Location: Turrialba, Cartago, Costa Rica, Central America (1 1/2 Hours East of San Jose (Costa Rica's Capital))
Accommodations: House, 3 Bedrooms + Other (See Description), 3 Baths (Sleeps 2-16)
Keywords: House
Imagine waking up to the sound of parrots and toucans. Enjoy a delicious breakfast, prepared for you by a native Costa Rican, on the patio with the rainforest all around you. Spend your day hiking or mountain biking through the trails, and exploring the streams on this 7 acre mountainside retreat either by yourself or with a local bilingual guide. Watch for tropical birds, butterflies and other wildlife from the balcony, decks or large windows. Friendly chickens and turkeys are wandering around the property eating the bugs and spiders all day long. There are also spectacular views of a lake in the valley below. Every evening between 5:30 and 6:00 the large tree in right front of the house is visited by a huge flock of more than 30 Montezuma oro pendula birds on their way back to their nests.
White Water Rafting Special:
If you stay at our home for at least two nights you can have a trip on the beautiful Pacuare river (class 2,3,4 rapids) with an experienced English speaking guide. You will be picked up and dropped off at our home. The tour includes lunch and a hike to a waterfall for just $65 a person. Usually the trip costs $95 - $105 The river is rated as one of the top 10 most beautiful rivers in the world by National Geographic.
Be alone with nature! This beautiful home is located in a remote corner of a small farming town in the lush green Turrialba mountains. It is a gorgeous location that is both safe and private. The rainforest surrounds this mountaintop house on three sides. The climate here is perfect, 72-78 degrees year round.
This large, modern, three story home is clean and nicely furnished. You will be very comfortable in the family room, kitchen, dining room, and 3 large bedrooms. There is a balcony that wraps around 3 sides of the house to enjoy the spectacular views. There is a game room with a pool table, a ping pong table, a foozball table and a Wii video game system with many games. There is even a basketball hoop.
The owners are a former Peace Corps volunteer who fell in love with this beautiful friendly town when she lived there 15 years ago and her native Costa Rican husband. They are familiar with the area and can help you plan your stay. We can help arrange a ride from the airport from Leo, a local taxi driver, or our neighbor Joseph for a very reasonable price. (You can read about them in the guest reviews)
If you are looking for adventure, the city of Turrialba, famous for excellent white water rafting on the Reventazon and Pacuare rivers, is just 15 minutes away. There are 2 Trek mountain bikes at the house available for our guests to use. There are many shops and restaurants in Turrialba. There is also a farmer's market every Friday and Saturday where a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are sold. Guyabo National Park, an archaeological site is about 30 minutes away and the Turrialba Volcano National Park is about 45 minutes away. CATIE (A University that attracts students from around the world) is 15 minutes away.
If you would like to experience true Costa Rican life, this is the perfect place. The town has one main road, a church, soccer field, and a school. The townspeople are very friendly and helpful. All around the town are family farms of coffee, sugar cane, and macadamia nuts. If you want to see where your coffee or sugar really comes from, you can get a tour from our neighbor Joseph, who is an English speaking tourguide, and pick your own coffee beans or cut down your own sugar cane with a machete. You can also see their farm animals. If you would like to try some delicious fresh tropical fruits, they are growing just down the hill.
If you have children, there is plenty for them to do in this town, and plenty of Spanish speaking friends for them to meet. They will enjoy feeding the ducks, turkeys, and chickens, and maybe see chicks hatching. They can join in a pick up soccer game at the town field, or walk to the neighborhood pulperia to buy snacks or candy, like the local children do. They can even visit the small neighborhood school and possibly leave there with a greater appreciation for their own school back home.
There is a full kitchen with everything you need to cook. Or if you prefer, delicious homemade Costa Rican food can be delivered or prepared in front of you by a native Costa Rican.
You will fall in love with this amazing rainforest getaway in this small friendly Costa Rican town just like we did. Click on the link below to see many more pictures of the house and Turrialba.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Beds
- Queen Bed
- Double Bed (2)
- Convertible Bed (5) : 4 sofa beds and 1 queen size air mattresses available for use
- Crib : port a crib and high chair
- Entertainment
- TV (No Cable/Satellite) (2)
- DVD
- Video Library
- Video Game Console : There is a Wii and many different games including Wii sports, Wii play, Guitar Hero and Mario kart.
- Video Games
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Music Library
- Pool Table
- Foosball
- Ping Pong/Table Tennis
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Catering Available : Our caretaker, Tatiana, will cook a hot, fresh breakfast daily. She is available to cook any other meal for you as well .
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio (3)
- Balcony
- View/Location
- Water View
- Mountain View
- Communications
- Telephone
- Broadband Internet
- Other Amenities
- 2 Trek mountains bikes available for use basketball hoop
- Suitability
- Pet Friendly
- Kid Friendly
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Shopping
- Kayaking
- Waterskiing
- Jet Skiing
- Swimming
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Horseback Riding
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Rafting
- Hiking
- Restaurants
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Other Activities
- Bird watching, streams on the property, coffee or sugar cane farm tours, horseback riding tours, rainforest hike with local guide
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
$95/nt (2 people including daily hot breakfast)
each additional person $10.00 (including breakfast)
$1300/month (2 people no daily breakfast )
50% Deposit Needed To Hold Reservation At Time of Booking
Balance Due 15 Days Prior To Arrival
We accept paypal
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
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Credit Cards Accepted:
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Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Year Purchased: 2007
Adrian is a native Costa Rican who grew up in Turrialba. He met Libby when she was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica. They have been married for 14 years and have 3 children.
Why the Owner Chose Turrialba
Libby was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the small town where the home is located. It is a safe, friendly, and peaceful town. The climate is perfect, not too hot and humid, and there are very few mosquitos.
The Unique Benefits of this House
We love sitting on the deck and watching all the birds and butterflies.
Property Photos
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- the view from the balcony - Cartago, Costa Rica Vacation Home Rental
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- your destination for an amazing, peaceful vacation - Cartago, Costa Rica Vacation Home Rental
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- The house is large and comfortable - Cartago, Costa Rica Vacation Home Rental
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- second bedroom with full bathroom
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- White water rafting on the beautiful Paquare River
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- A delicious, typical breakfast will be made for you by our caretaker each day.
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- The bedrooms each have a balcony.
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- This toucan comes to the tree right next to the home.
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- The Turrialba volcano can be seen from the porch.
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- The house is surrounded by lush, green forest.
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- We have a pond with tilapia fish.
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- See where bananas come from.
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- Spacious kitchen with everything you will need to prepare food.
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- Gas grill available on the patio.
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- pool table for your use
Traveler Reviews (22)
In love with Turrialba
Guest: Jojo
(San Jose, Costa Rica)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11
Review Submitted: 05/10/11
I rented this house with a friend so that we could participate in an annual mountain bike event, we wanted to stay at a place close enough to downtown Turrialba but not so much that we'd miss out on all its natural beauty. Unfortunately it rained a lot so we didn't make it to the event but the house made up for it big time, plenty of things to do - pool table, soccer table, board games and an amazing view whichever way you turned your head to. Every morning Tatiana made us delicious typical Costa Rican breakfast simply the way to start off a relaxing day.Thumbs up for this house...Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a home away from home in Turrialba!
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Quiet Get-Away in Turrialaba
Guest: Tony
(San Jose)
Date of Stay: 04/21/11
Review Submitted: 04/25/11
The wife and I really enjoyed a little 3 day get-away to Adrian and Libby's place in the mountains outside of Turrialba. Beautiful scenery, great weather, nobody to have to interact with if we didn't want to...just a nice place to get quiet and enjoy silence. We took the horseback-coffee tour, had lunch with the neighbors, went into town to dance and also to the centro-recreo San --- something --- spent some time in the pool with the locals and walking around the reservoir. Just the right touch of not too luxurious and not too pricey to relax and enjoy ourselves. We'll be back
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, pet owners, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children.
What An Anniversary Celebration!
Guest: Pete & Cele
(Eastern Shore of Maryland, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/05/11
Review Submitted: 04/09/11
We spent the month of January, 2011 in this beautifully designed home nestled in the rain forest in Sitio de Mata. As nature lovers and avid bird watchers, we found this to be an idyllic setting. During our stay, which included several day trips in the area, we tallied 159 bird species. Staying in this home felt like staying in a treehouse in a botanical garden. Daily breakfast (included) prepared by Tatiana and served on the covered outside porch was a relaxing way to start each day. The highlight of our stay was the Calvo Rivera family, whose English-speaking son Joseph (and licensed tour guide) provided us with many informative tours, birdwatching trips, and great companionship. His family welcomed us into their home, where Joseph’s mother, Aileen, prepared us delicious dinners every night with organically grown vegetables and tubers from their farm. Dinners could be eaten with the family or brought to us at the house. Joseph’s father provided transportation to and from the airport and on all tours. We marveled daily at the beauty of this property, the variety of birds, and the wide array of plants, flowers, and trees which enveloped the house. We highly recommend this Costa Rican experience.
Recommended for:
Pura Vida! A fabulous location.
Guest: Jan's family
(Vancouver Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/20/11
Review Submitted: 04/07/11
Thank you Libby for the rental of your beautiful home in Costa Rica. We are a family of four, with two young teenagers and spent a few days at Libby's home in the mountains. Your home was so spacious and clean; a very beautiful, peaceful place. Libby was very helpful in emailing us before our arrival in Costa Rica, telling us where to buy groceries and essentials along the drive to her home. The directions to get there were good. We loved seeing all the Toucans and Montezuma birds each morning. Also, Tatianna cooked us some amazing breakfasts, she was so kind. Having breakfast included in the rental cost was fabulous!! While at your home we arranged a white water rafting trip and a canyoning trip through your neighbor Joseph (he is a licensed tour guide). Both trips were absolute high lights of our vacation, so much fun and we were picked up right at the house. The white water was Class 3 and 4 rapids, very thrilling, our kids had a blast. Our guide was Moses, very experienced, he made the trip extra special. The company was Eco Adventures, I believe, and a great price of $65 per person for a full day of fun, with lunch. We tried canyoning, rappeling down waterfalls. This day was also amazing, spent with Joseph and Jorge...both very experienced guides. Your home was very comfortable and had more than we needed. The views were breath taking, and at night we loved seeing all the fire flys light up the yard. It was nice to have Joseph next door, as he speaks English and could answer all of our questions. The location was perfect, all the people were so friendly always saying "hola" and waving and if we ever had questions, everyone wanted to help!! We would highly recommend your home, it truly is Pura Vida!!
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Great Experience for group of 7 people
Guest: none
(The Pas, Manitoba Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/28/10
Review Submitted: 01/22/11
Adrian & Libby. Thank you for the wonderful experiences we enjoyed while staying at your rental house in the Turrialba area. The house was great, the views were awesome of the surrounding area though the drive to the property may have been a difficult one if we hadn't had someone else driving for us. Leo was wonderful way beyond what we expected. He took us to an authentic Costa Rican restaurant for breakfast until the house was ready, took us grocery shopping and anywhere else we wanted to go. He also drove us to Puerto Veijo and was excellant on that trip as well, we really loved his personality. Jose was also a very friendly, knowledgable and accomodating person. The rafting and rapelling trips were super a must do for anyone looking for adventure. We also thoroughly enjoyed our supper and lunch with Jose's family, without those experiences we would not of had such a memorable two days in Turrialba. We would recommend the house to anyone who wants some true Costa Rican hospitality and tell them to make use of Leo and Jose's services. Your housekeeper was excellant though it is hard to converse when she speaks no english. Thanks again for the wonderful experience. Sandy and family.
Recommended for:Adventure seekers.
Eleven Days in the Costa Rican Mountains
Guest: Bill
(Maryland)
Date of Stay: 06/20/10
Review Submitted: 07/01/10
We spent the time at a vacation rental house north and east of Turrialba. The house is on a mountain side overlooking a lake and dam and a long valley. Every morning we woke to the sounds and sights of various birds, including Tucans, Parrots, Quetzels and many hummingbirds. The variety is enormous with the sounds of each different with the day time. The house has three bedrooms each with a full bath; a fully equipped kitchen and very comfortable living area. There is also a game room with pool table, ping pong table and foosball. The house also wi-fi equipped, so a lap top works well. We had a few days with afternoon showers, but generally a cooling breeze throughout the day made the temperature very comfortable. A caretaker made breakfast everyday and kept the house clean. She also had a lot of plants and flowers both inside and out. The patio overlooking the valley was a cool place to eat and relax. The upper balcony provided a panorama for viewing birds and butterflies all day long. A steep driveway requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle to access the house. These are readily available at the airport near San Jose. The caretaker and neighbor are very helpful with providing nature and bird walks or other guided trips. The neighbor, Jose speaks very good English while the caretaker only Spanish. We really enjoyed the house and our stay in the mountains.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, pet owners, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Heaven On Earth
Guest: chicadog
(Fort Worth, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/13/10
Review Submitted: 06/27/10
What a place! The property was even better than advertised. The pictures were great but don't do the views justice. The fresh breakfast every morning on the patio was just the way to start the day. The whitewater package was a tremendous value as well. I would recommend this property to everyone. A lot to do in area, and even better to relax and chill on the great decks with most amazing views.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Pura Vida!
Guest: Marily & Bill
(Eugene, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 03/03/10
Review Submitted: 05/21/10
Our stay at the Sitio de Mata house in Turrialba was the highlight of our travels in Costa Rica. We were met at the local bus station by Joseph, our guide for the next four days, and escorted to the spacious house, which sits upon a hill overlooking the valley. The house provided lots of amenities (pool table, foosball, ping-pong, DVD, etc) and we spent the first night playing with them all. My Spanish improved greatly through our interaction with our neighbors and caretakers, Joseph, and his family, who provided us with evening meals of delicious local cuisine cooked on a wood-buring stove and served on the patio overlooking their finka (farm). Every morning, Tatti came to our house and made us a traditional breakfast of coffee, beans, rice, eggs & plantains, which we ate on the deck overlooking the valley. Days were spent touring with Joseph, rafting the scenic Pacuare River, visiting the ancient ruins of Guayabo, hiking, and relaxing. After dinner on our last night, Joseph's father and his small band, sang traditional folk songs for us! Thank you for making our trip to Costa Rica Pura Vida!
Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
fabulous home
Guest: CSU
(California)
Date of Stay: 05/01/10
Review Submitted: 05/13/10
Everything was fabulous, we were so happy to be in your home, it was gorgeous, relaxing, and perfect for us. We fully expect to try to rent it again on a future trip if it's available.
Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.
Guest: Paul C.
(-)
Date of Stay: 02/06/10
Review Submitted: 02/06/10
We are here, and your house is very beautiful and comfortable. Thank you very much for everything, and we are enjoying ourselves very much. You really have a great house! We really enjoyed our stay there, even though it rained the whole two days without stop.It was nice to have a comfortable space to weather that.
Recommended for:
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #164281
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