The history of our business begins with the arrival of Professor Guillermo Vela in 1946 to San Cristóbal Island, first as part of the National Navy, and later as a teacher at the Los 3 Palos School in the highlands of San Cristobal island. With Marina Riera, they had 5 children born on the islands. Out of the whole family, it was Lucía Vela who decided to maintain the family’s legacy in Galapagos. Since 2012, Lucía together with her husband José Guillermo, have forged Casa Playa Mann as a family accommodation that shows the warmth of the Galapagos and Ecuadorian people, allowing everyone to enjoy the natural beauty of our paradise.
Today, as the third generation of the family, we have taken over the post and now manage the lodging. My name is José, and together with Carolina we will be happy to share the best of the Galapagos. As a naturalist guide certified by the Galapagos National Park and a photographer certified by National Geographic, I have been fortunate to visit the vast majority of sites that exist in Galapagos. Also, after visiting places as diverse as the Amazon, Antarctica, Australia, Peru, Bolivia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Spain, the United States, Canada and the magical corners of our beautiful Ecuador, we have learnt to appreciate the value of travel. We are aware that Galapagos is truly a unique place and we feel committed to its protection.
Our staff lives on the islands and they are part of our family, always smiling and ready to help with any request. We consider ourselves Galapagos ambassadors and thus, we are ready to receive our guests with all the family warmth and ready to provide a service that exceeds the expectations of those who stay with us.
