Ryan And Catherine

Reviews

Superhost

24 total reviews

96% Excellent

24 reviews

4.92

2024–2026

Cleanliness 5.0

Accuracy 5.0

Communication 5.0

Location 4.9

Check-in 5.0

Value 5.0

24 reviews

5BR Villa

Nathaly

Excellent, 4 months ago

Ryan and Catherine's place exceeded our expectations. Our family really enjoyed our stay. Excellent coordination and service. A spectacular place to rest and relax, just 25 minutes from the beach. We would stay at this beautiful property again without hesitation.🤗 1000% recommended. 👌😉

La Sombra was beautiful. I enjoyed celebrating my 50th birthday with my girlfriends since childhood. Most of my friends didn’t know one another and La Sombra was a place that connected all of us together, making new friendships! Plus having Marta to make us feel at home by cooking home cooked meals for most of our stay there. However, towards the end of our stay, I was shocked to find out that there were additional costs for services that I felt were not communicated. Those extra costs were listed instead of providing receipts for those services. When requesting receipts, there was a lot of back and forth and when those reciept were provided, there were items that we have not initially requested nor was it part of our daily menu. Furthermore, we had to buy additional items for the Villa that came out of pocket. Even though it soured the experiences at La Sombra towards the end of our trip, I want others to know to ask/look/request for all receipts and not take the listed items.

Host Response

We are sad to know Sharon’s experienced was soured. We were happy to provide any and all receipts. Because we purchase goods from local Costa Rican vendors it is not always easy. Everything purchased was used to take care of Sharon and her group. Her group chose to use Marta’s cooking service & chose to have us purchase the groceries (a service we offer) and supplies needed to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner during their stay - so that they didn’t have to. We did just that. Unfortunately Sharon chose not to pay the full bill. We make zero profit from this service, but offer it so that our guests can enjoy their trip free of preparing & cleaning up meals. We charge the exact cost for Marta’s WONDERFUL service, and the groceries needed to take care of our guests. Nothing more. We have no desire to do anything beyond giving our guests the best service and experience. Every guest we’ve ever had takes advantage of the service, loves it, and pays for it.

We had another Airbnb that fell through in the area. I found Catherine’s place and instantly was greeted by here with a welcoming message which put my mind at ease. It was a beautiful and peaceful place to relax for our large group. The property is very very private and is in a serene location at the top of the mountain surrounded in the clouds and lush rainforest. The cherry on top of this place is using the option of the personal chef Marta who is a gem of person. I was able to communicate with her and she provided our meals both me morning and night. We did have a few hiccups with the place but Ryan and Catherine assured us they were on top of them and did the best they could to remedy the situations. That’s what made this place great was the place it self and the owners and staff/helpers who took our stay over the top! Thank you for a memorable stay en La Sombra. We will be back!

I booked this listing for a group of 8 women. We all needed time to get away from our busy lives in the U.S. The six nights at La Sombra were peaceful and inspiring! What a beautiful location and beautiful grounds. We were all stunned by the property, in a good way:) It was even better than the beautiful pictures provided. Each villa was appointed beautifully with quality linens, towels, robes, bath soaps, dishes, etc. We especially enjoyed the patio views and the design of the structures that incorporate natural light and the surrounding nature. We ate dinner each night on the patio of the main house, and found a spot for morning meditations on the bridge. Catherine and Ryan were available and responsive before, during and after our visit. And, I cannot say enough about the local cook, Marta. We all wanted to take her home with us! What a treat:) Thank you for sharing your home with us, Catherine and Ryan!

We really enjoyed our time at this beautiful property. You truly feel plopped in the jungle (but safe and like every thing was thought of for you!). We loved how much privacy we had from our other travel guests. The special touches like sound machines and diffusers, along with very comfortable beds/linens, and towels were great. You truly can slow down and savor your surroundings. Marta was such a special addition! Definitely have her make you breakfast. Her empanadas are delicious. She accommodated all of our food allergies and was so thoughtful. The area is a bit of a drive to the places you may want to go (mostly because of the long winding road the house is on), but the drive is filled with stunning views. We went to the beach (multiple times and locations, Hermosa was our favorite), waterfalls (our teens loved Poza Azul with a rope swing and clay rocks to ‘draw’ with also Catarata Uvita with a jumping platform and slide for the brave souls!) ATVing, Zip lining, and boating!

Talk about a true 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ experience! Catherine and Ryan not only have an incredible property with La Sombra, but their heart and soul goes into every detail of your planning, arrival, and stay. So much attention-to-detail in the decor, the functional spaces, and the furnishing to make your stay super convenient. Alejandro was also there on site to help and assist with any needs! They were incredibly communicative, detail-oriented, and thoughtful with everything. We practically felt like family! The property itself is so uniquely laid out, it makes for a great retreat space. There is enough beds to comfortably fit a small nation (kidding 😆), but we had more space than we knew what to do with! We would absolutely stay here again, and also appreciated Rachel assisting with activities and amenities! I could go on, but you get the point. Stay here! You won’t regret it!

Catherine and Ryan’s villas are something out of a fairytale. The keen attention to detail in the aesthetics, from the Turkish cotton towels, to the cozy linen sheets, showed that they are hosts who have genuine care and love for their property. To have wildlife exposure while also being just down the road from farmer’s markets, convenience stores and restaurants allows for convenience in the heart of a rainforest. The landscape is well maintained and our chef Marta is unmatched! All of this said, you can find countless beautiful villas in the area. Why we would come back to these villas is exclusively because of Catherine’s incredible support. She was very thorough and communicative offering endless resources so that myself and our guests could have the best experience. Her knowledge of the area and what it has to offer exceeded our expectations. Hands down she is the reason to come back for more retreats!

Catherine and Ryan have been the kindest hosts we have ever encountered. Prior the visit, they were super proactive with a lot of details (food, places to visit nearby, staff required, etc) in order to have the best possible experience. During the stay, they were on top of everything to solve any problem that we could’ve been facing, even the smallest. They have a great cleaning, cooking and maintenance staff… that knows how to do things impeccably. The place was just like the pictures or even better. Super clean, peaceful, private, mixed with the nature, with high quality furniture inside those three well designed (architectural speaking) villas. These are super well equipped, with a lot of gadgets, accessories and devices in order to have the best experience. The jacuzzi was amazing, easy to manage and capable of reaching high temperatures. Our favorite spot of La Sombra. It was an extraordinary experience and we are looking forward to return the next year.

Our group really appreciated all the effort that Catherine made to create a very special Christmas and birthday holiday celebration for us. She went above and beyond to help us plan our time in the area, even helping us find a real Christmas tree. The stunning villas are much more than an Airbnb rental - they are a fully managed accommodation with a property caretaker, a private chef, and cleaning services all available. This area near Dominical and Uvita is a wonderful place to visit, with a much more relaxed atmosphere than Jaco and Quepos to the north. Thank you again!

Literally the most perfect setting for our healing retreat! We came during rainy season and being in the hills and forests were a gift each day when the rain moved in. The surroundings are lush with life and invite you to just slow down and breathe. There’s several stores and restaurants close by with a local farmers market on Tuesdays. Then a town and beach located about 20 mins away that has an awesome farmers market on Fridays(we preferred this market but both offered a fun local vibe). Marta prepared our meals and kept the house tidy during our 8 day stay. We loved her too. We will be returning and several of my retreat guests are planning to book for their friends and families to enjoy again. Truly, it was that good!!

In the embrace of Costa Rica's green bosom, where the rainforest breathes its ancient secrets, there lies a sanctuary of luxury, a hymn to modernism in harmony with nature. It is called La Sambra. With a private chef orchestrating culinary marvels and daily meticulous care to the home, each moment unfolds as a haiku to the mantra you will forever hold onto... "Live slow." Here in the wild, Ryan and Catherine invite guests to savor a rare blend of serenity and splendor, where the soul finds rest and the body's senses rejoice in the beauty of Costa Rica's untamed treasures. Don't leave the shade too quick. Our time is better there.

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