Lake Arenal-Stunning Views of the Lake, Volcano and Jungle.
- Minimum stay:2-3 nights
- Internet:Yes
- Pets allowed:No
- Wheel chair accessible:No
Our 'Castle in The Clouds' is just seven km from Volcano Arenal, perched 700m above sea-level overlooking the volcano, rainforest, pastures and Lake Arenal. Wake to the sound of howler monkeys, toucans and parrots and enjoy your first cup of locally-grown coffee on our enormous 25 sq. m. covered deck. At night, watch the lava flows or count the stars overhead. Our home features a splash pool to cool off after a busy day of eco-adventuring. You can walk to many attractions in the village, including several quaint local restaurants. The home features casual dining indoor or out, hot water throughout, and stunning views from every room. It is completely equipped with a full-sized fridge with ice-maker, gas stove, microwave and blender and includes twice-weekly cleaning service (more often optional on request). An optional personal laundry service is also available. Active or passive, this is the perfect home base for your Arenal vacation!
In the last few months, we've been busy landscaping our property. Although our small stretch of the road is usually in good shape it is steep and the road coming into El Castillo is very rough. We highly recommend a 4x4 vehicle for all your excursions in Costa Rica. We now feature a paved driveway, a separate covered Gazebo (perfect for al fresco dining) and the yard has been completely enclosed with a custom-made 5' stone and wrought-iron fence. You'll enjoy our garden paradise yard featuring a variety of local and tropical plants designed to maximize your Costa Rica experience.
Now-Book Local Tours and Attractions: John Divita (the famous Pizza John), our on-site host can now book many local tours and attractions for you on your arrival, saving you the hassle of running around. From zipline tours, hot springs spas and volcano hikes to a horseback ride to a real eco-farm, you can be as busy or as relaxed as you like, but you'll never run out of things to do in the area. Just ask John when you arrive and he'll be happy to make recommendations and reservations for you.
July 2011: If you catch the new reality show 'Love in the Wild' airing on CTV in Canada or NBC in the US, you'll experience life in El Castillo. They were filming the series when we visited in March and almost all of the scenes were shot in and around our little neighbourhood.
Read about 'Love in the Wild' here http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Love-in-the-Wild-host-Darren-McMullen-tells-all_Wednesday-August-03-2011.
Property Type
- 2 story
- Chalet
- 144 m²
Accommodation Type
- Vacation Rental
Meals
- Guests Provide Their Own Meals
Onsite Services
- Housekeeper Optional
- Massage
Suitability
- Non Smoking Only
- Children Welcome
- Long-Term Renters Welcome
- Low Allergen Environment
Bedrooms
- 2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 6
- Green Room
- 1 queen
- Volcano and Lake views
- Blue Room
- 1 queen
- Volcano and Jungle views
Bathrooms
- 2.0 Bathrooms, 1 Half Bathrooms
- Bathroom 1
- toilet, shower
- ensuite
- Bathroom 2
- toilet, shower
- ensuite
- Bathroom 3
- toilet
- main floor
Other Amenities
Entertainment
- CD Player
- Television
- Books For Kids
- Books For Adults
- Video Library
- Satellite / Cable
- Books
- Games
- DVD Player
Theme
- Adventure
- Away From It All
- Romantic
- Luxury
Attractions
- Zoo
- Rain Forests
- Volcano
- Restaurants
- Botanical Garden
- Forests
- Museums
- Waterfalls
Car
- Recommended
Leisure Activities
- Antiquing
- Bird Watching
- Sight Seeing
- Walking
- Photography
- Horseback Riding
- Eco Tourism
- Scenic Drives
local services and businesses
- Groceries
- Massage Therapist
- Hospital
- Medical Services
Location Type
- Village
- Rural
- Mountain
- River
- Lake
sports and adventure activities
- Mountaineering
- Swimming
- Hiking
- Mountain Climbing
- Sailing
- Sound/Bay Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Equestrian Events
- Cycling
- Rafting
- Wind-Surfing
- Whitewater Rafting
- Mountain Biking
- Fishing
- Jet Skiing
Arrival Day
- Flexible
catering options
- Guests Provide Their Own Meals
Dining
- Dining Area
forms of payment
- Accept Credit Card
General
- Paper Towels
- Sofa Bed
- Shampoo
- Iron & Board
- Wireless Internet
- Local Restaurant Guide
- Internet
- Living Room
- Basic Soaps
- Hair Dryer
- Secure Parking
- Towels Provided
- Ceiling Fans
- Linens Provided
- Backpack
- Activities Guide
- Living Area
- Local Maps
- Telephone
- Parking Off Street
- Security System
- Toilet Paper
house cleaning
- Housekeeper Optional
Kitchen
- Stove
- Blender
- Pantry Items
- Toaster
- Coffee Grinder
- Stove
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Grill
- Ice Maker
- Coffee Maker
- Dishes & Utensils
- Cooking Utensils
- Microwave
- Freezer
- Kitchen
- 4 Ring Stove
Outside
- Beach Chairs
- Outdoor Entertainment Area
- Balcony
- Deck / Patio
- Patio
- Small Cooler
- Terrace
- Porch / Veranda
- Beach Towels
- Lanai / Gazebo
- Lawn / Garden
- Fully Fenced Property
Pool / Spa
- In Ground Pool
- Private Pool
- Outdoor Pool
Reviews
Write a review-
Breathtaking property
Breathtaking property
- Guest Anonymous
- Date of stay 04/23/13
- Review Submitted 04/30/13
The property is a little out of the way but well worth the drive. We were stunned at the beautiful house, beautiful views. We had everything we could ever need in the house it was fully equipped with every imaginable thing we could possibly need (even leftover food in cupboards). We really enjoyed havng coffee out in the balcony every morning enjoying the breathtaking views of the volcano & lake. In the evenings we enjoyed our glass of wine out in the gazebo. Only draw back the road to get there is rough & far from civilization but for the views it's worth it!! Will definitely recommend staying there.Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, families with young children.
Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
A Perfect Way to End Our Costa Rican Journey!!
Guest comment entered by ownerA Perfect Way to End Our Costa Rican Journey!!
- Guest David and May, Sabrina and Aarron, Amy and Wilson
- Date of stay 01/19/13
- Review Submitted 02/15/13
Wow this has been an amazing journey across Costa Rica! What a perfect way to end our journey with a fabulous stay at this house. I will definitely recommend this place to my friends and family. If you're reading this....Leelander and his horses are AWESOME!! Pura Vida!!Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
Words Cannot Describe
Guest comment entered by ownerWords Cannot Describe
- Guest Sheila, Beth, and Claudia
- Date of stay 01/16/13
- Review Submitted 02/15/13
Words cannot describe how much we have loved our time here. Your home, the location, the view, the locals all surpassed our expectations. We have hiked the forest, spent all morning riding with Lelander, laughed and enjoyed pizza with John and spoiled ourselves with the pools and spa at Tabacon. Had to leave El Castillo but off to explore more of this stunning country! Thank you!!Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
Truly Amazed Beyond Our Expectations
Guest comment entered by ownerTruly Amazed Beyond Our Expectations
- Guest Brad, Brent, Samy, and Andrew
- Date of stay 12/12/12
- Review Submitted 02/15/13
This place was very far from expectations. We were truly amazed and really loved it here. Pizza John was super friendly and very helpful. So thank you for renting to us.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
Wonderful Place with Super Views!
Guest comment entered by ownerWonderful Place with Super Views!
- Guest Jason, Erica, Christian, Ethan, Will, Meredith
- Date of stay 11/24/12
- Review Submitted 02/15/13
Thank you for a wonderful place for us to stay during our few days in the region. Super views, great little village, horseback riding was outstanding! A wonderful time by all in our group.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
Hope to come back some time...
Guest comment entered by ownerHope to come back some time...
- Guest Ronald, Nicole, Alies and Emma- NL
- Date of stay 08/13/12
- Review Submitted 10/31/12
What a wonderful piece of property you have here! We had such a good time swimming, horseback ridingm rafting and relaxing in the hot springs at Tabacon. The view is marvellous-what a spot! Thank you Pizza John for your great help (and great pizzas, of course!)Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
What a Place!
Guest comment entered by ownerWhat a Place!
- Guest Nick, Rosie, Sydney and Connor- Dallas Tx
- Date of stay 08/07/12
- Review Submitted 10/31/12
The forced relaxation (due to wanting to avoid the roads) was much needed. We swam and hiked. The views cannot be described in words or done justice in pictures. We enjoyed wonderful views at sunrise, the hawks and the frogs after dark. Pizza John was really great and he really can cook! You have a real slice of paradise here!Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
We hope this part of the world will always stay
Guest comment entered by ownerWe hope this part of the world will always stay
- Guest Jan Paul, Judith, David, Jaun, Maria NL
- Date of stay 08/05/12
- Review Submitted 10/31/12
We had a fab couple of days in this wonderful house with a view. We took nice daytrips to the hanging bridges, the hot springs river (free!) and the butterfly garden. The kids loved the pool and the frogs that swam in the pool after dark. We hope this part of the world will always stay this quiet for busy people to enjoy.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
It's truly paradise!
Guest comment entered by ownerIt's truly paradise!
- Guest Ed, Lenny, Tabitha USA
- Date of stay 07/06/12
- Review Submitted 10/31/12
What a wonderful place! John was very friendly and very helpful. We are sorry to leave because it's truly paradise. Zipling-Wow!Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
-
A very special place!
Guest comment entered by ownerA very special place!
- Guest Francois and Christa- Switzerland
- Date of stay 03/03/12
- Review Submitted 10/31/12
We have rented quite a few places over the years, in various countries but El Castillo en las Nubes is a very, very special place. The access road is not a highway so a 4WD is recommended, but when you arrive you are rewarded with a stunning view of the Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal. Then you discover a wonderful little house, very comfortable, built with outstanding good taste, beautiful material and very well equipped with all possible amenities. We spent one week here and enjoyed it very much. We had all kinds of weather-rainy and sunny, always rather windy. We visited all the tourist areas, but with a good book this is also a wonderful place to just relax. Pizza John took very good care of us, calling almost every day to check how we were doing and ask what he could do to help us.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
Rates
| Dates | Nightly | Wknd Night | Weekend | Weekly | Monthly * | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Rate 2 night min stay |
$160 | $3360 | ||||
|
Discounts: 6 nights or more $135 nightly |
||||||
| Summer Jul 1 - Aug 30 3 night min stay |
$180 | $3780 | ||||
|
Discounts: 6 nights or more $150 nightly |
||||||
| Premium Dec 1 - Jan 15 3 night min stay |
$200 | $4200 | ||||
|
Discounts: 6 nights or more $170 nightly |
||||||
| Peak Jan 16 - May 14 3 night min stay |
$180 | $3780 | ||||
|
Discounts: 6 nights or more $150 nightly |
||||||
Additional information about rental rates
There is a $10 per person per night fee for more than 4 guests. Rates are subject to change until reservations are confirmed.
Fees:
- Refundable Damage Deposit: $200
- Taxes Not included
Cancellation policy:
No smoking inside the house.
100% refund if canceled at least 30 days before arrival date.
This owner accepts HomeAway's most secure form of payment.
HomeAway PaymentsSM is the most secure way to pay and automatically protects your payment up to $10,000 (learn more). Call the owner directly to confirm payment details.
Location
Owner info
Year Purchased: 2010
Links to more information:
Photos
-
Spectacular Poolside Views
-
Modern open concept main floor
-
Enjoy a cup of tea or an intimate moment at a table for two.
-
Two ensuite baths with spacious showers plus a half-bath on the main floor
-
Two ensuite baths with spacious showers plus a half-bath on the main floor.
-
Tropical Garden Gazebo for casual dining 'al fresco'
-
New Pool Deck added. The pool is a 3mx4m, 1.5m deep splash pool.
-
Property host 'Pizza John' owner of Pizza John's Jardin Escondido
-
Horseback Riding is available from a local resident
-
Zipline tours of the jungle just up the road
-
Volcano Arenal, just 7 km away
-
Nighttime house view from the gazebo.
-
Beautiful stone exterior with top floor deck 3mx8m for quiet relaxation.
-
A full-size, fully equipped kitchen with ice-maker
-
Two comfortable bedrooms,each with their own entrance to patio and views
-
Bedroom one with volcano and lake views plus walkout to patio.
-
The second floor ceramic-tiled deck perfect for entertaining or relaxing.
-
Tropical Garden Gazebo for casual dining 'al fresco'
-
Beautiful gardens surround the pool.
-
Iquanas, amphibians and reptiles at the Eco Zoo-a five-minute walk away
-
The home overlooks the Arenal National Forest. Toucans, parrots and monkeys
-
Nearby Waterfalls
-
A map of some local hikes, created by one of our guests
