Nikki

Reviews

95 total reviews

76% Excellent

95 reviews

4.67

2017–2026

Cleanliness 4.8

Accuracy 4.7

Communication 4.8

Location 4.8

Check-in 4.8

Value 4.8

95 reviews

Studio in Uvita

Jenna

Good, 7 months ago

A nice serviceable place walkable to restaurants, shops and the river. Was very clean with nice decor. Really enjoyed having a kitchen. The bed was very firm (too firm for my liking, but that's a personal pref) The outdoor seating faces a painted wall, not greenery and a pool as described in the listing. The pool was not in service. Had a couple of minor issues which were attended to by the on-site person.

We can 100% recommend this apartment. We stayed for one week and felt like home. It was spacious, the kitchen was equipped with everything we needed and the area was calm during the night. There are several supermarkets and restaurants nearby. The only thing we did not like were the holes in the mosquito nets on all windows and on the balcony door. Cats and the dog on the property are super lovely. Pool is also a big plus. Thanks to Ismark!

It was a peaceful stay. There were a few issues in the beginning of the stay that were taken care of in an efficient way. The beach is a couple miles away so a car or taxi is needed if you envision alot of beach time. A daily dip in the above ground pool was a welcome relief. I found the kitchen adequately equipped for breakfast but making dinner there would have been difficult. That's OK because there are several places for dinner within a quarter mile walk.

I felt so comfortable and at home at cheeky monkey 😇🙊 It had everything I needed for my stay in Uvita while still being very affordable— I was able to use the bikes there on the lot to get to the beach, I loved that there were cats walking around, the bathroom had unique features, and the back porch was really nice to hang out on at night. Wifi was always stable and overall I really appreciated the location and lowkey nature of the house. Also close to the Tracopa bus stop and tons of food/shops which was convenient. Thank you Nikki!

We stayed for four nights at Nikki’s place. The place itself is very inviting. You got a large studio with everything you need and even a pool outside the veranda. However we have to give a modest rating, since the communication with Nikki was not as we expect it to be. She was flexible with in early check-in and we arrived earlier at the place. The moment I typed in the code I already heard a dog barking behind the fence. I asked her and she said that she is normally friendly. Thus I went in and after having taken a few steps the dog, which is a strong one, ran towards me, fledging his teeth and barking at me. Luckily I did not back up and after a long lasting minute of her standing growling beside me, she calmed down. After that it was fine, but we were scared …. The second issue was that we had an animal working it’s way through the roof which left us barely sleeping some nights. Nikki acknowledged the problem, but didn’t do anything to remedy the problem.

Host Response

Hi Tim - it is not accurate that we did nothing. We contacted Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary and we set a trap. Trapping happens on its own time. We are sorry for the inconvenience the possum caused. As for the dog, Artemis, being loose we are changing property managers as that should not have happened in that way and we realize the dog (and cats) need reigning in. A more firm hand is now taking over the property as we've had a few negative comments over various issues in the past 2 months and it is unacceptable to us. Again, deeply sorry about your negative experience. We ask just to bear with us through these new changes in overall management. I recently moved away and now rely on people to do the work in my place. As I said above, we are changing staff and that happens as of Feb 1st. It does help to get feedback while stay's are ongoing, as I do try to remedy issues on the spot.

Studio in Uvita

Michael

Good, 3 years ago

First of all, I am cognizant that I've been strict in my rating, but I stand by it. I wanted to let some time go by before I posted to make sure I had thought things through carefully and didn't just make off-the-cuff comments. I do still give the whole place a 4/5 rating, which would be an 'A' in school. So I would recommend it to people, but I'd have to apply some caveats. With that in mind, I will only air my complaints, but please understand that the overall stay was good. 1. We never met the host, just a helper; host's replies were sometimes very slow 2. The cats, while cute, were *always* trying to get into the unit through the damaged screens; and there was a lot of cat hair in the unit 3. The alleyway it's on is very rough gravel, and directions on Googz-Maps (which the host told us to use) were poor 4. No dish towels, and only 1 bath towel 5. Bed sheets were pretty low quality 6. A/C Remote was dead 7. No TV remote, and host's explanation didn't match our unit layout

In Uvita, Nikki’s place is a go-to. Secure, centrally located, great AC, clean and accommodating as is your host the dynamo named Nikki… she’ll help you in every way possible…I just stayed for a month and the time just flew by…excellent value for your money…pay attention to her restaurant reviews as they are spot on… do the ATV tour which is just down the street and zip line at OSA Canopy Tours among other things…good stuff all!

Studio in Uvita

Andrea

Repeat guest

Excellent, 4 years ago

It is an apartment with everything you need to stay as a local in Uvita, recommended.

Studio in Uvita

Jessica

OK, 6 years ago

Everything was great but it would’ve been nice to know that there wasn’t any hot water

Studio in Uvita

Michael

Excellent, 6 years ago

A fun, local spot with access to the beach and the town of Uvita.

We absolutely loved our stay (nearly two weeks) at Nikki’s cabina. Nikki is a great hostess, always responsive and helpful. The cabina is very comfortable for two people (bed is super comfy!) We loved the verandah overlooking Nikki’s garden and the pool. And we were very pleasantly surprised at the lack of bugs! We expected to be harrassed by mosquitos in Costa Rica, but none in evidence at the cabina or anywhere really, except the jungle/forest. The location is great, a short walk to many great restaurants, a lovely waterfall, a supermarket and a convenience store. You need a car to get around to all the beautiful spots further afield. We’ll be back to Uvita to visit family, and hope we can stay here again. Thank you Nikki :-)

Nikki is a great host. She kept in touch with us by email; so we were certain that she was waiting for us. The room was very clean and felt spacious. Large room with high ceilings, screens on windows, 3 fans and ac. Full fridge and well outfitted kitchen. No stove but lots electric appliances that worked great. There is a very small sticker on the gate that says Cheeky Monkey, other than that it was easy to find. Really excellent restaurant 200 m away, but reserve ahead. We had a car but there are a few stores close enough to walk to. We are used to Costa Rican jungle noise and this was quieter than most places we have stayed at. Nikki was always cheerful and super helpful.

The location in Uvita was okay. It's a bit outside, but there are restaurants and a supermarket in walking distance. Walking to the whale tail would be around 45 minutes. So driving is more convenient. When we arrived at Nikki's house we were greeted by a man who just cleaned the apartment. He must have used some cleaning fluid that had a really bad smell. Unfortunately it didn't disappear during our stay. We didn't meet Nikki that day although she was home. At least she could have said hi. We asked her before booking if there was a possibility for us to cook. There was an electric frying pan and a rice cooker, but both in very bad condition. There were food leftovers in pan and pot. The whole kitchen was very dusty and the rice cooker was so old that there was no coating left. We asked for a blender but it wasn't clean as well. The wifi didn't work in our room as the router is located in her house back in the garden. Maybe it didn't work because of bad reception or because Nikki and another woman were using it for work / music / youtube. When we asked her to restart the router and there was still no reception in our room, she offered us to sit at her terrace where it worked quite well. Nikki was easy to talk to.

Host Response

Hola Lisa & Ben - Thank you for letting us know about the signal strength as we have now installed a booster. We try to give our guests as much privacy as they need, when doors are closed and we meet outside, of course we say hello. Sorry if you thought it was rude I did not come knock. Although, when you did email about the internet I did come at once. We have noted the use of the fragrant cleaning product. And taken note of the items to replace and throughly clean. Your feedback is welcomed. Pura vida & safe travels!

Could not have been happier after choosing Nikki's Cabanas in Uvita...They're situated a block from central Uvita w/ great restaurants, a bank, and markets. The cabana was spacious and everything you would need to relax.....prop up on a hammock or make a meal in house is there for your convenience. Nikki set me up w a taxi company that w/in minutes could get me to a particular beach to surf, walk thru the rainforest et al...super convenient!!!! She knows the area so well, including the southern neighbor Ojochal....so don't hesitate to ask for great recommendations...definitely coming back annually.

Studio in Uvita

Jennifer

Good, 7 years ago

Overall good stay. Was there for one night and didn't cook or use kitchen. Great location, wifi and comfortable bed. No hot water but that's most of Costa Rica!

A great stay. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to meet Nikki in person and we had some problems with the WiFi, which forced us to go to a restaurant nearby (Maracuya, wonderful!) to be able to book another place for the next stay. Apart from that, the cabin is wonderful, we loved the cats, the bed, and the shower. It’s close by the main road and the local cab driver Jahir took us everywhere we needed to be. Would recommend it to everyone!

This place is seriously great. Costa Rica is a little on the expensive side, but Uvita is a small enough city to avoid serious price gouging. It's also got a pretty phenomenal beach. Waves big enough for fun, not big enough to really scare you though. Nikki's place is in a pretty good location too. It's a short walk to the center of the town, to the local waterfall, and to a firefly lit bamboo forest. There are a few hostals nearby (not close enough for any noise issues). Which is great, because you get the benefit of friendly youth hostal bar tenders without having to, ya know, live at a youth hostal. The cabin is small but open. Kitchen is big enough to cook real meals in. Bed was big enough to fit my wife and my massive gringo self. Nikki also installed AC while we were there, and you can really chill the place down quickly if you want. Also, very friendly host. Costa Rica lifestyle all the way. Lent us some beach towels, gave some local tips... Just the small stuff that makes a stay enjoyable. Fantastic place. Hope to return.

Studio in Uvita

Julia

OK, 8 years ago

Nikki's cabina is clean and well-kept and appears to be very new. Everything is in very good condition inside. Nikki was extremely responsive and helpful in terms of communication. She made check in and check out very easy, and recommended a really nice beach when we arrived. The cabina is really well equipped, but does lack hot water. The airbnb ad states "no heating," but I hadn't realized that hot water was also absent. Ultimately, my boyfriend and I shortened our stay by several nights, in part due to the hot water, and in part due to what we read about crime against tourists in Uvita (please read the TripAdvisor forums if you are interested in visiting Uvita so that the decision you make is a fully informed one). The crime is not Nikki's fault, of course, and she was very nice to refund the money for the nights we didn't stay. She also makes parking available inside the gate for her visitors, and was very insistent that vehicles should be parked inside the gate.

My husband and I came to Uvita for a night for my birthday. When we arrived she greeted us at the front gate. She happened to be going away for a couple days herself. So she gave us a run down on details of her place and how the gate works ect. Inside the Cabina was very cute and nice decor and very clean and spacious. The cabina has a side door and a sliding door at the back so you can spend some time outside. The waterfall is a quck hike up the hill and is definitely worth checking out. Nikki also recommended the bamboo forest. Very cool experience!!! At the end of the road, we found this restaurant called Los Laureles. Absolutely amazing!!! They have Kombucha on tap and incredible menu. I would definitely recommend Nikki’s Cabinas and looking forward to coming back next year !!!

We only stayed at Nikki's place for one night, but it was exactly as we wished. A warm welcome and uncomplicated check-in. Then a tastefully decorated room + great bathroom. We didn't use the kitchen at all. It is also practical that you can park your car safely behind the gate and thus also leave valuables in the car. However, having a car is very beneficial because the path to the beach is a little further (by car 5 min). Thanks to Nikki, we will be happy to come back :-)

Studio in Uvita

Andrea

Repeat guest

Excellent, 8 years ago

Cheeky Monkey is super comfortable with everything you need for a comfortable and pleasant stay in Uvita Nikky was always very attentive and everything was great.

Nikki is a ray of energy! She is in a great location totally walkable to town. We walked with a baby stroller. Felt very safe. Place is quiet, cute, and has all you need (except AC). Close to the beautiful waterfall too! Nikki- if you get a chance, chat with her. She’s such a delight to talk to. She has great info on activities in the area and she’s easy to talk to. Great set up and adorable place. Love the private yard and sweet cats (outside). Also, just a few meters off the main route.

Studio in Uvita

Sarah

Excellent, 8 years ago

Nikki’s place is very comfortable and has everything that you would ask for. We had a pleasant time and enjoyed Uvita a lot!

Studio in Uvita

Amanda

Excellent, 8 years ago

Nikki's cabina is super nice and located close to an amazing waterfall and the Bambu forest! I borrowed a bike which easily takes u 10-15 min to the beach (famous whales tale) you have some nice cafes and restaurants in the area, uvita definitely has a tranquil and unique feeling. Definitely visit Nikki's place, she is a wonderful host and very knowledgeable about the area. Pura vida !!!

Studio in Uvita

Andres

Excellent, 8 years ago

The place is excellent, it is well equipped, you can cook, it is close to everything. Very nice and clean. Recommended

Studio in Uvita

Ricardo

Excellent, 9 years ago

Nikki's place is awesome, it is cosy and well equipped. It is close to shops and restaurants, as well to the National Park. The area is quiet and there is a waterfall nearby.

Host Response

Thank you so much Ricardo for your stay - it was a pleasure to host and meet you and your lovely girlfriend, come back anytime! There is so much to discover in Uvita and along the coast. I hope you had fun while visiting our various natural attractions. Pura vida ~

My stay at the Cheeky Monkey Cabina was exactly what I needed for my week long stay in Costa Rica. Nikki's detailed description of her cabina is spot on for what you receive. She was a great host during my stay, as she was readily available for any questions or comments I had during my stay. I loved the private space I had, while still just being a 5-10 minute walk from the main highway with all the amenities you need. I highly recommend staying with Nikki.

Host Response

Thank you Amar - I really hope you enjoyed your stay and visit back to Uvita. See you again next time my new friend! Pura vida ~

We had a great stay for a couple of nights at Nikki's cabina. The cabina is very clean, comfy and spacious. The bed is big and comfy and the shower is very good. The kitchen is well equipped. The garden and neighbourhood are pretty and quiet. Nikki is very friendly and helpful. We walked to the Catarata de Uvita, and it was a short drive to surf at Playa Hermosa and Bahia Ballena. I would highly recommend this cabina for staying in Uvita.

Host Response

Thank you so much Sally - enjoyed our chat and wish you the best of luck in your future travels! Pura vida ~

Studio in Uvita

Andrea

Repeat guest

Excellent, 9 years ago

Nikki's place is beautiful. Close to the main street from the BCR of uvita. She helped us get there after 9pm, gave us the key and explained how to get there. She was always attentive to our arrival. When we were there in the house there is everything to cook, very equipped kitchen, very cozy, a lot of cleanliness, high ceilings, which remove the heat from the beach, and make it cool. Very detailed, the bed is very comfortable, the place is very bright and has a lot of breeze. Close to uvita waterfall. At night very quiet and the beautiful sky full of stars. Secure gate, and fenced. Totally recommended, we'll be back!

Host Response

Muchas, muchas gracias - hasta la próxima vez! Fue un placer conocerte. :)

Studio in Uvita

Andrea

Good, 9 years ago

Clean and relaxing place where to stay.

Host Response

Gracias y buen viaje!

We were so impressed with this rental! Clean & equipped with all essentials. Brand new everything. Nikki was very hospitable and made sure we had everything we needed for a wonderful week in Uvita! We will definitely be back and would rent this spot again.

Host Response

Thank you so much Kevin - so happy you enjoyed the space! See you again next year...we will have a pool by then, so will be even more of an oasis getaway hot spot. :) :) :)