Casa Mango

Guest: TG (California)
Date of Stay: 12/10/11 Review Submitted: 02/05/12

The house couldn't have been any better! The amazing ocean view from the balcony made the whole trip. We all want to make this an annual trip and are already looking forward to booking Casa Mango next year!

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

Heavenly!

Guest: shaunie (beach haven, new jersey)
Date of Stay: 12/23/11 Review Submitted: 01/01/12

Just got back last night from a weeks stay at Casa Mango. What a beautiful house- cannot wait to go back and stay there again! This was our second trip to Santa Teresa- although the place we stayed last time was nice- Casa Mango blew everything else out of the water! The views were breathtaking at all times of the day! Woke up everyday to look out over the treetops to the beautiful ocean. At night , we all laid down on the deck chairs to see the spectacular show of stars and night sky. And how can I forget...... Watching the sunsets from the balcony. Aaaahhhhhh. Best place our family has ever stayed- and we have vacationed all over the place. Even the outside shower is positioned perfectly- you can see the ocean from there as well!!!! The house had everything you need- even a few games. The kitchen was great for the few nights we ate in. So many great places to eat in town but it was nice to have the kitchen for making our own snacks and breakfast. The walk up the hill was a little steep but c'mon.... You are on vacation in Costa Rica. A little walk never killed anyone. I could go on and on but it will just want me to return to this house again tomorrow! I recommend this house to everyone!!!!!!!!

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

Early Christmas in St Teresa

Guest: Barb (Anderson, SC)
Date of Stay: 12/02/11 Review Submitted: 12/19/11

The house was great, it has most of the essentials, but very few amenities. It is closer to a 10 minute walk to the beach and coming back the walk is straight up. This does make for some breezes and keeps you away from the VERY dusty road AND gives you wonderful views!!!!. the market is close as is a nice little Soda with great food and even better smoothies. The beach is beautiful but the surf is pretty heavy for swimming. St Teresa is full of good restaurants but if you are into shopping this is not the place All in all a great place to spend time

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

We loved Casa Mango

Guest: Ronny (Orange Co CA)
Date of Stay: 07/13/11 Review Submitted: 07/29/11

The 5 of us completely enjoyed our 10 days at Casa Mango. The owner is attentive and very responsive to questions/emails. Her property manager was quite helpful as well. The house is just perfect as a base to explore the area or to just kick back in. We had fair amount of rain the first couple days and appreciated having such a nice place to hang out. It is up the hill a bit so you dont have the traffic noise and dust like some places. Mangos are not in season now, but we saw lots of monkeys, iguanas, tree squirrels and even toucans. There is a well stocked store (La Hacienda) just down the street, with restaurants close by as well. But we saved a lot by cooking most of our meals at the house. There is a nice fish shop (Product C) at the 4 corners area that carries lots of different fresh local fish, and if you have transportation you can really get a good deal by going to the fisherman's dock in Mal Pais. And the blender got used a lot too. Also, I used the Wi-Fi internet access daily, with the USB port dongle that the owner supplies. We would love to go back and stay longer.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers.

OK, but not great

Guest: Steve Worth (Long Beach, CA)
Date of Stay: 04/16/11 Review Submitted: 05/18/11

Santa Teresa and the surrounding area are great. There's tons to see and do, and great waves to surf. The house is in a beautiful location and is quite nice, with views of the ocean. That being said there were a few problems with the rental... The listing description was not accurate regarding the amenities. First, there was no internet like I was promised via the website and email with the owner. Then, there was no microwave or stereo like it says on the website. And I had bought a special cable to connect my iPod to a stereo. Imagine my displeasure when I couldn't play my iPod or the CD's I brought, and couldn't use a microwave to reheat leftovers or make popcorn. These things are standard in today's world. They were advertised on the website, but not there. I feel like I was lied to so that I would rent the house. That is not a good feeling. Other problems: -They have got to get an A/C unit in the downstairs bedroom. It was way too hot for anyone to sleep comfortably. We tried rotating couples, but in the end we just pulled the mattress upstairs and shared a room. -The water ran out twice...once mid shower. This should never happen. We weren't using an excessive amount. We only did 3 loads of laundry all week. The property manager was great about coming to refill the tank, but it still wasn't a good situation. -A lot of the doors don't work right. They hit the floor and don't open all the way, or don't lock without a struggle. It’s probably the humidity, but they should have them fixed. -A retractable screen on the big doors in the living room would help keep the main room cool without all the bugs. Without it, you can’t have them open after dusk. -Strange bad smell (like body odor) in the upstairs bedrooms...especially the pillows and sheets. Is it mold maybe? Not fun to sleep with these smells. And we couldn't wash them because of the water running out (see above). Finally, when I asked about these problems to the owner, I received no response, indicating to me that the owner is rather unprofessional, or simply does not care. I got my deposit back, but not a peep about the problems I complained of. I would not rent from this owner again.

Owner response:I have had only top reviews for this house - 15 on trip advisor and also many VRBO this is quite an anomoly. That being said, this guest & his party, from my understanding were extremely happy during the course of the rental despite two key issues this guest cites: yes, the water ran out as it can do towards the end of dry season & this was the very first time it has happened in the two years of renting my home - it was very unfortunate it had to happen while they were there - my property manager however was very responsive. The internet and microwave are two amenities that are normally up & running but the previous guest (unbeknownst to me til the day before this party arrived) had mistakenly taken the data card and we had to wait for its return. The microwave was in for repair & unfortunately things are much slower in Costa Rica & it wasn't fixed in time . The rest of the suggestions are only that as it is clearly stated the downstairs bedroom has no A/C (planned for 2012). Also, it is clearly recommended in the guest welcome letter to close doors and windows once dusk hits for flying bugs. This house is built to American standards & is quite luxurious, but in a tropical environment nothing is ever perfect as it appears this guest might have been expecting more of a high end hotel experience, which are few and far between in CR. This guest also neglected to mention in his review that I discounted their rate by over 40%. I have had nothing but extremely estatic guests and repeat visitors over the course of 2 years of renting Casa Mango - please do not judge based on this review. I DO truly care about my guests' experience.

Recommended for:

BEAUTIFUL Home!

Guest: lovethecosta (Boulder, Colorado)
Date of Stay: 03/22/10 Review Submitted: 03/31/10

We stayed at this house for 5 nights, and wished it was longer! The owner has an excellent property manager, and he will take care of any need you have while you stay there. The pictures do not do this luxury home justice! The a/c option in the two upstairs bedrooms was key, and the views were breathtaking. The house was very well taken care of, and it exceeded our expectations tremendously. The owner was very helpful in providing insight of how to get there, what to do once you were there, and who to contact. She was such an asset in planning our WHOLE trip to Costa Rica. We also loved being able to shop at the market just down the road and cook a full meal in the kitchen. We loved this home and would recommend it to anyone! The walk up to the house from the main road is the only thing we dreaded - it is quite the hill - and Costa Rica is hot...so the outdoor shower comes in handy after working up a sweat from the walk up! But it was perfect for couples who want to surf, explore the town, eat good food, and just soak up vacation.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, girls getaway.

Sunsets beyond compare!

Guest: Dr.Kim (Springfield, VA)
Date of Stay: 12/20/08 Review Submitted: 02/14/10

I spent a pre-Christmas holiday at Casa Mango and thoroughly enjoyed it! Being up the hill from the beach keeps it very private, and the 180 panoramic views of the ocean and sunset are incomparable. The owner and staff provide every detail you'd need to get and stay there conveniently. There are fantastic little restaurants just down the hill and in town, and you don't feel like you're in a touristy area at all. The food is excellent and organic/vegetarian is an option, too! I took a surfing lesson, walked the town, and rented a jeep to explore nearby natural areas. December is the dry season so don't expect mangos to be in season, but you'll still get a treat of listening to howlers and bird-watching from the patio! Santa Teresa is an adorable town...makes you want to pack up and move there! I recommend a visit to all of my family, friends, and clients.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

Casa Mango - A comfortable vacation house

Guest: Pantanal (Rockville, MD USA)
Date of Stay: 03/10/09 Review Submitted: 01/30/10

My sister and I spent 10 amazing days at Casa Mango, Santa Teresa in March 2009. Every morning we woke up to the sun shining and birds chirping and sat out on the deck overlooking the hillside leading down to the ocean and enjoyed a cup of delicious Costa Rican coffee. We caught glimpses of iguanas, macaws, tropical birds and heard howler monkeys too. This house is beautifully furnished, spacious, very clean and comfortable. All modern amenities, comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms, ceiling fans and an incredible view. The house is private as it's up on a hillside. It's a very short walk to the beach, grocery store and great restaurants. It was the perfect haven for a restful and fun vacation. I would definitely stay at Casa Mango again.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+.

Beautiful views,great location,excellent house

Guest: OSOKENYA (truckee,ca.)
Date of Stay: 10/31/09 Review Submitted: 01/28/10

The house was very clean and put together nicely,everything you need is there.The surrounding beaches are wounderful.Can't wait to stay again.

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

We LOVED it!

Guest: A&W (Virginia)
Date of Stay: 05/08/09 Review Submitted: 01/16/10

Spectacular beaches, great restaurants, and wildlife in your back yard. We saw a coati, capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, and funky squirrels without even leaving the house. On our morning walks, we saw an ocelot. And if you've never HEARD howler monkeys, you're in for a treat! This part of Costa Rica is not touristy, and is great for the independent traveler. Perfect location for wildlife viewing, surfing, eating out, and just hanging out at the beach. The house is gorgeous -- a perfect blend of upscale and outdoor living. It's paradise! ENJOY!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, age 55+.