After reading previous reviews, I KNEW THIS PLACE WOULD BE AMAZING, BUT PICTURES CANNOT DO JUSTICE TO THE UNBELIEVABLE VIEW WHEN YOU STEP INTO THE HOUSE. shiona and camilo took great care of us, the communication began well before we arrived. transportation was arranged to and from the airport, any excursion we chose was booked for us. our driver for the 3 hour journey from San Jose was very accommodating and the mercedes van was ample room for our party of 12.
Our group of 12 included 6 adults and 6 teens, and while we were at max occupancy, the house did not feel crowded. the convenience of the market down the street allowed us to cook many meals at the house. the maid service kept us well stocked in towels for the pool. the washer/dryer was nice to have on site. hairdryers and body wash were provided, bring your own shampoo/conditioner.
we chose to do the off the beaten path tour as well as the mangrove estuary tour. all tours include transportation and they picked us up at the house. both were great but very different. please be aware you will be jumping off of ledges into water as well as sliding down a 25ft waterfall for off the beaten path. the mangrove estuary tour was very informative way to learn about and experience that environment. we saw lots of wildlife. the lunch provided at the tour owners’ home was excellent and they were very welcoming. we also visited the national park and public beach which were both easily reached by taking the public bus, the bus stop is a very short walk from the house. there are many great restaurants within walking distance of the house or a short bus ride.
it’s very possible to see a great deal of wildlife from the house, bring your binoculars. as a hobby, my mom photographs birds and she spotted 22 different species at the house including scarlet macaws, parrots, toucans and many more. there was also a very large green iguana at the top of a tree nearby for a few days. monkeys came to the house on our last day. we also had the pleasure of experiencing the domestic animals. the two pugs that live next door, romeo and juliet, were welcome visitors on a regular basis.
we couldn’t have asked for a better experience for our family and highly recommend casa grande vista. the team made our stay very easy and took care of all our needs.