As one of the seven houses in Samara's premier gated community, Samara Reefs, Villa Mirador is peaceful, secluded, yet close to Samara and all its amenities: restaurants, banks, bakeries, surf schools, a scuba dive shop, boutiques, etc.

Villa Mirador has vaulted ceilings, a state-of-the-art kitchen with stainless steel appliances, solid hand-carved hardwood doors, and LOTS of glass, giving the house a very up-scale, glamorous feeling.

The main living area is an open design concept. The kitchen is beautiful and elegant, with all stainless steel appliances, European-designed kitchen cabinets and a fabulous sit-up bar, which seats four. Next to the kitchen is the dining room with a traditional dining room table that seats eight. The living room has two large comfortable leather sofas, and feels comfortable and elegant. All around you, there are view windows EVERYWHERE, each giving a beautiful views of the ocean, the jungle or the gorgeous tropical gardens. Near the living room is an indoor water feature, making the space feel fresh and cool.

The outer 'wall' of this large living space is actually two double-wide folding glass doors which, when open, make this huge, panoramic ocean view and a beautiful outdoor terrace part of your living space. With the glass doors opened up, your living room essentially doubles in size. This house was made for a large group so enjoy !

The large terrace has dark stone flooring and is enclosed with ultra-modern glass panels, so nothing obstructs this great view. On the terrace are 2 sets of tables and chairs, perfect for entertaining and for dining 'al fresco'.

At one end of this huge terrace is a large granite outdoor wet-bar and barbecue area. The deck extends further, wrapping around the corner toward the kitchen. Use this handy side door to take out food for the barbecue. One of the greatest features of this house is that this barbecue area is so close to the nearby trees that it feels like you can reach out and touch them. This spectacular setting, together with its large, glamorous living space, make this house great for entertaining, whether it is for one extended family, 2 families, or 4 couples.

All 4 bedrooms are beautiful. No one will fight over the master bedroom in this house. There is one bedroom upstairs and 2 bathrooms, while downstairs there are 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. All 4 bedrooms have king-size beds, remote control air-conditioners, ceiling fans, solid wood doors, and gorgeous ocean views. One of the lower bathrooms has a glass door which conveniently opens up onto the deck and leads to the pool.

The pool is spectacular. It is very private, saltwater (which will mean you won't come out smelling like chlorine), it is an infinity-edge pool where you can enjoy an unobstructed panoramic view of the ocean. Its hard not to just stare out at the gorgeous view and the green canopy below. It is easy to see why the house is named Villa Mirador: 'mirador' means 'look-out'.

For nature-lovers, Villa Mirador is paradise. Right next to your driveway is a group of trees that happens to be one of the howler monkeys' favourite places to hang out in. At other times, they may be spotted in the trees over by the barbecue area. The number of birds in the area is also amazing. Here, you will awake to birdsong and you might even think you are miles away from civilization.

A unique feature of this house is its very large air-conditioned walk-in pantry. This is extremely handy -and practical - for storing food, beverages, fruit and vegetables.

Parking is easy. The covered carport is large enough for 2 SUVs and has a storage room and is great for storing boogie boards or snorkel gear. When you're ready to check out the beach, there are lawn chairs and beach towels provided for guests' convenience. And because your car is parked in the shade, it will not be uncomfortably hot!

For entertainment, there is a TV, a DVD player, and access to DVD movies. Remember to bring along your iPOD to plug into the stereo system. The house has an alarm system, outdoor landscape lighting, and the gardens are well-maintained by our long-time gardener, Wagner.

If you need assistance with anything, no problem. Just ask Daniel, our Administrator, who lives with his wife, Anna, in the small casita a few yards away. Daniel is a Master Builder and built the grand house next door; he is extremely knowledgeable and knows the houses very well. When you arrive at Villa Mirador, Daniel will give you housekeys, a gate controller, and provide an orientation session. He will show you how everything works: the alarm system, pool lights, etc. Anna is our Housekeper and will visit the house every few days for light housekeeping (bathrooms and sweeping).

Villa Mirador is conveniently close to town. It is a 5 minute drive to the town of Samara and a 10 minute drive to Carrillo and a short walk to the beach. From the gate the walk to the beach will take you about 7 minutes and will take 10 minutes back. Both Samara and Carrillo are spectacular beaches: beautiful and family-friendly. Many guide books, including The Lonely Planet, call them the prettiest, most 'unspoiled' beaches in all of Costa Rica. Plus, they are two of the safest beaches for swimming in all of Costa Rica, having beautiful and protective reefs located just off-shore.

Because of the half-moon shape of Playa Carrillo and Playa Samara, as well as the protective off-shore reefs, there are no dangerous rip-tides. The waves are gentle enough for beginner surfers, as evidenced by the 4 surf schools.

Another popular activity is zip-lining. In the hills behind Samara Reefs are the trees in which WingNuts Canopy Tours have their platforms. Their Office is well-signed and located between the road and the beach, you will see it on your walk to the beach.

There is lots to see and do in Samara: rent boogie boards, horses, bikes, kayaks, ATV's, go hiking, get a massage, do yoga, even charter a fishing boat. The choice of restaurants is great and you will find basic pizzarias, high end dining, sushi and a wine bar! Enjoy!

Keywords: Upscale villa, private, luxury, beach house, designer home, large terrace, panoramic designer home, ocean views, easy walk to the beach, spectacular forest canopy view, private saltwater infinity-edge pool. Suitable for 4 couples or 2 families.