Beautiful Beach Bungalow

• Dream house

  Dream house

  • Guest Alison & Christian
  • Date of stay 01/13/13
  • Review Submitted 01/30/13
  We stayed in Casa Caracola for 6 days in January 2013, and I cannot say enough good things about this place. Firstly, the location. We wanted to be near Puerto Viejo but not IN it. Coming from New York City, we were adamant about finding privacy, peace and quiet. We rented bikes right near the house on the first day and used them the whole time. It took us 10 mins to ride into Viejo (only 2 km away) and 10 mins in the other direction to visit Chiquita and Punta Uva. We felt we were ideally located smack in the middle. The beach in front of the house is glorious - and very often we were the only ones on it! Incredible! My boyfriend loved the Cocles waves but I preferred the supercalm, placid waters of Punta Uva. The house itself is gorgeous. Photos speak for themselves. The most beautiful part of it for me was hearing the ocean all night an all day - so soothing. We loved opening up the entire house in the morning. We spent a good deal of time relaxing on the back deck reading and watching the giant sloth that was in the tree in the backyard for 2 whole days (bring binoculars, they stay pretty high up!). There were also howler monkeys and a toucan during our visit. The house is very safe (gated and alarmed) and we felt 100% secure all the time. The area itself feels extremely safe and we felt that instantly. The grocery store is a 2 minute walk away and we often had breakfast/lunch at the house and rode our bikes to Viejo for dinner (where there are some very good restaurants). We also went to the lovely La Pecora Nera Italian place right in Cocles that was superb. Having lived in Italy before, I can say that the food was top notch. The carpaccio was to die for. If you are concerned about staying outside of Viejo, don't be! Cocles is really so close and if you don't want to ride a bike, or don't have your own car, taxis are abundant. We were glad we didn't rent a car...everything felt close and reachable. A not-to-be-missed local visit is the Jaguar Rescue Center in Chiquita - an impressive place that rehabilitates injured and orphaned animals then reintroduces them back to the wild. We saw every kind of animal imaginable and even got to hold baby howler monkeys (one fell asleep in my arms!). Amazing. Lastly, we had the good fortune of meeting the owners Sophie and Richard while we were there (they were staying in their other home Casa Mariposa). What hospitable, kind and welcoming folks. We will definitely be back to this wonderful house!

  Recommended for: Sightseeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

  Owner response: We are really glad that Alison and her husband enjoyed their stay in our beautiful beach house. It was lovely to meet them and it was a pleasure to see how much they loved our little piece of paradise. We were staying in our larger, 2 bed, 2 bath house Casa Marisa which is on the same property, but well separated. Casa Marisa, VRBO listing 427600 is ideal for 4 people and offers great standards of laid back, Caribbean/Balinese design.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Absolutely charming house and area

  Absolutely charming house and area

  • Guest Toby and Melanie
  • Date of stay 01/22/13
  • Review Submitted 01/29/13
  My husband and I stayed in Casa Caracola for our belated honeymoon. It was perfect for us! Close enough to Puerto Viejo, but far enough away to have privacy and be away from the hustle and bustle. The house had everything we needed and is just gorgeous. It was very clean and modern. We spent a lot of time on the back deck and in the hammock reading and listening to the ocean. The beach in front of the house is a bit more secluded than some of the other nearby beaches and not overcrowded, which we really enjoyed. We could also walk to the supermarket and to several restaurants, if we did not want to drive anywhere. There are so many little places to visit around there and Casa Caracola was right in the middle, which makes biking around very convenient. It was our first trip to Costa Rica and we absolutely loved it! We can't wait to come back to visit.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, sightseeing, tourists without a car, girls getaway, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

  Owner response: Casa Caracola is a perfect honeymoon escape and we're so glad this couple enjoyed their stay.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Lovely Home

  Lovely Home

  • Guest dodie
  • Date of stay 11/24/12
  • Review Submitted 12/07/12
  I just returned from this beautiful little beach bungalow, a very private and sweet spot! Simple, clean and very comfortable. I was hoping for rain and received plenty, I loved the overcast skies this time of year. No worries about sunburns! Of course the day the sun did come back there were a lot of people soaking it up and very burnt the next day. Intense sunburn is a very sad way to spend your precious vacation time. I didn't see any mosquitoes, never used the mosquito net and slept with the doors open. I recommend having a phone that works locally, you can save a lot of money by not renting a car and gathering several taxi driver's phone numbers. It was also very easy to reach Gregory by texting. I rented a bike that I rode all over the place during the day. There is a great Yoga Studio, OM very close by with skillful instructors. There are so many delicious restaurants in the area, hard to name them all! The only problem was minor, the sweet neighbors in the house next door ran out of propane in the midst of cooking, so they borrowed mine, not a problem for me, luckily I was home. Overall a perfect little bungalow in an excellent location.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, sightseeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, families with young children, adventure seekers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• ian@newhem.com

  ian@newhem.com

  • Guest Ian
  • Date of stay 08/11/12
  • Review Submitted 09/14/12
  I stayed at this bungalow for two weeks in August 2012, and I absolutely loved it. It was clean and well-looked after, with a beautiful garden and the smell of guava. There's private beach access. Very nice to wake up each morning listening to the surf. I felt safe, because there are gates on either end of the property. A local agent, Gregory, was just around the corner if I had any questions, and he was very accommodating when I had a little problem. I had a car, but the property was certainly close enough to town to walk, which I did, many times, on the beach. I was a little anxious about swimming all alone (the rip-currents are no joke) so I walked about ten minutes down the beach to a public swimming area where I felt much more comfortable. I ate at a different restaurant every night, and all my meals were good. I used the kitchen for breakfast and lunch every day, and the grocery store nearby for all my provisions. I especially liked the shower at the bungalow--very cool, surrounded by river rocks. Loved the laid-back vibe of Cocles, and all the friendly people. Met a bunch of folks on various adventures (I'd highly recommend the canopy zip-lining tour, the sea- and river-kayaking, and the "day" trip (a VERY long day) to Bocas Tel Toro, Panama. You can arrange these at any number of tour companies, including one a three minute walk away. It took me a day to get used the banana spiders outside (they're very intimidating to look at, but perfectly harmless). There were howler monkeys in the trees: awesome. Sloths galore. LOTS of geckos, several of which sneaked into the bungalow, but no harm there. There's a mosquito net that goes around the bed. I used it, but I did not encounter any mosquitoes in CR. In my opinion, the rate (I was there off-season) was very reasonable, and it allowed me to do some touring around, and to rent a car. The drive from San Jose was fine, once I got out of the city. In a few days, I was zipping around like I'd been driving there all my life. Having said that, the beach road that goes from the bungalow to the town, was often filled with walkers, bikers, dogs, etc., so you must be careful. Town was good, with a good mix of people, though on weekends, it tended toward the "party" vibe, whereas I was going to escape some of that. There were enough quiet places to avoid that atmosphere. All in all, I was very pleased with the experience, and would highly recommend it.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, sightseeing, tourists without a car, girls getaway, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

  Owner response: We are glad that Ian enjoyed our beautiful beach house. The nature that surrounds our house is one of our favourite things about the property. It is like being in a wildlife documentary! We're also glad that Ian was sensible about the places that he chose to swim. We do advise all clients to be careful close to the mouth of rivers and to know their limits when swimming anywhere along the Caribbean coast. The ocean is wild and beautiful and there are many safe places to swim along the stretch of beach directly in front of the house.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Rustic,Quiet Bliss

  Rustic,Quiet Bliss

  • Guest K and D
  • Date of stay 10/09/11
  • Review Submitted 07/24/12
  My husband and I stayed at this property in October 2011 and loved it so much that we’re planning to return again this year. The owners’ instructions on how to navigate getting to the area were spot on. We stayed in the recommended hotel (very pleasant), connected with Gregory upon arrival (nice guy), and were delighted with the accommodations. I liked having the locked gate around the property, as it was a nice safety feature. Listening to the ocean at night was wonderful, and the mosquito net over the bed was much appreciated. Even more wonderful was discovering a mamma sloth and her baby in a tree in our yard! We watched them for a long, long while. The porch and hammock were amazing...my only request is that they add another hammock so my husband and I didn't have to squabble over who got it! (Just kidding...) The beach is accessible through a path, and is fairly uninhabited. We rented bikes in Puerto Viejo which is all you need for getting around the area. I recommend this property for those who are looking to have a non-touristy Costa Rica experience and who like being in nature. (It’s in a jungle after all – so spiders, lizards, and bugs come with the territory.) It is NOT the place for people who want a cushy chain-hotel experience. It IS one of the best getaways from the chaos of modern life that I have yet to experience.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

  Owner response: We are so glad that you enjoyed your stay in our house. It really is an escape from reality and so relaxing!

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

• Beach Privacy

  Beach Privacy

  • Guest Tali
  • Date of stay 06/24/12
  • Review Submitted 07/12/12
  First, our arrival into PV was not the best. There are limited flights into SJ from Denver and we arrived at 2PM, leaving us to get a hotel in SJ and leave the next day for PV, or to take the last bus to PV at 4PM. Since we had paid for the night in PV in the Cocles Beach house, we took the bus. It meant we arrived at 9PM, which is after the normal check in time of 8PM. We had some trouble contacting Gregory. I emailed 3 or 4 times the owners, VBRO, and Sunset beach Realty the 2 weeks before arrival to set up a meeting time and never got a response back. We also called Gregory several times prior to arrival with no call back. The first contact was from the SJ ariport. On arrival, perhaps it was too late at 9 PM, but the check in was poor. That was disappointing. We ran out of gas in the stove on the first use, gas was replaced the next day. The coffee maker takes 2 hours to make a pot, no exaggeration. And the toaster is broken. We found the kitchen sparcely stocked, but it was enough to get what you need done. There is a charcoal grill which is nice. The house itself was wonderful! We loved the walls of windows and the location! The bathroom was nice as well. There were plenty of towels and sheets and an overabundance of pillows! The front deck is large and clean with 2 tables and a hammock. You can clearly hear the ocean but not see it too well due to jungle. Securely surrounded by a fence and locked all around. We found the need for so many locks cumbersome, however, we also did not feel any danger. No problems with dogs during our stay. You literally walk strait out to the beach. It is a beautiful deserted beach! There is a river that flows into the ocean right in front of the house that provides nice fresh water to wrince off in. There was usually NO one on the beach. Great waves, clean clear water. Just down the beach, 5 minute walk, you will find more action with cheap beers just across the beach and surf rentals/lessons. We loved the beach. We did not see or hear from Gregory until check out, which also went poorly. If you go in the summer you will probably miss AC. There were 2 floor fans and one ceiling fan that helped. Great food in the area. Make sure you go the Lazlo's in PV for fish!

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, age 55+, sightseeing, tourists without a car, girls getaway, adventure seekers.

  Owner response: We are glad that these clients enjoyed their holiday in our beautiful beach front house and that the house met their expectations. We apologise for any problems during check in. However, as is clearly stated on all of our correspondence, check in is until 8pm. We do recommend that clients stay in San Jose for the first night if their flight lands in the afternoon and we provide a hotel recommendation when the client books. All client emails are replied to as quickly as we can and these clients received at least four emails from us. Our replies can sometimes be slightly delayed due to the time difference as we live in Spain. Gregory, our agent, is always given all of the client details and knows when to expect their arrival. Please try to check in between the hours of 2pm and 8pm. We are having the coffee maker and toaster checked immediately. Our agent is there to check clients in and check them out. He will not normally disturb clients whilst they are on holiday. However, he or his assistant Azalea are available if they are needed, as can be see by the prompt replacement of the gas bottle. Their office is a one minute walk from the house. We always endeavor to provide the best service that we can and aim to address any small problems promptly. Our house is situated in a little piece of paradise and we want all of our clients to enjoy it as much as we do.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• A perfect, delightful retreat!

  A perfect, delightful retreat!

  • Guest Becky
  • Date of stay 03/11/12
  • Review Submitted 04/03/12
  This bungalow is a MUST experience! My boyfriend and I stayed for just 4 nights and wished we could have stayed longer. We felt so safe and the property was very quiet and well kept. The pounding waves that we heard every night were just amazing. We had a few days of rain but the hammock outside under the roof was great for those days, it really forced you to relax and slow down. The grocery store was a short stroll away, and the town of Puerto Viejo is maybe a couple of miles. We had one of the most amazing seafood pasta dishes at El Pescador in Puerto Viejo, wow! We found some live music, billiards, and plenty of very friendly locals. If you are questioning booking this rental STOP IT and book now!

  Recommended for: People with disabilities, sightseeing, tourists without a car, girls getaway, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

  Owner response: Thank you for such a positive review. We are so pleased that you enjoyed your vacation. Your experience was just what we intended when we designed and built this house.

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

• glad to be home

  glad to be home

  • Guest rocky
  • Date of stay 02/01/12
  • Review Submitted 03/05/12
  we just returned from our stay at the beautiful cocles beach house. the pictures of the property and amenities listed were very accurate. for a traveler without a car there were several great restaurants within walking distance and a well stocked grocery store where we could purchase supplies to make delicious meals in our well equipped kitchen. the beach in front of the house was great for long walks and swimming plus there were several other beautiful beaches within walking distance. the only problem we encountered were 2 howling and barking dogs that were chained to the house next door to act as guard dogs. no one was living in this house so we were the only ones who were disturbed by the noise that went on for several hours in the evening and again in the early morning. this happened on many occasions and the manager of the property tried to help, but according to the property owner this is a common practice in costa rica and there's nothing they can do about the disturbance. based on our experience i would not recommend this property if you are looking for a peaceful and relaxing vacation

  Owner response: We are very glad that our beautiful house, garden and close proximity to the beach lived up to expectations. We are confused by the problem with barking dogs from the property next door? As is evident from all of our other reviews nobody else has ever encountered this problem. Furthermore, we have a long term resident that lives in our other house at the far end of our property who has never complained; including during the time when this client stayed. We frequently stay at the house and have never had a problem with the dogs next door. The house is a haven of tranquility. Of course, it is perfectly normal for people to have guard dogs on large properties in Costa Rica, as it is in other countries. Our neighbours are well-respected and their live in staff are there at all times. Unfortunately these clients chose to wake our neighbours up in the middle of the night by loudly and repeatedly beeping their car horn. We can only assume that this kind of behaviour and excessive late-night noise or movement must have provoked the trained guard dogs. We are pleased that this client enjoyed our property so much that they chose to stay for a month.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Amazing beach rental!

  Amazing beach rental!

  • Guest Lindsey
  • Date of stay 01/26/12
  • Review Submitted 02/01/12
  Our stay at Playa Cocles was such an amazing experience for a great price. Listening to the waves every day and feeling the ocean breeze was a plus and we would come back in a second. A big thanks to Sophie, Richard and their property manager Gregory to make our trip to Costa Rica such a positive and exciting vacation.

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

  Owner response: Thank you so much for a great review! We are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay in our lovely little house! It is such a special place for us and it is our pleasure to share it. Sophie and Richard Atkins

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

• Perfect home for a Costa Rican Getaway!

  Perfect home for a Costa Rican Getaway!

  • Guest Chris
  • Date of stay 05/09/11
  • Review Submitted 05/27/11
  My girlfriend and I stayed here for 10 nights in May 2011, and we cannot recommend it highly enough - from start to finish it was a great experience! First, Sophie and Richard were incredibly helpful in getting us booked and coordinated prior to our arrival. From there, their property manager Gregory took over - getting us checked in and ensuring we had everything we needed. And then... the property! It really couldn't be more ideally located - less than 100yds from a very secluded stretch of Cocles Beach (the best in the area) with your own private gated access, 2min from a full market and a handful of great restaurants (shoutout to Soda Johanna -- great local joint), and only a 10-15min bike ride to Cocles, Puerto Viejo, Playa Chiquita, and Punto Uva. Throw in the full kitchen, gorgeous patio with hammock, serene open-tile bathroom/shower, and beautiful surrounding garden and it's almost too much awesomeness! Whether you're looking for a relaxing beach trip, a romantic getaway, or a jumpoff to explore Costa Rica's exciting natural beauty, this home will meet your needs. We hope to return someday!

  Recommended for: Age 55+, sightseeing, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, families with young children, adventure seekers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 9/10

High .. $650week (From Dec 1st-April 30th & July 1st to August 31st)XMAS & NY $700
Low ... $550/week  (May 1st to June 30th & September 1st to November 30th)
High....$95/night (3 night minimum)Except Xmas & New Year(7 nt min)
Low.... $85/Night (3 night minimum)
50% deposit required on booking.By Bank transfer or PayPal
Balance to be paid on check in. 
Cancellation policy:50% Of deposit refunded before 30 days of arrival.  
Cancellations made on bookings during peak season holidays cannot be refunded.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.