Max

Absolutely beautiful location and fantastic home. Each bedroom (all 8!) were spacious with private baths--and some with great views of the ocean. Hosts were responsive and always available. Finding the right driveway was a bit tricky the first time, but Max provided meticulous instructions. We love the openness of the floor plan. Our 9 grandkids rarely left the pool when we were home. Highly recommend.

The lighthouse was a BEAUTIFUL place to stay, amazing ocean views, a pool overlooking the bay, easy access (walking distance) to local beaches and a great floor plan / layout for our family of 7, not to mention the room in the lighthouse with great views! Max and Julia were excellent hosts with great communication and local recommendations. Clean accommodations with COLD AC for the hot days! Overall we had an excellent stay, and look forward to going back!

Our family of 14 traveled from different states across the U.S., and The Malinche Palace was the perfect place to bring everyone together. The home is beautiful, the views are incredible, and it was the perfect place to relax after our adventures around Costa Rica. The hosts were very responsive and made everything easy from booking through checkout. We also arranged catered meals, with breakfast delivered on our days at the house and dinner brought in after our excursions. Everything was delicious, and Max and Julia coordinated it all seamlessly. The pool was a huge hit with the kids, who spent hours swimming every day while the adults relaxed and enjoyed the views. The home had plenty of space for everyone and was perfect for our large family. We would absolutely stay here again and highly recommend The Malinche Palace!

This was truly one of the most memorable vacations we’ve ever taken. Costa Rica is absolutely incredible, and staying here made the experience even more special. From the moment we arrived, our hosts went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. They greeted us with a beautiful fresh fruit platter, helped arrange activities, coordinated massages, and were always available whenever we needed anything. Their hospitality was genuine and made us feel less like guests and more like friends. The property was beautiful, peaceful, and the perfect home base for exploring everything the area has to offer. We left already talking about when we can come back, and we absolutely plan to stay here again. If you’re considering booking, don’t hesitate; you won’t find kinder or more accommodating hosts. We can’t recommend this Airbnb enough. Thank you for making our Costa Rica trip so unforgettable!

Our family absolutely loved staying at the Ocotal Lighthouse! We were two families with four kids ranging in age from 10 to 19, and the house was perfect for all of us. Everyone had plenty of space, and the accommodations were clean, comfortable, and welcoming. The views are simply breathtaking a true million-dollar view. We spent hours relaxing on the patio and in the pool while taking in the incredible scenery overlooking Ocotal Bay. The lighthouse gallery deck has a spectacular 360 view. We also felt very safe throughout our entire stay, which made it even more relaxing for both the adults and the kids. The walk to Playa Ocotal was not too difficult there is several stairs you have to go down, we loved spending time at the beautiful black sand beach. The snorkeling was excellent water was clear. A special thank you to Julia and Max they were great and responded quickly to any inquiries we had. I highly recommend this place!

I planned a birthday trip with me an my family Max an His Wife Julia Was very helpful with everything I needed help with they have all the answers they are like a one stop they had chefs spa an excursion people on hand for services I will be booking again

The view was spectacular! So beautiful! It is worth it just for the pool and view but the house and adjacent room in lighthouse made it wonderful for our group of 9. Everyone had a comfortable place to sleep and plenty of bathrooms to get ready. We also appreciated the referral of Andrey for tours and did an amazing day with him exploring waterfalls and caves, even saw a bunch of white faced monkeys.

Excellent stay! The place was beautiful and our family loved it. Highly recommended

Max’s place is all about the view — and it’s truly a million-dollar one. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. We could’ve sat outside staring at the ocean all day. The pool was a huge hit with our kids, and we loved seeing iguanas and howler monkeys right nearby. You can also walk down to the ocean, which was a big plus. The layout is great for groups — the detached lighthouse was such a fun and unique feature (our kids loved it), and it would be perfect for a separate couple or in-law setup. Tons of sleeping space overall. The inside is more modest, but honestly, you stay here for the views and experience. Max and the team were super responsive and helpful with planning excursions, which made everything easy. Such a special place — we had an amazing stay!

If I could give Malinche Palace more than 5 stars, I absolutely would—because this place deserves main character energy ✨ First of all, the house? STUNNING. Spacious, spotless, and perfect for hosting a large group without feeling like you’re living on top of each other. We threw a whole event here and still had room to breathe (and dance 💃🏽). Julie and Max? Not hosts… more like event planners, problem solvers, and low-key lifesavers. They connected us to everything—decor, cake, wait staff—you name it. At some point I was wondering if they could also arrange world peace 😄 The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and the food we ordered? Let’s just say… no leftovers survived. Not one. Location is chef’s kiss—we casually WALKED to the beach like we were in a vacation movie. All in all: 10/10 hospitality, 10/10 experience, 10/10 would book again. Just be warned… you may not want to leave (we definitely didn’t 😩).

The house is beautiful! The host and staff were both amazing. Our group of 16 had plenty of room. Highly recommend using the private chef.

The view of the house is spectacular. The house is very comfortable and is just as shown in the photos. You feel right at home, and it has a dreamlike view. Mac is extremely responsive and quick to resolve issues. Cleaning service was even included every other day. Highly recommended, and we want to come back.

Wonderful place! Beach within walking distance. Incredible view. Welcoming host. Very clean. Just one small constructive comment: the kitchen could be slightly better equipped. Thanks Julia!

Our family of 7 enjoyed a wonderful stay at the Lighthouse Ocotal; amazing views and easy access to the beautiful beach (as long as you don’t mind stairs and hills!). The property is very well maintained and well equipped and Max and Julia were excellent, friendly hosts and responded quickly to any inquiries. We took a private tour with Andrey, who was recommended by Max and Julia and it was excellent - Andrey was also very friendly and knowledgeable. I would absolutely return to this property. Thank you, Max and Julia, for a great vacation!

This is my second visit to The Lighthouse Ocotal, and I would come back again and again. The house is very comfortable, very well equipped, and the rooms are very comfortable.