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Go Back (to archives)Hacienda del Mar is a bed and breakfast establishment in Las Conchas operated by Steve and Donna Hayward. We recently had the pleasure of meeting them and being taken on a personal tour by Steve.
The house occupies three lots just off the main road through Las Conchas, a little east of CEDO. It was originally a residence, but has been expanded and renovated so that now it forms a complex with 10 guest rooms, a recreation room, a utility room, a garage, an upstairs deck, a kitchen, a living room for the owners, and two offices. A large patio at one side contains a grill and barbecue and is linked to the main building by an arched breezeway. The living room is upstairs and opens onto a deck that overlooks the patio and has a view of the sea. Steve told us that breakfasts are usually served on the deck.
The Haywards bought the house 5 years ago, along with the lots on either side. Three years ago they started building the new building and renovating the old one. They opened for business in the fall of 1998.
Steve and Donna have done everything they can to make the surroundings luxurious and help their guests feel at home. The elegant furniture in the bedrooms all comes from Casa Bonita. Another beautiful touch is the mural by Victor Aleman, Puerto Peñasco's local artist, on the entire wall of a downstairs bedroom. The upstairs rooms have arched ceilings of brick, a feature of Moroccan architecture that is to be seen on many Las Conchas homes. The game room has a TV set, but also books; jigsaw puzzles; and a number of games, such as chess, Monopoly, and Trivial Pursuits. One feature of the guest rooms is that all the bathrooms have tiled shower stalls that are built in such a way that no curtain is necessary. We were quite taken with this idea since in our experience shower curtains get torn and dirty and grow fungi on them. How much nicer to have a curved wall of glass blocks.
Steve told us that they usually serve breakfast at about 8:30 but can be flexible if guests need to get up early to go on a fishing trip or a tour, or want to sleep late. They have one main entree every day, but can accommodate special needs. They try to treat their guests like family.
Steve is an entrepreneur who has done lots of different things. He ran a charter boat service on Puget Sound in the state of Washington for several years and has a Master's (captain's) license. Before that he did marketing and sales for a Fortune 1000 firm. Then he went to graduate school for Cognitive/Clinical Psychology. He owned a factory that produced industrial fabrics, such as awnings, in Seattle. When he sold it, he started doing consulting and now operates a consulting business in Chandler, Arizona, near Phoenix, that does technical training development work for corporate clients. Through the Internet he is able to do most of the management from Puerto Peñasco. Donna worked for the state of Arizona in Phoenix in several different positions before coming here.
Judging from the elegance and taste displayed in the conversion of this residence and the personal attention of its hosts, visitors can expect royal treatment at Hacienda del Mar.
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