Reviews for Jaco Vacation Rental - VRBO 58219 - 3 BR Puntarenas House in Costa Rica, 'Rustic' Oceanfront Home W/Pool

Nice Time

Guest carriebell
Date of stay 03/13/13
Review Submitted 04/17/13

This is older house so if you want a fancy new house don't stay here. WE had a great time and the pool was great to have. We spent hours by the pool. This was our fourth trip to Costa Rica. There are many nice beaches and walking trails near the house. Patri and staff are great. The pool is cleaned every day and the grounds every other day.We loved the sunsets by the pool every night. We were given the senior discount, so rare.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, pet owners.

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Rustic Beach Front Home

Guest Butch
Date of stay 01/13/13
Review Submitted 01/29/13

The property in question met our needs perfectly. We were looking for a rustic beach home in a native Costa Rican neighborhood that could accomodate 6 people comfortably. This unit was just what we needed. We bought freshly caught fish from one of the neighbors as they returned from their nightly fishing trip. Falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach was wonderful. Petri and her staff were very accomodating and helpful. We would like to return to this facility again next year for a month.

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

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You get what you pay for...

Guest Kelowna Businessman
Date of stay 11/21/12
Review Submitted 12/25/12

My wife and I rented this little 'cottage' with great hopes. Unfortunately we were disappointed for 3 reasons 1) there is a highway very close to the property with a long downhill slope and a curve at the bottom. In Costa Rica, the truckers use Jake Brakes to slow down, and they have them like I have never heard in Canada, or any where else in the world. You can expect that when you are trying to sleep or when you are sitting by the pool you will be blasted by the sound of the trucks. They run from 6 am to about 11 pm, but one will go by every hour during the night which will wake you up. 2) the location is very sheltered and it is HOT, but the problem is the main part of the house is not air conditioned and it has a steel roof. It is unbearably hot until the middle of the night, and we were there in November without a lot of sunshine, so I can't imagine what it is like in the sunny, hot season; and 3) the main river in Costa Rica that empties the sewage out of San Jose enters the ocean very close to this house, so the beach is dirty and the ocean is a muddy color with a very bad odor. Also, the pool was very cold and not very attractive. The bed was incredibly hard. The air conditioner in the bedroom was terribly loud and very old. It wasn't a vacation. We got a good price on the rental, and we were planning on staying 5 nights. We left after the first night and received a refund of 1/3 of the rental. We moved further down the coast and found a fabulous 3 bedroom house, almost new, for only a few dollars more. I could not recommend this 30 or 40 year old cottage it unless you live in a very hot climate and are deaf. Patri was very nice and I believe she was very disappointed that we were unhappy. She did her best to try to find us something else, but we wanted a place different than the other units she had available. We appreciated getting some refund.

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My stay in Jaco

Guest SandysAnAngel
Date of stay 07/22/12
Review Submitted 08/01/12

We had a wonderful time in Jaco. The house we rented served all our needs. Patri was excellent with helping us while we were there. The pool was a great we had fun swimming when we came home each day.I would recommend this property to others travelling to Jaco.

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

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THANK YOU

Guest Lorraine
Date of stay 04/04/12
Review Submitted 05/01/12

We recently had the fabulous opportunity to travel to Costa Rica. There were 6 of us and we were all very pleased with the accommodations. We felt fortunate to have found such a warm and cozy place. Home away from home. The place was clean and had a welcoming feeling. The pool was an asset and used many times daily. Right from the early stages of planning, Patri, the manager, was so very hospitable and more than willing to help us plan our holiday. She answers emails quickly and provides answers to questions. She does it all! From helping us book accommodations, book a vehicle, helping plan tours, buying groceries, to visiting and having a coffee with us. Patri takes the time to be certain the guests are comfortable and content. She made us feel secure about arriving in a country we had not visited in the past. Jarra, the pool person, is a delight. We is very smiley and welcoming. He is wonderful and patient with us in exchanging languages. Elbie and Santos were diligent about keeping the grounds and furniture clean. We explored and enjoyed many of the local sites. The Crocodile Tour was interesting and we actually were able to touch a crocodile that was on the shore. The thrill of zip lining through the rainforest was exhilarating, The most exciting, enjoyable and yet relaxing was the day we spent with Gino with Tico Tours. We were lucky to have spent the day with Gino – jungle hiking, snorkelling, a lunch prepared by Gino from the fish we caught ourselves plus the lobster and oysters that he caught, all prepared on beautiful private white sand beach. Gino is very knowledgeable and can explain and teach anyone about the land, the animals, the people, and the ocean plus throw in some Spanish lessons. Supper was a delightful experience for Gino and his family invited us to their place, where Maria (Gino’s wife) cooked an authentic Costa Rica dinner. Excellent! What a fantastic day. A visit to Outback Jack’s is worth the walk. The food is fabulous and Jack is an interesting character that will visit and share stories. Be sure to enjoy your added guests of the visiting cats and dogs. They will adopt you and visit on a regular basis. The sunset each night was magical and beyond words. We all look forward to returning to this wonderful place and very much appreciate Patri and all she had done to make our stay in paradise an experience we will forever treasure.

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

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Costa Rica vacation

Guest Larry
Date of stay 03/17/12
Review Submitted 04/13/12

Outstanding. We are already planning for next year. I would strongly suggest having your own transportation. Patri couldn't have been a better host. We met some wonderful new friends.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Wenger visit

Guest Larry
Date of stay 03/17/12
Review Submitted 03/28/12

Outstanding. Patri couldn't have been a better host. We are going back next year and want to make this an annual vacation. We met wonderful local families who have invited us to come & visit. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting an outstanding & memorable vacation.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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My stay in Tarcoles

Guest Blondie
Date of stay 12/02/11
Review Submitted 01/23/12

The listing description was pretty accurate and the listing photos were accurate also, the property was well-maintained as far as my liking. Our property manager Patri was very helpful for information about the area we stayed and helped us out for tours etc. I would recommend this place for families or older people since it is about a 35 miniute drive to Jaco, which you must have a car. The beach is private and rocky in some places. There is plenty of restaurants in the area and a great bar called the outbacks within walking distance. The village of Tarcoles is just up the road if you would like to experience the Tico life. Overall I would come back.

Recommended for: Age 55+, families with young children, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

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Great Time in Costa Rica

Guest Jeff
Date of stay 05/14/11
Review Submitted 03/06/12

We rented both houses on our trip as we travelled with 6 couples total. We really enjoyed our time and Patri was very helpful in finding activities and assisting in transportation for our group. The beach in front are rocky and not the area you would want to swim, but the view was great and it was a very relaxed area to be. Our group did not always do the same activities, so we were always arrainging travel and it always worked out smoothly for us. We did travel to the Arenal Volcano and I would suggest making that an overnight trip, we tried to go there and back in the same day and it was an exhausting day of travel. The fishing with Gino was something I would recommend. We didn't catch much on our trip, but we still arrainged for his wife to cook for us that night for dinner. We just had to buy some fish from the market. That was one of the best meals we had. Because of the size of our group, she came to our house to cook for us and really made it easy on us. We of course spend some time at Outback Jack's which is just a short walk down the beach. If you are looking for luxury, this is not the place to stay, but if you are looking for a relaxing trip with a very helpful property manager, then this is a great place to stay.

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The Tarcoles Experience - - A ticos life

Guest Jerry War
Date of stay 02/15/11
Review Submitted 05/11/11

If you are looking to lived the life of a tico this is the property for you. First, the site very accurately describes and displays the property. The staff, Patri, Elbi and Jarra make your visit as comfortable as possible. Elbi and Jarra are on site each morning (Sunday is a day of rest and a time to be with family and friends.) cleaning the exterior and maintaining the grounds. Patri often visits in the morning to see if there is anything needed. She also porvides her home telephone number should you need anything. I would recommend renting a car to get around in. You may rent at the airport, or Patri can arrange transportation from the airport with a car rental for when you arrive. The village of Tarcoles is a two minute drive north from the rental house. It has a fresh fish market with plenty of local catch. A five minute drive further south brings you to another village with excellent amenities. A well stocked grocery store with a very good meat counter and a nice vegetable section. Bakeries, an internet cafe, and restaurants are also in the village. A ten minute drive south brings you to Jaco. This is the largest village in the immediate area. Lots of restaurants and bars and two large stores that are on the order of American Wal-Marts just not as large. After a morning of shopping and a light lunch at one of the restaurants you return to a relaxing view of the ocean and a swim in the pool. Cocktails and some cerviche bought at the local fish market rounds out a great day. For dinner you can grill a piece of fish with a nice salad for a side, or you might decide to dine in one of the village's several restaurants. Two are a short walk from the house. There are a number of day trips available. They are listed on the site. Patri can make the arrangements. Some of the trips are guided by a village resident by the name of Gino. He is a delightful fellow with a pretty good grasp of English. He is eager to share the Costa Rican culture, and he is just as eager to learn your culture. Language is in general not a problem. Patri is fluent in English and Spanish. The ticos like to practice English and are delighted when you try and speak there language. Be a little patient and you soon will be living the tico lifestyle. I recommend this rental highly for those who like to experience the way others enjoy their lives.

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

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Outdoors lover vacation

Guest Deb
Date of stay 02/05/11
Review Submitted 02/22/11

My husband and I rented this house in February of 2011. This was our first trip to Costa Rica and we really wanted to "experience" the country. We rented the house for privacy and to be away from the tourist crowds of the resorts. We were not disappointed. The house is clean,comfortable,and private. We spent our days hiking, swimming, fishing, and snorkling; our evenings were spent at the house relaxing. We also hired a local fishermen (Geno) for a day tour and had a great time. The property manager Patricia was also very helpful and she is bilingual. She booked tours, put us in contact with Geno, and gave advice on where to shop and eat. The only draw back to this property is that it is located right off of a busy highway and there is some traffic noise. All in all our trip was amazing and Costa Rica is a beautiful, beautiful country.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, pet owners, sightseeing.

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Pura Vida is right - WOW

Guest Nancy, Bo, Brian and Lynae
Date of stay 01/22/11
Review Submitted 02/11/11

If you would ever love to experience living life as a local Costa Rican, this house, without a doubt, is the place to stay. Macaws coming to the almond trees which overlook the patio, neighbors fishing, resident angels (dogs) dropping by every morning to say HI, having your morning coffee on the patio, taking an early/late dip in the pool. We felt very welcomed! We would never had this unforgettable experience staying at some fancy resort. Patri, the angel of Tercoles, was the best!!! She offered many tours, restaurants, side trips, shopping--ALL of which were authentically exciting and adventuress!!! We did it all, and without Patri's kind and geniune assistance, we would have missed many experiences. I would, without a doubt, be honored to spend more time in this wonderful area. Our ONLY problem was "having to come home" to NJ to deal with more snow! I would HIGHLY recommend the zipline tour and spending the day with Gino-fishing, beach hopping and the wonderful dinner his wife cooks later in the evening at their home--what an overwhelming experience that is! PURA VIDA!

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

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Home away from Home

Guest Dave/Wendy
Date of stay 01/07/11
Review Submitted 01/31/11

Our 2 weeks in Tarcoles felt more like a month. The house was great...the sun comes over the hills around 8 ish and stayes directly above the pool till about 1, then you can move down about 50 ft to the beach to finish the rest of your suntanning, reading or just drinking cervaca's. Each of the bedrooms were air conditioned, the rest of the house had plenty of room to move around and be comfortable which made the whole experience fantastic. We had a very few minor issues (one of our luggage bags was lost at the airport) but once we contacted the property manager, Patri, she took care of everything asap and we never had another thing to worrry about. Patri looks after everything while you are there, and we took comfort in any of the events she arrraged as they were professionally run. the staff at the house were awesome, Jarro (the pool guy) came over in the evening and gave us spanish lessons and we retruned the lessons in English. The ladies are very polite and well versed in what is expected of them regarding the cleaning of the house. They even did our laundry as part of cleaning without being asked! great!!! this is our second year in this area and we'll definetly be looking at renting this house again.

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

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Wonderful Family Rental

Guest Judy
Date of stay 12/27/10
Review Submitted 02/02/11

Our family of 12 had a wonderful week at both of this owner's properties. The five kids ages 9-15 enjoyed the pools, hunting crabs on the beach, and watching the iguanas. The adults especially liked the large bedrooms and spacious kitchen/dining area. For those interested in cooking or barbequing their own food, the outdoor area and supplied kitchen offer everything needed. The proximity to groceries and stores at nearby Herradura and Jaco, and to various activities and swimmable beaches provide for an excellent vacation. The property manager was excellent in taking care of anything needed for the houses, making arrangements for car rentals and excursions, and checking with us daily.

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

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The complete beach front, Tico life experience!

Guest krystle
Date of stay 12/19/10
Review Submitted 12/29/10

The pictures show it all!! Beachfront home located about 10-15 min north of the tourist hot spot Jaco beach. We had a car so getting back and forth was not a problem, cab rides are relatively cheap so I wouldnt let this discourage you. The beach is just steps from the back yard, and there is also a pretty large pool. If your goal is to have room to relaxe and spread out this is the place to do it! We got to see tons of birds from the back yard, go to bed with the sounds of the ocean. And was very appreciative for the amount of care in which the grounds keeper and hostess Patricia provided us. This home is located in a small Tico community so there will be local dogs that are very friendly and stop by to visit every once in a while. And the neigbors are fisherman, which we found to be entertainment as they brought in their daily catch. The beach is a little rocky but the waves are not to rough so swimming is very nice here. When we go back to visit this will be the spot we stay!

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

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

The complete beach front, Tico life experience!

Guest krystle
Date of stay 12/19/10
Review Submitted 12/29/10

The pictures show it all!! Beachfront home located about 10-15 min north of the tourist hot spot Jaco beach. We had a car so getting back and forth was not a problem, cab rides are relatively cheap so I wouldnt let this discourage you. The beach is just steps from the back yard, and there is also a pretty large pool. If your goal is to have room to relaxe and spread out this is the place to do it! We got to see tons of birds from the back yard, go to bed with the sounds of the ocean. And was very appreciative for the amount of care in which the grounds keeper and hostess Patricia provided us. This home is located in a small Tico community so there will be local dogs that are very friendly and stop by to visit every once in a while. And the neigbors are fisherman, which we found to be entertainment as they brought in their daily catch. The beach is a little rocky but the waves are not to rough so swimming is very nice here. When we go back to visit this will be the spot we stay!

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

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wonderful

Guest sherry
Date of stay 12/18/10
Review Submitted 01/03/11

I am retired here in Costa Rica we rented this house for us and several of our family members who were visiting from the states. I was so happy that the house was everything it said it was, the pictures are very current it was clean set up with everything you need. The pool was kept clean and the view was awesome. I got some great pictures of fishermen, birds, scenery really nice pictures to show off your vacation. I highly recommend this house, You will not be sorry

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.

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Wonderful location! Wonderful people!

Guest Jill M.
Date of stay 03/05/10
Review Submitted 03/27/10

This house is actually in Tarcoles, not Jaco. The location is perfect if you prefer, as we do, a quieter spot and a chance to get to know the real "ticos" - not just the tourists. Tarcoles is a friendly, quiet little fishing village. When you want more excitement, shopping, etc., it's a short easy drive (about 20 minutes) down to Jaco. My husband and I, stayed with our son, his wife and 3 yr old daughter in this sweet little house on the beach for 7 days and had a delightful, relaxing vacation. Sunsets from the patio and backyard were jaw-droppingly beautiful. The pool was the perfect antidote to mid afternoon heat. Morning walks in nearby Carara Nat. Forest (2 or 3 miles away) were fanatastic! Every morning and afternoon, the scarlet macCaws would visit the beautiful almond trees in our back yard. The fresh fruit from local fruit stands was indescribable. That and freshly caught fish was practically all we ate. Nervana! I must also mention Patricia, the property manager. She was just the best! She is an expat from Canada but has lived there for many, many years so knows the local culture and speaks Spanish fluently. She came over each day to see if we needed anything. She was very friendly, helpful, and went out of her way to think of things that would make our stay more fun and pleasant. One morning she showed up with fresh breads from a local bakery and refused to let us pay her for it. Her staff, Gino, the pool maintenance man, and Elbi, the housekeeper, were also wonderful. The plumbing and the electrical infrastructure in the town itself seems a bit temperamental and unreliable. On the last 24 hours the water pressure dropped to practically nothing and the power went on and off. We just worked around this and it was more of a minor inconvenience. Patricia and Gino did everything they could to mitigate the problems. Overall, we loved the place and plan to back again and again.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, pet owners, sightseeing.

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Family Vacation 2010

Guest Connie B
Date of stay 01/29/10
Review Submitted 03/30/10

We rented both houses for a family vacation Jan-Feb on this year and had a wonderful time. Patri the property manager was very helpful and quick to help with our concerns. We loved the sunsets from the patio/pool areas of both homes, we all really enjoyed the swimming pools too. The accommidations worked well for our party of 9 adults and 2 babies. The pictures on line were a accurate depiction of the place. Highly recomment the Jungle Safari Crocodile tour and eating at Mango's Soda in Tarcoles.

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

Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 6/6

Vacation Rentals by Owner

'Rustic' Oceanfront Home W/Pool - 20% Off June & July! [#58219] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (19)

Nice Time

Nice Time

Rustic Beach Front Home

Rustic Beach Front Home

You get what you pay for...

You get what you pay for...

My stay in Jaco

My stay in Jaco

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

Costa Rica vacation

Costa Rica vacation

Wenger visit

Wenger visit

My stay in Tarcoles

My stay in Tarcoles

Great Time in Costa Rica

Great Time in Costa Rica

The Tarcoles Experience - - A ticos life

The Tarcoles Experience - - A ticos life

Outdoors lover vacation

Outdoors lover vacation

Pura Vida is right - WOW

Pura Vida is right - WOW

Home away from Home

Home away from Home

Wonderful Family Rental

Wonderful Family Rental

The complete beach front, Tico life experience!

The complete beach front, Tico life experience!

The complete beach front, Tico life experience!

The complete beach front, Tico life experience!

wonderful

wonderful

Wonderful location! Wonderful people!

Wonderful location! Wonderful people!

Family Vacation 2010

Family Vacation 2010