September Punta Dakota Visit

Guest: Steve (St. Michael, MN, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

The property was beautifully constructed and very well maintained. The staff were genuinely nice and professional. I particularly loved the pool and grounds of the property but that is not to take away from the finely constructed villa with every imaginable amenity. San Francisco is a friendly town close by the villa and the towns people will never to be forgotten by our party for we had a fantastic time with the Ticos'. The ocean's 5 minute close proximity was a plus for some members of our party for the surfing opportunity. I would highly recommend staying at this beautiful villa.

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

Punta Dakota - a relaxing and tranquil get away

Guest: Brenda (Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 09/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

Punta Dakota - relaxing and tranquil The Punta Dakota villa is a hidden treasure a great place to bring a family or a group who want to sit back, relax and leave the fast pace life and stress behind. The villa, pool area and grounds are well maintained, spacious and each bedroom and bath is was nicely appointed. We had a cook during our stay, which turned out to be a good friend and guide. The food was wonderful and we never had to plan our next meal because the meal planning and shopping was done for us. We had plenty of opportunities to try local specialties prepared just for us - we were never disappointed. While sitting poolside, patio or veranda you could hear monkeys chatting in the background, it still brings a smile to my face when I think about the chatting monkeys. As odd as it sounds there's something soothing about the sound of the monkeys in the distance. The local residents and business owners were very accommodating and went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed our stay in their area. The area is full of natural beauty make sure you find out about the local waterfalls and find someone to take you hiking and exploring to see them. There are several points of interest that you won't find in a tourist guide. Its the people you meet locally that will show you and tell you about the many highlights of the area. Visiting the near by Turtle Hatchery/Protection Area was interesting and educational - we learned a lot about the turtle protection process and the way of life of the volunteers at the rustic site. If you have an opportunity to a visit don't pass it up. This is a very casual area so leave your dress clothes behind, don't even think about packing anything-dressy pack light and carefree. There is a washer and dryer on site and another good reason to pack light! I would gladly recommend Punta Dakota to anyone who is looking for a relaxing get away and wants to avoid the hustle and bustle of a over populated tourist area. The only negative would be the roads leading to this hidden treasure but worth the ride once you arrive. Thanks to all for a great Costa Rica visit.

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New years

Guest: Matías (Santa Ana)
Date of Stay: 12/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/06/11

We rented the house for this new years and the house was better than expected. The photographs in VRBO do no justice. Is located near the beach, and far from other houses, it has a big terrain. The house is fully equipped, the pool area is cleaned daily, the rooms are spacious and so are the other areas of the house. Every room has its own bathroom, we liked that very much since we were a group of 4 couples. My only complain is because when I rented it, the VRBO description stated that it had a commercial Ice Maker, and it didn't, so it was a bit of a disappointing for us. I talked to the manager and he told me that it was an error and that he will correct it until the buy one (they are planning to put one soon). Other than that, everything was excellent and we enjoyed our stay very much.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers.

Outstanding Property

Guest: Oklahoma (Tuttle, Oklahoma/ Midwest)
Date of Stay: 12/12/10 Review Submitted: 12/28/10

We stayed in the property for 2 nights, Dec. 12th and 13th, 2010. The pictures on VRBO do not do it justice. The property is gorgeous and the furnishings are first class. The home is only a short walk from the beach, and the beach is too nice to describe. We walked over a mile on the beach and encountered no one. We left here and went north to other beaches, Tamarindo included, and NO other beaches were even close, in beauty or isolation. We found virgin sand dollars that were over 4 inches across and they were plentiful. The pool area was clean and exceptionally nice. The wildlife was abundant in the area and could be found everywhere. If you are going to Costa Rica, and this was our third trip, this property would be well worth your time to visit. It is exceptional!!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, sightseeing.

Guest: Chris
Date of Stay: 05/10/10 Review Submitted: 11/16/10

My husband Chris and I went to Costa Rica in May 2010, to experience the Punta Dakota villa and the culture of this amazing country. We weren’t sure what we were in for, really, as we were invited by our friends Milton and Dawn Morris and went with an open mind and ready for an adventure, and an adventure is what we had! Every day was a new experience. We found that the drive to the resort offered us great insight into the locals and we were overly impressed by the neat, clean, appearance of the people themselves, as well as the homes they lived in. Although the streets and roads were less than what we expected, the sights far exceeded any of our expectations. The beautiful colors of the vegetation were a wonderful change after the long, harsh South Dakota winter we had recently experienced. When we got to Punta Dakota, we quickly felt at home and realized we were in a place where we, as a couple, could relax and take in all Costa Rica had to offer. The location afforded us relatively quick trips to the beach, the best fresh seafood we’ve ever tasted, the sound of monkeys in the mornings and evenings, and the wonderful smells of the tropics. The villa was so welcoming, and the infinity pool was the place to be after spending our day kayaking, hiking, traveling to the coffee shop or seaside restaurant, walking the beach, zip lining, or visiting the turtle farm. My husband was glad to find that there was virtually no shopping available because it left us more time to spend doing more adventurous things together, or simply having a frosty drink poolside in the late afternoon. As the days turned to nights, one of my favorite things to do was sit in the pool and look over the edge at the fire flies as they blinked in the vegetation below! Although we were far from home, it brought some familiarity to the surroundings that we were enjoying so much. We took a day trip to more populated beach towns, where tourists and spring breakers go to surf and hang out. That day made us realize that Costa Rica, and Punta Dakota, was a place to come for time alone, but we could easily immerse ourselves in the culture and social aspects of the country if we felt the urge. Chris and I cannot wait to return to Punta Dakota, and hope to someday make it our second home.

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Guest: Chris and Tim
Date of Stay: 01/11/10 Review Submitted: 09/22/10

We had the most relaxing vacation ever! Monkeys everymorning, great walks along the beach and super food at all the local establishments. The pool is fantastic and the Villa has all of the luxury comforts you would expect at an inclusive resort. We are already looking to book at Punta Dakota for a week long vacation in 2011.

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Guest: Ray
Date of Stay: 07/12/10 Review Submitted: 09/22/10

We found Villas Punta Dakota while searching for a beach house rental where we could host our neighbors from Colorado for a week of decompression on the playa after a week of exploration of the volcanoes and rain forests in the interior. We wanted somewhere all eleven of us could enjoy and the vast majority of rentals in Costa Rica are just much too small. Dakota was an unequivocal hit. Comments from the adults who were on vacation from their high pressure high tech jobs included “Wow!”, “The best vacation of my life.”, and “I haven’t been this relaxed for years!” The kids volunteered gems like “Can we stay here forever?”, “This house is cool” and another half dozen “Wows!” Unlike our neighbors (all first time visitors), Sue and I have been almost everywhere in our pursuit of an accurate map of Costa Rica and Punta Dakota and Playa Coyote are now firmly anchored on our top ten list as well.

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