Reviews for Samara Vacation Rental - VRBO 262764 - 4 BR Guanacaste Villa in Costa Rica, Lovely New Villa by the Ocean, Great for Large Families

Our Costa Rican Home

Guest Sean G.
Date of stay 06/07/12
Review Submitted 10/27/12

My family of four -- including a four and two year old -- had the pleasure of staying here for three months in the summer of 2012. After three months, you get to know the property inside and out and it simply becomes home. I could go on and on about the stay and the house but I'll stay focused on the high notes that folks are probably most curious about: --This is a fantastic place for kids. The house is kid-friendly. Giorgia and her family are generous with stocking the house with kids books and toys. The outdoor area provides ample room to run around. And, perhaps most helpfully, Giorgia and her husband Gianmario have three kids. This means that they understands what you need and the kids, themselves, are great playmates. --The pool is safe (all normal caveats about parental supervision notwithstanding). We bought an expensive pool monitoring system and never used it. Our kids barely knew how to swim when we arrived. They both made huge improvements over the summer. --The house is very nice. It's not luxurious but it's quite comfortable and has everything you need. Yes, it does get extremely hot but the air conditioning in the bedrooms does the trick for sleeping comfortably. For those used to large American kitchens with dishwashers (and certainly garbage disposals), the kitchen is probably the biggest adjustment. But, we got used to it quickly. And, when it's hot, you don't want to be spending hours cooking, regardless. --You don't need a car but it will make your life easier. We went the first two weeks without a car and managed fine on bikes, the bus (which is very nice) and taxis. Yet, having a car to go grab take-out or to buy milk is so much easier. We rented Giorgia's Geo Tracker for the summer at a reasonable price. --Connectivity is good if you want it. We didn't spend a lot of time online or in front of the TV but when we needed to, it was important. While we were there, we "helped" improve the Wifi by making some gentle suggestions. You're welcome ;). The Satellite TV primarily served its purpose in providing periodic entertainment to our kids in English and Spanish while we cooked or cleaned. --Samara is a unique place. So much of Costa Rica is getting built up and Americanized. Samara is a great mix between having modern conveniences and remaining Costa Rican. If you go to CR for a week, you may prefer a more resorty place. If you want a deeper CR experience, Samara is great.

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

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Family Paradise

Guest New Moon
Date of stay 05/01/12
Review Submitted 09/08/12

We stayed for one month with our two children, my sister, her husband and toddler and all of us feel that Montelaguna was absolutely perfect! On our first day we were welcomed by a monkey, lazing in the mango tree in our garden. He became a regular visitor along with a family of howler monkeys, giant iguanas, gorgeous hummingbirds and spectacular butterflies. Our children lived in the swimming pool which is perfectly designed for nervous moms of toddlers at the same time accommodating daredevil-ish six year olds. There were some pool toys and a couple of boogie boards that we made use of.The beaches are a five and ten minute walk either direction but the VERY hot temperatures made the walk unbearable for the kids, so mom got to go most of the time by herself...and I loved this! Playa Carrillo is a crescent shaped fine sanded beach lined by palm trees and is mostly deserted. There are small tide pools that are filled with fish and hermit crabs. The walk to Samara depends on the tide and whether you have children exploring the oceans treasures along the way. Sometimes 35 minutes, other times hours! We found most things to buy in Samara, almond milk, tofu, organic veggies, and nut butters. Mostly, we stayed at home! Every meal we enjoyed outside by the pool with a gorgeous view of the lush and plentiful garden. The common room inside the villa is a huge living room that overlooks the pool and garden with wall to wall sliding doors. The kitchen is the hottest part of the house but fits two families working hard to prepare wholesome and delicious meals, including fresh fish delivered to our door thanks to Giorgia, our host and a local fisherman. We felt really safe with our children on the property, often letting our three and six year old run off and play down at the shared playground. Our favorite routine was our nighttime family swim under the stars and then cuddling up to watch the thunder and lightning storms! Montelaguna truly is perfectly designed for large families to spend time together and at the same time providing lots of space for quiet time and conversations with your soul. Gracias to Giorgia and your beautiful home and family!

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

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Paradis des oiseaux

Guest Seb & Isa + enfants
Date of stay 03/05/12
Review Submitted 03/18/12

Superbe résidence, propre et accueillante décoré avec gout (contemporain). Les chambres sont grandes avec salle de bain complète pour chacune. Air conditionné dans les chambres seulement. Piscine parfaite avec eau très chaude. Nous aimions prendre notre café le matin et observer les oiseaux et iguanes sur le bord de la piscine. Résidence bien sécurisé avec gardien et deux berger allemand bien éduqué pour surveiller les lieux. Deux plages à 6 minutes de marche. Le village de Samara est à 5 minutes en voitures il y a tout : petites boutiques, restaurants, plage et petite épicerie. Nous avons passé 10 jours et nous serions resté.

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

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RELAXING AND FABULOUS!

Guest Reece W.
Date of stay 02/17/12
Review Submitted 03/29/12

Our Family has been to Costa Rica several times, and to Samara beach once before. We loved staying here for a couple of reasons- it was a perfect set up for our 5 kids (between 15 and 21) ... we loved the pool area, and how much room there was to be outside eating together, or playing our ongoing "Pirates of Catan" board game competition! Most days the boys taxi-d into Samara to surf, and the girls would take our time and walk the beach and meet them (it was about a 35-40 walk ... so amazing!) We liked the option of being able to cook our own meals, or go to dinner in Samara. This trip we didn't bother renting a car, and it worked out really well for us being at the Villa at Monteleguna ... it was one of the most relaxing times that we've had in Costa Rica ... a perfect balance of a beautiful place to relax, and close enough to surfing and wandering around Samara that we didn't ever feel bored. Georgia was so helpful, and a great hostess! We will be back for sure- especially as our family is growing with weddings coming up- it's a perfect layout for a large family!

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

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Wonderful Stay

Guest CA Family
Date of stay 02/12/12
Review Submitted 02/21/12

First and foremost, I own two lodges and a bed & breakfast - I have a very critical eye toward hotel rooms and rentals. After booking the Villa on line and not really knowing what you actually will get... the Villa and our hosts exceeded our expectations. The Villa was everything noted in the description - the pool and outdoors area was beautiful, the interior was spacious and very clean, it was everything we could want. Giorgia and Gionmario were the perfect hosts - upon our arrival, we were invited to a community party, they guided us on things to do in the area and places to go. I would defintely recommend Montelaguna to friends and relatives - we truly enjoyed our stay and can't wait to be able to come back!!

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

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Perfect for Multiple Families

Guest Want2Boutside
Date of stay 02/02/12
Review Submitted 02/22/12

We loved this house! The setup was fantastic for us (5 adults, 3 kids ages 5, 4 and 3) - each family had a bedroom and bathroom and so did my father-in-law; there was plenty of space and privacy. As the mother of fearless four year old son, I was nervous about having a pool right outside but the design of it made it a non-issue. While the house is a couple of miles from "downtown" Samara, it was an easy drive and we enjoyed Playa Carrillo tremendously. Giorgia was easy to deal with and was attentive and considerate both prior to and after our visit. I don't hesitate to recommend Montelaguna Residence!

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

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Stunning Home for large groups of multiple families.

Guest Annette
Date of stay 05/05/11
Review Submitted 06/22/11

We stayed with our 3 kids, 4, 4, and 6-1/2 years old and our friends who also had an 8 year old. The villa is perfect! The pool was amazing, it has a large shallow area for the kids to play in, but still long enough for us to swim laps. There are two beautiful beaches, Samara Beach is an easy walk, even for little legs. Nice waves for kids, no currents to be concerned with. I went our for early morning runs on the beach and it was beautiful!!! If you don't mind a bit of a walk, you can walk the beach to a little store for groceries. The villa itself was perfect! The kitchen has plenty of space for 3-4 adults to work together to prepare meals. We ate for almost all meals. The picnic table on the patio let us eat dinner, drink wine and keep an eye on the kids. The grounds are gated and have a great little playground. Our kiddos did "adventures" by going to the playground and searching the grounds for cool lizards. Giorgia was a fantastic hostess. She checked on us, gave us suggestions for places to go, she even had toys for the kids in the house. This is a beautiful home and a terrific place to stay! I hope you get to visit :-)

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

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Beautiful just outside of Samara and close to the beach

Guest rhsc
Date of stay 03/10/11
Review Submitted 03/21/11

A group of 7 of us stayed at the Villa for 4 days. A great experience just outside of Samara and very close to the beach. We wanted a private feel and got this from the Villa with your own pool and no other homes or condos in view. Spacious bedrooms, patio and living room with the kitchen provding all the amenities needed to cook large meals. The home was very airy and I think our group only turned on the A/C once or twice and kept plenty cool in the hot weather. The area is wonderful, quick trip to Samara to take in the sun and surf. Would recommend to anyone looking for privacy, close to the beach and enjoys hot sun and warm surf.

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

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Between Two Beautiful Beaches

Guest Perfecto
Date of stay 02/04/11
Review Submitted 06/16/11

We stayed here on our second visit to Samara, Costa Rica, and brought family and friends. The private pool was a nice cool place to relax when we were not on one of the two beaches, each a few minutes walk away. We cooked many delicious meals enjoyed in the patio dining area next to the pool. Birds, monkeys, lizards and more, were daily visitors. The management was attentive and informed us of all the best restaurants and things to do in town. Walking along the beach to downtown Samara for surfing and cocktails was a daily activity and provided lots of seashell viewing. And for those late nights spent dining in Samara there was always a taxi waiting to take us back to our comfortable and private villa. Oh, we almost forgot to mention the horses that freely wandered down the road, grazing on the lush vegetation and soaking up the sun. Plant lovers will marvel at the fruits and flowers on the property and all around. P.S. - bring a camera because the sunsets are picture perfect. We can't wait to go back. Great location and accommodations for a great value.

Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car.

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wonderful holiday

Guest jane
Date of stay 12/20/10
Review Submitted 03/20/11

we had a wonderful relaxing holiday shaing the home with some friends. The pool was fantastic and we loved the inside/ outside feel to the home. It was very well designed and easy to feel at home in. The owners were fantastic and nothing was too much trouble for them. The beaches were so close and easilly accessible and monkeys were happily enjoying eating the fruit in the rees. We would love to go back and visit again one day. The Grays

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

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A really great holiday

Guest Mario
Date of stay 09/15/10
Review Submitted 11/14/10

My wife, 2 young children and I spent a lovely 2 weeks at Villa Montelaguna in September of this year. We had a wonderful stay, very relaxing and perfect for recharging our batteries. The villa is incredibly spacious and the central area which is the heart of the dwelling, opens up onto a well shaded patio and pool; very, very relaxing just to watch. The decor is tasteful and elegant in a simple way - it is not meant to impress, rather, to serve the needs any vacationer may expect. There are TV with satellite connection, Wi Fi and a cd player with lots of cd’s to choose from. They also have a large library of books and kids DVD. The kitchen is equipped with everything you need and spacious enough to allow a dining table for six - although we always ended up eating al fresco, in the patio. The bedrooms, all with AC, very comfortable with lots of storing space and really beautiful solid timber floors. But the highlight of our stay (especially for the kids) was watching the monkeys dance above our heads while we were in the pool! (The house is in a private residence, and I think they have done a really good job not over developing it. It is still very natural). We had a great time. Spent most mornings at the beach (5 minute walk), and the afternoons by the pool. We also went horse riding on the beach a couple of times, bungee jumping once (wow), and my youngest son (12 yrs old) learnt how to surf at the local surf school down town. Although we didn’t get around to it, I know you can also rent kayaks and snorkel gear. Oh, and sometime in November, there will be a brand new gym opening up downtown with a spa next door....well have to come back! If you are looking for a good restaurant, our favorites were: Il vino, Il gusto, El Lagarto and there is also a thai restaurant - but I cant remember the name. And, finally, the excellent and courteous assistance we received from Giorgia, be it where to shop or what to see or where else to eat, was, frankly, incomparable. Our assessment ? Definitively, 5 out of 5.

Recommended for: Families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

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GREAT PLACE TO GO

Guest Max
Date of stay 08/01/10
Review Submitted 11/23/10

We stayed in this condo for just over 2 weeks at the beginning of this month. We had a really cool vacation and would definately recommend it to anyone. The condo is brand new and really big. The balcony is amazing and the views spectacular. The residence is safe (guards 24 hours) so we didnt have to worry about our stuff being stolen - we have heard lots of stories about this happening to tourists -. The location of the condo is great also as its just across the road from two beaches. You need a car though for shopping or going to a restaurant. Theres also heaps of stuff to do in Samara. The town is nothing fancy, but it has most things you are looking for in a beach holiday. What we loved most was the nature. At the condo we got to see monkeys and iguanas most days. If you are looking for a natural and relaxing holiday this is a great place to go.

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Samara Beauty

Guest T Bird
Date of stay 03/19/10
Review Submitted 05/17/10

If you're looking for hot and sunny, this is the place for you. Montegaluna is as beautiful as it looks in the photo. We found the home very clean and comfortable and Georgia was just a "Peach". She is full of helpful information on the area for you and is very fluent in English as well as the native tongue. She was also very acommodating. When we needed something, it was provided, cheerfully, in minutes. The pool is stunningly beautiful and the courtyard is equally pleasant on the eye. We all pretty much lived in the pool from breakfast to bedtime. Our 6 year became an amphibian. We couldn't get him out of the water even to eat. We especially enjoyed the vast array of beautiful birds and butterflies everpresent on the shrubbery and in the trees. The grandkids were partial to our daily visit from the howler monkey that posed freely for us in the nearby trees and walked the courtyard. Our 6 year old boy also loved all of the geckos and iguana's hanging around. Our last night there, we actually got to see the red ring of Mars quite well lying by the pool under the stars. There is also a lovely pair of gentle German Shepherds, Henry and Harriet, that we became quite fond of, especially our 18 month old. They were also very protective. She would give them kisses through the kitchen screen each morning.The Pizza and Pasta House was our favorite place to eat; great food and fair priced. There was also a place down on the beach where we had a special last night dinner. I don't remember the name, but it's tables/chairs were made from trees and the restaurant itself was built around trees. It had quite a nice ambiance and the waitstaff spoke perfect english also. The only reason I gave this home 4 instead of 5 stars, is that there is no airconditioning in the living & kitchen area . Though there are sliding doors on all sides of the home, and pretty good airflow, it was still hot air, (high 90's daily) and was too hot to just hang out in unless you are from a hotter climate and used to such heat. We are from Ohio and Tennessee, so it was a little difficult for the oldest, {50ish grandparents), and the youngest, (18 months). The shower floor of one bathroom needs leveled and there was always standing water to sweep out uphill. The washer and dryer is in the guesthouse, and so we were unable to use it while there as Georgia was out of town and the house staff didn't speak english. Other than that, our stay at Montegaluna was fabulous and highly reccomended.

Recommended for: Families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

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Vacation Rentals by Owner

Lovely New Villa by the Ocean, Great for Large Families [#262764] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (13)

Our Costa Rican Home

Our Costa Rican Home

Family Paradise

Family Paradise

Paradis des oiseaux

Paradis des oiseaux

RELAXING AND FABULOUS!

RELAXING AND FABULOUS!

Wonderful Stay

Wonderful Stay

Perfect for Multiple Families

Perfect for Multiple Families

Stunning Home for large groups of multiple families.

Stunning Home for large groups of multiple families.

Beautiful just outside of Samara and close to the beach

Beautiful just outside of Samara and close to the beach

Between Two Beautiful Beaches

Between Two Beautiful Beaches

wonderful holiday

wonderful holiday

A really great holiday

A really great holiday

GREAT PLACE TO GO

GREAT PLACE TO GO

Samara Beauty

Samara Beauty