Doug

Reviews

34 total reviews

100% Excellent

34 reviews

5.00

2019–2026

Cleanliness 5.0

Accuracy 5.0

Communication 5.0

Location 5.0

Check-in 5.0

Value 4.9

34 reviews

3BR Villa in San José

Erica

Excellent, 5 months ago

​Our stay at Casa Roja was spectacular. The view from the house is breathtaking. Every morning, we were treated to the incredible sight of macaws flying into the trees right in fron of the the house! ​Doug was far more than a typical host; he helped us coordinate our entire trip. Even before we arrived at his Airbnb, Doug arranged our transport from the airport to La Fortuna, then to Sierpe, and eventually back to the airport again. Having that level of logistics handled made our trip entirely stress-free. ​The excursions Doug scheduled for us were amazing, with expert guides who helped us spot an unbelievable amount of wildlife, including humpback whales, manta rays, sea turtles, dolphins, monkeys, and much more. At the house, Gracelia, the caretaker, was a total gem. She cooked delicious home made lunches and dinners for us and made sure we had a fully stocked fridge with all of our favorite drinks and snacks. I highly recommend Casa Roja! What an amazing adventure!

This place is absolute paradise. The location is unbeatable — just steps from a pristine, beautiful beach with perfect waves, completely deserted, shared only with a few friendly dogs. It truly felt like our own private escape. The house was comfortable and spacious with gorgeous views of the jungle, treetops, ocean, and river. We loved the retractable screens, the comfortable beds, and how well the home is maintained. The food prepared and stocked for us was excellent and kept both adults and kids very happy. The staff went above and beyond to make our stay special. Snorkeling, horseback riding, mangrove tour, and the night walk were all fantastic. There was no hot water during our stay, but given the extremely remote location, it was understandable, and the cold showers were actually refreshing in the heat. The owner was incredibly helpful, fair, and proactive — even providing a discount — and made sure everything was taken care of. An unforgettable stay in a truly special home.

This place is epic for nature lovers. The pictures don't do it justice. You are literally in the rain forest, and the accommodations are very comfortable. Graciela the property manager is attentive, kind, an excellent cook and boat captain. We had fresh cold coconut water every day, local guides for night and day hikes, a well-stocked kitchen and liquor fridge. We saw, Macaw, an ant eater, whales, dolphins, turtles, crocodiles, sloth, Toucan, poisonous frogs, a coral snake, butterfly's, countless exotic birds, and a boa constrictor. The night stars alone are a show. You can spend you days exploring the property or take a 40 min boat ride for other great experiences. It's hot, but there are ceiling fans and floor fans, and we adjusted to it quickly. Doug coordinated our travel to the facility and back. He took care of it all. Highly recommend.

We had an awesome adventure at Casa Roja, it was a beautiful house in an amazing location. We spotted monkeys from the living room most days, we were visited by the Macaws several times during our stay, and the tours of Corcovado & Canos were spectacular. Graciela and staff were extremely friendly, accommodating, and the prepared meals were delicious. It was obvious that our happiness and comfort was their priority. I would highly recommend Casa Roja for a Costa Rican retreat, just be prepared for the heat. Without a steady breeze or airflow via fans, the heat can be brutal for northerners like us.

This is the best Airbnb I've ever stayed at and unlike any other! It is a remote, totally private home accessible only after a 45-minute boat ride from Sierpe, and surrounded by nothing but gorgeous beaches and jungle. A birder's heaven or dream for any nature lover! But this place is special not only for its location but all that it includes: boat transit, two delicious cooked meals a day + fully stocked kitchen, and a number of guided excursions. Doug is the BEST host, corresponding with me over close to a year to make our family trip perfect; he helped arrange our shuttles to/from San Jose as well as a number of day-trips, and was so accommodating and kind throughout. While you are at Casa Roja, you will also have the pleasure of getting to know Graciela, the house manager, and her wonderful team (+ the dogs =D), who all took incredible care of us, including keeping us well fed, taking us around the Boca and on longer trips, and on and on. Run, don't walk to stay at Casa Roja!!!

This is a unique, remote jungle lodge. It is accessible only by boat. 45 minutes up river from a small town. The property manager, guide,fact totem is a most wonderful person- competent, knowledgable. This place is certainly not for everyone. It is very hot during the day. It has solar panels and a generator. No other electricity. No air-conditioning. You need the guide with you to go anywhere, on the river, to the waterfall, to a trail- as there are very poisonous snakes and frogs there. Trips for snorkeling and diving and to Corcovado national Park can be arranged. You can swim in the river. Great for bird watching and all nature exploration. Very different, very fun and an opportunity to learn a lot. Very hot and very remote.

This was a fantastic spot. Sloths in the backyard, scarlet macaws and monkeys in the front yard. The caretaker and guide, Argenis, is knowledgeable and super friendly. Doug, the host is communicative and responsive. House is nice and clean with fantastic views. Trips to Corcovado and Cano Island are recommended, and short boat rides away. Highly recommended for nature seeking tourists looking for a nice out of the mainstream all-inclusive vacation.

Fantastic place. Accurate description of the property given. although it exceeded our expectations. Unbelievably beautiful setting with the property set up to take advantage of the many views. So many wonderful things to do like Corcovado national park, Caño island, fishing, whale watching, wild life spotting and just enjoying the property and the area in general. we had a 6 night stay and would have enjoyed staying longer. one of our best family trips ever. The host is excellent to deal with, great communication and helped arrange some private shuttles. Argenis and Graciela were a pleasure to deal with. Gracious people. We were in capable hands, enjoying the outdoors as well as excellent food. I read the earlier reviews before writing mine and felt like our experience was exactly what is described in the other 5 star reviews. So as to not be redundant, read the older reviews and know they are not exaggerating.

We loved the Casa Roja! The surrounding beach was perfect. We were able to enjoy to entire beautiful, sandy, peaceful ocean side beach to ourselves each day. (The river side beach gets a few tour boats stopping for lunch but we preferred the giant beach around the corner where we never saw a single person!) Argenis and Graciela were so amazing. The variety and taste of the food was perfect. The very best memory for all of us was enjoying the Sashimi tuna (yellowtail and albacore) we had caught that day. Then later that night Graciela prepared it perfectly seared with pepper! We quickly devoured the delicious fruit left for us and they graciously replenished it. The final night Graciela showed us how to make patacones! They are sooo goood with her homemade ceviche! It was extraordinary to experience the real culture of Costa Rica without a bunch of tourists! I couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend quiet peaceful time with my family. Our favorite tour was the river tour with Argenis. Sloths, monkeys, crocodiles, snakes, and even 3 toucans! Lunch in Siepe was delish. I had the pescado entera (whole fish). Pargo (the specie of fish) is so tasty! Thanks for allowing our family to make memories at the Casa Roja.

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