Vacation Rentals by Owner

Beautiful casita with a forever view

Guest: CyndeeD (Spring,Tx)
Date of Stay: 05/19/12 Review Submitted: 05/22/12

It doesn't get better than this. High above San Ramon in the hills near Berlin sits this beautifully designed and privately owned casita. Surrounded by paths through the foliage where you can see a variety of birds and wildlife...this is the place to think, write, relax.... Or just rest for your next adventure. The owners will even do your laundry for a small fee. We loved it here and enjoyed preparing meals in the little kitchen....great wi-fi connection... We plan to return on our next trip. You'll never be the same once you've taken in this ocean view.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A 5-Star Experience

Guest: Peter & Vicky
Date of Stay: 03/06/12 Review Submitted: 04/04/12

The cottage is really very nice. With a little more storage space, it could be a permanent residence. The view from the front porch is outstanding. The trails with benches are modest in length, but are quite nice. The nearby town of San Ramon is a good place to experience Costa Rican culture and life style. Do not miss the Friday/Saturday farmer's market. Norm & Collie were very hospitable. They could not have been more helpful. They were happy to answer all of our many questions.

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Top of the World!

Guest: Mark & Addy (Seattle, WA)
Date of Stay: 02/27/12 Review Submitted: 03/06/12

Norm and Collie, I can’t believe you’ve moved to the TOP OF THE WORLD! We loved your casita so much you were at risk for having to kick us out! The view of the sunset from the lanai was totally awesome and on a clear night, we could see the twinkling lights around Nicoya. At 4800’ we do touch the clouds don’t we? Remember the morning I decided to record the sweeping view of the valley? The little church in the community of Berlin on the other side which normally looked crystal clear played hide and seek behind the swirling fog! When the sun is up, the rolling hills of trees and coffee look sooo peaceful. We heard the Tucan calls but couldn’t see it even when you tried to point it out to us. We did see a coatimundi outside your gate and thought it was your pet. We agree the temperature range is perfect at that altitude. The constant breeze keeps the air fresh during the day. Surprisingly the winds seemed to pick up quite a bit at night. Maybe it isn’t like that all year round. The winds howled the 3 nights we were there, making it more romantic to burrow under the cozy down comforter. :-) We knew how solid your construction is hence we felt secure. It is laughable our rental car was the smallest available, a Suzuki. We had no idea what to expect. Fortunately the main road up the mountain was paved. The only iffy part was a very small section of the gravel road down to your gate. Thank you for your very generous hospitality during our stay: Your banana bread,.. stories over dinner about old friends & colleagues back in Seattle and your move to Costa Rica,.. inviting us to tag along to the Botanical Garden, orchid & bromeliad nurseries,.. walking your trails,.. meeting your friends Eric & Josee and Alejandro. Mark wanted to add that smelling fresh laundry after being in the tropics a week was heaven! :-) Thank you and good to see you again! We hope to be back.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

What a view!

Guest: Mike H (Colorado, USA)
Date of Stay: 02/02/12 Review Submitted: 02/17/12

My wife and I recently spent 2 weeks at Norm and Collie's Casita. It is located close to the main house, but totally private. At an altitude of about 5200 feet, and the Pacific 30 or so miles away, you get a majestic view of the central mountains of Costa Rica, the Pacific and the Nicoya peninsula. The casita itself is spotless clean and perfect for 2 people. We prepared our own meals most of the time, in order to be "home" to watch the glorious sunsets. Due to the altitude the property did experience fog and wind gusts on a daily basis, and for the evenings I would recommend bringing a sweater, even though you are in the tropics. Norm and Collie are very helpful hosts, who even provided us some food for our first day at breakfast as our airline was delayed for more than 3 hours and the grocery stores closed by the time we arrived at San Ramon. It is about an hour and 15 minute drive from the airport to get to the property, and a rental car is absolutely essential, with a 4 wheel drive recommended for the final stretch. When arriving at night, in fog, despite excellent directions from Norm we still missed the turn-off, so pay close attention to find the red reflectors on the right side, just before the road starts to descend again. If at all possible as Collie for a tour of her beautiful garden. The trails on the property are very nice and a great way to stretch you legs. Overall, a great place, both Costa Rica and Norm and Collie's casita.

Owner response:Mike, We appreciate your input. You’ll be pleased to know that we have just finished paving our drive, over 350 yards. Four wheel drive is not necessary.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Beautiful location, cozy and clean, friendly and helpful owners

Guest: Katie (Minneapolis, MN)
Date of Stay: 01/27/12 Review Submitted: 02/27/12

My husband and I spent the first few days of our honeymoon based out of Norm and Collie's casita. We were amazed at the beautiful mountain top view, and enjoyed the trails located on the property. Norm and Collie spent time orienting us to the town of San Ramon and gave us advice on good places to go for day trips - they were very helpful and responsive without being intrusive. The casita had everything you would need for a nice relaxing stay - hot shower, small kitchen with dishes and cookware, towels, cds, movies, and Scrabble. It did get a bit chilly at night, so bring a pair of sweats. You will need to rent a car to stay here because it is located outside of the main town - and be warned that the Costa Rican roads are only for the adventurous. We absolutely loved our stay here!

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful relacing stay

Guest: Liinda B.
Date of Stay: 01/25/12 Review Submitted: 01/29/12

What a great place to unwind!! This is a spotless and relaxing place to totally unwind. We enjoyed the peace, cool climate, and great views during our 3 day stay. Norm and Collie are gracious hosts with a good directions on how to find this out of the way place. They orient you to the area and unlike some cities in the country San Ramon is an easy place to navigate if you are so inclined to leave the property. If you want to cook you own meals this is the place or if you don't want to cook the city and great restaurants are within 20 minutes of the property. The fog did roll in frequently while we were there but once you drive up the road it's easy to find on subsequent trips up to the casita. This was a very nice last 3 days to our trip in Costa Rica. I highly recommend this as a place to stay.

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A wonderful introduction to Costa Rica!

Guest: anita h. (San Juan Islands, WA)
Date of Stay: 01/23/12 Review Submitted: 02/10/12

The location is perfect, away from the airport and San Jose, yet less than an hour away. We stayed our first two nights here and are trying to figure out how to come back next year for a month. The home is beautiful, spotless, has everything you can possibly need and the owners were so helpful. The grounds are like a botanical garden with lots of trails to explore. The view is amazing, a panorama of the hills and valleys by day and forever lights at night. Perfection!

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

Our stay at Norm and Collie's Casita

Guest: Jodi and Russ (Pennsylvania)
Date of Stay: 01/11/12 Review Submitted: 02/02/12

This casita is clean and comfortable and Norm and Collie are extremely gracious hosts, even music was provided. They also have an extensive movie library that you can use. They were more than happy to help with information and recommendations for places to go. A vehicle is necessary if you stay there. The property is beautiful and there are trails for walking. I would definitely recommend staying there.

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Thank you Norm and Callie

Guest: joan h.
Date of Stay: 01/06/12 Review Submitted: 02/09/12

Thank you Norm and Callie for a wonderful stay. The hardest part of our trip was getting up to your house in the dark in a complete fog, but that was not exactly your fault! We thought the house was lovely, everything was spotlessly clean and the fresh flowers were a nice addition. Both of you were so lovely- we enjoyed the tour of your garden, and especially appreciated your recommendations as to what to do around San Ramon. When something went wrong later in our trip after we left, Peter said "we can always call Norm and Callie", our new friends.! We really felt warmth and caring when we stayed with you! I would recommend your house to all of my friends (and I am very fussy!) See you next year!

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Peaceful Retreat with Incredible Views

Guest: Joan B.
Date of Stay: 12/16/11 Review Submitted: 01/08/12

We spent a week at Norm & Collie's beautiful casita and enjoyed every minute of it. As you drive up the mountain, you enter a quiet, lovely paradise that they have created. Whether you just want to kick back and relax or go out every day to various sites, this is a perfect location. For the days we didn't want to do a lot of driving, Norm & Collie had some great suggestions. We just can't say enough about how gracious and available they were when we needed them. However, we also felt we had complete privacy. We spent several mornings having coffee on the veranda and saw a couple of incredible sunsets over the Pacific ocean and Nicoya Peninsula. Even at night, when the clouds hadn't rolled in, it was a spectacular view of city lights. Day trips included Poas Volcano, The Botanical garden in Sarchi, Villa Blanca for lunch and massage, and Carara National Park for a hike with a guide. Due to the distance, we didn't make it to Monteverde/Arenal Volcano. Best to plan an overnight in that area if you want to hike, zipline, etc. Every day, we tried to return to the casita by sunset and spent the evening cooking and watching movies we got from Norm's extensive collection. There is no TV reception but we certainly didn't miss it. Our goal was to really get away and we were able to do so at the casita. We highly recommend this rental. Thanks to Norm and Collie for making our vacation so memorable.

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Mountainl top paradise

Guest: Lew & Jane (Salt Lake City)
Date of Stay: 12/08/11 Review Submitted: 12/18/11

My wife and I recently stayed at this San Ramon mountain top cottage "casita" and had an excellent time.. The casita and surrounding grounds far exceeded our expections but that is Costa Rica! This is a special place with a amazing view when it is clear. Even when it is not the fog puts on a spectacular show rolling through. On arrival we were greeted and welcomed by the owners Norm and Collie. They showed us around and explained the casita, their walking trails that they have constructed and even local attractions and restuarant favorites. It is very evident they take great pride in the grounds and this rental cottage and it shows. The casita is very well appointed with an excellent pillowtop bed, large bathroom with great & warm shower and a well equipted kitchen. . The covered porch with its view is something you will be wanting to take home with you it is so awesome. My wife and I were on a 10 day vacation with a list of places we wanted to see. Norm and Collie's casita was an excellent base to explore arnel volcano, the artist town of Sarchi and our very favorite mountain town of Zarcero. At the end of the long days it was always funs to eat in San Ramon and then head up the hill to the quite of the mountain top. We wished we would have had a few more days in this casita to truly enjoy the trails and take in the surrounding beauty. We feel that this cottage is a very good vaue and will stay again when coming to this area of CR. We highly recommend this casita to our friends and to anyone who is seeking a wonderful rental casita in a very special part of Costa Rica. Enjoy!

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

Mountain side casita with a view and private walking trails

Guest: Nancy (Nevada)
Date of Stay: 11/16/11 Review Submitted: 12/08/11

Our week stay at Norm and Collie's Casita was a great experience. Norm and Collie are just the kind of hosts you want. They are very informative and helpful, but respect your privacy. The kitchen was well stocked. All you needed was a trip to the store, and if it's Friday don't miss the farmers market. For evening entertainment just choose a movie from Norms large list of DVDs. The extras, like free wifi, a safe, and that Norm will make copies of your passport page, so you can leave your passport in the safe is just icing on the cake. Oh,ya, there might even be Collies banana bread!

Owner response:We’re so pleased that you had a great experience; we always appreciate hearing from our guests. A small detail however, you’ll really need a car to get here and to get around. We’re 5 miles from downtown San Ramon.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Monsoon Honeymoon

Guest: Terry B. (-)
Date of Stay: 10/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/24/11

While Norm and Collie can't be held responsible for the weather (after all we did pick the rainy season to visit), it did pour the entire 10 days of our trip. Nevertheless, we found the casita cosy and welcoming at the end of the day and Norm and Collie to be charming and gracious hosts. What you see is what you get. No trick photography here. The accommodations and grounds are well-located and beautifully maintained. We used San Ramon as our base for visits to Monteverde and Volcan Arenal, which we did on two separate days. They were all-day journeys, but the scenery along the backroads in Costa Rica's is what we came for, right? We dined at several of Norm and Collie's recommended spots and found them to be quite adequate. If you're looking for a sumptuous dining experience, go to France or Italy. We highly recommend Norm and Collie's romantic hideaway. It's a real find.

Owner response:Yes, the weather was horrible, and we thought of you and hoped that you didn’t have problems driving to the Manual Antonio after leaving here. It is too bad that you didn’t have a chance to walk our trails, but we’re happy to hear that we and our casita met your needs and expectations. We work really hard to make our guests’ stay as enjoyable as possible, but, as much as we’d like to, we can’t stop the rain.

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My wife had not slept so sound in years

Guest: Carlos C. (Kennesaw, Georgia)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 12/12/11

We visited Costa Rica in August 2011 and stayed the second half of our trip with Norm and Collie as our hosts in their amazing casita. We were on a fact finding vacation and first took a 3 day tour along with 10 other people that was terrific and met all of our expectations and more. After the fast paced and informative tour, our goal was to relax, mingle with the local ticos, and visit the countryside. Once we arrived at the casita it was so quick and easy to switch into the relaxing mode we were striving for. Norm and Collie gave us a warm welcome, a brief overview of the amenities provided, and left us alone to enjoy the beautiful grounds and views. In the morning my wife said she had not slept so sound in years. The usual daily stresses just disappeared with all of the tranquility surrounding us. After breakfast Norm and Collie gave us directions to head out and explore parts of Costa Rica we had researched and were anxious to visit. After each busy day when we returned to the casita the mountain and ocean views were breathtaking.. We highly recommend staying here if you are looking for a relaxing and romantic adventure. Thanks, Norm and Collie!

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

A Place to breathe deep and enjoy the view

Guest: Andy (Gulfport. MS)
Date of Stay: 05/29/11 Review Submitted: 06/04/11

From the time we sent the initial email inquiry about the Norm and Collie's casita until the time we drove out of their driveway, the experience was wonderful. The casita is a beautiful place tucked on the side of a mountain with spectacular views...even when the clouds roll by it is amazing. The casita is beautiful and Norm and Collie were helpful in getting to the off-the-beaten-path location. Norm's directions brought us right to the door. The town of San Ramon is a nice non-touristy place with some wonderful restaurants. The location was perfect for us to do day trips to the coast, to hike, to zip line and to just see the beauty of Costa Rica. I would definitely recommend the casita to a couple looking for a beautiful, relaxing place to spend some time in Costa Rica. If you want to zip line, I can highly recommend San Luis Canopy Tours. We booked through Villa Blanca, but I think you can book directly with San Luis. The guides were great. Rates were reasonable and I never worried about safety. For the more adventurous and hearty, the Catarat del Toro at Baja del Toro was beautiful. It is a beautiful....and heart stopping drive. I would not recommend it with out a GPS and a strong stomach. But the hike down to the waterfall and the waterfall itself is beautiful. Norm and Collie thanks for a great 20th anniversary trip. Hope we will return again and again. And we are still looking for a way to retire to Costa Rica.

Owner response:We are always happy to know that the casita met our guests’ expectations. We've added photos from Kim and Andy and more information about the Waterfalls and zip line to our personal web site: norm-collie.com/casita/activities.htm

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway.

Wonderful Costa Rican Getaway

Guest: Sarah (US)
Date of Stay: 03/08/11 Review Submitted: 04/05/11

We really enjoyed our stay at the casita. Beautiful mountain view so high up in the mountains you can see the ocean 30 miles away. Very private and quiet location. Lovely landscaping and hiking trails. Norm and Collie were great and very helpful and informative. We would love to go back. Thanks Norm and Collie! -Sarah And Will- Newlyweds from Texas

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Beautiful views, but bring a jacket!

Guest: Lisa (Sherman Oaks, California)
Date of Stay: 12/24/10 Review Submitted: 02/12/11

A very nice casita with beautiful views (especially at sunset) of the Gulf of Nicoya and Puntarenas. However I was unprepared for how cold it would be!! Double check with the owners about temperatures before packing! Otherwise, I enjoyed my stay at this clean, well designed little house with a kitchen well-stocked with cooking utensils and a microwave. The owners have a varied selection of DVDs available for viewing on the flatscreen TV (there is no TV available), and a radio and CD player. The location is quiet, private, and less than ten minutes from shopping, restaurants, and other amenities in San Ramon. I would highly recommend that you have your own vehicle for transportation. The owners, Norm and Collie, additionally provided a map of San Ramon, with locations of interesting restaurants, etc. I found this very helpful navigating my way around town. This is a very nice place to stay, but it is not for everybody. If you like to be where the "action" is, this is not your place. But if you want to be in a quiet serene place where the sounds of birds wake you up, if you enjoy stunning sunsets and a glorious night sky, then this is the place for you.

Owner response:Some of our guests are surprised to find the cooler temperatures in the mountains of Costa Rica. Our casita is at 4850 feet, where it is cooler than the coasts and lower elevations of the Central Valley. Typical daytime temperatures are in the low to mid 70s. It isn’t uncommon for nighttime temperatures to dip into the 60s or occasionally, the high 50s. The small kitchen is equipped with 4 burner stove and oven, a small refrigerator, coffee maker, toaster, and microwave. There’s also an assortment of pots, pans and kitchen implements to help with your meal preparation. Running hot water at the kitchen sink, which is uncommon in Costa Rica, simplifies cleanup.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great casita, and wonderful hosts! Excellent!!

Guest: Margie B. (Tucson, Arizona, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/17/10 Review Submitted: 10/30/10

It was a terrific vacation, and the cottage was very cute. There are a few things that would have made it better and more consistent with other "homeaway" rentals that we have experienced (New York City, Paris, Florence and Rome Italy, Hawaii, etc). Our suggestions are: Since the refridgerator is way too small for a realistic use by anyone staying more than 3 days, we recommend that a larger refridgerator be provided. Failing that, then a large ice chest should be provided to the guests upon arrival. In addition, the internet and DVD's are only available when there isn't a storm with lightening...which in our experience was only one night out of 10. So, we'd suggest one of the more powerful surge protectors be provided, as the evenings can get very long without those two items since it's recommended that there be no driving to the casita after dark. Also...while the property is private and curtains are not critical for privacy, they ARE needed if you wish to sleep past 5:15 am every morning....so dark curtains in the bedroom are recommended very strongly. And, while rocking chairs were provided for use on the patio, they had to be brought in whenever it rained - which was daily. It would be best for your guests is there were a plastic table and two chairs provided for the patio, so that meals could be enjoyed outside AND so that the view and the location could be appreciated more completely. Basically, we couldn't enjoy the patio and the view outside...but only from the inside looking out. Also, it would be very nice to provide a bar of bath soap for the shower upon arrival....thus allowing your guests to shower before they have to visit the local grocery store. And an absolute necessity is some kind of chest of drawers for the bedroom and....another small chest or storage of some kind is needed for misc travel items for the living room. Having neither of those things never allowed us to "feel at home" even for just a 10 day stay. While we managed without these things, we must admit that the stay would have been much improved with these minor changes. Having said all of that, we DID enjoy our stay, and our hosts were terrific! Norm and Collie were delightful. But again, we do think that if these suggestions were implemented, all future guests would be much happier with their visit and be more comfortable enjoying the beautiful countryside of Costa Rica. Overall...we loved it!! Margie and Byron

Owner response:Thanks so much for your thoughtful suggestions; we’ll look into implementing as many of them as possible. Our guests’ comfort is our main concern.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Maybe the best part of our vacation

Guest: V (Washington, D.C.)
Date of Stay: 09/18/10 Review Submitted: 09/28/10

Bottom line: Worth so much more than you'll pay. Luxury stay for a fraction of the price. Location: Close to everything we wanted. Spa day at Villa Blanca. Canopy tour at San Luis Canopy. Waterfall at Las Musas. Hiking everywhere. Could still drive to volcano and beach. Close enough to San Ramon to be convenient. Secluded enough to feel like we were completely alone. Ambient temperature was comfortable. The Casita: Like a luxury hotel suite. Kitchen, dining, and living areas, with seperate bed and bath. Beautifully decorated. Well constructed. Everything was sealed and caulked to keep pests out (though there wasn't really a problem to begin with). Norm and Collie thought of everything. Kitchen was fully stocked: all we had to do was buy groceries. Wife loved the shower. Nicer than where we live. View: Pictures online don't do justice. Though the terrain stays the same, due to time of day, clouds rolling through (sometimes on you), and lighting, the view always seems to change. Been around the world and paid more for much less. Resorts and parks will charge for the view itself. Norm & Collie: Excellent hosts. They thought of everything. Friendly and helpful, yet still respectful of our privacy. Bonus points: The bridge from San Ramon was washed out the day before we came. Norm went out of his way to find a short alternate route (including mileage markers), and then he called me in the States to give me the heads up. Also, we came back from grocery shopping and were caught in the middle of a storm. Collie came running out with umbrellas. She also makes an excellent banana bread. They both went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable. Some of our favorite memories were of just hanging around the Casita, playing Scrabble and watching "Lost." Glad we didn't stay in a hotel. Saved money and had a better overall experience than other tourists we talked to. Part of the attraction to the Casita was the price, but honestly I think they could charge more. I would suggest taking advantage of a great deal.

Owner response:Since we’re not really a business, and have only one guest cottage, we see our guests as new friends sharing our “little piece of paradise” and try our best to make our their stay as comfortable and relaxing as we can. Although we'd love to have families with children, the cottage is equipped with a comfy queen bed, and no other sleeping arrangements, so we can only accommodate two people.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Luxurious room with a view

Guest: Merpaul (Las Vegas, NV)
Date of Stay: 06/18/10 Review Submitted: 10/22/10

BEAUTIFUL views on beautiful, well-kept property. Clean cottage, with comfy bed, and spectacular shower. Norm and Collie are very welcoming, while giving plenty of space. HIGHLY recommend this great cottage; we plan on returning for an annual mountain retreat once we relocate to this wonderful country.

Owner response:In our effort to create a park-like setting, we are continue to plant native flowers and shrubs around the houses and on the trails. Our focus is on plants that will attract birds and butterflies, as well as tropical ornamentals.

Recommended for:Age 55+, romantic getaway.

Exellent place to relax and have fun with your family

Guest: Li&Ce (Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 06/10/10 Review Submitted: 06/22/10

This was an excellent place to both my woman and myself. It is secluded, beautiful, quiet. Nice!!! Collie and Norm are excellent hosts, respectful of your privacy, friendly, and helpfull I would highly recommend to anyone looking to relax

Owner response:Li & Ce, Thanks for your kind words. One comment, the casita is only suitable for two people; there's no place for small children. We’re so pleased that you enjoyed your stay. It was our pleasure to meet you and we hope to have you as guests on your next visit to Costa Rica. Best wishes, Norm & Collie

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great place to spend the holidays!

Guest: powe (Royal Palm Beach, Florida)
Date of Stay: 12/19/09 Review Submitted: 10/16/10

Cheers Norm and Collie! With the holidays approaching, we have been recalling our wonderful stay at the cottage last year. The views, the extra attention to details in and around the cottage, and the entire area all made this our most memorable vacation yet. I constantly tell people how special of a place this is and how hospitable you both were to us. You answered all of our questions about travel, expected expenses etc. We simply could not have been made to feel more at home! Thank you again for all the extras (including Christmas!) and we hope to make it back soon. Jerry and Barbara Powell

Owner response:We’re always happy to help our guests with local information. We’ve created a map of San Ramon and have been developing a list of nearby attractions and activities for our guests. We also have a new flat screen TV and DVD player and are now offering free loans of movies from our collection of more that 1,100 titles.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.