“This was our second time to Costa Rica. On our first attempt in 2015, we ended up leaving a property that was misrepresented in the online ad and pictures (VRBO). This was not our experience at all this time. The property is actually a step up from the online pictures and is well-represented in the add. All accurate. Neil and his staff went above and beyond for our trip. There was a part on the washing machine that was not working, leaving the washer unusable during our stay. Not convenient, sure, but Neil took our laundry half-way into our stay and had it done for us. Neil hand-delivered the laundry to us, so I had an opportunity to meet him. We also dealt with Gina during our stay. Gina is fantastic and so helpful with our every question...from local attractions to how deal with something on the property. The house is spotless...and exclusive for any family or group configuration. I travel all around the world and I'm usually particular about where I stay. This property is a home-run and we will be back for sure. For those that need to be connected throughout your stay, the property has fiber that provides a decent connection. The fiber was cut down the road from the property, but the service was back up within 24 hours. Neil's team was good to communicate the status and progress when service was restored. I had a backup MiFi device, which came in handy during this outage. The drive is 10-15 minutes up a mountain on mostly dirt roads, so make sure you rent a 4WD vehicle to support the location. The location is worth the drive!”

Our week-long stay at Casa Olas Azul was spectacular. We were greeted morning, noon and night with breathtaking ocean views and trees filled with wildlife. Toucans were plentiful and the home extremely private. Previous guest reviews have been accurate about neighboring homes...from the rear the home above is quite present, but when at the pool facing the ocean, there are no homes in sight. The home was very well appointed - with such glorious outdoors, you won't need access to much inside other than a bed and a shower - you'll spend all your time outdoors in the pool or gazing at the skyline. The owners furnished the home with solid and quality furnishings – nothing feels ‘on the cheap.’ The washer and dryer came in very handy, along with the dishwasher. You'll want to check with the rental team to make sure they've stocked dishwashing soap - we had to buy at the local market, priced at a premium. If you plan to spend your days at the pool, be prepared for the sound of the Cicada - this is a very large and noisy bug found in the canopy. Given the homes' relation to the surrounding trees the Cicada are alive and well from sunrise to sunset. The chirping can be white noise, or maddening based on your perspective, just be prepared for this harmless but extremely clumsy bug. The YouGetHere team were magnificent - Gina was a joy and shared in our excitement of all-things Costa Rica and was incredibly responsive. Booking and reserving was an ease. We spent the day in Manuel Antonio, an immersive canopy tour / zipline / rappelling course (Osa Canopy Tours), visits to the Jolly Roger and the Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a must-see for animal and wildlife friends. We hired Green Reef Costa Rica Clinical Massage – Seth was a highlight of our visit - he was incredibly professional, informative and pleasant. The reviews of the drive up to Costa Verde are incredibly accurate. Initially “I can get up and down the hill way faster than previous guests.” I was wrong…plan to spend 20-25 minutes in the 4x4 each way – we may have gotten down the hill once in about 12 minutes, but that seemed an anomaly otherwise. Surrounding towns Dominical and Uvita are charming and have the amenities you need. Playa Ballena was breathtaking – at low tide the beach stretched for miles. The Costa Ballena region is worth exploring before the world discovers it! We look forward to returning to the region and Escaleras. Thanks again to our friends at YouGetHere for making it a reality!

“This place is as spectacular as it looks. Beautifully set in the mountains overlooking the ocean. Perfect romantic getaway for a couple. We loved starting the day opening up the bedroom and lying in bed enjoying a cup of tea while listening to the sounds of the jungle. The pool was so refreshing. We had a swim each morning before going out and again in afternoon when we returned. The place was so nice we didn't want to go out every day as just lounging around was so relaxing. The place was extremely clean and the cleaner and pool service come twice a week. They also will set up any activity that you want to do. We had a family of howler monkeys climbing the trees around dinner time on 2 nights which was a real treat. The drive up the mountains was a bit of an adventure the first time but you get used to it pretty quick. Highly recommend this property and would definitely stay again.”

I can't say enough how much we loved this house! The pool is amazing and much bigger than it looks. The house itself looks even nicer in person than in the photos. The kitchen is really well equipped for cooking and the grill is a nice bonus. The couple that live on the property nearby are terrific and do laundry when you need it done and clean, etc. Amazing landscaping - clearly very well taken care of and thought out. We loved waking up to the howler monkeys and the birds. We saw two kinds of monkeys in the trees above us while we were swimming which was so great for the kids. The pool gets a lot of shade which is nice for sensitive skin. We went with an 11 , 9 and 5 year old boy and it was perfect for them. The house has some board games, some books to choose from, a few movies and satellite tv. and good wifi. But mostly you will want to swim and be outside and enjoy the environment. Occasionally power goes off for brief amount of time in this area and you aren't allowed to flush an paper in this area of Costa Rica (they pick up trash every day so its stays clean and clear). Definitely take surfing lessons through Steven at the management company and go to Altura's Wildlife Sanctuary which is very nearby. We ziplined at Hacienda Baru (20 minutes away). Great ziplining with kids on 8 different lines. We saw monkeys, sloths, poison dart frogs and lizards while hiking to the ziplines. Grocery stores nearby called BM is better than Maxi Pali (which is more like an unairconditioned small Walmart). Go to Mono Congo in Dominical for breakfast- on the water and great food. On way to Uvita is a great bagel bakery on the right hand side. Buy fresh fruit from fruit seller near bottom on the mountain on side of road. It is terrific! Great ice cream at Pop's in Quepos on the way to the house (or there is one by the River Tarcoles- where you can see crocodiles under the bridge on way to house). Rent a four wheel drive car for sure. Coastal road drive is fairly easy to get there. - about 3 hours. Remember that there is no A.C. but there are ceiling fans. Probably the only thing I wish it had - and even that was just for 2 or 3 out of 7 nights when it was really hot.

We will definitely be going back.

LOVED LOVED LOVED this villa. Open air layout and the bedrooms were spaced out and private - beautifully appointed home, tons of details everywhere you looked. Someone poured their heart and soul into the design, construction, quality of materials and attention to detail - it was devine. Beautiful high ceilings, the doors were at least 10 feet high, the grounds were stunning, absolutely gorgeous plantings - beautifully flowering, cascading, succulent - a feast for the eyes everywhere you looked. The pool? The pool was perfection. Perfect size, shape and depth - the temperature was just right - and it was just long enough to do laps, if that's your thing. And there were meditation pools all around the property with big pots of constantly cascading water. The view was stunning. And there were ample places to hang out by the pool and read, enjoy the view, or just doze off - lots of shade provided if you needed to escape the sun. The company that managed the villa was wonderful - "YOUGETHERE" - Josue was my point of contact, Steve met us when we got to Dominical and took us up (and I do mean up - make sure you have 4WD) to the villa, and there was a groundskeeper and housekeeper down the driveway in their own bungalow, there when we needed them, but never intrusive - it was so completely private. Harold, the groundskeeper, even changed the flat tire we encountered the morning we were leaving to head home. Our hero - thanks again Harold! We had Toucans and Green Parrots flying around every day, especially at dusk, and saw 2 sloths on the property too - in close proximity. Neil checked us out the morning we left and we had a jolly good time talking to him - he's lovely. We even loved the bugs - especially the grasshoppers - stunningly beautiful and quite large. But no biting bugs - which I really appreciated - not even at night. So you didn't have to be diligent about the doors always being closed. And you could hear the ocean even though we were perched high on the hill. So, if you are hesitating about renting this villa, please know you will be so happy that you did. Have fun!