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300 degree Views of Braulio Carrillo Cloud Forest and Birdwatching
- House
- Sleeps: 5
- Bedrooms: 2
- Bathrooms: 2
- Min Stay: 10 nights
2 BR 2BA-half acre of flowers and lawns close to San Jose museums and shoppin
Bedrooms
Bedroom 1
Bedroom 2
Amenities
Featured
- Internet
- Air Conditioning
- Fireplace
- TV
- Satellite or cable
- Washer & Dryer
- Children Welcome
- Parking
- No Smoking
- Heater
Bathrooms
- Bathrooms: 2
- Bathroom 2Toilet, combination tub/showerSpanish tile, granite and teak, view of forest, skylight
- Bathroom 1Toilet, combination tub/showerspanish tile, granite and teak, skylight, view of forest
- built to US standards
Safety features
- Deadbolt lock
- First aid kitin upper kitchen cabinet
- Smoke detectorover living area
- Fire extinguisherunder kitchen sink
- Exterior lighting
Location Type
- Mountain
- Ruralsurrounded by coffee fields, on ridge above two rivers, last house on a paved country lane
- Village10 minutes to San Isidro de Heredia, a quaint coffee town with a new supermarket (Mas por Menos), pharmacies, barber shops, banks, coffee shops, gas station, Sunday farmers market, etc
- Mountain ViewBraulio Carillo Park peaks to north, Irazu volcano to the east, Mountains behind San Jose to the south
General
- Telephone
- Air ConditioningNatural. At our ideal altitude you open large screened windows and sliding doors to let the cross ventilated breeze lower the temperature.
- HeatingNatural passive solar from 16 skylights. Other heat not needed at our ideal altitude.
- Linens Provided
- Washing MachineStandard American size.
- Clothes DryerStandard American size.
- Fireplace
- Parking2 covered spaces right outside door, electric entrance gate with sun visor remote
- Garagecovered parking, carport at entrance door
- InternetNetflix runs great, no buffering
- Towels Provided
- Fitness Room/Equipmentstationary exercise bike
- Wireless Internet
- Iron & Board
- Hair Dryer
- Paper Towels
- Shampoo
- Basic Soaps
- Toilet Paper
- Living Room
Kitchen
- DishwasherNew 2014
- Refrigeratornew 2013
- Stovenew 2013
- OvenConvection and conventional
- Microwave
- Grill
- Coffee Maker
- Toastertoaster oven
- Blender
- Coffee Grinder
- Dishes & Utensils
- KitchenGourmet kitchen with all equipment and gadgets. Standard American size outdoor propane grill on balcony
- Kettle
Dining
- Seating for 6 people
- Dining Area
- DiningGranite center island seats 7, table along north picture window seats 6 if pulled out from wall.
Entertainment
- Television47 inch smart TV plays Netflix and Youtube over the wifi
- Satellite/CableClaro satellite TV with BBC, some English ESPN, HBO, kids channels, music and local channels
- DVD Player
- BooksTravel, novels
- Video LibraryAssortment of recent DVDs and US standard DVD player
Outside
- Lawn/Gardenpart time handyman gardener will help with cleaning of floors and windows, you do your own laundry, changing of sheets and dishes
- BalconyThree birdwatching balconies on east, west and south sides, all served by lockable sliding glass doors with screens. Feb 2019 guests saw 106 types of birds from the house in a 30 day stay.
- Porch/Veranda
- Deck/Patio
- Tennistwo doors down there is a tennis pro who gives lessons and has access to local private courts, 20 years teaching in the US, excellent English, Arturo Rojas phone 8828-6151
- Golf45 minutes to Club Cariari or Valle del Sol 18 hole courses, 25 minutes to small Aschville 9 hole course.
Suitability
- wheelchair inaccessible20 steps up from covered parking
Notes
- Covered parking, secure outdoor extra parking for several cars, electric front gate with remote control
Policies
Cancellation Policy
- 100% refund if you cancel at least 60 days before check-in.
- No refund if you cancel less than 60 days before check-in.
Damage and Incidentals
You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.
House Rules
Children allowed - balconies not good for very small children balconies not good for very small children
No pets
No events
No smoking
Max guests: 5
Minimum age of primary renter: 25
Map
Hosted by Steven Huffstutlar
Ask a questionAbout Steven Huffstutlar
I am 72, retired from overseas consulting work in agriculture and road projects. I grew up in California (BA from UC Berkeley 1968). I have managed my own rentals for 30+ years. I have lived in Costa Rica for 23 of the past 35 years, having come here in 1984 to manage an agricultural project for the US Embassy. I spend part of the year in California with the grandchildren. I have gone through all the residency requirements for Costa Rica and can offer general and residency advice about visiting and living in Costa Rica (I will e-mail you my personal Central Valley tourist guide on request). Since retiring in 2007 I built this passive solar teak-lined house surrounded by mountains, forest, and vast skies, with inside temperatures in the high 70's-F/23-26-C year round. No need for air conditioning or heat, inside temperatures are adjusted by opening and closing screened windows for cooling by mild natural breezes.
Steven Huffstutlar purchased this House in 2012
Why Steven Huffstutlar chose Para
I lived at the beach in Costa Rica (Manuel Antonio) and after a couple of years found the hot weather was uncomfortable and getting gradually worse. Then I moved to 900 meters altitude in San Antonio de Belen (Cariari) and found temperatures there were also uncomfortable. This house location at about 1150 meters altitude (3700 ft) has great weather and is close to San Jose area attractions, and is much less crowded, hot and congested than the other side of the valley such as Santana and Rohrmoser-Escazu. I left California's urban congestion to find an idyllic place like this. Located at the end of a paved quiet country lane between two rivers, the surrounding properties on three sides are undeveloped farms or private gardens. We are visited by flocks of noisy green parrots during parts of the year, along with occasional Montezuma's oropendulas, mot mots and orioles (see the full birds sighted list in the property description). This is the resident nesting territory of the Great Kiskadee, yellow flycatchers, brown and white jays, yiguirros (Clay Colored Robins, the Costa Rican national bird) and powder blue tanagers. Buzzards and hawks patrolling our two nearby rivers treat us to flying ballets all day long. To the north a 3-mile/5-km stretch of the mountains of the Braulio Carrillo Park is visible with its constantly changing crown of passing clouds coming and going. To the east we see the Irazu volcano and to the south the mountains behind San Jose. To the west we see sunsets from the second bedroom balcony. We have impressive rainbows often on all sides.
What makes this House unique
This house has amazing views from high panoramic windows and 3 roofed balconies. Please note there are 20 steps up to the house. The property's grounds below have lawns and a riot of colorful flowers year round. The house has 16 skylights, some in every room and the hot water is solar heated with electric backup for rainy days. The roomy master bedroom has its own colorfully tiled bathroom with skylight, Delta shower and granite-topped solid teak commode. The second bedroom has its own colorfully tiled bathroom with tub and Delta shower, skylight and granite topped solid teak commode. Each bedroom has a ceiling fan (seven ceiling fans total) and its own private, roofed balcony. The queen beds have teak frames, high count US cotton sheets and colorful handmade Guatemalan bedspreads. The all glass sunroom catches early morning sun and has a stationary exercise bike. Full set of new US appliances, including a new dishwasher, all cooking and kitchen utensils, espresso maker, coffee grinder, rice cooker, convection oven, and 49 inch smart TV and DVD player. We have Claro cable TV and two kinds of wi-fi internet working simultaneously to run all your devices. Wifi reaches every room. New curtains in bedrooms, 4 desks, three with great views. Covered parking for two cars. Has 20 steps up to front door. Sleeps 4 plus couch.
- Languages:
- english, spanish