Me and a small group stayed at both places on Ben's property. The accommodations were nice for what I have experienced in Costa Rica. The property was a short walk to the beach and Ben's was a very responsive host!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Ben was a great host, super friendly! All the rooms have cold AC which is important on those hot days at the beach. All in all a great stay, would recommend 10/10!

We stayed with our adult children , 7 people all together. The house looks even better than the pictures, it was very clean and obvious pride taken in the preparations. The 3 California King beds were great, the AC a luxury and 3 bathrooms with showers! I booked this home based on good reviews about Ben himself and he didn't disappoint - he went above and beyond, he helped the surfers in our group, with boards, suggestions and lessons/coaching. He also was full of great info on the area, where to eat get groceries, tours and transport. He lives the Pura Vida life. The walk to the beach is about 10 minutes, we got to see howler monkeys and all sorts of birds , geckos lizards on the way. The boardwalk through the mangroves was the best. The price for accommodation is very reasonable based on location, Avellanas beach is gorgeous and not over crowded. Lolas and Las Olas were daily visits for food. We all hope to visit again.

Wonderful host and perfect spot for our three-generation family for our first visit to Costa Rica. Each generation had a bathroom and bedroom with air conditioning, Wi-Fi and a TV. Our host, Ben, was very respectful of our privacy, and also very thoughtful about making sure our needs were met. He had fresh fruit waiting for us when we arrived, boogie boards for the kids to use, and even bought beach chairs for us grandparents to use! It was nice to be able to cook up a meal in the little kitchen and keep water chilled in the refrigerator. Ben even offered to have someone wash our clothes! He was available for any questions that we had about the house or surrounding area, and truly wanted us to have the best time! We felt very safe behind the large, locked gate and the outdoor security cameras added to our feeling of security. We enjoyed waking up to birds, squirrels and occasionally howler monkeys in the trees around the house. Our grandsons loved walking next door to get delicious ice cream cones from Barney and Georgiana at Surf Hub Gelato. The walk to the beach was possible for all of us and does entail walking on the dirt road for a short distance, then over a boardwalk without railings. Grandpa does have some balance issues, so the boardwalk was a little more challenging. We were close to many delicious restaurants (Ben had lots of recommendations), and small convenience markets. Ben also referred us to a local tour guide that took us on two wonderful tours.

We are a family of four that stayed at Ben’s property. Two adults and two teenage boys. Ben was great to communicate with when we booked the place, and while we were there. The house has three king size beds giving everyone a lot of room for sleeping (although a few more pillows would have been nice). Each room had an air conditioning unit. There are also three full baths. One challenge we faced, and which Ben is getting fixed, is we could not run the air conditioning units and take hot showers at the same time. The power would go out. It wasn’t a huge deal. We would keep the ACs off while we showered, and Ben said he is getting this fixed. Outside, we enjoyed the Hammock’s, especially in the morning. And one morning, we were woken up by some howler monkeys! It is a 10 minute walk to the beautiful beach. And Ben gave us recommendations for restaurants and he gave us boogie boards for the beach. I do recommend if you are going to get a car, that you get an SUV. Majority of the roads in town are dirt so an SUV is easier for travel. Also, to get into Ben’s property there is quite a steep short dirt driveway where an SUV would help. The property itself felt very safe as there is a huge sliding gate with a lock to enter the property and we’ll as additional locks on the doors to the house.

We chose to stay with Ben because he offered great rates and had an excellent location in Avellanas. The accomodations are great and there is even 3 TVs with Netflix for those few days that Avellanas does not have a swell (very few and far between). Ben is a gracious and accomodating host who went to all lengths to ensure our stay was comfortable and most importantly enjoyable. His surf lessons were exceptional, my boyfriend literally went from limited experience in the ocean to catching his first waves in only two sessions with Ben. He is as good with intermediates as beginners and helped me to get past a plateau I've been stuck on for over a year! He also has an extensive selection of boards for those who are not in need of instruction, and has the best rates we found anywhere around. The beach access is close enough and the mangrove boardwalk is a wonderful experience. I can't say enough about our stay, everything just fell into place perfectly, and it was an experience we won't ever forget. If you get the chance I highly recommend this house, and Ben, it's most gracious host/owner!

This house was exactly what we pictured. A beautiful house by the beach with A.C. and a place to lay our heads at night. Walking distance to the beach with plenty of awesome restaurants near by. You don't need a car but we found that renting one with 4 wheel drive left us more options to see things we may have missed without one. Ben will accommodate you in any way possible to make sure your stay is perfection. I stayed with my brother who took up the awesome chance to get surf lessons with Ben. He is a great teacher and they both walked away from the water with smiles on their faces. There is a huge Mango tree right outside the door that we picked from. The bathrooms are so cool! Lounge outside in the hammocks with a beer and listen to the howler monkeys. If your looking for a cool spot by the ocean and like to kick it low key this is the spot. Don't expect to be pampered wined and dined. Staying here makes you feel like you live like the locals. Do it. It's awesome. We love Ben and his house!! We want to come back!!

My boyfriend and I were above satisfied with the beach house! Ben and Luz (the housekeeper) were extremely helpful and accommodating! The cute and cozy cabina has everything you need while giving you the true vibe of Costa, to live simply. We rarely ate out but instead shopped at the local grocery store just a short 7-10 min drive down the road and cooked all our meals at home. The cabina was cleaned regularly and the cleaner did an awesome job.. The beach was amazing! Short walk either down the Las Olas boardwalk or through the river mouth. The waves were also amazing as my boyfriend is a surfer and this was the perfect location to travel both ways up and down the coast in search of waves. Howler monkeys live nearby as well as all sorts of amazing wildlife and vegetation. We did two tours from here, the tour group "Anywhere Costa Rice" will actually pick you up from the hotel next door which was awesome and convenient and they have many options to pick from. All in all, we loved this place and wish we didn't have to leave!

I really enjoyed my stay at this great place! There is such a wonderful relaxed feeling to this quiet off the beaten path spot, with the beautifully peaceful beach only a short walk away. The renovations on the house since my stay early last year are fantastic! The beautiful new addition has doubled the size of the house with two big bedrooms with bathrooms and comfy new beds. Having the new TVs in each bedroom was really great too. The house was nice and comfortable and had everything that I needed for my stay, which included the most important things like wifi and a choice of hammocks! The owner Ben was a really great host and was quick to help me with anything I needed as well as being a great source of information on pretty well everything in the area. The way the property is fenced and gated creates a really private and secure feeling. There are some great restaurants close by offering everything from pizza to ceviche. It was really nice to have the kitchen at the house though, especially if you are lucky enough to catch the weekly fish truck that comes by. Such a great spot to enjoy beautiful Costa Rica! I would definitely recommend staying here!

We loved our stay at Ben’s property. We got a late start getting there from San Jose, and arrived after 9pm. Ben waited up for us, and was very kind about it all. The house has 3 bedrooms and a very small, but functional kitchen. The hammocks are a nice touch. Ben was very responsive about all of our needs, and we had a few! And oh, let me tell you about Playa Avellanas! It’s about a 10 minute walk to the beach from the house, along a dusty gravel road. Cars move a little too fast, so just be aware. There is a great little shortcut to the beach through the mangroves boardwalk. This beach is AWESOME! Easy to find a spot in the shade. Great surfing waves. Some gentle surf for my 1 year old to play in. And, no one tried to sell me anything the whole time we were there! It’s definitely not the tourist destination of nearby Tamarindo, there are only a couple restaurant choices and no souvenir shops to speak of. But if you just want to relax in a beautiful place, and not be bothered but the hubbub of a busy tourist trap, I think you will love this place.

This place was an absolute nightmare. And would not recommend to anyone. It is NOT beach front. We had a SCORPION in the shower. There were holes in exterior walls along with open electrical wires (that were supposedly fixed after someone complained) not to mention BLACK MOLD all over the walls. He said he would only refund me if I didn’t leave a bad review but I don’t want anyone else to have to experience this. The outside had piles of junk everywhere and the host lives 10 feet away separated by a tarp wall: The is no water filter or blender like in the picture. The oven does not work because it is not plugged into any gas. My boyfriend and I could not sleep because of the amount of spiders we seen 5 mins into checking in. He also made it sound like “they” worked really hard to get this place set up and told me there will be spiders because we are in Costa Rica. The amount of times I’ve been to Costa Rica I’ve never experienced anything like this. He didn’t want me to leave a bad review because it would be bad for his business. For this price you will definitely be disappointed! I didn’t even get half of my refund back & we stayed there for less than 12 hours. The only reason we slept there was because we drove 8 hours that day & got there at 9pm & were exhausted. Sad part is we had it booked for 2 days and he didn’t even give me half of my refund back after only being there 12 hours. Not to mention there are fake reviews (multiple of the same review under different names)

We enjoyed our stay. Ben offered recommendations and even directions to help us navigate. Easy walk to the beach and restaurants. Lola's was the best!

Ben is an excellent host. He stayed in touch with me the whole time we stayed there to make sure everything was great. His property is amazing. Very comfortable, spacious and waking distance to Lola's and all the surf spots for us. Also 10 mins drive to Playa Negra. Big beds, AC in all rooms, Netflix, hot water and even had Apple TV. Lots of hammocks outside to relax. I highly recommend this place. Pura Vida to the max!

Loved this place!! Clean, spacious home with everything we needed. Ben was very kind, attentive and made sure we got there okay. He was close if we needed him but we had our privacy and didn’t see him. We went to sleep and woke up to the birds and had howler monkeys literally right outside our door! Playa Avellanas was one of the prettiest beaches and we had a great time at Lola’s!! Lots of things to do in walking distance! Loved it here and can’t recommend this place enough!! Ben was just wonderful!

This was a fantastic stay in a simple, nicely accommodated stand-alone home with 3 bedrooms with king size beds in each and 3 baths, and hammocks surrounding the porch with room to catch some sun, practice yoga in the yard and enjoy the local flavor and great restaurants - all within walking distance. Host Ben was extremely helpful, accommodating and responsive on all things. The home is secure behind a locked gate with solid locks on every door. The AC worked very well, and there were flat-screen televisions with Apple TV in each bedroom (not that you want to spend much time indoors watching TV with the most incredible beaches and sunsets a walk away - but just in case you need to keep up with your show!). The Wifi was strong. We had a coffee maker to use, a brand new six-burner stove and full-size refrigerator. The neighbors were fantastic. My partner and I had a wonderful week at Ben's place and - hands down - will be renting again from him. Beach accessibility, lots of great restaurant options nearby, a tiny market within walking distance (just basics - stock up in Tamarindo or other bigger city before coming to Playa Avellanas if you plan to prepare much of your own meals), surfing and swimming, simple no-fuss accommodations, and high value with a very cool host to boot - this is a great rental option. Thanks Ben - we will be back!

amazing property and house with so many hammocks. We really had a good stay here. The beach was a eight minute walk away. We saw so many birds and parents and monkeys on the property. We got so many photos.

Ben could not have been more helpful or attentive, even providing additional details and tips prior to our arrival. He was there to greet us, but his presence was overshadowed by the group of howler monkeys on the property - what a thrill! The house was spacious enough for the 4 of us, the stunning beach was a short walk away, and the local fare was delicious and affordable. The area was quiet enough that we were able to relax in the hammocks. All in all, a fantastic way to end our Costa Rica trip!

Ben is awesome! Great communicator & super resourceful. The check in process was easy. We felt safe & loved the location. East access to the beach & great restaurant options without driving! Everyone was so nice & helpful. Playa Avellanas is our favorite beach!

I do not recommend this house to anyone. The road to the property was awful, unless you are in a good SUV. The gates are scary and heavy. It's advertised as a beach house, but you need to get out of the property and go through another property to get to the beach. The house is moldy and Lysol is overused to kill the smell. As a person with no allergies I got sick in 5 minutes we had to stay there. Moreover, there was an open electric box which the owner explained was due to renovation they were in. I recommended VRBO to check the property themselves to ensure it's safe for other families.

Very clean and spacious I highly recommend this place. They picked us up from the airport. Then the owner arranged horseback riding tours for us and also a catamaran sunset. The house was so nice.

Really beautiful property and house. The host was really great.

this place really felt like Costa Rica. There were hammocks everywhere and we picked mangos and limes also all the kids got surf lessons we had a great time

It was a real pleasure staying at this charming house. I had stayed here years ago, but this time I came to freshly remodeled villa. The beds were excellent (something hard to find outside of the best hotels in central america) and I stayed cool with the A/C during a week of 100+ temps. I like that there is a yard and hammocks to chill in. Some other places in Avellanas don't really have this and so hanging outside is not an option because it's just too hot and dusty certain times of the year. Short walk from beach and Benny keeps the property very secure and safe with a gate and two guard dogs. Benny has lived here for years and is a helpful travel guide as well! I will be back.

I had a great vacation at Ben's property. It is very beautiful and peaceful there. It is on the edge of the jungle, and one of the nicest beaches in Costa Rica for dieting or just laying in the sun relaxing is just a short walk away. There are also multiple reasonably priced restaurants within a short walk. The house is set up very nicely and the photos don't do it justice. It is much bigger and nicer than it looks. There are also constant improvements being made and anything I asked Ben for he was quick to provide. In fact Ben was so helpful in many ways. He drove me to town to get groceries before I had a vehicle, he assisted me in arranging transportation to other areas in Costa Rica, he helped me set up tours to volcanoes, and surf trips. He knows somebody who does a tour for everything. Just tell him what you want to do and he will hook you up. I highly recommend you stay here. You won't regret it.

We had such an amazing vacation and the location had a lot to do with easing any travel stresses. The setting was perfect for a most romantic getaway. There are beautiful flowers all around the house, mangos at your feet, a gorgeous beach access across the street (feels like a fairytale), beautiful weather, lightning bugs (my fave!) and a great feeling of security bc the property is entirely private. Plus no need whatsoever to drive. We had no issues with water/electricity/internet which is fortuitous considering it's Latin America...and dreaming of coming back soon! Thanks so much Ben!

This house worked out well for us. 3 giant beds, 3 a/c's, 3 TV's!!!! I love it when I can customize my bedroom! Nice kitchen. VERY good restaurant at Las Olas right down the street. Close to the beach and Lolas. Very secure, clean and cozy. We will be back

Excellent value for money great location :-)

We had a great trip. The workers were great. We went zip lining and hung out on the beach.

The instructions on getting into the unit were incorrect and we had to wait for someone to come let us in. Couldn’t get ahold of the owner to confirm the error . Very limited. Accommodations, no bowls in the kitchen, several outlets did not work, stove not working or no instructions, no blankets in home, had to have someone come fix AC, limited internet connection ( had to go to specific area. Doors to outside difficult to open, no handles on doors to open/close. Too many keys to figure which go with which doors. Needs help.

We were looking for a place to learn how to surf (grandson and myself) and found Ben's place on VRBO. Close to the beach with protected accommodations and best of all close to Lola's, a great beachside cafe, restaurant whatever where you can sit and sip anything from coffee to wine to smoothies and watch the action on the beach. Not that we wanted to do a lot of watching as we were there to learn. We engaged Ben's services for board rental and lessons and he was absolutely amazing. We spent a week there and were actually getting on the board and staying there for short periods. Great teacher. Loved our vacation.

Another great stay! I’ll keep coming back when I come to Avellanas. The secure homey vibe and Ben's close attention to detail are always appreciated as are the privacy, security and location. The only thing that could be better is if this was MY place! On the other hand with hospitality like Ben's it is starting to feel that way. His amazing workers remembered me from my last stay, were asking if I needed anything and the entire experience made this visit feel like a homecoming. Twelve stars!

Ben is an excellent host. He stayed in touch with me the whole time we stayed there to make sure everything was great. His property is amazing. Very comfortable, spacious and waking distance to Lola's and all the surf spots for us. Also 10 mins drive to Playa Negra. Big beds, AC in all rooms, Cable, hot water and even had Apple TV. Lots of hammocks outside to relax. I highly recommend this place. Pura Vida to the max!