Villa 1 - The Retreat at Blue Mountain Farms

We were very fortunate to spend 3 weeks at The Retreat at Blue Mountain. You’ll need a 4X4 SUV to navigate the twisty dirt road up the mountain. Other than that, anything you need is provided for you. The villa, a 15-minute drive to Samara, is spacious, clean and comfy. The cooling pool is just what you need to spend afternoons in the sun on the lovely large patio. The view, especially at golden hour and sunset, is spectacular, and you can hear insects, birds, howler monkeys and more constantly and see them quite often, which is always a thrill. Kevin responded quickly and graciously to any issue that arose. He also put us in touch with a lovely local chef who gave us a memorable lesson in how to cook tamales. Everyone we met who is part of the custodial and maintenance team was friendly, kind and competent. This was our first trip to Costa Rica, and we are already planning a return visit.

Our stay was outstanding. The surroundings are remarkable, with spectacular views showcasing vibrant colors and a variety of wildlife. Josue was truly an exceptional host surpassing our expectations by providing all the necessary amenities for our two-week stay. Although it was difficult to depart from this captivating location, we look forward to returning next year.

Hard to imagine a place this beautiful. Beyond stunning. Pictures cannot begin to do it justice. Road to get there is no joke, but kinda fun with the right car. We saw myriad species of birds, spider AND howler monkeys, iguana, fogs and countless other animals and critters. Can’t wait to go back.

My husband and I and another couple all loved our 3 weeks at this amazing property! We watched green parakeets in pairs or flocks am as they head down the valley and later when they returned in the afternoon. The howler monkeys were awesome to see and hear. My favorite time outside was before sunrise to see and hear the valley waking up. We enjoyed every restaurant that we ate at, and we loved cooking there too. The farmers market on Saturday in town was great. We brought a gallon of fresh squeezed orange juice home that was perfect. We ate a Costa Rican typical breakfast at the farmers market that was outstanding. We searched many grocery stores for coffee creamer and found it at Super China in Samara. We went to both playa Samara and playa Carrillo beach. We rented 5 chairs and a tent at Samara for 40 for the entire day. Josue, Jonathan and the entire team were very helpful and a just a delight. We ordered delicious fresh fruits, vegetables and an artisan bread delivered online from the Retreat site.We would definitely recommend this beautiful place and would love to return someday. We loved everything, the river walk, the nightly sunsets on the hill, The pool, and our hike across the street

Better than the pictures. You have to stay here. Trust me. As someone who has been all over Costa Rica places like this are very rare. Simply amazing!

Beautiful property, amazing people and culture, beautiful beaches and amazing mountain and floral views! Everything you read about in Costa Rica! Our host Josue was wonderful, hospitable and went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. Pure Vida!

Not only was the house perfect in all respects, but our chats with Josue were the highlights of our visit. If everyone in the world respected and treated their fellow countrymen the way Josue and his family treats theirs, the world would be a very much better place to live in.

The location and view are wonderful. Josue and Luis and the other team members went out of their way to make us welcome and meet our requests. We enjoyed a tour of the land and also had a wonderful typical Costa Rican meal. Gracias!

Josue and his family nourished our bodies with wonderful organic food from the farm, and a wonderful private chef. The Retreat nourished our senses with the breathtakingly beautiful landscape, intimate and pleasing villa design, viewscape, pool, outdoor set and setting which nourished our souls with peace, tranquility, loving attention by Josue and his partners. Josue and the lovely Retreat and Blue Mountain Farms will forever be the highlight of our Costa Rica time. Simply a stunning and delighting sensory and soulful experience here. Gracias Josue! Be well!

This property is truly magical.We loved being umongst the jungle with room to spread our wings. We spent all of our time outside as the grounds were absolutely stunning. Surrounded by colorful tropical foliage framing the majestic views and the eerie howler monkey sounds made it feel extraordinary. A sweet private path leads down to the river, which is a unique touch to its overall beauty. The property also has a plateau at the top of a hill with the most phenomenal over the ocean sunsets. We would walk up there and have evening bonfires and stargaze into the dark skyes. Unlike the Guanacaste area, we had no issues with mosquitoes. For a morning workout there is a hiking/running dirt path near the property which snakes up to some outstanding ocean views. The La Roka waterfall is just 10km away. It's not the biggest waterfsll, but it's off of an unfrequented grassy path, so we had it all to ourselves. The house is a scenic 10 minute drive to Samara, which has plenty of cute beach bar options and a beautiful clean beach. It is a busy tourist town, so we always looked forward to getting back to our peaceful environment. We loved how secluded and safe we felt. Costs Rica is a very busy place and being able to escape to our little piece of heaven made ours stay in Samara feel so special. Josue was a A+ host that made us feel so welcomed.This stay had many pleasant surprises and made us feel like we were not tourists but part of the community, which set it apart from others.