Kubla Khan - 'A Vision In A Dream' - Chirripo Mountain Retreat
- House1500 sq. ft.
- Sleeps: 4
- Bedrooms: 2
- Bathrooms: 1
- Min Stay: 2–5 nights
Private 2 bedroom/1 bathroom riverfront house with mountain views & large garden
Bedrooms
Owner
Angus and Tania
- Languages:
- english, french, german, spanish, italian
About Angus and Tania
My wife, Tania, and I run a tour company, that specialises in hosting yoga, wellness, art, photography and adventure retreats for groups, families and friends 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 cold river is what makes us love Costa Rica so much. We spend time in between groups at the house relaxing, working on the property and in the garden, growing our own fruits and vegetables. The river has a tremendous cleansing energy and has even offered up the occasional trout! I highly recommend diving into the ice cold swimming hole below the property and then lying out on the gigantic 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 Premier League football in 'the Den'. Freshly squeezed orange juice is a must in the morning from the abundant trees all over the property. Then bake some fresh bread and head down to the river to see if I can catch some lunch. Pick some organic salad leaves and herbs from the garden on the way up to the house. Put the kettle on...a nice cup of tea... and we are all set for some 'Jungle TV' on the covered terrace!
Angus and Tania purchased this House in 2005
Why Angus and Tania chose San José Province
As soon as I walked onto this property, I knew it was the one! At school I studied English Literature 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 secret garden. Where else better 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 enter the drive, close the gates and enjoy the privacy of your own mountain retreat.
Amenities
Featured
- Parking
- Children Welcome
- TV
- Washer & Dryer
- Internet
- Fireplace
Bathrooms
- 1 Bathroom
House Rules
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 10:00 AM
No parties/events
No smoking
You may smoke outside, but please dispose of buts.
No pets
2 dogs & 2 cats live in our house on the property
Children allowed
May not be suitable for between ages of 2-5 years.
Minimum age of primary renter:21
Max guests:4 (sleeps up to 4 adults)
Please do not remove towels and hammocks or any other items (other than umbrellas) from the property.
Failure to separate the trash correctly, as described in the house manual, will result in forfeiting $100 from your security deposit.
Please do not feed our animals, give them lots of cuddles and be sure to send them home by 7pm! :)
Cancellation Policy
100% refund if canceled at least 60 days before arrival date. 50% refund if canceled at least 30 days before arrival date.
26 Reviews
Absolute Paradise
First of all, Angus and Tania were fantastic. Angus met us at the gate and walked us through the garden of Eden, then he helped us settle into the house. They live super close, so if any problems arose, they were just a text away (though no problems did occur).
The house itself was magic. We watched the rain come in over the forest and observed the monkeys playing across the river. Every angle and every chair in the cabin had a stunning view.
This house was so fun to stay in that it was hard to leave it to go exploring. However, there’s plenty to do in the area and several restaurants within walking distance.
Hands down, this was the best vacation rental we’ve ever experienced (and we use HomeAway/VRBO a lot).
Also, thank you Angus and Tania for the hospitality and the amazing home.
Peaceful, easy
We had a great time. Just what we needed when we decided to get away from Washington. We stayed in the Chiripo mountain home for 6 days and 5 nights. The roaring river and the sunrises and sunsets were amazing. Sitting out on the deck with coffee or wine and watching the clouds descend and later dissipate in the surrounding mountains while we watched the local wildlife was, rain or shine, an amazing experience.
Angus was very helpful with local places for food and sightseeing and was more than happy to answer all of our questions. The house was very well appointed and we didn't want for anything.
Lush river paradise
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Kubla Khan Chirripo Mountain Retreat!
When stormy weather and hurricane Nate damage threatened to ruin our plans, Angus and Tania kindly offered flexibility in arrival and departure dates, but thankfully we did not need to take them up on it. I would have been sad to have missed out on even a minute of our time there -and my only regret is not spending another day or two.
The space and setting were unbelievably beautiful -even more gorgeous than the pictures. I loved sitting on the deck to the sound of the rushing river watching the birds. The nearby mountain towns were adorable and offered a couple of nice dining options, and of course cheese and chocolate! I also highly recommend a visit to Cloudbridge Reserve. We spend an enjoyable 1/2 day hiking about the various trails with vistas and waterfalls. The nearby beach town of Dominical is also an easy option if one wants to spend a day of sand and surf.
I would not hesitate to go back. Thank you for a great stay!
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.
Once again, we are very sad that you weren’t able to enjoy our peaceful mountain paradise.
We are also very sorry that you feel we were unsympathetic to your concerns. It really was not our intention to come across as either rude or obnoxious, and we are surprised to see that you feel that way, as we went out of our way to address any issues that arose prior to and during your stay.
We are happy to hear that your vacation ended well and we wish you only the best in your future travels.
To address your concerns and for the benefit of future renters:
WARM WATER
We apologized for not having hot water on your arrival. We understand how inconvenient this is, especially after a long day of travel. However, we were pleased to hear that our caretakers were able to fix the problem within an hour of being notified, and, as far as we were aware, you had no further problems with the hot water.
DRINKING WATER
As we inform all our guests, prior to arrival, the water from our faucets is potable. However, we always advise our guests to bring their own bottled drinking water, especially if they are at all concerned about drinking the water from the taps.
OUR CAT
Since we know that some of our potential guests may suffer from cat allergies or are simply not “cat-people”, we clearly state on our VRBO property listing, that our cat, Smooki, lives on the property and that she may come over for the occasional visit. So far, all our guests have enjoyed her sweet little surprise calls. Since we used to live in the house ourselves, before it was a rental, Smooki’s 7ft scratch post is still attached to one of the central pillars. (see photos).
OUR VILLAGE
Our property is located within walking distance of a small picturesque mountain village, close to the Chirripó National Park. The village has a population of less than 500 inhabitants, made up mainly of local Ticos, who are very friendly and always welcoming to our guests. As well as the normal local bar and small convenience store, there is a cheese farm, an organic chocolate manufacturer and a bakery. A short drive, there are a few local restaurants, as well as hot springs, botanical gardens, and numerous hiking trails to the most beautiful waterfalls.
PRIVACY
Our house is located nearby on the same property. We or our caretakers will always be available if you need anything or in case of emergency. We do, however, respect our guests privacy at all times and have a separate entrance and garage.
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.
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, Butterly sanctuary, 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.