First Time in Costa Rica

Guest: Joe (Oklahoma)
Date of Stay: 01/15/12 Review Submitted: 01/26/12

I would like to thank Diane and Jerald for a fantastic relaxing vacation. I was trying to setup a last minute trip with only 3 days notice and it was breeze, done very quickly. Diane answered all my questions, setting up my car rental reservation and put me at ease since this was my first VRBO experience. I was looking for a relaxing, non resort but close to the tourist area vacation and this was perfect. The photos and descriptions of the property were accurate and they went out of their way to help me have the experience I was looking for. There is no TV in the rental but most nights we watched a movie on a projector out by the pool. It felt like staying with friends, they picked me up at the airport and drove me to the car rental and spent the next few days showing me the tourist as well as non tourist areas. I had a great time and you will never meet a nicer couple. Thanks again Jerald and Diane.

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

Vacation in Peace and Harmony

Guest: DD (Georgia)
Date of Stay: 11/06/11 Review Submitted: 01/23/12

What a gorgeous guesthouse and view of the tree canopy, the vista and the sunsets. We have traveled to Costa Rica in the past and wanted to experience a stay in the mountains even though we have stayed at the beaches in the past. Your villa is private, clean, and in perfect condition. We appreciated the friendliness and hospitality of our hosts. The listing description and photos did not compare to the beauty of this property. We had questions answered before we arrived and everything that we discussed was taken care of with ease. Jerald met us at the airport and helped us get around – we really appreciated the time of a complimentary tour of the beaches and local area. And then we were off – tours, sun, beaches, great food, horsebackriding, and gracious hospitality. We especially liked eating at HelloHanny a local small restaurant. Villas Congas is a clean, safe and beautiful place to stay. Thank-you for giving of your time and opening yourself to our vacation to help us make our stay so very enjoyable.

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

Please Beware~ Not As Advertised. Too many issues to mention in one review

Guest: Mark (Midland, Ontario Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/24/11 Review Submitted: 01/18/12

We booked almost 10 months in advance and had many conversations with the owners. We had booked for four weeks. We stated that we required internet access to work from paradise, and were assured that wasn't an issue. Not true! Internet access was only maybe sometimes available IF we sat outside at the bar/pool area which is shared with the owners, by the way. After trying repeatedly to get internet access, we were given promises ("We'll move a router into your unit") and excuses ("It's Costa Rica (smile) what do you expect?"). It was alternatively suggested that we drive 30 minutes to various local restaurants and use their internet. Okay, maybe if I planned on facebooking, but this was work! We needed to be able to skype reliably as well as send and receive email. Not possible. After about 4 days there, the intermittent internet cut out completely. We had paid for 28 days of vacation/work paradise and stayed 8. We have never so much as received a response to our repeated direct and polite requests for a partial refund. We were even told (later) by a third party that there is proper internet access at Lomas Del Mar but the owners of this villa refuse to pay for it! This was our biggest beef, although I will now list other issues: 1) No reliable connectivity and just excuses 2) Sharing my space with the landlords literally right on top of us. We even woke up the first morning to our host outside our bedroom window sweeping our terrace! After that, we were left brooms and mops and were expected to sweep our own. 3) We were told we could only use the washer once or twice a week. 4) We had to PLUNGE the toilet almost every time we used it. 5) We had 5 people and all had to use our own private shower because the other never worked (and their toilet ran constantly) and their fan was somehow hooked up to their light. Want a fan at night? Too bad, you also get a light! 6) Serious lack of cooking utensils. I was told, " You're on vacation.. who wants to cook anyway?". The advertised BBQ never worked. 7) ALL the things that were broken and they knew were broken were never addressed as something that would be fixed! "Welcome to Costa Rica (smile)" 8) We had to rent another place for the remaining three weeks; it has a much better ocean view, an infinity pool that actually works (it’s full) and is clean, a beach, FUNCTIONING internet, and basically everything that we required. AND when something went wrong, it was FIXED immediately with no excuses.

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A perfect family getaway!

Guest: Tammy W. (Stouffville, Ontario)
Date of Stay: 07/08/11 Review Submitted: 08/09/11

Our family stayed at Villas Congas for two weeks. It was a splendid vacation, and the house was just perfect for us. The view was stunning, and we were treated to some unbelieveable sunsets! The outdoor space was so relaxing. We had many open air breakfasts, and enjoyed a fabulous catered dinner there as well. Our sons, aged 5 & 7, enjoyed swimming in the infinity pool daily. We also took advantage of the community pool atop the hill and soaked in more breathtaking views from there. The house was luxurious, comfortable, spacious, clean, and well-maintained. We also had a family friend stay with us in the adjoining suite. This afforded us much space and privacy. Before our vacation, Diane corresponded with us frequently to answer any questions that we had. During our stay, Jerald was our gracious host. He gave us many excellent suggestions, and took us to some tucked-away spots that were real gems! We enjoyed his company and were grateful for his assistance. There was plenty to do and much to explore, although just enjoying the serenity and beauty of the surroundings could have easily filled our days. Thank you Jerald & Diane for your part in our amazing Costa Rican experience!

Recommended for:Girls getaway, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Villas Congas

Guest: Kim & M (Dallas, Texas, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/14/11 Review Submitted: 06/07/11

My wife and I enjoyed Villas Congas very much. It is a tranquil getaway, wonderfully landscaped, with beautiful views of the hills and ocean. Wild life is abundant. Have your morning coffee on the balcony in the morning and watch the howler monkeys playing in the trees. Swim in the gorgeous pool by starlight. It is close to beautiful secluded beaches and other attractions. The hosts are very aware of local attractions and great restaurants (try out Chevez family owned Hellohanny in the nearby village of Artola....what a great chef at great prices!). I highly recommend Villas Congas to anyone wanting to enjoy the Guanacaste area of beautiful Costa Rica.

Owner response:Thanks Kim and Martha- we thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and so glad you chose to spend your vacation with us. Quiet relaxing vacations are very important - and we are pleased that you were able to enjoy the serenity and scenery. Pura Vida!

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

Awesome Hide Away in Costa Rica paradise

Guest: Ken and Chris (Marietta, Ga USA)
Date of Stay: 04/18/11 Review Submitted: 04/18/11

The beautiful home is located on the top of a tropical hill overlooking lush jungle and the ocean in the distance. The photos on the website accurately reflect the beauty of the home as well as the surroundings. We woke up every morning to the birds singing as well as the monkeys in the nearby trees. The guest home is beautiful and fully equipped. The pool is a great place to either spend a relaxing day or come back to after a day of ziplining and exploring the national parks an hour away. The local beach is beautiful and within five minutes. The coastal town of Coco is within a 20 minute drive and is great in the evenings for dinners, drinks and shopping all of which are very laid back. If you are looking for a great secluded get away, you should definately consider this spot. One of the homeowners is there to help and guide you with whatever your agenda may be. Gerald was there during our week and he did a great job showing us some of the sites. We all looked forward to the beautiful sunsets every evening as well. We think this is a great rental value and perhaps one of the nicest spots in Costa Rica.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing, romantic getaway.

Beautiful home and surroundings

Guest: Kelly (Salt Lake City )
Date of Stay: 03/24/11 Review Submitted: 04/14/11

I just want to take a minute to thank Diane and Jerald for providing my wife and I, and our friends, such a great Costa Rican experience. Your home was beautiful, and we really enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica. Diane was great in helping us make arrangements and answering our questions about the home and the surrounding area. Once there, Jerald went out of his way to provide us with a great experience. Our host spent a lot of time showing us around some of the great local spots near the home, and giving us some pointers to enhance our time in the Coco area. While staying at Villas Congas, we enjoyed our time lounging around the house and pool, as well as the time we spent exploring the surrounding areas and beaches. This was our first time renting through VRBO, and the arrangements were just as described and shown in the pictures. Anyone thinking of arranging a stay at Villas Congas, should absolutely do it. It is a great value, and you won’t be disappointed. Pura Vida!

Recommended for:Sightseeing, families with young children, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Villas Congas...We highly recommend this lovely, magical place.

Guest: Jackie and Ron (Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/10/11 Review Submitted: 01/18/11

This place is spectacular...the view, the accomodations and the hosts Diane and Jerald who are a warm and freindly couple. We stayed for one wonderful week. The Shermans met us at the airport, helped with the car rental and then took us to the villa and this hospitality continued during our entire stay in an easy, uninvasive manner. It was dark when we arrived but the view of lights from some local communities below us was amazing and we were so excited for dawn . We woke to breath taking sites and sounds and smells as we enjoyed delicious Costa Rican coffee from a wrap around deck where we saw monkeys, birds. butterflies, beautiful flowers and a total feeling of serenity . Our hosts showed us many local sites such as a lovely quiet beach and a local Tico restaurant where we experienced the local menu and they even took us to Liberia to organize a dentist and an optometrist (at considerably less expense than at home). Our accomodations were top rate with a king size comfie bed. There is a patio area right by the pool and we had a couple of movie nights outside with popcorn, a warm ocean breeze, stars and sounds of nature. My words can not describe how wonderful our stay was a Villas Congas from every aspect and I highly recommend this experience to everyone...Pura vida

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

Beautiful Home in Paradise

Guest: Claudia (Richmond, MO)
Date of Stay: 12/21/10 Review Submitted: 01/16/11

My husband and I and our two teenage boys stayed 10 days at Villas Congas...a beautiful home overlooking the jungle and Pacific Ocean. Travelling to Costa Rica has been a dream of ours for a long time and we weren't disappointed. Jerald and Diane are very hospitable and go out of their way to make your stay comfortable and educational. The wildlife is incredible in Costa Rica and we really enjoyed the howler monkeys visiting outside our balcony on my husband's birthday! We loved exploring the surrounding towns and dining out as well as shopping. Ziplining on the side of a volcano at Borinquen Mountain Resort was truly a memorable experience. We are already planning our next vacation to Costa Rica and hope to stay at the Villas Congas again!

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

Guest: Eugene (Denver) (-)
Date of Stay: 06/29/07 Review Submitted: 01/16/11

I have had the most wonderful time. I realize that life doesn't get much better than this. Thank-you so much for the opportunity of a lifetime. I wish everyone could experience Costa Rica and your hospitality. I return to the world a renewed man. With peace of mind, and solace of heart. Words simply cannot describe how I feel. I cannot wait to come back. Thank-you Diane and Jerald.

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