This house served us well as a base for our adventures around Paquera. We visited Curu, beaches, and bioluminescent kayaking during our stay. We were able to make meals and spend some time at the house in the AC. We saw the macaws and oranged chinned parakeets from the yard. This place is nothing fancy but it was perfect for us.
The house is well-situated for exploring Paquera, we used it as a base for tours to Isla Tortuga and the bioluminescence. However, the house could benefit from a deep clean and some maintenance. The shower emitted a burning smell when in use, and some of the kitchen items needed to be rinsed before using. We also chose not to use the coffee machine due to cleanliness concerns. The neighborhood can be quite noisy, with dogs barking and motorbikes passing by at night, and there was ongoing construction right next door, which was disruptive during the day. Additionally, we werenât informed about the annual Christmas parade, which caused significant delays when returning from the beach, a heads-up would have been helpful. Overall, itâs a convenient base for exploring the area but could do with a few improvements.
This place was close to some lovely tours and beaches and also close to the wildlife reserve. The host was very helpful and responsive. The home was clean and comfortable. We would love to stay again!
This is a cute, clean home located just outside the busier street in Paquera. It is a basic home in a small town, so don't go expecting anything fancy. We stayed the night here after taking the Bioluminescent Kayak tour through Bahia Rica--only about 15 minutes away from this house. It is also very close to the Ferry that runs to Puntarenas if you are traveling to or from that area. The owner and property managers were great at communicating the check in process and giving information on local restaurants, beaches, etc. We ate at the restaurant attached to Hotel Ginana-so good!
If your spanish isn't top notch, then keep your google translate handy and make sure you download whatsapp, which is used more often than texting through your phone plan. :) {Thank you for allowing us to stay at your property.}
My friend and I stayed here for two nights and while we really liked the home (it was well equipped, clean, spacious, and comfortable) we had a couple of communication hiccups with the owner.
If you are NOT planning on renting a car here are some things to know- the staff member who will meet you at the bank will find you a taxi (itâs close enough to walk but they will likely not be walking). You will still need to pay for the taxi they find you it is not a service of the house although it isnât really an option for you to not take it. That was not mentioned to me, and I had informed Michael that we had no rental car. The taxi was very inexpensive, but if this is a budget trip for you, itâs something to be aware of.
If youâre lucky like my friend and I you will get Jafet, for your taxi driver, he was so helpful and we really enjoyed our frequent talks with him.
I say frequent because we ended up needing a taxi more than a couple times. While we did walk, the road to the beach is not really advisable for walking because thereâs not much shoulder on the road, also the bus does not go there. We also needed rides to/from Curu reserve which is not feasible to walk to the entrance of.
All of this to say, the house is excellent. The location is not really ideal if you donât have a car, and while things may seem close by you will likely take more taxis than you expected.
If you like local towns Paquera is great, and there are a few very good restaurants to choose from!
This is a great bungalow - clean and simple but everything we needed. Communication with the owner was fantastic - speedy and kind! We enjoyed an bioluminescent kayak tour and renting stand up paddle boards - both at BahĂa Rica - about 15 minute drive from Mikeâs. Thanks for renting to us!
We spent only 2 nights in the area and enjoyed both the house and the attractions around very much.
Mike was super attentive and helpful
Its not fancy and the neighborhood is very local and simple, yet feels safe.
We stayed nine days and had a great time. We flew into San Jose and took the convenient ferry at Puntarenas to Paquera. The house is comfortable and clean. With all the appliances (except a toaster) that you need. We just toasted bread in the pan on the stove. The AC in the front room plus ceiling fans all do a great job cooling the interior quickly.
The food stores in town or small markets (pulperias) down the road have everything you need, and we cooked almost all our meals while there. And there is a nice restaurant in the hotel Gianna in town that has very good food.
The bed is comfortable although I would have liked to catch or shoot the roosters in the immediate area - I thought they only crowed in the early am đ. But seriously we got used to them.
We ended up visiting four nearby beaches by car while exploring the surrounding area and also drove to Santa Teresa (about 80 min away). In town and all over the peninsula, paved roads are great while the dirt and gravel roads can sometimes jar a filling or two, but you have to expect that. They are constantly grading the roads so improvements are being made. Santa Teresa has a great beach and main drive that deserves a full day alone. The Curu National Wildlife Refuge is wonderful and should not be missed. Got great pictures of Capuchin and Howler monkeys, plus macaws and other animals. And while there you can also reserve a three-hour snorkeling and beach stay on Tortuga island â very nice and highly recommended.
This is a tropical location, so be prepared for the heat and crawling bugs (no mosquitoes), but not to worry. We had no problems at all. This town and immediate location is definitely in a less touristy part of the country and as mentioned by others, do not expect a luxury hotel, but it is safe and has all the comforts you need to have a great vacation.
Mike is a wonderful owner and can provide assistance or detailed information about the property, the area, and he provides all the contact information you need. Moreover, he responds very quickly when texted. Download WhatsApp before you go since this is the preferred method of communicating with Mike and everyone in Costa Rica. Manuel was very helpful and assisted us any way we needed. He met us at the ferry, drove us to the house, and showed us around the home and how to use the various things.
I highly recommend visiting Paquera and staying at this property.
The neighbourâs dogs barked throughout the day and night for 3 weeks. The appliances are in need of replacing - the fridge was very noisy. The springs in the mattresses were uncomfortable. The couch has no padding left on the seat.
The neighbourhood was welcoming and friendly. We walked in to town easily before we rented a car for meals and groceries. It was a great location to explore the Nicoya Penninsula, which has much to offer. The owner was always available if we had concerns.
Thomas G.
6/10 Satisfaisant
Amy W.
22 janv. 2019
NICE HOME FOR THE PRICE 3.5 stars.
We stayed a couple weeks at this house and liked it fine. Good fridge, great AC, plenty of fans, clean bedding. The house itself needs a deep cleaning especially the bathroom. Great price and wonderful location for exploring the peninsula. Local man across the road up a few blocks has amazing oxen. Go to Tambor beach and Curu refuge! Both wonderful, highly recommend the snorkeling trip from Curu. lots of hiking. nice grill in back yard, but no utensils. If you are bug phobic don't go....lots of ant, centipedes, spiders and even several scorpions I swept out. Washing machine was fun to use, I don't read Spanish. no manual. Also issues with getting rid of trash, problem everywhere. white tiles are great as you can see bugs so you don't step on them! The house is well appointed, we did most of our meals there. Bed was comfortable and loved the kitchen table..Local stores and bakery will provide what you need, check out the fruit stands, best pineapple, oranges and limes ever! Fish at Tambor for sale, caught by local fishermen.
Paquera is a small town with lots of good qualities. The house was wonderful.
The house in Paquera was pretty, comfortable and clean. Any thing we needed was addressed quickly by the owner. There is a nice restaurant at the local hotel Gianna that has wonderful food. Curu Reserve is close and a great place to visit
Paquera is not a tourist destination, but Mike and Manuel helped us plan out a wonderful vacation while seeing how the locals live. We had everything we needed , and cooked entire meals while there. If in Paquera, this is a great place to stay.
We stayed in Paquera at this wonderful quiet home for one week out of our three week trip to Costa Rica. We thoroughly enjoyed staying here! We used this as our home base as we explored the southern peninsula. There was a spectacular wildlife refuge close by called Curu National Wildlife Refuge that you shouldn't miss! It was nice to come back to this wonderful spacious home after a day of exploring. I would most definitely recommend a stay here if you are visiting the southern peninsula.
My husband and two sons really wanted to experience the less touristy parts of the country without sacrificing safety and basic comforts.
Thanks to Mike's bungalow, we felt right at home in Costa Rica!
To begin with, we were given very detailed information in advance about the property, the area and contact information. Then, when we arrived, we were warmly greeted by Nena (she does the housekeeping) and her husband (he built the place). What a sweet couple! They offered to help us any way we needed and showed us around the spotless home and showed us how to use the various amenities (including an air conditioning unit, which was quite an appreciated luxury in the hot, humid climate). The town was also easy to get around in, with supermarkets and an ATM close by. The highlight of our time there was a 10-15 min jaunt to the CurĂș Nature preserve. The quantity and variety of native wildlife to see there was breathtaking (although there was also quite a bit of wildlife right outside our window, too!).
I highly recommend making the visit to Paquera and staying at this property.
Thanks for the memorable experience!