Vacation rentals in Guanacaste Province

“Kim and Tim are extremely friendly people. They went out of their way to give us an introduction telling us everything we could ever need to know about our stay. They even made a binder with great recommendations of what to do, where to eat, etc. You won’t need the hot water or AC. I was surprised by the fact that only 2 fans did the trick and I wasn’t hot overnight despite the 95 degree weather during the day. The place itself was perfect, only one little thing went wrong, I did end up getting stung by a scorpion around 2:30am in the middle of the night (which are not super dangerous in Costa Rica). My boyfriend found it in the sheets and it ran out of the cabina as if it knew where it entered. Do I regret my stay here cause of that? No. Tim even told me that he’s been stung before and it’s not a big deal. My boyfriend and I could have done a better job at keeping bugs out. For example, we didn’t close the window all the way when we went to sleep. My suggestion is to spray the bug spray under the door way or put a towel down to ensure nothing gets in. I don’t want to scare people with this post, I still highly recommend this place, I mean it really could have happened anywhere, Costa Rica is really hot and it’s nearly impossible to keep bugs out (my boyfriend and I stayed in a 4 star hotel near the Arenal volcano that also had bugs and whatnot). I just wanted to mention it for people to take caution so it doesn’t happen to them. Overall worth it to stay here than pay $400 a night at a hotel on the beach so no regrets.”

“We stayed at José’s place for a week. He truly has set up a great place to unwind. The cottage was cute and had everything that we needed. His property is beautiful. His plants and trees and pool make for a very relaxing atmosphere. He is very knowledgeable about Costa Rica and obviously cares very deeply for his country. It was great fun to talk with him. José and his family made us feel very welcome offering suggestions on local things to do. When it was time for us to leave he set up a taxi for us. We didn’t have a car but didn’t mind walking. There is a hill involved but it wasn’t a big deal. We would definitely stay here again and highly recommend Jose’s place to others.”

“Stay here and plan to stick around the area, because Raj's villa is so shockingly gorgeous that you'll hardly want to leave. (We ended up canceling a 2-day trip inland to the volcano just because we wanted more time at the villa and in the nearby area.) The views from the villa are jaw dropping and it is absolutely the most gorgeous place I've ever stayed by far. I inadvertently became a birder on this trip, the amount of birds to view from the patio was insane -- parrots, pelicans, frigates, and all kinds of other beautiful tropical birds. You'll see iguanas on the roadside and beaches, and definitely hear the howler monkeys if not see them. The villa was very clean, and between Raj (owner) and Noelia (rental manager), we had all the information we needed within reach of a quick text message or email both before and during the trip. Raj's place is really spacious and open, I thought the pool was also bigger than it looked in the photos. Kitchen well stocked and nice cozy linens on the beds and good quality towels. Air conditioning is only in the bedrooms, so staying in the pool on hot afternoons was ideal to stay cool. Definitely follow Raj's instruction to get groceries on your drive from the airport, and rent a 4x4. The local minimart is well stocked with basics, but if you plan to cook much you'll want to hit up the larger stores on the way. The local restaurant Aroma del Mar is also amazingly good, and the beach is a short walk (down a fairly steep hill) or an even shorter drive away. The tours offered by Roma del Mar are top notch (we took the Tortuga Island tour and loved it). You can also enjoy a massage by Anja on the pool deck and drive about an hour to a nearby waterfall that you'll likely have to yourself (Karen Mogenson Reserve). The bang for you buck on Raj's place is incomparable. Thank you Raj and all the staff of Roma del Mar!”