This is a hard one because we've stayed in many 5 star rentals and this one just didn't measure up. Toilet ring. Ant infestation. No pots big enough to make a large batch of both spaghetti and sauce. No blender. No stools for the eat-at counter. All of our other rentals were so much better. Host was friendly and helpful but somehow it just didn't suit us.

The noise of the ceiling fan in the master bedroom could be annoying in the middle of the night. The towels and closets keep a saved smell, the towels are worn and stained. Also, the lights are blinking and not only related to the use of the heating water system.

We were in the middle of the rain forest, less than a 5 minute drive from main street, El Valle de Anton. The house was immaculate, with all amenities. Slept like babies, with windows open (screened and barred), and woke up to birds singing. Saw a sloth with baby, monkey, toucans, constant chirping from all the hummingbirds, and too many other tropical and exotic birds to mention. All this from the front area of the house. Also had fresh bananas and mandarine oranges daily from the property. Valeri was completely accessible by phone at all times. We have been renting houses and condos all over the world since 2008. This was the most complete and trouble free experience we have ever had. If it works out, we will definitely be back.

We were 6 people, ages 4 to 74. Loved the birds in the oranges. Found the creek to be somewhat farther away than imagined. Loved the fresh breezes instead of AC.

We stayed at this property 11 years ago. It was amazing then, and it is even better now (if that is even possible). IDYLLIC location....you feel removed from everything, yet you are close to all of the wonderful restaurants of El Valle. There is a wonderful hiking trail that originates from this property, and also a nice little stream that is good for kids to play in. This house is perfect for a couple, or for a family with two kids.

We stayed on this lovely property in Dec-Jan. The owner couldn’t have been more helpful – very clear in her communications, gave us lots of good advice, including on where to buy fish from local fishermen. The property is very well maintained, with gardeners and sweepers coming to take care of the grounds. We rented a 4WD pick-up which was helpful for getting up the steep and rocky driveway, but we could have gotten away with a regular sedan and walk the last 100 yards to the house. We stayed with our kids, 7 and 5, who loved playing in the stream. All of us enjoyed the serenity of the place and being surrounded by nature. All in all, we had a fabulous stay and look forward to returning!

We stayed in Valeri's beautifully-appointed house, surrounded by lush gardens and forest, for the month of March and found it the perfect spot to relax and as a base for exploring the El Valle area. El Valle located in the centre of an extinct volcano is sunny and warm weather every day. Our house, facing east and located half way up the hillside, about a 30 minute walk from town, enjoyed lovely views up the valley, the sound of the little river running through the property and easy access to a delightful trail running alongside the river for miles, home to sloth, lizards, iguana and other creatures and many, many birds. We saw over a hundred different species during our stay including toucans, woodpeckers and hummingbirds, many coming to the fruit trees in the yard. While sunny every day during our stay, there was occasionally mist off the surrounding hills - being in the rainforest - and a brisk breeze, sometimes very brisk - so evenings were fresh and cool for sleeping. There is so much to do in El Valle which explains its popularity with retirees, vacationers and youthful backpackers. We explored trails, engaged friendly local guides to take us to some more off-the-beaten-track places, spent a day with the experienced birding guides at well-respected Canopy Lodge as well as regularly visiting the popular Market, coffee shops, eclectic shops and good restaurants. Ideally situated between the mountains and the Pacific, a 30 minute drive took us to waterfalls, white sand beaches and a range of other interesting diversions. Spanish, even beginner Spanish like mine, is useful as many locals, including Antonio who takes such wonderful care of the property, speak only Spanish. We loved our stay and would highly recommend it!

We had a wonderful stay at this property. The grounds are gorgeous and our kids really enjoyed the little river next to it. Any questions or concerns were handled right away. Although we found the Spanish TV hard to watch there was a large selection of movies that the whole family enjoyed. We knew when we booked that the property did not have wifi and we found this hard at first until we discovered the coffee shop in town that offered free wifi. We absolutely LOVED El Valle and this property was a perfect accompaniment to our stay.