Beautiful View right on Pacific

Guest: Claudia73 (Bloomingburg, New York)
Date of Stay: 07/25/11 Review Submitted: 08/18/11

My family of five spent a week at Casa Amarilla at the end of July and had a lovely time. The 3 cute bedrooms and two bathrooms gave us plenty of indoor space, while the outdoor patio area with small pool directly next to the beach provided us a view which is literally too pretty for words. The property manager, Patri, checked in on us once in a while to be sure everything was fine and to offer information if needed, and there was a nice man who took care of the pool each morning, as well as a woman who thoroughly swept the entire patio area each day. The patio area is also beautifully landscaped with all kinds of tropical foliage, and there are huge almond trees where scarlet macaws often came to feed -- what a cool experience to behold! All necessary cookware and dishes were available, and they even had a large tank of drinking water for house guests and laundry detergent to use in the laundry room -- thoughtful touches. I would recommend having a rental car if staying at this house as it gives you the freedom to travel to the nearby towns and restaurants, and perhaps check out the Crocodile Bridge ten driving minutes away or maybe Jaco, which was about 20+ minutes south (not a terribly worthy town to visit -- but lots of nice souvenir shops and some decent eateries to try). Also, the beach on which the house is located is made of rocks and seemingly best for looking at. Therefore having the refreshing little pool out back is a nice thing to have (especially with our 3 young children). The driveway heading down to the house is a bit harrowing and rugged, probably due to heavy rains and such, so a 4x4 helped out with that; but overall, Casa Amarilla provided us with a great Pacific coast stay, and did I mention the VIEWS??? Wow. A peaceful place to stay...

Owner response:Hola Claudia, Ryan, Ayla, Arley & Sorin! Thank you for the glowing review and we truly do appreciate it. You and your family were very low maintenance, fit in wonderfully to the atmosphere, GRACIAS for loving and inviting in our dearly beloved older cat, Freddi and also our resident hound dog, Pinta. Your taking over the feeding was an especially loving gesture! We are very happy that you enjoyed your stay here at Casa Amarilla and that you embraced the Costa Rican experience. We agree with you full heartedly that our dirt road down from the highway does need some urgent attention and we are working on it, your comments are appreciated. We hope that one day in the future you and your family might come back to this area. Take care & regards from CR, Patricia, Jarra (Pool/Guard) & Santos (Maid & grounds person).

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

Ladies Retreat

Guest: Native_Enigma (Colorado )
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 08/18/11

I had the wonderful opportunity to vacation with 4 friends in Costa Rica at Casa Amarilla. It was a great house for us. Casa Amarilla provides a relaxing home for your vacation. The patio and backyard was prefect for resting and meals. The ocean sunset views are amazing and you are within walking distance of swimming beaches. Patri,house manager, is an amazing resource. Patri purshcased house supplies for us, arranged cleaning and pool services. She also arranged of our trips for us which included zipline and locals full day tour (fishing, snorkeling, boar tour, fresh lobster on a secluded beach, nature walk and a home cooked meal). Casa Amarilla is 15 minutes from a spectacular 5-hour round trip waterfall hike 20 minutes from full stocked grocery store 30 minutes from Jaco and tourist beaches and shops 30 minutes from zipline I enjoyed this vacation and this house.

Owner response:Hola Carly, Chanda, Darcy, Natalie and Nicole! We are most appreciative of your glowing review and thank you for same. It is always satisfying to hear that our guests enjoyed themselves in our Village and that you all felt welcome with our way of life. Gino, also wanted me to say "Gracias" for your great endorsement of his "Tico Style Tour" and hopes you will come back again. All our staff, Jarra, Elbi and Santos also send their "Saludos." You were all so down to earth, easygoing and open to embracing the Costa Rican way of life. OH, the owners and staff at Outback Jack's also send their hellos. Until we meet again (hopefully), Saludos & Regards from Patri and All.

Recommended for:Girls getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Perfect Location!

Guest: Cody M.
Date of Stay: 08/05/11 Review Submitted: 08/17/11

I just stayed here with two friends and we could not have asked for a better situation. The house is much bigger than we expected and stocked with everything you need to make you feel at home in paradise. The beds were all very comfortable and really spacious rooms. There was only 3 of us, but you could easily fit 3-5 more people and still not feel like you're bumping into each other all the time. Patri was an absolute delight to deal with and was so extremely helpful. Patri recommended doing a tour with Gino and it was the highlight of our trip. Gino took us on his boat all day going from beach to beach for snorkeling, fishing, lobster diving, and hiking. It was amazing! The house is in a small town just north of Jaco and it has a very authentic Costs Rican feel to it (where Jaco on the other hand was very touristy and we didn't feel comfortable there.) Lots of fun restaurants nearby and large grocery store just minutes away. I would recommend this place to anyone that wants to visit this beautiful country!!

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

Perfect vacations

Guest: Amélie (Montréal, Québec)
Date of Stay: 07/02/11 Review Submitted: 07/25/11

My husband and I stayed at Casa Amarilla the first 2 weeks of July 2011. The house was well equipped, very clean and the pool very refreshing. Also the house is close to many attractions (rain forest, national park, beach, volcanoes). The house and the neighborhood was very safe and the people around were nice to us. We were well informed by the house manager Patri, who is an exceptional person. She was making sure that we were not missing anything. We went for a boat excursion (upon the recommendation of Patri). The owner is Gino and his excursion is a typical Costa Rican experience. We sailed all day, visit a forest, we fish and we ate our catches for lunch on the beach. It was a great and unique experience which I would recommend to anyone. We would go back anytime !

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

Great Time!

Guest: Deb (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 03/28/10 Review Submitted: 04/24/11

Stayed at Casa Amarilla with myself and 2 adult kids. House was great, described just as the website say's. Patricia and her staff were great, She was there with anything you needed help with! And Gilberth, my driver Patricia set us up with was amazing! Would highly recommend staying at Casa Amarilla! Can't wait to come back! Thanks again.

Recommended for:

Casa Amarilla, a great home away from home

Guest: Traveller (Olympia, Washington U.S.A.)
Date of Stay: 02/12/11 Review Submitted: 02/24/11

Six of us spent a week at Casa Amarilla and loved it. Most impressive were the sounds and sights of the Macaws eating from the Almond trees on the property the those adjacent to Casa Amarilla, the evening sunsets and the sound of the ocean waves. The Property Manager, Patri was absolutely wonderful. She was very attentive and checked on us every day to see if we needed anything. She set up wild life sight seeing tours for us and provided us with recommendations for good restaurants. The listing description was accurate regarding the location and the pictures accurarely reflect the rental's appearance and amenities. All three bedrooms are airconditioned and I think the description, notes airconditioners in two of the bedrooms. The house was very clean and the property well maintained. I do have a word of caution if you plan to visit Manuel Antonio National Park. We were "ripped off" by one of the Guides who charged us $30.00 per person when in fact, the set, established rate is $20.00 per person. We didn't know any better until Patri informed us we had been taken. She promptly filed a complaint with the Park's management. I would definitely recommend this property to a friend or relative. Like I said, we had a great time.

Recommended for:Pet owners, girls getaway, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, sightseeing, age 55+.

Great hide away with easy access to main highway

Guest: Charles and Ruth (Keystone Heights, FL USA)
Date of Stay: 06/03/10 Review Submitted: 06/10/10

My wife and I along with 4 other friends spent 5 nights at the Casa Amarilla. The house is well maintained, clean, and has easy access to the main highway that leads to Jaco or San Jose, You will need a car. Very quiet and the view is great. Buy your fresh fish from the fishermen down the beach. 4 or 5 restaurants within in walking distance, 800 meters or so. Modern grocery store within 10km. Jaco is 17km south. This house is ideal if you are in Costa Rica to explore and want a comfortable home base to return to, Not for any one that wants to be near night life and activity. We enjoyed coming home to the peaceful sounds of the jungle and the waves lapping on the beach. The property is full of dozens and dozens of varieties of local plants. You will see and hear many types of birds and other creatures. Can't forget the resident cats and dogs that stop by for a visit. The pool is small but perfect for a refreshing dip when the humidity gets to you. Patri does a wonderful job of making you feel at home and was most accommodating. For the price, you can't go wrong. What a great vacation and a wonderful country. We can't wait to go back. Pura Vida! Charles and Ruth W.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, sightseeing.

Pura Vida!

Guest: Detroit2811 (Sterling Heights MI USA)
Date of Stay: 05/14/10 Review Submitted: 05/25/10

The house was amazing with a great view of the ocean, I recommend having a car so you are not limited to just the surrounding area. You dont need to bring alot with you at all, couple shirts, couple shorts, pair of gym shoes and some sandles and you'll be all set!! Meet and be freindly with everyone you meet, never know what cool things they know there to do!!!

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