reviews for: listing #32756 - Lake Arenal, Costa Rica House rental
- bedrooms 3
- pool yes
- type House
- baths 3½
- hot tub no
- community Las Flores de Arenal
- sleeps 6
- pets allowed no
-
rates (USD)
$750
-
$850
/wk
more beautiful than the photos and descriptions
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: July 13, 2010
The home and site are more beautiful than the photos and descriptions show. It was the perfect stay in paradise with the natural rainforest fiews and gardens. Waking up to the sounds of monkeys, exotic birds and the sighs of humming birds and tucans was amazing. The location was ideal and near any adventure activity that could be desired. The property managers were extremely pleasant and accommodating. Just spending the day on the property was a joy as well as a satisfying experience. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to visit Costa Rica. I will definately go back on my next visit.
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wonderful experience
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: July 23, 2010
Thank you Ian and Lynn for sharing this wonderful experience. The lake is beautiful and very inviting. Thank you Monica, you helped us a lot on scheduling activities. Ed greeted us with warmth and genuine kindness, and was always there to help-Thank you. Whether you are an avid birdwatcher or not, you will be by the time you leave. The monkeys will alert you of the weather more accurately than the local weather man. The pool was refreshing after a hard day of playing and eating. The house and grounds are beautifully maintained and make you feel at home. Again, thank you all.
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wonderful experience
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: July 23, 2010
Thank you Ian and Lynn for sharing this wonderful experience. The lake is beautiful and very inviting. Thank you Monica, you helped us a lot on scheduling activities. Ed greeted us with warmth and genuine kindness, and was always there to help-Thank you. Whether you are an avid birdwatcher or not, you will be by the time you leave. The monkeys will alert you of the weather more accurately than the local weather man. The pool was refreshing after a hard day of playing and eating. The house and grounds are beautifully maintained and make you feel at home. Again, thank you all.
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What a great decision!
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: September 7, 2010
Casa Gavilan couldn't have been a better start to our Costa Rican vacation. This is the first time we have rented a house and anchored in one spot for five days. What a great decision! The house is wonderful---clean, attractive, well-equipped, cozy, comfortable, safe and welcoming. The beautiful gardens and views of the lake and ever-changing skies are hypnotic.The owner, Ian, would be a great penpal. Responsive, easygoing and friendly even in email. He and his wife, Lynne, must be special people because everyone we met in the town of Arenal seemed to know and love them. The property managers, Ed and Leslie, are the kind of people you'd invite home for Thanksgiving dinner. The community is neat and even the neighbor will become your new BFF. After two days of slothful relaxation, we were joined by our "kids" and their "significant others." The three master bedrooms with private FULL baths guaranteed a harmonious trip! We stayed during the rainy season and have no regrets. In fact, we think it was better because we "owned" every activity we did. If you don't mind the drama of tropical storms and mud, you'll reap the rewards of fewer tourists. We ziplined (better views here than in Monteverde), rode horses, "did" Hanging Bridges, hiked to volcano lookouts, went white water rafting (awesome!), paddled on a river safari to see the flora and fauna, spent an evening at Tabacon (save your money) and kicked back at Casa Gavilan. It was so much fun to cook and eat in (go get the pre-seasoned chicken at the butcher shop next to the supermarket) that we didn't eat out much, but Gingerbread is a MUST for fun and food (brilliant!) and Lucky Bug is great for breakfast and banter. I guess if I had to say something negative, it would be that the birds were apparently jealous that we were on vacation so they decided to take one too. We set out fruit religiously each day but nothing came to eat it. The only Toucans we saw were the ones in Casa Gavilan's artwork. But the butterflies made up for it and the howling of the monkeys in the morning kept us ever mindful that we were "not in Kansas anymore." All in all, there is PLENTY to see and do in the Lake Arenal area and Casa Gavilan will quickly become your second home.
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Simply Perfect!
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: October 22, 2010
We have just returned from Costa Rica and staying at this welcoming and warm home. The pictures do not come close to doing justices to the views and incredible bird watching. The owners, Ian and Lynn, were a dream to work with. Not only did Ian take time to answer every question on my long list; he provided a breath of information via email. Ian’s emails included attachments with details of the currency, culture and beneficial travel information. You also won’t need to bring your travel books with as they have an incredible library there. Upon our arrival we were greeted by Ed and his lovely wife Leslie, the caretakers of the home, with a groceries and tremendous knowledge of the area and the people living there. Ed also provided spot on recommendations of having breakfast at The Lucky Bug and a perfect dinner at the Gingerbread ….you must eat here! This home, not just a house to rent, was perfect for our adventurous and relaxing vacation. It was in an incredibly safe and comfortable community and extremely well maintained and clean. In short; we made a perfect choice by selecting this property for our vacation.
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Great Experience
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: November 25, 2010
Casa Gavilan is beautiful! I just came back from a week stay with my boyfriend and another couple and wish we had another couple with us there was so much room! Each bedroom having it's own bathroom was very convenient and private. The house was very clean, organized and had everything we needed. We made coffee and relaxed on the porch every morning planning our day and watching the birds. Friendly neighbors dogs came over to greet us in the morning as well- so cute! I spoke mostly with the owner Ian while booking and he was so helpful in planning our trip, and made us feel very comfortable as it was our first time renting a house for a vacation. We can't say enough!
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The home is really comfortable
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: December 25, 2010
Casa Gavilan was really nice. The home is really comfortable and has lots of high-end touches, things you wouldn't expect from a rental. You can see Howler monkeys every day on the nature trail that is part of the common property - be sure to take the side trail that goes across the creek, it will take you right into the trees where they stay. Also, buy lots of papaya from a road-side stand or in Fortuna. The birds will go through a papaya in 4hrs and they are a bit expensive at the market in town. The Sky Trek zip lines at the Volcano are a must if you are not afraid of heights - hanging from a cable 600ft in the air going 50MPH for a 1/2 mile - try it!
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The house has EVERYTHING you would need
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: January 21, 2011
My husband, my one year old son and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Casa Gavilan. The house has EVERYTHING you would need - especially in the kitchen. It is very clean, spacious, quiet and just 5km from Nuevo Arenal. Highlights for us included: howler monkeys in the trees beside the house, the wide variety of birds, the excellent resource library, El Establo (the local soda), learning to windsurf and kite board on the lake with the company Tico Wind, the hanging bridges hike, finding a free spot to enjoy the hotsprings with local Ticos and the waterfalls hike outside of Tilaran. We love to speak spanish and found many opportunities to use it in the local towns: Nuevo Arenal, Tilaran and Canas. The family at El Establo is lovely - we ate there all the time and really enjoyed their company. The guest book and bird book at the house were very interesting as well - we completely forgot to write in them! We are also grateful that there was a telephone. There is a nice little hike to a pond that you can do around the property through the rainforest as well. Thanks so much for a great vacation!
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Wonderful trip once again!
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: February 5, 2011
My husband and I just returned from our 4th visit to Casa Gavilan. We're addicted! Every year we say we're going somewhere new next year, but it never happens because we can't miss being away from this beautiful little spot. Every years gets better! The gardens are absolutely lovely and as everyone else has mentioned, the house is amazing as well. We have a wonderful time feeding the birds. This was the first year we've had a toucan visit our feeder. It was totally amazing to see one so close. Other years we've just seen them in the air. The monkeys were present in the yard almost every day as well. They're very entertaining! The property managers, Ed and Leslie take excellent care of you and the owners are wonderful people as well. You won't regret renting this beautiful home.
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Very pleased with Casa Gavilan!
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: March 15, 2011
We thoroughly enjoyed our 4 days at this perfect house. There were 6 of us and we had more than enough space. The grounds are lush, the view is beautiful and the privacy is unmatched. Ed and Leslie (the caretakers) couldn't have been more gracious or kind. Ian (the owner) was extremely helpful with answering questions and helping us to plan. The drive to the activities by Arenal is about 45 minutes, but it's not a big deal and it was great to come "home" to our own, quiet space. We even had the chance to watch howler monkeys right on the property. I'd recommend Casa Gavilan without hesitation.
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I didn't want to leave!
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: May 1, 2011
We loved Casa Gavilan! It is a beautifully decorated home with equally beautiful landscaping outside. So much better than staying in a hotel! The boys loved the private pool and we all enjoyed watching movies together each night from the huge movie collection available. We saw lots of birds and wildlife right on the property and heard and saw more nearby. The rental process was easy and the owners and managers were great to work with. The kitchen is well-appointed and had just about everything we needed. The house had fresh cut flowers when we arrived and even food for our first day's breakfast! I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to rent this house again!
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Quite simply the best place we have ever stayed in
Review submitted: July 13, 2011 Date of arrival: May 21, 2011
The house was spotless and spacious. The garden and pool was amazing and Ed was very helpful. The day we had to leave we literally cried. My 3rd trip to CR my wife's 7th and the surrounding area Arenal is perfect, the house has a view of the lake, amazing scenery. We will stay here again. We are loathed to tell anyone else about Casa Gavilan for our own selfish reasons !!
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