Casa Lagarto started out in the summer of 2005, with a visit to our friends, Richard and Lindsay Willan, who have the casa to our immediate south.  After several iterations through possible floor plans and designs, we reached a plan that has a separate, circular bedroom (dormitorio) pod and a circular kitchen (cocina) with attached living area (sala).  Openness was paramount in the design.  The roof over each structure is known as palapa, and is made of wooden beams supporting a thatched roof about 6" thick.  The rest of the structure is reinforced concrete, concrete block and brick.  American building codes and structural engineering techniques were employed in the design and construction for safety and convenience.  Each bedroom is about 300 square feet, the cocina is nearly 600 sf, and the sala is about 625 sf, plus a 275 sf pool (piscina) built into the end, under the same roof.  Several hundred square feet of shaded and sunny patios surround the buildings.

Two and a half years after starting, our casa was ready for occupancy, and we have tried to make it as friendly and home-like as possible.  We know, from having travelled a bit ourselves, that being forced into a box does not make for such a relaxing time.  That's why we've made each bedroom into a little retreat all its own.  Each has its own patio that is really quite private; one has an ocean view and the other is set in a secluded garden.  A coffee bar and in-room refrigerator allow you to spend time in your room, without having to go into the kitchen to get a snack or drink.  Once you do come down, you'll find comfortable wicker and wooden furniture to relax in and on.  Everything, including the pool, is shaded, except for a sun deck.  We even have a nice covered patio just above the ocean, 50 feet from the surfline, perfect for viewing a sunset.

Infinity Pool, with built-in seating and table, and kiddie pool.  Totally under cover, but solar heated.  Your dermatologist will appreciate you staying out of the sun. 

 Dining table with seating for 12 (who knows, you might have some friends over.)

View of the Casa interior from the pool, showing seating and dining areas, with the cocina behind.  Note the style of the palapa roof.

The view of the casa from across the little bay.  The public beach is to the right, out of the frame of the picture.  Note the stairs down to the water.