Vacation Rentals by Owner

Comfortable Stay in Samara

Guest: JAY (RALEIGH, NC, USA)
Date of Stay: 01/08/12 Review Submitted: 03/19/12

I have rented several homes in Costa Rica over the past few years but this was the first time I have stayed in Samara Beach. As a single traveler, Casa Mango met all of my needs. It is conveniently located about 1 mile from the main street in downtown Samara. As with most properties in Costa Rica, a car is usually a necessity but from Casa Mango it is still possible to navigate to the the beach and other attractions on foot. Casa Mango was very comfortable and the owners of the multi-dwelling property were extremely friendly and were very receptive to all requests and inquiries. Having been a regular to CR, I am quite familiar with the heat and native insects. Casa Mango, while not air conditioned, has numerous ceiling and table fans and receives a cool breeze in the evening. Apart from the usual suspects, insects were not a problem and I cannot recall even getting a single mosquito bite inside the house. The property is nicely landscaped and there is a pool that sits between Casa Mango and Casa Papaya. Both the property and the pool are well maintained. The owners are very aware of conservation and "green" efforts. Costa Rica is a fairly safe country but one still needs to be aware that petty theft is still a possibility especially if one leaves valuables in their car or on the beach. Casa Mango is a gated property and I always felt extremely safe. The house itself has multiple external and internal door locks as well as a safe to store valuables. Given that I was travelling with multiple computers and other valuables, I was extremely pleased that these could always be safely stored. Although the house itself is small, the owners arranged for twice-weekly cleaning and change of linens. The bedroom was extremely cozy and the constant fresh linens were a nice touch. Perhaps the best part of the property was the fantastic view of the ocean from the front porch. Playa Samara and playa Carrillo are two of the most scenic beaches in the Nicoya Peninsula. There is no TV but one does not go to CR to stay inside. The WiFi Internet connection was spotty at first but the owners went out of their way to upgrade the router and contact the cable company to ensure the best service possible. I was able to use my laptop on the front porch and in the bedroom. To sum up, I enjoyed a very comfortable and leisure stay as guests of Lavae and Steve. They were very receptive to my needs!

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

More than meets the eye.

Guest: Phyllis (Canada)
Date of Stay: 02/01/11 Review Submitted: 03/04/11

This review is about the accommodation at Casa Mango not about the activities in the area. Where relevant I will use excerpts from the owners’ description to comment. “Your casa was designed for comfort in the tropics” “Sea breezes keep the house cool” Not really the case. At Casa Mango, the sea breezes are stifled at night when you are trying to get to sleep by having to close the commercial glass doors to keep wildlife out. Unlike many places in this price range Casa Mango does not provide AC in the bedroom meaning that you will be trying to get to sleep when it is still about 85F / 30C . The ceiling fans do not cut it. “fewer bugs” “All windows screened” The screens are ill-fitting and most are torn in places permitting easy access to a range of small but very nasty biting insects. (If you react badly to mosquitoes you are in for real problems here.) Mosquito nets are provided though they have holes. Most importantly, the front double doors have no screens. This undermines whatever good the poor screening can accomplish. Its over 90F / 33C each day so garbage handling is important. Guests are required to take their garbage to a central container in the rancho – the common lounging area - where it sits in the sun all day and often it isn’t picked up for days producing a really rank atmosphere for the guests. The housekeeper gives you a card saying when she will be around next. But, in the four weeks we were here she was on schedule only twice out of eight scheduled times. “Fully equipped kitchen” “Save money and cook at home” Actually, the kitchen comes with an aging gas range, a tiny bar fridge that has a hard time keeping up with the heat and thrift shop kitchen implements that are near the end of their “useful” life. Beware the guard dog! This is a warning to those who are uncomfortable around dogs. You will be visited by a dog at random times. This was not advertised on the site by the owners. Finally, not to appear fussy, but when we were contemplating a stay in the jungle we were imagining interesting jungle noises: howler monkeys, squawking parrots and the like. Instead, the most prominent noises came from several roosters and several large dogs. The roosters, who lived within yards of us engaged in regular crowing contests which, in turn, started the dogs barking. Expect to hear them every morning starting at 4:00 and continuing through the day.

Owner response:First of all we encourage you to read all reviews both here and at our listing on VRBO. We are sorry these renters had some negative comments but they made no comments to us while they were here, for a month. We live on the property and are anxious to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Cooling: There are many screened louvered windows and vents, besides the French doors, to let in circulating air. Every room has a paddle fan and there are additional standalone fans in the house. In an attempt to “keep green” and protect this fragile environment, we are committed to no AC – we don’t have AC in our own house which is on the property. This is clearly stated in our ads, the energy cost discount is reflected in our rates, and most guests find sleeping comfortable. Kitchen: All of the appliances work. A gas range is the standard in Costa Rica and is only 5 years old. Although they might not be high end, kitchen utensils are provided to cover any cooking need. As well there is an outdoor barbecue provided. Garbage and odors: Costa Rica is still a third world country without infrastructure. In order to reduce our impact on the landfill, we ask renter s to separate garbage into organics for composting, clean paper for burning, recyclables and finally garbage. Odor is not a problem if organic items are not mixed in with “garbage”, which is collected by the municipalidad only weekly. We’ll try to monitor this more closely but we depend on our guests to help manage the refuse. There are small refrigerators in each house with a full size one in the rancho to share. Dog: Miga, although young and energetic, is a well trained watch dog – not a guard dog. She’s not aggressive – she’s actually quite shy. Roosters: We are working with our neighbors to eliminate the noise from next door. However, farm noises are common in a developing country such as Costa Rica. Downtown you might have disco and traffic noise – on the hill we have a different night sound. As a reminder, this is a vacation house, not a hotel suite - we have no daily staff. Our rates are lower than hotel rooms or high end villas in and around town. We depend on our guests to report any needs to us and we appreciate all comments.

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Casa Mango was great.

Guest: Bill & Kathy
Date of Stay: 01/31/11 Review Submitted: 03/07/11

Gracias a todo! Casa mango was great. We spent one week here while taking Spanish clases in Carrillo. We enjoyed visiting with our hosts, Steve and Lavae. They were great! We like the architecture of Mango and Papaya – the colors are great. Wonderful mornings having coffee on the deck and sunsets overlooking the ocean were terrific too! We are off to Carrillo for one week for more Spanish, a river tour with Popo’s and perhaps turtles too. This afternoon at low tide we are heading out to the island in sea kayaks with Christian our guide form the little shop down the hill (Tico Tours). From here to Osa Penninsula (our next adventure). Saludos & Pura Vida! Bill, Kathy & Jordan, Fort Collins, CO January 2011

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Puesto stupendo!

Guest: Juergen S.
Date of Stay: 01/07/11 Review Submitted: 03/07/11

Mucho bonito – lovely place – wunderbar – un puest o stupendo Good restaurants are : Esmeralda & El Lagarto There is bad visibility for diving – you will see nothing. Ask for the fishermen to buy cheap fish. gain. Lovely sunrise at the Beach Carrillo – best be careful of the mosquitos there in this time. Try the Costa Rica Ron Centenario :) We hope for coming back. Adios – byebye – Ale luego – ciao Juergen From South Tyrol (Italy)

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Jewell in the Rough!

Guest: Tony and Melissa
Date of Stay: 10/15/10 Review Submitted: 03/07/11

Jewell in the rough! Can’t wait to come back to live . . . . We’ll keep in touch – Thanks for the most relaxing atmosphere – Tony & Melissa, Florida

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I love it here.

Guest: Shayla H
Date of Stay: 09/19/10 Review Submitted: 03/07/11

I love it here. It has been a memorable experience for me! Thank you Miga (the owners 15 month old puppy) for your wonderful company, it’s been great! And thank you Steve and Lavae for everything, the glass fusing was really iceing on the cake! I also loved goinG to the school and seeing the kids and Carrillo was AMAZING! Thanks again steve and lavae! This place rocks. Shayla H., Whitehorse, YT, Canada

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Relaxing oasis

Guest: Tami & Scott Hamilton
Date of Stay: 09/19/10 Review Submitted: 03/07/11

El Mango has been a comfortable and relaxing oasis for us for the past two weeks. Steve and Lavae have been wonderful accommodating hosts and Miga a welcome friend. We will be back! Thank you for everything. Shayla and I had a wonderful time at the school, the experience, the kids, and the education it provided will never be forgotten. Glass fusing was fantastic, Lavae your patience is extraordinary. Samara is a wonderful welcoming little town that we have fallen in love with in every way. Muchos Gracias, Pura Vida! Tami & Scott H. Whitehorse, Yukon Territory PS I wish the girls would leave me behind. CU soon!! Scott

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Guest: Faith and Dan, Portland, OR
Date of Stay: 08/23/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

We had an awesome stay here at Casa el Mango. The best thing we did was the turtle tour (by William of Carrillo tours). We saw about ten sea turtles total and we got to see the entire process, then followed the turtles back out to sea. It was unbelievable. We’ll definitely be back at some point during the dry season to see the leatherbacks. I was worried about coming in the “green season” but we definitely got plenty of beach time – Playa Carrillo was our favorite – and many days spent at the pool. I was surprised how much time we spent at the house – cooking & hanging out by the pool. It was a very relaxing vacation. Oh and saw monkeys and iguanas all over the property. Bugs were not a problem for us – we got a few bites but nothing too bad.

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Guest: Jack and Rebecca, Port Townsend, WA
Date of Stay: 08/12/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

We decided to make this, our second visit to Costa Rica, during the rainy or “green season”. And we’re glad we did. We love it. We love the big puffy clouds and cool ocean breezes, the exciting downpours and thunder and lightning shows. It is not all oppressive like I thought it would be. We really love this little house and our stay here was awesome. We didn’t have any bad experiences with bugs either.

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Guest: Rocky & Krege, El Cerrito, CA
Date of Stay: 07/18/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

We had a very busy and exciting week at and around Casa Mango. Positive things: • “get cool” pool • Outdoor shower all the way • Hammock is great to relax in • Breakfast outdoors at the table watching the banans sprout new bunches • Great use of space • Guestbook is really informative • Miga – thanks for coming by and visiting every once in a while (the dog) Negatives: • If you are afraid of bugs/insects this is not a good place for you. Sleep with the mosquito netting (provided in the house) and make sure it is tight. . . . . . I’m sure they are everywhere and not just at Casa Mango but if you’re like me, put some towels under the door – it helped!

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Guest: Rocky & krege, El Cerrito, CA
Date of Stay: 07/18/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

We had a very busy and exciting week at and around Casa Mango. Positive things: • “get cool” pool • Outdoor shower all the way • Hammock is great to relax in • Breakfast outdoors at the table watching the banans sprout new bunches • Great use of space • Guestbook is really informative • Miga – thanks for coming by and visiting every once in a while (the dog) Negatives: • If you are afraid of bugs/insects this is not a good place for you. Sleep with the mosquito netting (provided in the house) and make sure it is tight. . . . . . I’m sure they are everywhere and not just at Casa Mango but if you’re like me, put some towels under the door – it helped!

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Guest: Tom and Tami, Idaho
Date of Stay: 07/02/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

7/2 – 7/11/2010 We had a wonderful week in Costa Rica. Neither my husband or I had been here before and we are already talking about coming back. This vacation was our belated honeymoon – we were married May 1, 2010. . . . On one of our rainy days we ventured to Punta Islita to see the open air museum and to have lunch. The food was great, reasonable prices, the drive was beautiful. On another rainy day we took a drive to Guatil – the pottery is beautiful and a great keepsake.

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Very relaxing

Guest: Leigh (Albuquerque, NM, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/27/10 Review Submitted: 07/01/10

What you see is what you get with Casa el Mango...if you like the colors in the photos, you'll be pleased to know that reality stands up to them! My daughter and I stayed here for a week, spending a lot of time wave-jumping in the ocean. The beaches at Samara and Carillo are both beautiful and clean, with Carillo having more shells for collecting and Samara having more amenities. We took lessons at Jesse's Surf Shop (within walking distance of the house) and the only complaint was that the beach surface there was rockier than further west near town. The best bakery seemed to be the one tucked into a little plaza near the church and Banco Nacional (where the ATM is), and this is also the general location of the best fruit stand. It's a strenuous walk into town, so if you're not fit you may want to drive. We rented a small SUV in San Jose and didn't have any trouble with the roads except when we tried to go to Nosara, but then we may have been going the back way, I'm not sure. At any rate, enjoy your stay...this is a wonderful little house with great hosts...I'm already thinking of a return trip!

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

Guest: Annick and Jean Paul, France
Date of Stay: 04/07/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

Casa el Mango - not far from Paradise.

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Guest: Alan and Kristin, Greenville, NC
Date of Stay: 03/14/10 Review Submitted: 09/05/10

Had an amazing honeymoon full of adventures – zip-lining, snorekling, kayaking, surfing, and seeking wildlife. . . Loved the pool, the stars, and roosters in the morning.

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Guest: Fabrice, Svinthas, & Sacha
Date of Stay: 04/21/09 Review Submitted: 04/21/09

This week went by so fast! We had a very relaxing time at el Mango & spent hours in the pool and hanging out at the terrace. Perfect spot for a small child as well. Our favorites: gallo pinto at the small rustic restaurant on the beach at the police station, playa carrillo & batidos at the Italian place on samara beach. Muchas gracias Lavae, Steve, Iris, y Danny! Pura vida, Fabrice, Svintha, Sacha Brooklyn, USA

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Guest: Chris, Mary, & Luis
Date of Stay: 04/14/09 Review Submitted: 04/13/09

We three Cinnamons, Mary, Christopher & 9 year old Luis agree with utmost enthusiasm, warmth and good humor, that our ten nights at Casa Mango, and many hours of the ten days in between, replete with the vista of the azure Pacific, framed by verdant tropical foliage, with the pleasing pool for a cooling dip, with the sounds of the sea, the birds and the raucous monkeys, nourished by casa-cooked meals of local produce and fish, and thirsts slaked by cold imperials (Mom & Dad’s, not Luis), from this and much, much more, we unanimously conclude this was the best vacation ever.Favorites:•Buy a laminated single sheet field guide at Super Samara and identify birds. From our porch and nearby we Id’d dozens of species including the beautiful Blue-Grey Tanager, the amazing taile Turquoise Browed Mot Mot, the brilliant breasted Great Kiskadee. Keep a sharp eye out for a White Fronted Parrot, too. Exquisite!•Playa Islita – Select 4 x 4. Ford some rivers and find this beautiful gbeach. On Easter Sunday, with Carrillo packed, we shared Islita with ab out 10 folks. Explore the tide pools on the west end at loqw tide.•Wing-Nuts Zip-line. Great fun for all!•Iris and Danny were especially pleasant, helpful, and kind, teaching several impromptu lecciones en español para nosotros.So it is with hearts heavy with sadness at the end of the best vacation ever that the three Cinnamons pack the dusty, trusty Dihatsu for the drive back to Liberia for the flight back to Chicago, but those hearts, and the minds and spirits connected thereto, are at the same time buoyed, enriched, uplifted and deepened by the memories, experiences, sights, sounds, and smells of our moments in and around Casa Mango.The Cinnamons, Chris, Mary & LuisChicago, IL

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Great place to stay

Guest: Mimi and Moe (Lebanon, NH)
Date of Stay: 03/06/09 Review Submitted: 03/26/09

We just returned from a wonderful vacation and stayed at El Mango in Samara. The house was clean, had all the things you needed with a awesome deck to enjoy your meals on and a super pool for refreshing oneself. Would highly recommend this place. Steve and Lavae couldn't be nicer as hosts. Great place to stay. thanks Mimi and Moe Lebanon, NH

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

Guestbook Comment

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

We stayed in both Mango and Papaya and really enjoyed both. There were two of us in Mango and it was perfect. Very clean, comfortable, and great patio and view. There were four when we moved to Papaya and it was also very nice. I would suggest Mango if only two guests. The pool and rancho were very nice. The hill seems daunting when you first arrive, but we walked to and from Samara each day to attend classes and had no problem. The monkey action was unbelievable. The owners and staff were great and very helpful. We had a wonderful 3 week stay.

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Guest: Louise & Andrew
Date of Stay: 02/02/09 Review Submitted: 02/01/09

This is a wonderful spot! Enjoyed our week very much. Jesse’s Gym is a great surf school. Our time passed too quickly.Louise and AndrewGraham & heatherEastern shore of VA

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Guest: Stephane
Date of Stay: 01/08/09 Review Submitted: 01/07/09

Jan 8 09Bonjour du Quebec. Nous partons malheuresement demain pour Arenal, car nous sommes tristes de partir. Si vous avez choisies Casa el Mango vous serrez combler. Un endroit magique, grandiose la nature vous entourres avec son et images. La nuit on est comme en camping avec des bruit inconnue mais si agreables. Maintenant je comprend bien ce que veut dire “Pura Vida” comme vous le savrez aussi.A la prochain et merci de tout coeur Lavae. Stephane SorelQuebecPS Soyez vigilant avec vos enfants apprenez leurs a preserver la beaute du monde.

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Guest: Stephane
Date of Stay: 01/08/09 Review Submitted: 01/07/09

Jan 8 09Bonjour du Quebec. Nous partons malheuresement demain pour Arenal, car nous sommes tristes de partir. Si vous avez choisies Casa el Mango vous serrez combler. Un endroit magique, grandiose la nature vous entourres avec son et images. La nuit on est comme en camping avec des bruit inconnue mais si agreables. Maintenant je comprend bien ce que veut dire “Pura Vida” comme vous le savrez aussi.A la prochain et merci de tout coeur Lavae. Stephane SorelQuebecPS Soyez vigilant avec vos enfants apprenez leurs a preserver la beaute du monde.

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Guest: Justin & Gina
Date of Stay: 01/01/09 Review Submitted: 12/31/08

Dear Steve and Lavae,Thank you for your warm hospitality. The Mango was perfectly situated for us, and we loved the sparkling pool. The town of Samara was so enjoyable, we never bothered going anywhere else during our 5-day stay. The peasceful beach, the warm water, the \shade of the coconut trees . . . you truly live in Paradise!Our favorites: Canopy Tour (Wingnuts), Shake Joe’s benches, View from Baracuda, Howler Monkey Growl.Gracias,Justin and GinaCA, USA

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March 2008 - Tropical Getaway

Guest: Rick&Jill (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/16/08 Review Submitted: 07/11/08

We arrived March 16 and stayed 3 nights at Casa El Mango. The weather was mid 30 Celcius and sunny - perfect. We loved the personal pool, the view of the ocean, and the private location. We experienced all kinds of wild life including Howler Monkeys which could be seen above and below this hillside casa. There was nearby construction which often started fairly early however this was simply encouragment to get up and enjoy the nearby town of Samara. Samara is a beautiful beach front town with excellent resteraunts and bars - certainly catering to the tourist. A rental 4X4 brought us to nearby northern beach towns and perfect beaches often with no one else on them. Steve and Lavae were perfect hosts and the casa met all our needs.

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

Guest: Denise and Sean
Date of Stay: 12/09/07 Review Submitted: 12/08/07

We've spent a week at Casa El Mango trying to do as little as possible. We're more relaxed than I could have imagined possible. Playa Carillo was beautiful and we saw only 4-5 people the entire day. Its a short drive or easy bike ride. Thanks for offereing such a lovely casa and setting near Samara.

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Guest: Jess, Jamie, Michelle
Date of Stay: 12/08/07 Review Submitted: 12/07/07

We had an absolutely great time at Casa El, Mango. We spent a lot of the tim relaxing and eating on the share patio. Ev erybody in this town is v ery vfriendly. On a scale from 1-10, our stay was an 11. Thanks Lavae and Steve. Waht a great little piece of paradise.

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Guest: Robin S. and David Owen
Date of Stay: 11/22/07 Review Submitted: 11/21/07

Casa El Mango was a great place to rejuvinate. The "El Gecko Compound" thoroughly impressed us. We loved the details of these awesome cottages. Our kids at home will be so jealous when we show them pictures of the animals. We would not suggest anyone go to Tamarindo - it is dirty, dusty and commsercial. The beach here is much more beautiful. Thank for allowing us to experience this beautiful town. We loved your spot in paradise.

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Guest: Diane and Steve Shea
Date of Stay: 11/15/07 Review Submitted: 11/14/07

We enjoyed a wonderful week at Casa El Mango. Our family stayed next door at La Papaya so we could share dinners and swimming and soaking up the sights and sounds of Costa Rica. We saw lots of animals and birds. Howler monkeys woke us daily and coati visited us severla times. Had a great time on the zipline tour. The pool is fabulous to cool off in the heat of the day. We each lovwed the houses and will look forward to returning

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Guest: dDerek and Ashlee
Date of Stay: 09/22/07 Review Submitted: 09/21/07

We had a great honeymoon! Thanks to Steve and Lavae for great recommendations

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Guest: Crystal and Ken Bradley
Date of Stay: 08/21/07 Review Submitted: 08/20/07

We had a great week here at Casa El Mango. The house and pool and porch area were perfect for relaxing and enjoying the Costa Rican weather. It was fun listening to the monkeys at sunset. We did a lot of our own cooking with fish from the local fish market. We also had several fresh Mohitos at La Gondola. Tere is a great coffe shop/bakery in town - La Panaderia. Lavae and Steve - thanks for the great accomodations. We'll be back.

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Guest: Oliver, Natalia and Sophia Poick
Date of Stay: 07/06/07 Review Submitted: 07/05/07

Hola fellow Mango hose inhabitants! We enjoyed ourselves a lot here in Samara and at Casa El Mango. We did the Wingnuts Canopy Tour, saw crocodiles, went to Punta Islita, crossed rivers, ate awesome cheap casados, saw a great dentist - Shirley, fresh fish in the village of Matapalo down below, discovered Salsa Inglesa.

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Guest: Deanna and Marty
Date of Stay: 05/17/07 Review Submitted: 05/16/07

We stayed 4 nights aqt Casa El Mango. Lavae's notes were very useful. If the monos don't wake you up the parrot fly-by will. This trip we saw plenty of Monkeys. Went to the monkey bar at Punta Islita - view was incredible. The ocean water is very warm.

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Guest: Loren and Debby Thompson
Date of Stay: 11/19/06 Review Submitted: 11/18/06

Samara is a beautiful place. Ate good food at the local restaurants and barbecued delicious fish here at the rancho. Enjoyed the get-cool pool - mit was necessary. Thanks Lavae and Steve for the use of your home.

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Guest: Crystal & Ken
Date of Stay: 08/28/06 Review Submitted: 08/27/06

August 21-28, 2006We had a great week here at Casa el Mango. The house & pool & porch area were perfect for relaxing & enjoying the Costa Rican weather. We enjoyed seeing the little geckos, the plump bunnies and the neighborhood dogs. And it was fun listening to the monkeys at sunset.We did a lot of our own cooking here. We bought fresh fish at the local fish “store”. It’s actually just a house between here & Sámara. Look for the sign advertising Pices – turn off the main road and look for a green house. Down the road from the Pices house is a good grocery store called Stephanie’s. We also had several fresh Mohitos at La Gondola (on the main street in Sámara). The Mohitos were so fresh that the bartender went out back to pick the mint when we ordered.There is a great coffee shop/bakery in town too. It’s called Bohemia Panadería. It’s up the street in back of Shake Joe’s. The pastries are fresh and cheap and the atmosphere is very cozy and welcoming.If you are interested in heading out to the island, look for Pablo. He usually sits in his boat in the morning waiting to give tours. He was a very nice man. He taught us to snorkel, showed us the best spots out near the island, & even cracked open a few coconuts as refreshment after our tour was over.Lavae & Steve, Thanks for the great accommodations. . . We’ll be back!Crystal & KenMinneapolis

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Guest: Crystal & Ken
Date of Stay: 08/28/06 Review Submitted: 08/27/06

August 21-28, 2006We had a great week here at Casa el Mango. The house & pool & porch area were perfect for relaxing & enjoying the Costa Rican weather. We enjoyed seeing the little geckos, the plump bunnies and the neighborhood dogs. And it was fun listening to the monkeys at sunset.We did a lot of our own cooking here. We bought fresh fish at the local fish “store”. It’s actually just a house between here & Sámara. Look for the sign advertising Pices – turn off the main road and look for a green house. Down the road from the Pices house is a good grocery store called Stephanie’s. We also had several fresh Mohitos at La Gondola (on the main street in Sámara). The Mohitos were so fresh that the bartender went out back to pick the mint when we ordered.There is a great coffee shop/bakery in town too. It’s called Bohemia Panadería. It’s up the street in back of Shake Joe’s. The pastries are fresh and cheap and the atmosphere is very cozy and welcoming.If you are interested in heading out to the island, look for Pablo. He usually sits in his boat in the morning waiting to give tours. He was a very nice man. He taught us to snorkel, showed us the best spots out near the island, & even cracked open a few coconuts as refreshment after our tour was over.Lavae & Steve, Thanks for the great accommodations. . . We’ll be back!Crystal & KenMinneapolis

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Guest: Mike Herndan and Trish Hunt
Date of Stay: 08/07/06 Review Submitted: 08/06/06

We stayed 2 weeks here in Casa El Mango and are sad to be on to our next destination. We studies spanish for 1 week at the Intercultura langauge center - they are wonderful. We were here during the low toursit season and had the beach to ourselves. The canopy tour with Wingnuts was excellent. Went surfing almost every day. Playa Samara is a great base to visit other places in the country. Steve and Lavae have 3 amazing houses that are well kept and comfortable to stay in. We have cherished our time here and enjoyed everything Playa Samara has to offer. Enjoy

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Guest: Scott & Darby
Date of Stay: 07/26/06 Review Submitted: 07/25/06

July 13-26, 2006Our first trip to Costa Rica was wonderful! Sámara is the perfect destination – big enough for variety but small enough for familiarity. The beach is wonderful and so is the beach at Carillo. We cooked several dinners at el mango. The kitchen is small but well-stocked with what you need for most meals.Love the outdoor showers, the cooling pool, tropical downpours on the metal roof, the view, reading on the patio, and the birds in the morning.If you want to surf, try Jesse’s. They are patient and very good. They got a 50 year-old beginner up on the board.Good places to eat: Casa de Coco (arroz con pollo, arroz con camarones, skewers, steak with mushrooms, and sandwiches). El Lagarto (steaks and seafood), El Ancla (great desserts) and Pizza a Go Go. The bakery that is ½ block east and ½ block north of the school is very good for bread, pastries, and pasta. El Sueño Tropical has very good food and is a nice drive, although driving after dark is done at your own risk.Do not eat at Las Brasas. Despite what you might read in the guidebooks, we found the food was bad to mediocre and the service was even worse. Shake Joe’s is a great place for drinks after a swim at the beach but the food is below average.If you want to dine at Casa el Mango, you can buy a whole roast chicken at Pollo la Leña, very good and inexpensive.We are already planning our return trip.

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Guest: Trish & Mike
Date of Stay: 07/07/06 Review Submitted: 07/06/06

July 7, 2006We stayed two weeks here in Casa el Mango and are sad to be onto our next destination. The house has been quite a peaceful place to lay by the pool and recuperate after long days playing outside. Steve and Lavae have three amazing homes that are well kept and comfortable to stay in. We have cherished our time here and enjoyed everything Playa Sámara has to offer (well, not everything but we sure did try).We studied Spanish for one week at Intercultura language school on the beach. They are wonderful people and the school offers a variety of cultural enrichment such as dance class, cooking class, movie showings, and Costa Rican lectures. Inquire at the school about how to get involved. We also took a 30 minute bike ride up the road to Playa Carillo. We were here during the low tourist season and had the beach to ourselves. Bring snacks because there is not much around you but a great atmosphere for a picnic. The canopy tour with Wingnuts was excellent and well worth the $50.00. The adventure through the treetops on a zip line cable is safe for almost all ages and is a blast! There are great views with a snack and transportation included. Go directly to their house at the edge of the beach closest to the house to make a reservation. Tio Tigre also has daily tours for kayaking, dolphin and turtle sightseeing and much more. We kayaked to the island from Sámara beach. We did some snorkeling on the island but didn’t see much. Although, the exercise and views from the kayak were well worth the trip. We also heard good things about the dolphin trip. Jesse’s surf shop was a wonderful place to rent boards and take lessons. Sunrise, the owner, is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to interact with. We went surfing almost every day and the waves her are excellent. Playa Sámara is protected by a coral ref. making the surf on the beach the safest way to go. Some of our favorite places to eat were: Soda Sherriff’s, Shake Joe’s, La Panadería, and El Lagarto $$. Many of those places have excellent Casados (typical Costa Rican food) and good lunch fare. The location here at Playa Sámara is the greatest base to visit other places in the country. You can go to the rainforest (Monteverde/Arenal) as a two-day excursion. Skynet has tours with transportation included. Enjoy!Mike and TrishOregon

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Guest: Diane & Tom
Date of Stay: 05/15/06 Review Submitted: 05/14/06

May 15-22, 2006Thank you, Steve and Lavae! What a wonderful little house. . . and we love the splash pool. It’s been fun watching the parrots and parakeets flock over in the morning and at dusk, chattering away. And thank you for maintaining the hummingbird feeders – we’ve had so many of the beautiful little birds visit. Thanks for recommending restaurants . . . our favorites are El Sueño, Tropical, and El Lagarto on the beach. We love Costa Rica, especially the people. We bought some property while we were here and we’ll be moving to live here full time hopefully by the end of the year. Thanks for your hospitality.

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Guest: Judy Scott and Justin Rodney
Date of Stay: 03/08/06 Review Submitted: 03/07/06

We had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. Our days were spent surfing, sunning, napping and exploring. El Mango was the perfect place to come home at night or for a quick snack and change of clothes during the day. We hope everyone here enjoys themselves as much as we did.

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Guest: Justin
Date of Stay: 03/02/06 Review Submitted: 03/01/06

March 2-8, 2006We had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. Our days were spent surfing, sunning, napping, and exploring. El Mango was the perfect place to come home at night or for a quick snack and change of clothes during the day. We recommend Jesse’s Surf Shop, Pura Vida Dive (although conditions weren’t good enough for us to dive), El Lagarto for Great BBQ chicken and El Sueño Tropical for a great environment and food (it’s worth the drive past Carillo).We hope everyone enjoys themselves here as much as we did. Thanks, Steve y Lavae.Justin

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