How do I get from the Culebra ferry/airport to the Palmetto?
- The Palmetto Guesthouse provides complementary airport or ferry transfers for our guests. Once you have made a booking with us we’ll ask for your arrival information so that we can organize your transport to the Palmetto.
Do I need to rent a car?
- It is not necessary to have a car on Culebra. For guests of the Palmetto, we provide complementary airport & ferry transfers to/from the Palmetto once you arrive on Culebra.
- There is a mini-mart just around the corner from us & a fruit stand usually once, weekly, also around the corner. The larger groceries are in town, which is a 10 min. walk or a 2 min. taxi/bus ride.
- You can access Flamenco Beach, Carlos Rosario, Tamarindo, & Melones, which are all within a 2 mile radius of Palmetto.
- For further exploring, it is a good idea to have some sort of transport. Bikes, scooters, golf carts, cars, & jeeps are all available for rent.
Do you offer any discounts?
- As we are two people with a very small guesthouse business (and a large mortgage) we are unable to offer any discounts. However, as Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, we do offer a 10% discount on stays of 3 nights or more to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers only (not family, friends, acquaintances.)
Does Palmetto allow pets?
- Although we are true animal lovers we are unable to accept pets in the guesthouse.
Is smoking allowed at the Palmetto Guesthouse?
- Palmetto is a non-smoking facility and we do not allow smoking in the rooms.
Are there grocery stores on island?
- There are several grocery stores on island, which offer a wide variety of products, which are not priced too much higher than prices in the big island of Puerto Rico. Two stores in town sell all types of foods and drink. There is a also a “mini-mart” located just around the corner from the Palmetto which is open from 5:30am to 7pm (practically 24 hours for Culebra!) and stocks ice, snacks, drinks, etc. Too, weekly during the winter months and more sporadically throughout the remainder of the year there is a fruit and veggie truck which comes over on the cargo ferry and sets up a “farmer’s” type market just around the corner from the Palmetto.
What is the best way to get to Culebra from San Juan?
- The fastest, most convenient way is to fly from the smaller regional airport in San Juan, called Isla Grande. It is about a 15 minute taxi ride from the main international airport and should cost about $15.00 + $1.00/bag. From there you fly via Flamenco Air (787-721-7332 or 787-724-1818) or Vieques Airlink (888-901-9247) to Culebra. The price is $105 per person and the flight takes ½ hr. ADVANCE RESERVATIONS are always recommended and you will likely have to try several times to reach a reservation agent. Don’t bother with email or leaving a message. You must speak to a person to make a booking. Also, there are scheduled flights (Flamenco Air has more/day because they primarily service Culebra).
- The other alternative is to take the ferry from Fajardo, located on the eastern part of Puerto Rico. To get to Fajardo you can rent a car and drive and then park it in a secure lot (on the right before the ferry terminal-$5.00/day). It is NOT usually permitted to bring a rental on the ferry for insurance purposes. Moreover, it is not recommended as priority on the cargo ferry is given to commercial vehicles and then residents. You should plan to be in Fajardo AT LEAST one hour prior to the ferry’s scheduled departure in order to get in line for tickets. The round trip costs $4.50 per person and if you know when you would like to return and they are selling round trip tickets the day you make your purchase it is convenient to buy them so that you don’t have to wait in line again on the Culebra side. The current ferry schedule can be found at: http://culebrablog.com/category/culebra-ferry/
How do I get ferry tickets?
- Although there is a phone number to make reservations (787) 863-0705), it can be very difficult to reach someone there. Please see the question, “What is the best way to get to Culebra from San Juan?” for complete ferry ticket information.
How do I get airplane tickets?
- Please see the question, “What is the best way to get to Culebra from San Juan?” for complete airplane ticket information.
Can I take my rental car on the ferry?
- Please see the question, “What is the best way to get to Culebra from San Juan?” for complete airplane ticket information.
Is there fresh fish on island?
- Most fish found in Culebra is fresh/frozen. Many restaurants offer several choices of seafood on their menus. Cobia is the local fish farmed here and is tasty. It is occasionally found in the grocery stores and/or on restaurant menus.
Are there quiet hours at the Palmetto?
- We do ask that you are quiet at night and in the morning & ask that guests keep in mind that visitors are from all over the world with different ‘clocks’.
How do we get in touch with you?
- We can be reached via email at palmettoculebra@yahoo.com or by phone at 787-742-0257 or via cell phone at 787-235-6736. Occasionally the telephone lines on the island have been down and as such, the phone for incoming calls just “rings” without us having access to it on this end. These are occasions when the cell phone number is extremely useful. If you don’t reach us, please try the cell and/or leave us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible! Also, once at the Palmetto we are not often found sitting in the office (normally, doing laundry-upstairs, landscaping outside, etc.), however you can always call us on the cell phone (number posted on office door) or reach us via the door bell posted outside of the office.
Are there laundry facilities at the Palmetto?
- The laundry facilities on premises are for business use only. We generally use our “solar dryer” as the electric one (besides being costly and not great for the environment) takes oodles of time to dry a load. There is a line on the lower back porch for guest use and folks are encouraged to hang anything wet there. Additionally, there is a laundry mat in town by the ferry dock behind the gas station and also laundry services available through a couple of business’ on island.
How can I get around the island?
- Culebra is about 7 miles x 3 miles and is an easy place to get around. You can walk from the Palmetto to town-an easy 10-minute walk, which is safe to do at night as well. You also can walk from the Palmetto to Flamenco Beach (or hail a taxi/bus along the way or hitch a ride) which is a little over a mile and a half away. There are 2 spots that rent bicycles from $17-20/day per person. Too, there are car/jeep/golf cart rentals from $45-70/day (you generally need to be 25 years old with a valid license and credit card) or scooter rentals from $35-45 depending on season. The following link has rental contact numbers: http://culebrablog.com/culebra-car-rental-agencies/
Do you offer breakfast?
- The Palmetto Guesthouse currently sells high end, organic, fair trade coffee for $3.00 for a big mug and $1.00 refill (same day). We also occasionally make a variety of home baked bread (whole wheat chocolate zucchini, whole wheat raisin, oatmeal, banana, ww sweet potato, etc.), which sell for $1.00/slice. Too, the Palmetto has two fully outfitted kitchens where you can prepare your own breakfast with use of stove, microwave, toaster, etc.
Is there Internet available on island?
- The Palmetto currently has a computer in the lounge area with high-speed DSL at $3.00/day. There is also Internet available in town for $5.00/15 minutes.
Where are you located?
- The Palmetto Guesthouse is located a little over a mile and a half from Flamenco Beach and an easy 10-minute walk to “downtown” Dewey. On our website is an indicator dot on the “about” page showing our exact location.
How do I make a reservation?
- We accept VISA or MC and take a 50% deposit, which is refundable up to 30 days prior to your stay with us (please see our “rates” tab on the website for the full cancellation policy). You can give us a ring at 787-742-0257 and we’d be happy to help you make a booking up to a year in advance.
