Mark

Our stay in Sierpe was truly unforgettable. It was quite an undertaking to get there: first by car, then by boat, and finally up a steep hill. But as soon as we arrived, we knew it was worth all the effort. The view was breathtaking. The accommodation was perfect for our family of five. We immediately felt at home and greatly enjoyed the tranquility, the nature and the special surroundings. A special word of thanks goes to Cecilia. We gratefully made use of her cooking skills, and every night she managed to surprise us again with delicious dishes. Simone, the concierge, was also always ready for us and helped us with every question. And thanks to Ruben, we had wonderful adventures on the water and on horseback. Together, they made sure we had a fantastic time. We look back on our stay with great pleasure and can highly recommend this special place.

Casa Rio was truly a one of a kind experience and one of the most memorable stays we’ve ever had. The house itself is spectacular, private, peaceful, and surrounded by nature. Waking up each morning to the sounds of monkeys and birds felt like something out of a dream. What made our stay especially unforgettable were the incredible people. Mark was a wonderful host, Simone was an exceptional concierge who helped us navigate this part of Costa Rica with confidence, Ruben was a fantastic boat captain, and Dolly prepared some of the most delicious meals we had during our entire trip. Their warmth, hospitality, and genuine care made us feel at home from the moment we arrived. We came to Sierpe feeling a little intimidated by the unknown, but quickly fell in love with this special place thanks to the amazing team behind Casa Rio. It is a true oasis and a uniquely Costa Rican experience that we will never forget. We hope to return someday!

We had an amazing time at Mark's place. Our guest relations Simone was great from day one. Dolly cookes all our dinners and they were amazing. Ruben our boat captain took us everywhere we wanted to go. I couldn't recommend our experience any higher.

Mark's property is a gem on the Osa Peninsula.We requested a shuttle service from Kepos Airport (there is nothing there) to the boat pier in Cielpe (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes).We met Simone, who arranges various local activities, at the restaurant there, and then transferred to Captain Ruben's boat to go to the facility.The adventure starts here.The property is a private, spacious space surrounded by rainforest.All the windows had screen doors, so we had no trouble with insects inside the room.The sunset from the terrace, painting the sky and the river, is magical and dramatic.In addition, gibbons and cappuccins perform acrobatic feats on the trees right in front of you, and a variety of wild birds fly about.The area around the house is toucan territory, and you can witness their artistic displays every day!Reuben is a captain, a hiking and kayaking guide, and a superman who is patient and very trustworthy.A botanical farm tour with him is a must-do activity.The view of the quiet mangrove tributary is filled with a stillness that feels like time has stopped, and the taste of the freshly picked tropical fruit will be a cherished memory.I asked Dorrie to prepare dinner for the five nights of our stay, and she did a fantastic job.Most importantly, her voice is like a song, and she is always smiling and very nice.In any case, if you leave it to the team, a fantastic adventure is guaranteed! By the way, it will be extremely difficult to get cash after leaving the airport in Kepos.We completely ran out of it and caused Mark some inconvenience.If you have a sufficient amount of money (in dollars) available in advance, either in an urban area or at San José Airport, you can avoid repeating our experience. 😌

Our stay at the River house was truly a remarkable and unique experience! The house is lovely with everything we needed. We enjoyed fishing and birding and exploring the mangroves with Ruben. Dolly made us dinner one night, and it was the best meal of the trip so far! An altogether great stay!

Casa Rio Sierpe – A hidden treasure in the heart of nature There are places where time slows down… and others where it stops completely. Nestled in the heart of the Sierpe mangrove, this house is a haven of peace for lovers of fauna and flora. Here, nature is alive, vibrant, wild. Exotic birds, monkeys... a permanent show. The house is very clean, spacious, bright, with beautiful views of the river. Each room invites you to relax. Mangroves, rivers, wild beaches, horseback riding, hidden waterfalls… every day becomes an unforgettable adventure. But Casa Rio Sierpe would not be this treasure without its soul: Ruben, a passionate captain, knows the area like no one else. Dolly, bright and caring, transforms every dinner into a magical moment. If you want to get away from mass tourism to discover a small authentic, human and deeply rejuvenating gem... Don't hesitate. Thanks again!

Going into this stay many MANY problems came up on my side, but through them all Mark clearly communicated with me and ensured that our stay happened and was perfect. Unfortunately one of those problems was dealing with petty theft on the way to our first night of the stay here. Simone, throughout the stay, texted and ensured any issues that came from the theft would not be a problem during our stay, and we could not have been more happy with all the work her, Mark, and Rayna did for us. The place itself was beautiful and isolated from any possible civilization, we would find ourselves surrounded by toucans throughout the trees and couldn’t stop looking up in amazement. Dotty’s food was always amazing (we all felt guilty for any leftovers), and even though we had a language barrier she always did what she could to put a smile on our faces while serving dinner. Only problem we really had was that “slight” hill is a bit of an understatement. 10/10 still, Thank you guys!

If you’re considering this place, do it. It’s absolutely gorgeous and from the patios alone we saw toucans, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, capuchins, and blue morphos among other butterflies. It was incredible. The food cooked by Dolly was amazing and she was incredibly kind. Our adventures were flexible and easy from the place. Our only regret is not having more time there.

The house was absolutely spectacular. You are in the middle of the jungle with the howler monkeys and birds for neighbors. Horseback riding was fun. We went to the beaches for the day twice. I highly recommend both beaches at the mouth of the Sierpe River. The South side is inhabited but the North side is not. We liked the North beach more bc the waves were bigger to play in, it’s called Violin beach. However, trash has been washed up over the years and is accumulated in the tree line. The house was amazing.

The house was great, even better than the photos! We saw howler monkeys, kapuchin monkeys, a white nosed coati and tucans from the porch! The staff is great. Cleaning is perfect. Communication quick and clear, A wonderful stay!

It is nice to know you can still find wilderness this pristine. Dolly is a dream and kept us fed. Riding horses, canoeing, snorkeling Cano island among highlights. Ruben kept us safe and very helpful. Looking for something unique? You found it. The hill is real.

It would be hard to adequately say how amazing Mark’s place is and how extraordinarily kind, welcoming, and generous of their time all the people who help with the visit are. We stayed for a week and loved every bit of it. Rayna helped us organize shuttles to and from the house, Simone met us at the grocery store to help shop on day 1, and Ruben met me us in town to boat up to the house. From there, Ruben was available every day to lead hikes or take us on the boat to fish, tour the mangroves or hang out at the beach. We chose to have Dolly make dinner each night and she was amazing. And Simone led us on a full day excursion to Cano Island. Beautiful bird watching right from the house and capuchin and howler monkeys found their way to the trees just outside. Our boys most loved to body surfing and swimming off the beach and the night hike. If you want to see the wildlife in Costa Rica and stay in a truly unique home, this is the place!

Casa Rio Sierpe exceeded our expectations. The property was in amazing shape for a being so remotely located. The house was very nice with luxury finishes and expertly maintained. It provides an amazing adventurous experience that is still very luxury. The staff especially was spectacular and welcoming. You should book dinners with Dolly every night and definitely take advantage of the mangrove tour and night hike. We would recommend this house to anyone and look forward to returning.

Can’t say enough. What an adventure

Marks place was absolutely stunning. If you are tired of the traditional restore style stays and want to change it up. This is the place for you. Imagine all the comforts of a resort but all completely private. The staff are extremely attentive and are willing to go above and beyond for anything you need. Imagine going from dense jungle to lush palm trees in a matter of minutes. There is no other stay like what Mark has set up here with his wife.