Where is Refugio Mountain Retreat Located?

We’re located in the west central part of Puerto Rico in the municipality of Utuado, about 30 minutes southeast of the town of Utuado. We are situated at an elevation of between 2,000 and 2,700 feet and close to the Cordillera Central which contains Puerto Rico’s tallest peaks.

What’s the best way to get to Refugio Mountain Retreat?

There is very little public transportation in Puerto Rico outside of the coastal cities, so most visitors arrive by rental car. There are a few shuttle van services that operate on the coastal highways and with advance notice, we may be able to meet visitors in either Poncé or Arecibo which are both approximately an hour distance from the property. We also offer very limited airport transfer service which you can inquire about. For specific information about driving to our location, please visit our Getting Here page.

What activities do you offer?

Please take a look at our Activities and Services pages for more information about on-site activities as well as guided and self-guided excursions. In addition, some of the best river and waterfall locations in all of Puerto Rico are located within a 15 to 90 minute drive from the property. There are also some really nice beach options about 60 to 90 minutes from the property.

What is the weather like at the Retreat?

The weather varies slightly by season with cooler temperatures and less rain in the dry season (generally December - June) and warmer temperatures and more heavy rains in the wet season (generally July - November). It can rain any month of the year, but we generally see the heavier afternoon seasonal and tropical storm rains in the summer and fall months. When averaged year-round, the average temperature is 72 F (21 C) with lows in the winter occasionally reaching 60 degrees F and highs in the summer and fall months occasionally reaching 87 F. Humidity is usually above 70% and always hot in the tropical sun, but never too hot in the shade anytime of the year. And even in the hottest months, it usually cools down by evening especially after an afternoon thunderstorm.

Are there many bugs at the Retreat?

Since we are all guests of the jungle and living in a tropical jungle enviroment, there are a wide variety of bugs and spiders. However, there are very few biting bugs and we rarely ever have mosquitos at our high elevation. In the summer months, we do have an increase in small biting black midges or flies, but we offer natural bug spray which helps to mitigate biting. We also have fire ants, but they are not a problem unless you step directly in an ant pile. Lastly, we do have a variety of spiders, but we do spray the perimeter of our buildings to help prevent them from coming inside.

What about wild animals and snakes?

The only wild predator is the reclusive mongoose that was brought to most islands including the Hawaiian Islands to control rat populations. If you see one, you’ll be one of the few to spot. Other than the mongoose, you might occasionally spot a feral pig. We do have snakes, but there are no highly venomous snakes in Puerto Rico and we don’t have any boas or pythons at our elevation. We also don’t have any iguanas which inhabit lower elevations. As in all of the world, there are rats, but those are controlled by our friendly cats and you’ll very rarely see one unless one of our cats brings you a gift. 😜

What volunteer and work-trade opportunities exist?

We accept a limited number of volunteers and work-trade visitors. For more information please visit volunteer and work-trade opportunities page for more info.

Do you have high speed internet and do you have a remote working space?

Yes we have super reliable high-speed Starlink internet for use by guests and volunteers with WiFi located in most of the public spaces. We do not have TV’s in any of our accommodations. For those who want to work remotely, we have several outdoor spaces that are suitable for working as well as a nice desk in The Cottage along with an external monitor.

How far are you from the beach?

The closest good beaches are about an hour north near the towns of Arecibo and Hatillo. For a more Caribbean vibe, you’ll want to visit the beaches in the southwest part of the island near Cabo Rojo, about 2 hours from our property, where you’ll find beautiful beaches and really calm waters. You’ll also find amazing beaches in the west near Rincon and the northwest near Aguadilla and Isabela which are about 2-2.5 hours from the Retreat. Lastly, there are some amazing beaches in the northeast and eastern side of the island and those are about 2.5 - 3.0 hours distance from the Retreat.

Do you grow fresh food and is it available for guests or purchase?

We have many seasonal fruits including bananas year-round and often papayas year-round with most of the other tropical fruits ripening between May and November. We’ve planted many fruit trees like jack fruit but many are immature and not yet producing fruit. We grow many fresh herbs and have a variety of medicinal herbs and plants like tulsi, mugwort, damiana, etc. for consumption and teas. We are not currently growing much agricultural produce with our current time and energy going into building projects and infrastructure improvements. That being said, we have a few perennial permaculture plants that produce in season as well as some wild berries and other wild plants that are edible in season. We are happy to give yo ua short farm tour to point out various fruit trees and edible plants or to give you a guided hike to show you many of the interesting trees and wild edible or medicinal plants that grow on the property.

Can we show up to the Retreat without an appointment?

The best way to visit us is by booking a room but we do occasionally accept day visitors for farm tours and networking purposes. Our property is extremely difficult to find and only accessible by 4x4 vehicles. Please contact us if you would like to connect.