Joe

We stayed at Joe’s Playa de Pesca Resort for a month (July–August 2025), and it was amazing. The location is perfect — between a national park and the ocean, just far enough from the noise of Santa Teresa, but only 5 minutes away if you want to go. Everything is within walking distance: soccer field, beach sunsets, a small grocery store, and the fish market. Surf spots are just 5–7 minutes away. We went fishing with Joe twice — unforgettable! We saw dolphins, turtles, whales, and caught so many delicious fish. On the property, you’ll spot geckos, lizards, crabs, monkeys, butterflies, and many birds. If nature’s not your thing, you can always go to Miami 😉 To explore the Nicoya Peninsula, this is truly the place to be. As the Terminator said: “I’ll be back.”

Hidden at the end of the road you can walk and get fresh fish from the fishing dock. Walk to some hidden beaches, relax by the community pool (All owned and maintained by the owne), meet other guests. Just chill. Just BBQ. Just relax. Your choice.

Mal Pais is a laid back beach town that is perfect for a family getaway. I took my kids, 4 and 7 for a month and we found a beautiful place and respite from our over scheduled lives. We flew from San Jose to Cobano and took a taxi to Joe’s place. I didn’t get a car and didn’t need it. We were across the street from a fish market and the beach. The neighbors are a nature reserve and a zip lining tour operator. There was a small grocery store that we walked to almost everyday and a tiny restaurant right next to that. We could have spent everyday in the pool (my kids learned to swim here) but we also tried the beaches and river nearby. The property is so beautiful and well maintained. If you’re lucky Joe will make pizza! Everyday was an adventure marveling at nature even without tours (horseback riding, surfing, fishing tours, etc). We were often the only people on the beaches. Santa Teresa is 3 miles away and has great restaurants. If you want a quiet paradise to rejuvenate- it’s here.

Joseph’s property is a serene, peaceful retreat surrounded by lush greenery and just a five-minute walk to the ocean. The tranquil setting and nature’s beauty made it the perfect escape for New Year's Eve. One highlight was meeting Macho, the friendly “guardian” dog, who quickly became a cherished part of our stay. Joseph’s hospitality was exceptional—he was kind, responsive, and even made us delicious homemade pizza one evening. We had a small misunderstanding about bringing two dogs instead of one, but Joseph was incredibly understanding and welcomed both with open arms. The property itself was well-maintained, and thoughtfully designed, with inviting outdoor spaces to relax and enjoy nature. Our only minor issue was a missed cleaning service, but Joseph apologized and offered to reschedule, though it was too close to our departure to be worthwhile. Overall, it was a fantastic stay, and we’d love to return!

Beautiful spot at the end of the road. A short walk to beach, fishing, zip line, horseback riding, market, and pizza. A short drive to nearest town for everything else. Awesome pool and patio area. Super clean and well maintained. We were a family of 6. Kids loved it too. Joseph is running a tight ship, which becomes very evident if you go out on his boat and fish with him.

This is my second year staying at Joe‘s place, as always had a wonderful time, felt like I was at home. Everybody in the resort is amazing. The resort itself is beautiful.I will recommend it 100% ,so many things to do around the resort, the beaches are beautiful, people is beautiful is very safe is just Pura Vida…. Life music, excelente pizza and more…..

The best place I’ve stayed in this area. Beautiful property and fantastic houses. Very impressive place. And joe was a great host.

My family of five just left paradise at Joe’s place. We loved walking across the street to meet him and his excellent first mate Javier to catch fresh fish to come back and prep in the poolside kitchen during our stay. We all loved fishing with him (3 times that week and always scored!) and then surfing at the numerous spots close by. Santa Teresa is a little busy for us so we loved the quiet at his place but if you are into being in the thick of shops and restaurants they are only a few minutes away. And I have to also mention the pizza he makes on Thursday nights. Let’s just say it’ll be hard to go back to my fav pizza joint at home because Joe’s pizza is like nothing we’ve ever had before. We’ll be back here for sure!!

This was our first visit to Costa Rica and we could not have been happier with our experience! We had a month-long visit in Mal Pais, which was a mix of vacationing and working remotely with our small family (two adults and a toddler). For us, Joe’s space was exactly what we needed to enjoy both a peaceful and engaging experience. The pool on-site was a perfect place to relax and play throughout the day. There was a beautiful mix of plants and trees throughout the property that really gave a true jungle feel without leaving the property. If we did want to venture out we could literally walk across the street to a family-friendly beach, the local fish village, or a nature reserve. The location was perfect! Joe and his team, Javier, Elena, and Katherine, we’re extremely gracious, helpful, warm, and kind. They truly helped make our visit as fun - or low key- as we wanted. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this group of individuals. Thank you for a beautiful stay and experience.

Joe is a wonderful host who obviously loves to share what is special about Mal Pais and his lush and peaceful resort. He was super helpful with arranging local services such as a massage therapist, SUP surfing rentals and guide, plus local restaurant and surfing recommendations. My 14 yo son and husband really enjoyed spending time together SUP surfing with Joe and the local guide Andy one morning. We look forward to visiting Joe's place again to experience more of Mal Pais and Joe's hospitality.

Excellent location, very peaceful right next to the Mal Pais beaches and close to Santa Teresa (5-10 mins drive). Joe is extremely friendly and helpful. Joe recently built this small resort, a few houses around a pool in beautiful tropical surroundings. Strongly recommended

Everything was excellent .

We were so lucky that our journey in Costa Rica started at this amazing place, and we'll never forget it! This house is spacious and cozy, and it has its own vibe, just like the entire area around it. You can feel the love and soul that went into creating it. The house has all the essential amenities for a comfortable stay and work, and it's well-maintained. You can even arrange for cleaning services if needed. Additionally, there's a secret beach nearby and grocery store just minutes away. We stayed here for a whole month, and honestly, we didn't want to leave. If given a chance, we would love to come back again. Thanks to Joe for being such a great host and making the yummiest pizza we've ever had.

A place to relax, beautiful, Joseph made us a delicious pizza. Clean the entire place and excellent service🫶. Definitely 10/10