Reviews for San Juan Del Sur Vacation Rental - VRBO 231794 - 6 BR Nicaragua Villa, Amazing Beachfront Villa & Bungalows on Pristine Private Beach+Surf!

A taste of paradise...

Guest TruJoy
Date of stay 02/15/13
Review Submitted 03/13/13

My sister and I recently stayed at the amazing Costa Dulce and left feeling nothing but rejuvenated and exceptionally happy with our experience. I must say that the first night we arrived after a long travel we wondered what we were getting ourselves into, culture shock had set in leaving the busy rat race behind and showing up to a place of tranquility and peacefulness. However, that all changed when we woke up to the sound of waves crashing and birds chirping with a view like no other. The cabin itself was rustic yet met all of our needs with 2 single beds, bathroom with beautiful shower and basic kitchen equipment, however what sets it apart from your 5 star resort is the balcony with hammock and view over looking the ocean that you could only dream of. Our fellow Canadian host (Tyson) was extremely accommodating and helpful ensuring that we got to experience the best of San Juan, including hooking us up with an affordable surf board rental, assisting us with a loaner phone (which meant we could call at anytime),and recommending exceptional cuisine and market vendors. However, our trip would not have been the same without Gonzo our amazing concierge and tour guide for the 10 days we were there. Gonzo was there the second we arrived helping us with open arms and was with us right up to taking us to the airport on our last day. He did everything from...take us fishing, (he caught 2 lobsters for us!), took us wherever we needed to go (Ometepe ferry, Granada), assisted in meal preparation and one night he even salsa danced with us on our porch! We felt truly at home with Gonzo and would recommend Casa Dulce and Gonzo's services to anyone seeking an adventurous yet relaxing getaway!

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

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doug

Guest doug
Date of stay 12/28/12
Review Submitted 01/07/13

i have been lucky enough to travel to a few beaches in my life and this takes the cake as the best surf / beach holiday I have done in my 31 years. tyson and gonzalo were outstanding. thank you. see you both soon when the swell is bigger.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers

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Great place!

Guest Diane
Date of stay 12/28/12
Review Submitted 01/02/13

I was a little nervous booking something from the web without having a friend recommend it first... but it turned out to be great!!! Tyson (the owner/manager) was really helpful before and during the trip. Thanks again! Diane

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Just by chance

Guest Briki
Date of stay 12/17/12
Review Submitted 01/01/13

My wife and 2 young boys stumbled upon this place just by chance on a recent road trip through Nicaragua. After seeing a sign about 20k south of the tourist hub of San Juan Del Sur, in our rented 4x4 we decided to follow a sign that said Costa Dulce 2km. At the end of the road we reach the beach of Playa Escameca and come across this Bali beach house style of a place right by the ocean. My wife urged me to go and talk to the foreign guy I see working with some lumber, Riley was his name I found out after a short chat. We get talking and I ask him if it is possible to stay at this home at all. He gestures for me to go with him to the house where I met the owner, Tyson. He shows us around the home he has been building for a few years. I look at my wife Miki and she gives me the same look. Paradise is what is both on our minds. Long story short, we end up staying a couple of nights as there was a group booked later in the week. We could have stayed longer, much longer! Our fault for not booking. But this was the whole thing. We just found this place by chance and were so lucky we did. Surf was good and we had the beautiful beach of Playa Escameca to ourselves, bar the fish, sea birds, whale (I was lucky to spot) and jungle wildlife. As an Australian living in land locked Toronto this was really important to me. Tyson, your home is amazing mate and we all really enjoyed our stay there. We would love to come back one day for sure. Thanks for sharing it with us. Our boys had the best time too and became very fond of Zazu and Nugi (the 2 dogs there). We are now back in Canada after just over 3 weeks of driving the pacific coast of nica from South to North. Casa Ola is my favourite place by far. Thanks to Kit and Riley too for making us feel welcome and showing me the other surf break just north. If you want to get away from the bustle of SJDS then this place will do the trick. They have a full kitchen, so bring all your groceries and supplies you need for your time spent there. Not that far back into town if you run out anything either. With a new yoga studio on the hill top over looking the pacific and some other small bungalows, there is plenty of space for a large group too and other things to do besides surf and relax! Good on ya Tyson, Brett, Miki, Koji and Yuji.

Recommended for: Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

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An Amazing Stay

Guest Dela
Date of stay 11/06/12
Review Submitted 12/08/12

"The Beach House" is amazing! I have stayed there a few times now and will be returning next year again. It's a perfect place to enjoy the sun and relax on a hammock with a good book. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to escape and live a few days in paradise.

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

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1st Trip to Central America - I'll DEFINITELY be back

Guest Scottish
Date of stay 04/07/12
Review Submitted 04/19/12

With Casa Ola, you have to see it to believe it. There's nothing i can write here to do it justice. I just had one of the best weeks of my life in a total paradise. 1/2 mile stretch of private beach, check. Personal tour guide, Gonzalo, who helped cook, drive us around, and show us the local scene in San Juan Del Sur, check. There's absolutely nothing i would have changed about this trip. Falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the waves is unbeatable. The surf was incredible while we were there and everyone was super friendly. The walk to the beach is literally 50 or less steps down a cool stone path. Gonzo, Tyson, and Riley - thanks for the trip of a lifetime!! BOOM

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

Owner response: Thanks Scott! I definitely have to agree with you that there are just no words to describe how incredibly awesome is Casa Ola. Hope to have you back some time soon. Tyson

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Best vacation of our lives: Team Flor de Cana 2012

Guest Faeds
Date of stay 04/07/12
Review Submitted 04/18/12

Tyson - I just wanted to send a note to say thank you so much for welcoming us into your home for the most amazing vacation of our lives. We had such an amazing time and could not have hoped for a better vacation. Gonzalo was a god send and took care of us every step of the way - the vacation wouldn't have been the same without him. We counted him as a best friend by the end. He met us right on time in San Juan del Sur when we arrived, cooked us dinner every night, built us bon fires on the beach, showed us sea turtles, took us on boat rides and snorkeling trips, and caught us fish for dinner! Showed us how to ride the waves and helped us set up an amazing birthday party for our 2 friends! The house was perfect for our size group. We were 13 and everyone had a great bed and view of the surf in the morning. Hammocks all around the house made evenings reading, watching sunsets, and drinking frozen drinks the best way to end everyday. It was hard for us to find a reason to leave the Casa Ola. Thank you thank you - we'll remember this trip for a lifetime. Lindsay and Team Flor de Cana, April 2012

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

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Amazing house, amazing staff

Guest Ash
Date of stay 04/07/12
Review Submitted 04/18/12

We had the best time at this amazing house. The porch has the most beautiful view, the rooms are all very comfortable and it's just steps from the beach. We had a great bonfire one night, we cooked on the grill many nights and just generally stuck close to the beautiful private beach the entire time. The staff at the house are amazing - Gonzalo stayed with us our entire trip, helping to navigate into town, arranging activities for us, helping prepare the food. He could not have been nicer and went above and beyond what we could have ever expected. You'll have a great time - GO!

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Owner response: Lindsay, thanks for the kind words and we hope to have your crew visit us again some time soon.

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Far Surpassed our Expectations!

Guest GMcLean
Date of stay 12/25/11
Review Submitted 01/16/12

I travelled to Casa Dulce with my girlfriend and 2 other couples over the xmas/ny break. After running in to some issues at the border (we flew in to Liberia and drove to Nica) the owner, Tyson went out of his way to drive down and help us get through by offering fish to the border patrol to help "smooth things over". Let this be a lesson - you must have AT LEAST 6 MONTHS left on your passport if you want to travel to Nicaragua. So after almost seeing our entire vacation crumble before our eyes, Tyson saved the day.... and once we arrived at Casa Dulce, it was all worth it. As fantastic as the photos in this add are, they don't do the place any justice. I'm not sure any photos could. It's a place that truly needs to be seen with your own eyes. After spending the past 3 xmas breaks in Costa Rica I can safely say that I'll never go back after experiencing Casa Dulce and San Juan Del Sur. The scenery was breath-taking, the food and people were fantastic and everything is so much cheaper then Costa! Having our own private beach and surf break was fantastic. Gonzalo, our local home boy and fisherman extraordinaire, made us fresh ceviche everyday and showed us what's up on the surf breaks. We went on day trips to town regularly and visited many other beaches but truthfully, it was really hard to beat what we had right outside of our front door. All-in-all, it was the trip of a lifetime and I'm already counting the days down until I can go back. Tyson and Gonzalo where fantastic hosts and I can't stop raving enough about how incredible this place is/was. See you guys in the spring!!

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

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Amazingly good

Guest hh
Date of stay 12/21/11
Review Submitted 01/04/12

We stayed at this gorgeous, several-structure thatched roof house, almost the only house above a 1/2 mile beach, about 14 Km south of San Juan Del Sur. Our beach, if named at all, may be Esquameca Beach, one beach immediately south of Playa el Yankee. Wow! We cooked for ourselves, except when we let Gonzalo cook some of the beautiful fish he caught for us with his one lure, hand held board with fishing line wrapped around it. We'll remember this beach, nearly always deserted, the rest of our lives. We rented a cooler from the car rental company, and brought all needed food from Managua, which is the right thing to do. We felt a little bad we didn't give Gonzalo and Brenda more to do, because they were available to help (and there were also security guards at night).

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

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

Amazingly good

Guest hh
Date of stay 12/21/11
Review Submitted 01/04/12

We stayed at this gorgeous, several-structure thatched roof house, almost the only house above a 1/2 mile beach, about 14 Km south of San Juan Del Sur. Our beach, if named at all, may be Esquameca Beach, one beach immediately south of Playa el Yankee. Wow! We cooked for ourselves, except when we let Gonzalo cook some of the beautiful fish he caught for us with his one lure, hand held board with fishing line wrapped around it. We'll remember this beach, nearly always deserted, the rest of our lives. We rented a cooler from the car rental company, and brought all needed food from Managua, which is the right thing to do. We felt a little bad we didn't give Gonzalo and Brenda more to do, because they were available to help (and there were also security guards at night).

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

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rileycoburn@hotmail.com

Guest colorado
Date of stay 10/03/11
Review Submitted 10/22/11

best place to stay in nicaragua!!

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

Owner response: Thanks Colorado!!

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Amazing spot, the perfect escape!

Guest Betty-Ann
Date of stay 01/03/11
Review Submitted 05/29/11

My family and I rented Casa Olas for a week in January, and it was incredible. The location, the comfort of the house, and the beach all far exceeded our expectations. We chose this particular house rental because the VRBO ad said how it was on a secluded beach, but in fact, it is a true unspoiled paradise! Every day when the tide was getting high, the waves were perfect for surfing and boogie boarding, and best of all we had the waves all to ourselves! The entire beach has a sandy bottom, with no rocks or coral, so it was great that we could feel safe and comfortable while surfing. As fun as the waves were though, the view from the huge patio at the house was a sight we could watch for hours, especially with several hammocks set up, and a long bar overlooking the beach and waves crashing. It was the perfect place for sunsets every night. It seemed almost too good to be true that we had the only house on the beach! When we arrived, the house was extremely clean and we were able to comfortably sleep our group of 9, so it was a pleasure to make it our own for an entire week. The beds and linens were very comfortable, and the kitchen was fully stocked with knifes, plates, pots, pans….and a BBQ outside! We were fully satisfied with the comfort of the house, but more than anything the location of this house is reason enough to visit Nicaragua! We will most certainly be back again!

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

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

Great visit in January 11 for 2 couples

Guest jwlibrarian
Date of stay 01/03/11
Review Submitted 01/18/11

Spent 1 week here in early January 2011 as a group of 2 couples (4 people). Beautiful location with great beach access, essentially a private beach where we could swim and surf and look for seashells. We also enjoyed walks through the nearby reserve and saw monkeys and tried out the surf break at Yanqui (we liked ours better). The house itself was neat and unique - like living in a tree house, with the sliding walls/doors and hammocks on the balconies. Because of the location (next to a nature reserve, surrounded by trees and plants, right over the beach) and the design (e.g., lots of open air), you will see many birds, hermit crabs, and other wildlife up close. We loved this, but if you are squeamish about insects and little lizards, it might not be to your taste :). Incredibly helpful property owner and staff assisted us with airport shuttles, grocery shopping, and general local knowledge before and during our stay. 4WD vehicle is almost a must if you want to get to/fro San Juan del Sur on your own (about 25 minutes, depending on how confidently you drive) or do other sightseeing - the road is a little bumpy in parts. We were also easily able to make the drive after dark after the 1st night, so we were easily able to have dinner in SJDS some nights. I would definitely go back and recommend to others. Unforgettable place in an unforgettable country!

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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

Guest Vera Robinson
Date of stay 07/10/09
Review Submitted 07/10/09

My husband and I spent 2 weeks at this magical place in Feb. 2009. It was the most relaxing vacation. We felt priviledged since we saw large pods of humpback wales twice passing by quite close to our beach and once we woke up to find telling sea turtle tracks in the sand at the foot of the "Stairway to Heaven" (that's what I call the stone stair case leading from the beach to the casa...). We enjoyed our privacy and sometimes mingled with the wonderful care takers who live at Costa Dulce. Great way to practice our Spanish and learn about the local ways. We felt good about using the solar power and having the convenience of satelite. To enjoy some bars and stock up on supplies we rented a cab and drove (20 min.) to nearby San Juan del Sur. Wish we were there. Thank you Costa Dulce!

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

Paradise!

Guest Amanda H.
Date of stay 03/14/09
Review Submitted 10/19/11

This very private and peaceful getaway is where my husband and I stayed for four days in March 2009. Fabulous, warm wild beach; magical beachcombing; perfect sunsets. The house is well equiped and you feel like you have the Pacific Ocean to yourself:) I would highly recomend this beach house property for someone looking for something a little different; something a little bit off the beaten track. The Nicaraguan locals are friendly and gracious and it is a wonderful country to travel in. We look forward to our return!

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

Owner response: Thanks, Look forward to having you guys back again sometime soon!!

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Vacation Rentals by Owner

Amazing Beachfront Villa & Bungalows on Pristine Private Beach+Surf! [#231794] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (16)

A taste of paradise...

A taste of paradise...

doug

doug

Great place!

Great place!

Just by chance

Just by chance

An Amazing Stay

An Amazing Stay

1st Trip to Central America - I'll DEFINITELY be back

1st Trip to Central America - I'll DEFINITELY be back

Best vacation of our lives: Team Flor de Cana 2012

Best vacation of our lives: Team Flor de Cana 2012

Amazing house, amazing staff

Amazing house, amazing staff

Far Surpassed our Expectations!

Far Surpassed our Expectations!

Amazingly good

Amazingly good

Amazingly good

Amazingly good

rileycoburn@hotmail.com

rileycoburn@hotmail.com

Amazing spot, the perfect escape!

Amazing spot, the perfect escape!

Great visit in January 11 for 2 couples

Great visit in January 11 for 2 couples

Paradise!

Paradise!