He was speechless. As he looked at the bright, towering Rincon beach house rental, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

More so once he stepped into the top floor suite, opened the French doors and stared into the ocean right off the living room.

He sat down, quietly–and didn’t speak for the next five minutes.

What if he didn’t like my Rincon beach house rental surprise?!

Finally, he uttered some words I didn’t expect:

“I’ve never stayed in an oceanview hotel room, let alone an oceanfront beach house.”

Where he comes from, oceanview rooms are so expensive that his family could never afford them. And so, I was giving him one of the best gifts of his life.

At this point, there were tears streaming down his face. Then, he looked into my eyes and said:

“I’m sorry. I’m just so happy and shocked that I’m speechless.”

Once again, he didn’t speak for several minutes.

This is the effect our budget Rincon beach house rental had on him.

I must say, Puntas Tree House was love at first (digital) sight.

For about USD $85 a night, we could have a beautiful, third-floor suite boasting a private balcony, bathroom, fully-equipped kitchen, and living space.

Other perks included A/C, complimentary Wi-Fi, and private parking right across Sandy Beach in Rincon, Puerto Rico.

Better yet? It was a stone’s throw from a myriad of restaurants, bars, plus unbelievably-cheap-and-delicious panaderias.

You could barely get an oceanview room on a similar location in San Juan–one of the reasons why I love Puerto Rico’s West Coast so much more.

Relaxation and adventure, all in one location: Rincon Puerto Rico!

My favorite thing about Rincon Puerto Rico, though? It’s so laid back: a striking contrast from most of the East Coast.

Yet, this Western paradise still manages to be as adventurous as its counterpart. From world-class surfing and diving, to kayaking and sailing.

Relaxation and adventure: all in one location!

Since we were in romantic relaxation mode (it was our second anniversary after all!), we opted for long mornings walking along the coast and lazy afternoons drinking cocktails while staring at the ocean from Tamboo’s amazing deck:

Where to eat: Our favorite spots

Speaking of lazy afternoons, we also enjoyed stuffing our faces 😀 There was certainly no shortage of dining options by our Rincon beach house rental.

However, none of them are particularly inexpensive.

SO! For those budget-conscious travelers, we highly-recommend Panaderia Eileen, about a 10-minute drive toward PR-115 in the neighboring town of Aguada. Here, you’ll find fantastic sandwiches, breakfast & some Puerto Rican fritters for excellent prices.

And…the one place that made us throw our budget out the window a couple of times: Tamboo.

Right before the high season kicked off (Thanksgiving week), it was pleasantly uncrowded, with decent service and food.

What made us keep coming back, though? THIS:

Puerto Rico’s West Coast nightlife: boring or thriving?

As relaxed as Rincon Puerto Rico might seem, it still offers some thriving nightlife to those who seek it! Besides Tamboo, we got two other favorites:

• Casa Verde’s bar, as it was right off the backyard of our Rincon beach house rental
• Villa Cofresi is actually 10-min. drive away, but trust us, the ambiance and cocktails, particularly The Pirate special, are SO worth it. Super local vibe, too!

The most unique, romantic Puerto Rico getaway a couple could plan

Planning a visit to Puerto Rico? Definitely consider the laid-back town of Rincon and booking a suite at the beachfront, budget-friendly Puntas Tree House!

Not only is it cheaper and more private than a hotel room in San Juan, but most certainly, better views 😉

Would you rather book a beachfront cottage or an ocean view hotel room?

We stayed at Puntas Tree House for 4 nights, 3 which were complimentary. Views expressed on this article are my honest opinion, though. We actually paid for a 4th night because we didn’t want to leave!