60 Reviews of Property 190471 in Dominical, Costa Rica

This was our first time ever in Costa Rica, and my wife and two daughters spent over a week at Storm and Amy's vacation villa.

To begin with, the pictures on this site cannot begin to do justice to the villa itself or to the incredible views! The villa is an extremely well-built residence that is very secure, spacious and well-appointed. The view is something my family and I will never forget. The villa''s location is also well-positioned between the tiny beach town of Dominical (about 3 minutes away) and the slightly larger town of Uvita (about 15 minutes away). Everything you could need, between grocery shopping and extraordinary beaches, all are at your immediate reach.

The villa rental was a no hassle process and Storm and Amy both made sure to set us up with proper directions from San Jose's airport. They also were so kind as to book several tours for us, including horse back riding and snorkeling.

On the last day of our trip, we had dinner at the Jolly Roger, a mountain top restaurant owned by Storm and Amy, where Storm is the head chef, providing excellent fare.

In short, we loved the country and we loved our location and Storm and Amy's villa and will definitely plan on a return visit when we can afford it.

Sincerely,
Eric and Anne Russo
Cincinnati, OH USA

Recently three couples traveled to Costa Rica, spending our last week at Villa Tranquila in Dominical.

It was by far our favorite place. Our host and owners Storm and Amy Zbel where fantastic. They meet us immediately up arrival and made us feel very welcome. (nice gift in our Villa from them). They provided us with information on activites and good places to eat. Storm and Amy are wonderful people, helpful, honest, and available to help you enjoy your visit to the area. We had a privite swimming pool off our deck which we throughly enjoyed. The Villa was clean, well furnished, and did not lack anything necessary for your stay. They even invite you to use the spices in their cubboard. We did not want for a thing.
I was impressed that Amy was always available by phone to answer our questions or to give us information. Very kind and helpful people. Fun too......

All six of us adults were impressed with the Villa and the exceptional sunsets every night. Difficult to describe but the name trully represents the atmosphere (VILLA
TRANQUILA) We all came home relaxed, taned, happy and VERY pleased with our choise of accomodations in Dominical.

Sorry this review is so late. As soon as we arrived back home, reality set in and we were back in the rat race. Storm and Amy's condo, Dominical, Amy's role as personal concierge and all of our activities made this the best vacation we've ever had with our 2 adult sons.

We arrived to a traditional home-cooked Costa Rican meal arranged by Amy. During the day, we zip-lined, surfed for the first time, rappelled down waterfalls, snorkeled with huge schools of fishes, horseback rode through jungles and the beach, and just wandered on the most beautiful beaches you could image.

In the evening, we had wonderful family time, cooking meals together, recounting our day and taking the time to share each others lives.

As an American who is used to more fully-developed surroundings, we quickly grew to love the simple life of Dominical. Although we loved our visit to Manuel Antonio National Park, we shunned the hustle and bustle of a tourist area for the natural, uncomplicated life of this surfing community.

Don't forget to visit Storm's restaurant and read his entertaining ads about his restaurant.

We visited over Thanksgiving, at the end of the rainy season. We learned to surf in the rain, but we didn't even know it was raining.

This vacation was almost magical for us. Although we are close to our 2 sons (who are in their mid 20's), the combination of adventure during the day and comfort at night allow us to really connect and enjoy each others company as adults.

When we all got together again at Christmas, none of us could imagine a better vacation. Thanks, Amy and Storm!

We spent a little over a month in Costa Rica this summer, staying at four different places. Storm and Amy's place was the best of the places we stayed, by more than a little bit. The place was immaculate and well provisioned. Maybe for the first time ever, we had good sharp knives. The location is beautiful and very convenient. We typically walked to the beach, and our kids loved Pozo Azul (a waterfall with a pool you can jump and swim in), which is maybe a five-minute walk away. We had two of our teenaged kids with us, and we were very comfortable with the space and layout. There is a pescadero within a mile where we bought very fresh fish very cheaply. Not too far down the road, in Uvita, is a grocery store that had lots of American foods (peanut butter, jam, wheat bread, etc.). And there were lots of activities available within a reasonable drive -- Oso Coanopy Tours, Adventure ATVs, Tree of Life waterfalls (including rappelling and lunch in a cave under the waterfalls, Manuel Antonio National Park and, of course, the beaches. Storm and Amy were very friendly and helpful.

Our heartfelt thanks to Storm and Amy – tremendous hosts of our recent 8-day stay at Villa Tranquila. Costa Rica is a unique country of extraordinary beauty, diverse adventure, delicious food and generous people.The central coastal area where this villa is located has easy access to all of this - and more. It's a 3-4 hour drive from the San Jose airport, but well worth it (...and definitely go for 4WD). Around the Dominical area, there are no high-rise hotels, fewer tourists, much more of the local feel - exactly what we were looking for on our first visit to CR. Storm and Amy were super-nice, attentive and communicative hosts, providing recommendations and advice both before and during our trip. There's a ton to do here and we thoroughly enjoyed the Osa Canopy Tour (Tarzan swing!), Don Lulo's horseback ride to Nauyaca Falls, hiking Manuel Antonio National Park (go for the guided tour - you'll experience so much more), and a trimaran ride with Sunset Sails in Quepos (whales, dolphins, turtles). Be sure to set aside time for loafing too, as the villa has a plunge pool and awesome deck with breathtaking views - plus there are many excellent beaches within a short radius: Playas Dominicalito (5 mins walk out your front door), Dominical, Ventanas, Hermosa, and more. Above all, don't miss a trip up the mountain to Storm and Amy's Bar Jolly Roger. The wings are excellent - and being from the Rochester/Buffalo, NY, area, I've had a few wings over the years. I would rank theirs among the very best. Pura Vida! We hope to be back someday.

We absolutely could not have picked a better place for our honeymoon. Costa Rica itself is lovely, and the villa was a perfect spot. We stayed for nine days, doing a whole lot of nothing, although there is plenty to do if you want to. The villa is exactly as pictured, the view is unreal. Manuel Antonio is a short drive away, where you can see monkeys, sloths and countless lizards. We shopped locally, and were able to buy fish that had been caught that day, and then cooked at home. There are also some great local restaurants, Bar Jolly Roger of course, and also Por que No? at Costa Paraiso, right across the road. Behind the villa is extensive jungle. Toucans flew around the villa quite a bit, and on one early morning walk, we heard a howler monkey, but he had no interest in seeing us! The only bad part about the villa is when it is time to leave. You will not want to go! Storm and Amy were great hosts, very helpful if we needed something. Don't miss the wings at Bar Jolly Roger!

My husband and I were in Dominical, Costa Rica for 8 days, and they were all made 100% better because of where we stayed. This Villa is the perfect place to call "home" while away from home.

The moment you open the front door, you are blown away by the view of the Pacific ocean. It is spectacular, and was a constant companion during our stay. The furnishings and comfort of the property were first rate. The outdoor area will be where you spend all your time. The palapa provides the perfect place for coffee in the morning, and a cold Imperial in the evenings. We also used the pool almost daily for relief from the hot sun.

The only aspect of our stay that was better than the property, were our fabulous hosts, Storm and Amy. It cannot be overstated how helpful and available they were. Amy was there to greet us when we arrived, went over the property, and answered all of our questions.

The small town of Dominical was a taste of "real" Costa Rica. Wonderfully welcoming locals, great food, and a very chill vibe is what you get when you stay here. Right across the street of the Villa is Playa Dominicalito, a great beach to go and walk, surf, or just sit in the sun.

My husband and I went on three tours, all recommended by Amy, and they all delivered.

1) Don Lulo's Horseback riding tour to the Nayaua Falls
2) Osa Canopy Ziplining Tour
3) Mangrove Kayak Tour

They were all exactly what we hoped for.

Lastly, Storm's place, The Jolly Roger is a must visit. Fantastic burgers, killer wings, and a great location all equal a perfect end to any great day spent in Costa Rica.

Look no further than this property for your stay in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida

Lets start with the pictures of the unit - they do not do it justice. It is much more beautiful than the photographs would suggest.

When you pull up to the guarded gate, you will thank Storm Zbel for his advice that you rent a 4-wheel drive vehicle. This road is steep and your first ride up will give you a very real sense of adventure. The next big surprise is when you open the front door and are confronted with a 270 degree view of ocean and mountains thanks to clever archictural design and site location. To anyone thinking about renting, don't think basic accommodation - think luxury. A short list of proof: georgeous dipping pool, oceanview patio, spacious bedrooms (with balcony and ensuite bathroom), modern kitchen, combined dining and living area, beautiful landscaping...well enough said.

The unit was clean and fully equiped. There is a lot of detailed information available in the unit regarding restaurants, activities, shopping, grocery stores, etc. We found the info to be reasonably current and very useful. At times I lamented the lack of TV and internet but by the end of our stay (46 days) I was glad to be free of it.

So now you know that the unit was fantastic - here is some information on the location. It is 3.5 km from Dominical which is a 4-hour drive from San Jose Unless you want to drive through San Jose and then on to Dominical (GPS strongly recommended at least for the incoming trip) you can fly to Quepos which is only 25 minutes from Dominical. The drive is georgeous and I would wager the flight would be truly awesome.

The area is unbelievably beautiful with lots of things to do: scuba, snorkling, riding, zip lines, nature tours...the list is endless. There is a very nice beach within 8 minutes walk, another great surfing beach in Dominical and our favourite Hermosa - miles and miles of often totally vacant beach. In the area there are banks, supermarkets, stores, markets, a library (Uvita) and an array of restaurants ranging from local to American style. Try the Jolly Roger for wings, the Domiloco for world-class tapas and any one of the Domincal restaurants which feature a variety of food types and cooking styles. You will be pleasantly surprised by the quality and service.

In summary, the unit is spectacular, the area is beautiful beyond words and there is plenty to do and see for kids of all ages. Best of all you will be in Costa Rica - a wonderful place filled with wonderful people. See you there.