Reviews for Turrialba Vacation Rental - VRBO 164281 - 3 BR Cartago House in Costa Rica, Nature Hideaway, Birdwatchers, Rafting Trips, Pool

A True Costa Rican Experience - Pura Vida!

Guest Cynthia & Nelson
Date of stay 03/04/13
Review Submitted 04/24/13

My husband and I spent a week at this wonderful home nestled on a mountain in Sitio de Mata. We really enjoyed our stay here. The views were amazing, and so were the birds. We saw a Toucan the very first morning while having coffee on the back porch, which I got a beautiful picture of. Also saw some very interesting what we like to call "jurassic park" bugs (you are in the rainforest). There is a resident lizard under the deck on the side of the house which I also got some nice pics of (not sure what kind he is). And I can't forget to mention the Leaf Cutter Ants......what a site! The property was amazing, with trails to go walking/hiking on right from the house. The flora and fauna was incredible. Tatiana was wonderful, she would make breakfast, and do light cleaning. Breakfast was always delicious, the coffee and fresh fruit was amazing. We had a great time talking with her, she speaks Spanish only (my husband spent the 3 months prior to our trip learning Spanish). Jose picked us up at the airport, which was wonderful. This was our first time in Costa Rica and it was nice to not have to worry about driving and getting lost and where to shop and eat. He was with us most of the week. He has so much information and history to share, we really enjoyed our time with him (and his wife). He took us on a tour of his family farm, and to the Irazu Volcano. Jose and my husband used the mountain bikes that are at the house and went riding one day, also rafted the Pacuare River. I had a little fall while in Costa Rica which got me two stitches in my elbow and three stitches in my knee. No worries, Jose and Darlene took good care of me and took me to their Doctor, who took great care of me. I really cant say enough about the care I received, I feel very fortunate. We have a great story to tell, and I have some permanent Costa Rica souvenirs. The week at your house was great. We feel that we got a true Costa Rica experience, from the meals, to the tours, to the shopping at the Maxi Pali, and the Farmacia. Everyone we came into contact with were friendly and helpful. This being our first time in Costa Rica, having your help, your home, Tatiana, and Jose made it a wonderful trip that we are looking forward to making again! We have returned home with great memories and some new friends.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

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Great house, better view!

Guest Jeff
Date of stay 04/30/12
Review Submitted 05/08/12

I took a group of 10 people to stay in this house and it was the perfect place for us. A relaxing place to enjoy being together and nature. We used their options for dinner and had an amazing dinner made right at the house, and breakfast was great as well. Highly recommend for a family, a couple of families, or a group of people.

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

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

In love with Turrialba

Guest Jojo
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: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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

Quiet Get-Away in Turrialaba

Guest Tony
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: Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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

Pura Vida! A fabulous location.

Guest Jan's family
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: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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

What An Anniversary Celebration!

Guest Pete & Cele
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.

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

Great Experience for group of 7 people

Guest none
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

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Eleven Days in the Costa Rican Mountains

Guest Bill
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: 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: 3/3

Heaven On Earth

Guest chicadog
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: Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

fabulous home

Guest CSU
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: 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: 3/3

Pura Vida!

Guest Marily & Bill
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: 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: 3/3

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Paul C.
Date of stay 02/06/10
Review Submitted 02/05/10

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.

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Nathan S.
Date of stay 09/06/09
Review Submitted 09/05/09

What an amazing trip that was! I didn't want to leave Turrialba. The house was exceptional and so was Leo our driver. We all felt it was too good to be true. A million pura vida's! Thanks for letting us stay at your house and please extend a gracious thanks to Joseph and his mom's wonderful food. Most definitely will return.

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

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Scott
Date of stay 08/01/09
Review Submitted 07/31/09

We had a great experience in your place. Please pass along my sincere gratitude to Josesph and his Mom and Dad for being such great hosts. We left their feeling somewhat part of their family. Joseph's tours were excellent!!! The hoseback riding and whitewater rafting I think will be the highlights of the trip. Please feel free to provide my email address to others if they want a testamonial. We hope to return soon.

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

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Cosette
Date of stay 08/01/09
Review Submitted 07/31/09

Costa Rica was a lot of fun and loaded with new experiences. We enjoyed staying in Sitio Mata and attending school at CATIE. The area is so beautiful and the Calvo family, especially Joseph, were very hospitable. One week of school was not enough so we want to come back and stay longer next time. The town of Turrialba was just the right size -- not too big and not too small. It's really perfect for someone wanting to learn and use Spanish. There are a lot of activities and sights we still want to do and see, so we hope to be back soon. Your house is awesome and the land around it so beautiful.

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Guest Rod Mumma
Date of stay 07/18/09
Review Submitted 07/18/09

We stayed several days at your lovely mountain home in Sitio de Mata and loved it. The white water refting was great! Joseph (Jose) Calvo was a great guide to explain so much to us and his Family made our stay in Sitio de Mata absolutely wonderful. They fed us in their home and shared what a real CR family is like. We enjoyed the scenery, the white water rafting but most of all we enjoyed the Calvo family!

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

Guest Scott69
Date of stay 07/18/09
Review Submitted 07/18/09

Incredible experience! Large house with many amenities, beautiful views and an awesome traditional breakfast each morning prepared by Joseph’s Family. Joseph is an English speaking young many who lives down the hill and serves as a guide. He offers a broad verity of excellent trips. Our family can personally recommend horseback riding and whitewater rafting down the Pacure River - these two adventures were the highlight of our CR vacation. We hope to be back soon to try canyonering and ziplinning with Joseph.

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Guest Jim & DeAnn
Date of stay 03/27/09
Review Submitted 03/27/09

This was an excellent location for beautiful scenery and a home base to visit the rest of the country. Chef Henry provided us with tasty TICO breakfasts and dinner. Tour Guide Joseph provided us with excellent tours and historical information. We highley recommend staying at the home and retaining Chef Henry and Joseph!

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Guest Landon1
Date of stay 07/25/08
Review Submitted 07/25/08

As an avid birdwatcher, I absolutely loved staying at this beautiful home. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my time than relaxing on the patio deck watching toucans, parrots, and oropendolas in the trees just inches away from the patio. The mountain view overlooks the valley and a large tropical lake surrounded by verdant foliage. I saw dozens of bird species on the property and enjoyed being up in the trees on the hillside. I also loved the incredible white water rafting trip through primary tropical rainforest. Thanks for a wonderful and memorable stay, it was difficult to leave.Landon Jones

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Guest Susan Jones3
Date of stay 07/22/08
Review Submitted 07/22/08

Our June Costa Rican trip was a fabulous adventure, thanks our stay in your beautiful home. The comfortable accommodations, including the breathtaking panoramic view, delicious local cuisine and country ambiance were exceptional! One of the most memorable parts of the trip was the scenic white water rafting trip; we were in capable hands with our experienced and delightful guide.

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Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 07/21/08
Review Submitted 07/21/08

i stayed here for a month and had a fantastic time! from the bike rides and hikes, to mounting a bull, watching the birds and lightning, to whitewater rafting on the rio pacuare (a must do experience). the neighbors are so friendly and gracious. it also served as a great home base while we went on excursions to san jose, arenal, and the beaches.

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Sosima
Date of stay 03/24/08
Review Submitted 03/23/08

Hi, We're back, had a fabulous trip and are talking about returning to the land of "Pura Vida". We all appreciated the beauty and the warmth of your rainforest home, it's location and the people of Sitio de Mata. What a gem. The caretaker, Joseph Calvo and his family added an extra special dimension to our vacation that we'll treasure always. Thank you again for the use of your wonderful home. Sosima

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Guest comment entered by owner

Guest A. Cole
Date of stay 02/15/08
Review Submitted 02/14/08

Hello, we had a lovely time at your house for the couple of days that we were there. Saw a lot of beautiful wildlife and really enjoyed it. Thank you,

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Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 02/04/08
Review Submitted 02/04/08

What a wonderful place to get away from it all. I had such a relaxing time in a beautiful setting. I really enjoyed the hikes and wildlife with out the tourists.

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Vacation Rentals by Owner

Nature Hideaway, Birdwatchers, Rafting Trips, Pool [#164281] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (24)

A True Costa Rican Experience - Pura Vida!

A True Costa Rican Experience - Pura Vida!

Great house, better view!

Great house, better view!

In love with Turrialba

In love with Turrialba

Quiet Get-Away in Turrialaba

Quiet Get-Away in Turrialaba

Pura Vida! A fabulous location.

Pura Vida! A fabulous location.

What An Anniversary Celebration!

What An Anniversary Celebration!

Great Experience for group of 7 people

Great Experience for group of 7 people

Eleven Days in the Costa Rican Mountains

Eleven Days in the Costa Rican Mountains

Heaven On Earth

Heaven On Earth

fabulous home

fabulous home

Pura Vida!

Pura Vida!