This lovely casita was exactly what we anticipated. It is well designed for guest privacy and captures lovely breezes to cool the building for sleeping. After a few weeks of very warm weather, this location was very refreshing. We cooked most of our evening meals in the kitchenette, which was well equipped and easy to work in. The owners took great care in keeping their friendly dogs away but we love dogs so had no issues with the occasional canine visitor. We would definitely recommend this property.
The Casita was just as advertised. Small but didn't feel small.
We were nervous about the size before moving in but it felt the right size and we didn't feel crowded or closed in.
It had everything that we needed and expected. The view was great and the location was fine. We had a car so getting to groceries etc. was not a problem. Barbara and Lawrence were great hosts. We really enjoyed Lawrence's band practices. All in all a great stay.
Great place in the hills of Lake Arenal, quirky roads, green rugged hillsides overseen by mysterious cloud capped volcanoes, with a thousand stars overhead to watch over your sleep in the cozy well equipped Casata. The owners are friendly and helpful, Lucy the dog friendly and curious. Great little hiseaway.
Property was fantastic and the owners were wonderful. We know that people were glad to see so much rain in the "dry" season but it did put a damper on things.
Thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Property manager was helpful, attentive and a joy to converse with. Would recommend. Driving distance to both La Fortuna and Monteverde and everything in between. Would stay again
We had a great time at this casita. The home has lots of windows for the lovely breeze, kitchen is small but serviceable and the bathroom small but excellent with lots of hot water. We enjoyed birdwatching on the porch and were very pleased with the house and great hosts. I was glad to have the option of the futon in case my sleep mate was restless but it was not needed.
We enjoyed staying here. The house is beautiful with a great view! Barbara and Lawrence were on the property which was a nice comfort if anything went wrong or we had questions, but they stayed quietly in the background. We enjoyed our daily visits with Lucy, their dog. She was so well behaved and loved to be petted. Highly recommend staying here.
Barbara and Lawence are wonderful people. We felt welcomed and right at home. Lucy, their dog, was such a delight to see everyday too. The casita is located close to an excellent restaurant for breakfast, Cafe Macademia. It was a peaceful way to begin our Costa Rica vacation!
Tranquil guest house tucked into a hillside property with spectacular lake views.
If you like authenticity with all the usual comforts of home then this is your place. Beautifully constructed guest house on a well-maintained property in a Costa Rican enclave above Lake Arenal. Abundant with birds; real people villages nearby and all of the tourist attractions within reach in La Fortuna including some really nice restaurants,nature parks and thermal hot springs. Barbara and Lawrence could not be better hosts - they will leave you space but are there when you need them. Car a must - preferably with all wheel drive as the areaâs sites are often on steep roads. Clean, comfortable and delightful vacation rental.
A nice clean house, in a quiet and safe place, it already comes everything you might need and in perfect conditions too. Also has some great views to the lake and mountains that surround it. I really recommend it.
Very clean, comfortable and private. We enjoyed watching the birds in the yard and the fireflies at night! Barbara and Lawrence were so friendly and helpful, without being intrusive. We had a rental car, which made getting around so much easier as the location has an amazing view , but is not convenient to anything. As this was the second half of our trip having a washer and dryer was so nice! We would defintiely stay there again!
OThe property was clean and very nice. Couldnât have asked for better hosts. We didnât rent a car, so sightseeing was limited to bus. There is a great restaurant down the hill, but you need to be in fairly good shape to walk it. Loved Barbara an Lawrence and their dog Lucy. They were kind enough to include us in several activities with them and their friends.
This was our third visit to Lake Arenal and we found this to be a perfect place to stay. It is newly built, where it is obvious that quality and beauty were the goal. There is a nice view of the Lake and opposite hilly shoreline from the patio that gets even better as you walk out on the lawn. Lawrence and Barbara were great hosts. They were attendant to all of our needs yet stayed in the background so that it felt like we were in our own private space.
You really need a car to enjoy the area but we were able to walk to one of the best restaurants in the entire lake area. Part of that 15 minute walk took us through a lovely small valley with open views of pasture and hillsides and good bird viewing. The town of Nuevo Arenal is a 15 minute drive where we could enjoy more good restaurants and buy all of the food needed to prepare your own meals.
It was a great stay!
The place is quaint, and the view was lovely. The owners are great and always willing to help
our Problem was we came down with BAD cold/flu bug day after arrival and finally went back home early. No fault of the property. The owners did all they could to help us.
Owner was always available, polite with a great personality.
We loved morning visitâs with their dog Lucy and my husband really connected with Lawrence. Cottage was perfect and would recommend to anyone wanting a clean place to crash at the end of the day of their Costa Rican adventures.
Howler monkeys as an alarm clock doesn't get anymore authentic then that!!!!!
A terrific little guest-home to return to each night after a day of adventure. Laurie and Barbara were fabulous hosts, making us feel welcome immediately. Lucy, the mastiff, came by each day to check on us and play for a bit. We drank coffee on the patio gazing out to the lake and listening to birdsong every single morning, rain or shine. We spent 7 glorious nights at Casa Barbara, venturing out each day to experience as much of the area as we could. We zip lined through the cloud forest, went on a guided tour through the rainforest via trails, tram and hanging bridges, kayaked Lake Arenal, visited the butterfly conservatory, soaked in Hot Springs at Termalitas, walked on the black sand beach and received massages at Hermosa beach, visited the Puma Rescue and enjoyed typical food and drink at the little soda shops all along the way. For us a rental car with GPS was necessary and we didn't find a road we couldn't navigate, even with all the previous rains causing so many mud slides and potholes. The guest house was the perfect place to return to each night for a restful night of sleep before heading out for the next day's adventure. Thanks Barbara and Laurie for the homey accommodations and your helpful recommendations that made my birthday trip all that we imagined it to be.
From the time we arrived until the time we left, Barbara and Lawrence made us feel like we were long lost family. They struck the perfect balance of being available to us and leaving us alone. Their guest house was perfect with all the amenities we needed to enjoy our week on their mountain. Any questions we had about their area they were willing to answer, and if they didn't know, they were willing to research for us - including posting on local Facebook pages for us!
If we come back to the Nuevo Arenal area, we will book our time at their guest house again! Thanks Lawrence and Barbara for your beautiful hospitality, including the little extras.
My wife and I had a great time in this home and felt quit welcome. The craftsmanship in this home was absolutely beautiful. The view from the house was pretty cool. It was Very well set up and everything we needed was there. So many local restaurants we when to and all great. Lots to do in the area, only an hour drive to La Fortuna, amazing country. We will be back I'm sure. Thank you Barbara