We were completely impressed by El Castillo and its staff. Well worth the trip to CR and to Esparza (easy drive or they can provide pick up/return service). It was indeed a luxurious Castel in the hills. The food was varied and prepared perfectly by the chef, served with style by the friendly staff. All amenities were as advertised and made our stay an escape from the day to day. One night we arranged a fireworks display (staff coordinated), several nights we had local musicians play during cocktails. The putting greens and elevations was so unique. Tennis and/or pickle ball was a blast on the tennis court. We can't say enough other than we will be back next year- we deserve it!

The house was great we had 16 family members and had room to spare. Ana was excellent, she made sure we got everything we wanted and had the bus ready for everywhere we wanted to travel and see. Josue went with us on all of our site seeing and was a great tour guide and translator. I would definitely visit again.

I have spent several months traveling in Costa Rica and the neighboring Countries of Central America. To say that 'El Castillo De Esparza' is THE most grandest place that I have had the privilege to experience would be an understatement. Surrounded by such all-around beauty, inside and out, to dine on fresh local fare prepared deliciously by the Chef was just another treat. The massage overlooking The Gulf of Nicoya was extremely relaxing and I am a Pickleball addict and they even had a court and paddles! The Staff was very personable and professional and no doubt could provide anything needed to make your stay something special. Having spent so much time in Costa Rica, I have visited most of the tourist destinations such as: Tabacon Hots Springs, Extreme Zip-line, volcanoes, Butterfly farms, Jungle tours and every Beach from Panama to El Salvador so I was happy to just spend time right there at El Castille. For me, there was plenty to keep me occupied and I had no desire to leave the property! It really was an easy destination to get to and I think it will be a great place for me to enjoy a girls getaway next time. All in all it was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend it. Suzy

Just wanted to drop you a quick note as to the wonderful time my guests and I had at El Castillo. The place is truly amazing—much larger and more spectacular than the pictures. But it is the staff that made the trip truly magical. Annabelle, Joswey, Colon and the entire team could not have been more professional and accommodating. We had a total of 30 guest, 14 of whom were children. The house provided so much space and activities to keep the kids busy and happy. Same for the adults (my guests especially enjoyed the masseuse). The food was 1st rate and it was wonderful that the specious dining room allowed us to eat together at dinner. Colon's Thanksgiving feast was as good as grandma used to make! Also, Henry's recommendations re special activities were spot on. He arranged not only fireworks right outside our balcony, but also for a fantastic band to play in the home. Outside activities were as you would expect in Costa Rica--fishing, zip-lining, ATV driving and golfing. All transportation was arranged by the staff (including airport pickup and drop off). Every detail was flawlessly executed by Annabelle and her staff. On a scale of 1-10, several of the children rated El Castillo as a "100", a "200" and even as a "1200". I would agree that it will be extremely hard to find a better place in the world to enjoy the company of a large group I will sing the praises of El Castillo and your team to my friends and definitely want to visit again in the near future.

Third time returning and it just keeps getting better- you get a lot for the cost. Professional yet very personable staff are the best we find in our global travels (spoke Spanish & English expertly). Annabelle & the staff helped arrange a deep sea fishing adventure with HUGE results! Chef Minor & protégé Diego prepared a traditional pig roast which was a unique experience and wonderful in taste. The sushi was expert. All the meals and drinks were excellent. Lots of time to hang by the pool, read, walk, relax in the evening to decompress and escape. But we also enjoyed fireworks overlooking the distant Pacific, played golf, pool, tennis & pickleball. Some days we did nothing at all. Easy to get to from San Jose and everyone in Costa Rica is friendly

This was our 12th family vacation. We've vacationed in Mexico, Caribbean, Canada, and the U.S. All of these were 1st class properties BUT nothing was as grand as El Castillo! The property is magnificent and the 3 specially prepared meals/day were outstanding! EVERYTHING exceeded our expectations! Although the day trips were a bit long the refuge of El Castillo more than compensated. Hats off for assembling the most gracious and accommodating staff we have ever encountered. Ana, Josue and Chef Minor as well as the 7 others couldn't have treated us better if we were royalty. Don't let this team get away, they are an absolute 10+! It was truly a FIVE STAR experience! Thanks to Hank as well for being on the money with his recommendations and being spot on with his answers to our questions....not one hiccup!

Fantastic getaway. The food was top shelf - staff attentive as needed. Evening entertainment ranged from local musicians to fantastic fireworks. Pitch and putt golf on the property tests your pitching from high. Loved it. Would return in a heartbeat.

Took a large group of business associates and El Castillo met every need for logistics from San Jose, business meetings and personal fun, all in an extremely relaxing and safe environment. WIFI kept us connected as needed and plenty of areas for gathering. Lots to do on the compound- golf (chipping), tennis, huge pool & hot tub, water volleyball, water slide- great games/team building. The mountain/valley views were peaceful and the fireworks they arranged were fantastic. Close to the beach and other adventures but once there, it was hard to leave. The staff were excellent, attentive and communicated very well, they made us feel at home. The chef prepared wonderful meals in several locations on the compound. This was a fantastic venue for pleasure or business- plenty of space for privacy. I have already booked later this year with the family. Highly recommended and actually a great value for all you get.

I traveled to the Castillo with friends this fall and we all had a marvelous time. From the moment we arrived until the moment we departed we were so impressed with the staff and with the property. There is so much to do at the Castillo that we didn't even have time to visit the beautiful beach which we understand was nearby. We spent our days lounging in the pool on comfy floating beds, playing water volleyball, zipping down the water slide, on the tennis/basketball courts, doing yoga on the putting green-like grass, getting massages (so awesome!!), eating 3 delicious meals and enjoying cocktails poolside. This was a truly magical vacation for all of us and we'll never forget it. Can't wait to go back and would highly recommend!

The Castle was a magnificent get away with great company. Chef Minor prepared wonderful meals exquisitely presented. Our personal fireworks show was absolutely the best ever, and the nightly entertainment at the cocktail hour was unique and very enjoyable....very Costa Rica! The Castle was filled with history, and the accommodations were superb. The staff was professional and always very attentive. The activities were many, chipping greens, tennis, huge swimming pool with volleyball, and my favorite...lounging. The Castle-again next year!

I went to stay at the castle with a group of 10 people. We had such an amazing stay. We stayed for over a week. From the moment we landed at the airport we felt very accommodated by the castle and staff. There were so many activities at the castle. We would wake up and play tennis then use the pool to swim or start up a game of water volleyball with friends. There was also a separate pool near by which had a really fun water slide for any age. The castle also had a chipping green, giant chess game, and a hot tub. It was beautiful to sit and relax as well as swim up to the bar to be waited on by such wonderful, respectful, and helpful staff. They are there to ensure you have a great stay! The food was superb. Presentation and taste was impeccable. Every meal was fresh and enjoyable. The staff was very flexible with time and place with meals inside the castle. The staff recommended taking a trip the beach, zip line in the forest, and a crocodile tour. All were excellent recommendations and would recommend anyone else to do the same things. However, there are more activities outside the castle in which you can do! Overall, I am definitely coming back to the castle. Not only is there so many activities and the staff was wonderful, our stay had great value for our money spent. Well worth every cent!

First let me share with you that the best way to book this wonderful property is directly with the owners as we did. This privately owned estate is managed flawlessly by Mr. Henry "Hank" Denzler; who made sure from our first inquiry that each of our visits would be exceptional. We arrived at San Jose Int'l a little after noontime and emerged from customs to be greeted by Hank who had us loaded into the Castillo vans and on our way. It should be noted that Hank will arrange the commute by helicopter to the estate's helipad if you prefer. We drove up the winding road to the front gate which opened to reveal El Castillo de Esparza which as you can see from the photographs is magnificent and really more impressive in person. Anna, the head of staff, opened the front door leading into the grand foyer where the entire staff of 10 were assembled to greet and welcome us with tall glasses of rum punch. Not a bad start to what was going to be a great 5 day retreat for 7 guys looking to escape and recharge. Our group hails from across the USA and Europe. We are blessed with wives who encourage what we like to refer to as "The Global Economic Conference". The El Castillo de Esparza is easy for all of to reach with direct connections into San Jose from many hubs in the states. After settling into our rooms - with 10 bedroom/suites spread through the main house and guest cottages, there is plenty of choice; we convened cocktail hour at the swim-up bar. The bartender and head waiter, Joshua, is quick to learn your preferences and invisibly attendant to your needs. Relaxing at the pool we began solving the global economic conundrum in earnest - the conference had begun! At around 5PM we showered up and headed to the game room located on the open mezzanine in the main house to shoot a game of pool and enjoy Chef Minor's hors d'oeuvre offering. Dinner is served on the main outdoor portico deck looking out across the bay toward the bright orange setting sun. The food served at El Castillo de Esparza is all delicious owing to both Chef Minor's knowledge of local sources of fresh everything! In the course of our visit we enjoyed numerous seafood dinners, local beef, incredible salads, grilled veggies, chilled soups and amazing desserts. Breakfast menu starts with fresh local fruit, fresh juice followed by your request to the chef for anything! During our stay Hank arranged many excursions but we were always happy to return to our luxurious home base.

El Castillo is amazing. From the minute we arrived, we were greeted with champagne and fabulous hors d'eouvres. The staff was attentive and helped us plan an amazing week. We went zip lining, croc tours and beach and saw crazy wildlife - the monkeys were the highlight. The resort has a private pool and hot tub which is great if you just want to spend the day relaxing. We were even presented with lunch in the pool side patio. After lunch, we needed some exercise so we would venture to the waterslide. There was never a lack of activities. One of our favorite parts of the day was having cocktails on the veranda as the sunset overlooking the ocean. Can't wait to come back!!

I've visited the Castillo numerous times and upon every visit I wonder why i don't return more often. The staff and service is terrific and they are available for your convenience all the time. Food is upscale with the new kitchen, and amenities are top notch. The room villas are beautiful, and equal to if not better than the nicest hotels. You can design your own vacation with luxurious downtime on the Castillo grounds with poolside cabana/bar, or tour the countryside and enjoy the wildlife and many activities. It is literally a paradise for a large group of close family/friends to get away in total luxury and privacy.

Wow what a wonderful escape and exotic property to spend 2 weeks in! We all had once in a lifetime (well, we will be back again) experience and spoiled ourselves rotten. But the staff, amenities and local area was mainly responsible for the spoiling, Polite, professional staff that were as attentive as we needed, facilities that truly made us not want to leave and accommodations that met every expectation. We canopy zip lined at a nearby outfit and had a blast, explored local villages and towns, shopped local markets, toured coffee plantation. Spending time at the pool and lounging around decompressing were our favorite activities and the environment encourages that feeling. I personally have traveled to over 75 countries and this Castle and Costa Rica were superb experiences. Owners take great care in offering a stunning property, meeting all needs. Do it.

Our visit to El Castillo was an unforgettable experience from the moment we stepped foot off the plane. What makes El Castillo special is not only the ornate and meticulously decorated spaces, but the staff who works there. During our entire trip of seven days, the staff would drop everything and make accommodations to take us on our choice of excursions, even at the last minute. Everyone truly goes the extra mile to make your stay unforgettable. The drinks, the incredible food, the music, the company…they truly exceeded any expectations we had prior to our trip. The key is that the staff is detail-oriented. From the moment you awake, your curtains are drawn and fresh sheets are on the bed. Every morning a gorgeous breakfast would be waiting for us on the beautiful terrace overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Throughout the day, they oblige at any moment to make you a snack (we highly recommend the guacamole) or an alcoholic beverage. The dinners prepared by Chef Minor were absolutely phenomenal, consisting of three courses. We highly recommend Minor’s famous Azteca Soup, as it was unforgettable. As night falls, the bed is subsequently turned down and the curtains drawn. Day after day, no detail was looked over. Not only are there several activities to keep you busy outside the castle (eg. Crocodile River Tours, exploring the Monkey Beach, Volcano view, etc.), but there are so many activities to do at the property. We could have spent all day playing volleyball in the pool, challenging each other to tennis tournaments, playing cards on the veranda, learning to play pool with a gorgeous view of the terrace framing the experience, or selecting a movie from hundreds of choices available in the home theater room. El Castillo de Esparza is a true gem in the heart of Costa Rican activity. We will never forget the experience or the friends that we made on our celebratory adventure.

This enormous estate is one of a kind! I was so lucky to find this very well maintained Castle in Costa Rica were all our dreams came true for our Family reunion of 30 people. The property manager and the staff were 5 star and helped us arrange from visiting the Volcanoes, to getting the best boat for our deep sea fishing excursions, golf, Zip lining and seeing the beautiful rainforest the country has to offer. But the best was all the activities on the property Carnival night, Bands, Tennis court, Spa treatments, Winding water slide (which all the kids and a few adults loved), golf, horseback riding and I could go on and on! The property includes a wonderful staff and a full-time chef "Minor" and helper that could cook anything for us breakfast, lunch and dinner. We loved his cooking so much we would rush back to the castle after touring for all the fresh fish he would cook and the desserts!!!! I recommend this property and there is no doubt in our minds that anybody who stays here will have a magical time whether it's two people or 30 people....Thanks you everyone at the Castillo!