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300 degree Views of Braulio Carrillo Cloud Forest and Birdwatching
| Sleeps | 5 |
| Bedrooms | 2 |
| Bathrooms | 2 |
| Space | 1,400 sq. ft. |
| Property type | house |
| Minimum Stay | 7 nights |
Overview
2 BR 2BA-half acre of flowers and lawns close to San Jose museums and shoppin
ALSO SEE OUR 3 BR LISTING with pool table VRBO 573635
**From July 1 to Dec. 1, 2016 we are offering 7 day minimum stays at low season rates**
**Check out our new cable TV and internet services below **
Here is the complete, unedited review from Dec 2014 guest Dan of Ontario, Canada:
"This was one of the most beautiful homes I have stayed in ... The pictures do not do it justice it is much better in person ... The kitchen was our favourite! New appliances and everything you need was provided... Currently staying at a very expensive apartment in Tamarindo and does not provide anything, a coffee maker or frying pans or even hot water! I miss this home in Heredia!
Some other positives are the manager picked me up at the airport, took me for groceries, got to the house it was very clean, the internet was fast, I recommend bringing apple tv ;) it does have satellite TV, beautiful view, the grocery store was relatively close by ... the weather was never too hot or too cold it was always perfect. Anyway I recommend this house hope to stay again someday soon!" (end of Dan's review)
Owner Steve's property description: As Dan stated, the fully bi-lingual on-site manager Eduardo (graduate of the University of Kansas) will pick you up at my expense at the airport or your car rental office so you will not have a problem finding the place, and he will take you grocery shopping at a nice nearby supermarket. If needed we will arrange a taxi back to the airport at your expense. If you are ok driving an older car with stick shift, we can provide one at low cost. If you are staying less than 30 days we are required by Costa Rican law to charge you the 13% hotel tax.
This newer (2010) 2 BR 2 Bath is in a park-like country setting, yet close to the city. It is an architect designed passive solar penthouse with high end materials and artistic details. Spring weather year round (high 70's/23-26 C, never too hot). 3 roofed balconies catch sun and birds all day. Electric gate with remote, part time handyman-gardener, retired couple Eduardo and Agnes next door are the on-site managers who speak Spanish, English and French. Renewably grown teak in all ceilings, doors, cabinets and woodwork, imported Spanish tile, ceramic and stained glass artwork by local artists, all glass separate sunroom with stationary exercise bike, fully furnished and equipped with US appliances including new dishwasher, new teak queen bed frames with Guatemalan bedspreads, Claro cable TV with English BBC news, ABC Miami, US-English ESPN Sportscenter, HBO, kids channels, music channels, etc) TWO Wifi internet systems exclusive to this house (not shared with any other house )to drive ALL your wireless devices simultaneously and run clear Skype video calls landline and 49 inch LED Smart TV hooked to wifi (your Netflix or similar will run), Bluetooth speakers, four desks (three with amazing views), kitchen island seats 6, fully screened but well above the mosquito altitude zone, all rooms have ceiling fans, but the natural cross ventilation from local breeze allows easy temperature adjustment. 30 minutes to the downtown National Theater and the museums, 25 minutes to the Universidad Nacional (UNA) in Heredia. Under 2 1/2 hours by car to either Atlantic or Pacific beaches. 20 minutes to the new (2013) Lincoln Mall with first run movies and top restaurants. 12 minutes to the Kahli/Brumas del Zurqui coffee shop with the coffee judged best in the world in 2012. 12 minutes to the Toucan Rescue Ranch exotic animal park. 14 minutes to the award winning Bougainvillea hotel gardens and restaurant, 15 minutes to the Bromelias del Rio restaurant and bakery, 18 minutes to the Sibu organic chocolate factory and tour, 20 minutes to the new Riverside Pizzeria and Gastropub, 25 minutes to the Britt coffee tour farm and packing plant. 55 minutes to the Jungle Tram or Zoo Ave bird sanctuary, just over one hour to the Sarchi woodworking town or the Lankester gardens. No Pets, No smoking.
About Steven Huffstutlar
I am 69, 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 20 of the past 32 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 2010
Why Steven Huffstutlar chose Heredia
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 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. This is the resident nesting territory of 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. 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, whirlpool tub, 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 a 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 Tunturi 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, 1 megabyte DSL and 5 megabyte wireless. 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.
Amenities
Pará House Accommodation and Amenities
- house
- Guests provide their own meals
- 1400 sq. ft.
- Check-in: 12:00 /
- Check-out: 12:00
- Max. occupancy: 5
- Min. age of primary renter: 25
- Children welcome ...
- Parties/events not allowed
- Pets not allowed
- Non smoking only
- Mountain View
- Rural
- Village
- Adventure
- Away From It All
- Budget
- Family
- Romantic
- Sports & Activities
- Tourist Attractions
- Clothes Dryer
- Fireplace ...
- Fitness Room / Equipment ...
- Internet ...
- Linens Provided
- Parking ...
- Telephone ...
- Towels Provided
- Washing Machine
- Coffee Maker ...
- Dishes & Utensils
- Dishwasher ...
- Kitchen ...
- Microwave
- Oven ...
- Refrigerator ...
- Stove ...
- Toaster ...
- Dining ...
- Dining Area
- seating for 6 people
- 2 Bathrooms
-
Bathroom 1 -
toilet
,
combination tub/shower
,
jetted tub
,
spanish tile, granite and teak, skylight, view of forest
Bathroom 2 - toilet , combination tub/shower , Spanish tile, granite and teak, view of forest, skylight
- built to US standards
- 2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 5
-
Bedroom 1 -
1 queen
,
New curtains, walk in closet for 2 persons, balcony
Bedroom 2 - 1 queen , Has its own bath with tub and shower, balcony, big closet
- Books ...
- DVD Player
- Satellite / Cable ...
- Stereo ...
- Television ...
- Balcony ...
- Golf ...
- Lawn / Garden ...
- Outdoor Grill ...
- Tennis ...
- Long-term Renters Welcome
- wheelchair inaccessible ...
- Car Available
- botanical garden
- churches
- cinemas
- festivals
- health/beauty spa
- live theater
- museums
- restaurants
- synagogues
- theme parks
- zoo
- antiquing
- bird watching
- eco tourism
- gambling casinos
- photography
- scenic drives
- shopping
- sight seeing
- walking
- wildlife viewing
- ATM/bank
- fitness center
- groceries
- hospital
- medical services
- cycling
- golf
- hiking
- mountain climbing
- mountaineering
- tennis
Reviews
Wonderful!
4.9/5 -
(9 traveler reviews)
Our family loved it here. It was a perfect match for all 5 of us! The views were incredible.
Our family stayed here for 2 weeks. The house was in the perfect location for everything we wanted to do and very close to friends who lived in Heredia. The sounds of the birds in the morning were so inviting and the open space and all of the windows made it feel like we were in paradise.
The owner had many brochures and written notes of places close by that we could visit. This was very nice.
I already miss the mountain views surrounding the house. I will definitely recommend this house for any future family or friends who would like to visit Costa Rica. Pura Vida, Tuanis!
Truly a home away from home we spent an amazing week in this beautiful comfortable rental
Our stay in Heredia, Costa Rica couldn't have been more comfortable largely because of this accommodation. We will never forget that week spent in this beautiful home. The house included all the comforts like a full modern kitchen, two bedrooms each with their own bath and high speed Internet. Some of the small details made this place very artistically interesting (local woods, stones, stained glass!!!)
Our host Steve is an exceptional human being and a new friend. We look forward to staying with him again in the future. He gave us a great tour of the local area, rented us one of his inexpensive yet reliable vehicles and was able to answer any questions we had about life in Costa Rica. We enjoyed the books and videos available especially the bird book which made identifying the many special species that visited the area much easier. Having a cup of coffee in the early morning on one of the decks or in the sunroom was indeed the most relaxing part as you can listen to the birds and soak up the tranquil atmosphere which is evident here. We would highly recommend staying here to any friends or family. All the local stores were friendly with many unique things to do in the area. Burillo Carrillo was breathtaking and worth the short drive it took to reach the ranger's station and easy walking trails. The farmers markets nearby were rich with fruits and vegetables along with local culture; a great place to practice Spanish while purchasing spectacular inexpensive organic produce. Our host, Steve, was kind enough to take us to tour the gardens and to have a delicious lunch at the Bougainvillea Hotel and Gardens. So many things to try again next time: the chocolate tour, bird sanctuary, a day trip up to La Paz (Peace) waterfalls and so much more. Some additional extra benefits of staying at this home were:: -help from Steve, Rudis, Edwardo and Carlos whenever needed
-directions and maps if needed
-lots of extra pillows, blankets, towels
-great water pressure
-clean facilities
-well kept grounds
-clean drinking water
and so much more.
We throughly enjoyed our visit. Until next time! Pura Vida!
Great house, great location and great host
This house set off the beaten path with one other home offers closeness to San Jose, Santa Domingo and San Isidro with views of the mountains and the lush green of Costa Rica. Every thing was clean and the kitchen was great. The host went out of his way to make our stay comfortable including free pick up form the airport, directions for anywhere we wanted to go and even one of his cars to rent for much less than a rental agency. We had a wonderful relaxing stay. Many thanks.
Peaceful Elegance
This place is amazing. Steven is an incredible host, the house has all of the amenities that you could ever want/need and the location is perfectly tranquilo. Love staying here whenever I'm in San Jose.
Good Central location in CR! Wonderful home. We had a wonderful stay in Costa Rica!!
This newer home was clean and tidy and quite beatiful. The beds in this two bedroom raised house were clean and comphy with extra pillows and blankets in the closet. Beautiful views with so many hummers and birds to watch. We had TV in English and Spanish. Two full bath rooms with towels etc. Washer and dryer too. One balcony was windowed and an exercise bike and clothes drying area. Another had a full BBQ and table and chairs. Each bedroom had a balcony as well. The living room was very comfortable and the TV was a very good size with good reception/cable. Really no need for A/C here! Honest! Bugs seemed minimal...never saw a misquito...located above the mosquito belt. Open the patio door and put on a ceiling fan and we were set- day or night! Everything you would need in a kitchen. Eduardo, the house manager next door, was most helpful when we had questions. He picked us up at the airport and took us to the house! He showed us local restaurants and grocery stores which we pinned onto GPS. (No street signs or house numbers in CR...or very, very few so bring a GPS and it is easy travels!) We drove every day from the house and GPS-ed to the Carabbean and the Pacific Coast, La Paz Waterfalls, Britt Coffee Tour, and Lake Arenal. Good central location for Costa Rica travelling. Loved it! Thank you Steve for sharing your home with us! Thank you to Eduardo for everything. I would certainly visit again and I do recommend this rental!
Jean & Rick, September 2016
No Better Place in Costa Rica
My wife and I just got back from spending a month in Steve's wonderful house northeast of San Jose, Costa Rica.
Everything positive the other reviews have to say I agree with, and would like to add that great weather, a fantasticly equipped house, and a location out of the hectic San Jose area make this an ideal escape from a cold northern winter. One caution to keep in mind is that you will need to have a car to operate from here, unless you are comfortable using the bus whose stop is just at the beginning of the small street leading to the house.
If you are not familiar with Costa Rica, to get around comfortably you will need the "Toucan" map and should also have a GPS equipped with the Costa Rican chip.
You will not regret staying at Steve's hidden paradise.
Map
Spring weather year round (never too hot), June to December is Wet Spring sunny mornings with some rain in the afternoon, Dry Spring Dec. 15- May 30 sunny almost all day long. 30 minutes from the National Theater and the museums. 2 1/2 hours by car to either Atlantic or Pacific beaches. 20 minutes to the new (2013) Lincoln Mall with first run movies and top restaurants. 10 minutes to the Kahli/Brumas del Zurqui coffee shop with the coffee judged best in the world in 2012. 14 minutes to the award winning Bougainvillea hotel gardens and restaurant, 12 minutes to the Toucan Rescue Ranch exotic animal park. 15 minutes to the Bromelias del Rio restaurant and bakery, 18 minutes to the Sibu organic chocolate factory, restaurant and tour, 30 minutes to the Britt coffee tour farm and packing plant. 50 minutes to the Jungle Tram or Zoo Ave bird sanctuary, just over one hour to Sarchi or the Lankester gardens.
Photos
Rates & Availability
Pará House Rental Rates
- Rental Basis:
- per property
- Owner accepts payment in:
- USD
| Rate Period | Nightly | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly * | Event | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
offseason
Jul 1 2017 -
Nov 30 2017
7 night minimum stay
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$450
|
$1,295
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My Standard Rate
7 night minimum stay
|
|
$500
|
$1,395
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Additional information about rental rates
| Refundable damage deposit | $400 |
* Approximate monthly rate. Actual rate will depend on the days of the month you stay.
Owner's Cancellation Policy
- 100% refund if canceled at least 60 days before arrival date.
- Available
- Unavailable
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