Fabulous. Our family of 4 (kids ages 12 and 14) spent a week and a half here in late November. It exceeded our high expectations. The pictures and prior reviews are accurate. Several very positive attributes to this property:
(1) Lisebeth the housekeeper takes loving care of the home. She cleans for several hours daily, and it shows. She also will happily cook you a delicious meal for 5000 Colones (about $8). She can also procure fresh fish for you (Snapper). Her family's home is a couple hundred years down the driveway, near the gate, so she's not a close presence but also adds a feeling of security in this tightly-knit, safe town.
(2) Diego, the owner, lives a few hours away. He is a fluent English-speaker, and very helpful by email. He answered many questions for us before and during our stay.
(3) Proximity to various wonderful beaches: This part of the Nicoya Peninsula is lightly visited by travelers, so the beaches are un- or minimally-developed. The gorgeous Playa Islita is a 7 minute walk or a 2 minute drive from the house. There are never more than a few groups on the beach. There are usually a few people lounging in the hotel's beachside restaurant, and you can use this facility a la carte if you wish. Playa Camaronal is a 10-15 minute drive and is ideal for surfing. In late November swells ranged from 4-5 on small days to 7-9 on bigger days. If you want to rent a board for a day or a week, Lisbeth can put you in contact with Marco, the owner of Islita Surf School. Playa Carrillo is a 30 minute drive for a 2 mile protected, crescent shaped beach to the north. To the south 30-60 minutes, there are several deserted, 5-mile beaches (such as Playa Coyote).
A couple pieces of advice: If you can, fly to Liberia rather than San Jose. There are two groceries, an organic food store, a bakery, and a butcher in Samara (get your meat from the butcher, as the grocery stores reportedly turn off their refrigerators at night to save money!). It might be worth buying groceries in Liberia on arrival. Also, it probably goes without saying, but you need a 4x4 to travel here--roads are mostly dirt and are very bumpy. Get a dinner reservation at Don Ramiro in Islita--the owner Miguel is a charming guy who takes great pride in his dishes.
We spent our days here running (early!), surfing, walking beaches, lounging around in the shade, doing beach walks, and eating well. Such a relaxing, rejuvenating vacation. I wish it didn't have to end.
