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Chirripó Mountain Retreat
| Sleeps | 4 |
| Bedrooms | 2 |
| Bathrooms | 1 |
| Space | 1,500 sq. ft. |
| Property type | house |
| Minimum Stay | 2 - 3 nights |
Overview
Private, Modern, 2 Bedroom Riverfront House With Mountain Views And Large Garden
Private, gated, spacious, modern, 2 bedroom house, overlooking 120 meters of the Chirripo River with breathtaking views of Mountain Peaks, Virgin Rainforest and the San Isidro Valley.
Covered Garage, Electricity, Hot Water, Large Refrigerator, Microwave, Gas Oven Cooker, 32' Flat Screen TV, Sky, Wifi, Music Speakers, Laundry Service (Washer/Dryer), BBQ area and Wood Stove.
Master bedroom with King Size Bed and walk in closets and balcony.
Second bedroom with double bed and storage shelves and cabinets.
Beautiful Gardens, Orchards and Vegetable Beds with Fresh Herbs and Salads.
Easy River Access to Waterfalls, Swimming Holes and Private Sunbathing Rocks right in front of property (only accessible for swimming in the summer season January to June).
We have 3 dogs and a cat that live at our own house, which is situated next door on the same property. You may very well receive the occasional visit, especially from Smooki the cat.
10 minutes by car to entrance of Chirripo National Park, Cloudbridge Waterfall Reserve, Hot springs and Botanical Gardens.
5 minutes walk to Cannan Center (Bar/Restaurant, Grocery Store, Soccer Pitch, Church, Bakery, Cheese Farm, Chocolate Factory)
30 minutes by car or bus to San Isidro City Center (population 45, 000)
1 hour by car to Dominical Beach for Surfing, Sport Fishing, Whale and Dolphin Watching
Countless Mountain Trails, including Climbing the 'Chirripo', Costa Rica's highest mountain peak, with guide and overnight stay at the base camp lodge
Horseback Riding, Kayaking, Paragliding (solo or tandem), Zip lining, Fishing
Healing and Bodywork, Massage, Yoga, Meditation, Tranquility!
Local Produce... Organic Coffee, Cheeses (Swiss, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Goat), Khalua and Hot Chili Sauces
Contemporary Fine Art at 'Monte Azul' Eco Hotel Restaurant and Artist Retreat
PLEASE NOTE
Although the house is only a 3 hour drive (without stops and traffic) from San José, you should take into consideration an hour to clear immigration, baggage and customs, another hour to collect your rental car, and then traffic, restroom coffee and grocery stops. You should calculate at least 6 hours from landing to arriving at the house. We strongly discourage you to drive in Costa Rica at night and it gets dark at around 6.00pm all year round. Therefore, your flight should arrive before midday, otherwise, we suggest spending the night in San José and driving out the following morning.
If renting a car, we strongly recommend that you reserve a 4x4 vehicle. You will not have any problems getting to the house, but you might find the driveway challenging and limit where you can drive to in the area, such as the hot springs and the Cloudbridge Reserve.
Although the water from the faucet is potable, we recommend that you buy water from the supermarket, if you are at all concerned about the quality of the water for drinking.
We have pets that live in our own house on the property (3 dogs and 1 cat). Please do not feed any of the animals and remember to send Smooki (the cat) home by latest 9.00pm. :) Thanks
About Angus and Tania
My wife, Tania, and I run a Tour Company called Chirriposa Retreats, that specialises in hosting Yoga, Wellness, Art, Photograyhy and Adventure Retreats for Groups, Families and Freinds within Costa Rica and in Europe. We love to spend time at the beach surfing and in the Jungle, but find that a balance between the Beach Lifestyle and Climate and that of the Mountains and Cool River is what makes us love Costa Rica so much. We spend time inbetween Yoga Groups at the house Relaxing, Working on the Property and in the Garden, Growing our own Fruits and Vegetables. The River has a Tremendous Energy and Cleansing Properties...and has even offered up the occasional Trout or two! I highly recommend Diving into the Ice Cold Swimming Hole below the property and then lying out on the Gigantic Black Hot Rocks to warm through.
I designed and built our house along with local builders and take great pride in keeping it well maintained. We enjoy a few home comforts, and may spend the odd Rainy Afternoon Watching a Movie or some Premiership Football on the Television from the Hammock.
Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice is a must in the morning from the Abundant Trees all over the property. Then Bake some Bread and head down to the river to see if I can catch some lunch. Pick some Organic Salads and Herbs from the Garden on the way up to the house. Put the kettle on...a nice cup of tea...and we are set!
Angus and Tania purchased this house in 2005
Why Angus and Tania chose San Jose
As soon as I walked onto this property, I knew it was the one! As a teenager, I had studied English Literature at school and was fascinated by a poem that I read called 'Kubla Khan - a vision in a dream', written by Samuel Coleridge. Whilst under the influence of opium, Coleridge wrote the poem about a magical garden with waterfalls and a river running through it and beautiful plants and forests surrounded by a wall with towers. I always kept this magical image in my mind and hoped that one day I would find this garden. Where better place to find it than in Canaán!
What makes this house unique
The property offers access to all the local attractions and is only a 30 minute drive from the town and 1 hr to the beach, yet is very private and secluded. In fact, you may not even want to leave the property once you arrive...just enter the drive, close the gates and enjoy the privacy of your own mountain retreat.
Guestbook comments from the owner
Hi Angus
thank you very much for letting me stay in your house. It gave me the gift of hearing the river sing! It was a real treat and I will be back for sure. I actually stayed one more night and now on the beach, flying back tomorrow. What an awesome trip.
Amenities
Pérez Zeledón House Accommodation and Amenities
- house
- Catering available
- Breakfast - Booking Possible
- Lunch - Booking Possible
- Dinner - Booking Possible
- Housekeeper Included
- 1500 sq. ft.
- Check-in: 2:00 PM /
- Check-out: 10:00 AM
- Max. occupancy: 4
- Max. adults: 4
- Min. age of primary renter: 21
- Children welcome ...
- Parties/events not allowed
- Pets not allowed ...
- Smoking allowed ...
- Property Cancellation Policy. We are willing to offer a 50% partial refund for cancellation up to 60 days prior to the rental period.
- Mountain View ...
- Village ...
- Water View ...
- Waterfront ...
- Adventure
- Away From It All
- Family
- Romantic
- Spa
- Sports & Activities
- Tourist Attractions
- Clothes Dryer ...
- Fireplace ...
- Garage ...
- Hair Dryer
- Internet ...
- Linens Provided
- Living Room ...
- Parking ...
- Telephone ...
- Towels Provided ...
- Washing Machine ...
- Coffee Maker ...
- Dishes & Utensils ...
- Ice Maker
- Kitchen ...
- Pantry Items ...
- Refrigerator ...
- Stove ...
- Toaster
- Dining ...
- Dining Area
- seating for 5 people
- 1 Bathroom
-
Bathroom 1 -
toilet
,
shower
,
Shower has view of illuminated orchid garden and cascade
- Bathroom is situated downstairs and has a sunken, stone shower compartment that looks out into a beautiful orchid garden with a cascade. Bathroom is equiped with 'on demand' hot water (gas), hair dryer and bath towels.
- 2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4
-
Master Bedroom -
1 king
,
Private balcony and walk in closet
Bedroom 2 - 1 double , Guest bedroom and 'The Den' with flat screen Sky tv.
- Master bedroom upstairs has a king size bed and downstairs guest room (the Den) has a double/full bed.
- Books ...
- DVD Player ...
- Games ...
- Satellite / Cable ...
- Stereo ...
- Television ...
- Balcony ...
- Bicycles ...
- Deck / Patio ...
- Lawn / Garden ...
- Outdoor Grill ...
- 1 bicycles
- 2 garden chairs
- 1 beach chairs
- Long-term Renters Welcome
- wheelchair inaccessible
- Chauffeur
- Massage
- Private Chef
- botanical garden
- health/beauty spa
- bird watching
- eco tourism
- horseback riding
- scenic drives
- sight seeing
- walking
- wildlife viewing
- ATM/bank
- Babysitter
- groceries
- hospital
- laundromat
- massage therapist
- medical services
- cycling
- fishing
- freshwater fishing
- hiking
- mountain biking
- mountain climbing
- mountaineering
- paragliding
- surfing
- swimming
Reviews
Wonderful!
4.8/5 -
(22 traveler reviews)
Gorgeous authentic and rural retreat
Everything about our April 2017 stay at Kubla Khan was perfect. We arrived in San Jose after about a 12 hour travel day and decided to stay the night in a nearby hotel before making the amazing drive amongst the mountains into the Chirripo Mountain area. Driving in the city of San Jose was intimidating and I am glad my husband was willing! The 3+ hours of roads we traveled to get to San Isidro del General/Canaan were very well maintained, had gorgeous views and plenty of roadside stands and gas stations along the way- still we made sure to stay full on gas as there are long stretches without civilization. Staying in a rural tourist community (Canaan) was amazing. We learned so much about the culture, got to practice our very rough Spanish, tried new foods. Each of the quaint shops/restaurants in Canaan and nearby local villages that the owners left as recommendations in their welcome book were amazing- but if I had to pick a favorite, it's the bread shop that serves breakfast on weekends! There was so much to explore just outside of the house (our hike at Cloudbridge was our favorite and the most "real" rainforest hike we did, having a quick little run in with some monkeys) but we did venture out to Manuel Antonio and Playa Domincal for more touristy activities and quite enjoyed the drive. We recommend getting to Manuel Antonio before the crowds at 7am and if you're considering zip lining, we had a great experience at Titi Canopy). But back to the house. Ahhh it was amazing. The rushing sound of the river below drowned out some of the bird and bug sounds of the forest that would have kept me awake, instead I was lulled to sleep for the most sleep I've gotten in a long time! Having coffee on the deck in the morning and cocktails in the evening, lounging in the hammock, walking the gardens, sunbathing on the rocks made this a relaxing oasis after a day of adventuring. The house is equipped with everything you need, and we cooked most nights after visiting the local markets. We definitely recommend this house if you are looking for a quiet place away from the crowds and tourist centers.
Perfectly Peaceful
We spent 2 weeks in Costa Rica staying at some of the best resorts along the way. Our last stop, 3 nights at Kubla Khan, was far and away our favorite location and home. If you're looking for a peaceful place away from all the hustle and bustle of the more touristy locations this is your spot. Angus was very communicative and answered all of our questions before our stay and Marcela and Charles were just a text away whenever we had a question.
We loved hearing the rushing river and can't wait to book a stay in the summer when it is not so high. Between the garden, citrus trees and the small grocer in Cannan we were able to put together wonderful meals. The house and grounds were beautiful and we rarely felt the need to leave. We had forgotten that there was a cat on the property but what a bonus! Smokey only wandered in on occasion but we loved the visits.
Our only regret is that we waited till our last day to visit Queso Cannan and that the bakery was only open on weekends so we missed trying that. Not to worry...we'll be back!
Horrifying and Unsafe. Rude and Inhospitable owners.
My family had the first part of our Costa Rica trip completely RUINED thanks to this place and the obnoxious owner. When we arrived after 26 hours of travel there was NO HOT WATER available, NO DRINKING WATER (the faucet doesn't provide potable water and that is NOT communicated), and there is a CAT LIVING IN THE HOME. Don't be fooled by the owner's description of "cat on property". The thing lives in the home with its own 12 foot life-size scratching pole in middle of the kitchen. Rather than apologizing for these outrageous health and safety hazards the owner blamed us via his multiple demeaning emails and refused to provide any support or even a partial refund. We are now involved in legal arbitration and our bank is investigating the owner for his fraudulent claims and failure to provide safe, heathy housing as is standard for any lousy hostel, let alone a "mountain retreat".
We ended up having to leave the property after grabbing a few hours' sleep and pay for another rental in an entirely different region. Because of the issues and the owner's refusal to provide financial relief we wound up paying for TWO rentals at once in Costa Rica, something I hope no other family has to deal with. That's why we are now involved in legal retribution against the owner.
It is clear to me that the owners of this property care NOT for the people who stay with them. I am absolutely appalled by his response to our experience and I am fearful for fellow travelers who might unfortunately land on this spot having to pay the price of his lack of regard for basic health and safety.
I think its worthwhile noting that this rental is advertised as being very remote, basically in the middle of the rainforest. That is not the case whatsoever, its actually in the center of a tourist village and there are other people (such as the owner sometimes, and other times the caretaker, and daily the gardener) sharing the property with you. The seclusion advertised won't actually be real.
Luckily our trip worked out amazingly and we ended up staying in a private villa with a stunning ocean view which really put this place to shame. I strongly advise you to keep looking on your search rather than settling for this glorified cabina.
Beautiful settings back to the basics
We spent 5 days in this beautiful house and although it was rainy season we enjoyed our stay very much. The river makes you sleep like a baby, nature cannot get any closer than this. If you are looking for a 'zen' time out in a quiet village surrounded by 100 different shades of green this is your place.
A relaxing stay.
My wife and I spent a relaxing four nights in this spacious house. The owners were both readily available for questions and activity suggestions.
A beautiful, peaceful mountain retreat
Casa Kubla Khan is a wonderful house with a personality. The location and garden are so tranquil and relaxing that we spent several days of our two week stay on the property itself, enjoying the view, the deck, the rushing river below and the many birds. We had full access to the vegetable garden, the owners were lovely and we met several locals. The town boasts a great cheese maker, bakery (on weekends only) and a chocolate maker. The chocolate is not to be missed and we dream about it still. Note that the property is steep and will require climbing up and down, to the river, and even to the front door. The bedroom is upstairs and the bathroom downstairs and there are even stone steps to get down into the shower. The sound of the rushing river is omnipresent, especially in the house, but everywhere in town and in the valley.
Map
The house is located in Canaan de Rivas on the Chirripó River at the base of the Chirripó Mountain and National Park.
Canaan is a picturesque mountain village made up of a small population of local coffee and dairy farmers and ex pats from worldwide.
Tourism is thriving in the area as it provides one of few entrances into the National Park and access to the summit of the Chirripó Mountain, which is the highest peak in Costa Rica at 3800 meters (12,500ft).
Canaan itself is situated at an altitude of 1200 metres (4000ft) which provides an ideal climate for growing most vegetables and supplies the perfect environment for an abundance of mountain flora and native trees, that in turn atracts a colourful array of birds and wildlife.
Amongst the many things to do and experience in the area are the botanical gardens, hot springs, swiss cheese farm, organic chocolate factory, Cloudridge Reserve and Waterfalls, horseback riding, paraglyding, hiking, birdwatching, fishing and of course relaxing by the river or at the spa.
Just a 30 minute drive from the property is the main town of San Isidro del General with a much larger population of close to 50,000, with a developed infrastructure that hosts a hospital, emergency clinic and other medical services. It has many shops and restaurants and on Thursdays holds a very popular farmers market.
Another 30 minutes out of San Isidro is the small beach town of Dominical, located on the Pacific side of the country, where you may have access to boat and fishing tours as well as surfing.
Canaan itself is a very quiet village and the enclosed property is extremely tranquil with the soothing sound of the river running below. It is the perfect environment for a relaxing vacation or a holistic retreat.
Photos
Rates & Availability
- Available
- Unavailable
Additional information about rental rates
| Cleaning Fee | $47.29 |
| Additional Guest Fee | $20.27 per person per night |
| Damage Deposit | $878.26 |
There is a cat and 3 dogs that live next door on the property. Smooki, the cat, will very likely come and visit and likes to hang out with our guests. Please don't feed her or the dogs and be sure to send her home by latest 9pm...thanks!
Although the water in the house is from the local aqueduct and is treated and passes through a gravel filter, we recommend that you purchase water from the supermarket, if you are at all concerned about drinking the water from the faucet.
You will be required to sign a liability waiver form along with the rental agreement upon arrival.
Owner's Cancellation Policy
- Canceled bookings will not receive a refund
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