Vacation Rentals by Owner

Amazing Atenas Villa!

Guest: Eric J. (Jersey City, New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 11/13/11 Review Submitted: 12/30/11

Just looking at photos and reviews online, it can be hard to get a sense of what a place will truly be like. And who doesn’t want to find the best place possible to spend a special time? Bottom line: there’s a reason this villa is consistently rated 5 out of 5 stars. For vacationers looking for a relaxing, private home in a beautiful, uniquely Costa Rican setting, it simply doesn’t get more perfect than this. My husband and I honeymooned here for a week, and we couldn’t have been more thrilled or appreciative of our stay. True to the gorgeous photos, the house, its grounds, and living areas are thoughtfully and luxuriously appointed. Thinking back to our time there, I’m overcome by the memories of deep relaxation, the romance of the setting, and the peacefulness of being truly a world apart from our daily routines. When we did venture out, Dennis was an extraordinary asset. He helped us get a preferential booking at the fabulous Tabacon Hot Springs, and knowing he was just a phone call away was so helpful for we non-Spanish speakers. Dennis also helped us book private pool-side massages at the villa for a very reasonable rate, and also arranged for Haydee to cook a sumptuous meal for us. We also loved finding our way around Atenas and the nearby villages (car rental is highly recommended, though bring your best defensive driving skills!). One of our favorite finds was Kay’s Gringo Postres just down the hill – a local breakfast shop and bakery run by American expats who thrive on welcoming newcomers to Atenas. After talking with them, it’s very easy to be lured into the expat life! Next time we’d go to great lengths to rent a GPS along with a car – they were sold out when we were there, and as a consequence we took a number of unintended detours navigating Costa Rica. (But what amazing scenery! Absolutely breathtaking.) Also, the house is perfect for two couples - I’d bring another adult couple to share the space and enjoy sunsets sipping wine while looking out over the mountains. We will be returning, so book this villa NOW, before we snatch up your vacation week in paradise.

Recommended for:

Beautiful, private home-outside charming Atenas!

Guest: Peter V.
Date of Stay: 11/06/11 Review Submitted: 11/21/11

We had a great week! Thanks again! We loved staying at your beautiful place in Costa Rica. Atenas is the perfect mix of beautiful weather, friendly people, quiet town atmosphere etc. And it's just wonderful that it's not overflowing with tourists. Your house is fantastic and when we show pictures to people back here in the states they are impressed. Dennis, the property manager, was very helpful. He picked up groceries for us in advance (we asked him to pick up a few items), helped us pick a fun adventure to the Hotel Golfo and Adventure Park for a zipline waterfall tour, gave us a jump when our car's battery was dead, etc. He was a great help in many ways.

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Really, Really Cool Place to Stay

Guest: Don R. (Boerne, TX)
Date of Stay: 07/03/11 Review Submitted: 07/20/11

My wife, 2 of my kids (ages 17 and 13), and I stayed at this wonderful home in early July 2011. I was totally impressed with the unique layout, private location, and incredible views that the home provided my family and me. We have stayed at numerous VRBO homes over the past many years and this home was without a doubt one of the neatest places we have ever stayed. The property managers, Gerardo and Dennis, in Atenas were awesome......very helpful and friendly. Atenas is a great base location to tour Costa Rica with a super climate, wonderful restaurants, and very friendly people. I would highly recommend Atenas and this home. Last thing, the WI-FI worked perfectly for us.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

Absolutely Wonderful Experience

Guest: Andy, Kathleen & Alysha Innerkip, ON Canada (Innerkip, Ontario Canada)
Date of Stay: 05/12/11 Review Submitted: 06/10/11

We stayed at Pica Flora May 12-20,2011 and as I look at the pictures on my desktop I wish I were there again. Beautiful house and setting for two 60 years olds and their 19 year old grand daughter. We slept at night with the doors open in the master bedroom, it was like camping in a king-size bed but much more comfortable. Hardly any insects and despite the humidity we found that being so high provided welcomed mountain breezes. We were amazed by the size of the toads and the number of hummingbirds that frequented the feeder. The residents of Atenas were delightful peoples and at the Friday farmers market one vendor actually came to find us because we had overpaid! The property manager was extremely helpful and we had no trouble navigating our way around the country with the aid of a GPS which I recommend because they really don't have street addresses as we do in North America. Thnak you so much for sharing your lovely home with us and we look forward to returning in the future.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Highly reccomended

Guest: Clare (Chicago)
Date of Stay: 03/12/11 Review Submitted: 04/11/11

My husband and I stayed at this idyllic location for our honeymoon. The property and the location did everything to imbue our trip with the sense of specialness that we hoped for on such an iconic trip. We found the property to be just stunning with everything we could have hoped for in the way of amenities and we were reluctant to leave its perfection each day when we went out to explore the environs. The house was perfectly planned for relaxing and eating, we felt instantly at home and were quickly able to enjoy swimming barbecuing and relaxing. We were only interrupted by the various and beautiful birds and the cows passing at the bottom of the garden. We branched out from Atenas exploring other small villages, volcanos, the ocean and of course Manuel Antonio state park. Each trip was fantastic and an entirely new and irreplaceable experience. It was always nice to dive into an activity and encounter other tourists and then return each day to the very pretty town of Atenas that was always abustle with people going about their everyday lives. We shopped for groceries, people watched in the park with ice cream and ate alot of pastries from the delicious bakeries. In truth we didn't explore a lot of the restaurants in Atenas simply because we wanted to try our hand at cooking fresh plantains and mastering our own taco making abilities. But there were loads of restaurants to go to that all looked delicious. There was so much to do and we wish we could have stayed longer. The house was perfectly kept, of course clean and we wanted for nothing in its luxury. The property managers gave us a great lay of the land when we arrived and helped us to book day trips or supply us with local advice when ever we needed it. Neither my husband or I speak spanish bar a few words and phrases. Fortunately the local were both happy to try and help and very adept at charades. and when we got stuck Dennis was just a phone call away to help. I would recommend this place as somewhere private and idyllic for your honeymoon as we did but also somewhere great to come with friends or another couple. The place just begged for great meals amongst friends that lasted for hours watching the sun go down over the hills. My husband and I hope to return with friends and family alike to relive our honeymoon and experience new adventures. Thanks guys for an amazing and memorable trip. C & N

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Pica Flora

Guest: Stephanie (Chicago IL)
Date of Stay: 02/26/11 Review Submitted: 03/07/11

We just returned from our wonderful vacation at Pica Flora, it was so hard to leave!! We spent our days enjoying the views and taking walks into town. We really enjoyed trying the Atenas restaurants and sodas, it allowed us to meet a lot of the locals and try all kinds of delicious food. We don't speak spanish so most of the time we just picked blindly and tried new things, it was so much fun and we loved all of it. We shopped at the grocery store and the central market and cooked at home a few of the evenings. Haydee came and prepared a magnificent dinner for us one night, so good, she was so sweet. We also ordered pizza, which was entertaining to order in spanish but we pulled it off, really delicious... from Ekali's, we're from Chicago and must say the Mixta impressed. Most late afternoons and evening we just enjoyed the house, such nice breezes, beautiful sunsets and amazing star gazing. We used the jacuzzi, so relaxing and romantic. We went to Poaz Volcano and Le Paz waterfalls, beautiful places!! The wine in Costa Rica was pretty good, we went to the Liquor store in Atenas and had some Argentinian and Chilean wines, some were ok and some were really good but nothing terrible. We payed 10-15$ US per bottle, don't buy from the grocery store unless you want Reunite :) The question is not if, but when we return to Pica Flora. Dennis and Gerardo were so accommodating and friendly, always available for questions and to help us with our excursions. When we go back we will speak some spanish, we can't wait!!

Owner response:Thanks for sharing your experience with us Stephanie - We are so glad you had such a wonderful time! We would love to have you back - let us know when you're ready to come back home ! PS - return rentals get a 10% discount :) off listed rates

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

WHAT A DREAM VACATION

Guest: NANCY (NY,NY)
Date of Stay: 01/13/11 Review Submitted: 02/08/11

WHAT A FABULOUS HOUSE. BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT, COMFORTABLE TO STAY IN, BEAUTIFUL VIEWS (BOTH SCENERY AND SOMETIMES ANIMALS!!) WE SAW A SLOTH IN THE TREE OUT FRONT AND BIRDS OF ALL SORTS. IT WAS SUCH A PLEASURE TO COME BACK TO THIS HOUSE EACH NIGHT AFTER OUR ADVENTURES AND RELAX BY THE POOL. ... AND THE KITCHEN- NOT THAT WE COOKED A LOT- BUT MAKING FRESH SHAKES EVERY MORNING WAS FABULOUS. AND THE TIMES WE DID COOK THE KITCHEN WAS A PLEASURE. - REALLY WELL APPOINTED AND BEAUTIFUL I AM JUST DAYDREAMING ABOUT WHEN WE CAN GO BACK......

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Incredible! Unparalleled!

Guest: Peggy (Victoria, B.C. Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/17/11

This furnished rental is without question a premium package experience! The property management team were superlative. Attentive when they needed to be, responding extremely quickly to every inquiry. The grounds staff & lovely house keeper were efficient, pleasant & went about their routines with ultimate respect for privacy . This home is every bit as beautiful as these pictures reflect but we all agreed that pictures couldn't quite do it justice. They don't show that the kitchen is so well equipped that we didn't hesitate to invite guests for dinner, enjoyed freshly ground coffee daily, & developed a real passion for fresh blended fruit smoothies. We were fortunate to stay long enough to take in the daily rhythms of life & it was pretty darn sweet! We walked to Atenas to shop daily for our groceries, enjoyed the visits of the birds, reptiles and neighboring cattle. The weather was just as expressed by National Geographic, perfect. We found exactly what we were looking for in this experience. We didn't want to be in a touristy location. it was easy to get to & we didn't have a need for a car the two weeks we spent here. We did spend our last week in the country traveling. This home is with out question the best equipped furnished rental that I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Just Awesome in every way!

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

Breathtaking Retreat

Guest: Betty (Conyers, GA, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/04/10 Review Submitted: 09/24/10

We arrived late at night and Dennis & Gerardo were wonderful & led us to the villa...and it was breathtaking (even at night). The next morning we woke up to such a magnificent vista, a deep valley and mountainside right before our eyes! We could live with that view for the rest of my life! The birds - all kinds from hawks to wrens to boatbilled flycatchers and hummingbirds - abounded. We just loved the house so much. Our home base was Atenas where we shopped for staples and ventured out into culture. Unfortunately our first day driving we had a fender bender, but the police were helpful and got us thru the process quickly. Even the local who was the other part of the accident was friendly and helpful. We were done with the process in two hours and continued shopping afterwards. We met Shannon, from Pure Life Development (the rental hosts), the next day in Atenas and she was so helpful in setting up activities. She arranged visits to Poas Volcano, LaPaz Waterfall Gardens, Naranjo coffee plantation, Manuel Antonio Nat'l park, and Turu Ba Ri canopy tours. Shannon took care of all those arrangements while we ate cerviche and drank some Imperials! We almost felt guilty...thanks Shannon! After each day's adventures we returned to our private haven of tranquility and expansive comfort to recharge for the next day's fun. This vacation was one of the best we have ever had. We cannot wait to return to Costa Rica. Thank you Dennis for all your help and insight. Thank you Shannon for helping us with our activites (and directions), and to the owners Liz & Judd - thanks so much for sharing you're amazingly beautiful home with us!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

FAMILY VACATION

Guest: 3'SNOTACROWD (New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 07/17/10 Review Submitted: 07/27/10

Just returned home after spending a week in this gorgeous Bali style home, views are exceptional. As to be expected this time of year, we did have rain every day, however, it was mostly in the late afternoon or early evening when we were winding down from sightseeing all day. It was quite relaxing being lulled to sleep by the sound of the rain on the roof at night and by the 4th night I was actually looking forward to it. As far as tours, I would recommend the Catamarran ride to Tortuga, it took an entire day and it allowed us to spend time on a gorgeous beach with crystal blue water, a delicious lunch was one of the many amenities included in this excursion, Calypso Cruises offers the tour, Shannon can help you book. Restaurant choices were limited in Atenas, did diine at a few of the local spots, food was okay. We drove to Jaco, about 50 minutes away, there are several restaurants to choose from there. You can also visit the Crocodiles on your way while taking the Jungle Crocadile Tour, again Shannon can help you book. We drove to Poas Volcano and Doka Coffee Estate on our own - both worth visiting/touring. One thing I highly recommend if you are renting a car - and you definitely want a car if you're staying here - get the GPS! There are no street names or numbers, so you basically key in the attraction/park/restaurant name you are looking for, with the GPS we had no problem getting around. We were a family of 3, our 17 year old was son with us. While there was a bit of grumbling about not being able to text or watch television for a week, it was actually quite nice just spending family time together. There's so much to do in Costa Rica you can easily keep yourself entertained, wish we had another week! Thanks to Liz, Shannon, Gerardo & Dennis too, you all made planning for this vacation exceptionally easy and fun!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Top Class

Guest: downatone (Guelph, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 06/25/10 Review Submitted: 07/22/10

We stayed for the week between June 25 - July 2, 2010 and had an amazing time. We quickly fell in love with Costa Rica. As many have already mentioned Picaflora House was originally designed as a base for our many excursions (Poaz Volcano, Le Paz Waterfalls, Turu Bari, Coffee Plantation & many random drives to explore the countryside) - but quickly became a place where we looked very much forward to our 'down' days. The location itself is beautiful and property has everything you would need. Dennis, the property manager was always available and helpful along with our tour guide. I have already suggested this property to friends and family alike and would continue to.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Chuck Geyer Review

Guest: Chuck (Dallas, TX)
Date of Stay: 05/29/10 Review Submitted: 06/19/10

I loved the home and the location. It was stunning! I'm sure that this only is an issue during the rainy season, but we had a difficult time with the overall humidity in the air and everything always being wet. We found the dehumidifier and that helped dramatically. Since we are city people, some type of AC in the bedroom would have made us more comfortable. Also, the cleaning crew came at 6 AM on the last day and we were nowhere near ready, feeling pressed to leave. Overall, I loved the experience.

Owner response:I'm glad you loved the house Chuck! The weather seems to be a bit all over the map lately. Last year it was extremely dry - this year has a bit more rainy than usual at times. We often open the upper window vents and turn on the ceiling fans to encourage the cool outdoor air to circulate throughout the house after the rain. Sorry about the cleaning time - I agree that is way too early! Thank you for letting us know so we can make sure that does not happen in the future :-) We do not want you or any of our guests to feel rushed out of paradise!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Who cares if it rains?

Guest: Max1000 (Tehachapi, California)
Date of Stay: 04/24/10 Review Submitted: 05/06/10

We planned to arrive before the rainy season but sometimes the best laid plans....but the home is gorgeous and sitting outdoors on the patio we watched the clouds roll in--listened to the thunder and loved every minute of it! We visited a volcano, did a canopy tour, relaxed and enjoyed the scenery. The home is perfect if you want to just stay there and never leave--but it is central to a number of wonderful things to do....and a dog named Max made the week perfect! We'll be back and we're recommending it to everyone we know.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful location, well-kept house, stay here!

Guest: Jennifer_in_Wisconsin (Wisconsin, USA)
Date of Stay: 04/11/10 Review Submitted: 04/20/10

We really enjoyed our stay. The house had everything we could need, from kitchen supplies to plenty of towels. The pictures can't do the house justice--it is truly stunning. Atenas is also a wonderful town with a lot of friendly people. The climate is just perfect. Stay here instead of the beach! :)

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

AMAZING Vacation Rental

Guest: Carol W. (Memphis, TN)
Date of Stay: 02/14/10 Review Submitted: 02/23/10

Thanks for sharing your home with us Liz. The property was incredible. It was even more beautiful than we had ever expected. We didn't leave the house for the first two days we enjoyed it so much. We will definitely be back. Thanks again for all of your help.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

A place I like to call Paradise!

Guest: ljp161 (New York, NY)
Date of Stay: 01/02/10 Review Submitted: 02/19/10

I had the opportunity to spend 5 amazing days at this very modern Bali style home. I am not a big traveler but I must say there is nothing better than waking up to a beautiful blue sky and exotic birds chirping every day. Atenas is located in the central part of Costa Rica so everything is less than a 1 hour drive to get to. The garden is simply breathtaking. If you are lucky enough, you will meet a three-toed sloth that calls one of the tree's home. Overall, this was the best vacation I have ever been on. If you are looking for relaxation with adventure, this villa in the Central Valley of Costa Rica is for you. Thanks Judd & Liz...Luv ya! - Lonnie

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Bali Style with a Costa Rica flare

Guest: corny (NYC)
Date of Stay: 01/02/10 Review Submitted: 02/02/10

My husband and I recently spent a glorious week in the most fabulous house we have ever rented. The owners clearly understand beautiful design, with stunning furnishings and lush gardens. The house is located on a mountain ridge that allows for spectacular views of the adjoining mountains. We really enjoyed the watching wonderful birds and wildlife in the giant trees on the property every morning with our coffee (including the resident sloth!). The sunsets were breathtaking! This was our first time renting a home in Costa Rica and we would return in a heartbeat. Dennis and Gerardo were so helpful with planning our day trips and their recommendations around Atenas. I highly recommend this home as a great place to enjoy Costa Rica!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Fabulous Retreat!

Guest: Torsten&Steffi (Edmonton, Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/26/09 Review Submitted: 01/28/10

We can't thank you enough for sharing your amazing home with us. We took several day trips during our stay but always enjoyed to come back to "our" place. The house was just PERFECT and a fabulous retreat for any couple seeking quiet and peace - and of course some romance. Since this was our first visit to Costa Rica we felt like we had to travel a bit to visit the country, however, next time I wouldn't even leave the villa.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, romantic getaway.

Amazing Honeymoon

Guest: Nashira (Hackensack, New Jersey)
Date of Stay: 09/28/09 Review Submitted: 10/29/09

My husband and I stayed at PicaFlora for our honeymoon. The pictures on the homeaway site are accurate, however, upon arrival our jaws dropped at the absolute beauty. The house was equipped with EVERYTHING and if you don't have something, the gentlemen who manage the property will do everything in their power to ensure your needs are met. The location is wonderful. We rented a car and were within 1-1.5 hours of everywhere we wanted to go. The people in Alajuela are some of the nicest I've ever met. We had an AMAZING honeymoon and were so sad to leave. We will definitely return.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway.

Guest: Gina (Naperville, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 07/26/09 Review Submitted: 07/26/09

We had such an amazing time! The house is gorgeous. The rooms are beautifully decorated, the kitchen is fully stocked, and the pool is so relaxing. We were so fortunate to see the sloth in the tree outside the front door on our second night. Everyday there are hummingbirds and butterflies. The views are incredible. We visited the famous Tarcoles bridge and saw crocodiles. We went to Carara National Park and saw white faced monkeys. We spent one day at Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens which are a must see. We did the zipline at Turu Bari and had so much fun! We spent one night away from the house to see Manuel Antonio National Park which was awesome. We saw sloths,monkeys,toucans,frogs,and even a boa constrictor. On the drive back we saw 20-30 scarlet macaws. We spent our last day at a beach and body surfed in the warm ocean. Each day was so wonderful. Liz was so helpful in answering questions, as were Dennis and Gerardo, the caretakers. My family can't wait to return! There is still so much more to see. Thank you! Gina Drugas

Owner response:We are so glad you had a wonderful time with your family Gina - and I am so glad the sloth came out to say hello! We all look forward to your return! Pura Vida! Liz

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Amazing piece of Costa Rican Property

Guest: thetraveller (Toronto,Canada)
Date of Stay: 07/25/09 Review Submitted: 08/08/09

I initially wanted to go to all the usual touristy spots in Costa Rica, so was somewhat concerned how a week in the small town of Atenas would go. Anyone who wants to see a lot of Costa Rica, but would still like to have what will be the most relaxing week of your year, would be well advised to build an itinerary around this villa. We started by getting lots of adrenaline out of our systems in La Fortuna, came to Atenas to relax, and finally went to enjoy the beaches and see monkeys in Manuel Antonio. Atenas is a very charming town with an Amazing climate (I was concerned about not having A/C, but the night time temperate allowed it to be comfortable, even with a duvey on. The master bed room is really nice and the bed is very comfortable (not pictured) There is lots of privacy on the property which feels great. If you don't want to drive, taking the local bus in combination with taxis at some points is very managable. I'd probably only recommend the bus though if staying in Costa Rica longer than a week and taxi into town is only 2-3US. We found it an effective and very cheap means of transportation. (doing the bus research goes a long way though - knowing schedules, and buying tickets for long routes in advance). The pictures shown do accurately show you what you'll get, and you may still have a jaw dropping moment knowing this will be your home for a week! SImply put - a beautiful place in a beautiful country!!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Beautiful

Guest: Holly, Niki, & Jason (Michigan)
Date of Stay: 05/29/09 Review Submitted: 06/09/09

The home is gorgeous and we thoroughly enjoyed the stay. The property managers were amazing and so helpful during our stay. I would highly recommend this location to anyone looking to get away from the hectic day to day...there is no tv and we loved that.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

At Home in Atenas

Guest: Marcia, Steve, Linda and Bill (Alaska)
Date of Stay: 02/19/09 Review Submitted: 02/16/10

Villa Picaflora is one of the most beautiful vacation homes we have ever rented. At first we wondered if it was a little too much out of the way and rural, but once we entered the front door, we knew we wanted to spend a lot of time at the house. If you ever want to experience Feng Shui, this is it! The property manager, the maids and grounds crew were great and keep the house immaculate. We enjoyed using the barbecue every night , cooking in the kitchen which has everything you can imagine and lazing by the pool. The climate was a great reprieve from the humidity of the coast ( January) and cool sleeping at night. We enjoyed being part of the non-touristy village and seeing local life. We saw toucans in the trees around the house but the sloth did not make an appearance. So we did the 'slothing' ourselves. We discovered Kay's restaurant right on the road into town. There wasn't a sign, but ask Dennis, the property manager. Great supply of used books which are loaned out or traded. And there is good bread, cookies and desserts made by an Austrian woman that you can buy and take home. It's a hangout for ex-pats as far as we can tell. We did an overnight trip to the Arenal Volcano--be sure and stay at the Arenal Observatory Lodge if you can. All rooms are good and even in the casitas which we the only ones left, we had a private room where we watched the lava coming down the volcano at night from your bed. It's a 2.5 hour trip up there. We also did a day trip to Jaco Beach one day which was pretty good roads compared to the NIcoya Peninsula. Very touristy but a beautiful beach. But mostly we stayed local and really relaxed. In short, the listing is accurate, the house better than the pictures (the wi-fi works great) and the property manager very helpful and available to us. I guess it's rare, but the power did go out one night so we were glad we brought our headlamps.

Owner response:Marcia, Steve, Linda and Bill - We are so glad you had a wonderful time at our home! It sounds like you got a real taste of Costa Rica and our lovely town of Atenas! Sorry about the inconvenience of the power outage - sometimes this can happen during the harvest season for sugar cane as the workers fill up their trucks as high as they possibly can with the cane - and once in a while they trip up a power line. Costa Rica is pretty used to this - and they manage to get the power up and running again quickly. Come back again anytime!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Guest: Jeannie Heatherly (Louisville, KY)
Date of Stay: 02/08/09 Review Submitted: 02/08/09

Picaflora could not have been lovelier...far exceeded the photos! We were delighted that the sloth was there in the tree almost everyday. I even have an "action" video of him/her grooming! All of our help (property managers, housekeeper, gardener) could not have been nicer! We hope to return. And did I mention the marvelous sunsets??

Owner response:I loved the video! We are so happy you had such a great time. Pura Vida! Liz

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Truly a Paradise

Guest: Carefree Carol (Birmingham, AL USA)
Date of Stay: 12/27/08 Review Submitted: 01/06/09

This was without a doubt the best home away from home we have stayed in. We enjoyed touring the area, but most of all we enjoyed being in the lovely "Mountain Paradise". Thanks for sharing such a lovely home with strangers.

Owner response:You are more than welcome Carol! And you are welcome again anytime! Pura Vida, Liz

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/08 Review Submitted: 11/24/08

For a couple of senior citizens, this place was almost too romantic! The openess, comfort, view, pool and hot tub demanded we forget our old age. The kitchen, moving walls, lighting, breezeway, and the impressive Bali design were over the top. If you are not ready to take on laziness and luxury as a lifestyle...don't come here! Larry and Jill from Texas

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Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/21/08

My wife and I spent a wonderful week at this fabulous home. The pictures on the web do not do it justice. We had a great time and loved the house. My wife was very disappointed that we had to leave. If you are thinking of taking a vacation and want to get away to a peaceful, relaxing place, then book this house! This was my 20th anniversary present to my wife - we will always have great memories of our time at pica flora. You will too.

Recommended for:

Costa Rica Paradise

Guest: Allen E (Pa, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/14/08 Review Submitted: 08/04/08

I have taken several vacations over the past 48 years of my life but NOTHING compaired to the trip we just completed. Your home there is unbelievable !! We stayed in the guest bedroom and kept the "Walls" open all night and awakened to the most spectacular view every morning. Dennis and Gerardo are the best. They even hand delivered 30lbs. of local coffee for us to bring back to the states.Gerardo taught me so much about his country and customs. I could sit and talk to him for hours. Tico's drive like wild men.. but you learn to drive like them in no time. We all had a great vacation and are already talking about a return trip. I wanted to drop you a line and tell you want a beautiful place you have. My wife Holly also wrote in your guest book. Do me a favor and never put a TV in your place. It was so nice to sit around.. have a couple cold Imperials.. and talk for a change instead of being glued to a TV set. We had a great time and are planning to return!! Allen Allen...

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