The Perfect Spot! Ocean Views ~ Spacious and Private!

• Amazing again

  Amazing again

  • Guest Casey M.
  • Date of stay 11/11/12
  • Review Submitted 12/04/12
  This was my 3rd time staying at Villa Dorada and once again had a blast. I don’t typically write reviews but after coming back to the page to show my friend interested in going and seeing the last review I felt compelled. This place is awesome. The decor is styled after the culture, the comfort is like home, and every detail I have inquired about has been met. The first time I went was just with my girlfriend and I and stayed in the middle level. A soon as I walked in and became acquainted with the place I felt at home. The views to the beach as well as the view of the rain forest behind were a thrill. Really made me feel like I was in a different world. It was so amazing to get out of the norm and experience what life in Costa Rica is really like. The Second time I went with a big group of friends and again stayed here. Everyone enjoyed the place and everything it had to offer, (yes including the geckos). Every time I have contacted the owners they have always been gracious and accommodating which really help drive home the experience. I have always felt that this place was well taken care of. Costa Rica is full of exotic wildlife and yes critters, that’s part of its charm. Don’t get me wrong by no means is this place infested with critters but yes we did have a couple wanders from the outside come up. Did they share my food and bed NO!!!! So don’t get the wrong impression. My biggest thrill out of staying here multiple times is the fact that I get to have these experiences and not do the Hotel Thing. Everyone deserves to have the Vacation they want, you’ve earned it, but if you’re looking to have room service and your pillows fluffed while you’re at the pool, call up the Hilton. If you’re looking to experience Costa Rica as a whole and enjoy being able to sit on a balcony with a drink and watch the sunset, make memories, and have an amazing time that you will surely never forget, I suggest staying here. I know I’ll be back.

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• Disappointed

  Disappointed

  • Guest Monty B.
  • Date of stay 10/26/12
  • Review Submitted 11/01/12
  Our experience at the Villa Dorada was not what we had hoped for. I became immediately skeptical when I saw the cobwebs that had formed on the screen door leading into the villa. As we entered we saw much of the same. Mold was found throughout the villa and, in short, the property has seen better days. After my wife killed both a spider and wasp in five minutes in the master suite she told me she was disappointed and we decided to find a different place to stay eventhough we had prepaid for this villa. In correspondence since I have been told they take pride in not being like a resort. This is exactly why we chose this property. Our last trip to Costa Rica we did not even make reservations, my wife and I just showed up and found a great bed and breakfast so it is not that we are a "resort family". This time, having the kids travel with us, we decided to make accomodations beforehand and it obviously backfired. This property does have great views and the management does respond to inquiries in a timely manner but just be aware these are not recent photos and you can find better values in the Jaco area. I believe the management misrepresents this property through the photos and I hope people do not have the same experience as us going forward. We obviously took pictures of the accomodations, if anyone would like to inquire regarding the current condition of Villa Dorada just contact me.

  Owner response: As owners of Villa Dorada, we want our guests to enjoy their stay at the Villa while in Jaco, and do our best to accommodate their needs whenever there's an issue. This time, we didn't meet the expectations of these guests. Not a win for anyone here! The property sits on a rise at the base of a mountain covered with thick, tropical vegetation. As one could imagine, the rain forest is home for an abundance of Costa Rica's wildlife including favorites such as monkeys, toucans, macaws, & butterflies. This is also home for other wildlife which, to some, may not be so popular such as geckos, iguanas, frogs, and yes...spiders, wasps, & termites. The accommodations are scheduled to be cleaned and prepped either the day of the guest's arrival or the day prior. These guests arrived in late October near the end of the rainy season. There's no point in debating whether or not these folks encountered "critters". That is a given, but at this time of year, it's likely there were more due to timing of the visit rather than a lack of preparation. It's reasonable to assume that certain travelers have a higher tolerance than others for the unexpected. We wish these guests would have allowed us the opportunity to address any issues they had. Based on the comments of other guests, we're doing a good job. Nevertheless, we still feel disappointed when guests are unhappy and hope this family still had fun on their vacation!

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• Great Vacation

  Great Vacation

  • Guest Robert R.
  • Date of stay 04/09/12
  • Review Submitted 04/28/12
  Villa Dorado was everything Maria said it would be! We rented the top two floors of the Villa. It would have been nice if there was access between the floors inside, as the couple that slept downstairs felt a little bit isolated from the people who were staying upstairs. I wouldn't want to stay there with more than six people between the two floors, as there are only three air conditioned rooms with beds. The kitchen facilities were fantastic, although a power outage occurred on the day that we went to Miguel Antonio National Park and the food that we had stored in the freezer went to waste. It's a quick walk to the beach and maybe a 20-30 minute walk downtown. Evan was great but we highly recommend contacting another local guide who's name we're not allowed to mention in the reviews. Also: We flew into Liberia and drove down to Jaco. It's a little bit tricky at night, but we made it in under five hours and that was with a very significant detour when we missed one turn. It was about a three hour drive back in the light. The Villa is on the main highway in and out of town, across from the main entrance to Hotel Club del Mar (not on the side near the hotel) In short: If you don't want to spend the money to be right on the beach then this is the place for you!

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• AMAZING vacation - can't wait to go back!!

  AMAZING vacation - can't wait to go back!!

  • Guest Catie B.
  • Date of stay 08/01/11
  • Review Submitted 09/13/11
  I rented the upstairs unit with 4 friends for a week in the beginning of August 2011. We had a VERY relaxing vacation. It is as if time stood still there:) The house is less than a 5 minute walk to the beach and you can use the pool across the street. We got groceries and made meals all week. It really saved us! We would go to the beach, then the pool, make lunch and then watch a movie and take an afternoon nap. At sunset we would go down to the beach and watch all the surfers ride the waves. It was great!! The house is literally at the base of the rain forest so we got to see families of monkeys swinging through, bright blue butterflies, blue-green iguanas, etc. The wildlife was amazing! Evan took care of anything we needed and was very accommodating. The cab ride into downtown Jaco was about $4-5 each way and to Hermosa Beach it was $8-10 each way. I highly recommend this place for anyone visiting Costa Rica for the first time or wanting to come and relax with their family/friends. Maria and Evan are the BEST to work with! We can't wait to come back again. I am already starting my Costa Rica vacation fund for next year:)

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

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• Peaceful and So Beautiful

  Peaceful and So Beautiful

  • Guest Samantha & Dan
  • Date of stay 12/12/10
  • Review Submitted 03/19/11
  We returned to Villa Dorada for our third time and once again, we had an amazing trip. This villa is so beautiful and the location is perfect. You are close to the town of Jaco so that you can grocery shop, go to the retaurants, bars,and shop for souvenirs. Yet, you are far enough away to enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of the rainforest and appreciate the Costa Rican sunsets over the ocean from the balcony of the villa. Our sons are always asking us to take them back to Villa Dorada. It is, by far, their favorite vacation spot.This is where they learned to surf - just walked across the street with their boards and surfed all day long. Evan, the onsite groundskeeper, was able to help with the surfboard rentals for the whole week. We stocked our refrigerator and prepared many meals there which saved quite a bit of money for our large family. We are all so relaxed when we visit here! Had no problem with our lap top and getting internet connection and loved being able to walk across to the pool at Club del Mar and be served food and drinks poolside! Plus, they have great food so we enjoyed dinner there also. Cannot wait to go back again. There is nothing like being in such a beautiful country with beautiful accommodations so thank you Maria for taking such good care of us! The Erickson Family

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/4

• Great Vacation

  Great Vacation

  • Guest travelbug2
  • Date of stay 03/06/10
  • Review Submitted 03/18/10
  I recently stayed at Villa Dorada with 12 friends. The house was beautiful and in a good location. It was a tight squeeze figuring out sleeping arrangements for all 13 of us since the only rooms with AC were the bedrooms, but we made it work. We liked that the house was just a $2 cab ride to downtown Jaco, and the beach was right across the street (just cut through the hotel). The hotel across the street was very accommodating (we could use the pool, eat there, use restrooms, etc). We were pleasantly surprised to find was that there were 2 dogs living at/outside the house. They were basically pets- they had collars but could roam free- and were really well trained (one of them liked to lead us on hikes and catch the bugs before they flew in the house!) The dogs were very entertaining and made all of us feel safe at night. Maria, the owner, was also very nice & great about answering all of our questions. We were disappointed to find that the free Wi-Fi we'd been told we'd have access to was down the entire week. One of the air mattresses also had a hole in it and was very uncomfortable to sleep on. The only other problem we had was that there weren't any blankets in the house and it was cold sleeping with a single sheet in the AC. Overall, we had a great time staying at Villa Dorada and I would highly recommend it!

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, sightseeing, pet owners, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 5/6

• Cannot wait to return!

  Cannot wait to return!

  • Guest Nick & Leah
  • Date of stay 02/06/10
  • Review Submitted 03/06/10
  Villa Dorada was the best place that I have ever rented from the HomeAway site. It was everything that it states and more! It is truely a "Costa Rican" feeling when you wake up and see all the nature and animals, not like a hotel. We loved sitting on the patio and watching the beautiful sunset. The owner was more than helpful and so was Evan, the manager. We can't wait to return! Pura Vida!

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, sightseeing, pet owners, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, girls getaway.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/6

• Not close to size you think

  Not close to size you think

  • Guest lasvegas7777
  • Date of stay 08/26/09
  • Review Submitted 10/08/09
  This house was in a good location but there was one major problem it says it sleeps 12-14. Not even close it sleeps 8 at most they also said the had 2 blowup mattress there was only 1 and it didn't work they have a guy who takes care of the house but be careful he will try to rip you off you can get better deals by going into town. The beach is also not that close you need to fight you way across a busy street and try not to get hit by a car, it almost happened twice. Also when I contacted the owner about the sleeping situation they didn't care one bit they got there money so why would they. Good luck

  Owner response: As owners of Villa Dorada, we have had the privilege of sharing our home with a wide variety of travelers; from family groups and couples, to groups of firemen, military on leave, college students, and others. We hope all guests enjoy their stay at the Villa, and also the unique amenities that Costa Rica has to offer. When responding to inquiries, special attention is given to the sleeping arrangements to avoid any surprises or discomfort by guests. This information is also clearly posted on our website to allow guests to narrow down their selections if Villa Dorada is not a fit. At times, guests have arrived with more people than originally planned which can present challenges. Every effort is made to accommodate when these situations arise, if and when they are communicated to us. Our on-site manager has assisted many guests booking their tours for such fun adventures as sport fishing, ATV and zip-line tours, etc. In fact, we have received numerous compliments on how helpful he has been. While there are many tour operators in town, not all are licensed and insured. Guests have the advantage of working with established and experienced operators, which also includes airport shuttle transportation. This is an optional service to enhance the guest’s experience and guests are welcome to research and book their own tours if they choose. Villa Dorada is not a beachfront property and is not advertised as such. The beach is within a three or four minute walk which includes crossing the road out front. We highly recommend looking both ways before crossing, particularly at night. As always, when traveling abroad it makes good common sense to travel in groups and remember to conduct ourselves as appreciative guests in a foreign country. Smiles are universally understood and work wonders when traveling, especially in Costa Rica.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 9/13

• Vacation in Paradise in September 2009

  Vacation in Paradise in September 2009

  • Guest FFmedic
  • Date of stay 09/16/09
  • Review Submitted 10/03/09
  My friends and I stayed at the Villa Dorada for 12 days in September 2009 and none of us have ever had a vacation in paradise like this one. Maria was EXCELLENT in answering all of my questions prior to the trip and helping me get everything lined up for the house. Everything at the house was as she advertised. We rented both the second and third floors and were extremely pleased with the accommodations! The full kitchens, bathrooms with big showers and washer/dryer made the trip that much more relaxing knowing that we were not stuck in a small hotel room or small house......and the sunset views in the evenings were breath taking. And probably the best thing about the Villa Dorada for me was the fact that we were a little ways away from the busy part of Jaco so it was quiet but yet only about a 4 minute taxi ride to any of the popular restaurants or night life in Jaco. While we were there we went off shore fishing twice, did the zip line tour, ATV tour, Manuel Antonio State Park Tour and the Arenal Volcano Tour. All of which I would HIGHLY recommend! It is hard to say one of them was my favorite because we enjoyed them all and will be doing all of them again when we go back.....and yes we plan on renting the Villa Dorada from Maria again! As someone stated in an earlier review, the taxis were probably the best way to travel in Jaco. After you called for a taxi it typically took 3-5 minutes for the taxi to get there, were clean, and all the taxis were clearly marked which seemed like a good safety measure on the taxi companies part. Another big plus to the Villa Dorada was that you are able to have the privacy of being in a house but to also have access to all the amenities of the Club Del Mar (pool, bar, restaurant and spa) right across the street. And the beach is literally right across the street through the hotel. I will definitely rent the Villa Dorada again and will be recommending the house to anyone that I know that wants to go to Jaco. Thanks Maria for a wonderful vacation!!!

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 4/5

• Vacation in Paradise in September 2009

  Vacation in Paradise in September 2009

  • Guest FFmedic
  • Date of stay 09/16/09
  • Review Submitted 10/03/09
  My friends and I stayed at the Villa Dorada for 12 days in September 2009 and none of us have ever had a vacation in paradise like this one. Maria was EXCELLENT in answering all of my questions prior to the trip and helping me get everything lined up for the house. Everything at the house was as she advertised. We rented both the second and third floors and were extremely pleased with the accommodations! The full kitchens, bathrooms with big showers and washer/dryer made the trip that much more relaxing knowing that we were not stuck in a small hotel room or small house......and the sunset views in the evenings were breath taking. And probably the best thing about the Villa Dorada for me was the fact that we were a little ways away from the busy part of Jaco so it was quiet but yet only about a 4 minute taxi ride to any of the popular restaurants or night life in Jaco. While we were there we went off shore fishing twice, did the zip line tour, ATV tour, Manuel Antonio State Park Tour and the Arenal Volcano Tour. All of which I would HIGHLY recommend! It is hard to say one of them was my favorite because we enjoyed them all and will be doing all of them again when we go back.....and yes we plan on renting the Villa Dorada from Maria again! As someone stated in an earlier review, the taxis were probably the best way to travel in Jaco. After you called for a taxi it typically took 3-5 minutes for the taxi to get there, were clean, and all the taxis were clearly marked which seemed like a good safety measure on the taxi companies part. Another big plus to the Villa Dorada was that you are able to have the privacy of being in a house but to also have access to all the amenities of the Club Del Mar (pool, bar, restaurant and spa) right across the street. And the beach is literally right across the street through the hotel. I will definitely rent the Villa Dorada again and will be recommending the house to anyone that I know that wants to go to Jaco. Thanks Maria for a wonderful vacation!!!

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

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

Payment is usually accepted in the quoted currency ($) unless the currency and the amount is specifically agreed in advance with the owner / advertiser.

Additional information about rental rates:

Fees and Taxes:

• Cleaning $40