A Nice B&B Getaway in Punta Carnero, Ecuador!

The Schmidt's home
 in Punta Carnero, Ecuador

John and Heather Schmidt didn't set set out to pursue a dream of owning their own Bed & Breakfast in Ecuador.  However, sometimes life has a way of having a dream come and find you!

This couple from Arizona's Valley of the Sun, like so many ex-patriates, came to Ecuador hoping to be able to salvage some their hopes for their retirement after the economic woes in the US.  As many readers now know, Arizona was one of the hardest hit markets in the U.S. when the real estate housing bubble burst.

Heather collected shells
as they remodeled!

Suzanne and I had been introduced to Heather and John through a mutual friend in Arizona who referred them to us for help and advice in their preparation to explore the possibilities of moving to Ecuador.

When they finally arrived and began to explore the coastal area near Salinas, they almost abandoned hope of finding what they were looking for.   However, almost at the last minute they found a four bedroom spacious home with large front and back yards and a casita directly across from the beach in Punta Carnero.  Punta Carnero Beach is a nice stretch of smooth sand just south and around the peninsula from Salinas.  It is a beach popular with surfers because of regularly occurring large waves.  That creates riptides that are sometimes rough for swimming but it is always great for walking and shelling.

They made an offer on the property and even hired a caretaker.  Shortly before they left, they were talking about all the amazing space they had (each bedroom already had its own bath and the downstairs floor plan was open and spacious).  Slowly the previously unborn idea of creating a Bed and Breakfast began to germinate.

First things first;  they had to return to the US to begin prep for moving to Ecuador.  There were challenges but fortunately things worked out very well.  By spring they were back in Ecuador, in the full throes of remodeling and even traveling to Cuenca to pay a visit their lawyer who were helping them establish permanent residency.  We were glad to finally meet this gracious couple in person and give them a friendly welcome to our adopted land.

The view from our room!

Naturally, when all was complete and they announced their opening, Suzanne and I looked for an opportunity to come over and take their new facility for a test drive.   We booked their front beach bungalow room with a hammock on the balcony overlooking the surf.  The first morning Suzanne hit the beach in search of shells to add to her collection.  I wasted no time in becoming enamored with the two beautiful dogs they had adopted: Annabel and Josie.  

A great place to relax.

Our comfortable room!

Despite being totally new at this kind of venture, Heather and John are superb attentive hosts and they have a done a wonderful job of creating a relaxing casual, comfortable facility.  Nearby Salinas and La Libertad offer opportunities for shopping, fishing, whale watching , restaurant hopping or you can do  long leisurely strolls on the beach.   If you enjoy a nice breakfast, be sure to request the delicious torte de fideo.  By all means prepare to recharge your batteries when you visit.   The name of the facility is Las Palmas del Mar and you can find them on Facebook or at www.laspalmasdelmar.com.

Head to the coast and put your feet up for a spell.  Say hi to John and Heather and give Annabel and Josie a pat for Roger!

Use the pool when the waves are high!

Roger's girlfriends:  Annabel & Josie!

Las Palmas del Mar......we look forward to returning there again in the future as we continue our own Ecuadorian journey "juntos en el camino dela vida".