OUTDOOR LIVING IN ABSOLUTE PRIVACY STEPS FROM THE WATER'S EDGE

We came to Playa Grande with the hopes of seeing Costa Rica and maybe surfing some. My in-laws, and sister-in-law's family came with us - there were 13 of us in total - age ranging from 70 to age 1. We all ADORED casa velas. The house is perfect - open, simple and well designed for all kinds of family time - both together and in smaller groups. there aren't a lot of TVs, which we preferred. It is very clean all the time and all the comforts that you'd want in a high-end hotel in a much more private and serene environment. The outdoor eating areas are sublime. We ate every meal outside and played a lot of cards together when we weren't playing at the beach, surfing or visiting Arenal (4 hours) or Rincon de la Vieja (1.5 hours), which were both amazing.

I cannot say enough good things about Ana and Luis. They were so helpful and Ana's cooking is delicious. She was so flexible and so sweet. We offered to fly her to Boston with us so she could keep cooking for us, and she said yes, but I think Costa Rica is too pretty to leave. Make sure you take advantage of all the great things she can make (the shrimp she made, the lasagna/tortilla dish and the burritos were our favorites). Nova and Chaka were also very helpful - they shopped for us and made sure we had everything we needed.

The house set-up was perfect for us too. It was hard for me to really grasp the fact that 3 bedrooms are in one house and two in the other. The structures are super close to one another and they are both beautiful. And the bathrooms and big and great too. The two house option gave the older kids (13 and 11-yr olds) the chance to have a little bit of independence, but we really all shared the space and it was incredibly comfortable. And we had one crib that we could easily have fit in any of the bedrooms.

I can't say enough good things about the beach and how close you are. I would recommend Casa Velas to almost any combination of travelers - i would go with my girlfriends in a heartbeat, the kids are all dying to go back and my in-laws raved about it too. Casa Velas is somewhat secluded, but if you wanted to get to Tamarindo, you can drive or walk the beach and take a water taxi.

To everyone involved in Casa Velas - I hope you will continue to offer this great property to families and travelers. And most importantly, we hope we can come back and see you all soon! Thank you so much for making our vacation even better than we could have imagined.

What a wonderful experience from the time we got there to the time we left. The view is awesome! Casa Velas offers the vacationer a great secluded location but close to Tamarindo and with in walking distance to another 3 restaurants. (The great Waltinis in Bula Bula and the pizza place close by for free refills, also a small grocery store. One can swim in the pool, play in the ocean, hang out under the many outdoor shaded areas, or sleep in the hammock. Their are lots to do from touring the estuary, hanging out in Tamarindo, kayaking, playing in the surf, going on a sunset sail ( with the Marlin Del Ray tour- best trip because of their attentivness to the costomer, always their to make your experience enjoyable) ,doing a canopy tour, or just relaxing by the pool or the ocean. And at the end of the day do not miss the great sunsets. The caretakers Ana and Luis were more then helpful. They were always there to meet your needs. Ana is a great cook so have her cook a meal or two for the group. Our group of nine had such a wonderful experience with our travels to Costa Rica, that we hope to come back again. One suggestion is to have your driver from the airport stop by the liquer store and grocery store before getting to the house. This enabled us to have Ana cook the first night and then we had breakfast food for the next day. That way we could enjoy our first night without having to find a restaurant.

It is the second time we rented this paradise. Casa Velas is a bit of heaven. The house is incredibly comfortable to share with family including children. Our kids enjoyed the pool every day, like the sea, which is just steps from the house. And adults spend incredible days because the house has several areas to be relaxed the whole day. Ana the owner is very friendly and attentive making the rental process is really nice. And Ana and Luis, the people caring home, they are incredibly helpful and friendly, always attentive to whatever the guest needs. The delicious food prepared by Ana and her dedication to always have the house clean makes of casa Velas as a five star hotel. It is really a paradise, had a wonderful time and hope to return soon. Thank you.