Costa Rica Private Home with Swimming Pool .

Comfortable house, well stocked.

The property is very well stocked. We were impressed with amount of towels, blankets and kitchen supplies that were provided. The bed in the master bedroom is extremely comfortable. Jake and Cynthia were very quick to respond to anything we needed. A few points to note, this property backs onto a construction yard and the main road. The traffic and construction noise, especially the loud motorbikes, were constant and continued from before sunrise to after dark. This made it difficult to enjoy the pool/outdoors. A few other areas that could use some changes were the pool chairs. They are hard plastic which given the temperature and hot sun made for uncomfortable lounging around the pool. The pool is not large, it is slightly bigger than a large hot tub. The tiles around the pool are also not secured in place and move when you step on them. People with mobility issues should be very cautious as the tiles are a tripping hazard.

Casa Durfee was wonderful. The pictures on Vrbo don't do the property justice. In the pictures, the pool looks like a plunge pool. In fact, it's an oval about 18 feet long by 8 feet wide. The kitchen, aside from the electric stove (which is very common in Costa Rica--and which I got used to) is more impressive than the pictures show. When I had a friend with me, there was more than enough room for us to prep food for meals on the counter on the left. A couple of minor quibbles with the kitchen: No colander. I bought one and left it there. No good wine opener. Most importantly, dull knives. I'm a restaurant guy. Dull knives cause way more cuts than sharp knives. All that aside, the kitchen was great. Aside from the bedrooms, the indoor space, while attractive, wasn't really utilized much because it's Costa Rica. Why is anybody inside? There was a table that could seat 4 outside which is where I had every meal at home. Outside, a chaise or two would be nice but not a big deal. The house is about 75-100 yards from a major road so there is some vehicle noise but, again, not a big deal. (Especially for someone who lived in Manhattan for 12 years). Jake, the owner, was easy to deal with and friendly. After booking my stay at his house, I had to extend my stay because I couldn't get a flight home for a few days and he easily accommodated that. I contacted him with one question when I was in CR and he responded within an hour or so. The local property manager, Cynthia, was great. Easy check in. Easy check out. I didn't really need much from her but, I had to ask a couple questions in the first few days (recycling, etc.) and she responded virtually immediately. Oh, forgot, she also let me check in 4 hours early and offered a late check out which I didn't need. She was great. Forgot, the house is an easy walk to Playa Hermosa. Probably a little less than half a mile each way. Nice morning exercise every day. Overall, I would highly recommend this property. I had a rental car the whole time. But, one could easily stay here without one. Beach, restaurants, coffee, groceries all within reasonable walks. Jake and Cynthia were fabulous.

What a great place to stay. Jake and Cinthya worked with us to make sure that getting in to the place was nice and easy. The house is about a 15 min walk to the beach and is close to a market and food. Check out process was great. Thanks so much Casa Durfee!