5 Reviews of Property 216424 in Mal Pais, Costa Rica

We are a group of 6 very close friends that chose Costa Rica as our reunion spot. We absolutely loved this house from the moment we arrived. Jose came and met us at the Monkey Bar just down the road where we were feasting on great fish tacos and margaritas. Our Spanish is poor but we managed with the few words we know and gestures. He was so patient and gracious. After the tour of the house we all headed for the salt water pool that was unbelievably soft, no chlorine and sparkling. We are late 40's to mid 50's and we felt like kids again not wanting to get out of pool till dinner. Mary's is close by and we ate there twice. They prepared the fish that we took to them along with great sides for an very reasonable dinner. Jose hooked us up with his relative for our deep sea fishing charter. We saw underwater volcanic activity and we all caught a fish or two. Nearby Playa Carmen and Santa Theresa were great beach/surf spots. We went to Montazuma another day and after walking around and having lunch in this artsy hippie town, we hiked down to the waterfalls. Beautiful.
The house was perfect, very spacious and we all had our own space. The king beds were very comfortable and the swinging beds on the top floor were a huge hit! After dinner we would all retreat to the 3rd floor for a nite cap an chat about our day and plan the next day's adventure. We accidently locked ourselves outside on the 3rd floor but miraculously Jose just happened to be there checking up on the property.We always felt very safe and taken care of with him close by. Please Peter thank him again for us. We highly recommend this house to those that want a true Costa Rican experience. We hope to return and are even talking about retiring in Costa Rica. Pura Vida!

First of all this was my first visit to Costa Rica and it could not have been more perfect. I stayed for just under 2 weeks with family and friends and it was pure bliss. From the moment we arrived until the day we left it was wonderful. Arriving as we did in June there was some apprehension because of the rainy season but at most it rained for half hour or so and then the perfect weather again came.
The house as one other here stated is not done justice by the pictures. It is amazing. Beautifully appointed and perfectly situated it's just a stones throw from the beach. One of the coolest things about it was the 3rd floor outdoor lanai with the hanging beds. We all absolutely loved it. Ended up having to take turns bc it was so popular. You wake up to amazing wildlife seemingly at arms reach. It was one of my favorite things about my stay.
The food is certainly worth talking about. Burger Rancho ended up being the consensus favorite but it wasn't a burger place (didn't seem at least). Perfect little roadside eatery with amazing fresh fish,chicken and other delights. Definitely try the homemade guacamole. I still drool over the thought. There was also a falafel joint nearby that made possibly the best falafel I have ever had ,and I've had them all over the US and the world. I have to say that there was not a bad meal had by our group of 7.
As for activities - we kayaks,sunfish and scooters which we used to explore the nearby towns of Tambor,Santa Teresa and Montezuma.
Santa Teresa is well known for its amazing surf and the guy in the surf shop from where we took lessons informed us that some well known celebrities own homes very nearby (i'm a Giant fan so I didn't get the chance to laugh at Tom Brady out riding the surf) .
Montezuma was the perfect little hippie community mellow and fun and Tambor has an amazing wildlife reserve that was a big hit with the kids.
Oh the other thing I wanted to mention was Jose the caretaker. A wonderfully genial and helpful man who met us out on the ave when we arrived late at night and helped immensely with suggestions and insight (of course one of us was pretty fluent in spanish).
All in all this was just about as perfect a stay as we possibly could have imagined and I have already informed the owner that we most certainly would be back next year.
Thanks for a wonderful stay

I recently spent 2 weeks in this house with my fanily. It was even more beautiful than the photos! Most nights we slept outside on the third floor hanging beds. It was great falling asleep under the stars and waking up to the sounds of the parrots and other beautiful tropical birds.
The saltwater pool is very welcoming after a long day surfing or fishing.
Mal Pais and nearby Santa Theresa have so many great restaurants that we hardly even used the kitchen or barbecue (except to cook the yellowfin and dorado that we caught!).
My son is telling me that I shouldn't forget to mention the monkeys and iguanas that we saw almost every day on the property.

The bottom line is, if you are looking to get away in Costa Rica, this is the place for you. I wish I never left and will definately be back!