Tranquil Beachhouse directly on the ocean

First, no matter what I say after this, "expect me back". The interior of the house was well maintained, clean and adequate space for two people. It was excellent to work with Paula the owner and Claudette the caretaker. They were both very responsive to every email and phone call. I wanted a quiet get away and that's what I got. The kitchen had everything that we needed to prepare meals and though we did forget some minor things, they were easily found within a five minute drive. The ocean was literally a stone throw away, which was the best part of the stay. The sound of the ocean and the ocean breeze was so relaxing and tranquil. The internet worked great, so I could lay in the lounge chair on the large exterior covered porch and enjoy NFL games and the atmosphere of the ocean simultaneously. If I had anything to recommend for improvement would be the bed in the master bedroom. It's a small room, so I know it would be difficult for a larger bed to fit, but the pillows on the master bed did not smell so fresh and my feet hung out over the foot of the bed. We did meet Dan the neighbor a very pleasant chap from Ohio, I will not hold that against him and his mellow dog Donna. It became funny that Donna always knew when to show up for meal time. :) All in all, I loved my stay and definitely looking forward to a return visit.

Pros:

We just got back from spending a month in what turned out to be a little paradise. if you want peace and quiet in a small fisherman's village, look no further. The house is about 50 feet from the beach, you can see the ocean while preparing your sunset rhum punch. If you're into eating fresh fish, the local fisherman is about 300 feet from the house and can supply you every day with freshly caught red snapper. We have been all over Costa Rica and have rented beach houses on a lot of different beaches and all I can tell you is that this house is different. The quietness of the surroundings makes it very special for us.

The place is managed by a French Canadian woman who really takes to heart the well-being of her customers. At one point, I called her complaining about a water faucet that was not working properly, within 5 minutes, her handyman was at the house evaluating the problem and within the hour he was back with a replacement faucet, we were really impressed. She is an extremely helpful woman and will answer any request you might have in a very quick manner.

Just before leaving, we made a reservation for another month next year.

Cons:

If you are looking for action and want to go out and party every night, this place is not for you.

Pros:

1. This beach house is in a fantastic location. The beach begins just past the gate. Most days, I shared the entire beach with less than five other people. Seashells!!!

2. The property manager, Claudette, is very friendly and helpful. We got in very, very late and she was kind enough to wait up for us.

3. The neighbor is a swell guy and quick to share his beer. He has a great dog by the name of Donna. Donna likes to hang out on the porch and welcome the new guests. Love her!!

4. There is an outdoor shower to wash off the remnants of the beach before you head inside.

5. The house gecko, customary in Costa Rica, was quaint. The iguana on the roof was fairly shy. We did manage to get a couple of pictures.

Cons:

1. This house is lacking a couple of items. There is no microwave. There is not a dining table. (There is a plastic table and chairs outside.) There is no dishwasher or garbage disposal either, though I don't think they are common in Costa Rica.

2. This house needs a serious cleaning and new coat of paint in every room. The number of cockroaches was frightening. (I am told the cockroach thing is to be expected in Costa Rica.) The showerhead needs to be replaced or cleaned. It is so clogged that there is hardly any water pressure to rinse the shampoo out of your hair thoroughly. There appears to be permanent soap scum on the shower tiles. The cleaning lady came twice during our ten day stay, and the soap scum remained.

3. The only comfortable furniture was located outside on the porch. That would be the hammocks and chaises. The sofa and chair are worn down and soiled. The beds are very hard. The bed sheets were worn and thin.

If you are young and want a place to sleep at night, without regard for comfort or modern conveniences, this place is for you. We are in our forties and prefer clean and comfortable accommodations. It really would not take much to make this place so much better.

All-in-all, this is a great place and we had a great vacation. It is MUCH more economical than a resort ROOM, much more spacious than a ROOM. Our 3 year old absolutely loved the beach, the patio and the neighbor's dog (Donna). we enjoyed driving to other towns and beaches when the view needed to change. The accommodations need a little repair and replacement of some items but you get more than you pay for (beachfront resorts are much more expensive and you have NO privacy) - and this is a good bargain. A GREAT deal at Christmas and I thank Pamela, Claudette (and Dan too) for a great time.

Costa Rica "ecological' stuff was a total let down but the people we met were genuine and friendly. We will return.

Pura Vida

The good stuff: Beach front (across dirt road/ path) with hot sand at low tides(kids love to run and play in the shallow water and wet sand) and decent surf waves (snorkeling or diving 15 to 30 min drive - no shortage of options) or fishing from the beach (better luck on a boat), short drive to restaurants/bakery/ groceries/ fruit stands (many towns within 15 minutes), comfy hammock and hammock chair on the porch, quiet location, local families enjoying the beach (children for you children to play with), brand new tiled charcoal BBQ (Thanks Pamela & Claudette), a good neighbor Dan and his dog Donna (great information on where everything is and to book fishing trips on a Panga with - Dan, not Donna), outside shower and hose with great pressure to rinse the volcanic sand from you and your stuff (or fill water guns for water fights!), friendly locals (the bakery up the highway at the gas station is a MUST), jungle tours a short drive away (Claudette can set you up fast),washing machine (small but effective - hang clothes to dry - more on that later), kitchen equipment works (fridge is cold, stove is hot) for making breakfast and light meals, ice cream man make almost daily visits... Costa Rica is awesome - relax and enjoy it.

Now, the not-so-good stuff: Shower water pressure is very poor (I even bought a new shower head because the other was plugged so bad - it must be the water supply lines to and from the water heater), the toilet and kitchen sink drain slowwww (clogged lines and full septic tank are the culprits - call Roto-Rooter soon), your fresh laundry has to be hung outside to dry (takes long in the high humidity, the clothesline is an old wire and needs to be raised or your clothes lay on the grass and we had someone steal some expensive clothes & beachwear when we had to leave it out overnight because it was still wet - not the accommodations' fault), cockroaches in the bathroom (need lots of sticky strips - not a surprise because it IS the tropics, bugs are common, didn't bother us - we just smash 'em and throw them out), the mattresses are lumpy and a bit hard (we're used to that in the tropics but a foam topper would help), the air conditioners are noisy (but they work well so turn them on before you go to bed and turn them down to sleep), the yard light is too bright (helped the thieves, not the renters who are trying to sleep - use motion detector LEDs), blankets and towels could use replacing, the living room 'furniture' should be tossed.