Casa de Ventanas

Guest: 2Cold up North (Culbertson,MT)
Date of Stay: 01/02/12 Review Submitted: 01/14/12

We spent 1 week at Casa de Ventanas. The pictures don't do it justice!! We had a fabulous time, it is so beautiful and relaxing there. Very private, yet close to main hwy.. awesome views...jungle and ocean.. and all the amenities you could ever need...top of the line kitchen, etc. We had visits daily from the monkeys and toucans. There is a nice book at the house giving details of the house and surrounding area which is most helpful. There were 5 of us and the house is very spacious, we never felt cramped or crowded. The pool was so refreshing to lounge in and watch the wildlife above us! We did not want to leave and would most definitely stay here again if given the chance!!

Owner response:Thank you Jeanette. I am so glad you guys had a great trip. Jay

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Family Adventure/GetAway

Guest: Marc and Kelly (cottage grove)
Date of Stay: 08/07/11 Review Submitted: 10/21/11

We had an amazing time at Casa De Ventanas! It was the icing on our cake, for our month-long Costa Rican trip. We travelled from Wisconsin and did all of our booking for places to stay online. So we were taking a chance travelling with our three young children...but this place was just as it was depicted, even better! We were ready to relax the last part of our vacation and this place delivered! The property was large enough and very well kept. Our kids loved their rooms and each had their own bathroom. I loved the washer and dryer (after a week on the beach prior to arriving!) Jay was extremely helpful, as were Joan and Mau in ensuring our experience on this coast was a great one. Like mentioned above, we took advantage of relaxing in the pool daily, but we were also able to plan day trips that got us out and about. Horseback riding, zip lining in Dominical, whale watching were enjoyed by all! We were even able to do some beach time before the rains came, and also enjoyed hiking in the forest just behind the property and swimming in the natural swimming hole. Toucans were in abundance (we must have a million pictures!), and the howler monkeys were out and about near us as well. The kids we in awe....well, so were we! The house had amazing amenities and we were able to enjoy a beautiful kitchen for cooking meals at home and grilling out. An added bonus to this place, all the incredible restaurants in Ojochal! Wow! And we thought we had some great places in Madison....these places were incredible! Mama e Papas, Exotica, Adelante, Ylang Yiang (FABULOUS Indonesian meal--our favorite!!), etc. These places were truly gems hidden off a humble dirt road. Definitely recommend to friends and family. Hope to make it back ourselves again too!

Owner response:Thanks Marc. Glad you guys enjoyed your stay. I tell everyone to bring a good camera and binoculars! It's amazing for kids of all ages. I never tire of it myself. Pura Vida, Jay

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children.

2011 Family Vacation

Guest: Fraire Family (San Antonio, Texas)
Date of Stay: 07/21/11 Review Submitted: 08/01/11

We spent 6 days down in Costa Rica in this awesome getaway home. This is diffinetly a place to forget all about the daily grind. The vacation was fabulous our family enjoyed all the events we attended, Horseback ride to the waterfall, Whale watching and snorkeling, ATV jungle tour, Beach, beach and more beach. This is a must do with any and all family members we traveled with our 4 year old and a 18 y.o, to our pleasant surprise no complaints, no a peep:-)). The house is lay out is wonderful the swimming is a plus. Jay's you and your family have a great place thank you for sharing, Local host Joan and Mau will make your trip smooth, Thanks You All Fraire Family July 2011

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children.

Leaving is so hard!

Guest: Robin (Louisville, KY)
Date of Stay: 02/14/11 Review Submitted: 02/27/11

This morning I didn't sit in the shade of the villa with a cup of coffee watching the activities of the large variety of multi-coloured birds, nor take in the relaxing sounds of the jungle..... the twittering of the birds, the distant and sometimes not so distant honking/roar of the Howler Monkeys nor watch in amazement as several Blue Morpho butterflies did their dip and weave up the driveway like an organic electric blue mirror (no photo can truly capture it!), nor take in the relaxing variety of greens of the huge variety of trees of the jungle, and the colours of the tropical blooms, not gaze at the view of the mouth of the Rio Terraba and the sweeping curve of the coast to the distant hills of the Osa Peninsula........... woe is me! Thanks, Jay, for sharing your lovely villa with us. We've been to the area several times and this was one of our most enjoyable trips, enabled largely by the comfort, facilities, and location of Casa de Ventanas. Cinco Ventanas Road is perfect for us..... not too far up the hill, not too far from Uvita with its banks and grocery stores, and close to Ojochal with its wonderful selection of places to eat and drink. Others have mentioned several of these places, I'd like to do a plug for one more...... Adelante.... with its funky little jungle treehouse bar and good food. Run by fun loving Estonians (I kid you not!) and on the main road just outside Ojochal, it's well worth a visit. Along this strip of coastline, it's overpriced Dominical that gets all the attention, simply because it's been a surfing Mecca for so long. But it doesn't have the variety of good restaurants that Ojochal has, not the facilities of Uvita, nor the variety of beaches between Uvita and the Osa. Ventanas is perfectly placed, and Casa de Ventanas is your perfect base camp.

Owner response:Thanks for the kind words Robin. In fact I leave in 4 days to head down. I will certainly give Adelante a try! As to the casa, we are recovering all the furniture in the living room this week and next up is a repainting of the exterior. The rainforest never rests! Glad you guys had a good trip. Pura Vida, Jay

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing, people with disabilities, families with young children.

A Perfect Month at Casa de Ventanas

Guest: Doug (Brevard, North Carolina)
Date of Stay: 01/02/11 Review Submitted: 02/11/11

Perfect! Toucans and howlers for wake up coffee, a morning swim in the 85 degree pool, and bacon sizzling in the new kitchen were standard morning activities. The beautiful ocean view and flower covered grounds made it a perfect place start the day or to return to after a day at the beach or exploring in the mountains. We had 3 sets of friends and family visit during our month stay. With its split floor plan and en suite bathrooms, the house accomodated all, including 3 little grand kids who lived in the pool. We enjoyed every meal in the spacious gazibo and found a well equiped kitchen for cooking and entertaining. There are two grocery stores in Uvita and one in Ojochal; each with a different variety of goods, and a trip to the farmer's market on Saturday in Uvita and Tuesday at Citrus restaruant provided a bounty of fresh ingredients. A local butcher, a seaside fisherman, and a delicious French bakery round out cooking requirements. The location is perfect for visits to several beaches, the Osa Penensula, Gulfito, the Baruco Indian village, San Geraldo de Dota, Dominical, Manuel Antonio reserve and, most importantly, a half dozen exellent restaurants just minutes away in Ojochal. The house owner, Jay, is a delight to communicate with and very responsive to needs and questions. Hilda keeps the house spiffy clean and the grounds and pool are maintained at the highest level of care. At the end of the day, a last dip in the pool, a glass of wine while enjoying the toucans evening flight, and a retreat to the airconditiond bedroom is best described as "PERFECT".

Owner response:Thanks Doug. I am jealous that you could spend a full month there. I am really glad you guys had such a great time. Those weren't the first little kids that never dried off for a week there! Pura Vida, Jay

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

A Wonderful Place!

Guest: Miller Family (Bethesda, Maryland)
Date of Stay: 12/24/10 Review Submitted: 01/10/11

This is one impressive property! You can tell that Jay the owner has spared no expense in making this house an incredible place to vacation. First of all, it is hard to imagine the level of luxury in the middle of a rainforest jungle. The house is very well equipped with an emphasis on quality. The, kitchen, baths, bedrooms are all very well done and clearly thought out. The kitchen is newly renovated with top of the line appliances and is fully equipped. The pool is pristine and a real pleasure to use against the backdrop of the rainforest. The wireless broadband internet, Bose and Polk speakers indoors and out, A/C with remote controls, satellite TV. are unexpected technological amenities for a jungle home. Important touches like quality linens and bedding, patio furniture, and kitchenware all make you feel like everything has been considered. The best part of course, is this luxurious comfort in an incredible beautiful part of the world. My family was fascinated by the band of howler monkeys that took up residence in a large tree behind the house. You would hear them every morning at sunrise and at sunset, and could watch them as they feed during the day. Toucans flew in every afternoon by the pool. The trail down to the mountain stream is very nice and gives a real sense of the jungle. There was more to do then we could in one week. The trail ride to the Nauyaca Falls, the beaches, the local restaurants, and just exploring the area nearby kept us busy. You can even drive up the road past the house a little farther for a magnificent view of the valley going down to the beaches. Next time we would try the canopy zip line tours, a fishing/boating expedition, and even a surf lesson or two. As for getting around, a 4x4 with adequate ground clearance is a must, as is good footwear for the jungle trails, beach, and rocky streams. The residents of the area were all very pleasant and accommodating. There is a good supermarket and bank about 15 minutes away in Uvita. All in all an easy place to visit in such a remote area of the country. Jay, the owner is very helpful and answered any questions we had about local sites, restaurants, and attractions. Highly recommend it and we definitely would like to come back! The Miller Family Bethesda, Maryland

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, sightseeing, families with young children.

Wonderful Green Season in Ojochal.

Guest: JeanE (Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada)
Date of Stay: 11/19/10 Review Submitted: 01/04/11

We arrived at the end of the rainy season (late November), in fact we missed the tail end of a hurricane by about ten days. The destruction caused by the hurricane was obvious - roads out, flooding, etc. So it was wet. But there was sun every morning until about two in the afternoon. Even the rain was not unpleasant. I took pictures of the kids laughing as they played water polo in the pool one day. First - get a map, or bring a GPS that works. I am a great navigator, but we had a heck of a time finding the highway from the airport. It seems Ticans do not believe in road signs, nor do they sell maps in local stores or service stations. We were met by Maurissio (Mao) in Uvita, who kindly stopped at the Supermarket on the way to the property so we could stock up. He was v. friendly and he and his wife Joan set up excursions for us while we were there. The property itself: The house couldn't be more perfectly suited to us. There were me and my partner and three teenagers. The wonderfully air conditioned master bedroom and huge bathroom is separated from the rest of the house, so it was easy to get respite from the teens. Their rooms were air conditioned, too, so if any of us wanted to get away from the heat we had a place to go. Oh the kitchen! Beautiful and well equipped. We shopped at either the supermarket in Ojochal or in Uvita. It really wasn't roughing it at all. I felt a bit guilty getting home and telling my friends that I had spent 11 days in the rainforest in Costa Rica in our air conditioned house overlooking the sea equipped with gourmet kitchen and swimming pool. Surrounding trees were filled with howler monkeys, toucans and parrots. We did get to Exotica in Ojochal and Lucie, the proprietor, was v. charming. We also visited the bakery at the entrance to Ojochal, and the Tilapia Farm at the Cascada (Don't miss it - it's beautiful, but I can't remember the name of it - just head south of Ojochal and look for a sign for a Tilapia farm and follow the road a couple of miles up til you get to the Farm and waterfalls. We got some amazing photos there. The kids had surfing lessons at Ballenas beach at Uvita - my son said he didn't expect surfing to be so easy (!!) We also took Don Lulo's horseback riding tour to the Nauyaca Falls. It was v. good value $40/each which included breakfast and lunch, 1 1/2 hrs of horseback riding and two beautiful waterfalls and swimming and rapelling up the falls. Thanks Jay!!

Owner response:I am glad you all had such a great time Jean. My feelings are very close to yours. A stone's throw from the Osa, but with all the comforts of home. Kind of seems like cheating! Pura Vida, Jay

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Honeymooners

Guest: Britt (Richmond, VA)
Date of Stay: 12/14/10 Review Submitted: 01/03/11

We had the best time spending our honeymoon at Casa de Ventanas. Everything was just as it appeared online and the descriptions were very accurate. Jay was so helpful when we were planning our activities and told us all the good spots to hit. We felt like we had an inside tip the whole time we were there. Unfortunately, we never saw the howler monkeys didn't grace us with there presence while we were at the house but we were usually up and out pretty early so we must have missed them. We also got a good bit of rain while we were there which is probably another reason they didn't show. The A/C was amazing and so was the humidifier because it was quite muggy down there. We will definitely be going back to stay at Casa de Ventanas and bringing more people with us because the house is extremely spacious. Thank you Jay for all of your help while we were there.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, sightseeing.

AWESOME house in Costa Rica!

Guest: Curtis (Richmond, VA)
Date of Stay: 12/21/10 Review Submitted: 12/30/10

My wife and I recently spent a week here for our honeymoon. We had a blast. The house is extremely nice and there is tons to do in the area. I could go on and on about the week we had, but this website will tell you everything you need to know. http://www.casadeventanas.com/ The pictures are very accurate, however you have to see the sights yourself to truly appreciate it. Two must do's:the canopy (zipline) tour and the horse back ride with the waterfall jump. Both of these cost $50 a person and are a lot of fun. Restaurants: we ate out almost every night and recomment Morgan's (Italian), Mama me Papa (Italian) and Citrus (French). There were lots of other good places, but those are the best. Beaches: the beaches are great. Each town has a different beach altogether. Some have big waves, some have small waves. Some have caves, some don't. You really just have to hop around to find your favorite. In short, the trip was amazing and can't wait to go back with friends. Highly recommend it.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, sightseeing.

Beautiful home, great view, lots of wildlife

Guest: Michael (Fairfax, VA, USA)
Date of Stay: 08/11/10 Review Submitted: 08/23/10

This is a beautiful, well-equipped, spacious house on a pristine jungle property overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We stayed for a week in August and loved it. The bedrooms, baths, kitchen, pool, and patio area were all luxury quality. The wildlife right outside the window was impressive. Toucans, howler monkeys, hummingbirds, and butterflies abound. A 4X4 rental is highly recommended as the road up to the house (about 5 min. up from the highway) is a bit rugged and exploring sideroads in the area requires one. The owner was instantly responsive to our questions and was very helpful with recommendations for acitivites and restaurants in the area. His website for the house in extensive and extremely informative. We had excellent meals at Citrus and Exotica in nearby Ojochal. La Corona supermarket in Uvita was about 15 min. away. The horseback ride to Nauyaca Falls with Don Lulo's was a true highlight. Playa Uvita at low tide allowed a great walk out onto the "Whale's Tail". Day trip to Corcovado Park on Osa Peninsula was a long journey with 45 min. drive followed by 90 min. boatride (each way, of course), so time in park is limited, but worth it with right attitude.

Owner response:Thanks Michael. I appreciate your comments. The natural beauty of our area never ceases to amaze me. It is a challenge to keep the casa up to those standards, but it is always nice to know how much it is appreciated by our guests. Warm regards, Jay

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing.