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Reviews of Unique Jungle Villa for 5, Fantastic Views, Jacuzzi Hot Tub & Private Pool!

Unique Jungle Villa for 5, Fantastic Views, Jacuzzi Hot Tub & Private Pool!
Arenal Volcano National Park, Alajuela Province

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 52 out of 59 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 59 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 59 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 59 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 59 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Gina S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Paradise found
Do yourself a favor and rent this property! The house is absolutely adorable and inspired us to start looking for our dream Costa Rican house. Michael, the caretaker, met us at no one is how are you gonna get in? check-in and the owners ensured we were happy with our stay. Everything was thought out and you had everything you would need for a comfortable stay. The gardens are absolutely gorgeous and we had many early bird visitors that were a treat to watch. The house is near Essence Arenal where we took yoga classes and had a lovely meal as well as Arenal Observatory where a day hike was enjoyed. Will definitely be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Donna K., New Westminster, Canada

Liked: Cleanliness
Guest House
This was an adorable cottage with birds chirping all around. Kitchen is well equipped and the welcome package of food was much appreciated after a long drive! The surroundings are beautiful and the walk down to the river is lovely. Had to walk up the driveway to get views of the volcano but it was spectacular at dawn. The sunroom is lovely except the curtains do let in a lot of light. Great if you like to wake up at the break of dawn! It was a little small for our family of 5 unfortunately & probably not the best for teenagers who sleep in! Air conditioner is only in the kitchen but if we kept our room doors open it was cool enough to sleep. Overall, this is a great place and best suited for 4 people in my opinion.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Sept 2023
Thank you for your kind review. I will take your comments into consideration.

10/10 Excellent

Jarod M., Texas

Liked: Cleanliness
Arenal Area
Excellent well appointed guest house that was perfect for a family of four. Pura Vida!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Jun 2023
Thank you for the kind review...we are so happy you enjoyed your stay.

10/10 Excellent

Miles P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful house and location
Great 7 day stay. Property manager and staff were readily available to help with any needs.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 28 May 2023
Thanks for the nice review...we are so glad you enjoyed your stay.

10/10 Excellent

Susan F.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful stay!
Loved this property. Surrounded by beauty everywhere. The sounds of the animals and rain will stay with me forever.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Claudia P., Norristown, PA, USA

Great view and great location
The property was beautiful and the location was very close to some major attractions.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Sept 2022
Thank you so much for you kind review, We are so glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again soon!

10/10 Excellent

Cera D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family friendly jungle fun
Marty and Nita were the perfect hosts! They greeted us upon our arrival, answered our questions and had great referrals for restaurants & excursions. The guesthouse was clean, welcoming and family friendly. We loved the art, property, pool and the hike on the property to the river. Not to mention the CUTEST pups ever ❤️ Highly recommend the Encantada Guest house!!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Sept 2022
Thank you so much for you kind review, We are so glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again soon!

10/10 Excellent

Christopher S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful House with Great Access to Arenal Views!!
The Encantada Guest House was located on a beautifully curated property with tons of flowers, plants and animals to watch! It was a great location to serve as our "base camp" during our stay in La Fortuna. The access to hikes at Arenal National Park was very convenient. We loved the Arenal 1968 hike and highly recommend! The property is very quiet and private and the hosts are extremely helpful for all your needs. Definitely a highly recommended place to stay for a family vacation in the Arenal area!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Sept 2022
Thank you so much for you kind review, We are so glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again soon!

10/10 Excellent

Don D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Absolutely Amazing
From start to finish everything was beyond expectations. Communication with the owners was great and the home was perfect. The home has everything you will need or could want, very clean and inviting. The grounds are kept to a park setting. Howler monkeys in the distance, hummingbirds and geckos made this experience magical. This is a perfect place to spoil yourself, my only regret is we had to leave. Thank you so very much for sharing this piece of paradise with us, we will never forget the time we had here.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 19 Jan 2022
Thank you so much for your kind review, we are so glad that you enjoyed your stay and hope that you get to return to Encantada someday soon.

10/10 Excellent

Adrian R., Santa Barbara CA

Liked: Cleanliness
Private Jungle Experience
Super well set up, the spot borders right up to the jungle at the back step so you feel you are there, but had everything you would need. We personally were glad we choose to be further away from La Fortuna and the little area on this side of the Volcano was perfect for our needs. A quick drive to town and the "events" but with only the noise of the jungle and rarely seeing anyone else. Highly recommended if you can get it. The owners were out of town but attentive on WhatsApp as needed. The guest house would be one of the better set up / equipped / welcome package options I have stayed at in more than 50 or 60 house rentals around the world. (not to mention the welcomes from Beau the host dog, whom my 2-year-old had such a great time with)
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Sept 2022
Thank you so much for you kind review, We are so glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again soon!

10/10 Excellent

Kelly K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Arenal house
Property managers are super nice and helpful. Helped us get an amazing day set up of zip lining. Property was beautiful. We loved it. The only thing we did not like is the ants but it is the rain forest and hard to control this issue. We made sure everything stayed in the fridge to cut down issues. Thanks for the amazing family time.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Aug 2021
Thank you so much, we are glad you enjoyed your stay.

10/10 Excellent

deborah s.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing stay beautiful accommodations.
Had an incredible time staying at the guest house. Wonderful location and a beautiful well decorated home. So many activities to do on property with a pool and jacuzzi for some down time. A great trail to walk on and the hosts were extremely hospitable and helpful. They provided us with a huge variety of movies to watch and the beds were so comfy. They helped us find the Toucans in the trees and identified the sounds of the animals we heard. Everything about this place exceeded our expectations including our hosts. I would give them over 5 stars if I could.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Apr 2020
Thank you so much for your kind review. I hope you and yours remain safe in these troubling times and that someday you can visit us again..

10/10 Excellent

William P., Richmond, VA

Liked: Cleanliness
Tranqulity
We had a very relaxing vacation. The property was better than advertised. Everything you need is provided. Tourist attractions are within a short driving distance or you can just relax at the house. The owners were readily available at the adjacent house. We really enjoyed talking to them. We enjoyed dining at the local restaurants which are a short drive from the property. You will need a vehicle with some ground clearance to acces s the property as the road is rough.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thank you! we enjoyed hosting you.

10/10 Excellent

Jeff G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Birds and Fun
Loved the property! Provided the right blend of remote tranquility with the closeness of all the tourist trappings. Marty, Nita, and Beau (dog) were gracious hosts...Wished we had more time. Jeff and Jessica (Rockwall, TX)
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Aug 2021
So Glad you enjoyed your stay!

10/10 Excellent

Elisha Z.

Liked: Cleanliness
Cozy cottage in scenic and quiet area
The cottage was cozy and comfortable and we enjoyed out stay. The road up to the property is rough and gets quite muddy in the rain so need the extra clearance of an SUV. We spent most days out and about but enjoyed relaxing in the hammock and hot tub in the evenings. The kitchen is small and basic but sufficient for our self-catering needs.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jan 2023
LOL.. I just saw this review! Thanks

8/10 Good

Paul H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Arenal with Marty and Nita
Wonderful hosts, but no internet as advertised.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thank you for your kind review. As you know, a recent fire destroyed our Internet equipment and we have been doing our best to get it replaced. Which is why we offered to share our own internet equipment with you during your stay. You had access anytime you were at home and we went without. Getting new equipment is no easy task here, and it actually required a trip to the USA to get a new router. I am glad to say that as of today...The internet in the Guesthouse has been restored.

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer A.

Encantada
We had a wonderful stay at Encantada. The house is close to activities, but far enough away to feel like you have privacy. Nita was helpful in planning meals and activities.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jan 2023
LOL.. I just saw this review! Thanks

10/10 Excellent

David J., Kernersville

Great local location. Well maintained property and very helpful hosts
Need a higher clearance vehicle to be on the safe side but once there the property was very nice. Everything was clean and very well maintained inside and out. Owners were very helpful even with finding some medicine for me (not related to anything in CR). The cat and dog were very friendly and like to follow you around. (They aren’t allowed in the house so no allergy concerns). Plenty to do nearby. Would definitely stay there again.
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thanks so much for your kind review. It was a pleasure to meet you. Let us know if we can answer any questions about your Utah project. Cheers Nita & Marty

10/10 Excellent

Aida C., Miami, Florida

Awesome Property
We had a wonderful time here. The house is beautifully set on a mountain top with an outstanding view. Comfortable and equipped with everything one might possibly need. For sure one needs a tall vehicle 4x4 to access property as the entry hill is quite steep and roads leading to it are unpaved. This is part of the whole adventure !! Loved it.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Jul 2020
Thank you so much for your kind review. I am sorry I did not get the opportunity to meet you this time around. I do hope you get to come back to Encantada soon. The road is actually passable in a regular car, albeit with a few extra lumps & bumps along the way. We always recommend a 4x4 SUV to our guests because our area is very rural. Parts of our little road are paved but it is still a literally cow path and the way in off the main road..is indeed rustic! We hope to do more improvements on our section of the road soon in the fall.

10/10 Excellent

Dawn C.

Tico home a great experience!
Our family of 5 (my husband, myself and our 3 children in early-mid twenties) stayed at the Encantada for 4 nights in April, 2018. It was our first of 3 stops in Costa Rica and we were very pleased we started here. It was the most authentic, and least touristy spot we visited. The village of El Castillo was charming and we were pleased we decided to stay outside La Fortuna although we visited there twice to see the waterfall, hot springs, a coffee tour and do some shopping. Nita and Marty were incredibly helpful. We emailed several times before we arrived and they promptly answered all my questions and provided detailed directions that were great because we were driving from Liberia and got there just as the sun was setting. Nita will make recommendations and reservations for you at the various outdoor activity sites which we appreciated. The housed everything we needed, and felt very homey. You definitely need an SUV with 4 wheel drive as the roads in that area, including the path to the house, are not paved, very hilly and filled with potholes.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thank you so much for your glowing review. You guys were great and we are so glad we got to know you!

10/10 Excellent

Sue K.

Beautiful Place
Great house with a view, well equipped kitchen, comfortably furnished and beautifully landscaped. Loved El Castillo area, less crowded than other lake and volcano towns. Don't miss the zip line at Sky Adventures! Most fun of the whole trip! Nita and Marty were helpful in planning activities and taking care of the property.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

Ashley B.

Tranquility and adventure!
Three couples, all in our 30s, stayed at the encantada guest house for 4 nights at the end of December 2017. The house is beautiful, secluded, clean, and spacious enough. There is sleeping space in beds for 5 people plus an inflatable mattress which was comfortable. We would highly recommend a higher clearance vehicle. The drive from Liberia is an adventure with a lot of twists and turns and the final road to the guest house was rough. Recommendations for activities Sky trek (zip line) Sky river drift (not for the faint of heart) Hanging bridges hike Hot springs (we went to los Lagos) Exploring the town of la fortuna La fortuna waterfall The guest house is located about 5 minutes from the sky adventure park and about 30 minutes from la fortuna. We bought some groceries to make meals but there are so many wonderful local restaurants I would recommend going out for as many meals as possible. There isnt much of a grocery store anywhere near the guest house. We ended up cooking all of our food for one lunch because there were so many recommended restaurants that wanted to try. If you are looking for tranquility combined with eco adventure, encantada is your place!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thank you so much for your kind review! I do so hope you will be able to return again for another adventure.

10/10 Excellent

JR S.

Great place, great owners
Beautiful views from this house, the owners are so nice and very helpful with booking activities.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thanks so much for your kind words.. I hope you'll get to come back and check out the New B&B when its ready! Nita

10/10 Excellent

Carla W.

Relaxing Retreat
Nita was wonderful to work with! She answered emails right away and greeted us upon arrival. The home was perfect for the 5 of us! Nita did had a few extra touches we don't see at other places. She had a fresh pitcher of water in the refrigerator for us. When my teenage son did not want to share a bed with his friend, Nita pulled out the air mattress for us. There was no one staying the night we left so she offered us a late check out with no extra charge. She helped with reserving our activities. My family really liked repelling the waterfalls. I chose to stay "HOME" and get a massage by Mellisa (she was wonderful)! I do recommend a 4 x 4 to get up the hill to the home, you will need the ground clearance. Having a 4 x4 is also fun to river though the rivers with. This home is close to Zip Lining and Hot Springs and other fun activities. We enjoyed this small community with a few Restaurants (Jon's Pizza and Howler's were a few of our favorites and we found the new restaurant (Can't remember the name) just down the road from our home had the best service. You can't be in a hurry in Costa Rica. EVERY restaurant we went to, we had to tell them we were ready for the check. You must got to one of the Hot Springs the "Free" spot was a fun experience , but the resorts are so nice. I have been to Tabacon in the past and it was amazing, however I feel it is way over priced. Nita recommend a very nice Hot Springs that only cost $15pp. $28.00 includes a dinner buffet. We all enjoyed the water slides and swimming and soaking in warm water. You won't be disappointed if you chose to stay at this home.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Carla Thanks so much for your kind words. I enjoyed meeting you and hosting your stay. Come back soon!

10/10 Excellent

Nita K.

Wonderful Home, Great Hosts, Awesome Views
Encantada Guest House was awesome, clean quiet and comfortable. Great views, Amazing hosts and the family pets are so sweet. A 4x4 is strongly recommended for road clearance, but the road is totally passable. We'll be back!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was so nice to get to know you. See you next year!

10/10 Excellent

Ke K.

Secluded, beautiful property - very comfortable!
Lovely little cottage in a beautifully landscaped property. This secluded home looks out over the lake and the volcano with breathtaking views. We saw howler monkeys and beautiful birds right from the property. The home was comfortable with a modern bathroom, kitchen and comfortable beds. Nita was very helpful with booking tours and answering questions. This was better than we expected and great way to start our Costa Rican vacation.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2017

10/10 Excellent

Kaylynn M.

Beautiful House and Location
The house was clean and comfortable. It was perfect for our group of 4 but could fit more. The patio was perfect for relaxing and enjoying the beautiful views. The Kitchen had everything we needed to make our meals. We loved the back room to hang out and play the games that were provided. The road was definitely ruff for our little car but we made it with a few scratches on the bottom. A little more clearance on the vehicle would of made us feel safe but we were fairly warned about the road.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2017
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
So glad you enjoyed your stay and thanks for your kind review. The roads around here can indeed be a little rough..so a 4x4 SUV is always the best option, when visiting the Arenal & Monteverde areas.

10/10 Excellent

jan b.

Awesome house
We really enjoyed our stay in this house. Very clean, neat, tons of attention to little details. Owners made us feel very welcome and helped us plan our few days while we stayed there. We were able to hear/see the howler monkeys, many hummingbirds, some parrots and other little birds. There are a lot of pretty flowers surrounding the house and just sitting in the hammock was fun and relaxing to see all that surrounded you.
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
So glad you got to visit Costa Rica and so happy to have met your lovely family. You are welcome back anytime! Nita

10/10 Excellent

Kenneth V., Oregon

Great Views from a Beautiful Home
We thoroughly enjoyed our 4 night stay at the Enchanted Guest Casa. This is a very comfortable, clean and beautiful home that is located in a lush tropical setting. The landscaping is well maintained and has plenty of colorful vegetation. The kitchen is well stocked with all the necessities needed to prepare your own meals. The beds were very comfortable and the bathroom is spacious. There are plenty of outdoor areas to sit and relax while checking out the views or watching the array of birds and butterflies. One of the best parts of our visit was hanging out in the local village of El Castillo. This is a quaint little town that gives you a good feel for the ordinary Tican way of life. The locals were very friendly and helpful. This area is off the beaten path but worth it if you want a true non-touristy experience, although there are opportunities for the typical tourist activities in nearby La Fortuna. We also enjoyed having Riley and Quinn, the 2 cool outdoor cats, to help us with our daily cat fix!! Marty and Nita were very friendly and we enjoyed meeting them. They were easy to communicate with and provided helpful info for our stay. We would recommend this place to anyone looking for quiet relaxing Costa Rican experience.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2016
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thanks so much for your Awesome review, we very much enjoyed meeting you and hope you get to come back to visit soon! Nita

10/10 Excellent

Kathy K.

Wonderful place to relax
My sister and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Encantada Guest House. Nita did a wonderful job of providing directions and "things to do Information" prior to our arrival. The property manager, Juan, is super nice & helped us set up a private hike with a local naturalist. We also loved visiting the Butterfly Conservatory. My favorite spot was the hammock each afternoon!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2016
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thanks very much for your kind review, we are glad you enjoyed your stay and hope you can return when the new B&B is open!

8/10 Good

Christina P.

Lovely place! Can't wait to go back.
Hacienda Encantada was the perfect place for my family. The views from the house were amazing and the landscaping was superb! The secluded location was just what we wanted, but it was also close enough to plenty of activities and restaurants. The property is very close to El Castillo where you can find quite a few restaurants and a small grocery store. There are plenty of activities in the area too; we especially enjoyed the Sky Limit adventure and the hike to Lilander's waterfall. We did have some issues with the internet losing connection for a day, but it was fixed the next day. The hot water tank also ran out of propane so we had a couple of cold showers, but it was fixed as soon as we let them know. We must've missed the information when booking, but Quinn and Riley (cats) were a nice surprise. It made our stay feel more like home away from home. Definitely recommend and would stay again!
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2016
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Nov 2020
Thanks so Much for your kind Review. I am glad it all worked out!. In April, 2016, We will be living on site, so It will be easier to stay on top of things. Hope you can visit again soon!

10/10 Excellent

R C.

Lovely house in an excellent location
We only had two nights in this cottage, but it was superb. The kitchen is well equipped and the whole place was well cared for. The two cats who have made this their home made us feel particularly welcome! Fortunately Santa managed to track us down to this cottage too :-) As we are birders, we were particularly delighted with the garden and the good range of plants attracting a variety of hummingbirds (pretty much the same as those at the butterfly garden which is at the same height on the next ridge). The only difficulty was knowing which way to look! The path down the garden leads to a very peaceful spot by a stream - great for a paddle, though popular with mosquitos too. We can report that the view of the lake is indeed spectacular, but for the time we were there, the volcano was less so - we did catch glimpses of bits, but then it is Costa Rica and the weather is what it is........... For anyone planning to stay here, it's worth knowing that the approach really is quite steep and possibly manageable with 2-wheel drive (at least when it's dry), but the high clearance of a 4WD makes it a lot easier. But then we found the same for everywhere we stayed and several places we visited too.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2015
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thank you for such a glowing review. We are so happy that you enjoyed your stay and playing with our Furry Ambassadors, Quinn & Riley. We hope you got to see lots of Birds and the Toucans too! You are most welcome to return to our little corner of Paradise any time and Yes.. the off roads and driveways in Costa Rica can be a challenge, but you nailed it.. renting a 4x4 for its clearance, is the way to go.

8/10 Good

Kate T.

Charming property with amazing views
A bit hard to get to (definitely get a 4 wheel drive!) this a charming property decorated in "Tico" fashion by the owners. Charming setting, comfortable beds and a sense of really being in the jungle. Loved it!
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2016
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Nov 2020
Thanks so much for your Kind review. We will continue our work on the road in 2016 and eventually we will have all the rough parts paved. We do hope you can return when we get the new BnB open! Pura Vida

10/10 Excellent

Heather W.

AMAZING Vacation Rental!
We had an amazing stay at Hacienda Encantada. It was the perfect getaway. Very conveniently located near the national park with some great hiking. Marty and Nina were so helpful with recommendations, directions and responding to our questions/requests! We would highly recommend this place!
Response from VrboOwner on 20 Mar 2020
Thanks so much for your kind and encouraging words. We hope you will return soon!