Beachfront! Playa Palma (aka Bandera), in Parrita in Manuel Antonio/Quepos

Perfect Vacation Spot

Murphynotail (Roland,MB, Canada)
Review submitted: March 28, 2013   Date of arrival: February 28, 2013

From the moment we arrived with our kids (age 12 and 15) we fell in love with the beauty and peacefulness of this bit of paradise. After looking at the pictures in the ad for weeks we felt right at home as soon we were at the house. It is as nice as the pictures show. The beach is the cleanest with the warmest water that we have ever experienced and we spent many hours in the water with our boogie boards. We bought them in Manuel Antonio for about $25/ea which is a little pricey....might be better places to buy them. We did rent a car since we wanted to do a number of day trips (visiting Manuel Antonio Park, zip-lining, snorkeling). We found that renting a car in the Quepos area was a lot more economical than renting at the airport. We used Zamar 2000, a private transport, to take us from the airport to the house. We only spent a week at the house and felt it was not nearly enough time. Definitely try out Pito's Restaurant just down the road and we also really enjoyed Huetar's which is on the highway. The caretakers, Sergio and Maria, were a wonderful source of information and the house was immaculate when we arrived. Highly recommend this place if you are looking for something that is private and off the beaten track. We did see monkeys, opossum, geckos and iguanas right on the property.

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 2 / 2

Dream Family Holiday!

Ladybug71 (Toronto)
Review submitted: March 5, 2010   Date of arrival: January 12, 2010

We spent two blissful weeks at El Pelicano in January and would highly recommend it to anybody travelling with small children. We went with our 10-month old son, Max, and all had a brilliant time. We loved being on a stunning beach tucked far away from the crowds but also minutes away from great day or half-day adventures. The house is cool and well-equipped -- I swear the three of us have never slept that well! The grounds are beautiful. You can't beat lounging in the wee pool while looking past your personal coconut grove down to the sea. We found everything we needed for Max at the two grocery stores in nearby Parrita -- plenty of jarred baby food, even formula if you run out like we did. We also found that Max was pretty happy with any of the food we ordered at local restaurants. We brought a backpack to carry Max around in and took him everywhere with us -- on gorgeous hikes at Rainmaker (my partner loved the incredible hanging bridges there), waterfall trek at Sky Mountain and into Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Our days went something like this: sunrise walk on the beach at 6am, breakfast by the pool then off to explore a beach or inland adventure. Back to the house mid-afternoon to lounge and then walk the beach at sunset. Also, although the surf is pretty rough, it's fine to bodysurf and Pete actually surfed a few times. For restaurants -- give Pito's a try for sure but our favourite was Huetar's -- it's on the left-hand side of the road as you drive in to Parrita. AMAZING food! By the way, as Costa Ricans are very family-oriented and adore children, be prepared to meet lots of friendly people who will chat to you because of your kid(s). I swear Max's first words are going to be "Que lindo!". Although you won't see them too much, there are lovely neighbours up and down the beach. We have nothing but wonderful memories from our time at El Pelicano. It's the ideal home base for travellers who want both a peaceful time away from the crowds and access to a wonderful variety of active adventures up and down the coast. Have fun!

Recommended for: adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, romantic getaway

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Helpful votes: 5 / 5

El Pelicano review

CyLucas (San Francisco, CA)
Review submitted: January 8, 2010   Date of arrival: December 26, 2009

My wife and I found this property on vacationrentals.com, and booked it for our end/beginning of the year vacation. We made a great decision. Joanna, the owner, is great to work with and will provide you with all of the information you need to enjoy your stay.
Located off the beaten path, seclusion is the word here. It is centrally located between Jaco and Quepos - about a 20 minute drive from either. Along the road from either city are fruit stands (the best we thought was about a mile up the main highway on the way to Jaco - great watermelon, and you have to try the cold coconut with a straw in it!) places to eat, or cantinas to grab a beer after a day of activities.
You drive through a palm plantation to get to the house, and when you arrive at El Pelicano, the green grass, the inviting wading pool, and the proximity to the beach let you know that you're in for a great time. There are 2 cantinas in the small town along the dirt road if you're thirsty for a beer or a rum and Coke (either at the bar, or at one of the tables overlooking the beach) or if you'd care for an inexpensive, good meal - I recommend the Arroz con Shrimp.
Situated 20 minutes from Manuel Antonio, you can leave to go white water rafting, or canopy/zip-lining, or head out on a surfing lesson and still feel like you're worlds away from anything once you return to your private home with a beach about 50 yards from the back door. Or head up to Jaco for nightlife, a bustling beach scene, and a more party friendly kind of crowd.
We had a great time, and I hope you do as well!

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Helpful votes: 7 / 7