Bella Vista del Mar in Flamingo Beach

Pictures can't do it justice

Review submitted: January 27, 2012   Date of arrival: January 16, 2012

First off we were greeted by Jimmy who was the warmest most attentive guy you could ask for. He would set us up on the most fantastic adventures and was always right on the money when we needed a suggestion for a romantic dinner or a great beach at sunset. He was always there but never intrusive. He always answered the phone and ended every conversation by saying he was always there for anything we needed or if we somehow got lost while driving.

Now to the villa itself. You cannot believe the views from this place and the whole vibe of being in a great house but at the same time you are living among the locals or Ticos as they refer to themselves. Each morning was spent on the veranda enjoying the great tropical fruit available everywhere. We were usually greeted by some birds or some other wildlife that was curious. We could see some howlers monkeys in the distant tree tops as well. At night we would enjoy a spectacular sunset while we prepared our dinners in the gourmet kitchen so well equipped it made our homes seem lacking. Every kitchen tool for cooking or smoothies was there and the peninsula was so awesome to prepare food on or just to sit and write emails from. The bedrooms were spacious and very well appointed and the bed we slept in was so comfortable I almost forgot I have a herniated disc and a ton of arthritis. Truthfully I cannot say enough good about this place and it had some major competition from the place we left earlier in Manuel Antonio. It was however superior to Manuel and it didn't take us long to forget Manuel :-). As far as proximity to things it was perfect. You are a 15 minute drive to the surf, dining and shopping hot spot Tamarindo and less than two kilometers to a totally secluded little beach called Dantita where a Tico told me he lived in Guanacaste his whole life and never knew about this place. There is also a restaurant called Lola's that has the freshest food and a view second to none. I have to admit that writing this is bittersweet because I don't want to see this place get spoiled and overrun with tourists, but out of fairness to the owners and the people that took care of us at Special Places I owe this review to them. I plan on returning soon and am thankful for the priviledge of experiencing Cost Rica in it's fullness. Five stars are not enough! I can honestly say that I understand the real meaning behind the words "Pura Vida" Sam

Do you find this review helpful?   Yes   No

Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Wonderful place in a tropical Paradise

Review submitted: January 19, 2012   Date of arrival: December 19, 2011

We had a great time in Costa Rica in December. The house has everything you need - The view, pool, walking distance to local beaches, and all the modern amenity and appliances you have in the us and more. The house is secluded and nested up on a hill, which gives it a priceless view, specially from the swiming pool area. It is, however, also quite close to the local beach. Every day we walked to the beach to play with water/sand, and fly kites. We rented a car, so some days we drove to other beaches for lunch, and on our way home, we would pick up local fruit and vegetables to cook for dinner. Eating out and driving around is very convenient around there with a few folks speaking or understanding English. We had a really good time and will definitely go back to the beautiful house or recommend to others.

Do you find this review helpful?   Yes   No

Helpful votes: 0 / 0

Beyond Our Expectations

Claire T. ()
Review submitted: December 8, 2011   Date of arrival: November 19, 2011

When we first looked at the pictures and read the description of Bella Vista del Mar at Playa Potrero, we had high expectations and ,happily, those expectations were exceeded! The location of the town-home is perfect. It sits up on a hill overlooking a beautiful bay with islands in the distance. The terrace is a wonderful place to watch the sunset, but then so is the infinity pool that looks out over the bay. What a peaceful place. The home is not far from the beach so it's just a short walk to the water. The path to the water splits about half way there and you can go to a pretty bay with great tide-pooling opportunities or a smooth-sand beach which was fun for body surfing. On one of our walks to the beach we were greeted by a family of howler monkeys with three babies in the trees above our heads. We went to the beach everyday to swim, body surf and fish. We often stayed until sunset because we couldn't tear ourselves away from the pink, orange and golden skies. The home itself is also lovely. The kitchen is truly equipped for cooking and we had several dinners at home eating the fish we caught. The rooms are lovely, too, but we spent most of our time on the balcony staring at the view. We were also impressed with the staff and management team of Special Places which manages the town-homes. From security, to the housekeeping service, to the concierge, everyone did their best to make sure we had all we needed. The folks at Special Places made reservations for us for several our excursions, including sport fishing, zip-lining, a birding safari and a sunset cruise. Their recommendations for which tours to take and which to skip were right on. (By the way, don't miss the sunset/snorkeling cruise on the Hibiscus!! It was the perfect finale for our week-long stay.) We're already plotting our return to Bella Vista del Mar.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sight seeing, romantic getaway

Do you find this review helpful?   Yes   No

Helpful votes: 0 / 0