Hav foran stranden hjem, lagune solopgange, Corcovado solnedgange, dyreliv, kajakker
- Feriehus139 m²
- Sovepladser: 6
- Soveværelser: 2
- Separate toiletter : 2
- Minimumsophold: 3 nætter
Hus, 2 soveværelser + sovesofa (r), 2 halve bade og udendørs bruser
Soveværelser
Udlejer
Helene
- Sprog:
- Engelsk, Spansk
Faciliteter
Inkluderer
- Børn velkomne
- Rygning ikke tilladt
- Internet
- Parkering
- TV
- Satellit eller kabel
Badeværelser
- Separate toiletter : 2
Sikkerhedsforanstaltninger
- Førstehjælpskasse
- Udendørslys
- Brandslukker
- Dørlås
Beliggenhed
- Strand
- Strandudsigt
- Ved stranden
- Havudsigt
- Ved havet
Generelt
- Telefon
- Sengetøj til rådighed
- Parkering
- Internet
- Håndklæder til rådighed
- Trådløst internet
- Stue
Køkken
- Køleskab
- Komfur
- Ovn
- Grill
- Krydderier
- Tallerkner, glas og bestik
- Køkken
- Elkedel
Spiseområde
- Spiseområde
- Spiseplads
Underholdning
- Satellit/kabel
- Bøger
- Spil
- Børnespil
Udendørs
- Have
- Balkon
- Kajak/kano
- Strandstole
- Strandhåndklæder
- Veranda
- Deck / Patio
- Udendørsmøbler
- Water Sports Gear
Egnethed
- Ikke kørestolsadgang
Service på stedet
- Rengøring (valgfrit)
Bemærkninger
- Playa Lapa ligger omkring en time gåtur på stranden fra den sydlige indgang til den costaricanske National Park systemets kronjuvel, Corcovado National Park. Playa Lapa ligger også ved siden af Pejeperrito-lagunen med fremragende fiskeri og kajaksejlads samt i nærheden af den guldbærende Carate River. En kok er til rådighed for at forberede måltider, samt lave husholdning og vaskeri. Bemærk, at en bil er ikke nødvendig, og bruges sjældent efter ankomsten til Playa Lapa. En taxa kan arrangeres for transport mellem Puerto Jimenez og Playa Lapa flere gange, mens den stadig er meget billigere end at leje en bil.
Husregler
Børn tilladt - Suitable for children 5 years and olderSuitable for children 5 years and older
Kæledyr ikke tilladt - No animals in the casa at any time.No animals in the casa at any time.
Ingen fester/events - Quiet hours after 9:00PM.Quiet hours after 9:00PM.
Rygning ikke tilladt - NO SMOKING inside the casa at any time.NO SMOKING inside the casa at any time.
Maks. antal gæster: 6
Minimumsalder for den primære lejer: 5 - Not suitable for infants and toddlers.Not suitable for infants and toddlers.
Afbestillingsregler
En refusion på 100% vil blive udstedt, hvis du afbestiller din booking mindst 60 dage inden ankomst.
46 anmeldelser
4 nights in Carate
It's difficult to come up with a grade for this property. Some this were excellent, some were unacceptable. I'll try, however. First off, the good things.
Communication with Helene, was excellent. Among the best we've ever had. Very responsive, very thorough. She also arranged all of our tours and guides, which for the most part, were excellent. The one exception was our kayak lagoon tour on our last day. Our "guide" was not a guide at all, but was the person who was helping to look after the casa. He had no information at all about any birds or animals we spotted. All the other guides were very good.
Most of the description of the the property is accurate, with two very large exceptions. Helene does a good job of describing the property and what to expect. Her handout is very detailed.
The two things that are not described accurately, unfortunately, are two of the most important. Power and the internet. You are told to conserve as much power as possible, which is understandable. What you aren't told is that even if you don't use any power at all (we tested this theory), the power will run out during the night. So, in order to keep the fridge running as long as possible, you will be moving about and reading by flashlight after about 6 PM. It doesn't seem to be a lack of solar panels, but is more likely a battery storage system that is insufficient or worn out.
With no power, you also have no internet. Actually, even with power you have no internet. Between the 4 of us, we had 10 devices that were internet capable. 8 of the devices could only use WhatsApp. That's it. Nothing else. The other two managed to get a few emails on 2 occasions, but they both had Costa Rican sim cards, so it may have been the sims that got the emails.
With no power and no internet, you are truly off the grid. Which isn't good if you need to get hold of someone.
If you are ok with the power and internet issues, this is a great property. If they are important things to have, you should look elsewhere. If the power and internet got fixed, we'd go back in a second.
P.S. If you don't have a car, be prepared to cook all your own meals. If you do have a car, I'd suggest the Laguna Vista Villas for lunch and/or dinner. And they have fully functioning internet. If you have a GOOD 4X4, the Luna Lodge puts on a great lunch. But the drive is a real adventure.
Hi Gord,
I appreciate your praise of my responsiveness and communication.
We have lived at Playa Lapa in all seasons, and seldom encountered the problems that you mentioned. But we are used to living “truly off the grid”. Most guests do not realize where they are using power, as it it without consequence in our homes in the states. Fans left running and charging devices are a big power draw.
There were solar lights provided for night reading, which were located in the hanging plants off the deck.
We are currently upgrading the power system, but if you had reported the problem to me, we could have charged the system with the generator.
As for the WiFi, it’s limitations have been covered in the guest information. The signal is beamed from the states, and the band width is not sufficient for much more than WhatsApp as recommended. Also it is affected by weather at both ends.
The local Costarican WiFi signal is not available to us.
The cellular signal is another story— Laguna Vista will have a far more robust signal at their higher elevation, and may have been grandfathered into the local WiFi service, before the government denied new accounts in Carate.
It is what it is— a trade off for our location right on the beach.
I sincerely regret your dissatisfaction with the kayak tour. Matt was a gracious stand in for my regular guide, and the report was that you enjoyed the tour and were happy with the service.
As you say, Playa Lapa is “truly off the grid”! However we have amenities that are considered luxury in the jungle— cooking facilities, refrigeration, solar hot water and WiFi— but we don’t claim to support world class internet technology. If consistent internet is critical for your survival, you need a full service lodge, at a steeper price. Playa Lapa is a jungle-beach home on the open Pacific Ocean. It is few steps back into another time, the pace is slow and relaxed, the day follows the rhythm of the ocean and the jungle animals we live with, it is immersed in natural beauty.
I wish you all the best!
Sincerely,
Helene
UPDATE:
Playa lapa now has 4 new batteries added to the system, as well as minor repairs to the wiring. We are using the new chest refrigerator without a problem. The power is now excellent!
As for the WiFi signal, there has been bad weather at the teleport where the signal is beamed from. The service has been spotty in the past 2 weeks since we have been here. However the local cellular signal is excellent here on the footbridge, using a KOLBI SIM card. We bring a beach chair and enjoy the breeze off the ocean as we get our email and send photos and voice messages. We are also looking into an antenna/repeater to bring the signal inside the casa.
Great property if you realize some potential issues
This property has many positives and some issues. The location and grounds are stunning, with a 5 minute walk to the beach and the sound of crashing surf as your constant companion. You can sit on the porch and watch the birds and monkeys pass through. Beto, the caretaker is wonderful, helpful, and kind. He is your key to a good stay. Laura is also very helpful, although we had little interaction with her. The outdoor shower is great as long as you plan for its use when the sun has heated the water. It is important to recognize that this location is remote, not primitive but remote. You will need to do any final shopping in Puerto Jimenez, a two hour drive from the property on a rough road. If you plan to cook, you will need to bring any and all supplies. Yes, even salt as there is not any at the Casa. The main issue that we had was with the electrical power. Also, be aware that the internet will allow you to send a message but do not plan on using it for anything critical. However, if you have a Kolbi sim card and set on the bridge to the beach, you can get internet. When we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to find a huge refrigerator that looked very new. Of course, we were aware that the power is supplied by solar power and we have lived before with only solar power, so we were very conservative with any power use in the evening. We were surprised when we lost power at around 3 in the morning. Beto fixed the problem by unplugging the big refrigerator and replacing it with an old, much smaller unit. It was hard to get our critical items in, but this old unit froze our meat and we never lost power again. Also, be aware that when you leave you will need to either complete a multi-item cleaning checklist or pay a fee for cleaning. It would be much more straight forward to just add a cleaning fee and reveal that up front.
Thank you Jim, for your review. I appreciate your suggestions, and while everything mentioned (Internet, cleaning, condiments, and hot water) had been covered in the Rental Agreement, the Guest Guide, and on the website, I will be sure to make these things clearer in the information.
Concerning the power issues, I do apologize for your temporary inconvenience; we are constantly trying to upgrade the appliances and amenities at Playa Lapa, the new refrigerator being the most recent innovation. Apparently it just drew too much power for the system. When I was advised of the power outage, I instructed Beto to bring the compact refrigerator back in, which solved the power problem. We are now working on an upgrade to the battery bank.
Concerning the housekeeping arrangement, many of my guests appreciate the option to leave the house tidy and save the cleaning fee. But thank you for mentioning it, and I will make that more plain as well for future guests.
I’m not sure there is much to be done about supplying condiments and salt, as those deteriorate very quickly in the humidity, and cannot be stocked at the Casa.
Hot water in the jungle is a total luxury, not to be found anywhere else in Carate, or in many hotels in the farther reaches of Costa Rica. Solar heated water is unique to Playa Lapa.
We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay in spite of the quirks, and recognized the extraordinary features of this “remote yet not primitive” destination. Since you now are familiar with truly living off the grid, you are welcome back any time!
PURA VIDA!
Helene
A beautiful oasis in the jungle!
This jungle home is just amazing...it takes a moment to get used to living in the jungle, but it doesn't take long to acclimate to the gorgeous scenery and wonderful adventures that are there. Helene was a gem in helping to organize our tours and travel arrangements. Be sure to contact her early to arrange things. We drove from San Jose to the Osa and would do it again because of the scenery...but be prepared that you'll get there with only a little light left and you'll need to adjust quickly to living off the grid...have your flashlights ready! The tour guides Helene set us up with were all 5 star - Yeri for the night hike and Corcovado Jungle Hike - his ability to spot the wildlife was amazing! David Herra led our dolphin/snorkeling tour...his passion for dolphins and whales was inspiring. Don't miss the optional side tour of the Wildlife Sanctuary! And Laura, one of the onsite caretakers, was also so incredible...she took us on our kayak tour the first day and we learned of her organization. Tortugas de Osa...don't miss an opportunity to go on a turtle patrol with her...you may get to see turtles hatching like we did! After all our tours were done, we loved lounging in the hammocks on the deck listening to the resident monkeys and scarlet macaws...it just doesn't get better!
If you're ready for adventure, definitely visit the Osa and stay at this property!
Dear Joyce,
Thank you so much for that wonderful review! I am really going to miss you! I thoroughly enjoyed working with you theses past months, getting everything ready. The staff and the guides all loved you, and we hope you can come back again!!
Peace and turtles!
Helene
A piece of Paradise!
The whole Playa Lapa experience was first class from beginning to end. Would highly recommend it to anyone who likes quiet out of the way places. The staff was excellent and very helpful. The wildlife was incredible and we didn't have to go very far to see a wide variety of birds, animals and reptiles. The beach is incredible and goes on for ever, it's like something you would see on a post card. The overall experience is something that we will remember for the rest of our lives!!
Dear Tony, thank you kindly for your great review! We all enjoyed having you, you were wonderful guests, and you are welcome back any time!
Pura Vida!
Helene and the staff of Playa Lapa
Herd to get to. That’s the beauty!
If you’re tired of touristy places, go here! A bumpy hour and a half ride from the PJ airport but sooo worth it. Super nice, private paradise steps away from the beach. My wife and 2 older kids went and thoroughly enjoyed it. Animals spotted on or near the property included a troop of squirrel monkeys, 6 scarlet macaws, white faced capuchin monkeys, leaf cutter ants , night viewing of nesting mother sea turtles and also baby hatchling turtles making their way to the ocean. Bioluminescent small animal in the ocean, Fire flies etc! Magical! And the helper/caretaker Beto was mucho friendly and indispensable! Tip for trip, take offline google translate.
Thanks to the owners, please try to keep this area remote and pristine!
Thank you Phil, for your good review! I am so pleased that you enjoyed yourself, and the staff said so many nice things about your family!! We look forward to guests like you, please come back to Paradise soon!
Pura Vida!
Helene
heaven - at the end of the road
two of us stayed in this lovely house for 4 days/ nights. very quiet, private, peaceful. Loved the guided tours with kayaks and into Corcodavo. loved the monkeys playing with mangos in the huge trees right outside the house, the birds, the flowers, the jungle, the ocean. Everyone was so kind and helpful.
Beliggenhed
Carate er et fjerntliggende samfund på stillehavsbredden på OSA-halvøen i gåafstand fra Corcovado National Park. Casa Playa Lapa er det eneste udlejningshus ved stranden foran i Carate, kun få skridt fra det åbne Stillehavsbrande. Den nærliggende Pejeperrita-lagune er fodret med en frisk vandstrøm mellem stranden og casaen. Kajaksejlads på lagunen er en meget populær tur i Carate, med 4 kajakker til rådighed for Playa Lapa-gæster. Vandrestier i hele samfundet og derudover krydser en række økosystemer, herunder vandskille, jungle og højere højder. Pumas, dantas, jaguarundis, anteaters, coatamundis, mange forskellige papegøjer og kystfugle, frøer, krybdyr og sommerfugle kan ses på ejendommen og det omkringliggende samfund. Havskildpaddehekke forekommer hele året. Fremragende naturfotografering, hver sæson med sin egen spændende art - bare læn dig tilbage på et af de blæse dæk omkring casaen og nyd showet !!