We visited Casa Mana the first week of December, and it was perfect. We had a group of 4 people, so there was plenty of room. The driver, Elvis was on time to pick us up and drop us off. Upon our arrival, Janelle met us at the house and showed us around and introduced us to the folks at Los Cardones. Janelle really made the trip easy and extra enjoyable. She was so helpful, full of tons of information and suggestions and truly goes out of her way to make our stay the best possible. She even asked the night guards to let us know if they saw any sea turtles nesting or hatching. The two guards that were on duty near the house were super friendly and helpful, letting us know when there was turtle action going on and keeping us feeling safe.
Casa Mana's kitchen was stocked with all the necessities and Janelle made sure we had plenty of purified drinking water, which was a big plus since we hauled in our weeks worth of groceries from the city. We had planned for a couple of meals at Los Cardones in lieu of cooking, and the food there was fresh and delicious. Other than Los Cardones, there was no other food options within walking distance except for Gran Pacifica, but that was about a 30 min walk north, and we did not try eating there.
We rented surfboards from Los Cardones, they had a decent selection. The staff and management at Los Cardones was friendly and helpful. They informed us that since we were not staying at the lodge, the guests at the lodge had priority over us if they preferred to use one of the boards we had selected. Also, if you rent boards from them, make sure you get the board inspection done when you return it at the end of the day each day, just as a precaution so you won't be liable for any damages that may have occured overnight. There was a board available for rent from Casa Mana, we used it for a couple days since the selection at Los Cardones became slim pickings, and it's a fun board for the break right in front of the house.