Guestbook Comment

We loved, loved, loved everything about our week's stay at Bella Sirena. The setting was amazing--howler monkeys waking us up in the morning and parrots coming in later in the day. Toucans, over 50 species of birds seen--completely amazing. The caretaker was friendly, helpful, warm, and welcoming. The setting was perfect. We definitely would go back.

Just arrived back from la bella sirena. had a fabulous time. would most certainly return in the future.

Looking forward to a much needed R&R, I found Mary's house on the Internet and booked 2 weeks. The pictures were beautiful but pale considerably with the real thing!

The house was FANTASTIC!!! Plenty of room and drop-dead gorgeous, my wife's vocabulary was reduced to a single syllable, "WOW", which she repeated for 2 days. The boys were just giddy when they saw a three-toed sloth climbing a tree less than 20' from the house. After following the path to the beach, which in itself is wonderful treat for any nature lover and photographer, we stepped out of the jungle and my wife promptly started repeating "the word of the week." The beach made us feel that we were the only souls around for miles, almost our own private beach!

The caretaker, Bibo, was more than helpful and arranged almost all of our excursions for us; zip-lining, dolphin spotting, resturants, and even gave us a tour to Bocas del Toros, Panama. What minor problems that arose he was instantly on top of the situation and had it fixed in no time.

I would make a suggestion to anyone thinking about going to anywhere in Costa Rica; when you rent a car, get the GPS. The fee is nominal when you figure the gas, time, and frustration of getting lost would cost on your vacation. It was a Godsend, took us right to Manzanillo without a hitch, and Mary gives excellent directions too!

Our two weeks were over too soon and I already miss it, I've only been back 4 days!

I want to thank you Mary, and Bibo, for making my vacation a wonderful break and for giving my boys memories that they will carry fondly for the rest of their lives. I will certainly return!

(The coolest part about the whole trip is that neither of the boys, 12yrs and 15yrs, whined once about not having a TV or XBox. And THEY never realized it!)

Much love and thanks again!
RZ

Each day while enjoying early morning coffee on the upstairs deck, we watched howler monkeys swing through the trees and flocks of parrots fly over. From the downstairs living area, we had close-up views of hummingbirds, our first ever sighting of chestnut-colored woodpecker (spotted by one of my granddaughters) in the banana tree at the bottom of the steps, and scarlet-rumped tanagers, among many others. Preparing meals or washing dishes in such surroundings was pure pleasure. A sloth hung out in a cecropia tree along the path to the beach. The close-in reefs in nearby Manzanillo drew us back each day for snorkeling—even the 5-year-old donned her mask to enjoy the fish in tide pools. The water was calm and clear in June, tropical fish abundant and the coral amazing.
We discovered a gourmet supermarket between Manzanillo and Puerto Viejo on the last day—fresh baked bread every day, wonderful cheeses, plenty of fine choices if you are cooking in. Interesting small restaurants are along that road for an evening out.
Ceiling fans kept the bedrooms cool at night, and we draped the beds with the mosquito netting more for the romance of it than necessity, because the bedrooms are screened. In the evening in the open areas, we did use repellent, but there were not many insects. The big showers are great, the tropical hardwood floors beautiful. We had happy hours playing cards, listening to the sounds, going over the day’s adventures. The biggest problem was deciding which hammock, couch or chair to enjoy—plenty for the six of us to choose from. The caretaker came by every day to see if we needed anything. Our four days sped by—we would love to have had more time at La Bella Sirena. We highly recommend it.

A group of us spent a week at La Bella Sirena in January and loved it! The incredible natural beauty of Costa Rica was perfectly enhanced by our comfortable and modestly elegant lodgings. We had everything we needed and then some, yet we never felt out of place in the wildness of the rainforest. Holler monkeys, sloths, toucans - they're all right there in the yard. The nearby communities of Manzanillo and Puerto Viejo are both welcoming and relaxed, offering anything a traveler might need: restaurants, markets, shops, and gorgeous Caribbean beaches! We enjoyed the great restaurants, and also had a fabulous time cooking in the all-inclusive kitchen. For a little extra fun we created a different "drink of the day" every day to take advantage of the abundance of exotic fruits (and tasty Costa Rican rum). We slept soundly in the comfortable bug-free bedrooms, the gentle sounds of the rainforest providing a relaxing sonic background.
I can't think of a better way to have had our first Costa Rican experience, nor can I offer enough praise for this lovely vacation rental. Take full advantage of its beauty!