“No one wanted to go home!!!” Wow, first trip to Costa Rica and our family didn't want to leave. Between the accommodations at a very reasonable rate and the adventures that Ronda (manager/owner?) set up, our family truly had a great time. The home was so family oriented. Plenty of rooms, great family room that we would all hang after a full day of beaching it. Guest house was the perfect place to put my in-laws - gave us the space we all needed :). I was debating to give this review, because I really want to keep this place as a secret gem for me and my friends, but my hubby told me I was uncool by doing that. So here I am, want to forget all your worries and be pampered at the same time and leave with some awesome memories, this is the place to stay. Don't forget to bring your camera and plenty of sun tan lotion!!

“Near the Beach = fun!” i had a great time with my stay in Costa rica being right by the beach and having the pool right outside. The pool is gorgeous and always warm for late night swims! I am looking Forward for planning my next trip here!

“Our trip was awesome” Our stay at Vista Hermosa was amazing. We had a fantastic time the weather was perfect the people were so friendly. The views were spectacular. There was tons of wildlife all around us, the sounds of the howler monkeys and the birds was so interesting. The house was beautiful everything one need was there. We felt like we were the only ones on the peninsula it was perfect not crowed loved being on the beach by ourselves with the iguanas, pelicans and the monkeys. The beach club was perfect and the food and service was great. We loved our stay and would definitely go back.

“The Best of Costa Rica!” This was my second visit to Villa Encantada! After the first visit in 2010, my daughter decided this was the place to get married! We returned with a group of 30+. The bridal party(14) stayed at the Villa and Glenn helped to place the rest of us in properties close by, including his sister's house up the hill. The whole event could not have been better! Let me say that Glenn is a great guy and incredible host! If you want to experience the best of Costa Rica, stay with Glenn at the Villa! The grounds are as beautiful as the pictures indicate and you can be entertained right on the property. The Tabacon Lodge and Skywalk at Volcanoes National Park are under one hour drive. Shopping and dining in Nuevo Arenal has a true Tico feel and much better than dealing with the big tourist towns. Pura Vida! Thank you Glenn!

“Wow! You'll love the Red Sunset!” Are you looking for a luxury guesthouse near Lake Arenal and Arenal Volcano? If so, look no further and book yourself into the Red Sunset. My husband and I, along with six friends, spent a week in March there. We are so glad we did! We found the accommodations to be everything they were advertised and more. The views are amazing and the house, pool house and grounds will give you plenty of opportunities to relax and explore. While the guesthouse is excellent, the very best feature is the owner/operator Patrick. Patrick met with us each day to help us plan activities and make reservations with the best tour operators. His local knowledge and recommendations were spot on each day, and his help was invaluable. The breakfast provided each morning was a highlight unto itself. Come prepared to eat well – you won’t be disappointed. We’ve never had meals of this quality at similar style lodgings. We also took advantage of the optional evening Chef services. While there were several great places to eat in the Lake Arenal area, all of which were recommended to us by Patrick, you won’t beat the meals prepared by Patrick and his wife. Our favorite was the Chicken Parmesan – sorry, Mom, but it was the best we’ve had anywhere! The Red Sunset was the perfect place for our Costa Rica vacation. We arrived as guests and soon felt like family. We’re glad we chose the Red Sunset!

“We are hooked.” This was our second trip to the Casa and we must say it was better than the first. My wife and I had 10 days to explore and take in the Country like we had never before. We found the rainy season (Sept) more to our liking and would highly recommend that time of the year to truly experience the beauty of the region. Cannot say enough about Randy's staff and hospitality, something truly unique in todays environment. As I Titled this review as being hooked for it truly did hook us, to the point we have purchased a house east of Parrita and are moving up our retirement dates. Pura Vida Jane and Bill Wright Lake Wales, FL. Ps. Randy sorry for being late on this review, however we have been busy with making the move. (Neighbor)

“Paradise Perfection” 5 STAR - Top notch accommodations! We could not have asked for a better place to stay! Clean, comfortable (beds were fantastic) & perfectly decorated. The hospitality both before & during our stay was above average! The beachfront villa had the most breath taking view & private lagoon style setting with black sand that glistened from the sun like gold just steps from the front door. The 3 tier pool was spotless & the grounds were impeccably groomed! Paradise on the Pacific!

“4th of july vacation” We stayed at your amazing condo, for one week, during july 4th. What a wonderful place to watch the fireworks, top floor, overlooking the island, the beach club, the ocean... The condo is so big, we had a chef cook for us twice during our stay, we had plenty of room for all of us and a couple staying at Veranda. The view from both balconies is stunning and it's a perfect place for relaxing or a party, we did both!!

“Amazing value for a slice of paradise!” My girlfriend and I stayed here last summer (July 2013) for 1 week and it was a great experience. The condo is fully equipped with all the amenities you need (stove, oven, dish washer, fridge, washer, dryer, outdoor BBQ, shared pool), it is very clean, ideally situated near the beach and the town of Tamarindo, and it is spacious enough for several couples or even a large family to sleep comfortably (large balcony, 2 bathrooms). It felt like an actual home away from home! (cliche I know... but it's true!). It's a great value and just a few minutes walk from all the town services (bank, pharmacy, shops, tour guides, surf shops) and plenty of great restaurants. We saved a lot by staying that's for sure! Getting to the condo was really easy, there's a shuttle service that picked us up at the airport and gave us the keys, which we returned to them at the end of our stay. All the neighbors were very friendly and some even gave us great advice on what to see and do. Whether you're a group of friends, couples, family, this is a fantastic place to stay at while in Costa Rica and there's no shortage of things to do, areas to explore or beach to simply relax on. Tamarindo is a gem of a place and we are definitely going back and when we do we are definitely staying here again!

“Perfect Getaway” What an amazing stay we had at Casa Bella. Arriving to the house we were greeted with warm friendly smiles from owners Meghan and her husband Josue. They made us feel so welcome and relaxed immediately. The landscape around the house was beautiful and everything seemed to fit right where it was supposed to. As we walked in the house I noticed immediately how fresh and clean it felt. The room was very comfortable, fresh, and cozy. Exactly what we were looking for. My favorite part of the house was the deck that overlooked beautiful trees. The nature watching is impeccable. I would've of sat on the deck all day everyday if my boyfriend let me. I had a fresh cocktail in my hand constantly and we saw all types of monkeys swing by: Howlers, Capuchin (my favorite) and even squirrel monkeys! Lots of colorful, stunning birds too. The walk to the beach was easy and worth it. Thank God we got the surf lessons for my boyfriend...he really needed it. The staff was so friendly and patient with him. We also did the package where Josue cooked for us. The food had a great presentation and was so flavorful. This experience in the OSa and at Casa Bella was priceless. We were so comfortable, every need taken care of with a smile, and beautiful scenery to top it off. We couldn't have been happier with Casa Bella; great price, amazing service and absolutely stunning. We look forward to our next visit at Casa Bella. Pura Vida

“Relaxing - Fantastic location- Great waves!” Great location on beach access road. Large individual units are great for either renting individually or together with large group. The units are nearly identical, and both are large enough to easily hold 6 people. Each unit is two bedrooms and two full bathrooms plus the living room furniture quickly converts to beds. The kitchen was well stocked. There is an outdoor charcoal & wood grill. In the early am I liked to take a short walk or go to the roof top to listen and watch the howler monkeys and all of the birds. The pool area always became a relaxing lunch hideaway in the afternoon heat. There is a very large table where we could take our time eating having drinks, and relaxing while keeping an eye on the kids floating in the pool. There is also a very nice outdoor beach restaurant and bar right at the end of the road on the beach. We had so much fun surfing, boogieboarding, snorkeling, & exploring. The perfect riding waves at this spot were endless. Even when it looked fairly flat, eventually a nice set would roll in. I recommend bringing flip flops for walking the beach road as you can go barefoot but the sand near the top of the beach gets very hot in the afternoon sun. We have stayed at a few places in the area, but will definitely be returning to Sandy Bottoms!

“beautiful house, great location, secluded beach” This was the perfect spot for our get together with long time friends to celebrate my mom's birthday. The owners were extremely helpful with making arrangements and even custom built a ramp for my mom who is disabled to access the condo! The location was perfect for our 3 year old-we were literally steps away from the pool and family friendly restaurant. The beach, also steps away, was secluded, safe for swimming and great for snorkeling -turtles came up and laid eggs on the beach three nights during our stay. The condo was equipped with beach toys, boogie boards and snorkel gear. The condo was spacious, has a great kitchen and open floor plan downstairs. We loved sitting on the patio early in the morning and listening to the howler monkeys and watching the sunset while we cooked up fresh caught fish. It was so nice to feel like when we arrived we didn't have to go anywhere else- and for a couple days we didn't -we just enjoyed our little piece of paradise! We hope to return again soon!

“Exceptionally nice management. A lot of value.” This cottage is quite a value with two air-conditioned with bedrooms and a very nice décor. It is in a quiet location and an easy stroll to the ocean and a couple of pleasant restaurants. The operators, Carole and Daniel, are very helpful and friendly.

“Beautiful,secluded and relaxing.” Off the beaten path this cute cabina is perfect. Beautiful beach walking, shell collecting and sunset watching. Make your own breakfast lunch or dinner in the rancho or go to one of the local restaurants. Very relaxing way to recharge your batteries. Loved it.

“Our stay at the lake arenal” We stayed with 2 families 54 kids between 5 and 7) in the Lake arenal cabins. We really enjoyed our stay in this fabulous environment. Tucans flying in the garden during breakfast, monkeys on top of the cabin, the noice of the volcano. The cabins itself are well kept and practical, perfect breakfast, the host very helpful. Do not miss this place during your trip in Costa Rica!

“A spectacular vacation” Our vacation to Costa Rica was made special, indeed spectacular, thanks to the efforts of the people at Costa Rica Star Villas. Mar-a-Villa was luxurious, and provided our group of ten not only a wonderful "home away from home" but only a convenient base from which we could take advantage of all that Costa Rica has to offer - from scuba diving to deep sea fishing to zip-lining to river rafting and beyond. Costa Rica Star Villas provided us our own private concierge, driver, maid and chef - all of whom worked very hard to make us comfortable and all of whom contributed to our outstanding experience in Costa Rica.

“Most enjoyable tropical get away” We stayed in the Cranford's Toucan Suite. Our friends stayed in the upper level suite. The house sits on pristine jungle - the sound and sight of rare birds is a daily occurrence. We could easily walk to the river, explore the grounds which abound with exotic plants.Toucan Suite is the larger of the two units and is fully equipped with linens, kitchen utensils. We were able to borrow and exchange with our upstairs companions for the items that we needed (juicer, coffee grinder, garlic press) but it would be nice to have both kitchens equally stocked. The stove and refrigerator worked well. The issues that we had with staying at the Toucan Suite would be that the fans need to be upgraded. There are two ceiling fans that function well, although the "blue bedroom" fan makes too much noise to sleep through. There were two portable fans; one of them was okay but the other one barely moved the blades and eventually went comatose. Fortunately our friends in the upper unit had powerful ceiling fans and two super powerful portable fans and they lent us one which saved us! I strongly suggest the Cranfords upgrade the fans in the Toucan Suite. The lovely wooden doors that lead from the main floor to the porch area need to be fixed. They are off their track so we were unable to close them when the hot eastern sun shone through. The house would be much cooler if these functioned well. Blondie and Michael have a sign asking that we remove our shoes before entering and I complied with this request the first night. I found the floor really dirty and in the evening the ants, frogs and other insects would come in so we kept our shoes on. The house could use a good cleaning and some general upkeep. The upstairs suite seemed cleaner and because of the fans, cooler. The views from the upstairs suite are to die for. As the Cranfords note, the Internet seldom works consistently. Overall, we enjoyed our stay very much and highly recommend the Toucan Suite.

“Absolutely amazing!” There was nothing we didn't love about this vacation! The condo was spacious, clean and had all the creature comforts of home. Wifi is always a huge plus when traveling out of the states and makes things so much easier for us to keep up with. The view is absolutely breathtaking. We enjoyed massages on the patio not once but twice as it was so beautiful and the massage was so fantastic that we couldn't help ourselves! It is conveniently located and we easily traveled around to different beaches. We saw monkey's everyday on the way in to the complex, such a neat experience. The beach club is conveniently located right next to Father Roosters which quickly became our favorite hang out spot (Try a mint margarita! it's a must!) I would recommend this vacation rental for anyone looking to relax and enjoy the view or head out for adventures and come home to a safe, secure and clean place.

“Truly Amazing property!” There are no words to describe how wonderful it was to wake up to the magnificent views at Casa Espanola. The concierge and staff at my vacation Costa Rica were very attentive to all our needs. We were there for my girlfriend's bachelorette party and we were a group of 15! From the beginning, geralyn and Amy did a great job planning out our trip. I was very anxious about how the trip was going to turn out because i had never been to Costa Rica, but they were always so prompt with responding to my emails and executing all that was promised. Geralyn set up all of our excursions ahead of time. She even scheduled massages at the property! You won't want to leave this place! The pictures do not do it justice! It is even more beautiful in person. We posted photos on instagram with the hashtag #casaespanola so that you can see some photos from our experience. There were 4 floors and each had an ocean view! It was refreshing being able to wake up to that every morning! Every day, the cleaning staff came and cleaned up the property thoroughly, so the house was so nice every time we got back from our daily outing. Oh and our private chef, Chef Harold, was amazing!!!! He and his wife are so nice and the food is delicious! They have a menu on site and they will cook anything you request as long as they can get the ingredients. I would recommend Costa Rican cuisine because it is really yummy. All you have to pay for is the cost of food. And it is definitely worth it! The beaches are close by and easy to get to. The cost of transportation is about $1.75 per person each way. We had breakfast at Cafe Milagro. Their food is really good and the coffee drinks are deelish! You must see Manuel Antonio park. It is about a 20 minute stroll through the park where you see cute monkeys and other exotic animals. Once you get to the end of the park, you get to Manuel Antonio beach which is totally worth it! We had a blast. We also went to playa biesanz which is nice and private. Our trip was at the beginning of rainy season (May 28th-June 1st). I was really anxious about the weather because of the weather reports. I will say this: please disregard what you see on your weather app. It said that it was 100% precipitation and that it would be cloudy and raining every day. The weather was amazing pretty much all day. It would get cloudy in the late evening and it did rain a couple nights, but Costa Rica is so amazing that it didn't even bother us. Especially since we stayed at casa Española. I forgot to mention that they even provide you with 2 cell phones in case you need to get in touch with your concierge! How amazing is that? You can use the phone to make any local calls. So after the first couple days, i was able to call my own taxi lol I’m sure some of the other girls will post a review so you can definitely see how happy we were with our experience! Stay here! You won't be disappointed! To Amy, Geralyn and the rest of the staff at My Vacation Costa Rica, Thank you again for your hard work and the amazing experience!