Open & Airy Design - Poolside View
Location: Manuel Antonio, Manuel Antonio Area, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Central America (At Hotel Byblos turn right off main road, 300 mtrs south) View Map
Accommodations: House, 4 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 5.5 Baths (Sleeps 8-12)
Casa Mono Congo is a handicapped accessible, green-powered, modern 4-bedroom, 5.5 bathroom 3,500 square foot vacation home built with the Costa Rican wildlife AND you in mind. Our home is nestled in the jungle with visits from three types of monkeys, sloths, lizards, iguanas, toucans & numerous varieties of birds, butterflies and other exotic wildlife. The howler monkeys sleep in the trees above our home. The white-face monkeys & squirrel monkeys visit our terraces and steal bananas from the kitchen!
To enjoy our ecological paradise, we have built our home with bi-functional renewable energy from wind and sun. Solar panels generate electricity in the daytime and a wind-generator generates electricity from the ocean breezes. We are also connected to the local electric company so when we produce more electricity than we use, we send it back to the grid and when there is little sun and no wind we use electricity stored in our batteries or from the grid (most of Costa Rica's energy is produced from hydro-generators.)
When you stay in our home you will have all of the comforts of your home. Our home offers 3 levels of living space. The common areas include a social area with a 42-inch plasma flat screen television and a dining area that seats 8 people comfortably. The 3rd floor includes a covered terrace with bar area that includes a mini-fridge and ice machine. The fully equipped kitchen has top of the line stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and an island breakfast bar. Amenities include aa full-size refrigerator, icemaker, dishwasher, oven, microwave, stovetop, coffee maker & grinder, blender juicer, toaster, dinnerware and utensils. Everything you need to prepare meals or be served meals by one of our outstanding chefs/cooks.
Our home has 4 bedrooms each with a Swiss Comfort Sleep System euro-king bed using NASA technology mattresses. These beds are electronically adjustable to fit the individual sleeper. Each bedroom also has a walk-in closet, bathroom, outdoor balcony and a flat screen LCD television. Our home also has 2 sofas that convert to large twin+ beds (sleeping 1 adult or 2 small children) and we also will provide an additional bed for the master bedroom suite if the number of guests is 11-12. The maximum number of guests allowed is 12.
The main floor terrace includes a 27' x 9' pool and room to relax in the sun or shade. You will be hidden away in our lushly landscaped property and enjoy total privacy as you listen to the Pacific Ocean and stargaze while you relax. Use the BBQ gas grill to prepare the fish you caught while deep-sea fishing earlier in the day.
The temperatures are generally in the 80s F during the day and 70F at night, but Art Cool air conditioning is available in the bedrooms if you feel the need to use it. Local telephone service, a computer and broadband (high speed) are now available for our guests at no additional charge. We also provide WiFi capabilities from our computer to your laptops for emailing your envious friends from our pool or terrace!
Daily maid service (Mon-Sat) is provided and a multi-lingual house manager is available to welcome you, assist you with tour planning or meet any of your vacation needs. A washer and dryer are on site, and the maid will do your laundry if you ask for an extra fee.
Casa Mono Congo is located on a private side road but near restaurants, beautiful beaches, shopping and nightlife. When you schedule tours, they will deliver you to and from our home. If you rent a vehicle, parking is provided. Taxis and buses are abundant on the main road, if you decide not to rent a vehicle.
Manuel Antonio is a 3 hour drive through mountains and along coastline from San Jose. Because of current bridge construction in Parrita (nearing completion as of Sept-09), we recommend flying SANSA. SANSA offers several flights daily from San Jose to Quepos, 20 minutes by air.
Casa Mono Congo is the perfect Costa Rican getaway. To complete your adventure, consider our All Inclusive Package. Book your tickets to San Jose and we take care of the rest, including domestic airfare, rental cars, tours, in-house meals, spa treatments and anything else you may request. With this package, make three easy payments via credit card to us and we take care of ALL of the details that normally would distract you from your vacation time. We will customize the package for your group. Ask for our All Inclusive Package quote.
For larger groups of 12-21, Casa Mono Congo may also be rented in combination with our other vacation rental home Casa Mono Titi. See VRBO listing #170940 for additional details. We are the owners of these 2 homes and we are not a "here today, gone tomorrow" management company.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Air Conditioning: Modern wallunit A/C units in all bedrooms. Fantastic ocean breeze throughout our home. Ceiling fans in every room.
- Washer (2) : Laundry service or self-self laundry available.
- Dryer
- Linens Provided: High quality all cotton high thread count linens. Bath and beach towels provided.
- Off Street Parking: Spaces for 2 rental cars
- Beds
- King Bed (4) : Electronic NASA technology beds that raise/lower head/foot. Think hospital bed with a great view but without being sick.
- Convertible Bed (2) : We provide 2 futon sofa bed and a high-quality bed-height air mattress for a maximum occupancy of 12 persons.
- Crib: Portable crib available upon request.
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV (5)
- DVD
- CD Player (4)
- Stereo System
- Private Pool
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: Fully equipped kitchen with Stainless Steel appliances including refrigerator, stove/oven, dishwasher, coffee maker & grinder, juicer, toaster, can opener, pots & pans & utensils.
- Cooking Utensils Provided: Everything you need to prepare a meal or hire a chef/cook.
- Refrigerator: Side-by-side stainless steel with ice maker & water dispenser
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Ice Maker
- Catering Available: We have an excellent selection of menus and chefs/cooks to select for an in-house dinner.
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio
- Balcony
- View/Location
- Ocean View: 180 degree ocean and mountain view
- Mountain View: 180 degree ocean and mountain view
- Communications
- Telephone (5)
- Computer: Mac desktop with broadband connection.
- Broadband Internet: Broadband is now available to our guests at no additional cost.
- WiFi (Wireless Internet): Our computer is equipped with WiFi capabilities enabling you to use your laptops at anytime anywhere in our home.
- Other Amenities
- Art Cool Air Conditioning, 42" Plasma Flatscreen TV, LCD Flatscreens in each bedroom, Full Kitchen with Stainless Steel appliances, Mini-Fridge, 100% Cotton high TC Linens, Swiss Comfort Electronic beds
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Handicapped Accessible (may have limitations): No steps from the driveway to our home and throughout the main floor including the terrace, pool area, common areas and 2 bedrooms & bathrooms.
- Wheelchair Accessible (may have limitations): No steps from the driveway to our home and throughout the main floor including the terrace and pool area. A pool ledge on terrace and in the pool for easy access.
- Kid Friendly: Like most of Costa Rica, be aware of heights. Also, all insects & reptiles should not be touched. Small children should always be supervised, no matter where you stay in Costa Rica.
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters: Groups must include at least one person over 25 years old.
- Smoking Not Allowed: Smoking allowed on outside terraces only. Absolutely no smoking in the bedrooms or inside common areas.
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Rafting
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Parasailing
- Jet Skiing
- Swimming
- Snorkeling/Diving
- Surfing
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Horseback Riding
- Other Activities
- Jungle Canopy Tours (zip lines), 4x4 ATV Tours, Rainmaker Tour (suspension bridges), Manuel Antonio National Park Tours (with or without a guide)
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
Dec-Apr...$100 pp pn... $800/night ... $5600/week (5 night minimum)
May-Nov... $75 pp pn... $600/night ... $4200/week (3 night minimum)
Rates are valid for groups of 8 persons.
Each additional person is $100 pp per night Dec-Apr, $75 pp per night May-Nov.
Discounts are available for smaller groups, extended stays & return guests.
No additional taxes or hidden fees apply.
No additional charges for holiday weeks.
Christmas 09 (24-26 Dec only) is available, New Years 09-10 is reserved.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Credit Cards Accepted:
Map & Owner's Profile
Casa Mono Congo - Magical, Colorful, Memorable Experience
Year Purchased: 2005
Why the Owner Chose Manuel Antonio
We chose Manuel Antonio because it provides more flora & fauna diversity than any other location in Costa Rica. The climate in Manuel Antonio is near perfection no matter what time of year you visit. Even in the driest month of April, the flora is green and fresh, unlike to the northwest area of the country. Guests comment that they see more wildlife from our terraces than from any other location during their vacations. Everyone wants to return but 20% of our guests DO RETURN & they are our best advertisers.
The Unique Benefits at this House
Like many homes in Manuel Antonio, our homes sit on the hillside between Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park, overlooking the jungle and Pacific Ocean. However, unlike most other homes, we are on the very edge of the unspoiled jungle (see map) and your view has no other homes, roads, electrical lines or other obstacles to distract you. The monkeys, sloth & birds come right to our terraces & trees. The photo opportunities and memories are incomparable.
We hope you select one or both of our homes for your stay and have the experience we have had that led us to move to Costa Rica.
Turn right in front of Hotel Byblos. 300 meters and turn left at first driveway. Take driveway to Casa Mono Congo & Geminis del Pacifico.
Owner's Map of Manuel Antonio
Map is best viewed using Hybrid option. Our home is 400 meters off the main road and roughly 1600 meters (1 mile) from the beach "as the toucan flies".
Prior to living in Costa Rica, we lived in Chicago and owned a residential rental property business for 12 years. Suffering through many Chicago winters, it was an easy transition from the residential rental business up North to vacation rentals in Costa Rica. We built a home near Puriscal in the mountains of Costa Rica in 2006 and sold our final property in Chicago in 2007 completing our permanent move here. Although, we live in the mountains about 1 hour from San Jose, we visit our beach homes in Manuel Antonio when they are available to us.
We are actively involved in the communities of Manuel Antonio and Puriscal. We sponsored the purchase and installation of a 10-computer lab for the local elementary school in Piedades. We are currently providing full university scholastic scholarships to 5 local neighborhood youth. We have sponsored several local football teams with uniforms. We are active members of several ecological conservation groups. We love Costa Rica and believe in giving back as much or more than we receive from living in our new adopted country.
Property Photos
- Open & Airy Design - Poolside View - Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica Rental Home
- The 27' x 9' Pool & Main Floor Terrace - Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica Rental Home
- Modern Kitchen with Stainless Steel Appliances & Much More - Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica Rental Home
- Private Terraces with the Bedrooms - Great Views of Pacific & Jungle
- Pacific Ocean & Jungle Views from Main Floor Bedroom
- Even the Bathrooms are Impressive
- Awesome Pacific Ocean view from the 3rd Floor Terrace
- The male Mono Congo - They live in our Trees!
- View from Kitchen to Terrace - Hide the bananas from the monkeys!
- Dining Room View - Excellent Cook Available for Meals
- Canopy View from Staircase - Great Location for Monkey, Sloth & Bird Watching
- View of Gardens when You First Arrive - Only the Beginning of Your Stay
- Rain showers with a view of the Pacific Ocean
- Handicap equipped. No steps from the driveway to the entire main floor
- The reason we are Casa Mono Congo - Howler Monkeys in the tree above our terrace
- Handicap-accessible bathroom - an amenity not often found in Costa Rica
Guest Comments (29)
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #72994
There have been 331 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset in 2009.
This listing was first published here in 2005.
Date last modified - October 22, 2009
Positive Rating
Martin and Mary Jo , Cooper City, Florida
Positive Rating
Bill Regan , Ocean City, Maryland
Positive Rating
What an amazing time! We have fallen in love with Costa Rica. This vacation felt like pure luxury. From the hot stone massage at Spa Uno to the ziplining through the rain forest to lounging on the beach with full service or the day trip on a catamaran with snorkeling and an open bar! We love our friends the monkeys especially the one we named Stumpy (he had no tail!). All the local restaurants were great and the people couldn’t be nicer. Casa Mono Congo is a special place that we dread to leave, but can’t wait to return to ASAP! Pete & Terry, thank you so much! We had the time of our lives. Thank you for your generosity.
Positive Rating
Sally, Shelley, Erin & Hunter could not have had a better vacation. Why did we wait so long to visit? Work – that’s what – but you can bet we won’t wait that long again! Much needed rest and relaxation. The view is spectacular from the house. Having our morning coffee and watching the ocean – listening to the howler monkeys and just observing nature at its best is the best way to start one’s day. The 4 of us braved our fears and did the Canopy tour and we’re fortunate enough to experience it while I rained on us. What a rush! We decided to do the dolphin boat rip, but Shelley got extremely seasick and had to be taken back to shore via the raft motor boat. Not the experience we had hoped for – but an experience indeed. By the end of the week our butts and calves were pretty used to the slep back up the hill. The first couple of days were, let’s say exhilarating. All of the restaurants were excellent – good food and drinks and friendly people wherever we went. We loved Agua Azul. They let us sit at a table for 5 hours and ate and drank. Thank you so much for this wonderful vacation – we are truly grateful. Next time we’re bringing the rest of the family – sans Shelley’s mom who’s walker isn’t conducive to these elements. We will be back for sure and we’ll talk this up to all of our friends as a must do!
Positive Rating
We just returned home from a week at Casa Mono Congo. We are a group of 7 aging from 19 to 63. Anyone considering a visit to this area could not find a more fantastic home for their vacation. It has the perfect location and views not to be outdone anywhere in the area. We were thrilled when we were visited by a family of Titi Monkeys on our terrace. We also had sloth in the trees above us and Howler Monkeys talking to us every morning and evening. There are no better hosts than Terry and Pete, and Thomas the House Manager will see to your every need. We had their chefs prepare dinner for us one night, and it was absolutely the best meal of the entire trip. We sent the menu in advance and every course was incredible. We wish we had done it more than once. This home lives up to everything advertised and more. We hope someday to return. Somehow a little piece of Costa Rica stays with you. Do yourself a favor, come here and make memories.
Positive Rating
After leaving 10+ inches of fresh snow on Easter morning, we began our journey from Chicago to Quepos. We flew in from San Jose and landed at Quepos airport. After a long day of travel, we arrived at our beautiful jungle paradise, Casa Mono Congo. The house is beautiful, the views breathtaking (even though we agree some trees need to be cut down to fully enjoy the view). We were all jolted out of bed the first morning at 4 AM by a welcome from our friends, the howler monkeys. Had many wonderful experiences – bus rides, deep sea fishing (caught a sail fish!), Spa Uno, Jungle Canopy (a must do experience). Sunset Sail Dinner Cruise (lots of fun), walk on the beach & Jet Skis (great time). The white face monkeys loved to drink out of the pool and cool their tails & hands off. The squirrel monkeys provided lots of entertainment, chasing & playing with each other. They were very friendly and provided lots of memories. The babies were adorable, hanging on to the moms for dear life as they swung from tree to tree. All the staff was wonderful. The food prepared and served by Marisol & Israel was exceptional. We do suggest NOT walking to the Blue Monkey. It is much further than it appears. Renting a car makes the hill much more tolerable (especially after a few “happy juices”). A great time had by all!! Good times, good friends, great memories!!
Positive Rating
Night #1 3:30 AM. What in the world? If we didn’t already suspect what howler monkeys sound like, we’d have thought that this is Jurassic Park: The Reality Show. The monkeys revealed themselves at 5:30 AM. There is not much else I would wake a sleeping 5 year old for! Not in the world! But this was worth it. The only thing better so far was the breakfast prepared by Marisol & Israel or maybe the Canopy Safari or perhaps 4 kids dancing in the rain on the veranda for the sheer joy of it!
Positive Rating
Costa Rica – Pura Vida! Had a great time – how could anything else be possible? The monkeys were a hit and the birds provided hours of entertainment. Your staff is top rate. Marisol’s dinner was superb. A beautiful setting – we appreciated the attention to detail. Thanks for providing an opportunity for such a great vacation!
Positive Rating
Just wanted to let you know that we had a GREAT time in Costa Rica. Casa Mono Congo was amazing and I couldn't imagine staying anywhere else. Everyone was great... Eugenia did a great job... Herminio was too funny. Jim speaks pretty fluent Spanish and couldn't understand a word the little man said! We met tons of fun people... we would go over to Big Ruby's for Happy Hour. We made great friends with some of the people staying there and we loved the bartender Paolo - he was so sweet. Our favorite restaurant was Agua Azul - and by the end of our stay - Paige (the owner) was giving us hugs and kisses as we came in! It was so fun! We went to Playitis maybe 3 or 4 days.... one day - we mistimed the high tide and it was treacherous coming back over but we made it unscathed! We spent most of the time on the main beach which was fine, and just as much fun. Overall - the weather was great, the only day that we didn't have any sun was the day we went white water rafting, so that was totally fine. The Canopy Safari Tour was a blast too! As for restaurants... we had Thanksgiving dinner at Plinio and it was excellent. We also went to El Avion (across from Big Ruby's) and we thought that was really good. Had breakfast either at Paul's Place or Cafe Milagro and liked them both a lot. One night was had drinks and appetizers out on the deck at Barba Roja for the sunset - that was nice. We also made a few runs to the market in Quepos during the week - so we cooked a few breakfasts/lunches. We ate at Si Como No one night. That was really good too. Everyone had a great time!
Positive Rating
Thank you so very much for use of your beautiful home. Wow! Our days began with beautiful sunrises and coffee on the deck followed by days filled with fun and adventure with our 4 teenagers. There were no “I’m bored” comments which is a miracle unto itself! The beach was wonderful and the monkeys delightful. Our meals at the house were absolutely delicious and we are leaving much heavier than we came. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! We love Costa Rica and will be back. Gratefully,