Not a better spot on the island! Furio is the perfect host. Our travel plans that he helped arrange went without a hitch. He had excellent recommendations and contacts. Plus, he met us at town to escort us to his home via water taxi and we arrived to find a freshly baked loaf of Italian bread waiting for us. The pool was a wonderful amenity! It was a trip of a lifetime and my children will never forget it!

Not a better spot on the island! Furio is the perfect host. Our travel plans that he helped arrange went without a hitch. He had excellent recommendations and contacts. Plus, he met us at town to escort us to his home via water taxi and we arrived to find a freshly baked loaf of Italian bread waiting for us. The pool was a wonderful amenity! It was a trip of a lifetime and my children will never forget it!

We stayed at Casa Furio over the Thanksgiving holidays in 2018. We are a family of 4 with a 17 year old son and 11 year old daughter. The house is located in Franklin Bay and is about a 150m walk past Finch Bay Resort on the trail to Las Grietas. The property is walled and very secure. We first arrived at the House by water taxi from the Port Ayora main dock. It was about a 20 minute ride to get around the point and into Franklin Bay where Casa Furio is one of only 3 or 4 properties on the whole bay. It is a beautiful setting. We arrived at the private dock and were warmly greeted by the house owner and Galapagos expert Furio. The house is spacious, has a great kitchen and living area with a spiral staircase to the 2 big bedrooms upstairs. Both Bedrooms have good A/C, queen size beds and adjoining bathrooms. The house decorations are all very interesting, especially the converted confessional! Next to the house is a detached building with 2 more bedrooms which was perfect for our son to have his own space. Our daughter stayed in the 2nd bedroom near us. The front of the house overlooks the Bay and the infinity pool. There is also a sauna that we put to good use. Sea lions play with the neighbor's dog in front of the dock each morning and always gave us a laugh. Sea Iguanas hang out on the dock and near the pool. You can snorkel and swim right off of the dock and explore the mangroves. There is a public dock near the house where boats pick up and drop off people going to Las Grietas but it is not overly busy. We really enjoyed our host, who stays in the 3rd floor of the house but is never intrusive and you don't know he's even there. However, Furio is only a phone call away and very helpful in booking day trips all over the Islands. Furio knows the Galapagos exceptionally well, having been a resident there for over 3 0 years. He takes great care in finding you the best tour group and boats which makes your decisions on where to go and what to do so much easier. Furio is also the consummate host and gentleman. He had home made hot Italian bread for us when we arrived (amazing!) and baked 2 or 3 more loaves for us over the course of our stay, as we couldn't stop eating it. Furio also surprised us with a Thanksgiving Turkey dinner that we will never forget. We truly enjoyed our stay at the house and it was made all the better by getting to know Furio, hearing his first hand stories of the islands and staying in the clean and comfortable home.

We arrived to this charming house after a very stressful flight delay. Once we stepped foot in the house all our anxiety was gone as we were welcomed to Furio's delicious three course gourmet meal, plus home-made bread. Furio arranged all our tours and needed transportation for us to explore the these amazing islands. This was a perfect way to enjoy all the beauty of the Galapagos, including having easy access to town by water taxi. We highly recommend Furio's house as a perfect way to see the Galapagos.

Forget everything you know about grand luxury hotels with bell boys and uniformed porters. and immerse yourself in Furio's world. With over 40 years of Galapagos experience your host knows what to do, where to go, with whom and when. It's a home away from home. Enigmatic Italian furniture and interior design pieces have been brought to this remote corner of the world offering the visitor a memorable stay.

Forget everything you know about grand luxury hotels with bell boys and uniformed porters. and immerse yourself in Furio's world. With over 40 years of Galapagos experience your host knows what to do, where to go, with whom and when. It's a home away from home. Enigmatic Italian furniture and interior design pieces have been brought to this remote corner of the world offering the visitor a memorable stay.

We enjoyed our time at our hub in the Galapagos; The house suited our exploration of the Galapagos with taxis and tours arranged by Furio. Kudos for the homemade bread and hospitality. The pool was delicious after a day of touring. Thank you, Rosemary Rein

The best location in Pto Ayora, far from de madding crowd and just in the middle of Nature

We had such a wonderful time period the pool was a nice welcome to cool off after A-day visiting the islands. Furio was an excellent host!

Visiting the Galapagos Islands was a bucket list goal, and we decided to plan a pre-Christmas trip with our three adult children. Choosing Furio’s villa as a home base was the best decision we could possibly have made for the following reasons: 1. The villa is beautiful and very comfortable. It has tall ceilings (12 ft., I think), is very spacious and fully equipped with everything you could possibly need. The gourmet kitchen is incredible, and has plenty of room for the whole family to pitch in to get breakfast (or any other meal) on the table in a hurry. In addition to the four bedrooms the listing advertises, there is a spacious second floor landing between the two upstairs bedrooms with bunk beds and a couch. The bottom bunk is larger and very comfortable even for an adult. 2. The waterfront location affords guests the opportunity to observe wildlife while relaxing by the pool. We loved the view of the bay from our ceiling to floor doors and windows in the two upstairs bedrooms. We observed sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and frigates right at the house. The area is very safe, and there are numerous restaurants, a swimming beach, and Las Grietas all within a short walk. 3. Furio was amazing, literally. He helped us plan our itinerary prior to our arrival, recommending the best tours and locations to visit. He had a great taxi driver, William, waiting for us at the airport when we arrived to guide us through the canal crossing to his waiting taxi, and then on to Puerto Ayora where Furio met us to escort us to his beautiful home. Furio was always available but never intrusive. I can’t overstate how helpful it is to have guidance from a long-term resident who knows the islands, the people, restaurants, the language (AND our language – he speaks six languages fluently), and so much more. If you’re there on a Saturday, be sure to ask Furio about the local vegetable market. Yum, yum. We ate a fabulous meal there and got a great taste of the local culture. We got to know Furio as we chatted over learning to make Italian bread, and we came home with a new friend in addition to memories we will cherish for the rest of our lives. We love to travel, and we have stayed in AirBNB homes around the world, so we knew what we were looking for. Our conclusion is that it is possible to pay more for a luxury villa in the Galapagos Islands, but if you do you will miss the best of the best.

Visiting the Galapagos Islands was a bucket list goal, and we decided to plan a pre-Christmas trip with our three adult children. Choosing Furio’s villa as a home base was the best decision we could possibly have made for the following reasons: 1. The villa is beautiful, clean, and very comfortable. It has tall ceilings (12 ft., I think), is very spacious and fully equipped with everything you could possibly need. The gourmet kitchen is incredible, and has plenty of room for the whole family to pitch in to get breakfast (or any other meal) on the table in a hurry. In addition to the four bedrooms the listing advertises, there is a spacious second floor landing between the two upstairs bedrooms with bunk beds and a couch. The bottom bunk is larger and comfortable even for an adult. A plus is the daily maid service. 2. The waterfront location affords guests the opportunity to observe wildlife while relaxing by the pool. We loved the view of the bay from our ceiling to floor doors and windows in the two upstairs bedrooms. We observed sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and frigates right at the house. The area is very safe, and there are numerous restaurants, a swimming beach, and Las Grietas all within a short walk. 3. Furio was amazing, literally. He helped us plan our itinerary prior to our arrival, recommending the best tours and locations to visit. He had a great taxi driver, William, waiting for us at the airport when we arrived to guide us through the canal crossing to his waiting taxi, and then on to Puerto Ayora where Furio met us to escort us to his beautiful home. Furio was always available but never intrusive. I can’t overstate how helpful it is to have guidance from a long-term resident who knows the islands, the people, restaurants, the language (AND our language – he speaks six languages fluently), and so much more. If you’re there on a Saturday, be sure to ask Furio about the local vegetable market. Yum, yum. We ate a fabulous meal there and got a great taste of the local culture. We got to know Furio as we chatted over learning to make Italian bread, and we came home with a new friend in addition to memories we will cherish for the rest of our lives. We love to travel, and we have stayed in HomeAway/VRBO homes around the world, so we knew what we were looking for. Our conclusion is that it is possible to pay more for a luxury villa in the Galapagos Islands, but if you do you will miss the best of the best.

It would be hard to overstate how much we enjoyed staying here. We had considered some lovely hotels closer into "town," but that would have been a big mistake. Taking the water taxi (80 cents) at the end of each day and walking the path to the house took us away from the busy day, and onto the water with our private dock and lovely covered patio. Having morning coffee with the resident iguana on the dock and the many birds and sea lions, set amid the mangroves, was a great way to start each day. The kitchen is well equipped, the beds comfortable, the living room and dining room large enough for our group of 8 to spread out. Furio is on hand day and night to make arrangements for tours and taxis (not to mention making us two of the best meals we had the entire time!). Don't miss the short path behind the house that leads to Las Grietas--bring your snorkel and go early to avoid the crowd. We arrived about 9 am, and enjoyed snorkeling with parrotfish and some others. As we were leaving an hour later, the place was really getting crowded. If you want to go Tortuga Bay (a long walk but worth it for the pristine white sand beach), bring your snorkel and no valuables. We didn't realize how shallow the beach would be (walk past the first beach you come to toward the swimming beach), and how many fish would be there. Wonderful birds as well. Stay here, and invite Furio to dine with you. You will come away wanting to return simply to see him.

We are a family of five, and I knew for weeks before our arrival that Furio would make sure our stay was wonderful. He is quick to respond, caring, and kind. We had flight issues I contacted him about, and he even called the airlines for us! The house is idyllic and right on the water. There are many perks with staying here that we hadn't even anticipated. We never had to buy bottled water, because he has a dedicated sink in the kitchen with purified water. We watched groups of tours pull up not far from his home, wait in line, and get into kayaks to explore the bay. Not us. Furio's kayak was at our disposal. We went out in the morning and kayaked among sea lions, iguanas, pelicans, and diving blue-footed boobies - all of which could also easily be observed from his deck as well. The kids could safely swim in his pool and enjoy the hot tub right outside our door, where we could relax in beach chairs. He was there when we needed him and gave us the privacy we needed. He had a cleaning service there for us daily, so we came home each day to our dishes done and our beds made. We were astounded by what a gracious host he is - from our welcome beverages to our warm send-off. He seemed like a pro, with an infectious laugh that lights up a room. Before we left, we found out he's a former hotel owner, so yes, he really is a pro!

The problem with Furio is that he makes you feel at home from the first hand shake and everything he does during your stay (including saving your life on occasion) that when you have to leave you feel heart broken. He has a sunny personality and a contagious laugh which is the best preamble for a great vacation We stayed for a week at the house and our interaction with Furio started month earlier when we started to plan the trip. He gave us a lot of good information and put us in contact with all the right people so that the entire trip was well planned. Our flight from Quito was delayed and although he was not at the house to receive us the first night he made all the arrangements so we arrived safe and sound which was of great help. I personally bonded with Tornado (who is mentioned on all the reviews!) and he guarded my room every night during my stay :-) The house and location is beautiful and I wish we could have spend more time just relaxing by the pool but the archipelagos has so many beautiful sites that had to be explored that we were gone a lot. One enchanting evening together with Furio we had great fun making pizza and even the best chef can learn something from him.

Furio was wonderful-warm and very responsive to all our requests for advice and help. He helped arrange taxis for us and tried hard to find day trips for us during the busy Easter week we were there. Our 3 children loved Tornado, the dog, the pool, kayak and just the variety of wildlife that came to the house. We also loved the secluded location of the house and closeness to the grietas and the beach. The daily housekeeping service was also very helpful in keeping the house neat and tidy. Great place for families!

Could not fault this place. Furio was the best host ever - happy to be around, but also good at leaving us on our own. We had some great Italian cooking lessons and of course were told the best places to shop for the ingredients. And what an amazingly well equipped kitchen - I don't usually cook when on holiday but it was a pleasure to do so here. The place is in a fantastic setting, easy to get to but off the beaten track. Basing yourself on Santa Cruz is a good idea as you can do day trips from there (North Seymour and Pinzon a must) and probably only have to leave to spend a couple of nights in Isabela. I loved the Galapagos and it was made more special staying here

While the trip to the Galapagos Islands was a special experience in itself, the stay in Casa de Furio made it even more unique. An excellent location - in a very peaceful bay at the shore, yet with a quick and easy access to Santa Cruz island's key attractions: within a walking distance to Las Grietas for example. Apart from all the facilities necessary, the house has a remarkable interior - the part we liked most. The parlour is tastefully decorated with genuine Italian art - a beguiling contrast to the local fauna and flora and a clear indication of Furio's origins. The host himself is a cheerful, good-natured and helpful person, eager to share his experience of living in the region for quite a long time. His dog, Tornado, is an example of an intelligent and a child-loving animal. We had a wonderful time in la Casa de Furio.

Thank goodness I never saw the last review (Dec 31) until now or we would have missed out on a marvellous place to stay only one week after that review! I certainly never noticed any smells of dog or mould; and hardly any mosquitos which was a pleasant surprise-since we are near the equator in a humid area. Furio was a marvellous host -what a treat to be greeted with Italian hospitality in the midst of the Pacific-great location, great food & great company. We shall tell all our friends in Australia (and elsewhere!) about it.

We have stayed in many high end properties in many countries, and this is the worst so far. The only thing to recommend it is the location. We were traveling as a family of 6 adults., and rented the house for a week but were gone to another island for two of the nights. Because of a serious allergy, two of our group had to move to a hotel nearby due to all the mold and mildew. (The smell was very noticable.) Although the floor and counter level surfaces were wiped every day, all other horizontal surfaces were covered with a lot of dust. There are many holes in the screens, or doors that don't hang straight, so there were as many mosquitos inside as out! The owner has a dog, which fact we didn't mind because we all like dogs, but we found that we couldn't use the living room area because the dog smell was so strong, so we even ended up eating our Christmas dinner on the picnic table outside where it was cool and windy. All of us were glad to move on to our next destination.

Our family of 6 adults stayed 10 days at Furio's Villa and we couldn't be any happier. We wanted to find THE PERFECT getaway to celebrate my wife's 60th birthday. Surely, the Galapagos was an all-time best vacation location and Furio's Bay House was THE BEST place to stay on the Islands! From the first contact, Furio was quick to respond and was invaluable, answering all of our many questions and helping us with pre-planning excursions, island transportation, airport arrival, and where to go to find reputable and trusted local shops and services. Furio knows the islands and he knows everyone. There were six of us (Me, my wife and two daughters with their significant others (ages 27-38), and we found Furio's Villa such a warm, comfortable and relaxing getaway on the island. The home is spacious, reminiscent of an old Italian Villa, furnished with Furio's family antiques and collectibles. What you experience is far nicer and richer than the pictures on the website, right down to the Sea Lions and Iguanas on his dock to greet you each morning. Complete with fresh water pool, sauna, hammocks, kayak and his friendly dog "Torranado", it was the perfect home-base for us. I can also recommend Furio's kitchen facilities. Large, spacious and well equipped so we made many meals in that helped stretch our budget. Furio is also the consummate host. One day we returned from an over-night excursion to Isabela Island to find a freshly-baked loaf of bread that he prepared for us. You could not ask for a better host. He generally left us to ourselves and was always available to help and join us when asked. We enjoyed many hours laughing and cooking with Furio in his kitchen - it was just like family. Furio also helped me plan a very special surprise birthday celebration for my wife too. So STOP LOOKING. We all agreed, the entire experience was wonderful and we would return again. This was the affordable alternative to the high-priced resorts and hotels and offered much more than expected for the do-it-yourself adventurer.

If you want to experience the warmth and hospitality that Furio provides - including his culinary skills - his spacious, homely residence (as opposed to a boring, clinical hotel room), furnished with his families antiques all the way from Italy. Sit back and enjoy the peace and quiet in the house and the perfect position of the pool and boat ramp at the end of the beach like garden, where you can sit sipping your morning cup of coffee and watch the birds, sea lions and iguanas playing in their natural habitat, then Furio's Casa is the place to stay. I can also recommend you ask Furio for some cooking lessons. You'll have lots of fun and laughs in his kitchen and take home some delicious recipes and culinary secrets.

My wife and I and our two boys, aged 12 and 10 recently spent 6 nights at LA Casa Di Furio and it was simply fantastic! Furio is a wonderful host and is willing to help you organize any of your activities on Santa Cruz or for day trips to the other islands. He had everything organized for us when we arrived. Furio will cook for you if you wish or he will allow you complete privacy if that is your desire. We can only echo what so many other reviewers have said- he is a fantastic chef!! His kitchen/greatroom area downstairs opens to the patio, pool, and little beach area and provides the perfect place to gather in the evenings to cook, sip a glass of wine, and watch the kids play in the pool. His super friendly dog Tornado will be close by taking part n the fun as well. Our boys woke up early every morning to see the sea lions and Iguana's out on the boat dock in front. The bedrooms upstairs are clean and spacious and I especially liked the wide porch overlooking the bay. Furio also has William his driver and Esther his housekeeper available for your needs and Esther will also do your laundry for a small fee if you wish. We have stayed in VRBOs all over the world and our experience at La Casa Di Furio was one of the very best! Thanks Furio my friend. We will be back!

Hemos pasado 10 dias maravillosos en Galapagos ! Situada en punta estrada ,en Shark Bay ,se encuentra este paraiso con muelle propio en la isla se Santa Cruz Piscina que termina en el espejo de agua de la bahia con iguanas ,lobos marinos ,pelicanos ,piqueros azules Basta salir con el kayak y la mascara para hacer snorkel y ver pescaditos y tortugas de agua Lejos 10 minutos de puerto ayrora pero suficiente para disfrutar de la paz de este lugar Su perro Tornado cuido de nosotros toda la estadia