Two totally outstanding weeks in the sun with family and our new Costa Rican friends. Our hosts Sam and Camellia were most welcoming and hospitable. The villa is truly beautiful with a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. Wildlife abounds, tropical birds and the wakeup call of the howler monkeys. All very pleasant. Just a short 5 minute ride into Playa del Coco for the touristy shops , night spots, restaurants and the Playa del Coco beach. All very charming. The locals are friendly and willing to help. We enjoyed the easy access to the beach of Playa Hermosa and our almost ritual breakfast on the beach. The big surprise for us was the number of Canadian snowbirds who have chosen Costa Rica as their winter escape from the cold. Food and beverage prices are quite reasonable and the food is great. Be adventurous here try the local food. We were never disappointed. Sam was great when ever we asked for recommendations. We were able to arrange for an English speaking on call cab driver and on Sam's recommendation a wonderful tour on the river for six in a very comfortable pontoon boat. Lots of wildlife here. Crocodiles, tropical birds, howler monkeys, White faced monkeys. Tico Tours is right in Playa Hermosa and offers many different tours at reasonable rates and smaller groups of six to eight. All more personal and much more comfortable than some of the bus tours offered. Definitely contact Tico Tours if your planning any excursions. The country side has everything from beaches to jungles to mountains, all of which is beautiful. The staff at Villa Camelia, Antonio & Josie were delightful and their little girl Stephanie is the Spanish version of Shirley Temple. The Villa is gated and beautiful. The locals are very friendly and peaceful. Where else can you travel to and drink the tap water without fear? You can't beat the weather 30+ and the sun shines every day. Costa Rica will see us return again.

We had a fantastic two weeks at Villa Camelia - Sam and Camelia are amazing hosts and tended to our every need! The villa has absolutely breathtaking scenery, is beautifully appointed inside and out and situated perfectly to easily access all that Hermosa has to offer. We couldn't have asked for a better place to enjoy our first visit to Costa Rica! Thanks also to Antonio, Jose and Stephanie for their help and friendship during our stay. Sam and Camelia, thank you so much for your hospitality - loved every minute and can't wait to return someday!

This is a beautiful home with excellent view of the bay from all 4 levels of the house. There are two small pools but they were large enough for a swim after returning from the beach. It is located near Playa Hermosa, but it is quite a walk considering the uphill trek near the home. Our group preferred the 5 minute drive. Pictures on the website are accurate. Green hills (although we went at the beginning of the raining season) surround the property. The roads in the gated complex are very steep. When we arrive the home was very clean and ready for us to enjoy our stay. The on site staff was very helpful, including cleaning every day. The owner, Sam, was cooperative and responsive, even quickly responding to emails while we were at the home. We had a large group of 12 so we used the main house and the lower apartment. If you have a large group visiting Playa Hermosa, and near by beaches, we would recommend this home.

After considering multiple hotel rooms for a family gathering to celebrate our parents 50th anniversary we came across this wonderful property which exceeded our expectations by a far margin! The spacious house was clean, comfortable, easily accessible and had a remarkable view of the ocean. We had a total of 10 people and although a little tight for sleeping arrangements it was by no means unmanageable. The owner was very quick to return our emails and answer the questions we had. And he provided a very helpful and accurate set of directions, description and contact information. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to use such a pleasant location to make a very special occasion one that was enjoyed by all and one that we will treasure for many years!

We were 9 people ranging in age fromm 11 to 74 and each one of us truly enjoyed our vacation. A wonderful, caring staff even made our experience better.

As experienced travelers, we are sometimes disappointed with our accommodations, often we are surprised, but this was the first time were totally blown away! Savino and Camellia are two very fabulous people who want to ensure your stay is a memorable one, and memorable it was! The Villa is nestled in a hillside jungle paradise. There were numerous birds singing from dawn to dusk, monkeys swinging in the trees, bats migrating in the early evening, butterflies adoring the numerous flowers abundant on the grounds and other sights too numerous to mention. The vistas from the Villa are breathtaking, whether you are marveling at the shining waters of the Pacific, or watching the moon light dance on the hills. We were continually captivated by stunning scenery painted by nature. The Villa is close to Playa Hermosa and many locals choose to walk the 15-20 minute downhill stroll to the Pacific waters. The website advertising the Villa is accurate, but can’t portray how truly wonderful the experience can be. You just need to slow down and smell the hibiscus! The Villa was certainly modern. We had read in a guide book to make sure to bring a 3 to 2 prong electrical adaptor for our few electrical items we used. However, the Villa outlets were the 110v three prong type you would find in your home. The kitchens had marble counter tops, and the floors were pristine tiles. The split level arrangement gives you a bit of exercise, but it is certainly manageable. Even internet service was available! Our expectations were exceeded in every respect. Shopping is reasonably close by with a variety of bars and restaurants in close proximity. There are secret beaches known to the locals. Savino and Camellia shared many of these secrets with us, which certainly enhanced our most amazing stay. Their personal attention helped make our vacation a “dream vacation”. The Villa staff was friendly and helpful, and although they did not speak English, there was always communication which was understood. The staff went out of their way to help with the little things which tended to spoil and pamper us. We really were staying in a Villa! We wish we had a staff at home to help us tend to some of the niceties that we came to enjoy during our stay at the Villa. Savino and Camellia speak perfect English and good Spanish, not to mention fluent Italian. I wonder how many other languages they speak? Our stay at the Villa was one of the most relaxing vacations we have taken in years.

My sisters and I stayed at Villa Camellia over Christmas week with our husbands and children (ages 21, 19, 13, 13, 10). The villa is gorgeous - very large, immaculate, and well appointed. Walking in the front door, we were greeted by a Christmas tree complete with lights - there were holiday lights on the patio as well. We really appreciated this personal touch and attention. The main villa has 2 levels. On the lower level, there are 3 bedrooms, one with an en suite bathroom. Another full bath on this level is for the other 2 bedrooms. Upstairs in the main villa is the living area, patio, kitchen, half bath, and 4th bedroom with bunkbeds. The main villa also has a hot tub on the patio. We also rented the condo which has 2 bedrooms and a full bath. The condo is reached by walking down steps to a lower level. More steps down lead to the pool area and a large patio. Gas grills are located on both patios. The property is huge and the landscaping is breathtaking. The caretaker, Sixto, and his wife are amazing - the pool and gorgeous grounds were cleaned and attended to several times a day. Sixto's wife even washed our clothes several times - a wonderful treat while traveling. Sam is an amazing host - he was always available to talk to us and help us out with any problems or questions we had. We had an issue with our rental car and Sam was very helpful. He even accompanied my brother-in-law to the hospital on Christmas Day to get stitches on his hand! Clearly, this was above and beyond our expectations and we were very impressed with this hospitality. I would highly recommend renting Villa Camellia for a very relaxing vacation in a home away from home. FYI - a great place for dinner and cocktails is called Sueno - and it is within walking distance of the villa. We went twice in one week! Great surfing can be found at Tamarindo - and board rental and lessons are available at The Secret Spot. Zip lining is great at Witches Rock! It was a wonderful trip!

What a find! Our week-long stay here during the Christmas holidays was everything that we had hoped for. The location to the airport and the beach, the expansive home, and the friendly host (Sam)and his staff went out of their way for us (all 15 members of our extended family). We used Tico Travel (Bernal)instead of rental cars (very reasonable and exceptionally good). We would do it again in a minute. Thanks, Sam, for going out of your way for us. It was a terrific week!

Sam, Thank you, So much for meeting us at the airport at night and showing us to your lovely home. My family had the best vacation we could have ever asked for on my 25th anniversary. The home was much more than what we expected. The house was always clean when we got back from our trips out. Talking to the family since we have been back, everyone wanted me to tell you how happy they were with the tour guide you suggested. He was great! The location of the villa was asbsolutally perfect, we had a full view of the bay during the day and breathtaking sunsets at night. We hope that you will have us back again. Next time we want to stay much longer though.Oh another thing I must tell you is that the gate was always open when we were coming up the drive. We all felt very much at home and secure. Thank You again, Walter and Kristi Hayes Seattle, Washington

Location A+. Security A+. Pool A+. Garden A+. Housekeeping A+. Sam & Camilla made us feel like we were their company rather than just renters. They offered valuable advise and guidance on local affairs and were there to make sure that our two month stay was enjoyable. The kitchen had everything that we needed and Sam was always available if we needed anything. I told Sam that he needs to upgrade the mattresses and I am sure that he will. We have been to a few places in Costa Rica and Playa Hermosa is about as good as it gets. Larry and Cindy--Chicago

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! We spent a month at Sam's villa (mid-January to mid-February, 2008)staying in the condo apartment. It was very well equipped with two bedrooms (one of which had a balcony); a large open living room, dining room kitchen area -looking out over the Pacific ocean - and a self-contained bathroom with laundry facilities. We had our own pool (with a waterfall). The pool area also looked out over the ocean and was well equipped with loungers and a supper comfortable hammock. We did a lot of walking for the first couple of weeks in Playa Hermosa combined with some tours and trips by taxi to Playa del Coco. We rented a car for our last two weeks in Costa Rica (the last week staying in hotels). Sam and his wife, who were staying in the house during our stay, were extremely friendly - we felt like we were visiting long time friends. Sam's gardener/handyman - Sixto and Sixto's wife Pastora were very friendly and extremely helpful. It was also easy to keep ourselves connected to our family and friends back home through Sam's phone system and the WIFI connection for our laptop. All in all great accomodations and a great location.