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Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach

Nosara vacation home with private pool

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Outdoor dining
Pool
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
5 bedrooms, in-room safe, travel crib, free WiFi
Property grounds

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

5 bedrooms6 bathroomsSleeps 221100 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Ocean view
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

View in a map
Nosara, Guanacaste
  • Place, Guiones Beach
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Place, Safari Surf School
    ‪16 min walk‬
  • Place, Nosara Spanish Institute
    ‪19 min walk‬
  • Airport, Nosara (NOB)
    ‪15 min drive‬

Room options

About the area

Nosara

Seaside stay .You'll find Guiones Beach and Safari Surf School within a 15-minute walk of this Nosara vacation home. Nosara Spanish Institute and Frog Pad are also within 2 miles (3 km).
View more Vacation homes in NosaraOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Guiones Beach - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Safari Surf School - 16 min walk - 1.4 km
  • Nosara Spanish Institute - 19 min walk - 1.7 km
  • Frog Pad - 6 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Playa Pelada - 10 min drive - 5.3 km

Getting around

  • Nosara (NOB) - 17 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪La Luna - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Rolling Waves - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Posada Margherita - ‬18 min walk
  • ‪Howler’s Beach Lounge - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Olga's Bar & Restaurante - ‬7 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach

Located at the south end of Playa Guiones in Nosara in a new gated community/development called the Guiones Beach Club, the Rancho Paloma Azul home is perched on top of a small knoll that is 1110 square meters (approximately 1/3 acre) in size.

It has views of the Pacific Ocean, the surrounding hills and rain forest and is approximately 300 yards from the beach (about a four minute walk at most on a private, palm-lined trail). Because of its slight elevation, the property typically receives a nice ocean breeze.

This home can accommodate as few as two guests with bed space for as many as 22 and includes all of the following:

THE RANCHO:
A 18' x 24' indigenous open-air ''palapa'' style patio structure made of beautiful teak wood. This is the social hub of the home. It includes an open kitchen, bar counter top & stools and a large communal dining area along with open-air hammocks and lounge day beds and views to the beach. This building is immediately adjacent to the private swimming pool.


THE CABANA SUITES AND THE BUNK HOUSE:
Located on the 1st floor level are four (4) attached Cabana Suites, all of similar construction, each with its own 4-post queen size bed, private bathroom and porches with rocking chairs. Great for couples or for individual usage.

The building is a partial two-story structure with an upstairs master suite, called The Bunk House, equipped with a large bathroom. With three (3) full beds and two (2) twin bunk-style beds, The Bunk House can sleep up to a total eight people. Great for kids, teens and/or couple and individual usage.

Two surfboard racks for storage of up to 12 surfboards. Three outdoor showers, one by the pool for rinsing sandy feet and two others by the Cabana suites and surfboard rack, respectively.

All rooms are equipped with locked mini-bodegas and digital safes to safeguard your personal belongings.

THE SWIMMING POOL:
The pool is approximately 12' x 22', fully tiled with shallow and deep areas. Pool uses a salt water chlorine generator, so no harsh chemicals for eyes, skin and hair.

ADDITIONAL SLEEPING AREAS:
There are additional outdoor, covered sleeping areas in the second floor loft of the Rancho equipped with two (2) full beds and two (2) twin beds with mosquito netting and ceiling fans.

DEDICATED 24/7 SECURITY AND EXTERIOR PERIMETER CCTV MONITORING:
24/7 security for the home and guests is provided. Pool maintenance and gardening service included too. Property manager is available to assist guests during their stay, including making dinner reservations, activity booking and even grocery delivery.

HOUSECLEANING/MAID SERVICE:
Daily maid and cleaning service is included in the rental of this property from Monday through Saturday.

COOK/CHILD CARE:
Daily assistance with cooking and/or child-care is available upon request.

ON-PREMISE MASSEUSE OR YOGA:
Assistance with scheduling on-premise massage or yoga lessons.

BEACH STUFF: No surfboards provided but we supply beach towels, boogie boards, beach chairs and umbrellas, large and small ice chests and carts to haul your gear! Sunscreen not included.

ABOUT GUIONES BEACH CLUB: We have yet to locate the GBC clubhouse or any dues-paying members for that matter, but it is an exclusive, private gated community with a 24/7 guard house and security patrol, all underground utilities (unique in Nosara) and unbeatable proximity to Playa Guiones beach.

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Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach nearby
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels

Pool/Spa

  • Massage
  • Private pool

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Car recommended
  • Onsite parking options include a garage

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee grinder
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Chef service
  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 5 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Day bed

Bathroom

  • 5.5 private bathrooms
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Outdoor shower
  • Shampoo
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table

Entertainment

  • Stereo

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Barbecue grill
  • Fenced yard
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoking not allowed
  • Note from host: No smoking is permitted.

Services and conveniences

  • Concierge services
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Meal delivery service
  • Safe

Location highlights

  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a zoo
  • Near the sea

Things to do

  • Bodyboard
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Mountain biking nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Snorkeling nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Security system
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Gated community
  • Unit size: 11,840 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Pets

  • No pets allowed
  • Note from host: Goldfish in a proper bowl are allowed.

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Note from host: Bunk House is a perfect hang-out for kids or teens

Events

No events allowed
Dinner parties? A-OK, but no wedding receptions.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No smoking is permitted.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Dinner parties? A-OK, but no wedding receptions.
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a security system, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a private host, not a professional engaged in trade or business. This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children. If you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room. Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited. Note from host: Dinner parties? A-OK, but no wedding receptions. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a security system, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock in each accommodation.

Frequently asked questions

How close is Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach to the airport?

This vacation home is 4.6 mi (17-min drive) away from the Nosara (NOB) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

Does Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach have an airport shuttle?

Airport shuttle services are not available at this vacation home.

How close is Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach to the beach?

This vacation home is a short 4-minute walk from Guiones Beach and 15.2 mi (56-min drive) from Samara Beach. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Does Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach offer free breakfast?

This vacation home does not offer free breakfast.

Is there a casino at Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach?

No, there is no casino at this vacation home.

What time is check-in at Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

Is there free parking at Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach?

Free parking is not available at this vacation home.

Does Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach have a pool?

Yes, there's a private pool.

Does Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach have a spa?

This vacation home doesn't have a spa, but it does offer massages.

How close is Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach to downtown Nosara?

This vacation home is 0.1 mi away from Playa Guiones.

Stunning & Fully-Equipped Beach Pad - 5 BR Suites, Pool & 4 Minute Walk to Beach Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 68 out of 75 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 75 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 75 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 75 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 75 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lisa E.

Great location

Great Costa Rican experience!
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Janelle S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best trip ever!

What a beautiful experience we had. Craig and his team were spectacular with correspondence. The place is magical and gave us so much outside time as the kitchen, eating and relaxation areas are all outside yet covered! Sinai the housekeeper and brilliant cook provided us with wonderful meals. Just an overall wonderful experience.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect

Property was perfect for our large family gathering. Very clean and the proximity to the beach was great. Craig was very accommodating and proactive in making sure everything went smoothly. I highly recommend this property.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Briana D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

We will be back

Staying at Rancho Paloma Azul was like staying at our own private resort. Everything was clean, in good working order, and there was daily housekeeping. It is a truly special place, and the property owner, Craig, was extremely attentive.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shawn W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Hosts and Stay at Rancho Paloma Azul

Our group, consisting of 16 relatives from various families, had an outstanding experience thanks to the excellent service of Craig and Cristina. They were quick to respond to our requests and provided spot-on recommendations for activities, making our stay truly enjoyable. Having Sinai as our cook for the week added an extra layer of greatness. We sincerely appreciate the effort that went into creating such a memorable experience. Thanks for an amazing stay!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Peter V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Our extended family of 13 greatly enjoyed two weeks during Christmas/New Years at Paloma Azul. Craig and Cristina were extremely helpful with everything -- shuttle vans, car reservations, response to myriad questions, and restaurant recommendations. This is a classic beach house: Five sleeping rooms are enclosed with AC while the living, dining and kitchen areas are open under a palapa. This arrangement supports people being together with little privacy except in the bedrooms — which is great for bringing together families!The open living area means that it's exposed to the surrounding wildlife at all times and especially at night -- meaning that raccoons are able to enter all aspects of the kitchen, even when food is securely put away, they will knock over glasses and bottled containers, climb on counter tops, and do what they'd like during the night time hours throughout the kitchen and living area. During the day, coati, iguanas and other wildlife freely roam throughout these areas as well. We had an issue with the AC in 2 of the 5 bedrooms, as they didn't work at full power during the day when the sun is the hottest. Still, the pool and nearby ocean (extremely beautiful beach at both low and high tide!) provide ample opportunity to cool off. We couldn't find the ocean view mentioned in the VRBO description, nor the boogie boards, so we had to buy our own. Also important to note that there isn't hot water or a dishwasher in the kitchen.Overall, our family enjoyed
Stayed 14 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jane B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best vacation ever

This property and location was superior to any we have stayed in yet! It was clean,safe, beautiful, and more than we could have imagined. The people who took care of the property were friendly and helpful especially Melissa. Christopher and Jaime cooked for us amazing dinners and could not have been more friendly. The owner Craig and his wife were completely on top of things and so responsive to any questions we had. We would 100% recommend this property that is close to the beach, town, and anything fun u can think of
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024
Archival

10/10 Excellent

lisa g.

Clean, spacious, lovely

Craig is a wonderful owner. His home is immaculate and he is quite helpful, offering local tips on activities and restaurants. He answered all of my questions, helped me book massages and overall, I couldn't have asked for a better owner/renter situation. Thanks Craig!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Susan L.

Perfect family gathering spot

This house is such a great design for pulling our family together in the palapa roofed open air living room and kitchen to enjoy the tropical air, sounds and smells of the surrounding jungle and waves in the distance. Loved the location between the beach and Bodhi Tree yoga resort. Couldn’t have been a better place for our family. Only recommendation would be for better water presssure in upstairs bathroom. We hope to return!
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lisa M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wedding Week

We had a wonderful week @ La Paloma Azul. Housekeeper Sinai was extremely friendly & helpful. Craig & Christina responded to all questions right away. They gave us so much information from the time we booked the house right up until our departure. Great owners of this beautiful retreat. Thank you
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brian D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Guiones property

This was our favorite property that we’ve rented in playa guiones and we have been visiting for years! The outdoor space is amazing, the property is immaculately kept, proximity to the beach is excellent but above all else, the owner and the on-site maid and cook make this property stand out from all the rest! The owner was outstanding at communicating with our group via whats app and assisted us in making reservations for excursions and dinner reservations. But with the amazing on site cook, we didn’t even want to leave for other meals! I could go on and on but you won’t find a better place to vacation in playa guiones!
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

6/10 Okay

Kerri M.

Nosara Beach house

Renters need to know that this house is very unconventional. There is no indoor living space. There is a beautiful pool area and a few hostel-style rooms. The rooms are terribly basic. The house maid was lovely and there was a fantastic property manager who helped us through our initial disappointment.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Anke T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Birthday Celebration

Great time at the house. Craig and Cristina are amazing in managing the property and helped organize airport pickups, fishing trips, birthday cake, restaurant reservations and so much more. Super responsive and always happy to help. The on-site staff from gardener, pool personnel and the amazing Sinai were all friendly, helpful and trustworthy. We followed the advice from previous reviews and asked Sinai to cook three dinners. All were delicious and special -- thank you! The walk to the beach and into town is easy and quite nice.
Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Angie W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The best time

This was our second time staying at Paloma Azul. Everything met our ecxpectations and beyond. Craig and Cristina were very responsive and kept in communication with us throughout our stay. The true rockstar is Sanai! Her meals are simply delicious!! We truly enjoyed her company. The bedrooms are spacious and always clean, the outdoor living space is perfect, lots of seating at the huge table for meals, lounge chairs around the pool, couches in the shade. Pool was a big hit for the kids. Beautiful spot. We’ll be back.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2024
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Mantas Z.

AMAZING PLACE!!!

Our accommodations in nosara were more than we could have dreamed of! The house was beautiful with plenty of space. All of our guests felt at home. The rooms were clean and well kept. The pool was serene and peaceful, and a beautiful space to relax. Juan Carlos was so immensely helpful during our stay. He showed us the best spots in town, and helped with anything that we could need while we were down there. The kitchen was well stocked with all equipment that we needed. It was wonderful to have such a clean, organized space as a home base while we adventured around Nosara. Thank you for the hospitality and we look forward to coming back in the future.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Phil C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great house, great area

We stayed over Thanksgiving with 12 adults. The five "kids" (23-31 year-olds) stayed in the big bedroom with the bunk beds and were just fine. Overall, the property is pristine. Really modern and well kept-up, but with a traditional look and feel. The housekeeper, Sinai, is a marvel and a wonderful cook (we had her do 3 dinners in). Easy walk to the nearby beach, maybe 10-15 minutes to the first business of the "town" (really, just shops and restaurants along the dirt roads set back from the beach). Wonderful communication with Craig, the owner. Ask him to set you up with his car rental guy in Liberia so you can skip the shuttle ride, and just pick up at the terminal. Overall, a wonderful experience, and everyone on our trip said they'd love to go back.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Andrew M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

New Year's in Costa Rica

Craig and Cristina are terrific hosts. Incredibly helpful with trip planning (car rental, excursion, etc. recommendations and introductions via WhatsApp to secure reservations), ordered groceries for us (great to arrive to a fridge full of food after a long travel day), responsive during our stay for questions, restaurant recommendations, and coordinating meal preparations with Sinai, who provides daily housekeeping and is an excellent cook. We highly recommend hiring Sinai to cook for you. Sinai has an infectious laugh and her hand made masa tortillas, pollo con arroz, and ceviche are delicious! A number of new homes under construction was a downside. A short walk to a beautiful beach was an offsetting upside. This property is great for multiple families, as there are a number of separate suites and one community space in the ranchero adjacent to the pool. We enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2022
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Susan V.

Best way to turn 4 or 50!

We had five adults and five kids ranging in age from 4-12, with sleeping options to spare. We celebrated two birthdays and Thanksgiving 2016. Best money spent was to hire Elena to cook (she will also do dishes!). We loved not having a TV and being away from the resort scene. We rented two all terrain golf carts which were enough to take us everywhere, except grocery shopping. Outdoor showers and sleeping porch were well utilized. Beach access is great. The house is a challenge to find in the middle of the night, even with the directions printed and in hand. Once you know where it is, it seems easy. We had the excitement of preparing for hurricane Otto, but the weather turned out to be great. Craig stayed in touch and we had multiple options for making local contacts for assistance and information. Yes, you should go!
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2016
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jeff G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Getaway

First and foremost Craig and Cristina (owners/managers) provided the perfect amount of support in preparing for our stay and during our stay. We communicated via WhatsApp once we were there and if we ever had a question they responded within 5 minutes or less. ALL of the recommendations (surfing lessons, zipline, restaurants, tours, massages, fishing trips, sunset cruise, rental cars, etc.) were spot on. We just took their recommendations and the trip was seamless. We felt like we were busy but still had time for downtime (which was easy to do by relaxing by the pool). There were no surprises when we arrived and the property was exactly how it is described in the listing and pictures. The beds were very comfortable which is always a plus. One of the unexpected highlights of the stay was getting to know Sinai (housekeeper and cook) and her daughter Melisa. Have Sinai cook for you! She is the sweetest woman and her cooking is absolutely spectacular. We had planned on 6 meals (lunch and dinner) and during our stay quickly realized that the food she was cooking far surpassed many of the restaurants in town and we added more meals!!! Thank you for sharing your home with us and we WILL be back sooner than later. It was a perfect setup for 6 adults and 6 kids/teens.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Debbie E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun and surprises!

Our stay was full of fun and surprises. Hanging out in the big outdoor living space and pool was nice in the warm weather or the rain. It was a short walk to the beach where the waves were great for all ages whether jumping the waves, boogie boarding or surfing. The beautiful sunsets were fun to catch before dinner. Dinner now that was the big treat. We had Siani and her daughter cook for all of us 3 delicious traditional Costa Rican dinners. Plus, the Pico and guacamole, yum we could not get enough of it. She is available on request. It was fun exploring Nosara especially by horse back. We found the area on the other side of the point was a good place to have an authentic lunch and a beer. Some had a blast ziplining even with little children, 7 and up. Loved the Hollar Monkeys... You will just have to come explore for yourself. We cannot go without sharing a fun surprise we cancelled the expensive holiday rental cars for the local shuttle through Craig for airport transport and local transport. The drivers were always early and flexible if we needed to stop for lunch. We loved all riding together over hill and dale unconcerned with navigation. Other than that, be sure to take out the garbage at night. There are racoons that would love to help themselves. Gracias, Craig and Cristina We had an amazing vacation and your house was just right for us!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2024
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Tiffany T.

The Perfect Costa Rican Getaway!

I met a group of friends for a group vacation getaway and was quite pleasantly surprised by the vacation home rental they had chosen. The property is large, the pool with outdoor shower are refreshing, the beach is a short walk away, and the outdoor kitchen and commons area made a great central place for people to congregate, watch the sunset, enjoy some tropical beverages and, even dance! The rooms had high vaulted ceilings, were clean and beautifully decorated. WiFi made for convenient access to the "real world" if needed. The overhead speaker system was easy to use with any of our iPods. The house dogs were very sweet and really liked being taken down to the beach. Juanca, the caretaker was very sweet, helpful, and made us feel very safe. The house itself is in a gated community, adding to the safety and special, private quality of the vacation home. Playa Guiones is a fantastic little surf town on the beach, with cute shops, yoga studios, great restaurants for brunch and dinner, and plenty of surf schools. I highly recommend having some private surf lessons, which was easy for me as a beginner. Jump in your 4WD and explore beach towns up and down the Nicoya Peninsula, or just relax with a book in a hammock. This was the perfect place to get away from the world, a nice piece of paradise in beautiful Costa Rica. I'm looking forward to staying there again. It's the perfect place for large groups or families! Thank you Craig and Juanca for offering this beautiful vacation home for our enjoyment.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Gordon J.

Great Oasis

We had a great week in Playa Guiones staying at Rancho Paloma Azul. The house was great for our group (3 families, lots of kids ages 8-17... we also had an additional family who stayed at the house next door). We spent most of our time poolside or in the outdoor kitchen at this place. The bedrooms are simple (basic furnishings), but are air conditioned and have what you need. There is a full-time housekeeper (Sinai), who does a great job keeping the place clean. She also has a great sense of humor / laugh. We also used the recommended cook (Elena), who did a great job creating meals that our whole group enjoyed. We went out a couple of times, but preferred her dishes to the restaurants. Things we appreciated: - Security (house is fully fenced with an electronic gate with openers to allow internal parking.... also, the property is in a gated community with cameras throughout) - Three outdoor showers to rinse off from the beach. It was nice when we had large groups returning from the beach to rinse off the sand - Surf racks to store our rented boards overnight - Pool, hammocks and a great outdoor hangout area A few things to know: - The house is a bit remote from the shops / restaurants in town (about a 10-15 minute walk) and the beach (about a 5 minute walk). The beach walk wasn't a problem (went twice a day on average), but we usually drove into town. - There are animals in and around the property, mainly a birds that start signing around 5:30 in the morning... also a few loud howler monkeys, some iguanas and a tapir. We loved it, but sleeping in was challenging. - The house is nice and practical, but I wouldn't consider it luxury, but a great comfortable setup, especially for families. I would highly recommend this place and would stay there again if we are ever fortunate enough to find ourselves around Nosara again. Pura Vida!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2019
Archival

10/10 Excellent

PJ A.

Beautoful property, close to the beach and town!

We loved our recent stay at Paloma Azul. We rented the place for a week with my husband's family. Craig was extremely easy to work with and helpful in getting us ready for our trip and Juanca was equally helpful and friendly once we arrived. He does a wonderful job maintaining the house. The house is beautifully maintained and tastefully decorated with lots of small thoughtful details which make the stay extremely pleasant and make one feel well cared for while there (similar to being at a boutique hotel). For example, we were offered cold drinks on arrival, there was daily maid service and concierge services, such as taxi bookings or excursions, from the house manager. In addition, the safes in each room allow one to charge computers, phones, etc while being locked up. The house is carefully stocked with things that one might forget to get or don't really feel like purchasing for a short trip, such as dish soap, laundry detergent, garbage bags, etc. In addition, the house has lots of the stuff you need if you are traveling with small children, such as a pack and play, a clip on high chair seat, and sand toys. There is a beautiful view of the ocean (not vast, but still highly appreciated). The rooms are simply, but beautifully decorated. While there are houses close by, it feels extremely private. The cook was wonderful -- she approaches local cuisine very thoughtfully and was helpful in planning out our meals for the week. The massage therapist was amazing, we all agreed that she provided one of the best massages that any of us had ever received. It is a short walk to the beach (great surf and never overly crowded while we were there). And about a 10 - 15 minute walk to the Yoga Institute. I would say that if you are traveling with small children and will be having them sleep in another room, it is helpful to have a monitor as there is no internal hallway to the house, so it is difficult to leave doors open or to hear from room to room (which is probably good if you don't have children with you.).
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Christian B.

Disliked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Whatever could go wrong, did

We arrive on Saturday to an empty property with nothing set up. One of my group members was able to get in touch with the host who owns the property. They had no idea we were coming. They made sure to remind me over and over that it was VRBO's fault that they did not see our reservation in their calendar and apologized profusely. Unfortunately, an apology doesn't mean it didn't happen and it really set the tone for the rest of the events that would transpire. VRBO did send me a notification about my check in 2-3 days prior to us arriving and my communication with the host on the VRBO messaging platform a month ago seemed like enough confirmation to me. After an hour or so after arriving, a team of people came to set up the property -- outdoor furniture, kitchen, rooms, bedding, etc. They were all very nice. But this means that we had to go occupy our time for 4 hours before the place was close to usable -- after a day of travel that started at 5 AM for most. The first night, a electrical surge took out the A/C (as well as a handful of other stuff). So, after an extremely frustrating conversation with the owner who wanted to remind me that this was an act of god and not his fault, they assured me that they were trying to get it fixed. From Sunday morning to Wednesday evening, we had no A/C in the bedrooms, the pool pumps didn't work, there was no hot water heater (I had my first hot shower on my birthday after being there for 5 days), the washing machine didn't work, the oven didn't work (which was unfortunate for when we tried to have birthday meals cooked). So that means we had a live-in electrician (aka random people) from Tuesday until the day we left on Saturday. There were electricians who dug up the driveway to run some electric line, which unfortunately meant I went to close the automatic driveway gate, I had to dig out the gravel with my hands to get the gate to close. The hot pot in the kitchen broke. The toilet in one of the bedrooms would leak out of the top tank, making it unusuable. One of the overhead fans in the bedroom did not work and the fans in 2 other bedrooms were barely strong enough to provide a draft. I did what I guess a host might've done for their guests (but obviously not required) -- I drove 30 minutes to find an appliance store and bought myself and my other guests 3 standing fans to help us sleep at night. I have one good thing to say -- the housekeeper Sinai was a saving grace for our stay at this location
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jason S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic Place and Host

The Rancho is terrific and a great gathering place. Craig and Cristina, the hosts, were exceptionally helpful, provided an incredible team, great resources for transportation, booking activities, restaurant recommendations, and coordinated to have Sinai cook us a few amazing meals . Overall, it was a fantastic experience.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2022