the sunset.. But most of all we appreciated the kindness and friendliness of Irma and Jesus. In all our travels we have never met
nicer people.

Dean and Sue

Peter Yerneau: "place absolutely great had fantastic time, want to send things down to Irma and talk to you about your projects, want to send some things down to some boys we met there. , again tremendous trip and experience, loved it, people extremely nice and helpful. Great choice, good work! 612 4476843 3967741

We thoroughly enjoyed it, the only problem was friends stopping by and not
having any way to let us know that they were out there. If there was a
doorbell (?) for each room, the guest could ring to see if the guest wanted
to come up.... there didn't seem to be an attendant very often. I really
would recommend it, Kimberly(the jacuzzi wasn't warm though) why say you
have one if it isn't heated?

Dear Leigh,
We very much enjoyed our stay at Suites Paraiso in February. The condo was spacious and the housekeeping service was excellent. Irma & Jesus were very hospitable owners. The excellent sea breeze and vista of the bay were real "pluses". The accommodations at Suites Paraiso added much to the enjoyment of our trip.
Shari Crawford

From another guest handwritten letter dated April 13:
"Your choice of La Madera Beach was perfect, easily our favorite beach.
Irma very kind and patient. She liked us so much, we got invited to her
daughter's coming out party (15th b'day). We bowed out gracefully and were glad we did (the family didn't come home for two days)
The Suites Paraiso was very nicely accommodated, sparsely furnished but everything we needed to feel at home. What's up with this hard beds in
Mexico - I guess there are no back problems! Very interesting having a
jacuzzi that bubbles but has not heat. Used to to cool off, and for water
to flush toilets when we lost water for most of one day. We lost power in
the whole beach side area from early evening until late last night! Went to town, ate by candle-light, and shopped. Had much --"Oh, well."
_______________________________________________________

VILLAS SAN SEBASTIAN

Our stay was fantastic. Mari, the maid, and Irenio, the gardener were very
nice to us and did a great job of keeping our Villa stay enjoyable. We did a
lot of relaxing, and even more eating. The folks at Villa del Sol knew us by
name by the time we departed. Several evening meals were enjoyed at the Puesto
del Sol up on the hill to Zihua. We highly recommend the table chef's efforts
and watching him cook up a Spanish Coffee at tableside is pretty incredible.
We loved our time spent in Zihuatanejo and hope to return sometime.
We brought lots of clothes down for the gardener and our maid, and
left the rest with a tour guide for his uncle and relatives in Petatlan. We
brought so many that it broke the handle off the oversized suitcase and we had
to leave it behind...
Thanks, Kevin

kgsnow@ados.com
Date: Tuesday, May 01, 2001 4:08 PM

From: JOHN D ADMIRE <admire@flash.net>
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2001 22:48:55 -0600

Sorry it's taken so long to reply, but I had surgery right after our return so I'm a little behind...We absolutely loved Villa San Sebastian and Zihuatanejo. We'd like to come back with family and rent the entire place for a week so expect to hear from us again. I can't even begin to say what we liked best, perhaps just La Ropa...we didn't care whether we went anywhere else the entire time, at least not for our first visit! But the open air atmosphere of the "villa" is a close second. Spent one brief morning in Ixtapa (had the kids at the Dolphinarium). It took no more than 5 seconds to know we were glad to be staying south. The staff was wonderful, helpful and friendly. It's was a great experience.

Thanks and you will hear from us again! Carol Admire

Rbriggs05@aol.com Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 14:33:19 EDT We had a great stay @ San Sebastian. I must say that the view from our unit was superb. The facilities were very clean throughout. Lillia was a very gracious host, and was very helpful in a number of ways. Please tell her we said muchas gracias again. All in all it was a great trip, with wonderful weather and lots of good food. Thanks. Ron Briggs