Contemporary Luxury Chalet Located in Quiet Valley

Baja del toros is a wonderfully small and out of the way place with many waterfalls and access to many of the things that make Costa Rica wonderful, starting with its people. The home we stayed in was comfortable and relatively modern, particularly as compared to the surroundings. Everything worked and it was adequately stocked. There several minor issues such as cabinets with broken hinges, lack of overall cleanliness, broken wiring in multiple places in the stair railing etc. The only major area of concern was a the smell of sewage from the mud room we encountered upon reaching the home. The owner was very responsive to messages left with the app, but the local contact did not answer phone calls or return messages. The smell was mostly fixed after a 2-3 days and we received a small refund for the inconvenience. It returned intermediatley but was never as bad. The internet access through WiFi was dismal. No vent for cooking but opening windows and doors helped clear the air. Overall, we really did enjoy the place. If not for the smell, I think I would have rated the home much higher. We were all great full for the opportunity to visit Costa Rica again.

If you want to find a getaway that is unlike any other experience in Costa Rica, then look no further than the chalet in Toro Amarillo. Located in beautiful, untarnished central Costa Rica amongst (mostly) inactive volcanoes (the Paos volcano is still actively throwing off ash which adds such a unique experience), the chalet is steeped in Costa Rica's rich mountain terrain with sunshine, cloud forests, rain forests, waterfalls, hiking and lovely local residents. You won't see any Americans here unless you travel ~1 km up the road to the beautiful El Silencio Lodge for a nice meal, spa day or activities. You'll find your home-away-from home here and an experience like none other. If you're seeking a Costa Rica destination where you don't feel like a tourist and seek to be immersed in true a Costa Rica local experience, I couldn't recommend the chalet more. In this architecturally stellar home, you'll rise to the sunrise shining through the vast windows with the peaceful sound of birds chirping away (pretty sure Sharper Image recorded their bird song for their noise machine from this location )! Then settle in with a beautiful sunset in the evening as the clouds roll in (or if they don't you're treated to a star gazing sky most can only dream of!)

This chalet has everything you need to be comfortable in Costa Rica. From a BBQ on a balcony to an outdoor dining table on the back deck. There were days I didn't even leave the house while staying here because I enjoyed it so much. Located ~30 minutes from the town of Zarcero where you can get all your groceries, supplies, etc. if the local shops don't have what you need, and within 2-3 hours of both coasts, and 1 1/2 hours from San Jose and Escazu, you just can't find a better location!

Connect with Kenneth Ugalde with Ecotours Toro Amarillo 360, who has a kiosk in town. He's the local expert in the area and will take you to some amazing sites and adventures that will make your family and friends and home drool with envy.

P.S. Please say hi to and give lots of love to the gray kitty, Calypso, and the small black/white/brown spotted dog, Cody, for me (you'll know her by her voracious whole boddy wiggle but and happy demeanor). They became my pets during my month stay here.

I WILL be back!!! Thank you, Christopher, for being a gracious and attentive owner/host! I appreciate you and Vinicio were fantastic to work with during my stay.

Enjoy this slice of heaven!

We enjoyed our stay in this mountain retreat. It can be a challenging drive up there but my husband got used to the roads weirdly fast and after that it was all fun - literally there was something fun or a new adventure in any direction you took from the house. The house owner did share useful tips about getting there and going about which was very helpful. Glad we stocked up on our way in Zarcero as the nearest supermarket was at about 20km drive by curvy roads with potholes. The house had an amazing design and mountain views all around. We did enjoy our stay, I gave the house 4 out of 5 stars since in the beginning we had a few technical issues but those were taken care of shortly. The mornings were breathtaking so we enjoyed our morning coffee out on the deck. It was our first time in such climate so we were shocked of the temperature changes, cool nights and mornings and hot days. So by noon it was hot and we generally took off to some adventure, waterfalls everywhere around, older kids did water rafting at Pozo Azul which was great, and since we also had a toddler we stayed at the farm on the premises. We loved it. We did not go gaga for the La Paz waterfall garden tho, I feel it's overrated and overpriced and it's just a nice zoo, but if you have lots of time then it could be a nice place for kids. We did also venture to Arenal (2,5 hr drive) and absolutely loved the Tabaccon hot springs! The 5 nights went fast and in the end we were left with the memorable smells and sounds of the surrounding nature and a great experience.

The house is beautiful with stunning views of the surrounding valley. It is well appointed, particularly in the kitchen. The local village is well served and very pretty but it is quite remote.

We do not like touristy, busy vacations. We were looking for nature, the simple life and getting away from it all. This place fit the bill! Yes, getting there (that road!) was an experience, but as Ticos say "you get used to it." The house is something else! It is an architectural beauty! Be aware that you have to climb a steel, secured to the wall, ladder to get up to the 3rd floor loft which wasn't a problem for us, but could be for some. The outdoor jacuzzi is not working, but the indoor jacuzzi tub does work. We had no problem with wifi and the television had English channels (although we didn't watch much tv.) What we really enjoyed is walking to the village (3 minutes) and getting to know the people at the restaurants, stores and the local bar where our family (kids too) ate many nights. The bar owner accommodated our various dietary restrictions w/help from a local who spoke English. The local market there has basic items and food. However, I would load up w/groceries in Sarchi before going over that mountain road! It's far and the road is not for the faint at heart. My daughter got a fever and fell ill one night. I panicked a little as we were far from a hospital. I called the property manager Jadir, who was great. He called the village nurse and she came over at 9:00 at night and gave my daughter some type of extensive glandular massage on her arms and stomach w/olive oil plus had her drink some concoction with lemon, soda water and salt. In the morning my daughter was 100% better! Oh, and the price? Nothing. She said it was a "present." My daughter also went to the medical clinic for an infected toe. We got antibiotics and the price? FREE! The people there are so NICE! We really made a lot of friends and connections in that small village. Yes, we did the El Silencio hike and lunch which was breathtaking and delicious, and we went ziplining in La Fortuna, swam in the thermal pools, etc, but it was truly the people there that made our vacation!

Now back to the house; we had no problems. It's got everything you could want! We did temporarily adopt a little gray tabby cat who came morning and night, like clockwork to get some food. If you see him, please give him a pet and an snack. He is homeless, like many cats and dogs there.

Christopher was great to deal with. You have a beautiful home in a beautiful setting! By the way, BRING A THICK SWEATER! It gets chilly at night and rains sometimes! 5 STARS!