Mindguar is a premier rental property located on Backwash Bay. The home has a main house with master bedroom, kitchen, dining room, living room and pool. There are 3 detached bungalows, each with two queen beds. This home is ideal for families and groups of friends. The Osa Peninsula is the most biologically diverse part of Costa Rica, so you must be a nature lover! The space Mindugar is a premier rental property on the Southern tip of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. The home offers luxury in an extraordinary jungle setting. Take in breathtaking views of Costa Rica’s natural wildlife from the privacy of this eight-acre estate. The property rises gradually from Backwash Beach and stretches across a section of lush tropical gardens backing up to a mountainside draped in abundant rainforest. The home is situated at the base of the mountain, approximately 35 meters above the water and less than 100 yards from the sand; and boasts garden and ocean views. The open-air design of the home takes advantage of both mountain and ocean breezes throughout the day. Mindugar is the ultimate in tropical coastal living. The attention to detail and amenities provided ensure comfort in a secluded setting. Spanning roughly 10,000 square feet, Mindugar consists of a large communal area known as the Casa Grande, three detached bungalows, and plenty of outdoor living space. The Casa Grande contains a master bedroom suite, kitchen, dining area, bar, living room, guest bathroom, pool and patio. A spiral staircase made from tropical hardwoods takes you to the master bedroom which is furnished with a king size bed, ceiling fan, closet space, and large bathroom with his and her sinks. The living area contains comfortable sofas, chairs, a coffee table, and blue tooth speaker. The kitchen is fully equipped with a professional gas range, two refrigerators, chest freezer, coffee maker, and all the cooking utensils one needs. The dining area features an oversized table custom made from local hardwoods. The table seats twelve people comfortably. Just off the dinning area is a bar with a small sink, sofa, and bar stools. A full size guest bathroom is also located on the main floor. The focal point of the Casa Grande is a large infinity pool that disappears into the tropical scenery and blue waters of Backwash Bay. The pool includes a shallow area great for sunbathing, as well as a deep end that measures 15 feet deep. Each of the detached bungalows is equipped with two queen beds, ceiling fans, full bathroom, closet, outdoor shower, and patio space. Manicured trails lead to each of the bungalows from the Casa Grande.

## Overview

Mindguar is an exceptional rental property situated on Backwash Bay at the southern tip of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. This estate offers a luxurious retreat within a stunning jungle environment, perfect for nature enthusiasts. The property spans eight acres of lush tropical gardens that extend from Backwash Beach up to a mountainside covered in dense rainforest.

## The Space

The main residence, known as Casa Grande, covers approximately 10,000 square feet and includes:

- A master bedroom suite with a king-size bed, ceiling fan, ample closet space, and a large bathroom featuring his and her sinks. Access is via a spiral staircase crafted from tropical hardwoods.
- A fully equipped kitchen featuring a professional gas range, two refrigerators, a chest freezer, coffee maker, and all necessary cooking utensils.
- A dining area with a custom oversized table made from local hardwoods that comfortably seats twelve guests.
- A bar adjacent to the dining space, complete with a small sink, sofa, and bar stools.
- A guest bathroom on the main floor.
- A living room furnished with comfortable sofas, chairs, a coffee table, and a Bluetooth speaker.
- A large infinity pool that blends seamlessly into the surrounding tropical landscape and the blue waters of Backwash Bay. The pool has a shallow section ideal for sunbathing and a deep end measuring 15 feet.

In addition to the Casa Grande, the property includes three detached bungalows. Each bungalow offers:

- Two queen beds
- Ceiling fans
- A full bathroom
- Closet space
- An outdoor shower
- A private patio

Well-maintained trails connect each bungalow to the main house, providing easy access throughout the estate.

## Location and Views

Mindguar is located about 35 meters above the water and less than 100 yards from the sandy beach. The open-air design of the home captures both mountain and ocean breezes, enhancing comfort throughout the day. Guests can enjoy panoramic views of the garden, ocean, and surrounding rainforest from the privacy of this secluded estate.

## Ideal For

This property is perfect for families or groups of friends seeking a peaceful, nature-focused getaway in one of the most biologically diverse regions of Costa Rica.

The home has a main house with master bedroom, kitchen, dining room, living room an...

Gretchen

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4BR villa in Dominical

Beautiful Backwash Bay Villa - Houses for Rent in Puerto Jiménez, Provincia de Puntarenas, Costa Rica

We came here to celebrate our 50th anniversary. We could not have asked for a better place. The facility is beautiful; the surroundings exquisite; and there are plenty activities available for all three generations - beaches, pool, surfing, nature hikes, ocean fishing, zip-line, facial and massage. The ground is vast and beautifully maintained. Gretchen is friendly, responsive and resourceful. The service staff are wonderful - the chef, cleaning ladies, pool man, gardener. They are all pleasant and excel in what they do. This is an ideal place for family reunion. I highly recommend this place.

What an absolute amazing place! Waking up in the morning to Macaws, Howler Monkeys, and all sorts of other birds every morning. Being able to take in all the beauty of the Osa Peninsula from the balcony. Surfing is steps away. The locals in Matapalo made you feel right at home. Very magical. We would definitely stay here again!

Wow, Gretchen has done a fantastic job with this property it’s absolutely perfect. No faults at all with the property, the location or the team onsite who looked after us. We felt very safe and well looked after. The pool is incredible and was a hit with all our guests. We hope to return soon.

This was our first trip to Costa Rica, but it will not be our last! Mindugar is a beautiful place with incredible surroundings. Gretchen and the staff were so amazing. If you are staying please do yourself a favor and ask for Marjori to be your cook. She is very special. You will not be disappointed.  The beach is a short walk from the property.  Wildlife was very active during our stay.  No A/C was not a problem. The house has board games and cards to past any time  that you are not taking in the beautiful views. Bring your own beach towels and flashlights!  You will not be disappointed if you decide to spend your vacation here. Hope to visit again soon!

This was our second time to stay at Mindugar. We love it and can’t recommend it enough. It is the perfect place to enjoy all that the Matapalo has to offer.

Another incredible stay! This was our family’s 3rd time staying at this house with 2 other families. The house is beautifully laid out, clean, and sits up on a hill facing the ocean. The ocean and jungle views, rain storms, wildlife, surf, and peacefulness is so special. The extra bonus this year is the recently updated furniture. The open air living is such a dream in this paradise of a location, combined with the separate bungalows, allows multiple families or friends to have space and quietude. The surf was great and we all, including all 6 of the kids (4yr to 9yr old who are strong swimmers), love the pool and fun surf at Pan Dulce. We also joined Everyday Adventures for a guided hike up a creek, and then all the kids climbed a strangler fig tree in a harness. Super special experience! Highly recommend staying here and having the chef Marjori prepare local cuisine. The cleaning staff, grounds keepers, and Gretchen are so warm, kind, and helpful! We will be back again!

Our stay at Mindugar was wonderful. We had a group of 8, and everyone had plenty of space in the bungalows. The staff cleaned and maintained the property daily. The pool was amazing and needed during hot days. Gretchen was very responsive and arranged a taxi, surf lessons and a local cook (highly recommended). This was very much the jungle stay we were hoping for.

This was our 3rd time at the house, perfect for 2 families or a group of friends. the house is beautiful, lots of space, lots to do. The area is just stunning and it's right on Backwash for surfing. We will 100% stay again.

A very nice house around a natural paradise. Monkeys, parrots and many other animals visited us daily in the garden. Very easy access to the national park offered us the beautiful beach! We will definitely return to that paradise

Una casa muy bonita alrededor de un paraíso de la naturaleza, monos, papagayos y muchos animales más nos visitaron diario en el jardín. Un acceso muy fácil al parque nacional nos ofreció la playa bonita! Regresamos definitivamente a ese paraíso

A group of friends just stayed at this amazing house, the second time for many of us. It is simply stunning. All the amenities you would need, spacious, very clean and super comfortable beds. You can walk right out to 3 different surf breaks and the view is spectacular. We hired a local chef, Caroline, and she was fantastic. Gretchen came by to see how we were going and was very responsive.

Beautiful house in a beautiful spot.  I would definitely stay here again.  Gretchen and the house staff were great.

We were 5 women and absolutely loved this place.  The pool was amazing and we loved the house and surroundings.  It was so private and all the staff were super friendly and respectful.  the set up of the house and bungalows couldn't have been better for us.  the caretaker and his wife were helpful in every way.

Book this and you’re in for an unforgettable experience, the best of Costa Rica!

This was such an amazing experience for our family. Beautiful place with beautiful views. Gretchen was so helpful and responsive. I would definitely recommend this to anyone!

We loved our stay at Mindugar. The main house has one bedroom up a narrow spiral staircase. The other accommodations are in separate bungalows. We hired Marjori to cook breakfast and dinner each day which we highly recommend. It was great to have a swimming pool- great pool. Easy access to the beach. Excellent staff. Very nice to have housekeeping each day and a caretaker/laundry on site. Abundant wildlife- active in the evenings. No A/C, not a problem during our stay, I don’t think AC is common in the area. I feel the house description on the website could be updated. There are no TVs but there is decent Wi-Fi. The website lists an iPod docking station but there’s actually a very good Bluetooth speaker. There are some books, no games. You could use flashlights and beach towels. They had towels for the pool, but everything was always wet- very humid hard to dry. Flashlights would be helpful. Water shoes- the beach is Sandy but also lots of volcanic rock. Staff and Gretchen were great!

Everything about this beautiful home exceeded even the best reviews…. Stunning views, so much wildlife, incredible (12ft deep) pool- with a kid friendly shallow section/perch- (our 2 year old lived in his water wings), clean and immaculately maintained house and rooms, each bed has a misquote net, and every room had efficient fans even on the hottest days (they provided extra small fans as needed -upon request), fully stocked kitchen supplies, the most kind and helpful staff, daily cleaning service who replenish paper towels, toilet paper and soap, a wonderful cook (if you choose to hire her), and the best location for our 2 families with 5 kids to enjoy all that Matapalo has to offer. We’ve been to the area multiple times and after walking by this home on previous trips, we decided to trust the reviews. Now that we’ve stayed here, it’s going to be hard to stay anywhere else. All you need to do is load up with groceries in Puerto Jimenez and enjoy paradise!

We fell in love with the staff! They are all such beautiful people! The property is incredibly spacious and accommodating for a larger family. One of the best rental experiences in one of our favorite places on earth.

We loved the house. The caretakers and housekeepers were fantastic and treated us like honored guests. Our host Gretchen made lots of helpful suggestions and was very responsive from booking through our stay. No doubt about it — we would definitely stay at Mindugar again!

It was a fantastic stay in a special place!

Had a great time at this place!  There is not a single thing I can think of to suggest to improve on. Communication leading up to the trip was great, the house staff was great.  Antonio who helps maintain the property was really friendly. The place was a paradise. Wildlife everywhere, getting to the beach was easy.  It was very hot so having the pool was fantastic and we used it a lot, Antonio meticulously maintains the pool.    We hired a local cook through the host one night which was delicious. Highly recommend doing that.  Thank you for a great trip it’s a place we’d love to come back to in the future.

Repeat customer and can't wait to be back. Beautiful house and exceptional location. Gretchen is a great host. We always recommend pollo surf school + Marjorie's cooking for dinner. Looking forward to next time!

We had the most amazing time during our stay at Mindugar! Leandro was the sweetest man, and the rest of the staff and Gretchen were pleasant and helpful. The road from Puerto Jimenez to Mindugar was rough, but definitely added to the Costa Rican experience... you really are staying in the middle of the jungle (you will want to drive a 4x4 vehicle.. the house is off a VERY rocky and bumpy dirt road). The property was well maintained, and all of the amenities in the home were as listed. We felt safe, and enjoyed the privacy. The pool was a perfect touch: there was a shallow platform that was great for relaxing, but the pool is extremely deep after you step off the platform so expect to tread water. Not an issue, but just wanted to let people know.. my kids enjoyed it!  WILDLIFE!!!! We saw so much: from monkeys to macaws; lizards and birds. It was beautiful and we felt like we were in a dream. The beach was within walking distance as well. We loved everything about our stay!

Our stay at Mindugar was incredible! Amazing location steps away from great surf. The grounds were immaculately kept by Lorenzo and other staff members. He was always there to point out wildlife that was close by, including all the different types of monkeys and birds. Maria and her team were so friendly and came by every day to tidy up the entire house. We also opted in for a private chef to cook our dinners each night, and wish we would have gotten every meal cooked! The food was absolutely insane and each night we looked forward to our next meal. Thank you for the great experience - we are excited to come back next year!

This house was amazing.  Make sure you bring enough groceries and/or cash if you plan to eat out.  Martina’s restaurant nearby has delicious food but it’s cash only and a little pricey (approx $60 for lunch/$100 for dinner for 3 people).  The only thing is the house did not have any TV’s as listed so that was a little disappointing but the WiFi was excellent so if you bring your own devices streaming works great.   Also the caretakers clean and attended to the house and property daily and it is customary to leave a tip at the end of stay so make sure you plan that into the cash you bring since the nearest ATM is an hour away back in PJ.  (recommended $20-30 per day for tip).  The staff is great and will help with anything, they even washed our rental car before departure just to be nice!  The property is stunning, you definitely need 4x4 to access Matapalo road that leads to the house.  Gretchen was very helpful with nearby suggestions and quickly sorted any issues we had. LOVED IT!

My family thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this villa. The property is beautiful and very functional for a large family group. The manager's communication was outstanding from the time we booked the villa. She gave us all the important information we needed for the stay. The villa is in a wonderful location- so close to the beaches. Wildlife is abundant. I would definitely recommend using the cook. The food was so good and her prices were very reasonable. If you would like to take your family on a different type of vacation away from civilization and typical resorts I would highly recommend this villa.

All I can say is WOW! This place far exceeded our expectations, and every angle of the property was even better than what was captured in the AirBnB photos. We loved the huge bedrooms with electric ceiling fans and small electric fans by the beds, screened in windows, and beautiful en suite bathrooms. The ping pong table was a delightful addition that our family took full advantage of.  We would watch the macaws eating nuts in the trees, and then the monkeys would come swinging through in the afternoons. We even saw a coati on the property trying to steal a drink of water. This is definitely situated squarely in the middle of nature, so you have to be ready for bugs, frogs, Halloween crabs, lizards, spiders, etc. we were surprised at how few mosquitoes there were, though. Location is walkable to Martina’s bar (about 35 minutes) and to King Louie waterfall (about 30 minutes), Pollo’s Surf School (10-12 minutes) and many beaches in between. The walk to the beach is about 5 minutes, down to the bottom of the property, cross the path, and then the beach is right there. This was a fantastic vacation and we will surely be back again!

Backwash bay is a GEM! Perfect location across from beautiful tropical beach (backwash bay) and with views of of the ocean.  We were surrounded by animals, nature and luxury. The property is gorgeous, well built and thoughtful. Great for families and and children. The kitchen is well stocked. The pool is amazing with all the views. Gretchen is so cool (thanks Gretchen) she has all the tips and is a wonderful host of all things we needed to know during our time in the area.  We took advantage of hiring a cook set up through Gretchen for dinners which was fabulous for our group. We purchased food for her to cook on our way in to town at the BM in Puerto Jimenez.  4x4 vehicle is helpful for the roads. We used Pollo Surf School for AMAZING surf sessions 4 mornings, the waves and paddles out were perfect for beginners. There are waves for all levels in the area all in walking distance.  The location is safe for female travelers. There are extremely kind caretakers on the property and everyone who works for the property is warm and lovely to talk to.  Highly recommend and we would come back. Amazing property and hosts! Thanks for a great stay.

Can't say enough great things about our stay.  The property is stunningly beautiful and has tons of extras we have not found in other stays in Matapalo (coffee maker, microwave, toaster oven, blender, etc).  Gretchen is timely with her answers to our questions.  Marjorie cooked for us every night and did a wonderful job.  The food was delicious.  I can't imagine us staying any other place when we come back!

We had an amazing time at Mindugar. It was perfect for our 2 families. Kids spent so much time between the pool and the beach, which is so close. If you surf then there are first class waves on your doorstep. The kitchen had everything we needed. The location is remote and stunning. It’s definitely jungle living, wake up to monkeys and macaws.

Beautiful house, Maria and the staff were lovely, we got everything we needed. We will decide come back.

Mindugar is a special home with everything you need to  have a wonderful vacation. The rooms are spacious and open to the amazing view. The kitchen has everything including a BBQ and big gas range. There are open areas to enjoy the outdoors as well as the ability to be inside out of the elements. The pool was our favorite place to relax. Just steps down to the beach with great surfing right out front. We will definitely be back!

Wow and wow and wow.  What a fantastic experience.  The house, the Osa, the jungle, the wildlife, the overall experience was just simply wonderful.  Gretchen was awesome on all fronts.  Very helpful - very communicative and provided tons of support.  The house was perfect - tastefully nestled into the jungle life  - we woke up every morning to howler monkeys and scarlet maccaws.  The beach was secluded and stunning.  We had cocktails a couple of times at nearby lodges.  We opted to have a local lady (marjorie) cook for us and she was fantastic.  Seriously - don't think twice.  book this place.  we are already plotting our return.....

This is a special, unique place. It is quite secluded and far enough off the beaten path to be very private, but the staff who live in a separate home on the property, and Gretchen the property manager who lives nearby, attend to the details of your time there to make it very comfortable and accommodating. I felt like we were at a luxury camp, able to be in complete relationship with nature, but in beautiful comfortable accommodations. The proximity to the beach, the amazing swimming pool, gorgeous grounds and abundance of birds, monkeys, butterflies and other creatures made for such a complete and lovely experience that we felt no real need to leave the grounds other than to hit the local jungle bar/restaurant a couple times for dinner. We also hired Marjorie, a local chef, to cook for us for the majority of our dinners (other than times we ate out) and all of our breakfasts. Would highly recommend this as it makes the time there so much easier and more relaxing, and with the proximity to the grocery store and the cost of groceries it’s really worth it. I feel like this place will be the measure for all other places we go, we loved it so much. I miss the sounds of the birds and the cicadas and the waves and will be dreaming of it until we can return...

This is a most amazing place. It’s a slice of a dream. An embrace of a feeling. It’s European. It’s Cuban. It’s simply elegant. So many comfortable spaces. You would never know it’s off grid. It makes you want to rearrange your life to stay a month.

The home was amazing.  We took both homes on the massive property for 4 families (7 adults and 9 children).  More than enough room for all of us.  Dinners prepared by a local lady that were spectacular.  Wildlife on the property. The on-site couple that maintained the housekeeping and landscaping were wonderful.  We are coming back again next year.  And Gretchen has great advice and local tips for us to follow.

Mindugar exceeded all of our expectations. Traveled with 10 people (6 adults and 4 children), everyone had their own space, we never felt crowded and each cottage was perfectly situated on the property. The pool was top notch and it’s where we swam almost all of the time. Grounds are very well manicured and the howler, squirrel and white faced capuchin monkeys gave us endless entertainment, you feel like you’re in your own private jungle oasis. Maria and her staff were so sweet and took great care in tending to the daily upkeep....all conveniences of a 5 star hotel but the privacy of a beautiful home. If you have the opportunity you must have Marjorie cook for you, especially dinner! Again, she went above and beyond and it felt like we had our own private restaurant in the home every evening. Gretchen has great suggestions for activities and it all led to a perfect vacation. Make sure you have a 4x4 for getting to the house, the road takes about 45 minutes from Puerto Jimenez and it’s only about 10 miles, when they say bumpy they mean it!  But once you’re there you won’t want to leave!

We've stayed at many homes in Matapalo and this by far is our favorite house for larger groups of 3+ families. The grounds are expansive and beautifully landscaped. The open-air home is large with plenty of room for all. We usually all congregated in the main living area where there were couches, hammocks, lounges, etc. We also spent hours each day in the gorgeous pool. Each of the casitas were beautiful and very large. The location also can't be beat! The house sits atop a hill with a captivating view of Backwash, allowing for a continuous ocean breeze and a perfect view of the breaking waves. For the surfers, and beach goers, a path right from the house takes you to the entrance of Backwash. All of the staff were warm and friendly and the service was first rate! The house was cleaned daily and the handyman, also stopped by each morning. There is no way to explain how wonderful this place is. We can not wait to come back.

We stayed here for 5 nights with 4 adults and 2 children ages 3 and 5. We took a short local flight from San Jose, rented a car in Puerto Jimenez, swung by the grocery store for some basics (bottled water, snacks) then drove for 45 minutes through an unpaved, bumpy road (through a couple small rivers!). We were greeted by 20 white-faced monkeys as we arrived at the house. This place is unbelievably gorgeous. Our jaws were on the floor when we walked in. Pictures do not do it justice and it’s hard to even explain how breathtaking the place is. There are a couple restaurants nearby by no grocery stores, banks, stores around. It’s literally in the middle of the jungle. We arranged for a local chef to prepare meals for us during our stay and her cooking was incredible (one of the highlights of the trip). We didn’t have to worry about grocery shopping, food prep or clean up which was wonderful. The swimming pool was perfect and the place is walking distance from two stunning beaches, including a calm one that was great for the kids. We saw spider monkeys, white-faced monkeys, scarlet macaws and giant iguanas right from the property. The property isn’t particularly baby friendly and perched up on a hill. There are different levels without guardrails, so we had to keep a very close eye on the kids to make sure they didn’t fall off any edges because there are some big drop-offs, but this wasn’t a big deal. The house was cleaned daily and a maintenence/handyman also stopped by each morning. Would definitely recommend and return!

It was a nice place for our family. It really is in the jungle and 45 minutes from the nearest town but the house was exactly as listed.

The house was very spacious and comfortable, in a wonderful place, surrounded by nature, with the possibility of seeing many local exotic animals. The beach backwash in front is very nice, you can do good surf but you have to be careful when there is a lot of swelling, because there are rocks on the sides and the ground in it is also rocky. The main house also has a spectacular 4-meter deep pool. Accessing the place can be a little tricky down the dirt road with few directions. Either way, it's 30-40 min from Pto Jiménez. Faustino and Maria who live next to the house are very kind and welcomed us with a lot of hospitality. They were always available to help us with everything and give us tips from the place.

La casa era muy amplia y cómoda, en un lugar maravilloso, rodeado de naturaleza, con posibilidad de ver muchos animales exóticos locales. La playa backwash de al frente es muy bonita, se puede hacer buen surf pero hay que tener cuidado cuando hay mucho oleaje, porque hay rocas a los lados y el suelo adentro también es rocoso. La casa principal cuenta además con una piscina espectacular de 4 metros de profundidad. Acceder al lugar puede ser un poco complicado por el camino de tierra con escasas indicaciones. De todas formas está a 30-40 min de Pto Jiménez. Faustino y Maria que viven junto a la casa son muy gentiles y nos recibieron con mucha hospitalidad. Estuvieron siempre disponibles para ayudarnos con todo y darnos consejos del lugar.

4BR Villa