Maria De La Paz

As a luxury travel concierge, we place families in extraordinary homes all over the world, and very few earn the kind of review we are about to give Villa Panzalsol. This one is easy. From the very first email, Maria was an absolute dream to work with. Responsive, warm, and deeply invested in making every detail right for our guests. That same care carried straight through to the villa itself. Yami and Jose made this the easiest stay imaginable. They anticipated every need, stepped in exactly when it helped and never when it did not, and the food coming out of that kitchen was some of the best our clients enjoyed all trip. Our family of ten walked into a home that is, quite simply, stunning. The architecture, the setting above the beach in Playa Islita, the light, all of it. It is the rare property that looks beautiful in photos and still takes your breath away when you step inside. Our clients were beyond thrilled. STOP LOOKING! This is your villa! Thank you Maria!

My family of 13 can’t say enough nice things about our stay. From the minute we got there Yami and Jose welcomed us and showed us around. The pictures on this website don’t do the home justice. Maria gave us a list of various activities and they were well worth the time and money. Maria was extremely responsive during our stay! This was a vacation of a lifetime and the memories will last forever.

This house exceeded our expectations, nestled right on the beach, the location was simply unbeatable. Waking up to the sound of waves and stunning ocean views was a dream come true. The property itself was beautifully designed, blending modern amenities with a tropical vibe. The spacious living area opened up to a private terrace, perfect for morning coffee or evening sunsets. Maria was super helpful and very prompt with communications. Yami and Jose were amazing and we enjoyed their company daily. Highly recommend this amazing home we can’t wait to come back.

We keep coming back year after year…says it all. Beautiful spot.

Our 13-person family trip to Punta Islita was all ages from 12 to 80 years old including our family matriarch, siblings, in-laws, and nieces and nephews. We loved Panzalsol! It was gorgeous, had a private pool and easy access to the beach and the ocean, many places to sit, rest, nap, read, play games, visit, and just hang out. The bedrooms had wall mounted air conditioning and were very comfortable for nighttime. The younger folks in our group were easily able to schedule a zipline adventure, and small towns were nearby for daytime trips and dining. Maria was extremely responsive to all of our questions, and we really enjoyed having the reassuring presence of the two-person on-site team (and delicious food - arranged for separately). The location is a bit remote and the drive from the Liberia Airport includes about 35 minutes on a bumpy road, but it was manageable. Thank you so much, Maria, for creating and sharing such a lovely space!

Absolutely stunning in every way. Hope we can return again soon :)

Our third stay at Panzalsol, the mesmerising charm of this special, soulful place continues to deepen with each visit. To say Maria’s masterpiece is a “spectacular house facing the sea” is a bit like saying Lionel Messi is a decent futbol player. We can sift superlatives all day, but would do better asking the resident garza or macaws why they return again and again, lingering as long as they’re able, and never want to leave.

We stayed as a large family group at Pansalsol for a week and had a marvelous time! The house was spectacular and as other reviews mentioned, the photos do not do it justice. There really is a wow factor that cannot be described. Maria was wonderful on communication and working with me as I messed up a few details on our booking. She couldn't have been more accommodating. Yami and Jose were wonderful, friendly and very helpful during our stay. They made us feel at home and by the end they felt like a part of our family. The food Yami cooked for us was delicious and better than we had at other restaurants. I cannot say enough about how wonderful our time there was.

Words cannot describe this place. The surroundings were so beautiful! From the pool to the brach access! It was stunning! Wonderful Family trip! I would advice to everyone to rent this beautiful home!!

The pictures don’t do this place justice — it’s absolutely beautiful, with stunning views and a great pool for families. The walk to the beach is peaceful, and the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. The rooms were clean and comfortable, but a few things to note: the road to the house is very rough — you’ll need an SUV or truck, not a regular car. Also, this is a very natural setting, so expect to see large spiders and possibly scorpions. One of our group was stung in the night, and another was bitten by a huntsman spider. If you’re okay with a bit of wilderness and want an off-the-grid experience with incredible views, this spot is worth it!

Our stay at Panzalsol was phenomenal. We were reluctant to leave the property at all because everything we could dream of was there: a beautiful pool, astonishing views of the ocean, landscaping that left us in awe, macaw, monkeys, and butterflies, and more. The house is more beautiful than the pictures can capture, and the furniture and design of the place is an experience. We loved enjoying dinner as the wind made the "lighted fish" sway above our table. Yami and Jose are treasures that helped make our trip memorable. Yami's cooking was delicious, and she was so kind - answering our questions about the area, the wildlife and sending us pictures of some memories we made together. Jose and Yami even spotted monkeys for us so that my 3 year old could see her favorite creature in the wild. The beach is a short walk down a magical path bordered by beautiful plants. What my daughter calls a "secret door" opens to reveal the ocean. There aren't enough words - just go.

Panzalsol is a destination in and of itself. Maria our host was extremely helpful, proactive, and highly responsive. My little one was so upset our last day because he didn’t want to leave Yami and Jose! This house is spectacular! The views, the foliage, the constant coastal breeze. And can we just talk about the aerial daybeds on the back porch, the Infiniti pool overlooking the gorgeous pacific coast. We also opted to have food prepared during our stay, and boy did that elevate our entire experience!!! The home provides an outdoor concept, boasting large rooms with their own bathrooms. You can hear the low rumble of the calming ocean nightly, which was such a treat. I am already in the process of looking into returning to Punta Islita in the fall because of how much we enjoyed our stay. If you are in need of a hard reset, then Panzalsol will provide that and some!!!

We can’t say enough good things about Panzalsol. This is our second stay and already looking forward to number three. The home and surroundings blew us away once again and caretakers Yami and Jose are incredible. Thank you Maria, we love Panzalsol and all it has to offer!

The scale of this home is incredible!! It's the great gatsby of Costa Rican homes. We found out that the owner is an architect in San Jose - and wow can you tell!!!! The private beach is just beyond the pool where you can get on the beach spa treatments or private surf lessons. There are 5 other pristine beaches with different sand within 20 minutes in both directions of the house. Our sweet littles got to experience baby turtles hatch from their shells and rush to the beach. We saw a family of Macaws every day. The smells, sounds, experience was incredible. And the on-site staff clean constantly- always fresh linens, towels, whatever we needed. Dream home!!!!!

What great fortune for us to return to the beautiful Panzalsol! Everything that enchanted us during our first visit last year applies this time, only more so. Perhaps the highest testimonial I can offer about this special place is that we’ve already made plans to return next year. Our deep thanks to our hosts Yami and Jose, and especially Maria for her guidance and generous hospitality. Pura Vida ☀️