Reviews for Montezuma Vacation Rental - VRBO 180152ha - 2 BR Puntarenas House in Costa Rica, Open Concept Euro Built Beach Home: Shaded Garden, Walk to Restaurants/Super

Home away

Guest Kat M.
Date of stay 08/03/12
Review Submitted 08/13/12

My family and I recent returned from our trip to Costa Rica. I just want to say that it is a very beautiful place to visit. Anyways, we stay here at Casa Astrid. Getting there was rough and terribly bumpy. Once we arrived in Cabuya it was difficult to find the house. There are no signs posted and the house was covered in the front by large trees making it hard to see. The owner provides a small map of the area but it is still difficult to find if you have never been there. Once we realized that we had found the house we took a look inside. Unfortunately it was not clean. It looked like no one had cleaned the place for awhile. The floors and counters were dirty and there where dead bugs in the bed. After a 5 and 1/2 hour ride through the mountains on and off bumpy steep roads, I was expecting to relax. That was definitely not the case. We had to go out and by cleaning products to wash the counters, floors, dishes, and bed sheets. I will admit I cried because I was exhausted and sad at the fact that these things were not taken care of. After we finished cleaning we went out back before it got dark. The yard was a mess! There were palm leaves blocking the back door and hard debris although the yard. My mom and I spent part of the evening cleaning that up as well. There are plenty of bugs in Costa Rica and they are everywhere, however I think she has or had an infestation of termites. At night they were all over the food on the counters. My family and I are not bug killers but it was tough to manage cooking and the termites on the counter. The rest of the stay was awesome! There were Howler monkeys in our yard almost everyday. Our neighbors were wonderful especially James, the owner of the Howler Monkey Hotel. He is an interesting, kind man. There are many things to see and do in and around Cabuya. What a beautiful place!

Owner response: As you can imagine I was very surprised by this review. It turns out that Jenny, our property manager, who lives about a block away from the house and runs the delightful Cafe Coyote, had the wrong dates for this guest. She was very surprised that Kat didn't mention anything or let her know that the family needed help, which she would have been more than happy to provide. For potential guests reading this review, if there is ever ANYTHING that you are not 100% happy with regarding the condition of the house PLEASE let Jenny know. She speaks fluent English, knows everyone in the village and will do anything in her power to ensure that you enjoy your stay. She can also give you helpful tips about making the most of the area. You can also always get me by email and I am happy to give you a call at the house if any issues arise. We have had a very good history of customer satisfaction and your vacation is important to us!

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

right on the beach, nicely made house

Guest Iris L.
Date of stay 07/14/12
Review Submitted 07/30/12

We enjoyed a wonderful week in this beachfront house! The location is great, right on the beach, and amenities in the town are within walking distance. The house was well equipped and spacious, our favourite part being the outdoor shower (for a quick rinse after coming in from the beach). Getting there: The drive from the airport to Cabuya around the Gulf of Nicoya is strenuous (some steep and unpaved roads). Check the ferry schedule from Puntarenas to Paquera to avoid the rough sections, or consider taking a domestic flight. Or just be prepared for several bumpy hours. What to do: Swimming (high tide) and reading on the patio (low tide) are easy and obvious options. We also walked to the island (great for looking at the rock formations), checked the pools in the river, booked a snorkeling tour (beautiful tropical fish) and a canopy tour (including a beautiful waterfall swim), drove to Mal Pais (though found the high waves and pebbles a bit rough) and hiked through Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve (be prepared to sweat!). The lady at the local cafe was very helpful "on-site" for finding our way around and the organisation. We definitely recommend this place, as it provides both the seclusion and peacefulness, while still in relative proximity to tourism infrastructure. By the way, we could watch monkey clamber through the trees during the day, and howling during the night. And in the morning a myriad of birds sing to greet you!

Owner response: Thanks Iris! :)

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

Casita fue maravillosa!!

Guest Jeff N.
Date of stay 04/06/12
Review Submitted 04/19/12

Wonderful and amazing community in Cabuya! I took my daughter here for a week for her 16th birthday. Plenty of space and could have slept 6 people comfortably. The home is well maintained with a private beach in the backyard for sunning and relaxing. A bakery, restaurants, and a supermarket are all within walking distance; there is even a grill at the home for cookouts. I have traveled all over the world and rented many incredible homes and apartments and this one is one of the best for amenities, aesthetics, and convenience. The AC in the bedrooms is a great luxury as is the 2nd shower located outside for rinsing off after spending all day in 90 plus heat and sun. We will be back!

Owner response: Thanks Jeff! :)

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

Casa Astrid- Wonderful!

Guest Ashley B.
Date of stay 12/24/11
Review Submitted 01/02/12

Casa Astrid in Cabuya was a wonderful place to stay! It was beautiful, clean, and in a nice, secluded location a little ways down the road from the busier Montezuma. The property manager, Jenny, was so helpful and wonderful...and The Coyote Cafe (her restaurant) was delicious! I loved that we could walk to Cabuya Island (where there are great views and a cool cemetery) at low tide, and swim in the ocean at high tide. The beach was rocky, but with some water shoes it was just fine. If we're ever able to go to Costa Rica again, I would love to stay here again as well!

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

Costa Rica Vacation

Guest lauren
Date of stay 05/28/11
Review Submitted 06/07/11

We were very pleased with our house. Our friends rented the place right next door to us and so we did a lot of cooking over there, but our place was perfect! Tanya put us in contact with several locals which made our trip even better. Jenny at Coyote Cafe was such a pleasure to be around and got us great deals...also Jose (the neighbor) and his family are also great, go out on his boat and fish if you like, he is very nice. I would suggest this place for a relaxing stay in beautiful Costa Rica!

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

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

Great Times at Casa Astrid

Guest John
Date of stay 02/04/11
Review Submitted 03/10/11

My wife and I spent a lovely month (February/march 2011) at Casa Astrid, and enjoyed every minute. We have no hesitation in recommending it. The Casa itself is very lovely and quite well equipped - the photos provided on this website attest to its rustic charm. For close to two weeks of our stay, the Casa housed an additional four family members (three adults and one child) comfortably. The location of the Casa - sitting, as it does, on the edge of the ocean - is clearly an advantage. Snorkeling is close by, although foot access is limited by tides and visibility varies depending on the strength of the swells. Cabuya is a quiet little town, but has more-than-decent amenities – good dining (the Coyote Café and the Soda across from Super David, in particular); well-stocked stores; a very good bakery; and fresh fish from local fishermen (at the port just at the entrance to the land bridge to Cemetery Island). Those looking for more excitement can visit close-by Montezuma by local bus - do the zip lining; swim at the water falls; eat at Playa de los Artistas - and still return for the quiet and tranquility Cabuya offers. In addition, the surfing beaches at Mal Pais and Santa Teresa are also close by. (We don't surf, but really enjoyed bougie boarding - rentals at $6 a day.) The owners of the Casa were more than helpful and accommodating. They clearly love their spot on the ocean, and well they should. So did we.

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

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A wonderful experience

Guest Manuel R.
Date of stay 11/20/10
Review Submitted 11/21/10

Tanya, the owner, is a pleasure to deal with. All of our questions were answered promptly, and she was very helpful in accommodating us. Her customer service was wonderful.

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

Beautiful cottage with exciting activities.

Guest vicfam4
Date of stay 07/05/10
Review Submitted 09/13/10

The open air layout and beach location made Casa Astrid a great place to stay. There is lots to do in the area. Cabo Blanco National Park, Montezuma (including waterfalls and zipline), Cabuya Island (5 minutes walk), the road (trail?) to Mal Pais, and Rio Lajas for swimming. The owners, property manager, and neighbours were all extremely helpful.

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

Nice Rustic Retreat

Guest BGW
Date of stay 05/01/10
Review Submitted 06/08/10

We enjoyed staying at this nice little house on the beach. We'd open the double french doors first thing in the morning and enjoy the ever-present sea breeze blowing off the water. It's quite shady around the house, so it's still comfortable in hot weather. It's a nice, simple, quiet place to relax.

Recommended for: Families with young children

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

Adorable Cottage on the Beach

Guest familyof4
Date of stay 03/11/10
Review Submitted 11/14/10

We had a great time in this adorable cottage. The kids loved the open space and the big yard was great. What could be better than a back yard that ends at the beach? The beach is full of interesting shells. Perfect for exploring. Make sure to go to Cafe Coyote. Best smoothies ever and a huge cage full of local parakeets to kept the kids (and me) entertained. We went fishing with Jose and had Flori make our dinners. Delicious, fresh and very inexpensive. An unusual little house in a very "real" little village. We'll be back!!!!

Recommended for: Families with young children

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

No Thanks

Guest jakester
Date of stay 03/07/10
Review Submitted 05/18/10

We stayed at this beach house in March, 2010. It was very dirty, had magets in the shower, no ceiling fans. The air conditioning was in the bedrooms only. We would never stay here again. The picture that you see is not current either. We rate this a very poor place to stay.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers

Owner response: I admit I was very surprised by this review as I normally receive very positive feedback about the house. I immediately contacted the guests to find out more about their experience and what prompted these comments. Here's what I discovered... "The house was very dirty" We have the house cleaned once a week regardless of whether or not it is occupied and, of course, cleaned after the departure of each guest. Once I spoke with the tenants it became evident that they felt the house was dusty rather than dirty. Note that their stay was during the end of the dry season. The point is well taken though, so when considering renting the house please take the pros and cons of an open air house into consideration. "magets in the shower" My property manager confirmed that there were some bugs in the shower during their stay. Despite the fact that this was an isolated incident we are now taking additional precautions to ensure that this does not happen again. "no ceiling fans. The air conditioning was in the bedrooms only" In response to this comment we are currently installing a ceiling fan in the living room. And, yes, the AC is only in the bedrooms and it is to be used with the bedroom doors closed only please (open air house thing again) . "The picture that you see is not current either" This one really surprised me as we have actually made some significant upgrades to the house since the photos were taken. The guests confirmed that this was the case and that the house had been improved. For example we commissioned several pieces of locally made wooden furniture, upgraded the kitchen appliances and added a driftwood and stone breakwater/sitting area on the water's edge. Apparently this comment was not intended to be negative but I felt it was important to clarify that point to prevent it from being taken as such in the context of the review. I know too well how precious vacation time is and it pains me to think that someone would have a negative experience at our little house. As such I urge potential renters to contact me with questions before renting the house to make sure that there is a good fit and that it is a great experience for everyone. Pura Vida and happy vacation planning! Tanya

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

Pura Vida at Casa Astrid

Guest Happy Callanan
Date of stay 04/17/09
Review Submitted 06/12/09

Casa Astrid, located at the southern end of the Nicoya Penninsula in the town of Cayuya, is the perfect tropical getaway. The house is down one of the few roads in Cabuya. Entering the house through an old iron gate is a wonderful surprise. The house has a cathedral ceiling with beautiful wood, a well equipped kitchen, washer, living room with comfortable couch, and 2 bedrooms, one with bunkbeds, the other a double. Both rooms have air conditioning, if needed. The best feature of the house are the beautiful french doors which open out onto a patio, a beautiful tropical garden and your own private piece of the ocean. My partner and I spent every evening at the end of the yard, watching the lightening over the water, listening to the howler monkeys and enjoying a glass of wine. We rarely left Cabuya during our stay because of the restaurants in the area. Very modest and small, but every one prepared fresh, excellent meals. There are also 2 well equipped grocery stores in the area if you want to cook. One evening, when we didn't want to leave the house, our neighbors, Jose and Flory went out diving for lobsters and prepared a meal of the fresh catch, rice, beans and vegetables!! In the event you want to get out of town, the bus trip to Montezuma takes about 20 minutes. It costs about$1.00 each way and you get to mingle with the local folks. Montezuma has souvenier shops and several good restaurant right on the water. My only regret was that our stay was too short. We were just beginning to relax, enjoy the hammock and really get into tico time when it was time to go. next time, the trip will be longer!!

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 13/14

A little slice of paradise ...

Guest Jack
Date of stay 01/07/09
Review Submitted 06/23/10

I spent 5 days down in Cabuya last Christmas holidays and it was amazing. Spent some time fishing with the locals (grilled Tilapia on the beach), a day surfing in Malpais, swimming in the river at the edge of town and lots of time just relaxing. The house was perfect, open and airy. A great mix of modern amenities and natural design. The great big back yard is perfect for an afternoon snooze or letting the kids run around. The people in Cabuya are laid back and friendly. I can't wait to get back there. I highlight recommend this little slice of paradise!

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, 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

A slice of life

Guest GlobeTrottingGramma
Date of stay 01/01/09
Review Submitted 05/30/10

We stayed for two weeks and had a great time. The house is in a neat little village. You see local people milking cows and fishing and going about their lives. Very different from the standard tourist town experience. You get the feeling that you are in the "real" Costa Rica. There are a few surprising neat little restaurants in the village. We especially liked Cafe Coyote and the bakery. The house is very simple but has some upscale trimmings like AC in the bedrooms, a nice fridge and great little washing machine. No dryer though but I kind of like hanging my stuff on the clothes line anyway. The double doors facing the ocean completely open up and there was an ocean breeze the whole time we were there. My favorite thing was to sit at the ocean's edge with my coffee and watch the tide come in. If you want a simple vacation where you just kick back and watch the waves you will have a great time. We also saw tons of wildlife in the backyard. There were monkeys and parrots and a blue morpho butterfly even came into the house. There were some other less, um, nice bugs that got in too but not really that many and surprisingly no mosquitoes. That might be because of the geckos which are in the house and are very cute if you don't mind that kind of thing. The beds were clean and comfortable and we didn't need to use the mosquito netting. Here are some things to keep in mind. We liked the beach but it is rocky and you can really only swim at high tide. The water is tropical warm because of the black rock and you have to be careful or you can get some pretty good scrapes. Bring water shoes! Good points in favor of the beach is that it is great for strolling, wading and shell hunting and there is tons of shade and the very best is that you will probably have it pretty much all to yourself! It is also not the best area for touring the country from as it takes a long time to get off the peninsula. It is pretty easy enough get to some of the other beaches and sites nearby but it took us a good half day to get to Jaco and we had to take a taxi to Montezuma then a taxi boat. If you want to tour then do it before or after or you will be frustrated by the travel time back and forth. Despite these things I gave it a five star because it was an excellent value for the price and a really neat area to visit if you are looking for a simple relaxing vacation in a simple house on the beach that takes place in "tico time".

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

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

Vacation Rentals by Owner

Open Concept Euro Built Beach Home: Shaded Garden, Walk to Restaurants/Super [#180152ha] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (14)

Home away

Home away

right on the beach, nicely made house

right on the beach, nicely made house

Casita fue maravillosa!!

Casita fue maravillosa!!

Casa Astrid- Wonderful!

Casa Astrid- Wonderful!

Costa Rica Vacation

Costa Rica Vacation

Great Times at Casa Astrid

Great Times at Casa Astrid

A wonderful experience

A wonderful experience

Beautiful cottage with exciting activities.

Beautiful cottage with exciting activities.

Nice Rustic Retreat

Nice Rustic Retreat

Adorable Cottage on the Beach

Adorable Cottage on the Beach

No Thanks

No Thanks

Pura Vida at Casa Astrid

Pura Vida at Casa Astrid

A little slice of paradise ...

A little slice of paradise ...

A slice of life

A slice of life