Platanillo vacation rentals

As soon as we turned off the road and passed through the property gate I knew this was a special place. Winding through manicured grounds, orchards, and tropical plants, one gets the impression that something exceptional is about to happen. The house, though well appointed and fully functional, is just a backdrop to the fabulous property on a 65-acre private nature preserve. While the more adventuresome young folks hiked to the waterfall nothing was lost on those who just wanted to sit by the pool, enjoy the scenery, and watch the native birds, animals, and reptiles who had free range of the property. We took several wildlife tours but other than sloths and crocodiles didn’t see much that we weren’t able to experience at the house (and without the crowds)!The house manager, Ana, was fabulous and she and her staff were very responsive to minor issues. She recommended activities and made the arrangements, had a rental car delivered, and was constantly in touch. We had Chef Koko prepare several meals and he and they were great (get the passionfruit pie!).The property is located 10-15 minutes from two small towns, Dominical and Uvita. There are great restaurants close by, and the kids enjoyed taking surfing lessons. This is a once in a lifetime kind of experience-DO IT!

This is a unique property that was really nice to stay at. The check-in was easy, the location is secluded, the owner was accessible and helpful. We had dinner cooked for us one night and that was great. The owner lives just behind the house so if you have any issues she is right there.

We stayed on the beach in zancudo for two and a half weeks , beautiful spot on the beach , did all the usual things like fishing , tours , hiking, zip lining , while it was awesome, We could not wait to stay at John’s house , we loved the peace and beauty and crazy wild life all around us , we have traveled to many different VBO , This house hits the mark on all levels, Comfortable beds , great kitchen , unbelievable wildlife and stunnng architectural design , You will be so comfortable and appreciative of the beauty that surrounds you , John helped us find a local place to buy fish , it was 5 min away , We had Tuna and prawns and snapper all week , We never left except to replenish our supply’s . We did check out a few beaches., You are close to everything but it feels like you are in your one tropical island. Totally rent this . I just hope I can rent again next year . Great week but not long enough . We also had the chance to see the green flash as the sun set , and we also had a beautiful rainbow one day . Thank you John &Mary your house will leave lasting memories for all of us Michelle & Peter

We have stayed at a lot of VRBO houses and I was skeptical that this one would live up to the amazing pictures - but it did and more! This is a beautiful house on an incredible property. Waking up with a view of the ocean, swimming in the private pool - my husband, kids, and I loved every minute of it. We saw monkeys, toucans, an iguana, tons of lizards, and even a sloth. The owner is very communicative and helpful. We would love to come back some day!

This is a piece of heaven on earth!! Peggy answered every question we had and gave us extra tips as well! Trina and Jorge were amazing and even (for a small fee) picked up some groceries for us and had those for us upon arrival! The villa is absolutely gorgeous and well appointed with everything you could possibly need! We are anxious to return!!

Our stay at Panoramica was incredible. The pictures do not give you a sense of how large the property is or how amazing the grounds are. The wildlife just around the property itself was so cool. Monkeys, coati, a thousand different birds and a family of cane toads that came to swim in the pool each night. The house itself is small though you won't spend much time inside. The outdoor areas are phenomenal with very nice furniture. The house is VERY well-stocked. I have traveled to VRBOs in several countries and have never stayed at one that had literally every convenience, kitchen item, etc. like Panoramica does. The dirt road is nerve-wracking the first time but easy after that. The house is located in a fantastic area. We had excursions every day (waterfalls, hikes, boating etc.) and nothing was very far away. My only beef was not with the house but the weather (so just an FYI for those considering times). We went in April expecting sunshine and heat. It was very overcast and rained every single day out of 8 days. So we didn't get as much use out of the amazing pool as we would have liked as it was too cold most of the time. However, the overcast made excursions much more pleasant since we were not baking in the extreme sun. So, if you want to hike etc., I would go in April for sure. If you want to simply lounge at Panoramica, I would pick a month in the dry season instead of April which we were told is "transition".

We stayed at this property for 5 weeks! My heart ached a little when it was time to go home. The comments about needing a 4 wheel drive are accurate. Oscar, the best concierge in the world, helped me with renting a vehicle since I could not find whether the rental vehicles were 4 wheel drive on the websites. From the time I secured this house rental one year earlier, Oscar was always helpful, friendly and immediately responsive whenever I communicated with him. It was wonderful being greated every morning by yellow throated toucans and pendulum birds...more often than not a coatimunda strolling through the yard. Grunts from howler monkeys could be heard every morning and evening, though we never saw on the mountain. We did however, see capuchin monkeys 3 times...and lots of tropical birds and butterflys 🦋. Mostly I was charmed by Lizzie, a Jesus lizard (common basilisk). She likes hanging by the edge of the infinity pool and having the water wash over her feet. She is not real shy and I could be in the pool a foot away and she would just look a me curiously when I talked to her. The house....just lovely! There weren't any spices or condiments left by previous renters so if you're going to stay a while, you might want to bring you're favorite spices in a ziplock. Spices are pretty inexpensive though. Also, I would recommend bringing a few extra face cloths...one face cloth, bath towel and hand towel for each of 4 people, plus a pool towel. ❤

Paul's rental home near Dominical is as comfortable as it is beautiful. Alejandro and the cleaning crew are wonderful and super helpful. The area is lovely and easy to get around. Some logistics: We flew on Sansa from San José to Quepos. We rented a car at Adobe Car Rental (with Alejandro's help) and they met us at the airport with the car. The Quepos airport is about 30 minutes from the house and the road is nice. There are many great restaurants in the town of Dominical and in the town of Uvita, 20 minutes south of the house. There's a nice surfing or boogie boarding beach across the road from the house. Paul provides boogie boards, and we rented surf boards in Dominical. The kitchen is well stocked and Alejandro makes sure you have a few necessities when you arrive. There is a nice market in Dominical, 2 minutes from the house and BM Supermarkets in either Quepos or Uvita. Overall, this is one of the best managed rentals we've stayed in!