Amazing Stay at Finca Estrella!!

Guest: surfsalot (Pavones)
Date of Stay: 07/15/11 Review Submitted: 11/16/11

We stayed 4 months at Finca Estrella and had the most incredible time! Getting to know the wonderful and inviting Finca Estrella crew and neighbors was one of the best parts. The pool is the perfect setting to relax and take in the the all beauty of the nature that surrounds you. We had squirrel monkeys visit right out on the deck almost every morning and more toucans than we could count! We watched some of the most beautiful red sky sunsets, setting over the sweeping views of the Osa Peninsula. The horseback riding trips Freddy arranged for us were great fun and very memorable experiences. We would highly recommend Finca Estrella for a tranquil yet adventurous get away! Pura Vida!

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

Unforgettable three months at Casa Roja

Guest: Paul and Iga (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/18/09 Review Submitted: 08/03/10

It took us a long time to find that good place, considering that we had to budget our vacation on retiree funds. The moment we came across the description of Casa Roja on the VRBO, we knew we could stop our search. This was it! We also found a lot of valuable information regarding living in Costa Rica from the book published by Jo. We read it prior to our trip to Costa Rica and found it to be very helpful. My wife and I had some idea what to expect upon arrival at Finca Estrella; however, our personal impression of the place was much better than what we had anticipated. Casa Roja is a very comfortably and fashionably furnished home. We could see the tropical forests from all angles of the house. The balconies offered close-up views of monkeys, tropical birds, and colorful butterflies. We watched breath taking sunsets in the evenings and brilliant stars, free of city lights at nights. We could easily see the ocean and bay from the house, however getting to the beach on foot was not so easy. Renting a car in Costa Rica is more expensive than in North America. We were fortunate we did not need public buses; our hosts Jo and Crispin took us to grocery shops and the beach in their jeep. Local residents were extremely friendly and helpful. We got invited to dinners and birthday parties at their homes. We had an opportunity to experience local culture, customs and cuisine first hand. In the past we had rented out rooms for tourists at our home on the Baltic Sea. We experienced how difficult it is to please people. We were therefore doubly amazed by the level of personal care and attention to detail at Finca Estrealla. We are glad we had an opportunity to spend three unforgettable months in a paradise nestled in hills full of serene nature and peaceful people. We hope this winter we will again visit Finca Estrella and see our friends.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers.

CASA AMARILLA

Guest: Cat (Orlando, FL)
Date of Stay: 06/24/10 Review Submitted: 07/29/10

Where to start? We stayed at the Casa Amarilla and it was simply the BEST. Could not have imagined this Finca and home to be anymore amazing. We found the home to have a FULLY stoked kitchen and library which was a delight. From the Toucans in the trees above to the hummingbirds and poison darts frogs on the patio with us, parrots flying by and cows mooing from across the way. PURA VIDA! Everything was extremely comfortable and so hard to leave. Jo is awesome with communicating and has some truly great people there to help. Enrique and Freddy are locals that have the pace of life and knowledge of the land that is what we look for when we visit Costa Rica. We trekked on a hour horseback ride to a nearby waterfall with the help of Enrique and his son, an amazing experience. The horses do roam freely on the property so if your going for a morning walk, don't be surprised to see one standing in your way :) In Pavones there are more horses than cars on the main road to the beach so get ready to slow down, this isnt Jaco or even Mal Pais! Which reminds me, about a 15 min drive to beach but worth every second to come home to the lap of luxury! I Recommend this place to someone that loves the simple side of Costa Rica, the natural beauty of the land and people, and that wants to have a killer vacation in the most macking house in Pavones. Also, A Friend Laughs. We could feel the stories she wrote about building their Home and Finca, which in a small way makes you feel apart of it! Thank you again Jo and Crispin! PS Surf was up in June.

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

Guest: Jennifer171 (central coast, California)
Date of Stay: 09/01/09 Review Submitted: 09/01/09

Comment Text: My husband and I stayed in Casa Amadera, which is one of Crispin & Jo's newest rentals. We stayed for a month and it was perfect in everyway! the open layout of the house, the gorgeous balcony looking directly at the oso penninsula and the gulf was breathtaking.In the mornings we would enjoy the squirrel monkeys and in the evenings we would enjoy the sunsets. The pool is huge and great for swimmers. Serene and tranquil environment with amazing hospitality from the local Tico's who are the caretakers of the property. The only thing I would suggest is, if you don't have a vehicle (figure out something) because the property is about 20 minutes from the beach and the road up to the house is steep. If you don't have transportation it is difficult to get around. We will definetly be back to casa amadera!

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Guest: Cathy Lilly (Old Orchard Beach,Maine)
Date of Stay: 05/03/09 Review Submitted: 05/03/09

Tim and I stayed at Casa Roja for 2 months from Jan-March. It was the best time of our lives!. Jo was helpful from the start with reservations and many questions that she answered for us. From the day we arrived and met Crispen our dream vacation began. The area was beautiful and views breathtaking...but the best was meeting the local families and making friends with many we encountered. Casa Roja was a wonderful place to relax and enjoy all of the beauty that surrounded us. We saw lots of rainforest wildlife just from our deck. The sunsets every night were incredible! We have to mention the horses because they were such a big part of our trip. They were gentle and took us to many beautiful places..from the rainforest to the beaches. Also a big thank you to Freddie our guide on many of our treks.He also helped with many other questions and showed us wildlife we never would have seen without him. I could go on forever about all of the amazing experiences we had and the wonderfull people we encountered during our stay. I'm sure we will be back again.We miss you all! If you go you won't regret your decision. The Casa is beautiful and Crispen and his crew are all helpfull with anything you may require. We hope to see you all again soon. Cathy & Tim

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Guest: Oswaldo1 (-)
Date of Stay: 04/20/09 Review Submitted: 04/20/09

The house: Is is beautiful, it has every thing you need to live very confortably. The view is fantastic, it is very quiet to relax and to refill you energy. The pool, very nice, with a little ranch for the barbeque. The zone, superb. You hace everything, beach, mountains, wildlife and forest. I have to return...

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