Steps away from beautiful Penca Beach

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Entire home

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 4111.5 sq m

Popular amenities

Parking available
Dryer
Washer
Kitchen
Gym
Air conditioning

Explore the area

Potrero, Guanacaste

Penca Beach
‪1 min walk‬
Playa Prieta
‪13 min walk‬
Playa Potrero
‪4 min drive‬
Tamarindo (TNO)
‪38 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 2

1 Single Bunk Bed

Master Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Balcony

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining area

About this property

Highly sought after location! Just north of Tamarindo and across the bay from Flamingo Beach is the small coastal town of Potrero and Penca Beach. This smartly furnished, 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom house is a 2 minute walk to Penca Beach - one of Guanacaste’s most beautiful white sand beaches. Snorkel, skimboard, jog, swim, beachcomb, wade in tidepools or simply sunbathe and enjoy the gorgeous scenery by day, watch a different spectacular sunset every evening and stargaze by night. The sound of the surf will lull you sleep in this home built on stilts, nestled in the greenbelt tree canopy - A great place to relax with window seats to view monkeys, birds and iguanas or take a siesta. If you want to experience the real Costa Rica look no further. This is "Pura Vida" defined! Get to know the local culture in Potrero, where you can practice your Spanish on friendly Ticos, join in a soccer game or hit the Farmer’s Market Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There are 3 grocery stores and 3 restaurants within a 5 minute walk from the house. To the north is the Las Catalinas township where you can explore other beautiful beaches, enjoy a gourmet lunch, rent SUP boards, snorkeling equipment & mountain bikes to ride on their trails. Public transportation bus stops within easy walking distance. Private and shared tours and transportation available.

Property manager

Melissa Chellemi

Premier Host

Languages

English, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Gym

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 20

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas

Guests or visitors of renters, must be pre approved by owner to protect our property and renters safety.

Guest must provide owner with estimated arrival time. No check in between 10pm and 5am.

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

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 indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock

About the area

Potrero

Tempate is home to this holiday home. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Playa Potrero and Flamingo Beach. Haras del Mar Equestrian Center and Diamante Eco Adventure Park are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Potrero, Guanacaste

What's nearby

Penca Beach - 1 min walk - 0.2 km
Playa Prieta - 13 min walk - 1.2 km
Playa Potrero - 4 min drive - 2.0 km
Flamingo Beach - 13 min drive - 6.0 km
Conchal Beach - 58 min drive - 22.0 km

Getting around

Tamarindo (TNO) - 38 min drive

Restaurants

‪Coco Loco Bar & Restaurant - ‬11 min drive
‪Las Brisas - ‬6 min walk
‪Amigos Tacos y Beer - ‬9 min drive
‪Gracia - ‬12 min drive
‪Soda Marcell - ‬8 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Steps away from beautiful Penca Beach pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Steps away from beautiful Penca Beach?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Steps away from beautiful Penca Beach?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Steps away from beautiful Penca Beach located?

Situated in Tempate, this holiday home is within 1 mi (2 km) of Potrero Bay and Playa Potrero. Penca Beach and Playa Prieta are also within 15 minutes.

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Joel W.

22 March 2025

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

Perfect Beach Getaway!

Spent a week at this clean, well decorated and comfortable beach house within walking minutes to Playa Penca and Playa Prieta. Melissa and Richard were fantastic hosts and were truly a pleasure to chat with and made us feel very much at home during our stay. I am already missing our mornings drinking coffee on the front porch admiring their beautiful landscaping while planning our daily adventures. Without question we will definitely be back!

Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Bruce S.

15 March 2025

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

Fun at Playa Penca

We enjoyed our stay at this property a short walk from the beach, a few restaurants, and a small grocery store. Much more a short drive away without the hustle and bustle. Hosts Melissa and Richard were friendly and helpful.

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Shari N.

7 March 2025

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

Simply relaxing retreat

This stay and experience was great for us. Nice, clean comfortable house tucked in along the access road to Playa Penca. Steps away from the incredibly beautiful beach. If looking for a private, slow paced, relaxing experience- this is it. The setting is a small beach town in a Costa Rican community. It is not a resort area. With a car you can get to resort areas, shopping and adventure activities.We did not have a car, but we found that most activities/ tours would pick us up and drop us back off. There are a few local places to eat and a wonderful gelato shop within easy walking distance. But access to groceries limited. You will want to plan arrangements to pick up groceries on your way in. The Hosts will help with suggestions for groceries and activities. Be sure to talk to them before you arrive. The Hosts were super friendly, helpful and responsive if we needed anything. Melissa introduced us to the mountain road "power walk". Their cats and dogs were very friendly too.This house is quite accessible and would be easy for most people get around in. Small ramp to the front porch, barrier free walk in shower , pretty much all one level.We enjoyed bird watching, monkey visits and other wildlife encounters from the back screened in room and the front porch. Kitchen had what we needed for simple meal prep.The WiFi was great.Having access to laundry room was VERY appreciated since we had been traveling around for a week prior to arriving at the house.

Stayed 9 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey P.

21 February 2025

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

Perfecto.

The location is perfect. Melissa and Richard are wonderful and gracious. It made the trip everything we could have hoped for. Pure Vida!

Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michel G.

17 February 2025

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

Perfect place

Very confy houseFully equiped and very prettyQuiet , the perfect place to go

Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jane T.

5 February 2025

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

We Want To Go Back!!!

We stayed for 7 days with our family of 5. The house was perfect with 3 young kids. The beach a few steps away was our favorite out of all the ones we visited in the area. The sunsets were spectacular. We woke up one morning seeing 18 howler monkeys climb through the trees at sunrise and that is something we will never forget! The location cannot be beat, and the shops and restaurants a few steps away make grabbing a meal a breeze. It was a magical and peaceful stay!

Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brad G.

19 January 2025

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

Outstanding Home Away From Home in Potrero

Melissa and Richard were incredible hosts and every part of this property is spectacular. The home itself is beautiful and cared for very well. The sunroom was our favourite space to spend time in the mornings and evenings, listening to the birds and howler monkeys. The proximity to the beach is remarkable. The local community offers a number of great restaurants and gelato which is a short walk from the house. Thank you for providing a great stay, we will definitely be back on our next visit to Costa Rica!

Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nancy D.

17 January 2025

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

Penca/Portrero

This property is perfect for so many! Birdwatchers, beach lovers, get away from super touristy spots with great local restaurants but close enough to drive to more “popular spots.” Casa Canciones is beautifully maintained, spotless inside and located on an amazing property where we saw so many incredible birds,iguanas and a couple monkeys from the screened in porch! All just about a block from the beach. We highly recommend this home. The owners are close by and so responsive.

Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Terrence

7 January 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, communication

Stayed 9 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicolas S.

14 December 2024

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

Awesome

Awesome family location.

Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

anna R.

6 December 2024

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

Great house

Melissa was great. She went out of her way to help us and was there for any questions we had. We enjoyed walks to the beach, seeing animals in the backyard and exploring the town.

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amy W.

8 August 2024

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

One of our favourite places

We spent three weeks here this year, after spending about 10 days last year. We were so glad we went back as this is truly one of our favourite spots in the world, just a short walk to beautiful and quiet beaches, and surrounded by trees and wildlife including howler monkeys. We love being a little off the beaten track but still within walking distance of great restaurants and shops, and a short drive from bigger towns like Flamingo and Tamarindo. Melissa and Richard are perfect hosts.

Stayed 21 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Inka H.

12 July 2024

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

Lovely house by the sea

We had a perfect stay at this wonderful house very close to Playa Penca. There was nothing we missed. The house is fully equipped, very comfortable and neat. Thanks to Melissa and Richard who were very kind hosts.

Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

James S.

24 June 2024

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

Great house and great host

Great house in a wonderful location. Located a little away from the tourist areas it offers an amazing local feel. The beach is a short walk away and is quiet, more picturesque, and with far fewer people than other beaches in the area. The food at the local restaurants is amazing, the people are phenomenal, and the host is awesome! Book it, but dont tell too many people!

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tara P.

13 June 2024

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

Incredible Beach Experience

We loved this little house. It’s perfectly positioned, just a short walk from the beach. My kids started and ended the day surfing massive waves. Most of the time, we had the beach to ourselves, which was nice. Our house was beautiful and had everything we needed to rest up daily. The back porch is screened in with cushions, so that was a great place to relax after a long day. Michael and Melissa were wonderful and provided great suggestions. The resident dogs and cats were family favorites. We’ve missed them since we left. During our stay, we saw the local Howler family, a giant iguana, giant land crabs, squirrels, and motmots. We snorkeled in Conchal, and traveled to Tamarindo and Playa Negro for day trips. We enjoyed our nightly walk to the gelato shop, and my son had the best nachos of his life at La Jamba. Just an amazing start to our trip! We are excited to return next year!

Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Corey G.

6 June 2024

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

Excellent

I do not think, there are more hospitable host! Melissa went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed. The house was just the right size for my wife and I and two teenaged boys. The location is great. I would and hopefully will, stay here again.

Stayed 4 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tracey S.

21 May 2024

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

Amazing Property

We stayed at a resort for a work event the first half of the trip and wanted a less touristy area for the second half. We got exactly what we wanted with this property! Penca Beach was a short walk to the end of the street and many restaurants at the other end. We enjoyed the back porch and loved listening to the wildlife.The owners and caretaker were very quick to communicate, yet we felt like we had the property to ourselves most of the time. What a wonderful visit. Would definitely recommend!

Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Meg L.

23 March 2024

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

Wonderful Family Vacation

We had an incredible time during our stay! We had everything we needed and the proximity to the beach was fantastic. Our hosts were extremely helpful when we had a questions. The property was well maintained, and loved the back screened in porch. We would love to come back!

Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gordon P.

14 March 2024

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

Peaceful and relaxing

A tranquil oasis with beautiful house and grounds. Melissa was a lovely host who made herself available to answer any questions and even arranged our transportation to and from the airport. This is an ideally located property with respect to proximity to the beautiful beach and the quaint town. First class

Stayed 10 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ekaterina g., Parker, CO

4 March 2024

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

Amazing stay

We are very happy with our stay at Penca Beach guesthouse! Hosts went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and comfortable at their property. Lots of useful tips about local shops, restaurants and activities. After exploring the other beach towns we were so glad we chose Potrero, it was more authentic and not so busy yet had everything we were looking for - nice beach, farmers markets, decent local and international restaurants. Thank you Melissa for your hospitality!

Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christy R., HAMMOND

3 March 2024

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

Slice of Paradise

We wanted our first trip to Costa Rica away from the super touristy areas, this fit the bill. The house is nestled in the trees with monkeys and iguanas to watch almost daily. It is 150 yards from Playa Penca(a wonderful quiet beach) and close to restaurants, farmers markets, and small grocery stores. The house is well appointed with everything we needed for a week. Very clean with comfortable beds. Michelle and Richard were always available and quick to respond. The week was "Pura Vida".

Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristen R.

26 February 2024

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

Lovely stay in Penca

The location was great! We walked the 2-3 minutes down to beach access driveway to Penca Beach and were shocked we had the beach mostly to ourselves. Don’t miss the sunset from the beach, it was STUNNING! The property and home were well cared for. We enjoyed seeing giant iguanas and birdwatching from the home’s screen porch. No monkeys were visiting while we stayed, but we loved all the wildlife we did see. The owners and caretaker were very attentive and helpful, and the small tech issue we had, was worked out quickly. We enjoyed the local restaurants, and found it easy to take quick trips to Playa Flamingo and Playa Conchal from this lovely home. Would love to come back soon! Thank you

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mandy D.

18 February 2024

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

Wonderful vacation!

Such a lovely stay. Tucked away is beautiful Penca Beach, you can hear the waves from the back porch. We loved the porch area, having coffe in the mornings listening to all the different birds and the monkeys. Everything we needed was within walking distance. Melissa was so kind and so helpful with anything we needed. We were so comfortable here. The house is beautiful and fully furnished. All you need to bring is your clothes. She even hooked us up with a local driver to explore the area. We loved our stay here and will recommend this property again and again . Thank you Melissa!

Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gus S.

5 February 2024

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

Fantastic vacation

Our first time in Costa Rica and it's hard to imagine how it could have been better. Great location, welcoming and helpful hosts, comfortable living and so much to see! Thank you, Melissa and Richard, for helping make our stay so enjoyable. Hope to see you again!

Stayed 9 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Maggie S.

25 January 2024

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

Perfect, stress-free retreat!

The location is perfect-easy walk to Playas Penca, Potrero and Prieta. The home is charming and elegant but very comfortable. We had everything we needed. Well equipped to cook in, but also within walking distance of restaurants, sodas and groceries. Melissa and Richard were perfect hosts - non-intrusive yet always available. Definitely rated 11 out of 10!

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

About the host

Hosted by Melissa Chellemi

Owners, Melissa and Richard Chellemi, live on site and are personally available to welcome your arrival, offer local knowledge and assistance with logistics, tours and activities. When away they will have someone available to offer same hospitality.
Melissa and Richard have lived full time in Costa Rica for over 32 years. They are in the charter fishing business.

Why they chose this property

We fell in love with Penca Beach at first sight. We purchased the property and built our home there 27 years ago. The back of our property borders a greenbelt with beautiful trees that host monkeys, tropical bird species and iguana. Our now young adult children were born and raised in Potrero Costa Rica. We have close personal relationships with all of the Costa Rican families on our street and in our neighborhood. We have enjoyed being an active part of our community for years. We built the new guest house on our property so that we could host and share this beautiful place with others.

What makes this property unique

The property is built with security in mind. Owners live on site year around in main house and a caretaker also resides on site in separate house. Property is gated with space for guests to park at least two cars inside.

Languages:

English, Spanish

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests

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Steps away from beautiful Penca Beach

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Reviews

Popular amenities

Explore the area

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 4)

Bedroom 2

Master Bedroom

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Spaces

About this property