The Birthday Bungalow

So good, but so bad.

Mike and I took special consideration when we booked our stay at Casa Maderas. We wanted to be in the perfect place to celebrate my 30th birthday. After much deliberation, we decided to book a little bungalow at the gorgeous eco-lodge. When we arrived, it did not disappoint. Our room wasn’t ready so we spent a few hours lounging in hammocks and full on relaxing. After getting into our room and getting settled, we jumped on the free afternoon shuttle to the beach, Playa Maderas.

It’s possible to walk to the beach from Casa Maderas, but the road is rough and uphill. We both appreciated the convenient shuttle, especially since Mike was carrying a surfboard. The beach itself was lovely, full of people but not too crowded. Mike did a little surfing while I read in the sand. After a few hours we jumped on the last shuttle back to town and returned to the eco-lodge for dinner.

Our little blue bungalow surrounded by bougainvillea.

Check out this adventurous cat. I love how effortlessly it clings to the tree.

Oh man. That dinner. Ok, so the food was good…on the way down. Not so much on the way back up. Yep. Food poisoning. I was up all night and into the morning. It was not the way I planned to wake up on my 30th birthday! I spent the day relaxing by the pool in a hammock and sipping on ginger ale. It was pleasant and unpleasant at the same time. The worst part was getting food poisoning and being stuck at a resort with only one restaurant. My faith in the food was shaken, but there was no way I would survive the 45 minute bumpy truck ride back into town for different dining options. When I was ready for food again (dinner that night), I crossed my fingers and ordered the most bland item on the menu. (All went well!)*

So. Yeah. The birthday bungalow was great. The day itself? A little rocky. Thankfully, there’s no rule against stretching out the celebration as long as possible. Mike made sure to get me a make-up birthday dinner a few nights later when my appetite had fully returned.

xo, jill

*I don’t really fault Casa Maderas for the food poisoning. I don’t 100% know if it came from their kitchen and Mike didn’t have any issues whatsoever. On the whole, the food was pretty good. I wouldn’t let my experience dissuade you if you are thinking of booking at the eco-lodge. It’s a really beautiful, reasonably priced, and relaxing place!