18 Reviews of Property 315562 In Playa Grande, Costa Rica

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.

WOW! This Playa Grande property will not disappoint. Everything was as indicated and the caretakers (Luis and Anna) were wonderful hosts who take great pride in keeping everything ship shape and making sure guest needs are met. The property owner was extremely helpful in advance of our trip and even called on our first evening to make sure all was OK.

The fresh water pool is a real benefit! And it truly is only a few short steps to the beach - we enjoyed long walks in the the morning, playing in the surf and beach combing in the afternoon and watching spectacular sunsets every evening. Having multiple living and eating areas is a treat and we put them to good use; very comfortable for four couples. Tamarindo is a short walk down the beach to the estuary and the water taxis that only cost $1/person. We even hired one to wait for us after a sunset cruise and he patiently waited for a few extra colones!

Finally, we hired Anna as our chef and it made our stay just that much more delightful. She is a tremendous cook, pleasant and flexible. We sure wanted to take her home with us! Bula Bula on Playa Grande has wonderful Pina Colodas!

Our group of 8 all agree, we look forward to returning in a couple years down the line! Thanks for sharing your home with us.

PS: One piece of advice to renters - be sure to get there when it is still light as it is a bit difficult to locate the first time. :-)

It was our first time in Costa Rica and we were thrilled with our accommodations. It was just what we were looking for - a comfortable home, enough room to disappear if you want to, the perfect location and the most beautiful sunsets. The owner Ana was quite helpful as were Nova and Heinz who helped us with anything we needed. The other Ana, the caretaker of the property also cooked us the most wonderful, fresh and delicious meals. The loaction of the home is a short walk/ bikeride from the local market making a car unnecessary, and if you want to go into town, you are a short water taxi to Tamirindo. We would recommend Casa Velas to all our friends looking for a laid back beach vacation. And we hope to return soon!

Exceptional space, comfortable, open, private and perfect location on Playa Grande. I am so glad we were here with family to enjoy "the something for everyone" space. Beautifully laid out to supply community areas and bedrooms with personal privacy. My sister's comment on the last day reflects the mood of the group...her only regret for the week was that she had not spent more time in the tiki area. We were cool and comfortable at night and sleeping was, well, an altered state, completely restful. Anna provided lovely meals and tended to our towel needs and kept the place clean and orderly. We even had entertainment provided, the Halloween crabs were on the move from the forest to the shore to lay eggs. What a privilege to watch this process!

Having never been to Costa Rica before we were unsure of what to expect. Casa Velas was the most amazing experience for our family and relatives. Ana, the owner, was so extremely helpful and put us in touch with all the right people. And Ana and Luis, who take care of the property, were simply amazing. We had Ana make breakfast and dinner for us each day and life was simply relaxing to the fullest. We had to return to Texas but we for sure left our hearts in Playa Grande and can not wait to return!!! The house was kept so clean and organized it was just a dream. Thank you so much Ana, Ana and Luis! We miss you already.

We had an absolute great time while staying at Casa Velas, we had 2 families with 11 people, the house, pool and beach were fabulous. Anna and Louis kept the place clean and made us feel safe, Anna cooked very good meals. The weather was great and waves good for beginner surfing. We had surfing instructors from the PGSC (Playa Grande Surf Camp) and they were great.