Private Villa in Horse Ranch Outside of La Fortuna

• Amazing Place to Visit

  Amazing Place to Visit

  • Guest Allison H.
  • Date of stay 03/23/13
  • Review Submitted 04/09/13
  This was our family's second visit to the Ranch. We didn't think we could top last year but with Estaban's assistance it was another amazing visit. This property is about so much more than the villa which is wonderful. Staying on the ranch is about experiencing Costa Rica with people who live there and love it! Esteban arranged everything for us. We were picked up at the airport and transported to the ranch. Our driver even stopped at a grocery store on the way! Our rental car was delivered to the villa and it was a very relaxing transaction. This year our adventures included a horseback ride (best horses I have ever ridden), river rafting, a visit to a special private frog farm and an ATV adventure to a local hot springs. Our bi-lingual guide Jonathon was like family by the end of the week and we enjoyed his company very much. Our three children (11 year old triplets) love the freedom and fun that staying on the ranch offers them. The villa is very comfortable and beautiful. Very nice to return to after a day of adventuring. The pool is large and very nice. If you want to experience something very special and unique in Costa Rica this wonderful place is where you need to be. I wish we could give it a 10 star rating. Thanks for everything Esteban! We will return soon.

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

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• “Pure Pura Vida!”

  “Pure Pura Vida!”

  • Guest Mike
  • Date of stay 03/20/13
  • Review Submitted 03/29/13
  Luck was on our side when we found Esteban’s property. The ranch – WOW!!!! The home we stayed in was spacious and luxurious. Decorated throughout with beautiful art, furniture was authentic Costa Rican, beautiful flower arrangements throughout, spacious bathroom with a sunken tub surrounded by windows, a large bedroom with a comfy bed and the kitchen had everything you could possibly need including the daily cleaning service. The ranch is so peaceful; we enjoyed the view watching the horses while swinging in the hammock. The maintenance of this property is unbelievable - the grounds were immaculate, the flowers beautiful, the stables extremely clean and the pool sparkled in the sun along with the Jacuzzi! Jonathan (our private tour guide) took us out for a ride on the ATV’s through the mountains which showed us overwhelming views. We had a few pit stops – one to swim in a river to cool down and then ending the night to relax in the beautiful hot springs which was a fantastic experience. The best part of our stay was the hot air balloon ride that we took on our 5th wedding anniversary. We were very nervous but Esteban was an awesome operator/owner that went out of his way to make us feel safe. Unfortunately for us there was only a 3 night opening at the Ranch during our 2 weeks in Costa Rica. Esteban was a blessing as he went above and beyond reserving all of our other accommodations and booking our rental vehicle. He truely made our vacation extremely exceptional sending us on some great adventures, not touristy at all and sending us to locations that were completely gorgeous. If we could say anything about Esteban, he is an honest, trustworthy person who really cares about others. He is for sure a great ambassador for Costa Rica. We have stayed in many 5 star hotels and this is more than a 5 star in our opinion!!! We will definitely stay here again!!! Thank you Esteban, Monica and staff for the wonderful experience.

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, girls getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

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• True Flavor of Costa Rica !

  True Flavor of Costa Rica !

  • Guest Jeff
  • Date of stay 02/13/13
  • Review Submitted 03/05/13
  The villa was very comfortable for my family of 5. It was impeccably clean. The spacious kitchen and large bathrooms sure beat a hotel room. It had a safe secluded feel. Relaxing on the porch listening to the birds and taking in the view was a real treat. The farm is centrally located to local attactions and town. But the best part was the owner Esteban. His expert local knowledge was priceless! We showed up with a general idea of things we wanted to do and see. He was able to take those ideas and add several suggestions to customize our experience. In no time he had us set up with the best outfitters in the area. He even programed my GPS every morning for our daily adventure. With Esteban's guidance we were truely immersed into the Costa Rican culture. Our boys (ages 13 to 17) aren't sure which they liked best the long atv ride through rivers and over hilltops to a hot spring or the Class V raft trip! My wife and I though the hiking was tremendous with turquoise blue waterfalls and unusual wildlife. We felt that we were in good hands at all times. We loved our stay and highly recommend the rental unit!

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

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• Beautiful Home and Location/ Wonderful Host

  Beautiful Home and Location/ Wonderful Host

  • Guest Terri
  • Date of stay 12/19/12
  • Review Submitted 02/26/13
  I have so much to say about our wonderful experience, it is hard to know where to start. Esteban was wonderful and helpful from the first conversation I had with him on the phone. From our first discussion until the last email after our stay he was always very quick to respond. Esteban not only provided a beautiful home for our family for 5 nights, but he also arranged our transfer from the airport and our rental car drop off at the house get w/ a GPS. There are many excursions you can do with Esteban and never have to leave his farm. Our family rode his horses and did an ATV tour. Jonathon was our guide for the horses and ATV, and wonderful. He took great care in our safety and wanting us to have a great time. Just to give you an idea of how much Esteban cares about your stay. The day we rode the horses my oldest daughter did not have such a good time because her horse was being lazy and didn't really want to walk, much less run. Esteban was informed and the next morning Jonathon was at our door and asked if we would like to go riding again at no additional charge and my husband and girls did. During our ATVing my machine started malfunctioning. Jonathon made a phone call and in 15 mins Esteban was there with a new machine. I really recommend the ATV tour. The views are amazing and your destination is to the hot springs for you to stay as long as you'd like. The other tour we took was water rafting and Esteban made those arrangements for us and programmed our GPS to get there. We stayed in the house that was made up of 3 buildings. The main house (kit, liv/din, 1/2 bath) in the middle, the bedroom houses on either side of the main. So parents if you have older children and want your privacy as a couple this is the place for you. You'll have housekeeping everyday, they will even do your laundry. I'd like to note to anyone wanting to come to Costa Rica, if you freak out over ants, bugs, lizards, lots of things in nature Costa Rica is not the place for you. Our first night ants decided to lay their larva under a dresser it was a huge headache, ants where everywhere. This of course is no fault of Esteban, but these things do happen here. On the day we left Esteban took the time, about 20-30 mins to program our GPS and get us to our next location. Because I was having some worries about our next home he was very quick to offer any help, if we needed it. You "WILL NOT REGRET" your stay here. The biggest plus for our family was Esteban!! PROFESSIONALISM!!!

  Recommended for: Tourists without a car, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

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• Exceeded High Expectations

  Exceeded High Expectations

  • Guest Family of Four
  • Date of stay 02/14/13
  • Review Submitted 02/26/13
  This wonderful property exceeded our expectations and very likely spoiled me for any other vacation home. The other five star reviews are all accurate and express the loveliness of this farm far better than I can, so I will just add a few highlights for us: - So very private. We stayed in the villa that is a bit further away from the pool. It was like being in our own little world. Not worrying about disturbing others, and not being disturbed, was simply wonderful. - Great attention to detail. Everything about the property was lovely, from the furnishings to the fresh flowers to the sheets to the dishes in the kitchen. And the daily cleaning service was unexpected but very welcome. It's evident that Esteban and his family take great pride in this property. - Services/activities available, but no pressure. We're pretty independent, never go on organized tours, and have always researched and booked activities on our own in the past. We did go horseback riding at the farm, and I would highly recommend this. It was us (two parents, two children, 8 and 11) and two guides. My daughter and I have some riding experience, my husband and son had none. We were all on great horses, and the ride was incredible. Not to be missed. We also visited hot springs, went on a marvelous hikes (including over hanging bridges), and did a canopy tour (ziplining) on our own. Whatever your preference, you cannot go wrong. - Arrangements we did make through Esteban went so smoothly. He arranged our travel from the airport, and for our rental car to meet us at the property the following morning. For some reason I had great anxiety over this in advance of our trip, but everything went so smoothly and I'm so glad I trusted him. The driver who met us at the airport (Norman) was great, and his van was new and clean. We felt very much in good hands. And our car arrived promptly the following morning, just as promised. Again these are details, but all of these details combined to make a wonderful trip. Very much recommend this property!!

  Recommended for: Families with teenagers, sightseeing, families with young children, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

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• Great memories and a perfect host!!

  Great memories and a perfect host!!

  • Guest Ron and Sue
  • Date of stay 02/01/13
  • Review Submitted 02/20/13
  My wife and I stayed in the Heliconia Villa for 5 nights. It was a memorable stay. We travel a lot, and I have to say that Centaura Farm is one of the nicest places we have ever stayed. The kitchen in the Villa was incredibly well stocked, and we had daily maid service. There was a swimming pool and hot tub very nearby. Esteban really was the perfect host. He was always available to offer suggestions for activities, and he was incredibly attentive to our needs in every way. Esteban suggested a local hot springs and a restaurant, which were both great. We used to have our own horses, and so it was a lot of fun to go to the stables every day to say hello to Esteban's friendly and healthy horses. Jonathan took us out for a 3 hour private ride, and it really was a highlight of our vacation in Costa Rica. Every day, we relaxed on the porch looking at the beautiful vistas while Esteban's horses grazed in our backyard. I would highly recommend Centaura to anyone who wants a really special place to stay. Costa Rica is a wonderful country with so many things to do and places to visit. All of the nice things that the other reviewers have said about Esteban and Centaura Farm are all really true. Treat yourself.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, people with disabilities, sightseeing, families with young children, adventure seekers.

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• Wonderful experience

  Wonderful experience

  • Guest Ken
  • Date of stay 02/06/13
  • Review Submitted 02/20/13
  Our stay at Estabon's horse ranch villa was wonderful. The house is beautiful & the staff were very friendly and accommodating. Estabon & his wife were great hosts. Estabon was very helpful in providing advice & arrangements for sight-seeing and excursions. Their dachshund (whom we re-named La Hermosa) was our special guest a couple of evenings; she was also a delight. We could not have asked for a better experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and wish to return again.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, adventure seekers.

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• Home away from home!

  Home away from home!

  • Guest Wayne & Melanie
  • Date of stay 01/18/13
  • Review Submitted 02/13/13
  This is the second year we've stayed at Esteban's horse ranch in Platanar. It's just such a wonderfully quiet and relaxing place. It has all of the comforts of being at home except it is in the beautiful country of Costa Rica. The villa is great, but what's even better is that Esteban will help you plan activities according to your likes. Last year we went horse back riding and took a trip on the hot air balloon which was AMAZING!!!!!! This year we went on an ATV tour which showed us some breathtaking views and then we ended the day at a very private hot springs. Esteban also sent us on some great road trips that were off the beaten path, not touristy at all and of course absolutely beautiful. I'm sure when we return we will make this one of our stops!

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

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• Tico hospitality

  Tico hospitality

  • Guest Bill76
  • Date of stay 01/13/13
  • Review Submitted 02/12/13
  What a great stay at Estebans ranch. The Villas were perfect for two couples...Plush bedrooms on either side of the kitchen, entertainment Villa in the middle. Could not ask for a better set up. Wake up in the AM to Toucans...walk out the door and pick fresh grapefruit for breakfast. Daily maid service...we felt like royalty. The horse and ATV adventures were a great Tico experience. Jonathan was a great guide with a wonderful personal connection that could only be called tico "Pura Vida". Esteban was there for all questions and arraigned awesome local activities. If you are looking for a "Tico" experience, I would highly recommend staying at Estebans Ranch.

  Recommended for: Age 55+, families with teenagers, people with disabilities, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

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• Beautiful and peaceful...the perfect getaway!

  Beautiful and peaceful...the perfect getaway!

  • Guest Relaxed
  • Date of stay 01/08/13
  • Review Submitted 01/24/13
  My family (me, wife and two daughters 8 and 16) stayed at Esteban and Monica's villa for 5 days. Our time there was wonderful and exceeded our expectations. We arrived with no schedule and were simply looking for a place to unwind and relax and we could not have picked a better place. We stayed in the newer villa which sits on a hill over looking the Platanar Volcano. The villa is very nice with comfortable and modern amenities. The kitchen is well stocked with dishes and cooking utensils and nice appliances. We especially loved the views from our bedroom in the morning. We were able to pick delicious grapefruit, star fruit, oranges and other fruits from the trees just outside our door. The location is great. Very secluded and quiet. The tourist town of La Fortuna and Volcan Arenal are an easy 20-30 minutes drive. There is also a nice grocery store 10 minutes away. My oldest daughter is an equine enthusiast and loved to walk down to the stables and spend time getting acquainted with the horses. We had an incredible time riding horses through pineapple plantations and sugar cane fields as well as through streams and rivers. Our guide, Jonathan was great. He was very knowledgeable of the area and made the experience very enjoyable. I had never been on a horse prior to this trip but Jonathan paired me with a great horse and within minutes I felt confident and comfortable. Esteban was also super helpful before and during our trip. He was always quick to respond to my emails and went above and beyond. If you are renting a vehicle have Esteban make the arrangements for you (he will save you money). We would highly recommend this property. Pura Vida!

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

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High Season: $120/night for 2 people
High Season: $180/night for 3 to 5 people
High Season $200/night for 6 to 7 people
May, September, October: Low Season rates
$100/night for 2 people, $150 for 3 to 5 people, $175 for 6 to 7 people

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