Thanks Pete, Itza, and Alicia!!!

Guest: Claudia D.
Date of Stay: 01/07/12 Review Submitted: 01/14/12

Me, my two sisters, mom, and two aunts (a girl's vacation) spent 4 wonderful nights and 5 days at Pete's Place. We had an amazing time! Pete's place is large, extremely comfortable, very clean, and in an amazing location (between Quepos and Manuel Antonio, in walking distance to the supermarket and many excellent restaurants). The space was perfect for our group and we were very excited to have air conditioning in all rooms and HOT WATER. We enjoyed waking up and sitting on the side deck with our coffee (from Cafe Milagro) and fresh fruit (definitely buy some from some of the vendors off the road on the way to Quepos/Manuel Antonio). The view from the side deck is breathtaking with the view of the mountains. The kitchen and living space are very comfortable. We enjoyed cooking our own food, making blended drinks, and sitting on the decks in the afternoon and evenings. The pool is absolutely amazing!!!! We saw numerous monkeys and Toucans while sunning by the pool. Itza was amazing at setting up our canopy safari tour (so fun) and reserving chairs for us at the less rowdy end of the public beach. She also told us the best days/times to go to the National Park in Manuel Antonion where we also saw a TON of monkeys. She was also very helpful in telling us where to eat and how much to offer taxi drivers, etc. Pete and Itza gave us our privacy but were so accomodating when we had questions. The dogs (Max, Moose, and Sasha) were very friendly and we enjoyed lounging with them on the decks. Pete also has a new grill on the side deck. We didn't use it but it looks like it would have been great to grill some fish or steaks on. Alicia (the housekeeper) came to clean while we were there and she did an amazing job. She left fresh flowers after cleaning and stayed out of our way while getting everything done. She was so sweet. We absolutely will be back to Quepos/Manuel Antonion and would love to stay at Pete's Place again.

Recommended for:

5 Night stay by the Macfarlane's (family of 5)

Guest: Macca (Sydney NSW Australia)
Date of Stay: 12/16/11 Review Submitted: 01/08/12

Spent three weeks in Costa Rica and our 5 night stay at Pete's place was certainly enjoyable. The accommodation certainly met our expectations and for a family of five was great - have a separate parent's room and bathroom certainly helped. The convenience of Pete's place was great perched equally between Quepos and Manuel Antonio and having our own car made whatever we wanted to do easy. The advice of Itza and Pete was invaluable and we certainly partaked in both the sugesstions and the massages ! Our children simply loved the pool and we were able to see monkey, Macaw and Toucan (very lucky) whilst swimming. The house is not a walk to the beach but transport is available. The jungle views were certainly better than the water views and we very much enjoyed a quiet drink on the deck overlooking the jungle after the kids were in bed. Kitchen could have been better equipped but we had sufficient to make do as we cooked most of our meals. The house did advertise a BBQ and being from Australia forms part of our cooking and the BBQ available was not functioning, Manuel Antonio and Pete's place was a great experience for us and we certainly would consider staying at Pete's place again.

Owner response:It was a pleasure having you guys stay at the house, and thank you for the tips about A) The BBQ-- It has been replaced with a brand new large BBQ with side burner as well. B) All the pots and frying pans in the kitchen have been replaced and the kitchen is now fully up to date. It is thanks to people like yourselves that make us love this business, meeting people and families, and seeing their joy at seeing a monkey or a toucan and more. Thank you so much for visiting us, and we hope to see you all again some day. We hope your continuing vacation is going well. Thanks for the helpful suggestions, without client feed back ( good and bad) we would not be aware of waht needs fixing or up grading. Cheers Peter @ Itza

Recommended for:

A huge disappointment

Guest: Christelle B.
Date of Stay: 11/30/11 Review Submitted: 01/07/12

Congratulations to the person who took the pictures of the house : it makes the place look like it's luxury while it's not : hugely deceptive is what comes to my mind. Even though the house is well maintained and almost equipped as described, you have to be aware of several facts. First, the house is one big room with only partitions to separate the living room from the bathroom and the bedrooms, so do not expect any privacy. And the house is quite old, not as bright and fresh as the pictures make it look like. You will share the property with the owner, its dogs and any other guests as your balcony will face the 2 other houses located on the property. As for the swimming pool, you won't see it right away : you have to make a long walk down to a very steep hill (very slippery when it rains) to find it. The only good point : the owner provided good customer service. However, the disappointment was so huge that I stayed only long enough (only one night) to find another place to spend the remaining of my vacations. If you're only looking for a house where to stay, no matter what you get, this place is allright. But if you're looking for a house you want to enjoy and where to feel at home and relax, I won't recommand this property.

Owner response:Thank You for your critique of our property, it is always good to hear what out guests have to say, both good and bad, as it : A) Gives us a chance to respond and B) Tells what we need to work on to please our guests, which is always our main goal. We have never tried to hide the fact that the house has walls that don't reach the ceiling, but having lived in the house I can say that it was never a problem. The " partitions" are block walls 7 1/2 Ft. High, and you don't hear conversation, room to room. The up side to this arrangement is that the whole house is air conditioned, whereas in most rentals here, only the bedrooms are air conditioned. The house is very bright when the sun is shining, lots of windows and a skylight as well. Unfortunately,if you arrive while it is raining, almost dark and the lights are on, and the next day it's raining the house will look dark. It is true this is not a new house, but it is well maintained and comfortable. There are two other houses on the property, one very small ( where my girlfriend /concierge lives and my own, ( both single people) yes you can see the roof of my house, but it definitely not in the view. ( The property is almost 2 acres in size) and we do our best to stay out of the way. Most guests love Moose Max and Sasha ( The Dogs) as they are very people friendly and provide security!!! ( People who love dogs love these guys)! There is a short walk down to the pool, most enjoy the feeling of privacy! ( We personally never use the pool if guests are there.) We had an unusually wet Nov.and early Dec ( It is still green season at that time). so I apologize if it was a little slippery going down the steps, but all steps are a little slippery when it is raining. It is true the pool is not convenient for the very old, the infirm and the seriously over weight. This is an ideal family home with the Master Suite across the hall and completely private, so parents or grandparents can enjoy their privacy. We do not advertise the house as a luxury home, and certainly do not price it that way, we simply offer a comfortable, convenient, well equipped home in a super handy location, with views and a great pool, at a fair price!!! Please take this critique in context with the others here and be open minded when making your decision. We would love to have you visit us and enjoy beautiful Costa Rica, and we will do everything to ensure a great vacation. Thank You and Happy New Year Peter @ Itza

Recommended for:

Thank You Pete.........

Guest: Rick, Chris, Phil, Sarah, Michael, Paige Tuson Ar. (-)
Date of Stay: 03/26/11 Review Submitted: 08/15/11

Thank You Pete for providing the " ULTIMATE " Costa Rican experience! Your house is beautiful and extremely accommodating. We felt like we were at home in an instant ( except with a better view and an amazing pool!!). Itza was great planning our activities: Scuba Diving- Zip Lining and the National Park ( Manuel Antonio) tour. We girls recommend a massage from Itza at the pool! It was so relaxing, she really knows how to use her hands, and the facials were also sublime! Moose and Max were gracious hosts as well, paying us a visit every now and then for a pat on the head. Every place we ate at was great, the highlight being our last night's dinner at Cafe Milagro ( El Patio). El Avion and Barba Roja were also quite good. If you want some local flavor Los Amigos is just down the street, and restaurant Angel beside Super Joseth's ( Supermarket & Liqor Store) were great and decently priced. Everything is super close by and convenient around Pete's. The bus is handy , but we found walking was just as great. We are defiantly sad to be living and going back to our hum drum lives after this experience. We all hope to come back some day and we will most definitely want to stay here again. Thanks again Pete, Itza, Moose and Max.

Recommended for:

Loved our stay!

Guest: Pam (Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/25/11 Review Submitted: 03/23/11

We just recently stayed at Pete's place and had the best and most relaxing vacation we have ever had with our kids. It is such an amazing place.... It was like having our own private jungle retreat including our own private and very beautiful pool. As has been said before, Pete was helpful but gave us lots of privacy. We did hear some traffic noise but that is so minor compared to the amazing setting that is offered. Plus, being close to that road also meant we could walk to restaurants and the grocery store. (By the way, you can't see the busy road or any traffic from anywhere on Pete's property and his entrance is not on a busy road.) We were also fortunate to have many visits from the squirrell monkeys right off the back deck. I can't say enough good things about our stay at Pete's. Since we have come home, we still miss having coffee/tea on the deck overlooking the jungle every morning..... Thanks Pete!

Owner response:Hi Pam, it was great having you guys stay at Pete's, nice folks always make my life easier. Hope to see you again some day. Not to worry Spring is just around the corner and Summer not too long, but for now enjoy your memories of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica and of course Pete's Place. Thank You again for your kind comments and all the best in the future. Pete

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, tourists without a car, people with disabilities, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Really great place to hang in Manuel Antonio

Guest: Richard (Philadelphia, PA)
Date of Stay: 02/12/11 Review Submitted: 03/06/11

Pete's Place is a real pleasure. Doesn't look like much when you drive up, but the setting is excellent, with a slightly distant ocean view on 1 side, and a fabulous jungle and mountain view in the back with a great deck to hang on. The exterior of the house is really integrated into the environment. The inside of the house is very comfortable and very thoughtfully decorated, with local art, including wall paintings and hangings as well as hanging pictures. A/C works great, bathrooms are great, as are linens, towels and beds. Also appreciated fine kitchen equipment and 3 times/week housekeeping, as well as a decent CD player. We never watched the TV or used the internet- wanted to get away from our home routine. Best thing, though, as everyone says, is the pool down the hill in the jungle. Gorgeous, day or night (has lights), hanging out in the lush vegetation with the lizards, birds and monkeys. You could be happy never leaving the property for a week. Pete was a great help, and very caring when we needed help. His concierge, Itza, is also great. Best to book any trips with her- she uses really good people. One downside is that there's some road noise, but it never bothered us much. The back bedroom is isolated from the rest of the house, but the other rooms all have an open central wall, and are therefore not sound isolated. Other issue is endemic to Costa Rica now- the emphasis on security, with all properties gated, grilled and locked. Pete's Place feels very safe, and the security is really not intrusive. Manuel Antonio itself is very pleasant. We all spent time on prior trips in Corcovado, the ultimate tropical rainforest, and this is not the same, but the flora and fauna are a great introduction to Costa Rica. The beaches are great, as are the restaurants (Kapi Kapi was the best). It is a tourist town, but there seems to be a nice mix of tourists, locals and ex-pats. Everyone we met was very friendly and gracious. Highly recommended.

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Amazing home away from home.

Guest: Erling (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/11/10 Review Submitted: 11/07/10

We spent March break 2010 at Pete's Place. I had found Pete's place by searching for villas in the Manuel Antonio area. We stayed in Casa Linde and had the Master suite as well. The Main house in open concept with a great kitchen and lovely bedrooms. The local crafts (pots and wood carvings) were a delight. We enjoyed the walk to the large swimming pool every day. The walk down to the pool was a naturalist's delight, full of Flowers and Butterflies. During our stay we did see a troop of Whitefaced monkeys foraging for Mangoes and Coconuts and cross over the house. Iguanas were seen every day on the roof and Geckos hunted every evening on the ceiling of the Balcony. My daughters (14 and 19) enjoyed having access to the Internet and I enjoyed the recently released DVDs in both the main house and the Master suite. Pete was a great host. He even helped my wife get replacement glasses, as she lost her glasses in the waves at Manuel Antonio National Park. As we don't speak Spanish this was very appreciated. We went on several tours druing our week: 1) a guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park; 2) a Jungle Night Walk "A unique odyssey into the nocturnal world of the tropical rain forest; 3) Damas Island Mangrove tour in Kayaks; and 4) Jungle walk in the Rainmaker Conservation Project, a privately owned rainforest reserve located in San Rafael Norte. Though you don't need a car, I found the car gave us that extra freedom to go and explore up and down the coast. My wife and I both worked as Naturalists for Parks Canada and we had dreamed of visiting Costa Rica one day. Our stay at Pete's Place was a dream come true. We will return to Costa Rica! Cheers Erling

Owner response:Thank you so much Erling for your wonderful review. It was a pleasure to meet you and your family and I'm so pleased you enjoyed your stay at Pete's Place in beautiful Manuel Antonio Costa Rica. It is our goal that all guests are treated as though they are our own family, so when we receive such a great review it tells us we are doing something right. It should be noted that the Master Suite is part of the house ( ie:not rented separately) but is across the hall, is completely enclosed, has it's own bathroom, TV/DVD, sunny sitting area and small kitchenette, which makes it ideal for a family where the parents want some privacy and their own space. We look forward to helping you enjoy a great holiday. Cheers Pete ( Moose, Max, and Pulga too!!!)

Recommended for:Sightseeing, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers.

Fabulous family vacation house

Guest: Dan (MA)
Date of Stay: 07/18/10 Review Submitted: 08/04/10

Our family of 6 had a wonderful time at Pete's Place. The home was perfect, a great location, great pool, great accomodations. The only surprise was that the walls do not extend to the ceiling, not good for noise control, but excellent for cooling with the airconditioners. Our children were teenagers, so keeping the house quiet at an early hour was unnecessary. Early activities, with early sunsets made for lights out by 9:00 for all of us! We highly recommend staying at this wonderful home!

Recommended for:Families with young children, families with teenagers.

Great Location for a Great Price!

Guest: 465Boogs (Long beach, CA/USA)
Date of Stay: 01/14/10 Review Submitted: 03/18/10

Me and a group of friends stayed at Pete's Place in January 2010 and had a great time. After having stayed in many hotels in CR we decided to go the housing route this time. Best idea ever!! Pete was always available if we needed him and the house was secure. Pete's 2 dogs are cute and friendly and they roam the property every now & again. They gave the house a heightened sense of security. The pool is down towards the bottom of the property, and the size is perfect! We saw monkeys from the pool! Other homes only had small splash pools which wouldn't have worked for the 7 of us! Bring a cooler down if you have one though because going back and forth to house can be a pain. Not the place you want to be for complete "NICE and QUIET" as the road runs by the house, but that didn't bother us any since we wanted a house in the center of it all. No car rental necessary. The house is situated between Quepos/Manuel so plenty of local transportation is available at all times. The master bedroom is separate from the house so there's a little bit of privacy, but the other rooms aren't closed off due to the ceiling situation so be prepared to become "closer". All in all, the price was right and we would definitely stay again and/or recommend this property to other friends and family members. PURA VIDA!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers, girls getaway.

Home Away from Home / We never wanted to leave

Guest: Central America Family Getaway (California, USA)
Date of Stay: 08/17/09 Review Submitted: 10/24/09

Pets place lived up to all the previous excellent reviews. Our week long stay with 2 small boys was as easy as being at home. The house is very very comfortable and the pool is outstanding. We felt very secure and very well taken care by Pete, Itza and two dogs any small boys could fall in love with. The house location is centrally located in the Manual Antonio area and the Costa Ricans know how to take care of their visitors. I highly recommend Pete's Place for a family or group of friends who want to visit one of the most beautiful places on earth. The only thing we would change is extending our stay, a week is not enough when you feel like your at home.

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