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Casa de La Vida Grande: A Tropical Paradise in Playa Grande

Photo gallery for Casa de La Vida Grande: A Tropical Paradise in Playa Grande

Front of villa from garden walkway at twilight
View from pool towards veranda at twilight
Veranda with sitting and dining areas
Veranda sitting area on pool side
View from pool towards villa

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 12

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Pool
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Playa Grande, Guanacaste
  • Grande Beach
    ‪9 min walk‬
  • Tamarindo Beach
    ‪40 min drive‬
  • Playa Langosta
    ‪48 min drive‬
  • Tamarindo (TNO)
    ‪27 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Downstairs Guest

1 Queen Bed

Studio (Optional for Additional Fee)

1 Double Futon and 1 Double Bed

Upstairs Guest

1 Queen Bed

Upstairs Master

1 King Bed and 1 Single Futon

3 bathrooms

Downstairs

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Outdoor Shower

Shower only

Studio

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Upstairs

Towels provided · Bathtub · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Casa de La Vida Grande: A Tropical Paradise in Playa Grande

This Spanish Mediterranean-style house is located in Palm Beach Estates in Las Baulas Marine National Park in Guanacaste.

The house is a 5-minute walk to Playa Grande beach, the seasonal nesting grounds of the endangered leatherback turtle and an internationally famous surfing beach, and also to the mangrove estuary, several restaurants, a market/bar/internet cafe, and surfboard rentals and lesson providers. Tamarindo is accessible within a short walk via the beach and water taxi to cross the estuary, or in 25 minutes by car.

A separate studio apartment on the property is available as an additional rental for larger groups, or as a standalone rental for individuals and couples.

The main house has 3 bedrooms (2 upstairs, 1 downstairs), including a master bedroom with a king-size bed and full-size futon, and two bedrooms with queen-size beds. Each bedroom has its own closet with security safe and private balcony/lookout, plus a hammock on the downstairs bedroom patio. There are 2 full bathrooms, one downstairs with a double shower and one upstairs with a bathtub.

The downstairs contains a spacious open living and dining area, full kitchen with a wall oven, microwave, refrigerator/freezer with icemaker, breakfast island with gas range, dishwasher, and a study/reading room that opens up to the pool and patio area.

The upstairs has a sitting room with a 4K Smart TV, plus a full-size futon for additional sleeping space. All rooms have individually controlled air-conditioning and ceiling fans, all floors are wide Brazilian tile, and there is high-speed cable internet with a mesh WiFi network that covers the full property.

If you need additional space, we also have a studio apartment, available as a separate rental unit, which contains an additional full-size bed and futon, as well as a small kitchen, dining table, full bathroom, and Smart TV.

The outside features a large wrap-around terrace with a dining area and hammock, semi-shaded lap pool with patio and chairs, lush tropical garden with plentiful flora and full-grown trees, and an outdoor shower for rinsing off after the beach. There are plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities available right from the terrace or patio, with hundreds of birds, howler monkeys, iguanas and butterflies in the neighborhood.

Our property manager is based right in Playa Grande and readily available to assist with all aspects of your vacation, including arranging ground transportation, a private chef if desired, child care, laundry and grocery shopping services, as well as booking the many tours and activities available in the area, such as surfing, SCUBA, snorkeling, sunset sailing, deep sea fishing, horseback riding, estuary boat tours, zipline canopy tours, bike rentals, golf, tennis, turtle watching, yoga, massage and spa treatments.

Refundable damage deposit: $200

Rental rate includes daily pool cleaning, housekeeping twice per week, all linens, beach towels, and many staple items.

Main House:
Low (May-Oct): $270/night, $1600/wk
High (Nov-Apr): $300/night, $1800/wk
Holiday (New Year's, Christmas, Easter): $420/night, $2500/wk

Studio Apartment:
Low (May-Oct): $60/night, $360/wk
High (Nov-Apr): $80/night, $480/wk
Holiday: $100/night, $600/wk

Property manager

Colin Ovitsky
Premier Host

Languages

English, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs and cats (limit 2 total)
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Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

We should mention

A car is not required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Playa Grande

Located in Palm Beach Estates, a neighbourhood in Cabo Velas, this villa is in a rural area and by the sea. While the natural beauty of Conchal Beach and Tamarindo Beach can be enjoyed by anyone, those looking for an activity can explore Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course. Las Baulas National Marine Park and Monkey Park are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Playa Grande, Guanacaste

What's nearby

  • Grande Beach - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Las Baulas National Marine Park - 4 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Tamarindo Beach - 40 min drive - 17.8 km
  • Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course - 43 min drive - 23.1 km
  • Playa Langosta - 48 min drive - 20.3 km

Getting around

  • Tamarindo (TNO) - 27 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Restaurante Brisa Mar - ‬30 min drive
  • ‪Pico Bistro - ‬30 min drive
  • ‪Venezia Gelati y Café - ‬31 min drive
  • ‪Patagonia Argentinian Grill & Restaurant - ‬31 min drive
  • ‪Nari - ‬31 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Casa de La Vida Grande: A Tropical Paradise in Playa Grande have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Casa de La Vida Grande: A Tropical Paradise in Playa Grande pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 2 total).

What time is check-in at Casa de La Vida Grande: A Tropical Paradise in Playa Grande?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Casa de La Vida Grande: A Tropical Paradise in Playa Grande?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Casa de La Vida Grande: A Tropical Paradise in Playa Grande located?

Located in Palm Beach Estates, this villa is 0.5 mi (0.8 km) from Grande Beach and within 3 miles (5 km) of Las Baulas National Marine Park and Ventanas Beach. Conchal Beach and Playa Zapotillal are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 24 out of 29 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 29 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 29 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 29 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 29 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Greg S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

What an Amazing Month!

Casa de La Vida Grande is an great option if you want to stay in Palm Beach Estates!The house was well equipped and beautiful. With 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths, a well equipped kitchen, a wrap around porch (supporting outdoor living) and a pool in a private but not fully walled like some properties in the neighbor hood we could not have asked for a better option. We had two groups of Monkeys nearby that woke us every morning (we had our doors and windows open) and we had visits from an armadillo, a raccoon, several iguana's, a tree frog, a Halloween crab, a friendly neighborhood cat and numerous birds!!!The place provided beach chairs and towels as well as separate pool towels and weekly housekeeping services! Literally a 7 minute walk to the beach and probably 2 minute walk to the little market through the back shortcut. Working with Colin and Shawna was easy and pleasant. We would definitely consider returning to Casa de La Vida Grande!Greg & Janeen!
Stayed 29 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sara A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location and price point

We stayed here for a bit over a month, and it was phenomenal. The house has a really functional layout and amazing location with close walk to beach and to boat taxis (which can pick up at the Grateful Hotel to take you to Tamarindo if you want some hustle and bustle). The pool was amazing, and the included weekly cleanings were SUCH a treat. Things are a little rundown, and we encountered a dozen scorpions during our stay, but You ARE in a rainforest (just keep clothes off the ground) and, for the price point, it was totally worth it. Thank you so much for having us - we would certainly stay here again.
Stayed 35 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ian H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Space!

My family stayed for a full month. We had a great time and really enjoyed the space. Amazing pool and very close to the beach. I would highly recommend!
Stayed 30 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Alain B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Plage, nature, tranquillité et confort abordable

Le titre résume notre séjour. La villa et son annexe ont été amplement confortable pour nos 2 familles totalisant 9 personnes. Près de la plage et des commodités, nous étions dans un endroit calme tout en étant près du centre de toutes les activités. L'endroit est très bien maintenu et au besoin le service pour la villa est toujours à un appel / texto / Whats app et quelques minutes d'une réponse. Nous y retournerions sans aucun doute. Merci Colin et Shawna!
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jenna M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved our stay!

Great location to walk to beach, food, or river boat to travel from playa grande to tamarindo. Everyone in the area was so nice and welcoming. Host was amazing and easily contacted if needed. Pool was clean and plenty of towels provided.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jacqueline L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Paradise !

Very pleasant ! All my guests enjoyed their vacation ...the comfor 't of home, large space, nice environment, great tranquility, beautiful beach, without forgetting the kindness of the CostaRicans !
Stayed 30 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cheryl B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Team Sloth

The house suited our 3 generation family perfectly. The area feels safe and had everything we needed.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lisa F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice and comfy home

Location is great. Lush private yard With monkeys, and great neighborhood. Quick walk to beach or estuary for Boat rides to town for 2$. House is comfy, and as described except for only one shower working (downstairs).
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Farid F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Space for Families

Quite and beautiful Villa. Minutes walk from the immaculate beach. Lime, Coconut, and Papaya trees on property. Pool is perfect for children. Howler monkeys hung out in trees on property for several hours yesterday. Management was attentive. Can not wait to come back. Peace
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2022

6/10 Okay

Raquel C.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Un poco sucio

La propiedad es muy bonita, sin embargo pensamos que puede ser un poco mas limpia por el precio de la propiedad. Las sábanas tenían muy mal olor. La mayoría de los implementos de cocina estaban muy viejos y manchados. La refrigeradora se dañó el día que llegamos pero shawna nos resolvió rápido. Las sillas de playa también muy herrumbradas. Creo que pueden mejorar en esos detalles. La atención de Shawna fue muy buena y pronta es un punto a rescatar
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Caroline M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Stay!

My family and I stayed here for 8 days during our trip to Costa Rica. Colin's home is very comfortable (I slept great!) and had everything we needed with the exception of basic condiments which was a bit of a bummer. That said, the house is located just minutes walking distance to the beautiful Playa Grande and amazing restaurants so we ended up eating out a lot. Shawna, the property manager, was extremely helpful and available with any questions. I highly recommend choosing this house if you plan to stay here. Pura Vida!
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2021

6/10 Okay

Deiner V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Communication

Cosas por mejorar

El lugar es muy cómodo la piscina y el resto de la casa están muy bien acondicionados, en respecto a la encargada de la casa creo que le falta un poco de servicio al cliente !
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

8/10 Good

Yannid E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy

Estancia noviembre

Las instalaciones de la casa son muy bonitas, sin embargo tienen un poco descuidada pequeños detalles como los bombillos, nos indicaron que se encontraba dispositivo de sonido y no se encontró a cómo nos indicaron, la puerta del baño segundo piso no se podía cerrar de manera correcta.

10/10 Excellent

Mike S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice place.

Spacious, clean, and comfortable. Both Colin and Shawna were friendly & helpful.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2020

10/10 Excellent

Carlos S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful house for a good price

We enjoyed our stay of 4 nights, the property was spacious enough to accommodate 7 adults and 6 children. Nice pool. The property seems growing old at sight, and some appliances were not working (laundry machine, main house oven, outdoor lights, pool light, upstair bathroom had the water shower pressure too low) but didn't downside our enthusiasm and at last we had a nice and peaceful family time. Thank you Collin.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Merlan U.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excelente

La casa es tal cual sale en las fotos, súper equipada, todo funcional amplia y cerca de las mejores playas. Shawna y Jorge son muy buenos anfitriones siempre estuvieron atentos y nos resolvieron lo que ocupábamos rápidamente. Volvería sin pensarlo
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Darla W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Casa de la Vida Grande

Lovely, peaceful setting; 5 minutes to the beach and restaurants. Great holiday with our kids.

10/10 Excellent

Catherine G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing week !

We rent the house and the studio for a week for a family of 10 : 3 couples and 4 teenagers. It was perfect ! 5 minutes walk to the beach, amazing restaurants very close to the house, the pool was great and the kitchen well furnished. We really enjoyed our time here !

10/10 Excellent

Margot V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Un lugar increíble

La propiedad es muy linda, la casa es de lujo , tiene todas las comodidades una piscina y parrilla. Collin ( owner) es muy servicial y siempre contesta los. mensajes y dispuesto a ayudar. Shawna la administradora de la casa muy atenta nos explicaron muy bien todo y estaban pendientes de que nuestras vacaciones fueran un éxito
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

Maggie W.

Cas La Vida Grande

This whole area is generally pretty quiet, which we liked a lot. The locals are very friendly. We found a couple of restaurants that had really tasty and reasonably priced food. This house is well located, just a short walk from the beach. Pool, though small, was adequate and felt great on the hot afternoons. We were honestly glad to have mid-week cleaners be an option, which we did without. There were a few household items we could have used more of, but these were minor inconveniences. The house is rather low-lit, which made reading at night in some rooms a problem. Buying groceries was a bit of a hassle. Pre-stocking service was a good thing to have used, though the cost of the groceries, not including the 20% stocking fee, was way higher than I am used to paying for the same types of stuff in the U.S. We used Wil-Mart partway through our week, an online grocery delivery service with zero delivery fees. After 24 hours of mis-communications and no idea whether our order was even received, our groceries were delivered with many apologies and assurances of future better service. Prices were quite reasonable. We also restocked orange juice, beer, milk, chips, bread, etc. from the Palm Beach Market, an easy walk from the house. We thought “123” i.e this house, was a really good place for a very good price.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Mike G.

Stayed as a group of 9 including two young kids. House had everything we needed.

Stayed as a group of 9 including two young kids. House had everything we needed and the pool was great for the kids and for passing time during the hot parts of the day. Hosts were very attentive and helped us to set up activities. House is a 5 minute walk to the beach in a quiet community. A great place!
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Todd C.

Relaxing

Everything was wonderful!
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Karla M.

Relaxing vacation in secluded area

great place, very clean, well equipped house/kitchen. Very good location
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Vanessa G., Canada

Great location and ideal house for family vacation

We travelled to Costa Rica with our 3 sons (ages 7, 6, 4) and my parents. For 4 adults and 3 kids, the house was ideal for us. The proximity to the ocean (only a few minutes walk), as well as our own pool was great. This allowed us to have the best of both worlds - ocean time and pool time. The house had lots of room, with a layout that worked really nicely. The rooms were quite spacious so it allowed all three boys to share one room. It was mostly stocked with everything we needed. The few items that were lacking (towels, plates) were dealt with by the Manager within a day or so. We used the BBQ almost every night, except when it did run out of propane. The Manager had a full tank there two days later, which worked out fine. The house itself was very nicely built. We loved all the wood features. The kitchen was in need of some repair from wear and tear. We have made this suggestion to the Manager, so hopefully it will be dealt with in the near future. The yard was fabulous and offered tons of room for our boys to play and explore. The outdoor shower was a great feature as we could shower off after the beach or pool. The WiFi was pretty sketchy for the first day or two, but seemed to work fine for the rest of the trip. In terms of things to do: We spent several days at the ocean. We rented boogie boards and a surfboard from the hostel in Palm Beach Estates - a very inexpensive way to have a great time in the water! We did a one day trip to Rincon de la Vieja. We were able to find our way to the Las Pailas entrance, and did a few hours of hiking up there – great scenery and really neat for the kids to see the mud pots, steam vents and monkeys. We did a day exploring Playa Flamingo and Playa Conchal. We did some snorkeling at Playa Conchal. In Brasilito we stumbled upon a local whose uncle owned a fishing boat, so we ended up going fishing for half a day with the family. We stumbled upon another local while walking around Tamarindo who took our family on a bit of a private turtle watching tour. We went to the Saturday morning market in Tamarindo – great place to get beaded jewellery, crafts, and fruit. We did several sunsets on the beach. The proximity of the house to the beach made this a perfect way to end the evening before heading back to the house for supper. We did the 2 hour estuary tour from Bula Bula. It was pretty good, as we saw a crocodile, lots of birds, and monkeys. And finally, we enjoyed happy hour drinks at Bula Bula.
Stayed 9 nights in Feb 2016
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Rachel A.

Quiet and convenient location

This spacious home with an in ground pool was perfect for our week-long stay in Costa Rica. There were only two of us, so we kept to the first floor. The kitchen is well-appointed, and the open floor plan made it convenient for talking while preparing meals. The bed was comfortable, which is rare in a rental. The home was clean, and the cleaning people came in twice during our stay. It's a short walk to the beach, where there's miles of walking, great shell collecting, and access to the water taxis to Tamarindo (in case you want to remind yourself why you booked in Playa Grande, which is the polar opposite in terms of crowding than Tamarindo). This is a popular surfing beach, but with so much room, I had no problems swimming in the surf. People spread out nicely. Going to the beach at sunset is a treat. It's the busiest time of the day, where most residents make the short walk to witness the end of the day. If you plan to walk after dark, bring a light so you can find your way back to the access path. We didn't one night, and fortunately found a home with the lights on so we could pass through and find our rental. Being on the beach in the darkness was a sky-gazing treat. There's a small convenience store around the corner, and a couple of restaurants you can walk to. In spite of this, the neighborhood is very quiet. The road in is fairly rough, but easily navigable with a rental car. We opted for all wheel drive, and weren't disappointed. As bird watchers, we were amazed at the diversity in the neighborhood. We had 9 lifers before we finished our coffee the first morning. The Super Mega market has signs all over the place, but they are out of business. The nearest supermarket is in Tamarindo, which is about a 15 minute drive. I'd recommend the 1820 coffee, it was better than anything you'll get at home, and very inexpensive. Plan on buying drinking water, since the homes in this area of Costa Rica use holding tanks. We did drink the tap water without impact, but it has a bit of a stale taste. The property manager was attentive and responsive. The coffee pot died on our first day, and they had a replacement there within an hour of our informing them. The directions to find the house are difficult to follow. Road signs in Costa Rica are scarce and often inaccurate. We ended up using Waze on our iPhone to get around. The internet connection was slow, and didn't travel far. This may be the router, or the connection.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2016

About the host

Hosted by Colin Ovitsky

Host profile image
My brother and I live in Massachusetts and are co-owners of this property. Our father, a veterinarian, purchased the land in 2004 upon becoming enamored with Costa Rica during his first visit to Playa Grande. Along with a professional architect, and after many months of research and searching for materials throughout Costa Rica, he designed the house using his own background in architecture, which he had studied prior to turning his focus to veterinary medicine.

The house was constructed throughout 2005 and 2006 and was completed in February 2007, with our father spending at least one week per month there to supervise and participate directly in the construction. Sadly, he passed away in May 2008 and did not have much time to enjoy the results of his labor, but the house stands as a testament to the many years of passion, dedication and effort he poured into it.

Our father loved hosting groups of guests at his home for dinners, dancing and relaxing, and made a point to head to the beach every evening for the beautiful Playa Grande sunsets. While we are unable to spend much time there ourselves, we are honored to continue our father's legacy, and hope you will find Casa de La Vida Grande (as he named it) the perfect destination for your Costa Rica vacation.

Languages:

English, Spanish

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests