Reviews for Cabo Matapalo Vacation Rental - VRBO 25296 - 2 BR Osa Peninsula House in Costa Rica, Osa Peninsula Beach Front House on 8 Private Acres

Wonderful

Guest Duck
Date of stay 02/20/13
Review Submitted 04/04/13

I just spent nearly a week at Punta Sonada with my wife and daughter (age 6). The property and experience was everything that I thought it would be and way more. Just fabulous. If you end up doing this trip you will be so extremely pleased with this property, and glad that you chose the Osa as your destination. We decided not to rent a car for this leg of our CR journey, and instead arranged to be picked up by the property caretake, Jose and his 15 yr old son Joselito. They were all smiles as we departed from the 12 seater plane at the air strip in PJ. We stopped at the grocery store and bought our food for the week, stopped at the ATM (funny side note- I forgot my ATM card, and was getting into the truck when a man came out of the lobby and gave it back to me. Says a little about the wonderful people on the Osa), and finally at the fishing store for a few lures since I wanted to fish, and we were on our way. The road to the house was in great condition and we were at the house in 20 mins. The guys got us settled, we met Illiet (Jose's wife) and daughter, and they showed us around. If we needed anything we just needed to ask. The caretakers have their own house on the property roughly 300-400 yards away, so you are totally alone yet they are accessible if needed. I never understaood that there are actualky two houses on the property that come with the rental. I think that was b/c we were just three and it didnt matter, There is the large house in the picture, and another smaller house with two queen beds and a master bathroom, & outdoor showewr which is gorgeous as well. We ened up staying in the main house which has two levels. The downstairs living area is great, with chairs, a hammock, lawn chairs, kitchen table and chairs, bathroom, separate kitchen and it is all so beautifully built, decorated, and clean. The bedroom is upsatirs and is massive with three beds, and ocean views, I loved waking up in the middle of the night and walking around in the moonlight and just checking things out. We arranged to have Illiet cook breakfast for us each morning, and dinner most nights. We planned to make our own lunches and dine out a few nights for which there are a few options. Chris and Pheobe can dial you into those. The meals were terrific. Our days were spent relaxing on the property, takling in the floral and fauna, kyaking, fishing, swimming repeatedly, surfing, reading, playing cards, beach combing, collecting hermit crabs...just go!

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

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

A Wonderful Stay

Guest Steph
Date of stay 02/16/13
Review Submitted 03/03/13

My husband and I had a wonderful experience at Quinta Sonada. We were in CR for two weeks and the best of that were the five days that we had in the Osa Peninsula at Quinta Sonada. It was ultimately relaxing to hang out in the bungalow with only the sounds of the ocean and birds. We watched birds and animals from the peaceful comfort of the hammock hanging in the living space. We swam everyday in the gulf, walked or kayaked everyday up to Tomales beach for a swim, hiked with Jose and Joselito to see more animals in a few short hours than we would on the entire two weeks of hiking CR, and ate Illiete's fabulous homemade meals every night. The family on the premises were truly the highlight of our time there, absolutely hospitable and accomodating to our every need. We had a true Tico experience and cannot wait to return.

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

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

A blast in Costa Rica!

Guest goldy
Date of stay 01/10/13
Review Submitted 03/01/13

Such an amazing adventure, third time to the Osa and wouldn't miss Quinta Sonada. The family is great and the house is amazing, the quintessential open-air tropical paradise vacation! Highly Recommend!

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

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

Fantastic, unique, maybe not for everybody

Guest Julie
Date of stay 12/22/12
Review Submitted 02/24/13

We had a gorgeous two weeks over the winter holiday---myself, my husband and our two teenaged boys. This is a spectacular piece of property with a beautiful house, owned by a wonderful, helpful North American couple and cared for by a lovely Tico family living on-site. Here's what you need to consider: Be aware that this is a different experience than staying in an eco-lodge or luxury resort. The house is open to the elements, with half-walls and no screens. We loved this, but if you are at all squeamish about bugs, it might not be for you. There is electric light, but it attracts bugs at night, so you may find yourself going to bed very early. We happened to be visiting at a time when the no-see'ums were active and we ended up with bitten-up ankles. The kitchen is lovely, but very basic with no hot water, dishwasher, microwave or freezer. Again, this can be a wonderful get-away, as long as you weren't expecting those items. We did a lot of traveling, using the house as base. It worked out well for us, but it's important to know that the house is a half-hour from town on a bumpy dirt road. Traveling the other direction is also all dirt road and fun river crossings. If you're up for a different lifestyle for the time you're visiting, you will be rewarded with beauty, tranquility and a unique experience you won't forget. The house is so pretty and well-cared-for by the owner and the caretakers. Chris (the owner) was endlessly helpful in planning and monitoring our needs during our stay. The weather was perfect and we found many interesting things to do. Highly recommended for the nature-loving traveler.

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

Owner response: Thanks for the great review , the house is rustic but has all the creature comforts you might want. Since there is no electricity in our area everything is solar electric powered. We have a refrigerator but no freezer. Per Julie's suggestion we have added some bug lights downstairs. The no see ums come and go, this is why we have top quality no see um nets.

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

Romantic Get Away

Guest CanadianGold1
Date of stay 03/17/12
Review Submitted 03/31/12

My wife and stayed here after doing the the 3 day hike into Corcovado National Park with Nito of Surcos tours.It was a great place to unwind and re-engergize after doing 55 km on the hike. We had left the rental truck at the caretakers and Jose had given us a ride back to town previous to the hike. The house in an open plan with beautiful views to the ocean. We really liked the Bose sound system throughout the house which you can play your IPOD on.The kitchen is great to cook meals in and it is nice to eat in the main levei dining area. The upstairs has a comfortable king bed where we both slept great. It is awesome to wake up to the birds and the ocean views. At night the Costa Rican sunsets are second to none. There were tons of green parrots and scarlet macaws on the property. Tanagers, doves , hummingbirds, and numerous other birds were frequently sighted. We walked to the sandy beaches to both the left and the right. We really liked Tamales beach which we discovered you can drive to as well. There is a sign just before the Blue Osa if you are heading back to Puerto Jimenez. We also discovered about 5 km from the house there is a sign that says Pelican house. If you turn off here you can drive past the house to playa Platanares. You can park here and enjoy a beautiful deserted sandy beach. You can also walk down the beach about 2 km to the pearl of the osa for luch or dinner.To the south we went to Cabo Matapolo and did the waterfall hike. Bring watershoes as you go up a river.We ate at Martinas twice which is only 5 minutes away by car. We loved the town of Puerto Jimenez and its nice people. We ate at Defintes and Juanitas. We really enjoyed the Osa area. The Quinta Sonada house was a very nicely decorated house and great value. We enjoyed the caretakers and specially Joselito who is a friendly english speaking 14 year old. We already miss being there. Thanks Chris!!!

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

Quinta Sonada

Guest Steve
Date of stay 04/18/11
Review Submitted 06/06/11

We had a wonderful stay this past Easter break at Quinta Sonada. We had never been to Costa Rica and had heard that the Osa was a wonderful place to visit. We are very happy that we stumbled upon this rental property. Chris, the owner, was very helpful in planning our trip to the area and encouraged us to draw upon the knowledge and know-how of the care takers for unique experiences in the area. The house was perfect for us. We decided to not rent a car and had the caretaker shuttle us around and guide us a few places. This worked out well for us. They also cooked for us a few nights and next time we would have them cook every night. It was a pleasure to have Jose and family around to tell us about the area and share a bit of there life. We were there at full moon and the tide was very dramatic at first. After a day or two we were able to sort out the best places to swim and body surf and felt more comfortable with each day venturing out into the surf. We recommend that you have a fitted water shoe in which you can walk the beach and rocks and even swim. The swimming, surfing, fishing, strolling on the beach, hiking in the jungle, and observing all the wildlife made this a great trip. We would definitely recommend this house to anyone wanting to experience the Osa. One day we did hire a boat that launched out of Puerto Jimenez to explore the Gulfo Dulche, look for dolphins, snorkel at a small reef, and go to the animal sanctuary across the bay; this was a very worthwhile day as we were able to do all of these activities. We heard a little too late that there is a nature preserve just outside of Puerto Jimenez that we did not see, but we think that it sounded like a good way to spend a half a day. The gift store, Jagua, around the corner of the airport is authentic and lovely; do visit. The owner had a lot of information about the area.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

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

Romantic Getaway for two but would be a blast for many

Guest where to next?
Date of stay 03/29/11
Review Submitted 06/26/11

My husband and I visited Punta Sonada for a spring break getaway and relaxing couple days, the place was above and beyond our expectations- we were in heaven. The photos here don't illustrate how special you feel on this property as you walk just across the yard and realize that Chris' place is the most perfect point and it's all yours! The entire time we were there we laughed at how lucky we were and how much we wished we had brought everyone we love traveling with here- it was a piece of heaven. The caretakers on the property we a big part of the experience for my husband and I we were taken care of by the wonderful family and each of the four of them were in their own way so caring and interactive. We cooked with Elieth and her daughter Liliana- even shared a "sweet wine" that Elieth could share with Jose (maybe sweet enough- others are too dry).. we were laughing so hard and Jon and I practiced our spanish. Liliana showed us around the yard, she was charming, we loved her. Joselito and my husband were buds and Jose gave me surf pointers and laughed and cheered when I got up on some waves, it was such a blast. We walked up the road our last night to Martina's Bar for the little "market" on Friday night- food, shopping and dancing... a must! But, the walk was quite a long one. I do recommend that you either have transportation here, be ready to set up transportation with the caretakers, or just be ready to chill on the property. There isn't a lot nearby to walk to, but we walked all over and saw almost every type of animal we cared to- without going to the park. Tons of birds, if you are a bird watcher. I could go on and on extolling the merits of this wonderful home. I recommend it to laid back people who just enjoy the company of one another and the beauty of this amazing country. You won't be disappointed!

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 15/15

A Heavenly Place!

Guest David
Date of stay 12/20/10
Review Submitted 01/09/11

Our family visited Quinta Sonada over the Christmas vacation with 3 teens. We loved the spot with it's beautiful grounds, booming surf at night, and the sounds of macaws and howler monkeys. The house is simple, elegant, and comfortable. The Costa Rican caretaker family (extended family, really) are lovely, knowledgeable, and Iliette is a wonderful cook. We surfed, explored the jungle, watched birds (our daughter, age 20, saw 92 new species!), climbed and rappelled down a waterfall, and flew through the canopy on ziplines. Everyone had a wonderful time and would go again tomorrow!

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 17/17

Guest Steve Cavalli
Date of stay 02/09/10
Review Submitted 02/09/10

what a wonderful place! We were wakened every morning by howler monkeys who were hanging out at adjoining properties, and two scarlet maccaws joined us in the afternoon. The Costa Rican caretakers, Jose and Illeuet and their family are wonderful human beings, gracious and humble...and Illeuet cooks an outrageous meal....better than ANY we had in a restaurant (at half the price!. The photos do not do this place justice. The setting is MUCH nicer than the photos show!

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 16/16

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Steve M.
Date of stay 01/15/10
Review Submitted 01/14/10

The Osa is the best part of Costa Rica- This is a such a beautiful vibrant property and the area is fantastic. The variety of plant and animal life here is incredible...so many pretty flowers and trees- also we have seen boas, sloths, squirrel,howler,spider and white face monkeys, macaws, parrots toucans, and a tigre! You are incredibly blessed with Jose (the caretaker) and his family. Muy simpatico, helpful and fun. Eliette is an incredible cook. Quinta Sonada is an incredible place to slow down and relax, and recharge. Coming back is not a question, the question is, "why do we have to leave?" -Steve M. -Cayucos Ca.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 10/11

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Submitted By Guests
Date of stay 01/15/10
Review Submitted 01/14/10

"Your place has been the highlight of our ten days in Costa Rica. Beautiful spot, beautiful casa, beautiful people...heaven."— Charlie, Boulder Creek, CA "The house is beautiful with exquisite materials and workmanship. It’s clear a lot of labor and love have gone into making this truly a 'dreamy point'. We loved the elevated bed allowing for a beautiful morning and views of the sea and daily macaw visit."— Loretta, New York, NY "Thank you for sharing your dreams and sharing your dream point...you have made a lovely and functional home for this environment. It is wonderful to live in a place where we are not confined to walls. I appreciate the simplicity of your design and the well thought out details."— Tracy, Morro Bay, CA "We just spent three days here and wish it was longer! The house, the views, Jose and his family... everything was wonderful. The house is beautiful and he design is very accommodating. Thank you for letting us share a piece of the good life. The house is a perfect point to start walks on the beach or explore the very impressive wildlife of Costa Rica. A real piece of paradise on earth!"— Christophe, Zurich, Switzerland "Indescribable! Our stay here was nothing less than spectacular. Being from the hustle and bustle of overpopulated California, coming to Quinta Soñada seemed like another world. We are still amazed by the warm waters and spent many hours swimming and kayaking. Jose took us to Matapalo where we saw four species of monkeys, a sloth, a coati, both species of poison dart frogs and toucans. We are all overwhelmed by the amount of birds and critter that we saw. I could go on and on...The family here at Q.S. is wonderful. The food Illiette cooked was delicious. Jose is very helpful. They are just another reason why this place is heaven on Earth."— Gary, Paso Robles, CA

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 9/9

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Various Guests
Date of stay 01/15/10
Review Submitted 01/14/10

"This location, the land, the beaches, the authenticity of the locale is all so remarkable. Osa is truly a gem, we can feel it. We have been traveling the area for six weeks and love it here—it’s the best. The views of the scarlet macaws from your bed will be with us forever. "— Avra, Greece "Such a harmony of heart and spirit here, and it is a place where family and friends and travelers can stay and enjoy the life Costa Rican style. Every day has been a blessing to see and a joy."— Neil, San Diego, CA "We have enjoyed the perfect honeymoon here at Quinta Sonada. The house, the view and the ocean out front are world class. In all my travels I have never had a local guide with more patience and knowledge than Jose. I think we could visit Q.S. an hundred times and never exhaust Jose’s cache of secret spots. "— Willie, Pismo Beach, CA

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Christophe
Date of stay 01/15/10
Review Submitted 01/14/10

"We just spent three days here and wish it was longer! The house, the views, Jose and his family... everything was wonderful. The house is beautiful and he design is very accommodating. Thank you for letting us share a piece of the good life. The house is a perfect point to start walks on the beach or explore the very impressive wildlife of Costa Rica. A real piece of paradise on earth!"— Christophe, Zurich, Switzerland

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 8/8

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest from house logs
Date of stay 01/15/10
Review Submitted 01/14/10

"This place has been a tonic for my soul—just blown away by the natural beauty here."— David, Mendocino, CA "What can I say? Q.S. is every bit as wild and as beautiful as the country... the love and care that you put into building Q.S. echoes in the gardens, bouncing off the walls and reflecting back at us through your wonderful (caretaker) family, in their amazing care and kindness. Thank you so much for sharing this with us."— Shania, Montreal, Canada "This was the best trip we have ever had. We have fallen deeply in love with the Osa peninsula and Q.S...waterfall rappelling with Andy changed my life, yoga under a canopy of monkey-filled trees at Tierra Milagros was unreal, ocean kayaking, setting baby turtles into the ocean with jungle man Miguel, (horseback-riding) with Dilvert...too much to retell. Q.S. is first rate!"— Kelly, New York, NY "Costa Rica is one of the few places left in the world that has so much hidden beauty. The Osa has been a true trip. We have enjoyed it very much and hope to return soon. For now we have so many memories to look back at... Jose and family have been so nice and welcoming."— Miguel, Texas "What a beautiful paradise you have here! We have had a wonderful, restorative time. Waking up to the sound of the surf. We napped, read, took walks, saw monkeys with Jose and ate Illiette’s wonderful food. Jose and Illiette have been so warm and generous with us. It was our first visit to Costa Rica and we love it!"— Lisa, Atlanta GA

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 7/7

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Avra
Date of stay 01/15/10
Review Submitted 01/14/10

"This location, the land, the beaches, the authenticity of the locale is all so remarkable. Osa is truly a gem, we can feel it. We have been traveling the area for six weeks and love it here—it’s the best. The views of the scarlet macaws from your bed will be with us forever. "— Avra, Greece

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

Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 05/25/08
Review Submitted 05/25/08

We were lucky enough to spend a week in paradise here on the gorgeous and secluded beach watching the waves wash over the roocks as tthe tides changed. We read by our "booklights" each night under the mosquito netting sung to sleep by the songs of the tree frogs. We rose in the morning to pick our own pineapple and breakfast with the macaws and parrakeets. The premises' hosts are delightful and their friendliness is surpassed only by Elieth's " Costa Rican cuisine". We managed very well with my wife's terrible Gringo spanish much to the amusement of all and by the end of the week we felt like one of the family. We saw only one other person one morning when we walked several miles down the beach which was generally shared only with the iguanas! What a wonderful experience and the peace and solitude was just what we were looking for. Jose picked us up at the airport and delivered us to the grocery store and then home to a wonderful dinner prepared by Elieth. He is a wonderful guide and we spent a date in Corcovado with him enjoying the jungle and the monkeys. It was the only time that we saw other tourists! We will definitely be back and cannot express our delight and contentment at just sitting in the starlight watching the moon rise over the ocean or watching the sunrise each morning with our coffee in hand as we sat by the cliff ! We share our home also on VBRO, so we cannot say Thank you enough for our experience with your home.

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

Guest comment entered by owner

Guest Chris Whitby
Date of stay 08/24/07
Review Submitted 08/23/07

Please try again if we do not respond right away- we have a 3 year old in the house who often eats our homework- as well if we are traveling it takes a while to get to email.We look forward to hearing from you! Chris Whitby-owner Quinta Sonada, Osa Penninsula,Costa Rica

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

Vacation Rentals by Owner

Osa Peninsula Beach Front House on 8 Private Acres [#25296] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (17)

Wonderful

Wonderful

A Wonderful Stay

A Wonderful Stay

A blast in Costa Rica!

A blast in Costa Rica!

Fantastic, unique, maybe not for everybody

Fantastic, unique, maybe not for everybody

Romantic Get Away

Romantic Get Away

Quinta Sonada

Quinta Sonada

Romantic Getaway for two but would be a blast for many

Romantic Getaway for two but would be a blast for many

A Heavenly Place!

A Heavenly Place!