Reviews for Manuel Antonio Vacation Rental - VRBO 23256 - 3 BR Manuel Antonio Area House in Costa Rica, Monkeys Play Daily in the Backyard Creek!

Wonderful week in Manuel Antonio

Guest Dan
Date of stay 02/25/13
Review Submitted 03/05/13

We recently enjoyed a one week stay at Casa Pura Vida. The home is set in a quiet residential neighborhood surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. Monkeys came by several times during the week and were very entertaining. The property has a small pool that was a great way to cool off and relax after a busy day of sightseeing, shopping, etc. The immediate area has many great restaraunts most of which offer awesome sunset veiws, definately try El Avion, Ronny's Place, and the Gaia resort. The Beaches were beautiful and not too crowded. The rainmaker jungle hike was fantastic, we were able to take a refreshing swim in a stream fed pool along the way. Owners Chris and Penny were very accomodating and did all they could to make sure we enjoyed our stay. Would definately recommend Casa Pura Vida to family and friends.

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

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excellent home for monkey viewing

Guest Lawrence B.
Date of stay 02/17/13
Review Submitted 02/23/13

Home is beautiful and clean. The 2 decks are magnificent. The larger lower deck has a hammock and is feet wide and semi circular 25 feet deep It could use a picnic table and furniture. The top deck opens off the top 2 bedrooms and is also semi circular, and smaller. It is at treetop canopy level and is a treat; in the morning lots of songbirds; once a day a troop of monkeys came through. The upstairs bedrooms had room air conditioners that were great...but nothing downstairs except ceiling fans. The small downstairs bedroom got hot and stuffy; the electric fan was broken. POOL is beautiful and refreshing. Note: there are lots of neighbors; even though you are in the jungle, this is a busy place, a few miles from Manuel Antonio...the fridge is also sub-par, not getting things very cold. (we were there a hot week, 70;s low and 90s high) be sure to get to Rainmaker Park and to a beach OTHER than Manuel Antonio to get the true Costa Rica. Manuel ANtonio overrun with tourists.... washer and dryer work great...spiral staircase steep..maybe a concern for very young children....

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

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Great location/ Lovely Experience!

Guest LTCT
Date of stay 01/17/13
Review Submitted 02/10/13

My husband and I stayed at Casa Pura Vida for one week. We had a blast getting to know the neighborhood, the iguanas, and the monkeys! This home is located in an ideal neighborhood- minutes from the beach, shops, and restaurants. Penny and Chris were very helpful and went out of there way to make sure we enjoyed our time in Costa Rica. The home is gorgeous and unique! The ceilings are beautiful. More than enough room for many! The pool was perfect and actually looks even nicer in person. The property was well maintained and private. I definitely recommend Casa Pura Vida as the property provided an ideal location, privacy, and most importantly, a unique one-of-a-kind experience! We are so glad we decided to stay in a home instead of a hotel as the experience was priceless!

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

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Love, Love, Love this house!

Guest HollyandBoone
Date of stay 11/18/12
Review Submitted 02/04/13

I love, love, love this house. Sitting on the hammock on the back porch was one of the most relaxing things I've done in my life. I enjoyed having our own priivate pool. The location was great and Penny was wonderful in answering all the questions I had, as well as suggesting adventure tours. Im not sure why the previous guests were so disgruntled, as I found the house and sheets clean and everything in good working condition. The house was as advertised. I will definately book this house again

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

Loved it!

Guest HollyandBoone
Date of stay 11/18/12
Review Submitted 02/04/13

I love, love, love this house. Sitting on the hammock on the back porch was one of the most relaxing things I've done in my life. I enjoyed having our own priivate pool. The location was great and Penny was wonderful in answering all the questions I had, as well as suggesting adventure tours. Im not sure why the previous guests were so disgruntled, as I found the house and sheets clean and everything in good working condition. The house was as advertised. I will definately book this house again.

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

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

"The worst vacation home I've ever experienced!”

Guest Thi P.
Date of stay 11/17/12
Review Submitted 11/30/12

We stayed at Casa Pura Vida for eight nights. The house is beautifully designed but the owners didn't maintain it well. There are so many things wrong with this house: 1. Leaking toilet & kitchen sink 2. Not enough hot water for shower...we probably got a few hot shower during the stays. The very first night, I have to get the pot to get the hot water from the sink to bath my baby. 3. Dirty sheets, foul smelly sofa (we found food & many stain on it). My kids got asthma attack after the couple nights stayed at the house. 4. Only 2 rooms out of 3 have a/c, the small room downstair has musky old smell (worst when it's rain - sewer smell, mildew smell)....my mother was coughing so much the whole times we were stayed there. 5. Old TV with no remote control 6. Weak internet....basically, we have to walk around the house, inside, outside to find the signal. 7. Termite in house 8. Old outdoor furniture, too dirty to seat on it.. Too many things wrong with the house. I would not recommend Casa Pura Vida to anyone.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/5

Clean and Comfortable

Guest Janie T.
Date of stay 06/24/12
Review Submitted 07/29/12

The house was very clean and comfortable. I would suggest that the owners add places to hang towels because we went in rainy season and pop up storms gave way to places to dry towels. The stove/oven didn't work so we had to be creative with cooking in electric skillet. Carlos was helpful with things to do. There are many restaurants to try and know we missed a few. Easy travel to Quepos and Manuael Antonio Park, also to other towns. . Penny suggested tour company, which was great! Take a tour in park because well worth seeing so many animals. We saw Jesus Christ lizards by pool but no monkeys! Kids loved zipline and we found Rainmaker Forest. Didn't need a guide and was very pretty. Swinging bridges scary for me but I did them and was worth it! I would also suggest having better lighting for reading. The common area had overhead lights but lamps didn't work! All in all, things were great. We loved the pool after a hot day of touring or early in morning to get us started! We would stay here again if you make a few corrections. My husband should write a cookbook about cooking meal in electric skillet! He got really good at it! Must be creative! Thanks for sharing Pure Vida!

Owner response: Janie: Thank you for your suggestions! We are actually in Costa Rica now so it is the perfect time for us to hear about the stove and lights and towel racks. We will definitely get all of that up and in working condition! I am bummed that the monkeys didn't come to visit you but I hope that you got to see them in the National Park! Keep the Pura Vida! Penny

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

Casa Pura Vida was Wonderful!

Guest Meghan M.
Date of stay 04/15/12
Review Submitted 05/10/12

My family was celebrating my father's 60th birthday in Costa Rica. This house was absolutely perfect for our stay. The pictures are exactly what you can expect when you arrive. Very clean, spacious, and beautiful decking with a private pool! The surrounding trees, flowers, and wildlife only added to our experience! The location was also great. Easy access to Manuel Antonio as well as Quepos. Carlos (who takes care of the house) was more than helpful too! Thank you so much, Penny, for letting us stay here.

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

Costa Rica Adventure

Guest Ted
Date of stay 03/29/12
Review Submitted 04/22/12

My wife and I traveled to Costa Rica for Spring Break with another couple and stayed at Casa Pura Vida. The owner was able to arrange our rental car and offered to set up various tours for our group. The house was perfect with a beautiful pool area and we were able to observe monkeys, birds, and iguanas daily. The caretaker, who lives next door, helped us with finding places to eat, drink, and visit during our stay. Oso, his friendly German Shepard, can even lead you to a nearby waterfall...Manuel Antonio National Park and its beautiful beach was a short five minute drive to the south. We rented chairs and an umbrella from one of the locals and visited frequently with the waiters that work the entire area near the beach. We would highly recommend Casa Pura Vida to adventure seeking couples or families looking for a unique experience while visiting Costa Rica. The proximity to Quepos and the park provides a multitude of choices when it comes to dining, sight seeing, and shopping. Casa Pura Vida's location makes you feel like you are in the middle of the rainforest despite all of the nearby activity. We will be back for sure!

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

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

Perfect Location- Great Property

Guest Christie M.
Date of stay 02/24/12
Review Submitted 03/13/12

We had a group of 7 there for our stay in late Feb. It was a perfect location for our daily adventures in Manuel Antonio. The property is like the photos. Tastefully decorated with great attention to detail. We enjoyed the swimming pool and used it everyday to cool off after our events. Casa Pura Vida is very quaint and cozy- has a very open feel with the porch off of the 2 updtairs bedrooms. The downstairs bedroom is very small with a double bed- The kitchen is small but well stocked with the essentials- we ate out anyway since the restaurants there were so good. We really enjoyed out hike to the waterfall with Carlos the property manager next door. We found some great restaurants in the area! We loved Ronnies Place- you have to order the nanna banana desert! We walked there from the house. We loved Milagras cafe- great coffee and the breakfast and dinners were really good!

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

Great Rental

Guest Jen
Date of stay 02/02/12
Review Submitted 02/21/12

We stayed at Casa Pura Vida in February 2012. Location was excellent, safe neighborhood, house was comfortable and nicely decorated, and pool was very refreshing after the beach or just for a lazy afternoon lounging. We saw monkeys almost everyday on the property and cool birds. It is about a 5 minute car ride to beach and close to lots of great restaurants I would suggest renting a car since main road is narrow for walking but there are plenty of taxis. We would definitely recommend going to the waterfall with the property manager Carlos. I would absolutely stay here 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: 3/4

THE ABSOLUTE BEST PLACE TO STAY IN MANUEL ANTONIO!!!

Guest Tommy & Lisa
Date of stay 07/01/10
Review Submitted 08/05/10

This was our second trip to Manuel Antonio and Casa Pura Vida is by far the best place to stay. The price is so reasonable and the house is gorgeous, comfortable and feels like home away from home! We spent a lot of time on the porch off the bedroom, overlooking the creek and there was so much wildlife, we saw more in the backyard than we did at the National Park. One afternoon, over 200 squirrel monkeys traveled through the creek and around the house, we watched them for 2 hours. There is a sloth living in a tree right off the porch, you have to look closely, he hides very well. Bring binoculars! Another afternoon the white faced monkeys played in the creek. We almost didn't want to leave the house... It is in a perfect location, quiet, close to town. We loved the area so much, we actually looked at property for sale on the same street. The owners were so great to deal with, arranging our amazing tours & rental car. The manager lives next door and was readily available for questions/help. We have already planned our next vacation in Manuel Antonio at the end of August and are staying at Casa Pura Vida again! It was truly the best vacation we had ever! We higly recommend staying at Casa Pura Vida.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 11/11

best value

Guest MichelineM
Date of stay 04/28/10
Review Submitted 05/22/10

The house is accurately described and in a great location, tucked away from the main road and yet only 5 minutes to Quepos or the Manuel Antonio park. The owner went above and beyond in planning our trip. She organized our excursions and car rental. She also recommended we stay at another location first (which she booked for us) in view of our arrival time. All this was very helpful when you don't know the lay of the land. My four kids (ages 22, 21, 17 and 7) enjoyed our stay at the house immensely. There was no rental contract or damage deposit. I found the owner to be trustworth in this regard.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 11/11

best value

Guest MichelineM
Date of stay 04/28/10
Review Submitted 05/22/10

My four kids (ages 22, 21, 17 and 7) and I enjoyed our stay at the house immensely. The property is accurately described and the location is perfect. About 5 minutes to Quepos or the Manuel Antonio park and yet it is tucked away from the traffic. The owner organized our excursions and car rental, which I highly recommend. Being a wedding planner, she knows who to contact and how to make everything fit. In view of our arrival time, she also recommended we stay at another location (and booked it for us) first and then drive to her house, which was very helpful when you don't know the lay of the land. There was no rental contract and no damage deposit. I found the owner to be trustworthy in this regard. Overall, the owner went above and beyond and the house was what I expected it to be.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, 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: 4/4

PERFECT HOUSE, PERFECT LOCATION

Guest POLKVET
Date of stay 03/29/10
Review Submitted 04/17/10

This house is exactly as described and as portrayed in the pictures. Picked this house for the pool for the boys but after a hot day, it was wonderfully cool and refreshing for all us. Loved the two upstairs bedrooms - up the quaint spiral staircase. Spent a lot of time on the upstairs balcony and the pool deck. Lush tropical vegetation around the pool and front of the house. Jungle in back. Hummingbirds galore. Bird choruses every morning. Iguanas. A few monkeys. And not a single bug or mosquito. Jackie the manager was extremely helpful. Really appreciated all the towels provided including beach towels. Great to have washer + dryer. Kitchen was a little sparse but then so were the grocery stores. Of course there are plenty of restaurants near by. Tried and recommended El AVion and Ronny's Place. The latter is just down the road and boasts great sunsets. This is no idle boast! Penny was extremely helpful with arranging various details of our stay.During our stay we went on the Iguana white water rafting tour which was absolutely outstanding. The road to the house is definitely typical Costa Rican rocky and bumpy. Would definitely recommend a SUV for that. But it just adds to the ambiance. We would definitely stay here again. We were very satisfied with every aspect of our stay. Highly recommend.

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

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

House overlooking rain forest

Guest fun in Costa Rica
Date of stay 12/14/09
Review Submitted 01/14/10

Our stay at Casa Pura Vida was lots of fun. The house was located right at the edge of the jungle providing some amazing views of the vegetation. The location was good, because it was near the beach as well as close to the town where one could purchase groceries and all other necessary items. It is important though to note that, a car is necessary as the distance to the beach is about 4 miles along a very busy street. The house itself is very nice inside. It has a comfortable living room, very nice comfortable bedrooms upstairs and a small, but convenient kitchen with all the necessary utensils and pots for cooking. The dining room table as indicated on the listing is a bit small (seats only 4 people), but can be expanded using one of the other tables in the house. The upstairs patio is very nice and provides a stunning view over the rain forest, very peaceful and relaxing. The downstairs porch is not in good condition and we did not use it very much. What our kids loved the most was the swimming pool. The pool is very well maintained and there is a seating area near it that allows one to swim and relax. It is lots of fun for the kids and provides entertainment for the entire family. I very much recommend this property for adventure seekers, young people, and families with young children. I do not recommend the property for individuals with walking difficulties as the entrance is steep and my mother who is 63 had difficulties maintaining her balance. We did not see any monkey during our stay, but a few stray dogs. So families with small kids, need to be careful because there are lots of stray dogs in Manuel Antonio and they could come to the property. I hope you enjoy your stay as much as we did.

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

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

Casa Pura Vida

Guest family 5
Date of stay 08/16/08
Review Submitted 09/08/08

We just came back from Costa Rica. My entire family had a great time. The house was beautiful. It was exactly like the pictures. The first thing my oldest daughter said is she has the same taste as you because our home is decorated very similar. It was so peaceful. The terrace was great especially sitting out on it listening to the rain. We loved this house. Kathleen was so helpful and very nice. Penny will give you a wealth of info before you leave for CR and has lots of info at the house. We had a magnificent time. Very easy home to rent.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 11/12

Vacation Rentals by Owner

Monkeys Play Daily in the Backyard Creek! [#23256] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (17)

Wonderful week in Manuel Antonio

Wonderful week in Manuel Antonio

excellent home for monkey viewing

excellent home for monkey viewing

Great location/ Lovely Experience!

Great location/ Lovely Experience!

Love, Love, Love this house!

Love, Love, Love this house!

Loved it!

Loved it!

"The worst vacation home I've ever experienced!”

"The worst vacation home I've ever experienced!”

Clean and Comfortable

Clean and Comfortable

Casa Pura Vida was Wonderful!

Casa Pura Vida was Wonderful!

Costa Rica Adventure

Costa Rica Adventure

Perfect Location- Great Property

Perfect Location- Great Property

Great Rental

Great Rental

THE ABSOLUTE BEST PLACE TO STAY IN MANUEL ANTONIO!!!

THE ABSOLUTE BEST PLACE TO STAY IN MANUEL ANTONIO!!!

best value

best value

best value

best value

PERFECT HOUSE, PERFECT LOCATION

PERFECT HOUSE, PERFECT LOCATION

House overlooking rain forest

House overlooking rain forest

Casa Pura Vida

Casa Pura Vida