La Libelula

I took a group of 8 for my 40th birthday to this amazing house. It was the BEST vacation ever! The house is even more amazing than it looks in the pictures. So much space for everyone inside and out. Set in the middle of the jungle with the best sounds and views. The family that cares for the home is so helpful and friendly. Licho took us to a nearby waterfall, gave us tips and he and his wife Darlene cooked for us on my birthday. We had them and their son, join us for dinner that evening and very much enjoyed their company even with the little English they knew and the little Spanish we knew. The small, nearby towns of Uvita and Domincal are completely laid back with beautiful beaches and plenty to do. Stephen was so helpful in setting up tours, a car and answering all of our questions. You will need a 4WD vehicle to best enjoy this part of Costa Rica. Don't hesitate to book this home. Everything from the moment we stepped off the plane until we got back on was wonderful!

Our group had six adults that stayed for nine days and La Libelula met or exceeded the expectations of all of us.  We have rented from VRBO since the early 2000's and this was the most accomadating of any we have stayed at.  We were looking for a secluded place that wasn't too far of drive to town.  It's difficult for pictures to demonstrate a setting but it is very private with a gated entrance that cannot be seen from the house.    The house has three choices of dinning for a large group; inside overlooking the pool and ocean, outside under a covered porch with the same view, or in the cabana (we had all our meals here). Darlene and Lecho are the care/grounds takers.  They are overly friendly and do a wonderful job of balancing being available and not being intrusive.  Darlene will cook dinner for your group for a very reasonable fee (we had her cook three dinners and we enjoyed having local food).  Each night that we came back ofter sunset the outside lights would be on for us and the house was tidied up.  Steve was our contact with the management company and he arranged our four bookings for sports fishing, atv, cano island snorkle and zip lining.  All was wonderful and just as planned. On the property we witnessed lots of wildlife such as toucans and whiteface monkeys.  You could hear the howler monkeys every morning but we didn't see them.  Needless to say we really enjoyed our stay and wouldn't hesitate to book La Libelula again.

We went to La Libelulia for a "family vacation"--so we were looking for a place safe enough for a 2 year old, exciting enough for our adult children and relaxing enough for us--- AND this villa hit a home run on all counts. It was exactly what we had expected and hoped for. The villa is gorgeous with lots of "out door" living space-- we had breakfast in one outdoor location, cocktails in another and dinner in the grass covered Tiki area!!! We swam, watched birds and monkey's, relaxed among the flowers and tropical plants..... what is not to love about that! The villa is a good 3 hour drive from the airport but well worth it even with a 2 year old-- not much tourist stuff going on here... just fabulous fresh fish and fruit, lovely people, beaches everywhere, and adventure if you want it. Our adult children loved scuba diving at Cano Island, jumping off waterfalls, kayaking thru caves and surf kayaking-- and i enjoyed kayaking in the mangroves, taking nature walks in the national parks and swimming and walking on the beautiful beaches. There is something for everyone there. Dinner was cooked for us on our night of arrival which was delicious and a treat-- after that we cooked ourselves as that is what we love to do together! I think the managers of this property have thought of everything-- and we hope to go back there in the future!!! It is a bit remote and the roads are a bit rugged (4WD definitely necessary)... and speaking some Spanish is definitely helpful-- but it was amazing-- really felt like we had our own little piece of paradise for a week!!!

The staff is super helpful and friendly. One of our regrets is we never had an opportunity to use the dinner services with how our activity schedule ran. You are close enough to town to where it isn't a chore to make a trip to the grocery store, liquor store, or bank, but you need a rental car for those conveniences. There are great beaches just a few minutes away by car, too. The kitchen is spacious and great for group cooking, and we enjoyed that immensely at breakfast everyday. We usually did an activity in the daytime, had an early dinner, then came back and relaxed in the pool (which is amazing!) with some homemade pina coladas. (Dos Pinos vanilla ice cream is insanely good) Highlight activities for us were the ATV tour in Uvita (bring a bandana for the dust!), sailfishing out of Quepos (we ate grouper for several days), and ziplining in Puerto Cortes (Osa Canopy Tour). We flew into San Jose and rented cars there for a drive down. We managed to get stuck in traffic from a nasty traffic accident and were very late in arriving. Even though it was technically after hours, they freely accommodated our late arrival. It was just bad luck on our part, but I think we'll be more open to taking commuter flights next adventure as the drive itself wasn't as scenic as we were hoping.

Everyone in our group agreed that they would come back to La Libelula in a heartbeat, so I can't think of higher praise than that.

Had a fantastic stay at this villa, and would recommend this property to anyone.  The building and grounds were really amazing, and we were excited to see the variety of wildlife on the property (including monkeys and toucans!).  We have a 2 year old and the pools were absolutely perfect for him.  There is an area that is about 10" deep which he loved running around and the "circle pool" which is essentially a hot tub with jets, but the water is cool and refreshing.  The pool is very big and plenty of space for adults to cruise around as well.  The pools look big in the pictures and they are.  It was the perfect pool setup to introduce our toddler to swimming and get him comfortable in the water.  I would recommend renting a car if you are staying here, and 4x4 is a must.  We were considering a mini-van and I am glad we got an SUV because the road and driveway would have been tricky/impossible without the traction and ground clearance.

We spent 6 nights at La Libelula in March 2015.  There were 8 of us ( 4 adults/4 kids). We loved this house. The house was spacious and each bedroom has its own bathroom. The outdoor living space was amazing. The pool was larger than the pools at the hotels we had recently  stayed at in other parts of Costa Rica. We enjoyed playing with all the pool toys and the kids played volleyball in the pool for hours.  We saw more toucans and howler monkeys while we were lounging by the pool than we saw when we spent the day at Corcovado. The kitchen is well stocked with dishes, pots, pans, glasses, spices, blender, coffee maker etc. There is even a wine cooler if you want to keep your wine at the perfect temperature. It was nice having Darlene and Leecho living across the property. They take very good care of the house and us. Everyday they straightened up the house and gave us fresh towels. When my daughter accidentally pulled a screen door off, Leecho was there to put it back on.  Darlene made us 2 amazing dinners.  We especially loved her guacamole, arroz con pollo and ceviche.  This house feels like it is far away but it is only a 5 minute drive to the grocery store. The grocery store is well stocked and we found everything we needed. We enjoyed having fresh french bread, croissants, and homemade ravioli from the Baker Bean. Neal was great at corresponding with us prior to our arrival. He provided us with a lot of helpful information. He was out of town when we arrived but Steven was equally as helpful at getting us settled in.  He set up surf lessons for us and even arranged an in-house massage.  It was a perfect vacation. We look forward to returning to La Libelula.

If staying at a Ritz Carlton-like property is what you have in mind, look no further. Our family of five just returned from a fabulous week at La Libelula. The house is absolutely gorgeous and the outdoor living space is UNBEATABLE. We spent hours swimming, watching birds (loved the toucans!), lounging and listening to the wildlife around us. The noise the howler monkeys make is unmistakable - we heard them daily at dawn and dusk. On four separate occasions we saw monkeys swinging through the trees on the property. What a treat! The caretakers, Licho and Darlene, live in a separate home adjacent to the property and are top-notch. They kept the property tidy and politely ensure you have everything you need while at the same time respecting your privacy. It was a comfort knowing they were there. Our favorite activity was white water rafting - ask for Andy! We also highly recommend Darlene's cooking and the restaurant Por Que No - both offer delicious food with a view!

Bottom line: not a negative thing to say about this property. We have rented several homes on VRBO and have stayed in many fantastic resorts around the globe, and La Libelula tops our list of favorites.

We were a group of 5 adults and 4 children (age 8 up to 16) and rented the villa at the end of March. I picked this property because I wanted a place that had privacy, a chance to see wildlife, but not too far a drive to activities. This place was perfect. The house was spacious and immaculate, with large bedrooms ( A/C in bedrooms worked great). The outside pool area was amazing, better than the photos. My kids were happy to spend the whole day in the pool( there were plenty of inflatable rafts and toys for all 4!) My youngest who didn't swim that well, was able to spend a lot of time on the pool's large steps and by the end of the trip was able to swim across the pool. The house was very private with only the caretaker's house visible. We saw toucans daily, usually early in the morning, plus a multitude of smaller birds. We were so happy to hear the howler monkeys most mornings and 2 of the days they were clearly visible in the nearby trees. All of the adults in our group got up quite early (5am) so we could enjoy the birds and monkeys. We loved the Domenical/Uvita area. It was super easy to find you way around.  There is a grocery store on the main road near the house as well as plenty of restaurants. We had no trouble finding kid friendly food places. Baker's Bean and La Fogata had good pizza plus Domenical had a good pizza spot. In Domenical we took the kids to Cafe Delicias which served chicken fingers, fries and ice cream. We made daily stops to Cafe Mono Congo in Domenical for strong coffee and frappes. We also ate at La Parcela and Villas Alturas, both have great views. While we ate at Villas Alturas we saw the  white face monkeys in nearby trees as well as toucans. Things we did - guided tour with Olman Otoya at Hacienda Baru- saw 6 sloths, one with a baby, iguanas, and poisoned dart frogs. Recommend guides as they have high powered scopes. Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary-loved, good for kids. Zip lining at Hacienda Baru( there is a larger one near Sierpe) and the beaches. I loved our stay at this villa! Neil was great as well as the caretaker, Licho. We didn't want to leave.

This house is a dream. Immaculate, manicured outdoor space...lush and filled with exotic flowers and palms. Everything you need to be comfortable, gorgeous everywhere you turn. We have done a lot of traveling in Costa Rica...this property is a whole new class of Costa Rican luxury. With a large, isolated lot, we had our own private slice of heaven. The gates and the care takers keep the house secure 24/7.Our care takers were great. Very friendly and approachable. Helped us with everything we needed. Cooked us a few meals that were delicious. Gave us our space, but were always close if we had any questions or needed help. The property manager, Neil, was communicative and kind. We arrived to a fresh fruit basket, fresh-cut flowers and iced champagne. Furnishing was comfortable, decor was tasteful. Kitchen had everything we needed to cook. 3 Master Bedrooms and one bunk-room makes this a perfect place for groups of adults. The air conditioning in the bedrooms works beautifully, and the down stairs area opens up to let the breeze keep the house fresh. The glass enclosed staircase is an awesome touch...the whole back of the house is glass, so the beauty of the outside space makes the interior stunning. We are definitely returning, and plan on being regulars at La Libuela. Thanks so much!!!

We just finished our family vacation at La Libelula (Spanish for dragonfly) and we had an amazing time!  There were 8 of us and the house has so much space and so many areas to relax that we did not feel like we were tight by any means.  We had 3 different groups arrive at different times because of flight delays, and the on site "security" (Licho) was great!  The last group arrived at 2:30am and he got up to let them in. The home is at the top of a steep dirt road down to town, and the owner recommends rental vehicle but we went without for the 8 days and it worked out great. Licho can call you a taxi if you need to get around, or some of the local tours will send someone to pick you up at no charge. I would definitely not recommend driving there from the airport at night, definitely get a ride!  We used Solid Rental Cars which is a great company and were on the ball and very accommodating with the changes in pick up times because of our flight delays. Transfer cost was $250/bus load. Unfortunately for us, we had to do 3 different pick ups because of the flight changes, so our cost jumped to $750 (3 different transfers), but all in all, they knew where they were going which was a bonus, they do transfers to this location all the time so arriving at night was not a problem.

We also had Darlene cook us dinner 2 of the nights...all I can say is amazing!! The food was spectacular and much better than anything you can get in a restaurant. All of the other nights we cooked for ourselves and the kitchen has everything you need.  We also used the BBQ outside and all went well. We were there during Cicada season and the noise they make is incredible!  They make a ton of noise during the day, starting at about 7:15am and are constant until 6:30pm when the sun goes down.  The first day hanging out at the pool we could hardly hear each other talk, but by the last day we were used to the noise.  They are huge bugs but are more annoying than dangerous as they don't bite. We saw Tucans, Macaw birds, lots of local smaller birds.  We heard the howler monkeys at night all around the home but didn't see any during our stay at the house (we did see some during a tour).

Each of the rooms is very well appointed with ensuites, comfortable beds, great lanais for morning coffee.  With about 10 various sitting areas, there are many spots to relax both in and out of the sun. I would definitely recommend this place for a family looking for a getaway.

I searched quite extensively online for the perfect house to celebrate our daughter's 30th birthday.  It turned out to be the trip of a lifetime.  Our family consisted of 6 adults and 2 children.  The house provided everything we needed and had hoped for in a vacation home. The house was amazing inside and out. The decor was tasteful and the views were breathtaking.  We were able to see monkeys, toucans and hummingbirds right from the pool deck. The kids loved the pool and would have stayed there the entire time if given the choice.  The local beaches were great.  The location is perfectly centrally located to experience the best the area has to offer.  Steve was very helpful throughout the process. He booked our tours, which were incredible, answered all our questions and gave us great advise on the area.  Liche and Darlene were so sweet. Darlene kept the house fresh and tidy, cooked us a delicious traditional Costa Rican meal and always had a smile.  Liche took us to see the waterfall on the property, kept the outside spick and span, and cut open coconuts for us to try. They are a great addition to the house.  There is so much to do in this region for the adventurous and the property is the perfect compliment as the relaxing, beautiful place to stay. I highly recommend La Libelula and would love to return some day.

We wanted to travel to Costa Rica with our two young children but didn't want the resort, touristy feel, but rather a more natural, private experience to take it all in.  We found this home online and was attracted to its location in the jungle on a mountainside and expansive view of the ocean.  Unfortunately, on our drive to the home from the airport we fell into a torrential downpour of rain, so we were not able to see any of the scenery on the way there. Neil, the property manager, met us and went over info on the home and sights to see while we were there.  The home is gorgeous and very comfortable and the air-conditioned bedrooms are very cozy at night!  We woke in the morning only to find the most gorgeous view from our bedroom balcony.....sweeping views of the countryside and ocean!  Not to mention the large, inviting pool.  The outdoor grill area under the cabana was wonderful!  We spent most of our evenings there cooking and having cocktails and watching and listening to all the wildlife around us.  A beautiful, non-crowded beach is right down the hillside (about 10 minutes drive) which we enjoyed very much.  The pristine sand dollars were everywhere!  The caretakers, Licho and his wife, were awesome and very helpful and cooked us a few authentic meals while we were there.  Each morning he would cut off fresh coconuts for us and his wife, Darlene, even made us a coconut dessert one night.  Yummy!  He even took time out of his day to drive us to a nearby waterfall and even stayed with us to ensure we could find our way back.  The drive into the town of Uvita is only about 2 miles away.  We could easily access the convenient grocery store each day, as we mainly cooked our meals at the house each day.  The locals are friendly and there was no concern for our safety at any point during the trip.  We did venture into Dominical (about a 10 minute drive) one day to shop and eat out at the beach.  Great food!  Would like to recommend The Baker Bean which is right down the hill from the home - great homemade pizza!  Also enjoyed La Parcela overlooking the ocean towards Dominical- gorgeous view and the monkeys come out in the surrounding trees about 1:00 each day.  On our last morning there, I awoke to a sound I've never heard before right outside of our bedroom balcony.  It was a howler monkey!  My son and I watched him for about an hour and were amazed!  The tropical birds are also wonderful to watch.  Would highly recommend this home!  Pura Vida!