Casa Columbine Beach Side Flucht

Casa Columbine was perfect for our family of five. Exactly as advertised!

My wife and I, and another couple spent two weeks at Casa Columbine in May. The property was advertised as being beachfront and with ocean views. Imagine our shock when we arrived and the house is across the street from the beach and the views of the ocean and ocean breezes are obstructed by the beachfront properties. The only ocean view is from inside the house through the window by the washing machine, and it is not much of a view.

This was truly disappointing as I have stayed in the area before and realize the significance of being beachfront.

Having said that, the house is very nice and very well appointed. My wife and I have stayed at many VRBO/Homeaway properties in several countries, and my wife says this kitchen was the best equipped. The furnishings were nice and comfortable. The grounds are well maintained, as is the house. The backyard, where the pool is, is very shady.

I would recommend this property with the proviso that it is NOT beachfront.

Again, we have been to the area several times now. Our favorite breakfast places are Soda Marcel for local ambiance, Perla's for more traditional American/Canadian, and Bahia del Sol for more elegant dining. The Barricuda, just around the corner (1,000 meters) is execellent . We had other meals at the Beach House, Lucy's (formerly the Tiki Hut in Brasalito), Sol y Mar, and the Beach House and were not disappointed anywhere.

My friend and I fished with Captain Glen of the Wetass II and it was a superb experience; we took our catch to the Beach House where you-hook-it, they-cook-it and it was really, really good.

We visited Arenal for the views, Guaitil for the pottery, and Tamarindo for the shopping. All were great.

They provided books and cards and plenty of information for activities. Great that Mike’s a member of the sailing center. We used the outdoor grill and sitting area a lot. One suggestion is that you get another nice chair for the den. Sitting 4 people on one couch isn’t easy. Otherwise everything was really nice and the property management team was really accommodating.

My husband and I have stayed in lots of properties all over the world and this one was one of our favorites! We had our good friends, Deb and Mark join us. The owner of the house, Mike, was very helpful answering all of our questions. Tropical Homes, the property management, located near the house, was also very helpful and gave us a lot of information, and booked our rental car for us. Thank-You Tropical Homes! The house was beautiful and spacious. Love the decor!! The backyard was huge and private. We had a pool to use in the backyard. We did all of our cooking using the outdoor kitchen. Mike had staff come by and do light housekeeping, and provide clean towels, clean the beautiful pool and rake the leaves. We ate out a few times and our favorite place was Perlas. We could walk there. Lots of places to eat nearby and a couple good grocery stores. Lots of beaches to check out! Thank you Mike for a wonderful stay!

What a nice relaxing vacation we had while staying at the Casa Columbine! This is a magnificent place to stay. Not on the ocean, but you can hear the ocean while relaxing on the back porch. Even in the house itself if you open windows and back doors to allow the breeze through the house. There is a beach a very short walk away, maybe 50 meters? The layout of the house is great with 2 bedrooms, one on either side of the living room and kitchen area with their own bathroom, shower and sliding glass door to the back yard. The back porch was a great place to relax and read while preparing food on the grill. Taking a swim in the pool after a day at the beach is revitalizing and just beautiful. I honestly hated to leave. The property mgmt folks were on the ball, establishing contact with us via e-mail and providing assistance with transportation to the house from the airport. Also providing a large list of activities/tours they are happy to help arrange for you.

We did not arrange a lot of activities. We wanted mainly to be on beaches and enjoying the ocean. We did take an ATV/Zipline tour that was a blast. The guide delivered the ATVs to the home . We left from and returned to the home which was nice and convenient. The owner is a member at the local Costa Rica Sailing center, which provides benefits. You get discounts on rentals and drinks. This place is a 5 or 10 minute walk up the beach. Nice folks there. Very helpful. The kayaking was fun and provided a good source of exercise. I just cannot say enough.

It was awesome. I'd recommend this place totally. You will not be disappointed.