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BEACHFRONT HAVEN OFFERS JOYFUL ONE OF A KIND HOLIDAY JUST STEPS FROM THE OCEAN

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Property grounds
The colors of the house and the tropical garden blend into one seamless world.
View from inside; our beach is directly in front of the house!
View of living and dining area from stairs. Underneath are books and games.
Welcome baskets with local goodies await you; need a shopper for hire? Just ask!

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms4+ bathroomsSleeps 8278.7 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Esterillos Oeste, Puntarenas
  • Esterillos Beach
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Playa Esterillos Este
    ‪14 min drive‬
  • Bejuco Beach
    ‪16 min drive‬
  • Quepos (XQP)
    ‪55 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

1 Single Bed and 1 Single Murphy Bed

4 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 4

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

BEACHFRONT HAVEN OFFERS JOYFUL ONE OF A KIND HOLIDAY JUST STEPS FROM THE OCEAN

Casa Sirena (The Mermaid's House)

Setting:
Located just 10 steps from our property is the beautiful beach of Esterillos Oeste. The house is on a small dirt road directly across from the beach.

House:
All of the wood work in our beach house is handcrafted from tropical hardwoods. To protect the forests we used only timber from fallen trees. All countertops and sinks are hand built from colored concrete. The house is two stories with three bedrooms and two full baths upstairs and two beds with one large full bath downstairs. Each of the bedrooms upstairs has a queen sized bed with the largest bedroom having an additional twin bed. Two bedrooms upstairs share one large bathroom, each with its own entrance. There is abundant closet and drawer space. The linens and mattresses are of the highest quality. Each bedroom has air conditioning and a ceiling fan. With the windows open, you can be lulled to sleep by the sound of the sea.

More house details:
The first floor houses the kitchen, dining room and living room areas which are spacious and comfortable. There is wireless internet.

The full kitchen is equipped with appliances and everything one would need to prepare meals. The dining room table seats 12 comfortably.

With the downstairs doors open you have a perfect view of the coconut palms on the beach. Throughout the house is air conditioning and ceiling fans. There is a fully equipped laundry room just off of the kitchen.

Grounds:
Outside there is a pool and a covered rancho with a sink and simple barbecue. Convenient to the kitchen, this is a fun area for socializing. Imagine lounging in the pool sipping a margarita, hearing the ocean and the calls of the scarlet macaws eating in the nearby trees. Butterflies flutter and iguanas sun. Coconut palm trees are everywhere giving shade and fresh coconut meat.

Our caretaker, Lilliam, lives on the property and is available when needed. She
cleans the pool early each morning and will prepare typical foods or clean for an additional fee.

Great for entertaining, our house is perfect for large families gatherings, a reunion of friends, or just a quiet getaway. We have hosted proposals, honeymoons, anniversaries and birthdays.

Esterillos beach is "off the beaten path", far from the over developed tourist spots. It can be perfect for surfing and boogie boarding and at other times, great for swimming and playing in the water. You will quickly get to know the ocean's tides so that you can have those favorite beach experiences each day of your stay.

You will love the long and beautiful beach where you can walk for miles in either direction. Close by on the beach there are many large tide pools perfect for children (and adults) to swim in, snorkel or just relax and watch the ocean. The tide pools were formed by lava overflow and you may find some fossils! There are beautiful and varied shells making for fantastic beach combing. There is a majestic mermaid statue right on the beach that has become an icon of the wonderful Esterillos Oeste.

Esterillos Oeste is a 2 hour drive from the airport on the Central Pacific coast. It is a small, typical village on a tranquil beach just 20 minutes south of the town of Jaco. There you will find casinos, restaurants of all types, shops, bars, jazz and lots of night-life.

Forty minutes south of Esterillos is the town of Quepos and the world famous Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the finest rain forest parks in the country. It is home to a large diversity of wildlife including two species of monkeys, one of which is very rare and uses its bushy tail for balance. There are turtles, many birds and a sloth trail. It is a great place for hiking and has beautiful white sand beaches. There are some incredible views from high up on the rocky cliffs a ways into the jungle.

Other activities in the Esterillos area include:

Zip lining
Monkey tours
Birdwatching
Mangrove bird watching
Deep sea fishing
Scuba diving
Surfing
Surfing lessons
Horseback jungle tours
Horseback beach tours
Boogie boarding
Snorkeling
Massage
And more- if you don't find it in this list, just ask.

Casa Sirena is a perfect home base to enjoy the wide variety of activities in the area or just chill beach side, enjoy the pool, boogie board or watch the sunset.

We prefer to rent to conscientious people who have respect for nature and will treat our home as if it were their own.

Please review our rental agreement and cancellation policy.

Please read this Important information from Casa Sirena:

Dear Visitors,

We are so happy you are considering renting our property on beautiful, secluded Esterillos Oeste beach in the small town of Parrita. It’s a truly special place and we love to share it.

We do everything in our power to ensure that you have a terrific stay, from beginning to end.
Our caretaker lives on the property and is there to help you settle in and enjoy your stay. She is in regular communication with Emily, the owner and together they answer questions and solve any problems that might arise. This doesn’t happen often but it can occur. The house is in a secluded area right on the beach in the small town of a second world country.

There are certain things out of our control and should there be an unforeseen circumstance, we will do everything in our power to remedy it as quickly as possible, however please do not expect first world solutions to be available 100% of the time. * This does not apply to medical care which IS always within reach.

We are here to help you have a blast and while we can’t guarantee that, for example, it won’t rain, we do provide books and games and a cozy environment to entertain you until it stops!

Please feel free to ask any questions you might have.

Kind regards,
Emily

Property manager

Emily Gassenheimer de Friedlander
Premier Host

Languages

English, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
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

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
The Costa Rican government charges a 13% tax on the total amount of each rental.
There is an additional $50.00 charge per night per person over 6 people. There is a cleaning fee of 150.00.
The house is in a secluded area right on the beach in the small town of a second world country. Problems can arise; if so we are here to remedy.

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
Safety features at this property include a deadlock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Parrita

Located in Parrita, this holiday home is on the beach. Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Pacific Park and Canopy Vista Los Suenos Adventure Park are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Neo Fauna and La Iguana Chocolate. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Esterillos Oeste, Puntarenas

What's nearby

  • Esterillos Beach - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Playa Esterillos Este - 14 min drive - 8.3 km
  • Hermosa Beach - 15 min drive - 6.7 km
  • Bejuco Beach - 16 min drive - 9.6 km
  • Jacó Beach - 25 min drive - 22.0 km

Getting around

  • Quepos (XQP) - 55 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪El Chiringuito - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Bar Y Mariscos La Hawaianas - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪El Podio - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Los Almendros Restaurant - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Restaurante y Pizzería El Maná - ‬10 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does BEACHFRONT HAVEN OFFERS JOYFUL ONE OF A KIND HOLIDAY JUST STEPS FROM THE OCEAN have a pool?

Yes, this property has a pool.

Is BEACHFRONT HAVEN OFFERS JOYFUL ONE OF A KIND HOLIDAY JUST STEPS FROM THE OCEAN pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at BEACHFRONT HAVEN OFFERS JOYFUL ONE OF A KIND HOLIDAY JUST STEPS FROM THE OCEAN?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at BEACHFRONT HAVEN OFFERS JOYFUL ONE OF A KIND HOLIDAY JUST STEPS FROM THE OCEAN?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is BEACHFRONT HAVEN OFFERS JOYFUL ONE OF A KIND HOLIDAY JUST STEPS FROM THE OCEAN located?

Nestled on the beach, this Parrita holiday home is steps from Esterillos Beach and 2.1 mi (3.4 km) from Hermosa Beach. Playa Esterillos Este and Bejuco Beach are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.8

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. 95 out of 103 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 103 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 103 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 103 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 103 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Vanessa W.

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

Excellent

Excellent place to stay, steps from the beach, friendly people, landlord has great communication and caretaker Liliam is amazing ! I highly recommend, AC, pool and beautiful views!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Janet J.

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

Total relaxation!

Pool time every day with time also spent on the beach, which is basically the front yard!!Short walk to excellent restaurants!!
Stayed 8 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Bill S.

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

Paradise

Incredible stay in paradise. We loved everything about it. Plenty of room. Air conditioning worked well. Lillian the care taker was around to help. She was a delight. Loved our mostly private beach. The pool was also nice. Lots of surprises made it special. Would recommend it and stay again.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2025

6/10 Okay

Kate L.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location

Esterillos beach

The location is excellent. Esterillos beach is spectacular! Lilliam the caretaker was sweet and very helpful. If you need help getting around, surfing or expeditions you should reach out to Jorge and his wife who own Aloha Surf and are also the caretakers of the turtle sanctuary!
Stayed 35 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nina W.

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

Beachfront Paradise!

Casa Sirena is truly wonderful, and we appreciate Emily sharing her little slice of paradise with us. The house is right on the sandy beach, and we enjoyed boogie boarding and playing in the waves for hours and hours! The water is warm and the waves are perfect! We also enjoyed a nice walks (maybe an hour round trip to the mermaid statue and good tide pooling). The beach is not crowded, and it was so relaxing.The house is very nice. There was plenty of space for our family of 5, and it has a homey feel. The pool and yard (and shower!) are lovely. The house is clean and has enough pots and pans and things to cook. We cooked several simple meals. We also enjoyed a couple of wonderful meals at Los Almendros in town. Lilliam was also great helping us.Emily was wonderful giving us advice on activities. We did a waterfall tour (with Costa Rica Waterfall tours) and also ziplining (with Canopy Safaris). Both were great! We ventured down to Manuel Antonio area (but not the park itself). We were so glad we stayed in Estilleros where we could get away from the crowds and relax! We also took surfing lessons with Jorge at Aloha Surf. It was good for our beginner group. Lastly, we had massages at the house (enjoyed by all!) This was a wonderful vacation!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Divya B.

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

Great location

Pros: house is right on beach, near a small town, non touristy but has the necessary facilities. There is a cute little soaking pool and convenient shower in the front yard. The house has hammocks, boogie boards, sand toys, beach chairs, beach towels. No life jackets.All bedrooms and living room have powerful air conditioning. Kitchen is well equipped with basic condiments. (Buy water and coffee)Tons of books for adults and kids, tons of games.There is a caretaker who stays on the property and handles cleaning and cooking if you ask for it. She set up hammocks for us, helped understand the washer dryer functions etc. It’s all very informal, non-businesslike, just tip her what you feel is the right amount.Owner was very responsive, friendly and helpful. We had started texting on WhatsApp before the stay and she had great recommendations.Kids enjoyed all the books and games immensely.Cons: not cons really but things that are good to know. Liliana the caretaker doesn’t speak English, be prepared with google translate app on your phone if you don’t know Spanish. Water pressure in old houses can be finicky when multiple showers and washer are running and Bathrooms don’t have air conditioning. Expect some bugs etc, it’s tropics after all. Power outages are not uncommon. Beach is not private but definitely not like a commercial beach. We saw tons of local families during Easter week. There is no TV in the house(to me that was a pro). I would love to visit again!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lauren L.

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

Casa Sirena

Beautiful location. Lilliam and her family take wonderful care of property and so helpful. Emily very responsive and helpful all recommendations spot on. Our family had a wonderful stay
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Terri R.

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

Excellent beach stay

Great beach location. Close to Manuel Antonio Park for a day trip. House is beautiful and loved the pool to cool off in.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Pablo G., San Jose, CA, US

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

Great place to enjoy Costa Rica

Nice location to stay on the pacific coast. Great beach and close to waterfalls, rain forest and places to vist or eat. Housekeeper was the best, make sure to get to know her and her son.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Thomas H., Seattle, WA USA

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

Lovely stay at the beach

Great location and its proximity to the beach couldn't be better. Emily, the host, and Liliam, the caretaker, couldn't have been more helpful and responsive. My only regret is that we left our portable bluetooth speaker at home!
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Mark B.

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

Wonderful Location

It is impossible to find a better location. The house is right across a gravel road from a beach that spans for miles. Sunsets can be seen from the palm trees.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Patricia H.

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

Beach

We love the beach house and the pool.
Stayed 12 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

susan m.

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

Pura Vida at its finest

We have been to CR 8 times and Casa Sirena is as good as it gets. Loved it and hoping to return soon.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Boba S.

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

Beach paradise!

All my family of 6 enjoyed this beautiful house with a lot of character. Beach was just steps away and the shade underneath the palms, on the grass, the best!! Our housekeeper was amazing, putting the hammocks and chairs for us and all other little things that make your stay one to remember. Emily, our host, was so easy to communicate with and so helpful with organization of our tours and transport. Thank you Emily, we will be back for sure!
Stayed 8 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael M.

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

Amazing!

10/10 - best case scenario. Amazing house right on the beach in an amazing small town. I cannot recommend this place highly enough.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Renee D.

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

Paradise in Esterillos

This house is a beautiful spot on the beach. Highlights were the house caretaker who put out hammocks and a table and chairs every day for us on the beach. The fresh cerviche you can buy on the beach every day was the best! Also someone comes buy every day to buy fresh bread! This was my first time in Costa Rica and it was very warm every day. Thanks for sharing your piece of a beautiful oasis!
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

michelle z., Boston, MA

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

Relaxing Costa Rica Stay

With AC in every bedroom, a fully stocked kitchen and lots of beach equipment, my family had lots of fun at Casa Sirena. Lilliam, the caretaker, set up hammocks by the beach and cleaned the pool daily. Emily, the owner, was incredibly helpful at recommending and booking fantastic excursions that we all enjoyed. As easy 1.5 hr drive from San Jose, the house was in a great location to explore the wonders of the Pacific coast. Pura Vida!
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kara A.

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

Beautiful

We had such an Amazing time! The beach was just a few steps away and we had it almost to ourselves. Emily and Lilliam were absolutely amazing to deal with. It was central to everything we needed. It was a dream vacation. Lilliam helped with set up on the beach which the house had everything we needed for that. She helped us with meals and laundry and fresh made juices and coconuts. Emily arranged for massages for us on the beach which were so relaxing. kids loved boogie boarding and surfing. Everyone was very friendly. I think my whole family would love to come back.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lindsey S.

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

Paradise!

We had the best time at Casa Sirena! This was my 3rd and favorite time to Costa Rica. Emily was so easy to communicate with and made sure it was an unforgettable week for all of us. We went fishing with Javier, had traditional casada made in the house with the red snapper we caught and enjoyed every minute of our stay! We loved the hammocks on the beach, the swimming pool was the perfect size for our kids (ages 7-12). The beach is basically in the front yard and most days we had it completely to ourselves. We will always remember our stay at Casa Sirena!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Grant S.

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

Lovely Beach Getaway

Perfectly located house in an area that lent intself to the experience of being a local for a week. The responsiveness was extraordinary!! On-site housekeeper was kind and always tidying the grounds. The house had everything one needs. Just a few minor non-working parts (EX: one of the master sink faucets did not work, but was not a big deal). The proximity to the ocean couldn't have been better- so much space to spread out for privacy when travelling with others. Thank you for a wonderful experience. You were a fabulous host!
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Bret M.

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

Fun in the Sun!

We've been home for a couple weeks now and we are still talking about what a great experience we had at this rental... The location is ideal, nice and quiet but still a quick walk or drive into the small town of Oeste where you can find several good restaurants, groceries and friendly locals. The house itself is very unique, lots of tropical landscaping for privacy and shade with a small splash pool out front. We have stayed in a lot of rental homes in CR over the years and I have to say this was a favorite... a well stocked kitchen and lots of books and art to peruse made it feel very homey. Highly recommended for surfers, naturalists or other thoughtful travelers. Thank you so much for opening your home to us and we will be back again some day!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Thomas M., San Diego

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

Truly an amazing experience!

We stayed at Casa Sirena for a week for a small family reunion. The host, Emily, is wonderful. She gave us loads of fantastic recommendations for local things to do and places to eat- all of her suggestions were spot on. She even went above and beyond by helping us book an excursion that we loved! The ziplining and mangrove monkey tour were huge hits with my family (kids and adults). Emily made sure we had everything we needed for an incredible trip! The house is literally on the beach! The water is warm and there are fantastic waves for surfing and boogie boarding. We also enjoyed sitting out in the hammocks, swimming in the pool, walking on the beach, playing in the waves, and having a bonfire. Inside the house is clean and spacious, with an open-concept floor plan and a huge fully equipped kitchen. Each evening we enjoyed family time and games (provided)! The house is in a great location with easy access to Jaco, Quepos, and Manual Antonio. To take things to the next level, Casa Sirena has an on-site caretaker, Lilliam. She is kind, generous, helpful, attentive, and respectful of privacy. She’s also a very talented cook! Lilliam and her sweet family made our stay so memorable- almost like we were visiting family! On our last night in Costa Rica, she prepared a mouth-watering homemade meal of red snapper caught locally with gourmet salad and authentic ceviche. It was our favorite thing we ate all week. The combination of these factors make C
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cindy N.

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

Incredible stay in Esterillos Oeste

I stayed here for 7 days in Jan/24 and had a fantastic experience. I'd definitely go back and highly recommend it!! Located on a quieter stretch of the beach, some days I was alone in the water! Got busier on weekends as the beach is open to locals, but never did I feel it was crowded or unsafe. I had no trouble finding it with the directions Emily gave me. Kitchen is large with every small appliance imaginable. Washer/dryer came in handy. A/C in each room worked well. Boogie boards, towels & chairs for the beach. Even a bunch of sand sets for little kids. 2 small grocery stores within walking distance (maybe 10 minute walk or just a 1-2 minute drive) with bread, milk, eggs, fruit, pop/soda, ice-cream, cookies, yogurt, chips, butter etc. Lots of other spots to get groceries a short drive along the main highway, so food was easy. Lots of good restaurants within walking distance or a short drive away. Black sand beach that's very clean and wide. The waves/surf were constant and pretty strong, but in a good way. There's a very long/wide shallow part, so even though I'm short, I was able to walk far into the water and have fun for hours using the boogie board while still feeling safe . Just be smart and use common sense Emily is a great host in constant touch if I needed any help like booking excursions (like fishing which I've never done before!). Liliana (the caretaker) and her son Justin were fantastic and made me feel like I was part of their family.
Stayed 8 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bruce K.

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

Rustic Perfection

For two over-the-hill brothers and their three adults sons this was a perfect bonding experience. Being able to walk out the front door and jump into the ocean to surf or boogie board made this a great location. The town of Oeste Estrillos was an authentic, local experience. The super mercado in town had everything we needed and Los Almendros restaurant quickly became our favorite restaurant with great atmosphere and excellent cuisine. The town is also perfectly located between Jaco and Quepos where we found plenty of activities to enjoy. The Park at Ocean Ranch was our favorite. We chose the half day experience combining waterfall rappelling, zip lining and ATV. What a blast. At 75, standing the top of the waterfall, I came very close to turning tail but I sucked it up and enjoyed a bucket list experience I never would have thought to put on it. Their catamaran party boat out of Quepos was another highlight. A fun, relaxing time whale watching, snorkeling and jumping/diving into the ocean. the staff waited on us constantly. Emily was extremely helpful via WhatsApp, and her caretaker on the premise, Lilliam, and her youngsters, were a delight. Although she didn't understand a word of English and our Spanish was marginal at best, we had fun trying to communicate and it worked out fine. One night we had Lilliam prepare our dinner. We decided on fish and it was amazing. She also made a delicious seafood stew for lunch the next day. We also enjoyed the pool and hammocks a lot.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Andy A.

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

Great owner, secluded location, yet close to town, friendly locals

We've been to Costa Rica five previous times and always stayed at VRBO's. The house is typical for Costa Rican VRBO's we've visited and well maintained for its age. The rooms are spacious, the pool is perfect, the grounds are well-maintained, and the kitchen is well equipped. I cannot say enough good things about the owner, Emily. She communicated often, was quick to respond, and went out of her way to help us schedule tours. I would recommend leveraging Emily's expertise for any tours you may be considering. She even left snacks, including fruit and bottled water, ahead of our arrival. My two college aged kids especially liked the area across the dirt road where Emily had hammocks hung from palm trees overlooking the ocean. A few things for consideration: While the on-site caretaker does a great job with the yard and pool, she doesn't clean inside, take out the trash, etc.. This was different from other VRBO's we've stayed at where the caretaker did some amount of cleaning every day and would wash clothes and/or cook for an additional fee. The Internet is slow by today's standards. I was able to handle a few work tasks, but it took patience and effort. More often than not, we used the data on our phones, which was limited to 3G. It took us approx. 15 minutes to walk to the center of town. While the road out front isn't totally dark, it was dark enough we drove into town if visiting after 5:30pm. Parking at the handful of restaurants and the "super" market was not an issue. The strip of land that separates the sand/beach from the dirt road is public land. At locations up and down the road people park their vehicles on this strip of land for both day and overnight visits. No one parked in front of Casa Sirena during our visit, but overnight visitors did park across from the houses on either side. These visitors never bothered us. The town is a great location to get away yet close enough to visit the more touristy areas such as Jaco, Quepos, and Manuel Antonio.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2022

About the host

Hosted by Emily Gassenheimer de Friedlander

Host profile image
My husband and I are American citizens who have collectively lived in Costa Rica for 80 years. We are very knowledgeable about all aspects of Costa Rica. We are available to help with side trips and answer questions. We take pride in Casa Sirena and are responsive to your needs. We sincerely want you to have a fun and enjoyable Costa Rican experience. If there is something we can do to make your holiday especially memorable- (your partner's favorite champagne? a birthday cake? family reunion gift bags?- you get the idea); we are more than happy to do so!

Why they chose this property

Its proximity to San Jose is a major plus. Its location is between Jaco Beach and Manuel Antonio so that you get to choose- solitude or shopping- whenever you wish. Conveniently located for day trips- it's is the best of both worlds!

What makes this property unique

Esterillos Oeste is a peaceful, uncrowded beach. Just steps from our property, sometimes you have the entire beach to yourself. It is wonderful to be so close- you can be sun bathing and run into the house for a snack, another beer, extra towel and jump into the pool and be back at the beach in a couple of minutes. The natural surroundings are lovely. It is a very unique spot.

Languages:

English, Spanish

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests