“just as advertised” This is really a wonderful condo, just as advertised it had everything to offer. It is very clean inside and is quite cozy. The location as well is great, just a few mins from town and a quick walk to the beach. I would recommend this place to my friends and plan on returning one day. Thankyou for s a lovely stay. cheryl

“Awesome and Totally amazing!” The Condo: This was our first visit to CR and at the risk of sounding very repetitive, I am going to say it anyway. This Condo is absolutely amazing! We were actually taken back by the views, the weather, and beauty of it all. The condo itself is very well maintained. The beds are very nice and excellent to sleep on. there is usually a very nice breeze that can get strong at times so you need to be careful of the bedroom doors. The condo is relatively close to the beach at say 200 to 250 yards. The local terrain is very hilly and as such it us a little bit of a walk uphill when you come back from the beach. Our Garmin and Trackit Maps didn't show Oceanica on any of the categories so you may have to use the resort right across the street to find it as addresses are not used in CR at all. We give this one 5 star rating!!! Well worth the time to visit. Daphne: Daphne was absolutely the best host you could ever ask for! She provided all the information I asked for and needed. She even graciously helped with the car rental (Economy). Daphne is indeed kind and tremendously gracious. Restaurants: We chose to eat at the local restaurants (locals call them Sodas). There are a good number of these within say 5 miles and all are wonderful. Local CR cuisine is amazing and filling. Even though we do not speak Spanish it wasn't that hard to figure out and order food. Ticas and Ticos are wonderful people. We would definitely go back in a heart beat!

“Best Vacation Ever” This was the perfect condo for our best vacation ever. We came as three couples and each couple had its own private room, bathroom and balcony. The design of the condo allows for a huge great room were we all gathered to discuss our daily events. The owner arranged to have his own private limo/guide pick us up from the airport. He also arrange free pedicures and manicures as well as nail art from a local Spa. It was the best my nails have ever looked in my entire life. When we arrived at the condo we were in awe of the beautiful condo and the breath taking views of the pacific ocean. The condo has an 20 foot mural of the ocean that you see when you first enter the unit. Your eyes then go from the mural to the most beautiful ocean view that my husband and I have ever seen. This unit was immaculately clean and decorated with luxury sculptures. The mattresses and linens were best we have ever slept on in all of our years of travel. During the mornings we would walk the beach, then each afternoon we did a local trip of either Zip-Linning, Fishing, ATV, or hiking. Then in the late afternoon the ladies went to the private pool as the men worked out in the private work out room. At night we went to some fabulous restaurants that the owner recommended and got a discount for us. Two nights we went out dancing to early in the morning. One thing we never missed was the sunsets from the balcony. The view from his balcony was spectacular. I would highly recommend you staying at this condo. We are coming back next year and this is the only place we will stay.

“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!

“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!

“Modern comfort in a wild atmosphere” Stayed 10 days in this Bed and Breakfast formula. Good geographic situation to discover every day a new part of Nicoya Peninsula. Our bedroom was Gazebo as seen on the picture, 180° open towards the nature behind windows made of mosquito net. We liked to completely share the life of the forest and the sunset and sunrise. Outside bathroom fittings are large and modern. We fully appreciated the swimming pool and main living room completely open on nature with exotic design. Family atmosphere. Johanna is a very good guide to inform and advise about all nice and interesting places to discover. We strongly recommend this rental.

“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.

“An awesome, peaceful hideaway!” I discovered Finca Paraiso at B&B.com; and made reservations for Oct 2011. I usually rent a vehicle so the drive of about 30 minutes was not only interesting but exciting as well. The roads in CR are not well marked and are somewhat bumpy with a fair share of potholes. For the directionally challenged, the innkeeper might consider meeting the guests at the airport as an escort or taxi. On arrival, I was overwhelmed by the inspiring beauty of the property. The views are stunning. The grounds are superbly manicured and provide vast space for exploring and enjoying the peace and solitude of nature. There were hundreds of different plants, flowers, and trees. There is even a trout pond with waterfall. And, there is a mountain stream with many waterfalls that can be traversed. The inn has an indoor heated pool with a steam room too! As if all this isn't enough, my jaw dropped when I entered the suite. It was a villa with the space of three hotel rooms. The refrigerator was stocked with juice, bread, cheese, jam/jelly, and other foods. There was a fine bottle of wine as a welcome gift. It included a fireplace, living area, whirlpool tub, oversized queen bed, ample closet space and a bathroom with a large shower. There was television with DVD and cable service. Wired internet was also a feature. The room included a terrace with a table for enjoying meals outdoors. But the best part were the windows that surrounded the suite affording beautiful views of the mountains and valleys. I enjoyed time soaking in the quiet which allowed precious rejuvenation, physically, mentally, and spiritually. The innkeeper and his wife were very helpful in suggesting places to go and also in providing directions. They also provide a complimentary dinner of rainbow trout from the pond. A very delicious meal. I highly recommend Finca Paraiso. It will be my getaway of choice when visiting CR in the future. Pura Vida!

“Great Rental” Great rental, great manger, very clean. Would highly recommend.