Vacation Rentals by Owner

Enchanted Beach and Rainforest Retreat [#281330] | View Property

Puerto Viejo
House, 2 Bedrooms + Den, 1 Bath (Sleeps 5)
$75/night or $450/week
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Traveler Reviews (22)

• We Will Be Back!!

  We Will Be Back!!

  • Guest Jessica
  • Date of stay 01/12/13
  • Review Submitted 01/30/13
  We stayed January 12-January 18, 2013 in this lovely secluded Casas. This was the best trip I have experienced to this day. The grounds of the house are beautiful!! We utilized the back porch anytime we were there. The sounds morning, day, and night are of those on a CD you pay for. Daniel, the owner, was absolutely wonderful on information for planning our stay. I could only wish this were my home in Costa Rica!!!! Definitely bring flashlights, as we used these every night to navigate back to the house. The house and property are very well maintained with our favorite dog who came to visit and talk to us daily :) Casas La Selvatica stole a piece of my heart and we cannot wait to return. The wonderful experiences we aquired from this stay, you would NEVER get at a resort. I cannot say THANK YOU enough Daniel!! The house is right around the corner from our favorite restaurant Alice's, and recommend taking the kayaking tour with Andy Cook (a local cook at Alice's). This house is located within walking distance to wonderful restaurants rated high on trip advisor. The variety of beaches are within a bike ride and easy to get to. Manzanillo is a must visit with BEAUTIFUL scenery. There is a convient store right down the lane from the house and the owner speaks tons of different languages. Great location!!

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

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  • Guest Leanne
  • Date of stay 01/06/13
  • Review Submitted 01/16/13
  Quiet, clean, relaxing house in the middle of rad beach towns. The location is fantastic: directly between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo. We had a car, but if I were to do it again, I wouldn't bother. Biking along the coast is easy and efficient. (review originally entered on https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/69658).

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• Adventures, but homey

  Guest comment entered by owner

  Adventures, but homey

  • Guest Gunnar, Iceland
  • Date of stay 12/21/12
  • Review Submitted 03/12/13
  The hose was realy nice - two brothers from Iceland and it was allmost too big! The shower dose not work like home, the toilet dose not work like home, the beds are not as comfy as at home, the insects do not look like home! Oh wait - I am not AT home! Great way to spend a holiday, we cooked, bicycled around, took walks to the beach and went to organized trips also - had a great mix of experience from doing it ourselves to buying a trip with a pick up and drop back service. What to do - I would recommend the ATEC tours, where you go with the locals - we went fishing from punta uva, took a trip with Junior to Bribri and a Canoe tour (all half day plus) and we loved it. We bought it in town - they have a small shop in the center of Puerto Viejo, that serves both as an internet place and selling tours. We also took some package from another company in town, the trip was called an adventure package I think, it had f.e. atv, zip line, and going down a small waterfall that was cool also - the zip line were like 10 lines but if you just go for the zip line tour you get 21 but for me 10 was enough! Where to eat - We liked El Duende, it was open late, it is literally a 3 minute walk. Pretty good store although we did make 2-3 big shopping rounds to Puerto Viejo (old harbor market?!?) which is still just a little cheaper, then in Viejo they have a butcher - we can recommend you to take a look if you really like to cook home. But if not - go to Jungle Love or Malbec or Pura Gula - all really nice, in that order, but stay away from La Biela that is a hole, buy beer play pool, but not food. Also nice was the panther hotel place next door - went there and the service was awesome. All in all - a great place - it rained a lot but that was just nice, we saw monkeys in the trees, woke up with monkeys in the night but only like twice, saw sloths and bird just next to our faces. The beds were uncomfortable for two nights and than my privileged body got used to them. The interaction with the owners and caretakers could not have been nicer. Would like to go back! Review originally entered on TripAdvisor.com.

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• The best house in the rainforest!

  The best house in the rainforest!

  • Guest Ruth
  • Date of stay 12/07/12
  • Review Submitted 01/14/13
  This was my first experience renting a house via internet and it worked out so well. The photos grabbed my attention and they reflected exactly what the house is like. We spent 2 fabulous weeks there with our 3 boys and we all loved it! The garden and the forest surrounding the house are simply beautiful and so rich. We could look at howler monkeys right from the porch and many birds too. At sunset, the sounds of the rainforest started with frogs... we could see them everywhere around the house with our flashlights.On the small path leading to the beach we encountered many lizards and monkeys. The beach itself was great. Fun waves, small coves safe for swimming and not very crowded. The bikes are great to get around (you can sit your child on the handlebars no problem here!). We went everywhere between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo. For chocolate lovers, check out Carribeans in Cocles. We did an interesting tour of the farm and tasted different chocolates...yummy! The wildlife refuge is worth seeing especially with kids. The house itself was spacious enough for the 5 of us and the outdoor dining room is the place to hang out and relax. The owners were very kind and quick to answer our concerns or fix any problems.They were also very helpful during the planning of our trip with their suggestions, hints and references. Thanks to them for making part of our trip a success! We would definitely return or recommend this place to our friends and family.

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

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  • Guest Pavel N.
  • Date of stay 11/26/12
  • Review Submitted 12/02/12
  It was my first trip to Costa Rica and I chose Puerto Viejo since I wanted to see the Caribbean side of the country. I was looking for a simple and quiet place far from the people made noises. And I found it in La Selvatica. I rented a cabin, but Jeff and Daniel were kind enough to upgrade me to Casa Grande since it had no guests. There was a rain season and I done my research poorly :) I am very happy and grateful for the upgrade cause it made me feel even more comfortable in one of those days when rain was non stop. Property located enough distance from the main road and it's very easy to get around by bike. It's also a great exercise for those who spend a lot of time in the office ;) Grocery store within the walking distance but remember that it doesn't work on Sunday. I loved going to Mazanilla and the park there is magnificent. Also make sure to check out Jaguar refugee center. I made my first close encounter with sloths, howler monkeys and tucan. Tucans visit trees around the house every day and it was my pleasure to wake up in the mornings with their songs. Plus going to sleep with the sounds of frogs in the garden. Make sure to grab a light and check these alien like creatures in the garden. Thank you Angie and her friend for showing me the frogs. Angie was a place keeper there. She is a sweet girl and it was a pleasure to deal with her and learn some Spanish since mine is at almost zero level. I also got an idea of how costa rican people live and how most of them appreciate the nature. Too bad she wasn't around when I left to say goodbye. I loved the place and spirit of local community. I would love to come back in a non rainy season. Thank you guys for the pleasure of being your guest. Review originally entered on airbnb.com.

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• Very relaxing stay in the jungle

  Very relaxing stay in the jungle

  • Guest GB
  • Date of stay 10/30/12
  • Review Submitted 11/28/12
  We stayed here for 3 weeks in November, and found it to be a very relaxing location (and it does match the photos on the site). It's a short walk from the main road, and still a walkable distance to the beach, eateries and little grocery store. The house is furnished with all the basics, and the sheets and towels are good quality. The kitchenware supplied is enough to make simple meals, and the blender is very handy to make your own smoothies. The fact that there is a washer AND dryer on site was such a plus! We were there during the rainy season (but still had plenty of sunshine days too), so it was very humid and things don't dry so well on clothes lines - that's why the dryer was so handy. The 2 bikes provided were also very much appreciated, as we rode them to Puerto Viejo a few times, and even down to Manzanillo. Fun little outings. We would frequent the grocery store (El Duende) to buy groceries and cook at home. For the times we did go out, we would have breakfast/brunch at Miraflores (yummy!) and dinners at Jungle Love and Pita Bonita (both great places!). Only once did we have the fortune of seeing Franklin (the empanada vendor on a bike), and his pineapple empanadas were delicious! We brought our own beach towels, flashlights (handy for walking home after dinner - gets really dark out), and in this part of the world, insect repellant is a must - especially at dusk/early evening. For the bug bites you do get, bringing anti-itch ointment is a good idea too. Not sure if we were there at the perfect time, but red-eyed tree frogs showed up on the porch a couple of nights. Very cool to see them up close (don't touch though because they're poisonous). The jungle at night sounds just like a movie soundtrack, and that in itself was such an experience. If you're expecting modern and shiny and bug/critter free, then this isn't the part of the world to come to, however, if you want to live simply, this is the ideal place to do so.

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

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

• Traumurlaub

  Traumurlaub

  • Guest Katharina H.
  • Date of stay 07/29/12
  • Review Submitted 08/27/12
  Wir waren als 4-köpfige Familie 3,5 Wochen in diesem bezaubernden Häuschen. Wir sind schon auf der ganzen Welt unterwegs gewesen, aber hier hat es uns am besten gefallen. Es ist alles da, was man braucht, die Lage ist für Leute, die nicht im Rummel von Puerto Viejo sein möchten, ideal. Morgens wird man durch die Brüllaffen geweckt und abends hört man die Frösche quaken. Dennoch ist man mit dem Auto in 10 min in Puerto Viejo und 2 min zu Fuß gibt es einen kleinen Supermarkt, der auch Fahrräder vermietet. Zum Strand kann man auch zu Fuß gehen. Es war super!

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• Great Home, Great Location & Family Friendly!

  Great Home, Great Location & Family Friendly!

  • Guest Amelia L.
  • Date of stay 04/10/12
  • Review Submitted 06/01/12
  I stayed at La Selvatica with my husband and 2 kids (4 & 1 yrs old) for 3 weeks in April 2012. We thought the house was really cute and perfectly suited for our needs. The price for the rental was very reasonable. The owners of the property were very nice and responded to our emails promptly. It was very clean and well maintained by the property caretaker, Valo. He was absolutley wonderful to us, and is very knowledeable about the area, wildlife etc. I also I felt safer knowing that there was someone else on the property. The house is situated on a quiet road off of the main road that runs thru the towns. It was very quiet at night, except for the howler monkeys! Hey, you are in the jungle! :) We saw the monkeys in the trees in the yard, as well as toucans, bats, frogs, lizards, & hummingbirds. If u love being surrounded by nature, then u will love this house! Overall, the yard is awesome, it was very peaceful, nicely landscaped and the wading pool was perfect for our kids. Deep enough for them to stand up in, and also for us to dip into when we were laying in the sun. There is also an outdoor shower, good for rinsing off sand before going inside the house. The covered patio area is fenced in, (another great perk if u have young children) and has a large wooden table and a hammock, and a fan. We spent alot of time out there, its nice if it rains too b/c u can still be outside, and not cooped up in the house. (It does get dark at night as there are no street lights, so I would recommend bringing a flashlight) It has 2 bedrooms, and a reading nook that also has a bed in it which is where our 4 yr old son slept, as the mattress was a little lower to the ground in case he rolled out of bed. It does not have a/c, but there are fans in all of the rooms, and the house is open air style so u really don't need it. In fact we usually shut off the fans before we went to sleep as the house cools down enough to sleep comfortably. The kitchen has a blender, stove, refrigertor/freezer, (no microwave or dishwasher) but I am pretty sure those things are not common in Costa Rica. The bathroom has a stand up shower with hot water. All sheets & towels were provided, but I would recommend bringing beach towels. The property has a washer & dryer, and our rental included 1 load of laundry per adult guest a week. This is great, especially when staying for a longer duration. The TV is small, does not have cable, but it does have a DVD player, so bring mov

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

• casas la selvatica

  casas la selvatica

  • Guest sheila e.
  • Date of stay 01/04/12
  • Review Submitted 05/13/12
  We stayed at Casa Grande for 3 months, January through March, 2012. The house has quirky charm---but don't expect fluffy pillows or reliably hot showers. We spent most of our time there on the covered porch, in a hammock or at the big dining table. The location is great----easy bike ride to Puerto Viejo to the north or Manzanillo to the south. Sloths and monkeys, birds and butterflies can be seen right from the porch. Walk to the beach down the road and then down a jungle path, maybe 15 minutes. Beach is generally almost deserted. Except for semana santa. It did rain non-stop one week in February, but it is a rain forest after all. The rain is warm. The fresh fruit and vegetables off the truck each afternoon were great. You can drink the water, a huge plus in Latin America. A lot of ex pats in the area for better or worse. A very easy place to live. Hope it welcomes many happy guests.

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  • Guest Thos and Nancy
  • Date of stay 09/05/11
  • Review Submitted 09/11/11
  "Casa Grande," is very nice. Part of a compound with three other dwellings, it was built (probably) decades ago with an eye for lasting quality--all fine hardwoods and tile. The mosaic tile accent pieces (mirrors, a wading pool, etc.) were a delight to behold. Everything worked, there was ample ventilation and lighting. We were very comfortable and felt quite secure in the midst of lush jungle with howler monkeys, lots of birds, lizards, frogs, etc. all around. It was secluded and quiet--no motor traffic or loud humans nearby. The house is easy to find after turning off the main road where there are a gourmet grocery and several very good restaurants within an easy walk. The beach is about a 6-10 minute walk. It was tricky to find the right path to the beach on our own but once shown, no problem. Warm water, lots of sand. It was great for swimming and snorkeling. Internet access when we were there was dismal but we saw workers stringing new cable, so it was probably a temporary hiatus. Review originally entered on www.airbnb.com

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  • Guest Rebecca P
  • Date of stay 07/21/11
  • Review Submitted 08/15/11
  The place was excellent and more than we expected. Daniel had great communcatuon and even upgraded us to the Casa Grande because there was maintenance work ovtue smaller house. Both houses were perfectly located in a chilled out location. They were clean and beautifully decorated. The caretaker was extremely helpful af friendly. You really feel like you're in paradise and it's close to the beach ad amongst the jungle with monkeys jumping from tree to tree. Thanks for having us! Review originally entered on www.airbnb.com

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

• Great Jungle getaway! Relax and rejuvenate!

  Great Jungle getaway! Relax and rejuvenate!

  • Guest Rudy
  • Date of stay 05/07/11
  • Review Submitted 05/19/11
  This is a great place to stay during the not so rainy season. Beautiful outdoor patio dining with ceiling fan to keep the bugs at bay. The nearby gourmet deli is a great place for fresh free range herb roasted chicken every day! The property manager is very helpful and prompt. The only issue was when the electricity went out due to a power outage caused by a lightning striking the local transformer and the power went out and no auxillary power supply was available to power the water pump for the toilets for several hours. That was the only issue. Great restaurants nearby, You can visit nearby beach villages by bicycle. Great beaches all nearby within a few hundred meters.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, tourists without a car.

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

• The perfect getaway

  The perfect getaway

  • Guest Olga C
  • Date of stay 04/30/11
  • Review Submitted 05/17/11
  The place was exactly the way it was described to us before we came there and more. We were astonished at the beauty of the surroundings and the decor of the house. The place is right inside the rain forest surrounded by gorgeous fauna. We arrived a little late at night and Valo was waiting for us to make sure that we are settled in, we were provided with the best, friendly, personal service. Valo checked in with us every day to see if we needed any help with planning our daily activities and provided many maps and guides of the surrounding area. The house was amazing, very clean, and amazingly decorated. It was just a pleasure to just stay home, cook a dinner in a fully equipped kitchen and enjoy the outdoor garden while lying in the hammock. The location is a very convenient place, 15 minutes away from Puerto Viejo, a vibrant city with great restaurants, nightlife and shopping. It is walk distance to the most amazing beach and wildlife reserves with amazing views. The list of activities go on from snorkeling, kayaking down the river in the middle of the jungle, scuba diving, cycling. There are many nearby restaurants and cafes. I would greatly recommend the little cafe owned by two Italian brothers which provides free wireless internet if you buy for 1000 colones or more. The place is a perfect romantic or a family getaway in the heart of the tropical paradise.

  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.

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

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  • Guest Bonnie and Cramer
  • Date of stay 04/02/11
  • Review Submitted 08/15/11
  We stayed at Daniel & Jeff's place early this month and have nothing but great things to say. Our trip started off with a canceled flight, which ended up making us lose one whole day of our vacation. We were suppose to stay 2 nights at their place and unfortunately only ended being able to stay 1 night (have plenty to gripe about UNITED AIRLINES, but won’t go there). Jeff was VERY accommodating with the change in plans. And when we (finally) arrived to the rental, we met Andrea, one of the property managers, and she was such a nice and pleasant person. She helped us out in so many ways!!!! Again, can't say enough. We would of loved to stay at their place longer, but it was already booked. Definitely will stay here next time we make it down to Costa Rica. Thanks again!!! Review originally entered on www.airbnb.com

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• Casa La Selvetica

  Casa La Selvetica

  • Guest Sunny
  • Date of stay 03/20/11
  • Review Submitted 04/06/11
  I think the place was really nice, clean and comfortable. The kitchen is spacious. The mosiac art is fabulous! A few things to remember is that you should probably travel with a backpacker style luggage because the road to the house is pebble stone and it was difficult to bring our roller luggage up from the street. Make sure you bring lots of bug spray. The bikes are a great accessory as most people in the area get around on a bicycles. The grocery store El Duende Gourmet is right at the end of the road--very close. . The house caretakers were very friendly and helpful. My sister and I had a great time biking to different beaches. Our favorite beaches were Punta Uva and Playa Grande. Playa Chiquita is close by but a little too quiet with not as many people. Puerto Viejo is NOT a tourist town. No fast food restaurants!! So life there is very relaxing. Perfect for friends, couples, and adventure seekers.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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

• Wonderful holiday venue!

  Wonderful holiday venue!

  • Guest John
  • Date of stay 03/11/11
  • Review Submitted 06/14/11
  I stayed here for a week in March '11 with my 10 year old grandson. We had a marvelous time in a near ideal setting. Valo and Andrea were welcoming and helpful. The cabin was as we had expected and more than adequately met our needs for comfort, convenience and amenities. I was really pleased to stay in a place where I felt that I could allow a child to go off to the store or the bakery on his own in safety. The area was a delight for us with great beaches, great eating and lots to see and explore. I'm certainly hopeful that we will be able to return!

  Recommended for: 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: 6/6

• Great spot, quiet, relaxing.

  Great spot, quiet, relaxing.

  • Guest Tjtrips5960
  • Date of stay 01/28/11
  • Review Submitted 02/20/11
  We really enjoyed or stay here(4 nights). It was a little furhter to the beach but still not a huge undertaking. We ween't beach folks but did enjoy the beach several times. We would like to have been on water front but it was probably out of our price range. But this spot was great. Very quiet on a dead end road. Very roomy, clean and quiet. Plenty of room for another couple or a family. 2 double beds, a day-bed and a couch. Big kitchen, no microvave but did a have a toaster oven. We sure enjoyed the big wooden table on the covered patio. we spent every evening out there with a glass of wine or whatever. We bought some candles and used them out there too. the howler monkeys will say goodnight to you and wake you up in the morning around 5am but that was a highlite for us. lol..The hire man was an awesome host. He knew a lot about th earea and was eager to help us out if we needed anythng. He ahd lots of contacts with taxis and bus time etc.

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

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

• Guest comment entered by owner

  • Guest Ridley and Amanda
  • Date of stay 12/24/10
  • Review Submitted 03/07/11
  "An incredible sojourn!!!" The house was very clean, decorated with taste and comfortable. Jeff and Daniel, the owners were very welcoming. They went out of their way to help us have a very agreable stay. They were just awesome!!! I recommend this vaction rental to anyone. (comments originally entered on FlipKey.com)

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

• Guest comment entered by owner

  • Guest Kathy
  • Date of stay 12/21/10
  • Review Submitted 03/07/11
  "Great spot right in the middle of the rain forest" Daniel and Jeff were great hosts. The location was off the beaten track with access to the beach, mtns., cocao plantation, wildlife rescue and many quality restaurants. In this area the people are friendly and bikes were a great way to get out to see the area, meet people, and view rain forest wildlife. (comments originally posted on FlipKey.com).

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

• Recommended.

  Recommended.

  • Guest Leah.
  • Date of stay 10/15/10
  • Review Submitted 10/19/10
  We loved our stay at La Selvatica. We call San Jose, Costa Rica home and therefore are always looking for easy beach getaways. This place was perfect. The caretakers were extremely kind and helpful with any questions we may have had. The location is an easy walk to the beach, a short drive to Puerto Viejo, and quick access to a grocery store as well as several small restaurants. The house itself was comfortable, clean, cute and provided everything we needed. Eating dinner on the patio and resting in the hammock were only two of the many things we enjoyed. In the early morning we were also able to see several sloths and toucans in the trees lining the drive. Definitely recommended for a visit to the Caribbean Coast.

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

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/4

• This has been such an amazing experience!

  This has been such an amazing experience!

  • Guest Kristine_10
  • Date of stay 04/05/10
  • Review Submitted 04/29/10
  We loved our stay in the main house. The house is comfortable and surrounded by nature. Area felt safe, close enough to Puerto Viejo for convenience, but still quiet and serene. The beach is a short stroll away, so are restaurants and grocery stores. Property is very close to the bus stop, so a rental car was not necessary. We also used the bikes provided free of charge for day trips. The caretaker lady on site was very nice and helpful, she even had a nice fruit basket waiting for us on arrival. The kitchen was great - we cooked most dinners here and enjoyed them on the huge porch. House and grounds were kept very clean. We took a couple of tours arranged by the owners before we arrived and everything went so smooth! We had a great stay and would definitely return at Casas La Selvatica. Kristine P., Toronto

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

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

• We gad a great stay!

  We gad a great stay!

  • Guest Margolu
  • Date of stay 03/30/10
  • Review Submitted 04/23/10
  The house is just sooo pretty with a wonderful porch and nice touches inside and out! It is lovely . It is a great area to be in also. It is a 3 minute walk to the beach , Gourmet store , C AND J'S juice bar and grocery and also a new lounge that is going in a few blocks over. You do not need a car...you can take the bus or taxi. Bus is $ 1 and taxi is $ 8. We would take the bus to town and a taxi back after dark...easy!!!!! The howlers are everywhere...nice touch! Blue morfo's glide past. Great! Have fun ....you will love this place!

  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.

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