José

Reviews

35 total reviews

35 reviews

4.51

2016–2026

Hosting since 2012

Cleanliness 4.2

Accuracy 4.5

Communication 4.7

Location 4.7

Check-in 4.6

Value 4.5

35 reviews

3BR Villa

Bengt

Good, 2 months ago

Very nice views!

The highlights of this Airbnb are the location and the great restaurant right down the road - Phoenix. The staff is so friendly at the restaurant and the ambiance is amazing. The Airbnb is in such a beautiful lush place with a nice view, even if rainy (as it was for our stay). The nearby butterfly conservatory was also really cool and informative. Some things that were not ideal: the pictures showed more bedrooms than were actually available. I suspect they were behind the two locked doors. We booked this place for 5 because it said it had 3 bedrooms but this was not the case. There were two bedrooms and the “third bedroom” was actually two small beds in the hallway upstairs with zero privacy. Parts of the house are beautifully renovated and other parts are a bit old and mildewy. However, Jose was great at communicating and we enjoyed our stay overall.

Jose does not communicate very well. The description of the house mentions a patio/sitting room with a view into the rain forest, there are no chairs to sit totally useless space. There is also mention of a hot tub, by the look of it, it has not worked for years. The kitchen stove did not work, so much for the gourmet kitchen. Our bedding was dirty and the bathroom smelled like raw sewage. I gave it 3 stars because the view was spectacular and the breakfast at the bed and breakfast was very good, and the staff very friendly. We stayed at the house which was supposed to be private, but the owners actually stay in a connected space. The electric did go out, which is not a problem but a little warning and showing us where we might find candles and matches would have been appreciated. The house does not have air conditioning but it gets nice and cool on the mountain and it was not needed. I think Gaby tried hard to help us but he was new to the property. Communication is key and they don't have any.

WARNING! Do not be fooled by the reviews. Management has changed. The reviews on Airbnb are for Agustino. This booking with David has turned into a nightmare. We had a power outage for two nights in a row, where we were forced to stay in the car. There is no backup generator for emergency lights and one of us was injured trying to get downstairs in pitch blackness. The pool light and hot tub weren't working. We were not able to use either of them for the duration of the trip. There was a trespasser on the property at 10pm at night. Another night we came home to find our TV had been turned on when none of us turned on the TV for the duration of our stay. The manager let someone in the house while we were gone without so much as a warning. There is no safe in the house and all of our belongings were left out in plain sight. When we brought these issues up to David, he either said we were "complaining" or "imagining" things. The few times he assured us it would be taken care of there was no resolution. The bathrooms smell like mildew and there are no locks. There were quite a few discrepancies between the listing and the actual property. When we requested some compensation David began to threaten us. We had to open an investigation with Airbnb. Although the property owners seem like great people, they do not manage this property and have hired a manager to do so. In this case, management (David) has turned our several days on the property into a terrible vacation.

The Orependola home on the property of Nepenthe Bed and Breakfast provides you with the perfect secluded location with stunning views of Lake Arenal. The property is nestled at the top of a steep hill that overlooks the expansive lake and Arenal Volcano. Visitors will want to have 4 wheel drive vehicle to enter the property and navigating the surrounding park roads. The location is within 20 minutes of La Fortuna, and closer still to ziplining Outfitters and geothermal pools. The pool is an awesome amenity, and the outdoor setting provides the perfect spot to watch the sunset and enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Nature is all around, with howler monkeys, toucans, and other creatures visible in the nearby trees. As one would expect, bugs and little creatures abound since the home is located in the rain forest. Inside the home has several bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a large kitchen and living room space for lounging. There are plenty of restaurants within a short drive and you have the option to cook at home. Agustin was a tremendous host - very friendly and incredibly responsive to our needs. His recommendations for excursions were spot on, and he was always avaiable whenever we needed his attention. Morning breakfasts provided on the patio were delightful, and the property owner, Gordon, was very welcoming and full of great stories.

Amazing home! I definitely recommend this home for the outdoor enthusiasts who adore the nature Costa Rica has to offer. Fabulous rooms, beautiful views, free breakfast in the morning, and even saw toucans flying above the home. I want to give a special thanks to Agustin for being an amazing host and helping plan out our itinerary while we were there. Please keep in mind, this home is in the middle of the jungle/rainforest so there will be insects, bugs etc. Just be sure to keep your luggage sealed and doors closed at all times and you will be ok. Amazing home and will definitely come back!

Great place !! Location and views were amazing. The pool was incredible and the water (fed from a mountain stream) was so refreshing. Breakfast in the morning with so many options, fresh fruits and service was incredible. I do want a point out a few things for future travelers 1. This place is remote. You need a 4X4. It's a good 30 mins to La Fortuna town. You have the small town of El Castillo close by. You have the last 10 miles of gravel and dirt road and you are climbing up a hill 2. This is dead center in the middle of a rainforest and if you are like us visiting in the rainy season, expect power outages and also lack of running water. On day one there was no running water because of a landslide. Agustin got this fixed quickly 3. You also have very slow Internet speeds so don't expect to do any serious downloads 4. The place was a little run down with some tears in the furniture but Agustin got it fixed quickly. 5. The pool is incredible but its deep. It's 8 feet at the deep side so make sure you have good swimmers Other than that this is an incredible place. The hosts led by Agustin is such a help in recommending places and helping around. He quickly got the water back up and running. We will be back Thanks

Loading...