The house was built in 2007-8 and is very high-end. It has many wonderful features such as Columbian limestone floors, dark wood finishing, custom-made furniture, hand-carved doors, designer kitchen cabinets, and a custom-made spiral staircase crafted by San Jose wrought iron artisan, Gilbert Ferrera. The house has a warm, comfortable feel, meticulously clean, and every chair in the house is comfortable.
Each of the 5 bedrooms have spectacular ocean views. The large master bedroom has a king-size bed, solid hardwood floors, a huge furnished deck, remote control air-conditioning, a ceiling fan, reading lamps, lots of storage and closet space, and a large en-suite bathroom. Enjoy panoramic ocean views right from your bed or open up the doors and take in the view from the large deck. Furnished with a table and 4 comfy chairs, it is the perfect spot to enjoy morning coffee and wake up to the sounds of monkeys and birds. From here you can watch the sun rise. The bedroom has a large closet and a large, elegant en-suite bathroom. It has one-of-a-kind carved rock sinks, Kohler faucets, a glassed-in stone shower and a full bathtub.
The gourmet kitchen is fully-outfitted, centrally located, bright and inviting. With all stainless steel appliances, a large granite kitchen island, a breakfast bar, and a high-end gas stove, even gourmet chefs will be happy. A unique feature is the large walk-in air-conditioned pantry. The kitchen is designed to accommodate several chefs. The kitchen has gorgeous ocean views on 3 sides and is the 'hub'. Sliding glass doors lead out onto the outdoor dining room and the large pool deck.
The house is located on a low ridge which overlooks Samara Beach. It is an easy 10-minute walk to the beach. Restaurants are just 3 minutes further. To get there, just walk down our long concrete driveway, cross the road and then walk a short distance on a wide, shaded dirt road. This road brings you to WingNuts Canopy Tours and Samara Beach. The busiest part of Samara Beach is another 8 minutes away. There are a variety of good beach-front restaurants, Italian, Thai, Mediterranean, French, German, Spanish, sushi, and Argentinian restaurants, at least surf schools, grocery stores, 2 banks, a butcher, bakeries, Info Center, souvenir shops, a gym, surf shops, a wine bar, a fish vendor, laundramats, a Medical Centre, a Pharmacy, places to rent kayaks, bikes, horses, cars, ATV's.
There is a variety of wonderful restaurants - Italian, Vegetarian, Argentine, Spanish, Thai, Sushi, Pizza, Mediterranean. Or you can barbecue at home. Casa Colibri has a excellent barbecue/outdoor kitchen area next to the pool, overlooking Samara Beach. Guests can enjoy pre-dinner drinks while the barbecue officianados do their thing at their own pool-side kitchen. The higher elevation means cool breezes, keeping it practically mosquito-free.
At 5:30, though, our favourite spot is cocktail hour on the sunset deck atop the carport. Here, you can enjoy fabulous sunsets, have wine and appetizers, and even watch monkeys swing through the trees below! Its built-in concrete furniture has enough seating for 20 people.
Casa Colibri is close to everything: walk down our driveway and in 7 minutes you can be standing on sandy Samara Beach. Drive 5 minutes to the left and be at Carrillo Beach, a pristine, white-sand, palm-lined beach: post-card perfect. A 5 minute drive to the right, and you are in Samara's town centre where there are bakeries, boutique shopping, gelato, and a spa. Whether your vacation is all about catching up on your reading at the beach, or taking surf lessons and going ocean-kayaking, you can do as much or as little as you want. But it is always a treat to return to Casa Colibri and relax in its perfect, private salt water pool and take in the fabulous ocean views.
A unique feature next to our house is a very large waterfall. When the fountain comes on, water flows through a series of small pools and then cascades over a wall into the shallow jungle pool below. Sit under the waterfall for a great shoulder massage!
All 5 bedrooms have great ocean views, very comfortable beds, air-conditioning, and ceiling fans. The bathrooms all have stone tilework.
There is an upstairs office with a desk, an overhead fan, and a well-stocked library. The house has wireless wi-fi. Bring your ipod to plug into our portable stereo.
The media room has comfortable leather furniture, a large TV, plenty of DVD's, air-conditioning and best of all, it is private. Perfect for kids.
If you don't know how something works, no problem. Just ask our caretaker couple, Daniel and Anna, who live in the nearby casita. Daniel is a master builder and his wife, Anna, is our Housekeeper who will provide light housekeeping every few days. Daniel and Anna have been with Samara Reefs since we began construction in 2008 and they are honest, hard-working and super-helpful.
Casa Colibri is one of 7 houses in the high-end gated community of 'Samara Reefs'. It is also extremely close to two of the safest, most family-friendly beaches in all of Costa Rica. Lonely Planet calls Carrillo one of the country's most beautiful and unspoiled beaches and in many guide books Samara Beach is described as the safest and prettiest beach in the country. With perfect long white sand beach with shallow, gentle waters, we agree. The coral reef offshore prevents dangerous rip currents, so Playa Samara is popular with swimmers, boogie-boarders and body-surfers. You can walk for miles and then find shade under the coconut palms.
Samara is unpretentious and kind of funky. There are no huge hotels and even with its many amenities, the town doesn't feel 'touristy.' Samara and Carrillo have an authentic feel, with many businesses owned & operated by local 'Ticos.' For years this area has been a favourite, and affordable, family vacation spot. The air is clean and fresh, water from the tap is safe to drink, birds are singing, it's PURA VIDA - 'the good life' for sure!
Keywords: Private villa, luxury, panoramic ocean views, walk to beach, Samara Beach, private saltwater pool, infinity-edge pool. Jungle setting, tropical gardens, close to town. House suitable for 2 families or a large group. Paved roads all the way. All reviews 5/5.
