See all properties
Entire home·Private host

Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge

Photo gallery for Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge

Outdoor pool
Interior
Outdoor pool
On the beach, sun-loungers, beach towels
On the beach, sun-loungers, beach towels

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

5 bedrooms5 bathroomsSleeps 151000 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Pool
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Air conditioning
  • Kitchen

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge

Enjoy the luxury of outdoor living in serenity and seclusion, in this amazing compound boasting multiple living areas for multiple activities.

Unique. In a category of it's own; Casa Velas is nestled on a 7.5 acre property, with over 200 meters (675 linear feet) of beach frontage, at the most private sector of Playa Grande’s four mile long beach, within Las Baulas National Marine Park. This spacious compound is just steps from the water’s edge and offers views of the beach and spectacular sunsets from virtually every vantage point.

The very large swimming pool (where you can actually swim laps and children can actually play), is only steps from the beach and conveniently located between the Tiki bar, the main house and the guest house - all surrounded by beautiful gardens planted with palm trees, fruit trees and flowers that attract monkeys, exotic birds , iguanas and many other sorts of wildlife from the park.

With three master suites and two regular bedrooms ( with adjacent bathrooms, air conditioning and TV), a fully equipped ocean view kitchen, three dinning areas and indoor and outdoor living areas, Casa Velas is the ideal vacation home for groups of one or more families.

The Villa is designed in a way that integrates the different activity areas yet allowing for space and privacy among its guests.

If you plan your trip between October and March you will have the privilege of witnessing the majestic Leatherback Turtles nesting , sometimes right in front of the main house.

Garden/pool maintenance and 24 hour security are provided. Housekeeping is provided at your request. Our amazing private chef is also available at your request - all contributing to give you the experience of fun, play , relaxation and pampering that defines Costa Rican living.

A five minute walk will take you to the estuary that separates pristine Playa Grande from Tamarindo - where you will find an abundance of restaurants , shops and nightlife. A panga will take you across for a small fee.
The luxury of open space, space and more space to generate a delicious sense of freedom.
Love Nature, Live Nature, Enjoy the Costa Rican Experience !!!!!


Keywords: Beachfront Villa, Beachfront house Compound

Property manager

Ana

Languages

English, French, Italian, Spanish

Property amenities

Beach

  • On the beach
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels

Pool/Spa

  • Outdoor pool
  • Private pool

Internet

  • Available in the villa: WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Car not required
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Chef service
  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 5 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 5 bathrooms
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • DVD player
  • Smart TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden

Laundry

  • Laundromat nearby
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • In-room accessibility
  • Smoke-free property
  • Note from host: You may smoke in all outdoor areas

Services and conveniences

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (limited availability)
  • Phone
  • Safe

Location highlights

  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near the ocean
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Snorkelling nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 10,764 square feet

Similar properties

Outdoor dining

Beachfront House, Pool, Poolside Yoga Lounge Amidst a 70 Acre Forest

  • Kitchen
  • Pet-friendly
  • Air conditioning
  • Parking available
9.8 out of 10, Exceptional, 46 reviews
Beachfront House, Pool, Poolside Yoga Lounge Amidst a 70 Acre Forest

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 28

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

Property is also known as

Outdoor Living Absolute Privacy Steps Water's Edge Villa
Outdoor Living Absolute Privacy Steps Water's Edge Playa Grande
Outdoor Living Absolute Privacy Steps Water's Edge
Outdoor Living Absolute Privacy Steps Water's Edge Villa
Outdoor Living Absolute Privacy Steps Water's Edge Playa Grande
Outdoor Living Absolute Privacy Steps Water's Edge Villa
Outdoor Living Absolute Privacy Steps Water's Edge Playa Grande
Outdoor Living Absolute Privacy Steps Water's Edge

About the area

Map
Playa Grande, Guanacaste

What's nearby

  • Grande Beach - 15 min walk
  • Las Baulas National Marine Park - 24 min drive
  • Tamarindo Beach - 44 min drive
  • Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course - 45 min drive
  • Playa Langosta - 50 min drive

Getting around

  • Tamarindo (TNO) - 28 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Restaurante Brisa Mar - ‬32 min drive
  • ‪Pico Bistro - ‬32 min drive
  • ‪Venezia Gelati y Café - ‬32 min drive
  • ‪Patagonia Argentinian Grill & Restaurant - ‬33 min drive
  • ‪Nari - ‬32 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge located?

Nestled on the beach, this Cabo Velas villa is 0.8 mi (1.3 km) from Grande Beach and 2.1 mi (3.4 km) from Las Baulas National Marine Park. Ventanas Beach and WAYRA Institute of Spanish are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Outdoor Living in Absolute Privacy Steps from the Water's Edge Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 93 out of 108 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 108 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 108 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 108 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 108 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Ryan L.

Amazing Week
We had a wonderful time at the property and Veronica and Ariel were fantastic hosts! Could not have been happier with the property, location, and food!
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Del H.

Fun in the sun
The property is an amazing location, beautiful beach almost to yourself. The high light of our stay was the chef and property caretaker. They were so friendly and helpful with anything we asked. The meals were so delicious.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy D.

Fantastic house right on Playa Grande beach!
We were family and friends of a group of 10. We had a fantastic stay! Veronica and Ariel were fantastic! I highly recommend having Veronica cook breakfast for you each morning as well as dinner when you are not going out. The house is located right on the beach and has a huge pool and tons of space! Will definitely come back! Ana…please put a WiFi router extender in the second house. Bedrooms had air conditioners. Could definitely use one in living room area.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristine E.

Family getaway
Check in and communication was well organized and easy. The place was in a wonderful location - right on the beach and also had a big pool the adult kids quite enjoyed. We will definitely recommend to friends and hopefully make it back again :)
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Theresa W.

Retirement celebration with siblings and husbands
Our stay was awesome! This was our first time to Costa Rica. Anna answered my numerous questions and helped to assure me that this was the right place for 8 of us to gather. Veronica and Ariel were wonderful, food was delicious. They were kind and helpful, using Google translate made it pretty easy to communicate. The property is some what remote, so for older people or those not in shape, can be difficult to get around. We didn’t feel comfortable driving, used Playa Grande shuttle service for tours and transfer to and from the airport. The country is beautiful, the property is beautiful, right on the beach, pool was great. Thank you for a great week in CR!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Stacy R., Hamilton, USA

Relaxing getaway
Casa Velas is the perfect oasis on Playa Grande away from the busy action in Tamarindo. It’s easily walkable to the boats to cross to Tamarindo for restaurants and shopping. Veronica is an amazing chef. I highly recommend having her cook meals. It was so nice to not worry about feeding a group of 14! Gorgeous property and lots of space for all. Definitely would stay at Casa Velas again.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dawn P.

Piece of Paradise
You cannot beat the pool and ocean view. Some upgrades would be nice such as air in the main living areas, lots of ants (some to be expected in this natural area), tvs that work. But everything that we came for was amazing. Property manager was in touch and made sure everything got handled in a timely manner. Thank you!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ellen D.

Perfect location, Lovely property, Enjoyable time!
We loved our time at Casa Velas! My husband and I stayed here with my sister and her husband. It was a lovely, quiet property for the 4 of us. We enjoyed the two large master suites (one in guest house) with air conditioning, comfortable shady areas for coffee time, reading, and eating meals, the huge pool (also with a shady side) for cooling off. PERFECT location! Just step through the trees to the beach! Easy, 5-min drive to lots of restaurants. Live music and delicious food at Rip Jack and Sugarbees. We also loved Cafe Mar Azul, Malinches, and tiny Taco Star at end of long walk down Playa Grande! Property Managers are on site, cleaning the pool daily and taking care of things. We are already thinking about our next stay at Casa Velas!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Josselyn B.

Amazing Property
Imagine an almost private beach with an amazing large property thriving with wildlife and lush gardens and lovely staff who are responsive and almost invisible…. This place is awesome!
Stayed 10 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy S.

Fantastic Location
Location is 5 star - beautiful large group facilities, grounds and beach couldn’t be any closer. House is large but is typical beach house that’s surviving elements and closer to 3.5 star. Great communication with property manager. Vero cooked a two dish meal for us one night and it was off the charts good. Came out to be roughly $44 USD per person for nine of us with labour and groceries that Ariel picked up. Perfect place for family and just far enough away from the bustling Tamarindo which is not our style.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Jeni K.

Great secluded location
Fantastic private feeling beach! We traveled with a total of three families and had plenty of space for the kids and grown ups. House is in a gated community with several options for meals, treats, and a fun pura vida vibe. Pool was cleaned every morning, and sand swept away each day as well. Lots of crabs and ants around- so clean carefully when you choose to cook. We did not use the chef option as we ate out or cooked on our own. House is a bit worn down, but it was too hot to be inside anyways so we enjoyed the pool and beach. Grocery delivery was nice but be careful to make sure he understands your order exactly as you want it. Overall a great trip and loved the privacy or no one else on the beach!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Zachary H.

Secluded beach retreat with amazing food
We stayed with one other family, 13 of us in all. The house was beautiful and met all of our needs. The beach was beautiful and mostly empty. We felt like we had the beach to ourselves. The waves were perfect for learning how to surf. The best part was the meals Veronica prepared and served on the beautiful outdoor patio. It was simply amazing. We wish we would have stayed longer. Communication with the host was great. I hope to come back!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Courtney R.

Location couldn’t be better
This property was spacious and the location directly beachfront cannot be beat. We loved being able to step out on to the sand anytime we liked. The main house where the kitchen and living room are has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. There is another building that has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (one of those bedrooms has 4 beds in it). The property sleeps 15 comfortably and has bathrooms for each bedroom which is really nice. The pool and outdoor lounge areas are private and comfortable. I would rent here again in a heartbeat.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kathy J., FORTUNA,CA

Paradise
This was our 3rd trip to Playa Grande and our 2nd time at Casa Velas This home is very roomy with a large property so even with 10 of us we had plenty of space to chill out We were steps away from the beach and there is a wonderful place to sit under the trees to watch the ocean and amazing sunsets Veronica and Ariel are the property managers and they are just the nicest people. They were very quick to help us and make our stay comfortable We hired Veronica to cook for us which was delightful and it was really nice not to have to do it ourselves. Howler monkeys passed in the front yard daily, iguanas roamed the property, raccoons were a pest but cute and the chirping of the house geckos was cute. My room had the balcony with a great view.. only problem was the door did not close properly and it made me a little nervous. We will definitely be returning to Casa Velas
Stayed 10 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joshua S.

True pura vida
This property is absolute heaven. It has been loved and shows some wear and tear, but it is incredibly comfortable and more than meets the needs of a beach house. Ana provided excellent communication with us in advance and helped our driver with GPS directions. Vero and Carlos cooked incredible dinners (better than most restaurants) and maintained the property beautifully. The grounds are large and full of mature trees and flowering plants- a perfect haven for howler monkeys, birds, iguanas and more. We spent our mornings exploring and our afternoons hanging out by the stunning pool. The estuary boat crossing to Tamarindo is a ~10min walk south on the beach depending on the tide. The restaurants and a small supermarket in Palm Beach Estates are a 5min walk north on the beach. Our family loved Malinches Restaurant and enjoyed live music at the Grateful Hotel, also a short walk away by road or beach- bring flashlights. We chose to rent bikes and surf boards from Frijoles Locos in Playa Grande and took a surf lesson right at the house- it was incredible. This not a beach for relaxed swimming, but it is a paradise for surfers and walkers/runners with jaw dropping sunsets. We did not rent a car but could imagine that would be a good idea for a longer trip. If you are looking for an active night life, staying in Tamarindo seems like a better option- we wanted tranquility. All in all Casa Velas was the perfect match for our family- we can’t wait for an opportunity to return.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2024
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Dean W.

Amazing Beach Front House
When I say beach front I mean BEACH FRONT! The private beach is only a few yards from the house! We stayed here July 2015 and couldn't have asked for anything better. The house is comfortable and every bedroom has its own bath. We hardly saw anyone on the beach, only surfers out in the water. They do offer surf lessons right in front of the house for a minimal cost which we did and had a blast. Tamarindo is a short walk down the beach and a one minute boat ride across the inlet. The house was clean and kept up. Monkeys inhabit the trees in the front yard which we got to see. The pool is a good size and well maintained. I would totally recommend this location for your Costa Rica getaway! The only negative I would say is that the road in front of the house is less to be desired ( in other words, have good shocks!) but everything else makes up for that!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

We love coming here
We had another wonderful time. Our family loves Casa Velas for its location, outdoor facilities, the two buildings, and the amazing meals that Veronica & Ashley prepared for us. The location is unique-7.5 acres on a quiet & stunningly beautiful four-mile beach perfect for surfing, boogie boarding, long beach walks or runs, or exploring creatures living in the tidal eco-system. The very large outdoor pool is almost mandatory for our three-generations who love to jump in it. It’s next to a spacious pavilion with a hammock, L-shaped couch and cushioned chairs inviting people to read or nap, a long table for communal meals or games, and a grill. There’s still another covered eating/playing area in the lush vegetation between the living room and the short path to the beach. There’s plenty of space for large groups to spread out everywhere for sports, games, talking, eating, and napping. The 5 bedrooms with ACs split between the main house and a 2 story guest house provide families opportunities to be together but have private spaces. Most important for our happiness and the feeling of a real vacation was that Vero and Ashley prepared incredible meals (feasts really) for us daily. It was such a treat to not cook & to have authentic Costa Rican cuisine. We were overwhelmed as they placed photo-shoot ready platters of delicious foods on the huge table. Beyond her food prep job, Veronica generously offered very warm & caring help when we needed it. We will be back.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Larry T.

A Wonderful Gem!
Our family group of 10 ranged from adults down to a two-year-old. Our desire to experience a foreign culture and its beach environment was fulfilled beautifully! The home is located in a tranquil location, just steps away from a wonderful gently sloping beach that provided our two- and five-year-old grandsons a great place to play in the waves. If town, bars, restaurants and beach vendors are your thing, that’s all available in Tamarindo. A short walk and ferry ride away. The real “gems” of the trip were found in the onsite chef and grounds keeper, Veronica and Ariel. We quickly befriended them, enjoying time planning local meals of typical Costa Rican fare, learning about the area and what it has to offer. The one concern that I had is the closeness of the home to the South. It’s an arm’s length across the fence. That concern was realized in the form of a birthday party with loud music until the early morning hours. Much to my relief the issue was quickly resolved by contacting Casa Velas owner, Ana. She communicated with the neighbors and the peace and tranquility of the property quickly returned. Communicating with Ana through WhatsApp was fast and easy. She quickly resolved our questions and needs. Muchas Gracias Doña Ana!
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2023
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

2/10 Terrible

Mary Jane B., Bellingham, Wa

Bedbugs and roaches
We left after three nights of a week's stay when my wife found two HUGE cockroaches scurrying out of her makeup kit in the bathroom. This, after fighting biting insects outside, and ants, scorpions,and roaches inside-- plus finding bedbugs in our bed-- prompted us to move to a hotel up the road that also has beach access. House has no screens and the A/C in the bedrooms only--you freeze at night (no blankets provided)--while living room area is hot and stifling. Kitchen is difficult and dated--no dishwasher, no storage space, refrigerator is many steps away in the dining area--plus the resident ants and roaches. It is an hour roundtrip to the nearest supermarket, very inconvenient. We were disappointed, would not recommend this property....

10/10 Excellent

Calvin E.

Great Family Stay at Casa Velas
We enjoyed a great week at Casa Velas with our family of 7 adults and 2-yr-old granddaughter. Veronica and Ariel are excellent hosts. Veronica cooked breakfast & dinner, which we highly recommend. Meals were enjoyed in the beautiful, covered veranda surrounded by greenery. Ariel kept everything looking nice. Both communicated well with google translate. We felt we made two new friends! We were in and out of the beautiful pool all the time. Our granddaughter loved it, though we had to keep a constant eye on her as it is wide open. The house and rooms are as described. Clean and comfortable with large windows, allowing you to enjoy the scenery even when inside. The beach is only steps away through a few trees. Long and flat with shells, great waves for surfing, and very quiet. A world away from the circus that is Tamarindo. We visited in October at the end of the rainy season. The foliage is beautiful, much greener than the dry season. Overall, the weather was fine with comfortable temps and an occasional downpour. Nothing better than a snooze in the hammock when it rains. It takes a long time to drive anywhere, with sudden road closures after rain, so we were glad we had not booked anything far away. There’s plenty to do in the area. We took 3 excursions: turtle nesting, cruise/snorkel and estuary tour. Best of all was to simply stay in at Casa Velas - to relax, watch birds, play on the beach & pool, enjoy the delicious meals and time with family. Highly recommended!
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2023
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

VERY special place, great cooks
Our three generation family spent a week in February at Casa Velas – a place that now ranks as one of the most wonderful family vacations we’ve enjoyed together. The 7.5 acre compound is right on Playa Grande beach but also has a big and super fun swimming pool. The 5 bedrooms are spread over two buildings and there are oodles of different places for people to gather to eat, play, talk, read, and relax. We had so much fun – running or walking on the beach, boogie-boarding or surfing, swimming and playing in the big pool, reading or playing games, plus looking for monkeys, birds, iguanas, shells and the fascinating small creatures that exist in the many ecosystems of the ebbing tides. We saw the `Green Flash’ at sunset (it’s more of a Green Inch). A MAJOR TREAT was having two scrumptious meals each day prepared by Ana and her daughter. We selected our daily menu in advance from a list they provided and were thrilled to enjoy the diversity of fresh, delicious meals. It was a true luxury to not have to shop, prepare or clean up for the week. We barely wanted to leave this beautiful place. We did go on a Turtle Nesting tour one evening & and took the small ferry across the estuary into Tamarindo. Although the town is fun to see, we couldn’t wait to return to the spaciousness, activities, and cooler breezes of Casa Velas. We didn’t even consider eating out as the meals Ana & her daughter prepared were simply amazing. We miss it – and look forward to returning.

10/10 Excellent

Matt T.

Stop searching and STAY HERE!
This property was perfect for our family's stay in Costa Rica. 10 people - two grandparents and two families with children ranging from 5-13. Pros: VERONICA - she cooked almost all of our meals and they were delicious - I definitely recommend the arroz con pollo and arroz con pescado, but all the meals were excellent and it came down to about $20/person/day THE BEACH - it's a few steps from the pool, beautiful shells, long, flat entry, great waves for boogie boarding or surfing, and it feels very private. THE POOL - perfect for kids - 4 feet deep at the deepest and always clean Other notes: The master suite is above a room that's perfect for kids the one with four small beds. It's up several stairs so the grandparents didn't feel comfortable with that one. The road it's on is long, bumpy, and slow going when leaving the house for excursions. This area has a few restaurants you can walk to that are worth checking out. There is a company that you work with to arrange transportation and excursions and they are great to work with and have many options to try. Some of the descriptions are not exactly accurate but still very fun. The Monteverde cloud forest and the waterfall rappelling are VERY FAR AWAY - 3-4 hours each way with windy roads that may cause car sickness ifs you're prone to that. The waterfall rappelling was great fun but did not come with a breakfast as advertised (so it was 14 hours from the house with only lunch provided) and the jump rock and hot springs are free local spots to hang out that were quite fun but we were needing snacks and some water by that point. The Monteverde offered beautiful views of plants and the longest hanging bridge in Costa Rica. Zip lining was fast with hand brakes. There wasn't time for the two hour guided tour of the shopping option. The best excursion was the sunset sail. DO THIS! Book this house and have a great trip to Costa Rica!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Patti L.

Costa Rica, Baby!
Just got back from 9 days. Phenomenal! It was hot and it took a couple days to get use to the heat during the day and how to stay cool. (Go in and out of the water starting about 9 am.). Beach and surf was super! Except for a dog attack to my 5 year old who fell down in the waves. But at least no biting, just a lot of scratching. Yes, the dogs are prolific, and come in and out of your house. And this time of year it is horrendous with their fleas and even had one family member come home with a tick! The flea bites were miserable. I thought the property manager would come in and sweep or tidy up, but after 3 days we got onto a routine of sweeping all the leaves out. Never got fresh towels for inside, but got fresh beach towels once. Luis cleaned the pool every morning. We loved swimming in that pool. I think Ana swept the little front porch once or twice. Maybe if we had given her money she would have done more? Crabs? They think they own the place. They start sneaking in when the sun goes down and try and get into the a/c bedrooms when you briefly open the door. You can definitely hear them scratching around inside in the middle of the night or in the morning. Ana is a wonderful cook. We had we cook one night for us. It only took her 2 hours, and she missed one of the dishes we asked for, but chalk that up to language. We did have one of our family who spoke almost fluent Spanish. And when there was a descrepancy with one missing beach towel, Ana turned her back and walked out on her attempt to talk with her. We got it straightened out though. Nova was great at helping us with our excursions. Just wish we could have done this before we got down there. Having a car was the way to go. I don't think carrying groceries going over the estuary by boat or swimming would not have worked. The beds were great and the a/c divine! This area is the dry forest on the beach. You got to get into the rain forest and see that for a few days too, if possible.

2/10 Terrible

Tracey R.

Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
THE WORST EXPERIENCE EVER & House NOT AS DESCRIBED
The house is NOT as described, It is NOT 10,000 SF and is NOT private. Rundown, It's totally separate houses, so for families with young kids, it does not work. We were NEVER shown the second house. The house manager is rude, we had to leave EARLY due to the house not being as advertised and concerned for our safety. Several people walking the house grounds throughout the day. The communication with the house manager was awful, she was rude and yelled at us several conversations b/c we don't use an app called whatsap. We asked 3 days before we arrived for the address so I could give it to my family in the US and then for Customs to not get stuck without an address. Casa Velas isn't an address for customs. We got stuck at Customs, and then when we called the House manager she yelled at us for not having Whats up again!!! and then again yelled at the Budget car person when I was trying to get a better directions to the house and no address through VRBO or text or email. She sent a Waze address NO ADDRESS to Whatsapp???? Which told her I do not use, AGAIN!. Again no address from her. We got to the area at 9PM and figured it out, without an ADDRESS. 2 kids in the rain. After being at the house, the listing is very misleading. The property is 2 separate structures with living spaces. NOT a 10k SF 5 bed house. The master suite shown in the pictures with the porch and ocean view is NOT part of the main house. Traveling with young children, we were not comfortable staying in a different structure. This was NOT clear in the ad. Additionally, the guard service and property management is ON Property with his whole FAMILY and their KIDS. Living underneath the master suite as described above. Therefore, NOT private. We saw them and their families every day. So NOT private and he spoke zero English. Also additionally, the amenities call out a washer and dryer. There is not a washer and dryer on-site, seeing listing copy attached, and not until you pay and get your welcome letter do they tell you laundry service is an extra fee. Not something you want to hear considering you packed lite for your trip. The manager also demands that you use the “What’s App” for all communication. And lastly, we pay all money owed (groceries and 2 breakfasts) in CASH thank god I had my son take a video of me handing it to the cook, the house manager CHARGED ME MORE, saying I didn't pay. LIED I am livid it's not the way to travel to Costa Rica STAY AWAY FROM THIS HOUSE
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Michael H.

Great stay!
Pictures say it all. Awesome house!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024