From Los Alcatraces Cozumel Dreams to Mini-Resort: Our Journey to Stingray Villa
From a Couple of Rooms to a Cozumel Dream: Our Story
Have you ever had one of those ideas that just sort of takes root and starts growing, whether you’re ready for it or not? For us, that idea was a little guesthouse in Cozumel.
Hey, we’re Greg and Silvia. Our story here on the island didn’t start with a grand plan or a big investment. Honestly, it started with little more than a dream and a couple of rooms. Back in 2011, we opened the doors to Los Alcatraces Cozumel, our very first 2-unit guesthouse over on 25th Avenida. It was our baby. We poured everything we had into it, creating a place that was cozy, heartfelt, and filled with the kind of personal charm you just can’t find in a big hotel.
The Little Guesthouse That Could
For eight years, Los Alcatraces was our world. It brought us so much joy. We met incredible people, learned the ins and outs of hospitality (often the hard way!), and built a reputation one happy guest at a time. It was small, intimate, and exactly what we needed to get started.
But you know how it goes. Over time, we started to feel the walls closing in, in a good way! We had this growing desire for something… more. We’d dream of having more space, more sunshine, and definitely a pool where folks could splash around after a long day of diving or exploring the island. We pictured a place where guests could gather, share stories, and just unwind with a cold drink. Los Alcatraces was wonderful, but it was time for our little dream to find a bigger home.
A New Beginning on 15th Avenida
So, the search began. We looked at a few places, but nothing felt quite right. Then we found it—a larger property tucked away on the quieter 15th Avenida. It wasn’t perfect, but we could see the potential shimmering under the Caribbean sun. It just felt right.
This was our chance to take everything we had learned and loved from our first place and build on it. We didn’t want to create a generic hotel. We wanted to design a boutique experience, a kind of mini-resort that still felt like coming home. The vision was clear: a handful of beautiful apartments, all centered around a sparkling pool that would serve as the heart of the property. We wanted it to be simple, elegant, and above all, relaxed.
And so, Stingray Villa was born.
Welcome to Our Little Slice of Paradise
Fast forward to today, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built. Stingray Villa is everything we hoped it would be. We have four distinct Airbnb units, each with its own character, all sharing our beautiful central pool and garden space. It’s become the social hub we always imagined, where you can hear a mix of languages and laughter on any given afternoon.
It’s been an incredible ride. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that from our humble two-room start, we’ve now had the pleasure of welcoming guests from over 100 different countries. One hundred! That’s a number that still blows my mind. We’ve shared coffees with people from Australia, swapped diving tales with folks from Germany, and learned to say “hello” in more languages than I can count.
As we move into the fall season here in Cozumel, the air gets a little cooler in the evenings and the frantic pace of summer slows to a gentle hum. It’s a time for reflection, and we find ourselves feeling so grateful for this path.
You know what? After all these years, we’re still just as excited about every new check-in. Every story shared by the pool and every brilliant orange sunset reminds us exactly why we started this whole thing in the first place. It was never just about renting rooms; it was about creating a place where people could make memories. And we get to be a small part of that, every single day.