Blue Butterfly Cottage - Tranquil and Private. A true Costa Rican experience.

Photo gallery for Blue Butterfly Cottage - Tranquil and Private. A true Costa Rican experience.

A wooden deck with a roof, surrounded by natural scenery and a body of water in the background.
A pond with a gazebo in the center surrounded by lush greenery.
A room with wicker furniture, a small table, and a television.
A cozy living area with a brown sofa, two wicker chairs with patterned cushions, a small round table, and a television on a stand.
A wooden staircase with a railing leading to a landing. A ceiling fan is visible above the staircase.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Scenic water view
    Relax and unwind with top-rated water views, offering a scenic experience.
  • Barbecue grill
    A rare find - perfect for a relaxed, outdoor grilling experience.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.

Popular amenities

  • Balcony
  • Private pool
  • Barbecue grill
  • Air-conditioning
  • Refrigerator
  • Internet

Explore the area

View in a map
Nuevo Arenal, Guanacaste
  • Place, Lake Arenal
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Place, Tenorio Volcano National Park
    ‪17 min drive‬
  • Place, Arenal Volcano National Park
    ‪38 min drive‬
  • Airport, La Fortuna (FON-Arenal)
    ‪65 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Sleep Sofa

1 Double Futon

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Arenal

Located in Arenal, this cottage is in a rural area. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Arenal and Tabacon Hot Springs. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Tronadora Arena or Quebrada Grande Arena. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and water tubing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with mountain biking and ecotours.
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Map
Nuevo Arenal, Guanacaste

What's nearby

  • Lake Arenal - 3 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Tenorio Volcano National Park - 17 min drive - 12.7 km
  • Arenal Volcano National Park - 38 min drive - 37.6 km
  • Tabacon Hot Springs - 43 min drive - 43.5 km
  • Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park - 43 min drive - 40.0 km

Getting around

  • La Fortuna (FON-Arenal) - 58 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Tom's Pan German Bakery - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Selva Paraíso Souvenir & Coffee Shop - ‬17 min drive
  • ‪Soda el Madera - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Moya's Place - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Tinajas Arenal - ‬9 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Blue Butterfly Cottage - Tranquil and Private. A true Costa Rican experience. have a pool?

Yes, this property has a pool.

Is Blue Butterfly Cottage - Tranquil and Private. A true Costa Rican experience. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Blue Butterfly Cottage - Tranquil and Private. A true Costa Rican experience.?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Blue Butterfly Cottage - Tranquil and Private. A true Costa Rican experience.?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Blue Butterfly Cottage - Tranquil and Private. A true Costa Rican experience.?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Blue Butterfly Cottage - Tranquil and Private. A true Costa Rican experience. located?

Situated in a rural location, this cottage is 1.9 mi (3.1 km) from Lake Arenal and 9.2 mi (14.8 km) from FlyZone Wakeboard School. Cavernas de Venado and Venado Caves are also within 16 miles (25 km).

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 17 out of 23 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 23 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 23 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 23 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 23 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.0/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had everything we needed! Host was very helpful, the home was very clean and peaceful! Horse back riding was a fun add out to our stay here. Brett was there to help us and answer any questions about the area!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 29 Apr, 2026
Thank you for your review. We enjoyed hosting you and we are glad you had a pleasant stay. Safe travels, Bret
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Birthday Getaway

An amazing time all around!
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 30 Mar, 2025
Thank you Jumel. It was a pleasure meeting you. I'm glad you enjoyed you stay. Bret
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The cottage is cozy and has most everything you need for your stay. There is WiFi but it is extremely slow, usually only 1-2 Mbps. The grounds are beautiful with quite a few trails to hike, unfortunately for us it rained almost everyday we were there.
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 17 Feb, 2026
Thank you Richard, We thank you for your feedback and we are glad you enjoyed the property. We were able to increase the WiFi speed by topping off the hedges blocking the signal from the antenna. Fortunately, the WiFi is back to normal now.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise at CRParaiso

Bret and his crew were awesome people, friendly, helpful, and welcoming. The property is wonderful, we hiked it almost everyday following the many trails and finding plateaus with amazing views of Lake Arenal. Sitting on the patio having a favourite beverage, we listened to howler monkeys, saw white faced monkeys, and many species of birds including parrots and toucans. Overall we had a wonderful vacation and would highly recommend a stay at CRParaiso.
Stayed 28 nights in Feb 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Great birds!! Great for two people!!

We loved the Blue Butterfly Cottage. Every morning at dawn I looked forward to seeing Keel-billed Toucans, Red-lores Parrots and many more exotic birds right from our front porch!! If sleeping more than two, Bret needs to get new sofa sleeper. Impossible mattress on current one!!
Stayed 30 nights in Feb 2019
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

An unforgettable and special time

For our vacation the Blue Butterfly Cottage was the perfect accomodation. We had everything we needed and Bret was an excellent host. He offered his help all the time and was always making sure we had a great experience. We especially liked the fact he offers various activities like Ziplining, Riding- or Night-tours directly on his beautiful and extensive property. Beside tours we were always invited to explore the area with its handbuild trails on our own. On warmer days swimming in the private and cristal clear pond was a special highlight. We can absolutely recommend coming to CRParaiso for holiday.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Sept, 2024
What a fantastic family to host. I appreciate your love of nature and thank you for staying and enjoying the property and cottage. Bret
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

A gorgeous garden on the edge of the jungle,

We stayed in this little casita for 5 days and really enjoyed it. It is a beautiful, very comfortable cabin set in a well maintained, huge, gorgeous garden with a variety of flowers and birds. Sit on the patio and watch the fire flies at night or have your coffee in the morning and watch the beautiful birds! We were lucky to see the monkeys in the trees as well. There is a swimming pound on the property where you can relax and enjoy nature. The casita is conveniently close to town for your shopping with the feel of being away in the jungle. The road to it is a little bumpy but, for us, this added to the charm for the feel of staying in a jungle setting. I did not want to stay in Costa Rica on the main roads. This was our first time in Costa Rica and Bret was very helpful with advises and tips. The property manager lived right down the road and there is a phone in the cabin. We were able to call him with any questions we had. If we go back on that side of Costa Rica, we will certainly stay there again. There is also a bigger house on the property if we ever go back with family.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jul, 2023
Thank you for your review and we are glad you had a good time. We too enjoy the quiet solitude of nature and the property with all the wildlife, flora and fauna. Our main house has 5 bedrooms and 2 baths with plenty of room for a group or family of 8-10. It was great to hear you had a chance to see the monkeys.. they are very curious but shy. We also share your sentiments about our road to the property. Although bumpy, it has always been part of the adventure of Costa Rica for us. Thanks again, Bret
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfortable house in a spectacular environment

The house is very cosy with a well equipped kitchen, comfortable bed and a decent bathroom with shower. The surroundings are magnificent with beautiful spots around every corner on the numerous paths that go all over the well maintained property with forest, rivers, ponds, gardens and orchards. I enjoyed the swimming pond with crystal clear water at a perfect temperature. The owner and staff are very friendly and helpful. Sitting on the patio and looking at the hummingbirds, toucans and lots of other birds and animals (I saw an anteater walking by) with no other sounds to be heard than nature really made me feel like being in paradise.
Stayed 28 nights in Sep 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise

The property is gorgeous. We stayed in the Casita and it was clean, comfortable and had everything we needed. The staff was friendly and helpful. From the patio we could observe various plants and animals. We really enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend it.
Stayed 15 nights in Apr 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice acreage

Nice and secluded.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2020
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Quiet, peaceful with amazing bird viewing.

If you want a clean,cosy,quiet place to come and just chill or watch hummingbird,birds, butterflys, fireflys as well as monkeys this is the place to come. Did my exercises on front deck every morning and it was a pleasure with all the wildlife around. Brett has a huge acreage with roads and paths to hike around as well as two ponds, one of which you can swim in.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jul, 2023
Thank you for your review. Just this past Monday and Tuesday morning we enjoyed watching a family of white faced monkeys frolicking about in the trees just outside the Cottage. Also saw some large footprints of Tapir but they are shy and hard to spot... we have them come through every day but rarely see them. Anyway, we were glad to have you and that you enjoyed your time. Bret
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Very nice owner went out of his way for us.

This property is a studio apartment attached to the side of a garage. Quite private but close to owner if he is needed. Only two issues: double bed is built into the walls of an open loft so that three sides are against the walls which means the person sleeping nearest the wall has to climb over the other person if they need to get up while the other person sleeps; and the nearly 2 mile rutted and rocky road to get to the large and pretty property are bone jarring and suspension jolting. We did enjoy being there but hated having to go into town because of the road. Understand that the municipality may be improving the road before long.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2018
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Cozy cabin on beautiful property

We really enjoyed our time at the Blue Butterfly Cottage. Henry was so friendly and helpful-our arrival was smooth and our time was really enjoyable. The weather was not great but we got out and explored the property-there are so many birds and its a great location to go to the thermal pools and hanging bridges, both of which were awesome. I highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jul, 2023
Thank you... so glad you enjoyed the property. Sorry the weather was not the best.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Fabulous cottage, fabulous stay!

This is a very well kept little cottage right in the middle of absolutely the most amazingly beautiful part of Costa Rica even imaginable. The cottage is clean, well stocked, comfortable and well maintained. The gardeners and caretaker are second to none. It was a very enjoyable and much needed respite from the rat race. Would recommend to anyone wanting to get away from it all. The wildlife sightings right on the property really enhanced our experience.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jul, 2023
We are glad you enjoyed your stay and thank you for the kind words. We agree, the Arenal area is absolutely beautiful and has the best that Costa Rica can offer.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

We loved the place, so tranquil the forest something else

To taste a bit of Heaven one has to come to Blue butterfly. We have to come back.very clean calm.Amenities five minutes away, beauitful lake what else can one ask for. Thanks Henry and his Staff. A special thanks to you Bret.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2017
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Secluded, comfortable, and totally awesome!

Wonderful stay! We enjoyed the views, sunsets, and wonderful birds all over this property. Accommodations were clean and comfortable; Henry was very helpful. Marten was very kind and helped us with anything we needed. Trails throughout the property were perfect for bird watching and enjoying the Costa Rican life. The front porch - we sat out during the day into the evening until dark enjoying the landscape and finally watching the fire flies. Was a perfect relaxing two weeks. I would return here in a heartbeat! The two roads leading to the property are certainly an experience but worth the trip. Nuevo Arenal was close by and had many Sodas and restaurants that had great food! We really enjoyed our trip!
Stayed 14 nights in Feb 2017
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Mega Vacation

My husband and I stayed at the Butterfly cottage on our 3 week trip to Costa Rica. We absolutely LOVED the Nuevo Arenal. The area was wrapped with beautiful trees, toucans, birds which we had never seen before and being able to open the door and enjoy the cool temperatures, breathtaking. We loved the fact that we could take a short drive to town and have lunch or visit the local grocery store to take food back to the Cottage to fix our own meals. We also walked the property to check out the flowers and swimming pool. We will be back and probably to stay, FOREVER. Thank you for Henry who assisted us at the property and Jason, whom I believed brought us fresh bananas, picked from a tree on the property. Gracious and see you next year. :)
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Absolutely fabulous

Your property was so much more than expected. Henry and Jason were exceptional. We loved walking the grounds and saw so much wildlife. Can't wait to come back. Pura Vida!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2016
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Great quiet little cabina

This cabina was perfect for the two of us. Clean, quiet, and the land is beautiful. The groundskeepers are always around if you need help with anything, and Bret was responsive to any questions by email. We didn't want to leave!
Stayed 30 nights in Nov 2015
Archival

8/10 Good

Remote and Clean

Stayed 5 days. The cottage was comfortable, clean and well equipped. The only draw back is the road in. We traveled it 14 times. It's fun the first time, but wares on you afterwards.
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jul, 2023
Finally had the road re-graded. It is so much better now. Also upgraded a few things in the casita to make it more comfortable.. Thanks, Bret
Archival

8/10 Good

Cute cottage - snug and comfy

The cottage is nice and clean and equipped with everything you need to support your stay for the week. The surrounding property is beautiful - we walked the grounds our last day there and were incredibly impressed by the views of prospective lots. That said, the road leading to the property is incredibly difficult to navigate. Thankfully Bret highly recommended renting a 4 wheel drive vehicle, which I did, and am sincerely grateful for the advice! Although locals made it up and down the road in conventional cars, I couldn't imagine doing so. Unpaved roads off the main roads seem to be the norm, so if you're looking for a house to rent, you may be in a similar situation regardless. I can only say that I would not return to this particular location until the 2 miles stretch of road leading to it is paved.
Archival

6/10 Okay

65 acres to ourselves

Loved the land that the property was on. We had a wonderful time wandering up to the viewpoints and finding the tapia footprints. But, the property itself was cramped, especially the bed space. The bed was hemmed in on three sides. The kitchen looked as if it had been equipped from the left overs from a charity shop - forks so poor they could bend, no sharp knives to cut veg etc with, a bad selection of pans to cook with, one wine glass and one mug.
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jul, 2023
Our kitchen is fully equipped with a brand new microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker, blender and a few new pans (two of which are cast iron) and baking sheets... a relatively new mid-sized fridge/freezer and a four burner gas stove/oven. We do keep several sharp knives and keep at least four coffee mags on hand with plenty of glasses. We even keep enough eating utensils for four to six even though the cottage is for two. Unless the previous guests had broken some items and they were replaced after your visit, this is the only explanation we can think of. We are sorry you were not pleased, we wish you would have said something to our property manager so he could have remedied some of this immediately since we keep extra items in the man house.
Archival

8/10 Good

The title is an accurate description of the cottage

The setting for the cottage is great. Set on 60 fully landscaped acres it is an ideal place for relaxation. I was met by the property manager Henri and shown around and given his phone number if I had any questions. The Gardener gave me a handful of fresh banannas just picked from the tree. The place was as clean as described and as a matter of fact the owner also called the first evening to make sure everything was good. Everyone associated with this cottage was helpful and professional. The only concern I had is that road crews were doing maintenance on the road up to the property and they temporarily made it worse. However they should have it in much better shape shortly.
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