Caracol Hotels

"The views from Villa Lucia absolutely took our breath away. It was by far the nicest place we've stayed. It was very clean and the property is very obviously well cared for. The drive on the dirt rough is long and rough-so be prepared. Peter does recommend 4x4. You truly are in the jungle. Bottled water, coffee. And earplugs were there waiting for us. The jungle gets surprisingly loud at night, and the rain can be loud as well.The villa and it's location do have some quirks to be aware of. We had a couple power and water interruptions that were resolved relatively quickly. The main living space is not fully sealed from the outside so the occasional bug does get inside. Peter provides tips for minimizing this -keeping lights dim in the evening and using candles rather than bright overhead lights. We were happy to do this, but could have benefitted from more lamps and/or candles as it was hard to see at night. We mostly spend the dark hours in the bedrooms as a result. When we arrived the villa didn't have any garbage bags and minimal toilet paper. An avoidable minor inconvenience that was resolved quickly by Peter and his team. Peter responded quickly to all our questions and concerns. Finally, we did have an unexpected visit from the pool maintenance crew. Again- a minor inconvenience but we would have appreciated being made aware in advance. Overall, this is a stunning place to stay if you're looking for great views off the busy road. Peter is a great host. "

"Our Holliday started with terror because the location shown on listing was wrong, by over a kilometer. We were supposed to meet the manager “at the gate”, which cannot be seen from the road and is not possible to find from their directions. We lost cell coverage when we gave up on finding it and returned to the highway to phone the manager. When we did connect we were led up a steep, narrow, rocky, dirt road. Our 2 wd suv failed to make it, nearly sliding down a steep embankment. The 4wd Tucson got there but 2 other times failed to make the last, very steep and rutted hill. A strong 4x4 is an absolute must. Walking on those roads was treacherous. The house itself is excellent and we all loved the pool. We were disappointed by the lack of wildlife - saw 1 toucan, 1 coati nearby and a few misc birds. Our grandkids really wanted to see monkeys, which we we told might be possible - I don’t believe that. The nearest beach is at lest 15 minutes away, not 6. We tried a couple, both down rotten roads ending in parking still some way from the water. If you want to see a lot of sites, prepare for a lot of extremely unenjoyable driving. If you’re happy to settle in and just stay at the house, you’ll enjoy it."

"The staff is so wonderful. Kind, funny and helpful. Views are unbelievable and it is worth the trip up there!"

"Beautiful location with superb views. Immaculate property. Would visit again. No AC in one of the bedrooms. Unable to check in late but this is pretty standard in many countries where you need to meet with an agent of the owner. "

"Nice property with great landscaping. Very relaxing. Property Manager was very responsive and answered questions promptly."

"My wife and I stayed at this property with our six year old daughter for 6 nights. We had a wonderful experience. The property was exactly as advertised. Host was very helpful and provided lots of assistance and information to ensure we had a great stay. We loved spending time outside around the pool and waking up in the morning to the sounds of the jungle! "

"Lovely little riverfront casitas. It’s a bit removed from restaurants and bars but it gives you the option to prepare your own meals or the hosts provide some food offerings as well. Everything is in great condition and well thought out. Our stay here was great. It was so relaxing going to sleep with the sounds of the river. "

"Outstanding, and the perfect end to a travel and tour-filled vacation. Vayu is an idyllic retreat, nestled in the jungle, surrounded by trees and the sounds of nature. We were even visited by a pair of inquisitive toucans. The rooms are huge - clean and a bed with bedding more comfortable than home. Everything has been perfectly considered - design and integration of technology (most notably the lighting and sound systems). The pool is lovely for a dip to cool off, but beaches are close if you want the sea. 12 minutes drive is a cute set of cafe/restaurants, however the food on site is delicious. The set breakfast (changing daily) and dinner (and additional $60pp for set three-courses) were simple but excellently executed and tasty. The star of this place is Marc - he is Vayu. The amount of care and love he has put into their baby (sorry we didn't meet Rafael) projects into the care and attention he respectfully gives his guests throughout their stay. He is always on hand to assist, and nothing is ever too much trouble for him to help with. We would recommend staying here for a quiet and relaxing few days. A perfect end to a fantastic holiday. "

"We arrived late due to flight delays, and Lucretia was very dilligent in working out a way for us to get our keys. Communication was great along the way, from answering questions about the property, providing information and links for things to do during our stay, checking in regularly without imposing, all throughout the checkout process. The property itself is absolutely beautiful, actually better than the photos. It was clean, we had everything we needed, and the pool was perfect. The pool cleaner comes by once a week, so we only saw him once during our stay. The location of the house is fantastic, with restaurants only minutes away and a cafe and health foods store right around the corner. Overall we had a wonderful experience and would absolutely return here!"