hacienda buena vista

The property and the price ($12.50) of the tour were good. We were hoping for of a coffee plantation tour where we could pick coffee beans and see the process in action. This was more the history of the coffee in Puerto Rico. Walking around the property was nice but probably could have been done on our own. If you have a few hours and are interested in the history of coffee this tour is for you. If you want to try different coffees and see how it is made I suggest you keep looking as my friends and I are going to do.

we visited this site about 2 years ago, but Trip Advisor Doesn't have a place to date your review so far in the past. I assume it is as interesting now as it was then. Since coffee plantations are/were such an important factor in PR's history it is a worthwhile place to visit. Quite informative.

after my father (who lives in ponce) called to make the appointment for sat at 10am we made the journey and got there a half hour in advance only to be told the appointment was set for 1pm. It was a serious disappointment and a lack of professionalism on their end. Scratch this place of the list. They lost potential future customers. Luckily I more generous place called Pomerosa was able to take us with one hour notice. Please see the review. Don't was your TIME going out of your was to here.....

This is an old coffee and corn plantation. Part of the tour was a walk in the forest to show the irrigation system for the plantation. Then we were taken to several buildings to show how coffee and corn were processed. It was really fascinating to see how the old equipment worked to wash, dry, and grind the corn and coffee beans -- they actually ran the equipment, and considering the technology available in the early 1900s, it was ingenious.Some of the buildings were on steep hillsides, and if a person has difficulty walking, he might have to opt out of some of the sights. Also, I don't think very young children (ie under 5 at least) would get much enjoyment from the tour.

We came directly from San Juan on a schedule to visit as many places as we could in Ponce. We got there in time, 10:30AM as planned and the gate was close. We wait for the security guard to tell us that this saturday was close foer a private activity and that we should have call and made an appointment for the visit. AN APPOINTMENT TO VISIT A COFFE HACIENDA? WOW

Great tour, we learned lots and enjoyed ourselves. The views are lovely and it is nice to know they are trying to preserve nature and history! Thank you.

The experience I had visiting the” Hacienda Buena Vista” in Ponce was unforgettable. I went in August with my family. I loved it, because I have a meeting with the 19 century and see how people of that century work in the camp. This farm use to be for coffee and corn, but know became part of Puerto Rico for tourist and public in general. When we got there we have an instructor to help us have the right information and explain everything with detail. My instructor was very kind and funny even he told me to help him start an old machine. I was exiting, because every machine doesn’t need power to work, everything is with the power of a river that was next to the farm and they have a special canal that brings that water to the machine and automatically starts working. One of the members of my family was my grandpa he have a big farm in the Rosario in San German. He was so happy looking at all the machine and how they work, because he remembers his childhood. He was talking to me that his father did some several things that they are choosing here. I think this place is very instructive, because we need to have responsibility and help the environment to combat the contamination that is taking the power of our country and planet. It’s a really nice place, is not expensive and you can spend the day with family, friends, couples and even alone. I assure you that if you like the farm or been on the camp this is the best place you rather be.

“Hacienda Buena Vista” in Ponce is a great place to learn a little bit of Puerto Rico’s history. I recently visited the “hacienda” along with my classmates as part of a study trip. Before heading to the forest we first learned about the history of the place. The purpose of our visit was to make an analysis of microhabitat and the structure of a land community. “Hacienda Buena Vista” is a coffee plantation and estate in Ponce, Puerto Rico, established in the 19th century. The plantation was started by Don Salvador de Vives in 1833. It is now owned by the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust, who operates it as a museum. It is located on 82 acres of fertile land that includes a humid subtropical forest some 7 miles north of Ponce in Corral Viejo, a sub-barrio of Barrio Magueyes. The plantation house was built in the Spanish Colonial style, with the surrounding buildings being built in the local “Criollo” style. It receives some 40,000 visitors every year. It covers an area of 468 acres. While we were walking through the forest we were able to appreciate some of the nature’s beauties. We saw different species of fauna and flora. The temperature was quite comfortable and the sound of the river that crosses through the forest it’s so relaxing and refreshing. They keep the water clean and purified. This is one of the best places to get to know not only a little bit of our past but also to discover the wonders of nature.

Located just 30 minutes from downtown Ponce, getting here is not necessarily easy, although there are signs directing you to the Hacienda, which was nice to have! The Hacienda is a learning center of sorts, preserved to educate visitors not only about coffee and other crops that were cultivated here, but also about the people who worked here, in particular the slaves who did the work. Our guide, an agronomist, was fantastic. Her knowledge not just of the Hacienda, the flora and fauna, and especially the people who ran and worked in the Hacienda made the tour especially enriching. The tour is about 2 hours long and you'll walk around quite a bit, some of it over wet rocks. Not sure that the place is handicapped accessible. You may want to call if you have mobility issues. Our guide was fluent in Spanish and English. Certainly a place I'll visit again.

The scenic drive to the Hacienda and the view when you get there is part of the beauty you are about to discover. Black Slave and Criollos who happen to work there learn a lot about each other. New generation of hard worker people was born. No help from government. Only a big hearth and the wiliness to be the best and survive doing what they really learn to do. Practice that die in the present time because of government paying for all your need. Feel the proud of earn your living over living out of other people work.

I made the reservation to visit the Hacienda with my parents and kids as a family trip. We had a great time listening the history and enjoying the nature. We also enjoyed to see the machinery working. My little one was very interested to see how they used the water. Both of them enjoyed the donkeys and the hens. I would love to return again during the months that they have coffee (at the end of October) or chocolate (at the end of March)examples. I would love to have the experience to collect the coffee with my kids.

I went within a group of 40 women and teens so they had to split us up into two groups. Our guide was very nice and answered all our questions. All areas have been restored and the original machinery is still there to help the visitor feel like traveling through time. I wish they could show all rooms inside the house even if empty, but our guide explained some of them are closed to visitors because they don't have original furniture to show. Even though I know the Hacienda is not used anymore to produce coffee or corn, I would've wanted them to sell coffee or products related to the history of the place. Nevertheless, we enjoyed every second of the tour and I would visit them again in another of the tours the offer: through the river, on the mountain, or during night.

We wanted the English tour but due to several large school groups, I guess they were short-staffed and they cancelled the English tour for the day of our visit. My Spanish is limited, so my husband had to do quite some translating. The grounds are lovely and the tour is interesting, but I expected more about the coffee production itself. I'd estimate that only about 20 min. of the 90 min. tour actually discussed coffee. I had hoped there would be someplace to buy coffee from the region, but what passes for a gift shop has nothing with any connection to the hacienda itself, just kid-sized Puerto Rico t-shirts, stale snacks and made in China trinkets. No bottled water is sold there (the claim is that it creates too much trash), but you can buy a refillable bottle and fill it with tepid bad tasting water from a cooler. Within 5 minutes, most of the ink from the printing on the bottle had come off on our hands. Again, the grounds of the hacienda are beautiful and the buildings have been nicely restored, but for the cost of the tour, I was somewhat disappointed.

Great view, service and food. This argentine steak house themed restaurent has a puerto rican cuisine influence and is well worth the ride. The view from the verranda is great. The food and service is very good, also you do need reservations.

We visited the Hacienda on a Sunday. You must make reservations. This is their website www.paralanaturaleza.org. Our guide Diana was very nice and talkative. The trails and buildings are beautiful! It was so interesting to see the machinery used for the corn and coffee. I wish they had a café on the premises or at least allow guests to have a picnic that is the reason I didn't give it a 5. Diana explained that they used to allow it but people didn't pick up after themselves. We had a lovely day :-)