First please note this: this is not a hotel in a resort area. There is no air-conditioning, the house is open, there are no nearby stores. And the road in is rock-strewn and pitted. But here’s the payoff: the adventure and getting away from our spoiled selves made it an unforgettable vacation.
We woke to the ethereal sounds of Howler Monkeys and were amazed at the natural vegetation that was all around us.
We saw Scarlet Macaws, other colorful birds, Spider Monkeys, and a green and black Dart Frog….in the first HOUR. Right from the comfort of the living room we saw agouti’s, Howler and Capuchin Monkeys, Toucans, Blue Morpho Butterflies, and amazing big/beautiful insects. Just spectacular.
The beaches were beautiful and the water was the warmest I’ve ever been in. Also in walking distance was Matapalo Waterfall, Everyday Adventures, and surfing lessons.
The house:
It seemed larger than in the web pictures. It is open, including the kitchen. We drank water from the taps without any issues. The refrigerator/freezer was larger than our needs. The open areas in the bedrooms helped cool us at night, but a small battery-powered fan was a great help. For anyone bug-adverse, the “kids room” was screened all the way around. Actually there weren’t very many bugs in the house at all. Electricity is totally solar-supplied. Therefore it was turned off when we went to bed, and turned on before we got up. There were no issues with this. But bring a flashlight or headlamp just in case you want to wander around at night. The pool was nice and cleaned daily.
The showers are heated separately and seem to be cycled. So they are tricky to use at first. Soap and shampoo were supplied.
The kitchen had 2 sinks, an oven, a stove, 2 coffee makers, and some cooking and cleaning supplies. We cooked breakfast daily. By the way, the closest town is Puerto Jimenez. It is ~ 45 minutes away. Get all the supplies/food you think you need before coming to Cabo Matapalo. We did this and we never had to go back to restock.
There are 2 restaurants nearby: Buena Esperanza and (new) Marluna Lodges.
The caretaker is Carlos. His house is steps away and his presence helped us feel secure. He was a help with information, made sure candles were lit to the house whenever we were out after dark, and made sure things went smoothly. He even went into town to pick up luggage that didn’t make it with us.
It was a splendid stay in the rain forest.