The Perfect Getaway From the Real World

Guest: Chanel (Newport Beach, Ca USA)
Date of Stay: 06/23/11 Review Submitted: 06/24/11

The house, the view, the location was more beautiful than we imagined. The pictures are great but do not capture the full beauty. Having the house and backyard all to ourselves sitting in the pool watching the sunsets and the marina was amazing, romantic and breathtaking. We don't know if we can ever go back to staying in a villa or hotel again when visiting Costa Rica. I have seen beautiful views before but not like this one. It truly is paradise.We enjoyed walking to the beach and eating at the restaurant that sits right on the beach listening to the music. It truly was the perfect getaway and what we needed The water was perfect and the air was warm with nice breezes and best of all there are no sharks in Costa Rica. One night during our stay someone was having a party at the restaurant and all of a sudden there were fireworks shooting in the sky right in front of us. We sat on the deck and couldn't believe how they were right in front of us. It was a vacation we will never forget and are looking forward to coming back hopefully soon. Thank you Sterling for being the such a great host whenever we had any questions or requests. We told our friends and family about your property and some of them are looking into coming over to visit.

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

Eastern Week 2011

Guest: Richard (Costa Rica)
Date of Stay: 04/20/11 Review Submitted: 04/25/11

The house is beautiful, the location is nicely quiet and the sight is awsome!! House is functional for two couples, and the apartment for other couple but less confortable than the house (not bathroom, not tv, not A/C...) Just few recomendations: 1) Something to cover bedrooms windows. This would be an people choice, for example after party nigth and awful hangover, I dont want to see the sunshine!!! 2) From time to time, you should clean the BBQ, it is a really good an expensive BBQ, and is a shame find it as we find. Was very hard to clean it ....so so... I really want to come back soon, thanks Sterling for your hospitality. Regards Ricardo Matarrita

Owner response:Ricardo, Thanks for the 5star rating.Your suggestion abouy the BBQ is great I'll make sure that doesn't happen again.You were cleaning it in front of Me and nothing was said then.. Your suggestion on blocking the Sunrise and Oceanviews because of an awful hangover' now that's something for me to consider. Would your Partner agree? I will furnish Eye Blinders. Thanks again, Hurry back your friend, Sterling

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing, girls getaway.

Guest: Laura from San Jose, CR (-)
Date of Stay: 01/03/11 Review Submitted: 01/28/11

Thank you Sterling. We really enjoyed our stay at your home.

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Not Pleased

Guest: Reteps (Canada)
Date of Stay: 12/16/10 Review Submitted: 12/21/10

We were disappointed with the rental in Costa Rica. We had a number of concerns: the arrangements to get into the house, and get to the house, were challenging for us from the beginning with the impetus left to us the house is not suitable for children with a larger section of the deck remaining unfinished in terms of railing wire the pool gave a mild electric shock whenever entering the smaller section thus making the entire pool unusable due to safety concerns (and it was freezing cold and the pump / filtration did not function) the lights in the entire house dimmed for 1 min every three minutes, and the dishwasher was unusable as it tripped off whenever started only one of three air-conditioners was functioning and the batteries for all remotes were dead the water ran out on the second day (though I understand that this was an issue for the entire area) there was no hot water in one of the bathrooms the shower in the main bathroom stopped working after the first night no keys were provided to lock any doors there were bullets in the safe making us concerned that our kids might come upon a stashed gun somewhere in the house Sterling did not ever return any inquiries and left us with no direct way to be in touch after touring us around the house (he gave us the number for someone he said could find him), he has "lost" his cell phone the "apartment" is an unfinished space

Owner response:Complaint No. 1: Directions: I met guests at the Father Rooster at a specified time and had them follow me to the house. I gave guests a detailed tour of the property and showed them how to operate the a/c, dishwasher, etc. Guests were provided the phone number of property management in case there were problems or questions. Management did not receive any calls or inquiries from guests at any time. Complaint No. 2: Safety: a.) My booking agent did not inform me of any children in this party. Therefore, I made sure guests were aware of the missing handrail cable to which they understood and remarked that they would put the patio furniture against the handrail with no indication of a problem. The handrail cable would be fixed prior to the next family with children arriving the following week. I offered guests the use of the safe which is located on a shelf in the closet out of the reach of children and always locked. The bullets in the safe are locked up for safety reasons and any responsible adult would recognize the importance of not allowing children access to the safe.The firearm is unloaded and stored in a safe place separate from the bullets. b.) My daughter, who was visiting for two weeks, was in the pool everyday and did not experience any shock from the pool. The temperature of the pool is mild for a reason…but it is not freezing cold. The pump is set on a timer and comes on regularly throughout the day. A heated pool? Not sure you will find one anywhere in Costa Rica. Especially in December. Complaint No. 3: Electricity: The electrical issue has since been addressed. Complaint No. 4: Water: It was very unfortunate the water district had temporarily shut off the community water supply during the guests' stay. I had no control of this whatsoever. The shower in one of the bathrooms was not working due to calcium deposits in the shower head. It was simply a matter of taking the shower head off and cleaning it out. Complaint No. 5: Air Conditioner: The bedroom the guests used has an operating air conditioner. The rest of the house is designed to provide an indoor/outdoor atmosphere so an air conditioner is not necessary. The house has ceiling fans and sliding glass doors in every room and is situated on the hillside with a nice, cool, comfortable ocean breeze flowing throughout. Complaint No. 6: Apartment: The guests' rental did not include the apartment. The apartment is used as an extra bedroom when needed.

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A Living Postcard!

Guest: craig (Florida)
Date of Stay: 07/22/10 Review Submitted: 09/04/10

I have traveled all over the world and Costa Rica is a very special place. Specifically, this house above the Ocotal Harbor is beyond words. The waves, the color of the ocean, the rainforest, the hawks, the monkeys, the big green lizards, all add to the dream. Our host became our friend by the time we left. The house was impeccable, the furnishings were perfect and the memories are invaluable. Some vacations are forgettable. Some are average and a very few will never be forgotten. This is one.

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

Guest: Craig Sellars (-)
Date of Stay: 08/16/10 Review Submitted: 09/04/10

We spent our honeymoon at your Casa. Took us a day to get into the Costa Rican lifestyle and then we never wanted to leave. The house was just perfect and the pool was magical, and you were a fantastic host. I will never forget the view from that pool. I will also remember the Costa Rican people. While they may seem poor to my standards, they are happy, spend time with their families and live a simple life. A life I wish we could live in the city. Thanks again!

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Guest: Maria (-)
Date of Stay: 08/08/10 Review Submitted: 09/04/10

Thanks for a great week! The views and the ocean I will never forget especially when I am fighting traffic on the California freeways on my way home from work. God Bless you, Sterling and take good care of Lincoln, the most beautiful Black Lab I have ever seen!

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Guest: Rob Soroaoh (-)
Date of Stay: 02/24/10 Review Submitted: 09/04/10

An all-around fantastic week of rest and relaxation. Not to mention the great views! Thanks for everything. Awesome place, will be back to Ocotal for sure to see you, Sterling and Mr. Lincoln!

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Guest: John Ulun (-)
Date of Stay: 03/08/10 Review Submitted: 09/04/10

Costa Rica is amazing! This place and house is absolutely breathtaking. Sterling, you were such a great host. I hope all stays well and thanks again!

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Guest: Greg Stokes (-)
Date of Stay: 02/09/10 Review Submitted: 09/04/10

Sterling, your place is awesome! Thanks for the hospitality. The six of us had a great time and as you know, we have all been friends for 20 years. We will never forgot your home, the views, the sounds of the waves or your smile! Thanks again, dude! Austin, TX

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