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Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach

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Exterior
Exterior detail
Private kitchen
Pool
Pool

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 7

Popular amenities

  • Private pool
  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View in a map
Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste
  • Place, Samara Beach
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Carrillo Beach
    ‪16 min drive‬
  • Place, Playa Barrigona
    ‪21 min drive‬
  • Airport, Nosara (NOB)
    ‪44 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 7)

Guest

1 King Bed

Kid's

3 Single Beds

Master

1 King Bed

2 bathrooms

Guest bathroom

Toilet · Shower only · Outdoor shower

Master ensuite

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Outdoor shower
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach

La Joya Escondida (the hidden jewel) is truly that. The house is situated up in the hills above Samara. We are a 3 minute drive to town and the beach. Enjoy the fresh breeze, views and quiet of being up in the hills. The treetop canopy is spread out before you all the way to the ocean. The Werner Sauter Biological Reserve is quite literally your backyard.

The house is a brand new, stunning, retreat. It hosts 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Every room in the house has been designed with a view of the ocean. The master bedroom has sliding doors out to a lovely balcony where you can enjoy your morning ritual, while listening to the birds and monkeys. The master bedroom has a king size bed and ensuite bathroom.

Bedroom #2 also has a king size bed, while bedroom #3 has 2 twins, one of which contains a trundle bed, comfortably adding room for another guest. These two bedrooms share a bathroom with a private outdoor shower! All three bedroom have air conditioning. There is a Pack n Play and a high chair in the house, if you are bringing a small one!

The main room of the house is open concept. You will find a fully stocked kitchen, comfortable living room, and an outdoor dining room with incredible views. On this side of the house you will also find a swimming pool and covered sitting area. We have comfortable chairs to take in the view! There is a television and cable service, as well as high speed internet.

La Joya Escondida has both the quiet “away from it all” feel as well as being moments away from our incredible beach with swimming, surfing, a multitude of fabulous bars and restaurants, and all the supplies you will need to make your stay a fun and enjoyable one.

The property boasts mango trees, papaya, limes, gorgeous flowers and trees which are frequently visited by monkeys and birds of all sorts.

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 18

Check out before 11:00 AM

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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Please be mindful! We have a deep pool.

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Events

No events allowed

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Pets

No pets allowed

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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Property # 1554799vb
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

About the area

Sámara

Sámara is home to this holiday home. Shoppers can check out Frog Pad, while everyone can enjoy the natural beauty of Samara Beach and Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Camaronal.
View more Holiday homes in SámaraOpens in a new window
Map
Sámara, Provincia de Guanacaste

What's nearby

  • Samara Beach - 5 min drive - 3.9 km
  • Carrillo Beach - 16 min drive - 10.2 km
  • Playa Barrigona - 21 min drive - 16.1 km
  • Buena Vista Beach - 22 min drive - 15.8 km
  • Playa Barco Quebrado - 24 min drive - 17.6 km

Getting around

  • Nosara (NOB) - 58 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Sheriff Rustic - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Gusto Beach Club - Samara - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Roots Bakery & Café - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Malehu - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Boulangerie - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

How much does it cost to stay at Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach?

As of 27 May, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach on 3 Sept, 2026 start from S$372, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Stunning house - your oasis in Samara, 3 minutes to beach located?

Located in Sámara, this family-friendly holiday home is 1.6 mi (2.6 km) from Samara Beach, and within 6 mi (10 km) of Carrillo Beach and Buena Vista Beach. Playa Barrigona and Playa Barco Quebrado are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 26 out of 30 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 30 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 30 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 30 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 30 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jordan B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great communication and solid recommendations!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The house was perfect for our extended family (4 adults and one 4 year-old). Both the owner, Tom, and the local manager, María, were available without delay to answer questions. We take back great memories of dinner outside watching the sun set over the Pacific.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Craig M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The home was amazing! The owner was nice and easy to get in touch with. Maria, the caretaker, was super friendly and helped us with all sorts of things including groceries prior to our arrival, suggesting restaurants, and setting up adventures. We highly recommend this home when visiting Samara. We stayed 11 days and did not want to leave. The location was quiet and the views were stunning. There was a family of howler monkeys that visited us at least once a day. Plenty of other wildlife too! Such a great place! We plan on coming back next year. Thank you for an amazing vacation!
Stayed 11 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dan Q.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Casa Escondida

Very pleasant house and location. The view is stunning as are the sunsets. Excellent location just above Samara, close to everything.
Stayed 55 nights in Jan 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 20 May, 2022
Thank you for your kind words, Dan. It was a pleasure to host you at our house!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Trenny S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise

It's a beautiful place w a super steep driveway so be ready!. Lol we had a blast. Great place and we cant wait to come back.
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Mar, 2020
Thanks so much, Trenny! It was a pleasure hosting you and you are welcome back any time!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Property

Booked this property for a family vacation and wasn’t disappointed. The location and its views was amazing and relaxing. We had a family of howler monkeys show up a few mornings during breakfast and you’re just a few minutes from some of the nicest beaches in the Nicoya region. Would definitely stay again and would recommend to anyone wanting to visit Costa Rica.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Dec, 2023
Thanks so much, John! I’m thrilled that you could enjoy the beauty and magic of our house and Samara. Come back any time!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dayna H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We really enjoyed our stay! The house was perfect for our group. We were 4 adults, 2 children and 1 infant. Everyone had everything they needed. Pack and play and highchair for our infant, bunk beds for the other two kids. The kitchen was well equipped. The only thing I would suggest is a new frying pan as it was quite worn out and hard to cook on. But other than that we had everything we needed. The propane bbq was a pleasant surprise as we were expecting to buy charcoal for the bbq on the listing. The pool was great, the kids especially spent hours in there! Maria, the property manager, was very helpful. If we ever needed anything she was happy to help. The house is nice and close to Samara and took us 5 minutes to get to the beach or grocery store. I think the best part of all was the view! It was incredible to wake up to that view every day. It never got old! Thank you for making our family holiday so wonderful!
Stayed 8 nights in Nov 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Bryan L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful home!

Tom's house was fantastic and exactly what we were looking for our honeymoon. Nick the property manager was super helpful and Maria also helped us secure some bookings within Samara. Highly recommend this property to anyone. The pictures do not do it justice. Will hope to be back again to visit very soon!
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Oct, 2022
Thanks so much, Bryan! We’re honoured and thrilled that we were able to live up to your honeymoon expectations!! So happy you had a great time.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

evan l.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing house and location

This is one of the only VRBO houses we have rented that was better than we expected. The house is beautiful - very clean, comfortable and so quiet. We did hear the howler monkeys most mornings - fun! View is amazing - easy to get to town, beaches etc. Tom and Nick are very helpful and provide a ton of great info for us before the trip. Would definitely recommend this house!
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Mar, 2020
Hi Evan, thank you for your review, we're so happy that you enjoyed yourself in our piece of paradise!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Emily H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely visit!

We were so pleased with our visit to La Joya Escondida (the Hidden Jewel). What a jewel this was. The property manager and hosts were so easy to communicate with and so helpful. Maria helped us find the house when checking in and helped us book a wonderful dolphin watching and snorkel tour. The house is gorgeous and was the perfect place to finish our family vacation in Costa Rica. It was even better than we hoped for - the views, open air kitchen, pool and outdoor shower were 10/10. We hated to leave and are already planning our return!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amanda F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

Beautiful property and great communication by owner and property manager Maria. Ants are something to contend with but we got a bit of rain which might have drawn them out more than usual. Also ping pong table is missing. Otherwise loved the view and location close to town!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Scott M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The house is a stunner that has the most comfortable beds! You may (or may not) notice there is very little artwork on the walls. That's because you don't need any. This house has so many windows, there is no need for art. We had a fantastic trip and we saw monkeys every day in the trees around the house. The property description states the house is 3 minutes to town & beach. It's closer to 10. Thinking we were just a few minutes from town, we rented a golf cart which we had to return in exchange for a car.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Leah M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A home with a beautiful view

We enjoyed our stay at this property. You are surrounded by so much of the nature that the jungle has to offer. Monkeys, many types of birds, butterflies galore, and other creatures are frequently observed. The pool cooled us off and the view was spectacular. Just be sure to keep ALL food off counters and stored in the fridge to keep the bugs that come along with staying in the jungle at a minimum. We would stay again! Thank you!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Jul, 2022
Thanks so much! Hope to see you again!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Norma Z.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house and view

This well designed spacious new home is really beautiful. Every room has a view of the jungle and ocean. It has two great outside seating areas as well; one by the pool and one off the living room. The grounds are lovely too. Our only problem was in getting up the steep loose gravel driveway. The description has since been revised to include the recommendation of a 4 wheel drive vehicle. We enjoyed the quiet serenity of this property away from busy Samara yet just a short drive away.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Mar, 2020
Thank you for your kind words. We’re thrilled that you had a great time at our home. You’re welcome back anytime.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome house, awesome location!

Property was exactly as listed. Clean, location is perfect. Just far enough (2-3 minutes by car) from town to be perfectly quiet and make you feel alone in the world, but close enough to go to the many beaches nearby and various restaurants in town. There is a steep driveway to get to the property, therefore a 4x4 is strongly recommended. As for the house itself, we are a family of 7 (2 adults and children 12, 11, 9, 8 and 2) and had plenty of space. View from the house is gorgeous.If we ever come back to Samara, we’ll definitely
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

marissa s.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Pura Vida in Paradise

We had a wonderful stay at La Joya Escondida. We would highly recommend it and hope to return next spring break. The house was spacious, clean, modern and well equipped with comfortable beds. With the AC in the bedrooms and fans in the living room and outside areas we were also comfortable temperature wise. It was close enough to Samara's town to quickly drive down for groceries or food or park in town to spend the day at the beach. We enjoyed the sunset views each evening and saw a number of monkeys, hummingbirds and butterflies while relaxing at the pool. The kids loved swimming and eating breakfast at the open air window as well as the numerous activities Maria kindly booked for us. I would recommend a visit to Samara and La Joya Escondida. It was a vacation we will not soon forget.
Stayed 8 nights in Apr 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 17 May, 2022
Thank you so much for your kind words. It was a pleasure to have you stay with us and relook forward to seeing next Spring!
Verified

8/10 Good

Annabelle R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, listing accuracy
Disliked: Location

Not as peaceful as expected.

Although the house was nice, the neighborhood was noisy at times. There seems to be development going on in the adjoining lots. The 5am weed wacking was a little excessive. The neighbors on the side were pretty close, so normal noises like roosters, power tools and loud children were not conducive to a peaceful vacation. This would be a perfect rental for families, but not quiet adults like us. I was hoping for more activities in the area. The beach was nice enough, but not spectacular. The Monte Verde area is more diverse and would have been more to my liking. My fellow travelers decided to stay an extra week and headed that way. Unfortunately due to family commitments I couldn’t join them. Oh well, next time.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Jan, 2024
Thanks Annabelle for your review. We're sorry that your stay wasn't to your liking. I wish it was otherwise, as we want all of our guests to be super happy! But it sounds like this was the wrong destination for you. I hope that you reached out to our incredible property manager and excursion guru, Maria, for all the activities that are in the area: surfing, SUP, kayaking, guided hikes, zip lining, snorkling, jungle horse back riding, deep sea fishing, dolphin watching and more. While I agree that Monte Verde is a wonderful destination, it is very different. Sweaters and rain protection are a must, and there is no beach or ocean. But again this is personal taste. I'm also surprised that you found the house noisy - I believe that's a first in any review. An early morning weed wacker must have been annoying but generally one of the highlights of our house is how peaceful it is.
Verified

8/10 Good

Rebecca W.

Liked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy

Lovely spot in Samara

We had a nice stay at this property. We appreciated getting the house book ahead of time as there was a lot of great information. Check in was a little bumpy bc the property manager was late due to a road closure (not her fault and she was able to tell us where to find keys) but then never came. So we missed some of the in person information eluded to in the house book. The house is beautiful and tucked into a nice little neighborhood. The beds were comfy and the kitchen was well appointed. Wifi worked well and my kids did appreciate having access to netflix and disney at night on the TV. Howler monkeys were in the trees near the house each day which was great. The pool with views out the sea was wonderful and our kids loved swimming in it. We did miss one day of using the pool because it got cloudy and the pool person told us we were using it too much and would need to stay out of it for 24 hours while he used a special product. One issue for us was the bugs. We've been to costa rica three times and never mind the little ants that frequent the kitchens or various spiders and such. This house had so many bugs. There were highways of ants going through the kitchen at all times and if we left anything out even for a few minutes it would have ants all over it. The back patio was lovely but there days that there were so many big ants (some of which bit) we just ate inside. Finally, there was some sort of massive hatch or something because after the first night or two, each night the house would get full of flying bugs that flocked to the lights. We tried closing all the windows before dusk and putting towels at the doors where there were large spaces, but a few of the nights it was so bad we just turned off the lights and went to bed because they were so prolific. Massive June bugs were getting in as well and flying all over the bedroom and landing on us. We are not weak stomached about bugs, but it was excessive. We've never had that experience in Costa Rica before. We really enjoyed our stay at this home and felt spoiled by the views and location. We would return but might look elsewhere first. Or at least check other reviews to see if the bugs were better!
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 26 May, 2022
Hi Rebecca Thank you so much for your review. I am looking into what happened at check in as this is very unusual! My apologies! And the bugs were quite bad during your stay. I know because I was there right after you. We are diligent about fumigating (within reason, of course). It's a balance between finding the right times for fumigating and the fluctuations of the weather and changes to the jungle. In other words, we usually fumigate before the rains begin but this year the rains started quite a bit earlier than they normally do. Therefore, the bug level went up before we could impose our measures to control it. I'm so sorry about that aspect of your stay. This is not the norm and we will be more diligent about watching out for this.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Ein wunderschönes Haus mit viel Platz für 5 Personen. Der Pool war auch sehr schön. Die Aussicht ist atemberaubend und die Tiere im Dschungel waren toll. Würde jederzeit wieder kommen!!
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Matt H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stop scrolling

This is the house! If you are going to Sámara, which you should, this is the perfect rental. The house is beautiful and private with an amazing view. The pool and outdoor shower really put this house over the top. Maria and her team are like having a concierge service. She booked all of our outings and even massages at the house.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sara W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful!

We had the most amazing time staying here. Tom was very responsive to all our questions leading up to the trip and once we were the Maria took care of every possible need of ours. She was always available to us and we are so grateful to have had her around for anything we might have needed. The property itself was beautiful. There were ants and other bugs but it did not bother us. We loved the secluded location (there is one neighbor but it’s still very private) and hearing the howler monkeys in the morning. The kids loved the pool- the water was the perfect temperature.We hope to stay here again some day
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Newcastle Publick House N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect house for our family. We enjoyed cooking outside, beautiful sunsets every night.

Such a beautiful spot. The beds were very comfortable, the house was very clean, and the pool was perfect for hot afternoons. Maria was very accommodating and helped us book massages, a fishing trip, and additional cleaning during our stay. It would be a pleasure to stay again. Thank you!
Stayed 15 nights in Nov 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

julie b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradisiaque

La maison est un véritable petit paradis! Toute notre famille a adoré. Les singes qui entouraient la maison ont su émerveiller notre séjour là-bas.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Aug, 2022
Merci beaucoup, Julie!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tara L O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful vacation home

Beautiful home. Great layout. Gorgeous view. Beds were comfortable and bathrooms modern - one of the showers is outdoor., a cool feature/experience. Maria was prompt, responsive and very pleasant to work with. The housekeeper arranged fresh flowers around the main area for our enjoyment. We saw multiple birds, animals, including howler monkeys. Maria set us up with a local chef, Dona Thelma, to come cook meals for us - Thelma showed us the best carniceria, market etc. - an awesome experience and opportunity to interact with a local. Thanks Tom, for sharing your place with us!
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Angela S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise

This property is beautiful! We traveled with our adult children and it was perfect for our family. There is plenty of space, beautiful outdoor areas, gorgeous views, and we loved the pool and used it often to cook off and relax. Staying here made our trip! We will be back for sure. Tom and Nick were both great with communication and making sure we had what we needed.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2021

About the host

Hosted by Tom Barnett

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Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests

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