Vacation Rentals by Owner

Luxury Home in San Juan..No Car Needed..Stunning Views & Pool! [#156010] | View Property

San Juan Del Sur
House, 5 Bedrooms, 5 Baths (Sleeps 10)
$200-$400/nt
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Traveler Reviews (14)

• Even Better Than The Descriptions

  Even Better Than The Descriptions

  • Guest Sue
  • Date of stay 07/21/12
  • Review Submitted 08/08/12
  We stayed for a week in late July, renting both houses at Casa Miramar. We were a multi-generational family group with parents, teenage grandkids and two sets of grandparents. The houses we very well-designed for privacy and people doing different kinds of things at the same time. Having a kitchen in each house was totally cool, and several tv's was also good. The views of the San Juan del Sur Bay and town were wonderful at every time of the day and night -- from the porches in the houses, on the pool deck, and on the little deck area above the pool. We loved going out for a day trip or a walk to town and then coming back to jump into the pool. At dusk, bats swoop across the pool, and in the morning, beatiful yellow and black birds come for a bath and singing. Casa Miramar is up the hill from town but just 10 or 15 minutes walk from everything. There are cabs and pedicabs to take you back if you get tired in the heat. As the desciptions say, Nicaragua is a noisy place, so you hear music, roosters and people at all times of the day or night, but you experience this from a lovely oasis -- it was interesting and to us, not disturbing. The houses are incredibly clean, and a very good set of caretakers come every day to clean up and make sure you have what you need. Will and Vanessa have done a wonderful job of thinking through everything in this very well designed pair of houses. They are involved in the community, and Vaness also runs the Zen Yoga Studio - just a 10 minute walk down the hill. She gives a demanding and thughtful yoga class -- for those who are so inclined -- a wonderful way to start the day. SJDS itself and the environs are well worth a trip. The countryside is lush with tropical foliage and flowers, and the beaches are outstanding -- nice sand, warm water and if you surf, fantastic waves (though it was fine for non-surfers, as well). There are lots of good day trips, and plenty of fun places to eat in town, often with good rum drinks.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Best time ever!!!

  Best time ever!!!

  • Guest Carol
  • Date of stay 02/11/12
  • Review Submitted 02/22/12
  Our group had the best trip ever. We rented both houses and it was a blast. The pool was great and the view was wonderful. When you go make sure you use the cook. She was so sweet and helped make our trip great. Town itself was super and the nearby beaches were great for surfing. Catamaran ride was also a great day. Prices were also great in town. Watching sunset at the beach bars was the best. Go as soon as you can. Feel free to email me with questions.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/5

• Mi Casa es Su Casa----Awesome!!

  Mi Casa es Su Casa----Awesome!!

  • Guest Will
  • Date of stay 01/23/12
  • Review Submitted 02/03/12
  Just wanted to thank Vanessa, Will, and Vanessa's mom(nice book recommendation) who was visiting from California. My friend and I booked Casa Miramar for our families and we had a blast! Their home is beautiful with nice touches like vessel sinks in the bathrooms, nice tile floors, and a flat screen. Having your own private pool is huge and we used it daily. The view from the Casa is amazing as you can tell from their pics. Vanessa was helpful in booking da flying frog zip line tours, a great catamaran trip with nica sail and surf, surf lessons with san juan del sur surf and sport and making restaurant recommendations. You can be from their house to the beach and town in less than 5 minutes. You do not need a rental car. Most of the activities have shuttles that can pick you up at the house. Nicaragua=Tranquilo

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

  Owner response: Thanks Amy & Brandon! We miss you guys already. Really. With guests like you it makes our job easy. Come back anytime and we will sail again, though next time Amy you are swimming to shore...Cheers!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Loved San Juan Del Sur 3bdrm

  Loved San Juan Del Sur 3bdrm

  • Guest Paul
  • Date of stay 11/16/11
  • Review Submitted 12/01/11
  We stayed in the 3 bedroom house for 3 nights in the middle of November 2011, and we couldn't have asked for a better set up. The hosts, Vanessa and Will who are active in the local community, provided the ideal space truly being able to soak up San Juan Del Sur in a mellow family oriented environment. You can swim out to the edge of the infinity pool (just barely cooler than the pacific) and feel like you're floating over over the town. We heard a drum line and dancers practicing some local music on a nightly basis. The area is safe at all times of the day and easy to get to from the "main strip" and "down town", which are just a few minutes walk away. The view from the upstairs bedrooms is breath-taking. If you find yourself in San Juan Del Sur be sure to hit these guys to make your stay a bit better.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Great choice

  Great choice

  • Guest Erik
  • Date of stay 04/15/11
  • Review Submitted 04/24/11
  Me and 7 others stayed here and I am not sure that we could have found a better place. The descriptions and photos on the sight are fair representation of the house. The view was spectacular and so were the accomidations as well as the staff. Ana (the house keeper and cook) was nice and boy could she cook. If you don't have her cook you some fresh fish for dinner at least one night you are short changing yourself.The trip to town is maybe a 5 minute walk .There are also some local stores where you just walk up to the window (about 1 minute from the house halfway down the hill) where you can get soft drinks, juice, or beer. If you don't speak spanish swing by the Casa Ora in town for help with setting up expeditions or a ride to the statue at the top of the hill for a couple of dollars. The treck up the hill back to the house is a bit sketchy but not a really an issue. We even made it back OK after having a few too many...OK it was more than a few too many. You can catch a cab from anywhere in town, up the hill, and to your front door for $2.00. We never once felt unsafe and have no complaints about our stay. The locals were nothing but friendly to us and unlike spots in Mexico there was not a lot venders and store owners hounding you every time you turn around trying to get you to come in there shop or buy there trinkets. If a vendor does come buy once you tell him no he is gone. That made it really nice when exploring the town. I would highly recomend this place to anyone who wants to get away, relax, enjoy some local food and culture with out a hassle.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, tourists without a car.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Great Time In San Juan Del Sur

  Great Time In San Juan Del Sur

  • Guest Cubata
  • Date of stay 02/11/11
  • Review Submitted 03/01/11
  Five of us visited San Juan Del Sur this February and we greatly enjoyed it. The weather was awesome and the location of the villa is great (only a five minute walk to get to town). Please note that it is uphill going back so for anyone who may have some mobility problems this may prove to be a challenge. Also, you will be staying amongst the locals so you will hear roosters, dogs, etc. throughout the day and night (you may wish to bring some ear plugs if you are a light sleeper). We felt very safe and the local people were very friendly and constantly waving and saying hello. The pool area is awesome and a great place to relax, check out the view, etc. The hosts, Vanessa and Will, were very helpful by providing us with information, advice, etc. when we had questions for them. We also had Anna look after us and she makes amazing meals and very reasonably priced. It was much better than the local restaurants and we had leftovers we could eat for lunch the next day. We did go to a few restaurants in the area - The Iguana on the beach has great lunch specials and cheap drinks and an exceptional view of the sunset, El Gato Negro has great smoothies and you can buy fresh organic lettuce from them, El Beestro is a great little restaurant with great food (we went there twice). There are various excursions available around the area, e.g. horseback riding, ziplining, fishing, etc. You can do as much as you like here or as little as you like; the choice is yours.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Excellent Family, Excellent House, Excellent Vacation

  Excellent Family, Excellent House, Excellent Vacation

  • Guest Maneal
  • Date of stay 02/03/11
  • Review Submitted 10/26/11
  I have to apologize for just now writing this but Jodi and I visited San Juan Del Sur last January, and had the best time of our life. The house was excellent and way more than we expected. It was clean, quiet (except for the morning roosters) and spacious.....you just can't beat the pool looking over the beach. Will and Vanessa were excellent and San Juan was a place that we soon found out that we did not want to leave. If you get a chance, please check out horse back riding at Rancho Chilamante.... riding horse's on the beach is something everyone should experience. We will return next year because now I find myself wanting to visit my friends in Nica.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Great Trip!!!

  Great Trip!!!

  • Guest Nick
  • Date of stay 12/28/10
  • Review Submitted 01/05/11
  I went to Casa Miramar with 8 friends over New Years and we all had a fantastic time. The house is beautiful, bright, and airy and is located just outside the noise of the town but within easy walking distance of the beach, shops and restaurants/bars. The views of the bay from the pool are super and we caught some amazing sunsets sipping champagne and margaritas from the loungers. Anna, our maid and cook, was so sweet, took great care of us, did all of our shopping, and cooked incredible meals for us every night for a small additional charge. Vanessa and Bill, our hosts, were friendly and gracious and made sure we had everything we needed. Overall we would all highly recommend Casa Miramar to anyone headed for San Juan Del Sur!!!!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Beautiful house, great owner

  Beautiful house, great owner

  • Guest Jonathan W.
  • Date of stay 12/24/10
  • Review Submitted 01/16/11
  We stayed at this beautiful house over Christmas. The house was large and very comfortable for our party of 8. Anna, was an awesome cook and very friendly. We took 2 short food shopping trips in town with her. She picked out our food and was a great help. Vanessa is very friendly and honest. She and her husband take great pride in their home. To get to town, it is a 5 minute walk down a loose gravel hill. We never found it difficult.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Guest comment entered by owner

  • Guest Richard Treharne
  • Date of stay 11/06/10
  • Review Submitted 11/29/10
  Beautiful property ,view, andcountry. Vanessa and Wills home is in a perfect location for access to the town and beach. The view is incredible, their home is well maintained, you can understand why they are so proud of it. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to visit SJDS

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/4

• Expectations exceeded in Nicaragua

  Expectations exceeded in Nicaragua

  • Guest Richard
  • Date of stay 11/06/10
  • Review Submitted 11/20/10
  Beautiful property ,view, andcountry. Vanessa and Wills home is in a perfect location for access to the town and beach. The view is incredible, their home is well maintained, you can understand why they are so proud of it. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to visit SJDS

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Great experience

  Great experience

  • Guest Donnarita
  • Date of stay 02/20/10
  • Review Submitted 03/27/10
  This casa is even more beautiful in reality than in the photos. Vanessa, our host next door, went above & beyond to assist us and answer any questions we had. She helped us hire a local gal to cook for us when requested. The cook even purchased the food in the market and we just paid her directly for the cost - no grocery shopping for us! It was wonderful to have the pool to swim in a couple of times per day as the weather was hot, hot, hot... just the way I like it. The local people were friendly and treated us neighbours. We felt entirely safe walking around San Juan, even in the evenings. El Colibri was a great place to eat and we loved the homemade pies from Jerry's who is an ex-pat Canadian. Our friend loved the coffee from El Cafe Negro. We ate Eskimo ice cream everyday, too. Our vacation was perfection. Very authentic where we lived with the people. We enjoyed trying to surf at Playa Maderas and the day trip to El Coco for a beach day. Ate at the local restaurant there. It was good, but the food options catered to foreigners. This was an excellent holiday and a great place to spend it. Would recommend this accommodation with no hesitation. Maybe we will even visit again.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

• • Guest Ellen Sluder
  • Date of stay 07/14/09
  • Review Submitted 07/14/09
  The house was very nice, and the perfect vacation spot where you had plenty of space, a great view, and easy access to everything. There were 6 of us, but we decided to rent the whole compound because we weren't sure if one house would be comfortable enough for our group. The three bedroom house could have accommodated us but in the end we liked having the entire compound to ourselves. The house is perfect situated a literal 5 minute walk down the hill to the town. It is a pretty steep driveway, however, so you need to be prepared for that when you walk back up. Vanessa and Will have a great relationship with their neighbors and every time we walked home we were waved to and called out to with hello neighbor! In addition to feeling welcomed by the neighbors we loved the fact that the police department is at the bottom of the hill, 2 minutes away by foot. And the Pattisons pay their neighbor Offel to look after the house at night. He mostly stayed out of the way -- helped us turn on the outside lights and then would stay out of the way. We never had any issue or felt unsafe at any moment. The pool/patio has a beautiful view of the San Juan beach and the cliffs along the other side. It is a completely unobstructed view. It was really pleasant to sit out and read on the chaise lounges - and you had your choice of sun or shade every day. The bedrooms themselves are nice with incredible views- comfortable beds, private bath for one room in the Villa we stayed in, and a large, shared bath for the two other rooms. We took full advantage of having Cristell come and cook for us. She makes great food, as well as snacks. (highly recommend! we paid ~$20/day for her to cook - and the price of groceries was so cheap it worked out to be much less than going out.) The town itself is very easy to access via foot - and any kind of excursion you want, be it sailing, fishing canopy zip-lining, or horseback riding. With a little exploring you can find beautiful beaches north and south of town within 25 minutes by car that are basically secluded and have the beach all to yourself. (You can get there by rented boat as well as taxi, but we didn't try that). We liked staying right in town and being able to walk around and head to a restaurant or bar whenever we liked. Highly recommend El Colibri. The beach in town is really nice to walk along, and has an amazing sunset. On the weekends, folks swim in the water there. We spent a lot of time relaxing on t

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

• • Guest Heather36
  • Date of stay 12/20/08
  • Review Submitted 12/20/08
  This was most definitely the way to visit the town of San Juan del Sur. We have been here before but this time it was the private pool, our own kitchen, spectacular views and fantastic hosts that made the visit so great. Daily maid service was exceptional plus all the extras like wifi, air con, cable, only a short stroll down the hill to the beaches and restaurants, first hand recommendations on where to buy produce and fresh fish off the boats ... oh, and how could i forget the amazing early morning yoga classes by Vanessa herself... The accommodation was most definitely a step up from the norm in Nicaragua, and when shared among a group of family and friends, is incredible value!!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6