Very tranquillo!
Review Submitted: January 12, 2010
Date of Stay: December 2009
"Tranquillo" is a word you hear a great deal in Costa Rica-- cab drivers chant it to calm down in traffic-- people use it to remind us to chill out, everything's fine. Staying at the ranch at the beginning of our trip was the perfect way to get into this mindset. We were away from phones, computers, view-spoiling electrical cables, and any connection to the daily grind. We spent most of our time outdoors, often sheltered under the beautiful thatching. We found local fish, meat and produce and had great barbeques to supplement the ubiquitous gallo pinto. Outdoor showers looking down on hawks flying in the valley below, waking up to mist over the mountains, swimming in a nearby waterfall pool-- this is "pura vida." If you want to really get away this is the spot.
The pictures on this site show the views and some wildlife, but only as captured by a camera's angle. Imagine an upscale florist's most exotic selection-- and these are the common plants. Phrases like "oh look honey there's a toucan in the papaya tree" became common.
This is a great place for those who want nature and privacy-- but you have to be okay with nature and privacy. Its a jungle mountain-- there are bugs. There are stairs and ladders to climb once you are there though you can 4-wheel up to the property. Email the owners while you are planning the trip, they were extremely forthcoming about what amenities are (or aren't) offered.
Fritz and Aileen provided us with a great deal of information about getting around in Costa Rica. They arranged for a driver who met us at the airport and took us to Playa Hermosa, a beautiful beach town on the Pacific coast, where we stayed the first night. The caretaker's brother drove us up the mountain the next day which was fun and adventurous. The contacts they gave us helped us for the rest of our trip while getting around and staying in Costa Rica, as people are big on referrals. (Knocks a few bucks off hotel rooms as well)
I hope to stay for longer next time we can go to the ranch, and I hope that wonderful people can enjoy it as we did. We went other places but our true and most memorable experience was at Rancho Tranquillo. Have fun, travelive.
Recommended for:
Adventure Seekers,
Girls Getaway,
Tourists without a Car,
Sightseeing,
Families with Teenagers,
Romantic Getaway
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