Vacation Rentals by Owner

Perfect Oasis

Guest: Happy 8 (Maryland)
Date of Stay: 03/10/12 Review Submitted: 03/30/12

Best weather ever on any vacation.Perfect sunsets & great stars at night.Our 4 couples really enjoyed sharing the amenities & also having our own private rooms with bath.It was hard to leave the villa it was so nice.Tomas & Janet were great cooks & we soon relied on them for breakfast & several dinners.Thomas was there when you needed him & invisible the rest of the time.The stereo which plays in/out of the villa was set on a great channel which had a blend of top hits from several decades which all of our couples ranging in age from 38-62 enjoyed.It was hard to leave the villa as we had everything we wanted there,BUT the activities were endless.Our group did the beach/mountain tours on the ATV's and the dune buggies.We also did the zip line which was very exciting!We ran out of time to do other things,we will just have to come back!We all hope the villa & the people of Costa Rica do not change too much & overdevelop like other resort islands/places we have been too,it was like an "Oasis" in this crazy world.

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

What's not to love

Guest: Mike (Pittsburgh)
Date of Stay: 01/14/12 Review Submitted: 02/19/12

My wife and I just returned from two weeks at the Villa. We had various friends and family stay with us during the trip, always between 8 and 10 people and never felt the least bit crowded. The house, pool, kitchen, beach etc.......were all great. A few hints, take advantage of all the information provided by Joan, especially Dervin. He and his crew took great care of us, arranged trips, provided transportation and gave us good recommendations about where to shop. The Congo Trail zip line was very good as was the river boat trip and the all day trip to Beuna Vista. I fished in front of the villa and caught small barracuda, a very nice sized flounder and small fish that I did not recognize. Janet and Tomas took great care of us, have them cook for you, their meals were amazing and we thought very reasonably priced. The fruit stand around the corner had great fresh fruit and veggies, and little stores are easy to navigate. Fresh pineapple cut up and soaked in coconut rum makes a nice afternoon snack. All in all I would recommend this place to anyone..................oh, and stars, bring a big pair of binocs or small telescope, well worth it. I'll be happy to answer questions if anyone has them

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

Paradise on earth

Guest: Barb and John (Mendota Heights, MN)
Date of Stay: 11/19/11 Review Submitted: 11/29/11

How do you describe paradise here on earth!?! Our family had a completely wonderful experience. Villa Corazon Del Mar is gorgeous and perfect down to the smallest details. Our family of 10 was totally comfortable the week we spent celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. What a great crew of wonderfully helpful people you have put together. Ellen had the groceries for us, Dervin was most helpful in all aspects of getting us to all of the sites and places we chose to go and Tomas and Janet are the best. Our kids had engaged a professional photographer to take family photos on Sunday night right before sunset at Flamingo Beach. Dervin provided our transportation. On Tuesday we did the Canopy Tour. The kids loved feeding the white faced monkeys, seeing the crocodiles as close as I'll ever hope to be, the beautiful vegetation, birds, iguanas, etc. Thursday we did the zip lining and the 9 of us who went LOVED the experience. Tomas and Janet prepared our food on Saturday, Wednesday and Friday nights. Each meal was worthy of a 5 star restaurant rating. The guacamole and pico de gallo cannot be beat! Dervin provided the kids with life jackets so they could boogie board. Lots of fun swimming in the pool, walking the beach, building scuptures and our evening games of football on the beach, collecting shells and sea glass (every morning the crew was up and out by 6 am), kayaking, reading and relaxing in the sun around the pool, breakfast and afternoon socializing at The Shack --- all of our expectations were realized!!!! We hope to repeat the experience in the not too distant future. Thank you again for sharing your beautiful home with us. Barb and John Mendota Heights, MN

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

GREAT FAMILY VACATION!

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/27/11 Review Submitted: 08/08/11

The villa was exactly what we were looking for to gather all our adult children and family. The views are fantastic and the pool and veranda area was perfect for hanging out or relaxing with a good book. Tomas and Janet are wonderful people who we enjoyed talking with and they took good care of our family. You must have Janet give you a facial and massage! There is no doubt you will want to use Dervin for all of your transportation and tours. He arranged our diving trips, deep sea fishing excursion and a wonderful day in the national park. This is a great vacation location that has been beautifully furnished for all your needs.

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

BEST VACATION EVER!

Guest: Christina (Denver)
Date of Stay: 05/29/11 Review Submitted: 06/15/11

Our stay was absolutely the best mix of adventure and relaxation. The Village seems like it was designed for a 3-generation family stay. We put the two teens on the top floor which was great for all and the remaining suites provided plenty of privacy for the adults and my brother/nephew. We also really appreciated all of the comfortable areas to congregate. Tomas and Janet’s Fiesta Dinner made for a perfect arrival celebration. They also kept the house and grounds looking great during our stay but did so in a way that was absolutely unobtrusive. And Dervin is the man! He made arrangements for our Palo Verde river tour (think that’s the right name) and was even our guide, golf for my brother and father (he played with them which they loved) an amazing snorkeling tour and a zip line tour. And, did so in a way that we felt we were given special attention wherever we went. We also did a whole lot of relaxing by and playing in the pool and the ocean and loved walking to the nearby restaurants for dinner. And, you’re site is right, pictures will never do justice to the sunsets, which are pure magic. We all left feeling sorry to go but at the same time blessed to have spent time at your wonderful Villa.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

The Perfect Family Beach Vacation Home

Guest: Julie (Denver, CO)
Date of Stay: 03/26/11 Review Submitted: 05/15/11

We stayed here for Spring Break 2011 with 2 grandparents, 4 parents, & 7 kids ages 3 1/2 to 12, and it was the perfect place for everyone! Janet & Tomas are so wonderful. The beach has the perfect wave for swimming & body boarding, and you can be sitting in the pool watching the beach the whole time! We found our 3 favorite restaurants to walk to, our favorite market to get our daily supply of fruit & veg, and our favorite tour guide in Dervin. He took us on a great zip line tour that all the kids could do, a day trip to Tamarindo for surf, and another to Playa Cochal for some amazing snorkelling. We all took turns taking out the kayaks & fishing with poles that we'd brought along. This was the perfect home for a spectacular vacation - we will be coming back!!

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

Killer spot with all the amenities in a spectacular setting

Guest: chill (ardmore, pa/ own CostaRicanAdventures.com and know)
Date of Stay: 03/11/11 Review Submitted: 03/15/11

I have travelled widely and been in many beachfront properties, but this is tough to top! Beautiful home, smack on a quiet, wide, calm beach. Spectacularly built and very tastefully furnished house and an extremely gracious staff! The endless pool is as close to a beach as is possible and is the ultimate due west sunset vantage point! Lots of quiet, off- beaten- path beaches nearby. This is a remarkable home in a wonderful location in delightful Guanacaste!!!!!!

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

We fell in Love with Corazon del Mar!!!

Guest: Rich (Los Angeles CA)
Date of Stay: 02/03/11 Review Submitted: 02/06/11

This place is so well set up for vacationers: private bathrooms in every bedroom, incredible oceanfront location, infinity edge pool, perfect sunsets, outdoor speakers, and to add you have Tomas and Janet at your service. They are so welcoming from setting up your groceries, to cooking and cleaning-all with big smiles. Before leaving we already booked another trip in May, and there were only a few dates left in the whole 6 months! Here is a fun idea, we had a company bring us 2 stand up paddle boards and we'd get up just after sunrise and start the day with a beautiful paddle on the calm ocean, PARADISE! Can't wait to be back in a few months. My only concern about telling you how great it is might mean this place will be even harder to book next time.

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

Best Vacation / Wedding

Guest: Darcey (Canada)
Date of Stay: 01/09/11 Review Submitted: 01/28/11

Let me tell you that the pics for this house are amazing but when you see it for the first time it blows your mined. There was 8 of us that that were staying at the house for a vacation and also our wedding. First of all the house was amazing, the view was outstanding and Thomas & Janet were great. Most of all Dervin was a dream. He showed us a lot of the area and we also did a lot of walking down the beach and found lots of different places to shop and eat.…Our Wedding day was a dream come true for the both of us, We were married at sunset right in front of the house on the beach. The night was perfect and the colors were beautiful also thank you for recommending Donna she did a amazing job with the wedding and setting everything up, the house looked great, Janet & Thomas cooked a amazing wedding meal that we ate at the big table, the mahi mahi was amazing and the night went on into the morning. Dervin took the rest of the crew to San Cruz for the riding of the Bull Festival…They could not get into the stadium to watch but sat in a bar and watched on a small T.V. We spent 2 days in Tamarindo surfing and enjoying the night life and beautiful sunsets. We also Zip Lined at the Congo, and for a wedding gift for Dean the boys went out Deep Sea Fishing with Dervin for half a day, they brought back lots of Grouper and Mackerel for dinner that night it was gooooooood. This is definatley the place you want to go if you want to relax and enjoy the local living or if you want the dance life it is a short 30 min drive to Tamarindo or Playa Flamingo or the local bars are down the beach about 100 yards. Again thank you so much for making this trip one we will never forget and a Wedding we will remember forever Thanks Again Talk Soon Ciao Darcey & Dean Vedova

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect Christmas Vacation!

Guest: kaiK (San Marcos, Ca)
Date of Stay: 12/25/10 Review Submitted: 01/03/11

Wow! Our family is back from an absolutely amazing christmas vacation at the Villa Corazon Del Mar. I wanted to take some time to send a note to Joan to thank you for sharing your beautiful home with my family. It was a wonderful week filled with a combination of relaxation, excursions, homemade Costa Rican food and fun in the sun. We loved the quiet and peacefulness of the beach and neighborhood, it was a public beach but we were still usually the only ones on the beach. We didnt use Tomas and Janet very often but they made GREAT food, next time we will use them more often! We enjoyed walks on the beach, kayaking in the ocean, many beautiful sunsets, lounging around at the spacious pool, making meals together in the kitchen, and last but not least all of our many excursions that Dervin organized for us from zip lining to a sunset ATV ride. I will end on this note, the best part of choosing this place is that this was an ideal house for spending time together. Our week at the Villa Corazon Del Mar will for sure be a treasured memory. Thank you again Joan for all of your help in making our perfect christmas vacation.

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

Amazing Vacations!!!

Guest: Costa Rica Traci (Utah)
Date of Stay: 10/02/10 Review Submitted: 10/21/10

We just returned from an amazing vacation in Costa Rica at Villa Corozan Del Mar!! We traveled with four couples "celebrating" our 40th birthdays! It was a wonderful vacation!!! Joan was amazing, very responsive and willing to answer any questions or concerns we had prior to our arrival. We had couples arriving at different times, and she facilitated all of our requests. She even sent me some of our personal belongings that were left behind! There are so many things that made this vacation wonderful! The home is set up perfectly for a vacation with a great room in the center, leading directly out to a beautiful patio and pool area. We spent most of our time sipping drinks, eating Tomas's amazing guacamole/pico del gallo, and just enjoying each others company. Janet and Tomas are AMAZING! They were so kind and willing to do whatever we asked! They prepared three dinners for us and all were fantastic! We wished we would have had them cook for us every night! They were the best, never in your way, but always available when you needed them. It was great to have warm,clean towels just show up when we weren't expecting them! I wanted to bring them home with me! Dervin Suarez, the driver/tour guide was also the best! He quickly became our go to guy and took us on many fun excursions! We went on the Congo River Tour and also spent a day going to the Arenal Volcano area. (beautiful and fun, but a long day!) He also took the girls shopping in Tamarindo and a few of the guests Scuba Diving. He even went to the fish market to pick up supplies for our dinner one night! He spoke very fluent english and was very beneficial to our wonderful experience in Costa Rica. We were also concerned about going in green season, however, our weather turned out perfectly and it was fun to see the area so lush and green!!! Besides, I'm not sure we could have handled it much hotter!!! Overall, I would recommend this villa to ANYONE!!! We plan on returning as soon as we can! It was a perfect vacation, and we are still wishing we were there!!!

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

Wonderful Costa Rica Vacation Home

Guest: george (Grand Junction, CO )
Date of Stay: 07/23/10 Review Submitted: 08/02/10

We have just returned from a wonderful eight day family vacation at Villa Corazon del Mar (July 23-31). Our group included my wife and I (in our early 60s), my two children and their spouses (in their early 30s), and my granddaughters ages 9 years and 15 months. We do a family beach vacation every three years and this one tops all previous ones. The house is great with very good sized bedrooms and air conditioning that gets them as cold as you would ever want them to be. The pool is great and was thoroughly enjoyed by all, particularly by the granddaughters who spent many hours in the water. We brought three lap tops and the internet connection was perfect. The TVs get many stations including Fox News, CNN, and HBO. We loved the rural location of the house which allowed us to see first hand how the Ticos live. We could walk to a couple of small grocery stores and two wonderful small bakeries. We also walked to three restaurants (the Shack, the Castle, and the Bahia del Sol). It takes just a few minutes on the beach to get to town and we made that walk almost every day. But there are three individuals who made our vacation one of the best ever. First, there is Dervin Suarez who acted as our driver and tour coordinator. He is absolutely the best and he will do anything you ask him to do. Importantly, his charges are very reasonable. We went on the Conga Zip line tour, the boat tour on the Tampisque River, and on a half day fishing excursion. We also went to Tamarindo twice for shopping and lunch (excellent restaurants there). The best restaurant was the Camaron Doraado in Brasilito which was recommended by Dervin. I highly recommend not renting a car and, instead, let Dervin drive you where you need to go. On the fishing trip we caught a bunch of bonitos, a Wahoo, and a 50 pound Cubera snapper. And that brings us to Janet and Thomas, the caretakers who truly took care of the house and cooked two wonderful dinners for us: one which was waiting for us when we arrived from the airport after 9 PM and one after we caught our fish. Then there is Sasha, the caretakers’ puppy who was an absolute delight, stayed with us the entire time, and will be sadly missed by our granddaughters. We did have one disappointment. The three men in our group are avid fishermen. We came fully outfitted to fish from the beach behind the house but did not succeed in landing any fish despite the fact that they were jumping within casting distance every day we

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

Family Anniversary Celebration Trip to Costa Rica

Guest: Del (Harrisonburg, VA)
Date of Stay: 06/19/10 Review Submitted: 07/02/10

Dear Joan, Our family of 10 spent 10 wonderful days at Villa Corazon del Mar celebrating three wedding anniversaries: the 50th for Lee and me and the 20th for each of our two daughters and sons-in-law. All of us, from 5 year old Zoe to 70 year old me, thoroughly enjoyed the house and the amenities that are included with it. We used the pool more than I had anticipated. The other side of that coin is that we spent less time than I had anticipated on the beach. We didn't use the kayaks a whole lot, but our son-in-law and our 15-year-old grandson kayacked out to the island just off Flamingo and were very pleased with themselves. To sum it up, the house was almost perfect for our family. There are a number of people who helped make this a perfect vacation and anniversary celebration and to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. Tomas and Janet were always there when we needed them. They perpared two wonderful dinners for us, a Costa Rican meal and a seafood meal which we all enjoyed immensely. Like many of your other guests, we enjoyed their dog Sasha, which probably has the best "personality" of any dog I've seen. Then there's Dervin. What a wonderful guy he is. He did a lot to make our time memorable and enjoyable. He arranged a zip line and spa trip to Buena Vista for us, which was a highlight, and several days later he was our guide on a boat trip on the Tempisque, where we saw white-faced monkeys, iguanas, crocodiles, and many species of birds. He arranged for some of us to go horse-back riding on the beach and loaned us several fishing poles. He also recommended a great restaurant, where our kids and grandkids took Lee and me for our anniversary. As I said, it's been great. I can't tell you how special a family time it's been. Thank you so much for letting us use your "heart of the sea!"

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.

WAHOO!!! A great active, but RELAXING vacation!! June 12-19, 2010

Guest: Honeybear (Sherman, TX)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 06/27/10

Joan, Your Costa Rican home is not only beautiful, it is so very functional. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to use it to celebrate our 50th Anniversary with our family. It has been awesome, wonderful, amazing .... there are not enough superlatives. We opted to cook MOST of our meals. Tomas prepared a welcome meal that first evening that was fantastic! Janet was sick, so we did not even get to meet her until Wednesday, when she was feeling better. She is a real sweetie. Their Sacha ..... the stick-chasing, body-surfing, rock-carrying, beach-protecting, hole-digging little dog was a real hit with the grandkids. Janet says, 'Sacha es loco,' .... but certainly entertaining. Dervin Suarez and his brother, Gravin, were the best thing to happen to us!! It was so nice and relaxing to have a 'man to go' .... willing to haul our group anywhere that we wanted to go [sometimes stopping for us at the grocery store, fresh fruit stand, pharmacy or bakery] and to make arrangements for our desired activities. We did a two tank SCUBA dive, and a half-day "in-shore" fishing on one of Dervin's boats. We hooked enough red snapper and pompano for three main meals and leftovers for delicious fish tacos! Our grandson (age 10) caught a thirty (30) pound rooster fish. THAT was the highlight of his entire trip! Our son-in-law and grandson fished from the kayaks early almost every morning, catching and releasing. Eventually all of us kayaked to the 'rocky point' to study the tide pools. Great fun!! The kids also enjoyed the boogie boards. The daily afternoon showers or storms, were refreshing .... allowing us 'down-time' for reading, card games, or naps. Swimming in the pool AND in the surf was a daily event ... at least once or twice, and sometimes three or four times. We were glad to have the poolside shower to get rid of the beach grit. It was a good thing to have Dervin to drive us to the Congo Trail Zipline ... that bumpy, rutted journey was an adventure in itself!! All of us, ages 10-75 loved every moment of the new (to us) zipline experience. We were lucky to have a naturalist in our group that could tell us about the different trees, plants, and unique insects. It was grandad's favorite activity!! The grandparents enjoyed just about every aspect of this 50th anniversary adventure, but the best fun was watching the grandchildren have such a MARVELOUS time. THANKS, Joan, for your delightfully staffed home in such an incredible location.

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

Unforgettable Family Vacation

Guest: Lisa (South Carolina)
Date of Stay: 05/29/10 Review Submitted: 07/12/10

Two years ago a good friend showed me photos of her Costa Rican vacation -I fell in love w/her pictures of the sunsets & decided then & there that we would plan our 2010 family vacation to the same house . What a wonderful family vacation for the 11 of us(our 4 kids,their 2 spouses,girlfriend & 2 grandbabies). Our 10 days in CR flew by. The house was awesome & enjoyed by all! Tomas & Janet are wonderful & truly make the visit even better. They cooked us 4 delicious dinners , great guacamole & the best pico de gallo ever! I only wish we had been fluent in Spanish as we had a few difficulties communicating. Dervin & his brother were a huge help for driving, fishing trips,sailing, zipline, & just all around assistance on every front. Our "fishermen" had good luck both days & we ate some fantastic fish! Catching rooster fish was so much fun as well! We loved being in a small village & took advantage of many local spots over our 10 days. Our favorite was The Shack. Their food(breakfast,lunch&dinner)was very good & their margaritas were the best! People were friendly & helpful throughout our stay. My favorite memory is sitting by (or in) the pool w/ our family every night & watching the sun set over the water-it doesn't get much better than that...our time at "heart of the sea" will never be forgotten.... Thanks Joan!!!

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Truly Heaven

Guest: T.I. (US)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 05/31/10

The pictures of this house are not enough to show all of its wonderful features. We stayed during a rainy season and still had an amazing time. The house is very clean, spacious and is located in a nice community. There's plenty of wildlife all around the beach. Until now I've never seen cows crossing the beach or had to fight for my cigarette with a crab. Eventhough it rained just about every day during our stay this house made our entire vacation a wonderful experience. Joan, Tomas and Janet provided us with every accommodation needed. I would definitely recommend this house for romantic getaways or large group stays. Hopefully everything works out in my favor and I get to come back to Casa Del Mar in the future.

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

TOMAS AND JANET WERE GREAT 2010

Guest: KATHYLEEN (JAY, OK US)
Date of Stay: 05/04/10 Review Submitted: 05/22/10

WE AS A FAMILY HAD A WONDERFUL TIME HERE, WE SEEN MANY SUNSET'S FROM THE POOL, TOMAS AND JANET WERE GREAT, IT WAS A TIME FOR ALL OF US TO ENJOY EACH OTHER AS A FAMILY, AS WE LIVE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE US. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS PROPERTY TO EVERYONE, THE ONLY DOWN SIDE OF IT WAS, THERE NEEDS TO BE AIR IN THE MAIN PART OF OFT HOUSE, AT TIMES WE FOUND ALL OF US IN A AIR-COND BEDROOM , IT WAS TOO HOT IN MAIN PART OF HOUSE, OTHER THAN THAT IT WAS GREAT, WE LOVED THE LITTLE DOG SHASTA, WE WANTED TO BRING HER HOME WITH US, OUR GUIDE JAVERI WAS WONDERFUL- HE MADE OUR ADVENTURES A FUN TIME, I REALLY RECOMMEND HIM FOR ANY TOUR YOUR GOING TO TAKE.. TOMAS AND JANET COOKED FOR US- WONDERFUL CHEFS THEY ARE. GO TO COSTA RICA, YOU'LL HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE. THE STEPHENSON PARTY

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

Guest: The Cross family (Muskegon, Michigan)
Date of Stay: 03/07/10 Review Submitted: 03/07/10

My family(Myself, my wife, son and wife along with 5 month old grand daughter, my daughter and her husband along with his parents, and my sister and a co worker)had the most pleasurable experience of spending 10 glorious days at the villa. It exceeded all our expectations.Unfortunately the time pasted to quickly. The house had all the amenities one could ask for, including an excellant staff. (Tomas and Janet). The meal they cook for us was a true delight.The sunset view over the pool made a splended ending to each day.I am hoping to be able to enjoy another vacation here with my family. If anyone finds a black and blue swim fin while they are at the villa, save it for my return, I hear the sea eventually always gives up it's treasures.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/10 Review Submitted: 02/01/10

Hi Joan,We are finally settling back to reality after a wonderful week at Corazon del Mar. We wanted to thank you for letting us stay at your beautiful home. It was the perfect house for a group of 13 to enjoy and experience the many splendors of Costa Rica. We enjoyed every minute of our vacation, from lounging at the pool, walking the beach, watching the sunsets, dining at the Castillo Bakery to amazing excursions like the Congo Trail Zip Line, the Lazy Lizard Sunset Cruise and the Palo Verde River Cruise where we were able to feed the white faced monkeys (shhh.. this is a big secret!). Please thank Thomas and Janet as they were wonderful hosts, never invasive but always there when you need them. They are fabulous cooks! Thomas makes the best guacamole, which he was kind enough to teach us to make ourselves. The meals they prepared were so delicious! Thank you also Winston for being our taxi to the SuperMarket! It was also a delight to have Sasha and Suzie greet us good morning every day. “This was the best vacation ever” was the quote by many of us during our stay. We had a great time and many laughs! We can’t wait to come back again. There is so much to see and do in Costa Rica. One week just isn’t enough!Pura Vida,The Rada, Zohovetz and Crews Families

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Guest: Cristina Schaffer (La Jolla, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/05/09 Review Submitted: 08/05/09

Joan. Our group just returned home after a fabulous week at Villa Corazon Del Mar. The house is gorgeous. 8 adults, 8 children (ranging from 3 - 12). Each couple had a bedroom and the bigger kids slept in the 5th bedroom upstairs. Can I tell you, there is really no more perfect location than your villa. On the days we stayed around the villa, we would relax on the rocking chairs and keep an eye on the kids at the beach and the little ones in the pool at the same time! Janet and Tomas prepared our breakfasts and dinners for us on several of the days. Their cooking was great. We arrived on Saturday, and on Sunday we walked just 3 minutes along the beach, south of the villa, to the first little hotel. Anyone can enjoy breakfast there, so I'd love to let people know their Sunday brunch was great. I did not catch the name of this hotel. On another day, at low tide, we walked north on the beach to the lava rocks to check out the tide pools. The kids loved it. The Lazy Lizard Catamaran Tour was so wonderful. While we were snorkling, we followed 2 different kinds of sting rays, schools of tropical fish, touched sea stars and sea cucumbers. And on the way home, we sailed next to a couple of sea turtles. Wow! Dervin is fantastic. He was our personal concierge all week. He provided transportation for all 16 of us, booked our tours, and became our "go-to" man. We were not surprised to learn he had a degree in tourism. The river cruise, sport fishing, the Conga Trail Canopy tour, surfing...it was all arranged by Dervin. Each tour was fun and amazing. He was invaluable to our group. He even arranged for a coconut flan to be delivered to the villa for my birthday! At the end of our stay, no one wanted to leave. Thank you, Joan. I am going to share my enthusiasm about our vacation with all of my friends and recommend your villa. Hugs, Joan! Pura Vida.

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Guest: Helen Marshall1 (Chico, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 06/23/09 Review Submitted: 06/23/09

Hi Joan Wow!! What a fabulous vacation!! What a fabulous, beautiful, comfortable and relaxing villa. We enjoyed ourselves so much and everyone that came did too Our childern and there spouses came and my brother in law and sister in law came too. Your home was perfect. We could not of asked for anything better. We were greeting at the airport upon arrival by Dervin, and what a great tour guide. We used his services all week long from going on the Conga Trail, dinner at Las Brias, lunch in Tamarindo, lunch at Dervin's brothers resturant, ocean fishing ( caught 10 Mahi Mahi and 1 swordfish, thus we had 2 wonderful meals cooked by Tomas and Janet) surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, lots of shopping and he even had to take our son-in-law to immedicate care for an ear infection, which Dervin knew where to go. Couldn't of asked for a better tour guide now friend to help us enjoy this vacation. The sunsets were unbelievable!!! The thunder/lightening storms were amazing. The last night there we lost power for at least and hour and Tomas cooked in the dark with candlelight and our flashlights and we ate by flashlights. What fun!! Our childern and us are ready to come back. Thank you very much for the oppurtinity to stay at your villa, what a perfect vacation. I am telling everyone we know that Villa Corazon Del Mar is the only place to stay at in Costa Rica for the perfect vacation. Thanks again Helen & Lance Marshall .

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Guest: kathie4 (missouri)
Date of Stay: 05/27/09 Review Submitted: 05/27/09

We just returned from our stay at the Villa. There were 13 people in my group and we had a great time and plenty of room. Janet and Thomas were great. Always there if you needed them but never intrusive. The sunset from the pool was amazing. We also used Dervin as our guide and he was wonderful. Very well spoken and educated about the country. Great English too. I would go back today if i could but I do plan on going back again in time.

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Guest: Marilyn Marvin (San Diego, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 04/07/09 Review Submitted: 04/06/09

The most magnigicent, spectacular Villa on Flamingo Beach is the Villa del Corzon. Our entire vacation we were pampered by Janet and Tomas with their gracious hospitality and delicious meals prepared with utmost care and attention to presentation and detail. As caretakers of the Villa, they made our stay an absolutely wonderful, extraordinary experience. We enjoyed margaritas by the pool (compliments of Tomas, incredible sunsets while relaxing with a glass of wine in the infinity pool, soothing music to enjoy, internet access (if you must) and movies galore for those nights you want to just tuck in for the evening. Upon the recommendation of our hostess, Joan, we enjoyed many local restaurants with the flare of Costa Rican food or many items to please the palate of your liking. Joan also recommended the Lazy Lizard for a day of snorkeling and we were most impressed with the staff and owner, Brian, who made us feel at home and made the experience the best it could possibly be. A trip down the Tempisque River is a must do for the variety of widelife, crocs, birds, monkeys. You name it and we saw it. Don't miss this experience as you can't believe the nature that is out there on the River. Another hit was Joan's recommendation to hire a personal driver, Derbin, who had a vast knowledge of the history and sites of interest in the area that made our trip so much more interesting and full of events that we would not have known about had it not been for Derbin. Fishing, zip lining, walking the beach, swimming in the bay, kayaking, sunning by the pool or just plain relaxing could not have been more enjoyable. Thank you Joan for the most wonderful vacation of a lifetime, and we will be back to visit Villa del Corzon next year. The Marvins

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/23/09 Review Submitted: 03/23/09

Six of us (3 couples) spent the first week of February at this wonderful villa. Joan was extremely helpful prior to our arrival, recommending places to see, things to do, tour guides (more on that in a moment), even the best insect repellant (though we didn’t really need it during the dry season). We decided not to rent a car and instead hired a gentleman recommended by Joan, named Dervin Suarez (Joan can provide Dervin's contact info) to pick us up at Liberia Airport and drive us to the villa (one hour drive). That was the best decision we ever made as Dervin became our tour guide AND transportation for the entire week. By the end of the week we all wanted to take him home with us – or actually, we wanted to extend our stay in Costa Rica with our new friend. Some of the activities we enjoyed were the Congo Trail Canopy Zip Line, boat tour of the Tempisque River in the Palo Verde National Park (birds, crocs, lizards and monkeys), deep-sea fishing with Dervin, sunset cruise on the Lazy Lizard Catamaran and shopping in Tamarindo. A lot of the driving was on very rugged, dirt roads, so we were glad we didn’t have to drive. It is also a fairly easy 30 minute walk on the beach to Playa Flamingo – lots of restaurants and shops. But we usually got lazy and took a cab back to the villa for $10 US. Best restaurants were: el Castillo (the Castle) bakery & restaurant (5 minute walk) – had live music most nights, filled with locals, tourists and some retirees; Las Brisas – about a 15 minute walk to the north – right on the beach – it’s a hangout for local folks. By the way, all of the local people were the friendliest you could imagine. The Bahia Hotel (3 minute walk on the beach) is a great place for lounging at happy hour, and they have the area’s best generator. And that can be important because there are frequent power outages – so bring lots of flashlights and maybe a few candles with you. Actually, the blackouts quickly became part of the adventure and you really didn’t mind them too much. In fact, it was during an extended outage that Janet and Tomas really came through and cooked us a fantastic mackerel dinner (we caught the fish earlier that day) on their propane stove, lighting provided by a few candles and our flashlights. As others have said, Janet and Tomas are great caretakers – there whenever you need them but they also do their best to leave you alone. It is a great house, plenty of space for all and enough cannot be said about the view from the patio

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/09 Review Submitted: 03/22/09

Six of us (3 couples) spent the first week of February at this wonderful villa. Joan was extremely helpful prior to our arrival, recommending places to see, things to do, tour guides (more on that in a moment), even the best insect repellant (though we didn’t really need it during the dry season). We decided not to rent a car and instead hired a gentleman recommended by Joan, named Dervin Suarez (Joan can provide Dervin's contact info) to pick us up at Liberia Airport and drive us to the villa (one hour drive). That was the best decision we ever made as Dervin became our tour guide AND transportation for the entire week. By the end of the week we all wanted to take him home with us – or actually, we wanted to extend our stay in Costa Rica with our new friend. Some of the activities we enjoyed were the Congo Trail Canopy Zip Line, boat tour of the Tempisque River in the Palo Verde National Park (birds, crocs, lizards and monkeys), deep-sea fishing with Dervin, sunset cruise on the Lazy Lizard Catamaran and shopping in Tamarindo. A lot of the driving was on very rugged, dirt roads, so we were glad we didn’t have to drive. It is also a fairly easy 30 minute walk on the beach to Playa Flamingo – lots of restaurants and shops. But we usually got lazy and took a cab back to the villa for $10 US. Best restaurants were: el Castillo (the Castle) bakery & restaurant (5 minute walk) – had live music most nights, filled with locals, tourists and some retirees; Las Brisas – about a 15 minute walk to the north – right on the beach – it’s a hangout for local folks. By the way, all of the local people were the friendliest you could imagine. The Bahia Hotel (3 minute walk on the beach) is a great place for lounging at happy hour, and they have the area’s best generator. And that can be important because there are frequent power outages – so bring lots of flashlights and maybe a few candles with you. Actually, the blackouts quickly became part of the adventure and you really didn’t mind them too much. In fact, it was during an extended outage that Janet and Tomas really came through and cooked us a fantastic mackerel dinner (we caught the fish earlier that day) on their propane stove, lighting provided by a few candles and our flashlights. As others have said, Janet and Tomas are great caretakers – there whenever you need them but they also do their best to leave you alone. It is a great house, plenty of space for all and enough cannot be said about the view from the patio and pool area. If you wanted to, you could very easily spend all of your time just sitting on the patio, reading a book, sipping a drink, taking an occasional dip in the pool, and marveling at the scenery, especially the sunsets. Pura vida! Campbell, Casteel,More,Niemi families from Texas and Maryland

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 01/29/09

We just returned from the villa a couple weeks ago and what a great experience!! Our group of 13 consisted of my parents, my brother, my sister (along w/ husband and 5 mth old), another sister (w/ husband and 5 yr. old and 2 yr. old), and my husband our 1 yr. old and myself. The villa was the perfect size as everyone stayed in their own master suite with master bathrooms. The villa was a great place to have little kids. The large great room along with the large dining room was a great gathering place for meals. We had Tomas and Janet prepare 4 meals for us all of which were fantastic. We spent most of our time at the villa in the swimming pool and on the beach. It was one of the few vacations that, as we were leaving, we were all trying to determine a time for a return visit. We had high expectations for the Villa and Costa Rica and those expectations were all exceeded. Joan, the owner of the villa, was extremely helpful in answering all questions and helping us line things up leading up to our stay. What a great trip and we'd recommend this villa to anyone who had thoughts of visiting Costa Rica!!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/08 Review Submitted: 12/01/08

WE just returned from a one week stay Nov 15 -22, 2008. There were 4 couples and 2 single girlfriends in our group. The villa was absolutely perfect. The photos do not do the villa justice - much more beautiful in person. Very well appointed, perfect location. Easy walk into town to a wonderful bakery, restaurants and grocery stores. We will be back! Janet and Tomas were great and the meals they prepared were delicious!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/08 Review Submitted: 06/26/08

6/23/08 Just returned from a week at the villa.It was great!Two families of 4 (kids 10-12). We lived at the pool and the beach. Surf was good enough for boogie boarding but not so strong as to scare you. Get fishing poles out early in your visit, yellowtail and barracuda are quite easy to catch..just look for the bubbles. Janet and Tomas were helpful. Arrange for them to cook one night. The power went out an hour before we were due to eat, but no worries. Janet cooked a wonderful meal by propane. Make sure she cooks chicken and get the name of the salsa which rocks. Plenty of room for everyone. Air conditioning in bedrooms helped. Kitchen is well organized but would advise not using Surfside market and drive up to Brastillo market instead. The road to the villa is rough but its only about 5 min. No problems at all finding our way around. Roads were well marked. Big positive was the safety factor. Felt very comfortable at any time of the day or night. Sat outside to watch thunderstorms and on clear nights can see a thousand stars. Use of the lock down room was great, never carried passport with us. Agree with using VISA, no one took much else. Be sure to go to bank in Flamingo and pay departure tax before you hit the airport, much more convienent. All in all, relaxing, well run, beautiful place to stay. Have no worries if you book here. Loved every minute. Thanks to Joan, Janet and Tomas.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/08 Review Submitted: 05/29/08

This place was absolutely AMAZING!! Better than any 5 star hotel I've ever stayed in. My group stayed at Joan's villa for a week for my wedding. Perfect place to have a wedding on the beach if anyone's interested! The sunsets were indescribably magnificent!! The house is furnished and everything you need is in the house! Two of my friends are Chefs in London, so we really didn't take advantage of Tomas and Janet's culinary skills, however, I hired them to cook my reception fiesta!! It turned out even better than I expected!!! Joan is extremely kind and very helpful, as she went out of her way to rescue me during my wedding day because of transportation issues with my wedding coordinator. Nonetheless, Joan was like my guardian angel that day !!! Her acts of kindness reaffirmed my belief in humanity and that even though you might not know someone at all, they can touch your life in the most simplistic way. Thank you Joan for all that you did on my wedding day. You will never really know how much it meant to me. The pool is absolutely amazing, the ocean waves subtle! Right next to Flamingo Beach, and only a 20-30 minute drive to Tamarindo for fun souvenir shopping, this house is perfect if you want privacy or if you want to have fun in the touristy areas! Our group was very depressed the night before we left. NO ONE wanted to leave. Can't say I blame them; it was really the BEST vacation all of us have ever had. Perfect for big groups and still had plenty of privacy. We're already planning our next trip back to the Corazon del Mar!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/20/08

Wow! What can I say?! Just returned home and already thinking about our next trip. The villa was more than we expected. With 12 of us, there was room for at least 5 more! The sunsets every night were spectacular, as was the moon in the evening. Janet & Tomas are wonderful. The birds, lizards, dragonflies, crabs & frogs, kept us entertained. Music and drinks at the pool...the beach 15 seconds away. Most enjoyable time had by all.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 04/01/08

A good time was had by all. Plenty of space and activities for all the adults and kids (14 of us). Tomas did a great job of taking care of us and giving advice while we were at the Villa. We did not use him to arrange all activities. But whenever we needed assistance he was very helpful. Not to mention that he and Janet prepared three dilicious meals for the whole clan. Would difinitely recommend that route for a few dinners at the least. I will echo the comment of my brother (Brian Vos) about the transportation. Some of the activities would have been nigh unto impossible to find had we been driving ourselves. Also, they are not kidding about "Visa, it is everywhere you want to be" since at the Banco de Costa Rica you are out of luck with MasterCard. Also found the ATMs to be without American dollars every time we tried them. All in all a very relaxing and enjoyable vacation.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/31/08

Wonderful house. Our entire family - 14 people in 4 families - spent a week. 6 children from age 8 to 15 had no problem having enough space. Nice options for activities. Enjoyed the Congo Canopy tour and surfing lessons in Tamarindo with Tamarindo Surf Company. Did not rent vehicles and glad we did not. Much easier to get a good driver given lack of clear directions and road signs. Used Riggo (Joan has number) for tranist and he did a great job - speaks very good English. Don't expect bargains on food and drink. Very resort like pricing. Found Tomas and Janet's cooking both better and much more affordable than local restaurants. Talk to Tomas early and he can give you a shopping list for a great dinner every night. For seafood, check in early and locals may be arranged to deliver. Two markets within walking distance - Super Wendy's and Surfside. We found Surfside much better and cleaner. One little hint. Have a Visa for cash needs. Costa Rican ATM and banks do not handle MasterCard very well. Made it difficult to get more cash. Very easy place to relax. Ocean is very temperate and lots of fun. Can't help but enjoy yourself.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/30/08

Your villa was awesome for our family. It gave everyone enough personal space and all the facilities were great. The ocean was a great big playground for the kids, young and old. Tomas and Janet did a great job. Their cooking skills are fabulous. We all loved the dinners they made and the Costa Rican Tacos were a really big hit. We wondered whether we could take them home with us. They were so helpful in answering any questions that we had or where to find certain things in the area. We had a wonderful week and would gladly come back again. Thanks for sharing it.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/08 Review Submitted: 03/04/08

Unbelieveable experience. The house was beautiful. Janet and Tomas were very excellent and made wonderful dinners. Lots to do in the area within walking distance. Would definitely come back again.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/23/08 Review Submitted: 01/23/08

We had a wonderful time in Costa Rica and your home made our stay absolutely perfect! Villa Corazon Del Mar and of course Janet and Thomas were better than advertised! Thomas helped us arrange many events for us. We did the Zip Line called the Congo Trail and loved every minute of it! We rode horses on the beach and went snorkeling off the catamaran as well as the river trip on the Tempesque River. What a thrill to see giant iguana and feed the monkeys all our bananas. We all enjoyed massages at home, more than once, what a luxury! Janet and Thomas cooked Christmas dinner and New Years dinner for us and now we wish we would have had them cook more. They are so delightful. Our granddaughter age 7, loves to cook and they were so generous with her and allowed her to “assist” them. She now is a master at making guacamole! Two of our adult grandkids received their certification for scuba diving during our stay as well. We spent time shopping and went to lunch at many of the local restaurants. We went out to dinner a few times and thoroughly enjoyed the food. Villa Corazon Del Mar is truly a perfect spot, the home was so much nicer than we have experienced before. The sunsets were spectacular and of course we captured all fourteen of them during our stay! The pool made those photos breathtaking! In addition, having our own king size bed and private bath was perfect! The attention to detail in your home is remarkable! We are sharing our photos with friends and we hope to be able to come back to Villa Corazon Del Mar in 2009. We want to thank you for consistently and quickly responding to all our questions and concerns. We were very comfortable knowing that all was taken care of before we left. Thank you for giving our family the opportunity for a truly relaxing and wonderful holiday. Mary Lou and Gordy Johnson

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 01/01/08 Review Submitted: 01/22/08

We had a wonderful time in Costa Rica and your home made our stay absolutely perfect! Villa Corazon Del Mar and of course Janet and Thomas were better than advertised! Thomas helped us arrange many events for us. We did the Zip Line called the Congo Trail and loved every minute of it! We rode horses on the beach and went snorkeling off the catamaran as well as the river trip on the Tempesque River. What a thrill to see giant iguana and feed the monkeys all our bananas. We all enjoyed massages at home, more than once, what a luxury! Janet and Thomas cooked Christmas dinner and New Years dinner for us and now we wish we would have had them cook more. They are so delightful. Our granddaughter age 7, loves to cook and they were so generous with her and allowed her to “assist” them. She now is a master at making guacamole! Two of our adult grandkids received their certification for scuba diving during our stay as well. We spent time shopping and went to lunch at many of the local restaurants. We went out to dinner a few times and thoroughly enjoyed the food. Villa Corazon Del Mar is truly a perfect spot, the home was so much nicer than we have experienced before. The sunsets were spectacular and of course we captured all fourteen of them during our stay! The pool made those photos breathtaking! In addition, having our own king size bed and private bath was perfect! The attention to detail in your home is remarkable! We are sharing our photos with friends and we hope to be able to come back to Villa Corazon Del Mar in 2009. We want to thank you for consistently and quickly responding to all our questions and concerns. We were very comfortable knowing that all was taken care of before we left. Thank you for giving our family the opportunity for a truly relaxing and wonderful holiday. Mary Lou and Gordy Johnson

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/07 Review Submitted: 12/28/07

We visited this magnificent home in December of 2007. The weather was perfect and the house is absolutely wonderful. A great location, lots of privacy, and you simply cannot beat the superb hospitality of caretakers, Janet & Thomas. Joan (the owner) is a pleasure to work with and will share much valuable information, answer questions, and give some great tips for getting around. She is very prompt and thorough in her responses. Some of the places we particularly enjoyed were Las Brisas on Weds (amazing how that place fills up with all of the locals - especially the waiters & waitresses that we had seen days prior!), Il Forno in Brasilito (amazing Italian food at very fair prices), the Ice Cream spot in the Italian Village in Playa Potrero, and Mar y Sol (the delicious French restaurant with the most friendliest of waiters) in Flamingo. I also must mention the incredible river boat tour we took on the Tempesque River to hand feed the white-faced monkeys and capture unbelievable photos of the crocs! Paradise. We cannot wait for our next visit in 2008!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/07 Review Submitted: 11/28/07

The house, the owner, the caretakers, the location, and the locals are incredible. We used the house as a luxurious base camp from which members of our large group could leave for day trips at will or simply lounge in the comfort of the villa. Unlike many vacation rentals, this villa is tastefully decorated and meticulously cleaned inside and out daily. The caretakers are attentive, friendly, and will give you as much privacy and space as you want, but are always nearby if you need something. I would recommend this rental to anyone.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/07 Review Submitted: 11/23/07

Wow!!! This home is a treat for anyone who is fortunate to stay here. Literally, the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Extremely well decorated, and spacious. Tomas and Janet are simply the best people that you have never met yet. Once you do, you will realize what great people they are. Music outside while swimming and drinking can't but help relax you while you are staying here. The beach is only a few steps away from the pool. Joan is very quick in responding to emails, before and after you get to her house. She gave us great advice in what to do while we were in Costa Rica. She is awesome.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/01/07 Review Submitted: 10/30/07

I would recommend this villa to anyone. We just returned from our trip in Potrero and it was just absolutely awesome. Tomas and Janet are the best and cook some delicious food. Try the Hacienda Guacheplin Canopy Tour just outside of Liberia it is awesome. If you need any info. just contact via email

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 08/01/07 Review Submitted: 08/15/07

These are superb accomodations: each bedroom has its own spacious bathroom, the central living and eating area are more than ample, and the outside area and its view of the water is great. This is a new house with no next-door neighbors. Our group of 10 was there in mid-July, 2007, and included my wife and our college-age daughter and teenage son; our oldest daughter, her husband and 18-mo. old daughter, and good friends from Dusseldorf, Germany and their teenage daughter. The house is large enough that all of us had the space we needed, whether it was a bedroom, the "common area" or the outside/pool area. Tomas and Jeanette are gracious and agreeable caretakers. The house is well located and it's easy to get to the other Guanacaste beach towns and good surfing spots. It's approximately 3.5 hours to the Monteverde Cloud Forest if you want to explore another great part of Costa Rica. And last but not least is Joan, the owner. She is helpful and very prompt in her responses. All in all: one great, professionally-managed package.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 03/01/07 Review Submitted: 03/16/07

We stayed here about a month ago. It is fantastic......beyond words. I don't think you can find a better place to stay! Tomas and Janet are wonderful!!! Tomas makes you feel so safe and secure. You walk out the back door to the pool, and walk another fifty steps and you are at the ocean. It is quite, peaceful, and the most beautful place I have been. I can hardly wait to go back. I have recommended this villa to several people. Tomas and Janet will help you plan your adventures, and even arrange them for you. My husband and I went with my sister, my son, my daughter-in-law and my granddaughter. The place was so big you never got in each other's way. Each room has its own bath, and the kitchen bar is gigantic!!! My only advice is to find the grocery store called Masai. It is very close to the villa, and has a much bigger selection, as well as being much cheaper than the Surfside Market or Wendys. Also, the owner is fantastic to work with, and will answer all your emails promptly. She was very helpful when we were getting ready to go and I had questions about the villa or the area. You can not find nicer people to work with than Joan, Tomas, and Janet. If you have never booked a villa online before and are worried, don't be. This is everything advertised and more!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/07 Review Submitted: 02/15/07

We stayed at the Villa Jan 15-29. What an amazing place !!! I would recommend to anyone. The only thing I would let people know is they should bring their own cooking spices, tea bags, etc. Stuff you will need and is small and easy to pack. As some things are hard to find at the small grocery stores and there is nothing at the house when you arrive. It did work out great having the Surfside deliver all our drink and food neccessities to get us started prior to arrival, but with 10 adults we went thru that pretty quick. The Villa was truly our private resort, everything you would want is at the house. The beach is great for walking. Janet & Thomas were very helpful. They cooked us an amazing dinner, this was $70.00 for the group of 12. They made the dinner suggestions and we had to go purchase the groceries early that day for their preparation. The favourite outting was the Lazy Lizard Catamaran/Snorkel/Sunset Cruise. We wished we had done it sooner, so we could have gone again. It went to beautiful blue water for snorkelling and swimming at a secluded beach. It was also an all-you-can-eat-and-drink event. Worth every penny. We also did the Congo Trail Canopy Tour and the River Boat Ride to see monkeys and other wildlife. Make sure you do your shopping before going to the airport. Not much to choose from there and no alcohol to purchase for bringing home.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 12/01/06 Review Submitted: 12/06/06

Thank you Joan! We could not have imagined how wonderful our wedding at Corazon Del Mar would be. The breath taking sunsets by the pool gave us all a reason to just sit and talk,enjoy a glass of wine while the kids played. We enjoyed all of the sights, sounds, and out door activities. Tomas and Janet were more than gracious and helpful. Bartending,cooking,and travel agent, they coverd it all. Our wedding and reception was wonderful!Janet and Tomas prepared a beautiful table and amazing food. They took great care of all nine of us and we are truly grateful.We can't say enough good about the Villa, Tomas and Janet, and the people of Costa Rica. Thank you Joan for creating such a wonderful place to spend time with family and friends, you have thought of everything. Very Truly, Matt & Michelle Baumgarten

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/06 Review Submitted: 11/17/06

We had a wonderful time. There were 10 of us and had lots of room. Janet and Tomas are the best. I think you should go to this wonderful home if you go to Cost Rica. Contact me if you want more info. Thank you, Shannon

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 11/01/06 Review Submitted: 11/03/06

My friends and I was there from 10-23-06 till 10-30 we had a great time. The Villa was superior to most that I have stayed at in the 10 years of rent Villas in the Caribe. The Staff are marvelous and can't do enough for you. What a chef Tomas is with the help of Janet his wife. Joan was great as she greeyt us when we arrived since she was in Costa Rica at the same time. I would definate rent this Villa again. Thank for agreat vacation. Jerry

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 09/01/06 Review Submitted: 09/04/06

We just returned a mere two days ago from a most wonderful vacation in Costa Rica at this amazing home. We felt so lucky to have found such a place. To make the vacation even better my boyfriend of 4 years proposed to me on the edge of the infinity pool during sunset! It was truly spectacular. There were 7 of us which was more than enough room. It was very difficult to leave the house everyday as it has everything you need right there. Not one day went by where we did not sit, wade or swim in the pool for a few hours. Janet and Tomas whipped up a few meals for us including some very spicy Mahi Mahi which was exquisite. He also makes the tastiest homemade Pina Coladas. During the day we went on a few excursions some of which I highly recommend including Congo canopy tours, Lazy Lizard snorkeling/sailing cruise and horseback riding. Our final day we treated ourselves to a masseuse who came to the house, Carlos. Pay special attention to the guest book that comes with the house - great recommendations in there. We went during Green Season (rainy season) which was not bad in the slightest. It did rain everyday but sometimes for 5 minutes and other times during the night - did not effect the trip at all. We loved every minute of the trip!

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 07/01/06 Review Submitted: 07/28/06

We spent the most wonderful week in Costa Rica at this breathtaking Villa, during the first week of July 2006. Words can not describe the beautiful surroundings, spectacular sunsets, and the gorgeous home we experienced. There were 10 (5 adults and 5 children) of us in this spacious home. There was so much to do here: we rode horses on the beach, went on a canopy / zip line tour, held monkeys and snakes, went snorkeling / sailing on a sunset cruise, and went white water rafting. We went to the beach in Tamarindo and the kids boogie boarded. Of course we went kayaking and boogie boarded at our own beach at the villa. We felt as if we had our own private beach. It was wonderful. We loved the hospitality of Janet and Tomas. They cooked dinner for us a couple of nights and gave us "cooking lessons" one night. They are truly the jewel of the Villa. Joan was very helpful in our planning of this trip. By the end of the week, we all felt that we had a wonderful time and did not want to leave. We all agreed that we must return to Costa Rica and especially to this wonderful paradise at this villa. Pura Vida, From the Erbe family, the Toy Family, and Grandma Barbara.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 06/01/06 Review Submitted: 06/25/06

Just got back from the Villa Corazon Del Mar 6/22/06. Can't say enough about our first trip to Costa Rica and the villa was absolutely incredible. The view of the sunsets from the negative edge pool were spectacular. Janet & Tomas were the best, in fact, we all wanted to take them home with us. We had them cook several meals and Thomas served us many pina coladas in the pool. There were 5 couples in our group and everyone was very pleased with their rooms. We had two rental cars and were glad we did because we explored quite a bit and didn't find a lot of places within walking distance from the home. Would definitely recommend going fishing. Our group of 10 went out on the Griphon (51 ft boat) with Jesus and caught 4 sailfish and a dorado. I also can't say enough about the service that I received from Joan, the owner, while planning our trip.... extremely responsive and great to work with. She even helped us find a fishing boat to accommodate our large group. We are looking forward to coming back to enjoy this piece of paradise that we have now discovered.

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Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 05/01/06 Review Submitted: 05/12/06

We had a wonderful stay at the villa last month. It was perfectly sized for our group, six adults and seven kids (ages 1-7). The highlights of our trip: * The pool: it was clearly designed with small kids in mind. The shallow end was the right depth for the non-swimmers, and it remained in the shade almost the entire morning. We enjoyed the swim up bar, where we enjoyed frozen drinks more than once! * Tomas and Janet: They were pleasant and accomdating of every request, but never TOO present. They helped us answer numerous small and sundry questions that made our first visit to Costa Rica easy. * The location: We enjoyed being right on the beach, a short walk from the hotel and bakery, and close proximity to Liberia and Nicaragua. For the moderately adventurous, ask the locals how to take the "Monkey Trail" back to Liberia. It cuts the trip to the airport to 45-50 minutes, is passable during dry season by all manner of vehicles, and has fantastic views at the top.

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