A Hidden Treasure Tucked in the Rainforest..Beautiful Lake and Volcano Views

• Living with a volcano view

  Living with a volcano view

  • Guest Steve O.
  • Date of stay 02/05/13
  • Review Submitted 03/08/13
  Arsenal is no longer active but looks like a text book volcano and Walter's House looks directly out at it. The property is well equipped and very comfortable. It's location at the top of the hill above the Butterfly Sanctuary is up a very bumpy and steep road. However it does contribute to great views. To find it go past the Butterfly Sanctuary and it is the second house past the Essence Arenal (backpackers hostel) on the right hand side and on the corner of the road. There is no sign or name and Nancy also calls it the Hideaway which locals do not know. The house is spacious and well equipped. It does have great views in all directions. Nancy telephoned regularly to make sure all was in order and there is a local lady who is available to assist if there are any problems. There are numerous restaurants and shops in La Fortuna but it is about 30 minutes away along very rutted road. There is a small supermarket at the bottom of the hill hill for basics and an excellent German bakery 50 metres from the house - be aware that their bread is very good but very heavy and filling! A visit to John's Pizza house a little further along the lake road is very worth while. For day to day meals the Soda at the bottom of the hill opposite the school is great and friendly. There are great forest walks and zip wire trails nearby provided you are prepared to bump along the roads to get there. Riding is also good and it is possible to ride across to Monteverde. If you are not driving around the lake to Monteverde consider just a trip up to Nuevo Arenal past the Germanic/Swiss chalets. The road is sealed and good although typically winding.

  Owner response: Thank you so much for taking the time to write this lovely and informative review. You were wonderful guests and I am so glad that you enjoyed your stay. I would like to mention, just so others know, I don't refer to this property as the Hideaway. Several years ago I had a property named the Hideaway, but it has since been sold and the property you stayed in does not have a name. Nancy

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Wonderful!!

  Wonderful!!

  • Guest KL
  • Date of stay 07/12/12
  • Review Submitted 07/24/12
  Me, my wife, and two teenage kids stayed here four nights and were delighted. The house had everything we needed to make our stay comfortable and pleasant. Nancy could not have been more helpful. She did all of our planning and tour booking for us and all of her recommendations were superb. El Castillo is a quaint little Tico village that is very scenic and peaceful, and yet also close to many restaurants and all of the fabulous tours available in the area. The view of Arenal volcano from the house is spectacular. If we ever go back (and I hope we do!) we will definitely stay at this lovely home again.

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

  Owner response: Thank you so much for taking the time to write this beautiful review! You were marvelous guests and we enjoyed meeting you and sharing a piece of our paradise with you. I am thrilled that you had such a wonderful time and hope you will come back again someday! Nancy

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• An experience we will never forget!

  Guest comment entered by owner

  An experience we will never forget!

  • Guest Bill
  • Date of stay 03/25/12
  • Review Submitted 07/13/12
  Hi Nancy, We just wanted you to know that we thought you were perfectly wonderful! Mom and I loved it in CR and she truly thrived. I guess we have learned here to take each day as a gift and pray for the next one. Regardless, the CR trip was certainly cathartic and we were blessed with a lifetime of memories--you were integral in that. Please tell Lilander how highly we think of him as well. He is a gentle man and showed such pride in his family, work and respect for the land. Keep me informed of when you come back to the States to visit family. I will drag you out! Bill

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Beautiful home

  Beautiful home

  • Guest Brenda H.
  • Date of stay 07/03/12
  • Review Submitted 07/10/12
  We stayed with our children and teen-age grandchildren for 3 days in this wonderful home. It was fantastic with everything we needed as we wanted to prepare our own meals as much as possible to save money. The home was actually a bargain for the 6 of us as well as luxurious and comfortable surroundings. We live in Costa Rica and wished to share our favorite places with our kids and this is definitely the way to go....we zipped at Sky Trek which I consider to be the safest canopy tour and our family was completely blown away by it. Their breaking system is the best - no displaced shoulders there. The kids all went hiking up Cerro Chatto a smaller volcano behind Arenal and we didn't even have time or energy to do much more - although Ecotermales hot springs is misty and mysterious at night and we really enjoyed that. Nancy and her husband were most helpful and were excellent hosts.

  Owner response: Thanks, so much for this beautiful review. I am so glad that you and your family liked our special spot here in Costa Rica. We really enjoyed getting to know you and hope that you will return soon. Nancy

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Absolutely Wonderful!!

  Absolutely Wonderful!!

  • Guest Klara V.
  • Date of stay 03/29/12
  • Review Submitted 07/05/12
  This house is absolutely amazing! You don’t expect such perfection in the rainforest of Costa Rica, but perfect it is. The house was clean and fully equipped with everything you could possibly need! New state of the art appliances, granite countertops, new furniture, satellite t.v., dvd player, internet and it was impeccably clean and comfortable…we couldn’t have asked for more! The views of the Lake and Volcano are spectacular and sitting on the decks off of the bedroom was like heaven. You wake to the sounds of the howler monkeys and hundreds of singing birds…paradise. We didn’t think the road was any worse than any other dirt road in Costa Rica. I agree that it adds to the charm and the drive to the village was breathtaking! It was like being in a movie. We even got to see a sloth crossing the road!! The village is quaint, friendly and very safe and the restaurants are plentiful. We didn’t venture out to La Fortuna but once as we wanted to enjoy the local vibe of the village. Nancy and Z were so helpful in booking all of our activities and guiding us to the best restaurants which saved a lot of time and money! Lilander’s horseback tour to the waterfall there is a fantastic experience and I highly recommend it! Thanks Nancy and Z for making our vacation one we will never forget! We will definitely be back again! Thanks Again, Klara

  Owner response: Thanks so much for the beautiful review!! I am so glad that you enjoyed your time here! I knew that you would love it! You were amazing guests and it is good to know that so many people appreciate our special part of the world. It is definately a magical place and for those who have the Pura Vida in their hearts, this place sweeps them away!! I am looking forward to your return! Nan

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Just a beautiful area and home

  Just a beautiful area and home

  • Guest Dan
  • Date of stay 06/18/12
  • Review Submitted 07/02/12
  Never had the chance to meet Nancy, but dealt with Dan her husband. The house is as described and very nice. We had zero problems and all the equipment worked well. House was clean and well stocked with the essentials. One word to the wise, you can get to the home by car, but it is a long way up.up..up on a road that is far from anything your prepared for. So that said, if you can swing a 4x4 in your travel budget, you will be glad you did. El Castillo is about 7 miles from any paved road, and the road condition can vary from a dusty stoney road to a bouncy pothole mess. This place is for those who like to be off the beaten path and have some adventure left in your soul. The views are unsurpassed and from the heights you can see the lake and volcano in one great shot. On hindsight, I would gladly do it all again and stay in "Walters" house. Always check Tripadvisor for great reviews on all the local resturants and activities, written by people like you. Pura Vida!!

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

  Owner response: Thanks, Dan, for the lovely review! We are so glad you enjoyed yourselves while you were here. The road is really bumpy right now, but it is not always like this. We just got through a rainy season, so it is at it's worst! They have a road crew working on it as we speak. It will soon be great again for about 4 or 5 months and then they will do it again. It is part of the charm here and we hope it never gets paved!! It would change everything here...and, after all, being off of the beaten path is why we came here! The nice thing is, with all of the restaurants and activities here, once you get here, you don't really have to leave! I hope you will be able to return, we will look forward to seeing you again!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• great lodging outside of la fortuna

  great lodging outside of la fortuna

  • Guest Ted
  • Date of stay 05/26/12
  • Review Submitted 06/02/12
  This is a great place to stay with views from each of the three bedrooms. The master bedroom has the e best view but doesn't have an attached bathroom. The attached bathroom bedroom still has good views too. This house is in el castillo which is on a mostly dirt road and therefore takes longer to get to. Its definetly not touristy here but its farther away from la fortuna (30 min or so). Good for getting away from it all. Nancy was also very helpful in setting up tours and answering any questions about the area. Even though she was out of town, she was very accessible by phone. If you don't mind staying outside the tourist zone, this is a lovely place.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

  Owner response: Ted, thanks so much for taking the time to write a 5 star review! We are so happy that you enjoyed yourselves here, as we enjoyed having you. If you ever come back to Costa Rica, we hope you will return to our special little village! Pura Vida!

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

• Nice retreat in tiny town

  Nice retreat in tiny town

  • Guest Holly M.
  • Date of stay 01/15/12
  • Review Submitted 04/25/12
  My husband and I along with two grown children enjoyed our three-night stay here. The architecture made great use of space, and the basic kitchen equipment was good for cooking most of our meals. The volcano wasn’t much of an attraction through the clouds when we were there, but the area is lovely for those seeking a spot away from crowds. Nancy gave us a great approach to the weather - don’t plan around the rain, as it won’t keep you from enjoying all of the fun activities. We loved the rafting trip she helped arrange, and the nearby zip line tours. The two speed-bump community of El Castillo is very friendly, from shop owners to local workers riding their horses past the little school house. A tip to finding the home is to search for the Butterfly Conservatory on your GPS, then locating Essence Arenal a bit further up the road from there. The house is just two doors past Essence on the right. Plan to arrive before dark (late afternoon in January), even if your first night in Costa Rica is spent at a hotel by the airport.

  Recommended for: Pet owners.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Beautiful house, wonderful hosts!

  Beautiful house, wonderful hosts!

  • Guest Sara333w
  • Date of stay 04/16/12
  • Review Submitted 04/24/12
  We just returned from a wonderful trip in Costa Rica. We were fortunate enough to have found this beautiful home. It slept the six of us very comfortably, and the home arrangement was condusive to lounging on the deck or around the TV while using the wifi on our ipads. The home was very clean and well maintained. The best thing about staying here though was getting the chance to work with Nancy and her husband Z, the home owners. She was unbelievably helpful! She helped us set up our activities in La Fortuna as well as our transportation all over Costa Rica. She made our planning soooo much easier, and when we arrived, we had so much less to worry about. We did rent a 4 wheel drive vehicle in La Fortuna. A vehicle is 100% necessary to get to the house and other activities, but we were there when the roads were dry, and we would have been fine without 4 wheel drive. It would have been a more stressful trip without all of her help. She didn't even seem to mind my millions of emails and questions in the planning process. I have nothing but nice things to say about the rental and the owners. For activities, I would definitely recommend hiking to the waterfall near town and spending some time there to swim and lounge. We also LOVED Tabacon hotsprings despite its pricey entrance fee. The canyoneering through PureTrek was alright: it was a bit more like rappelling rather than canyoning, and there is not much time to enjoy the canyon as you're rushing through it in a rather large group of people. We probably would not recommend it to anyone that has been canyoneering before as they will be disappointed.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, sightseeing.

  Owner response: Sara, I really appreciate your beautiful review! I am so glad that you decided to come to El Castillo and stay at our home. It was lovely meeting you and your friends and lots of fun setting up all of your tours! We hope that you will be back someday soon! Take care, Nancy

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Nice house, bad location

  Nice house, bad location

  • Guest lmunoz
  • Date of stay 01/02/12
  • Review Submitted 01/17/12
  This house is very nice, there is no doubt about that; however, the location is terrible. The home is a definite standout in the small community that surrounds it. The house was nicely decorated, the beds were comfortable, there was a good view of the lake, (when we could see it) and a definite benefit was the washer and dryer, especially since it rained the whole time we were at the home. We enjoyed playing board games and cards, watching DVDs (satelitte was not yet working), and cooking in the nice kitchen. There is a supermarket located a little down the hill, but they are quite limited. The closest town is La Fortuna, which is beautiful, but it is 30 minutes away. While in town we found an amazing restaurant--Don Rufino's. We wanted to eat there our last night but decided against it because we didn't want to drive down the 15 minute bumpy road and then the uphill hike to the house itself. We did eat at Rancho Margot one night, but it was way overpriced. We really enjoyed our time at The Springs, which Nancy set up for us. It was definitely worth the money. All in all, we did enjoy our time, but we would chose a location closer to the main road if we were to visit again. All of the hotels with springs and La Fortuna with supermarkets and a bank are on the main road. 30 minutes is just too far to go for those things.

  Recommended for: Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.

  Owner response: Debbie, thanks so much for taking the time to write a review. These reviews help us so much and let the people know just what they are getting. I am glad that you enjoyed the house, but the fact that it rained terribly every day that you were here didn't help the road at all! This place is not for everyone, but is a true Costa Rican experience...tucked away from the busy tourist area of La Fortuna! You came in January which is just after the rainiest month of the year, December! They always wait until the rain stops to fix the road and usually it is done well about 3 times a year with weekly maintenance the rest of the year, so you had it the worst, but even at it's worst, I hope they never pave it! It adds to the charm of this special place and I don't ever want it to change. It also allows for the cows and horses to roam freely and children to play in the road...we love it here! This place is not for everyone, but it is very safe and has everything we need..grocery stores, ATM's, and most of the attractions are here, including Zip line, kayaking on the lake, the Eco Zoo, The Butterfly Conservatory, Rancho Margot. Most people who stay in Fortuna say, they wish they had known that they would be driving here everyday and they they should have stayed here where they could relax and get away from it all! For the other people that may be reading your review, I would like to clarify that there is NO uphill hike to the house. The house is on a mountain road, but you drive into the driveway and to the front door. Yes, 4 wheel drive is nice, but not necessary. Pura Vida!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

Payment is usually accepted in the quoted currency ($) unless the currency and the amount is specifically agreed in advance with the owner / advertiser.

Additional information about rental rates:

Fees and Taxes:

• Cleaning $40