Craig and Cristina are terrific hosts. Incredibly helpful with trip planning (car rental, excursion, etc. recommendations and introductions via WhatsApp to secure reservations), ordered groceries for us (great to arrive to a fridge full of food after a long travel day), responsive during our stay for questions, restaurant recommendations, and coordinating meal preparations with Sinai, who provides daily housekeeping and is an excellent cook. We highly recommend hiring Sinai to cook for you. Sinai has an infectious laugh and her hand made masa tortillas, pollo con arroz, and ceviche are delicious! A number of new homes under construction was a downside. A short walk to a beautiful beach was an offsetting upside. This property is great for multiple families, as there are a number of separate suites and one community space in the ranchero adjacent to the pool. We enjoyed our stay!

Property was perfect for our large family gathering. Very clean and the proximity to the beach was great. Craig was very accommodating and proactive in making sure everything went smoothly. I highly recommend this property.

We arrive on Saturday to an empty property with nothing set up. One of my group members was able to get in touch with the host who owns the property. They had no idea we were coming. They made sure to remind me over and over that it was VRBO's fault that they did not see our reservation in their calendar and apologized profusely. Unfortunately, an apology doesn't mean it didn't happen and it really set the tone for the rest of the events that would transpire. VRBO did send me a notification about my check in 2-3 days prior to us arriving and my communication with the host on the VRBO messaging platform a month ago seemed like enough confirmation to me. After an hour or so after arriving, a team of people came to set up the property -- outdoor furniture, kitchen, rooms, bedding, etc. They were all very nice. But this means that we had to go occupy our time for 4 hours before the place was close to usable -- after a day of travel that started at 5 AM for most. The first night, a electrical surge took out the A/C (as well as a handful of other stuff). So, after an extremely frustrating conversation with the owner who wanted to remind me that this was an act of god and not his fault, they assured me that they were trying to get it fixed. From Sunday morning to Wednesday evening, we had no A/C in the bedrooms, the pool pumps didn't work, there was no hot water heater (I had my first hot shower on my birthday after being there for 5 days), the washing machine didn't work, the oven didn't work (which was unfortunate for when we tried to have birthday meals cooked). So that means we had a live-in electrician (aka random people) from Tuesday until the day we left on Saturday. There were electricians who dug up the driveway to run some electric line, which unfortunately meant I went to close the automatic driveway gate, I had to dig out the gravel with my hands to get the gate to close. The hot pot in the kitchen broke. The toilet in one of the bedrooms would leak out of the top tank, making it unusuable. One of the overhead fans in the bedroom did not work and the fans in 2 other bedrooms were barely strong enough to provide a draft. I did what I guess a host might've done for their guests (but obviously not required) -- I drove 30 minutes to find an appliance store and bought myself and my other guests 3 standing fans to help us sleep at night. I have one good thing to say -- the housekeeper Sinai was a saving grace for our stay at this location

The Rancho is terrific and a great gathering place. Craig and Cristina, the hosts, were exceptionally helpful, provided an incredible team, great resources for transportation, booking activities, restaurant recommendations, and coordinated to have Sinai cook us a few amazing meals . Overall, it was a fantastic experience.

We hosted our family of 9 grandkids and their parents, 17 in all at this awesome place for a week of relaxation and fun. The kids loved playing in the pool surrounded by Magpies and glorious Bougainbilleas. The landscaping was gorgeous! The open air kitchen and dining area was perfect for hanging out. The beach is incredible for surfing and walking and 5 minutes away by foot. You can easily walk into town for a Mango smoothie or fish taco. The property was very clean and comfortable. It was clear that Craig and Christina were committed to helping make it a wonderful week for us. They were both excellent communicators and were available to help plan events throughout the week for the kids. The internet was powerful for those who had to keep up with work commitments. Awesome place and incredibly beautiful. Life is short; take your grandkids and create memories. Anne and John - Canada Pura Vida

Staying at Rancho Paloma Azul was like staying at our own private resort. Everything was clean, in good working order, and there was daily housekeeping. It is a truly special place, and the property owner, Craig, was extremely attentive.

We enjoyed this property The pool was very nice and the rooms are very comfortable. The property manager is very attentive.

This property is amazing and perfect for families! We especially loved the housekeeper and chef Sinai. She was really a highlight of our trip. Her meals are absolutely delicious and you can tell she thoroughly enjoys cooking. The owners are very helpful and help with any questions you have. Would definitely go back!

Very comfortable, love the outdoor kitchen, pool area. Help was kind, thoughtful, and hard working. We would all love to return.

I can’t begin to say enough about how incredible the Outdoor rancho is for hosting guests and just having an all around great time! We had been to Nosara once before, and this time returned with 15 friends for a week-Long surf trip! We were pleased to find that the house offered many amenities to make our week relaxed, fun, and care-free—just as we had hoped! With cleaning services provided every day, Bryan (who looks after the property) always readily available when we had any questions, and having Elena as an option for several dinner meals was incredible (I doubly recommend her fish tacos... those homemade tortillas are to die for!) the pool and outdoor rancho space is where we spent most (if not essentially all) of our time when we weren’t out surfing, fishing, or enjoying the downtown strip of Guiones. Our guests are still raving about how fantastic our trip was. Even despite a short snafu with water access (due to town drainage issues), we were quickly responded to and accommodated by Bryan who was able to rapidly course correct and fix any issue we reached out about. One caveat we didn’t realize going into the week is that the housekeeper and chef both do not speak any English, but fortunately we had one guest who could make due with some elementary Spanish language skills. It’s a shame we didn’t know better Spanish, as Sinai and Elena appeared to have a great sense of humor and would have been wonderful to have had more conversations with them! All in all, we had a trip of a lifetime, much of which is to thanks to the rancho.

Our accommodations were lovely and spotless thanks to the full time on site housekeeper! The home embodies the character of the town and surroundings. I especially loved the fact that the kitchen and main living areas were outside by the pool . The bedrooms with tall ceilings of wood were very cozy and romantic. Craig was a delight to deal with and supplied me with a wealth of information. Brian, who dealt with us once we were in Nosara , helped us with details such as calling cabs and where to eat and shop. We heard great bands and found the towns people to be very friendly. Loved the house and experience and now my husband wants to go back there so he can see for himself what all the excitement was about.

We absolutely loved the pool and outdoor kitchen area! It’s just a short walk to the surf beach:). We definitely recommend this place for a bigger group .

Such a relaxing place, a great, short walk to the beach, and really comfortable everything. Property manager is fantastic and staff is amazing.

We had a great week in Playa Guiones staying at Rancho Paloma Azul. The house was great for our group (3 families, lots of kids ages 8-17... we also had an additional family who stayed at the house next door). We spent most of our time poolside or in the outdoor kitchen at this place. The bedrooms are simple (basic furnishings), but are air conditioned and have what you need. There is a full-time housekeeper (Sinai), who does a great job keeping the place clean. She also has a great sense of humor / laugh. We also used the recommended cook (Elena), who did a great job creating meals that our whole group enjoyed. We went out a couple of times, but preferred her dishes to the restaurants. Things we appreciated: - Security (house is fully fenced with an electronic gate with openers to allow internal parking.... also, the property is in a gated community with cameras throughout) - Three outdoor showers to rinse off from the beach. It was nice when we had large groups returning from the beach to rinse off the sand - Surf racks to store our rented boards overnight - Pool, hammocks and a great outdoor hangout area A few things to know: - The house is a bit remote from the shops / restaurants in town (about a 10-15 minute walk) and the beach (about a 5 minute walk). The beach walk wasn't a problem (went twice a day on average), but we usually drove into town. - There are animals in and around the property, mainly a birds that start signing around 5:30 in the morning... also a few loud howler monkeys, some iguanas and a tapir. We loved it, but sleeping in was challenging. - The house is nice and practical, but I wouldn't consider it luxury, but a great comfortable setup, especially for families. I would highly recommend this place and would stay there again if we are ever fortunate enough to find ourselves around Nosara again. Pura Vida!

Renters need to know that this house is very unconventional. There is no indoor living space. There is a beautiful pool area and a few hostel-style rooms. The rooms are terribly basic. The house maid was lovely and there was a fantastic property manager who helped us through our initial disappointment.

Palamo Azul is a fantastic resort like space, but it's all yours, with no else to share. Walking distance to the beach, great for early morning surfing then retreating back when it got too hot where we could cool off in the pool, or in the cabana/ kitchen. Then back to beach for afternoon sunsets. The space was great for our big group 6 adults 7 kids, enough room where we all could hang out together or find a place to sit alone and read. It had everything we needed and Brian was accessible for any questions and help with excursion. They were some short towels when we first got there and Brian was quick to replenish for us. Air conditioning in the rooms were great for comfortable sleeps at night. Rooms were clean and comfy. Having Elana come in to cook was another great option. Food was delicious, fresh and authentic and allowed everyone to focus on relaxing and having fun. We can't wait to come back .

Great Costa Rican experience!

This house is such a great design for pulling our family together in the palapa roofed open air living room and kitchen to enjoy the tropical air, sounds and smells of the surrounding jungle and waves in the distance. Loved the location between the beach and Bodhi Tree yoga resort. Couldn’t have been a better place for our family. Only recommendation would be for better water presssure in upstairs bathroom. We hope to return!

We had a very comfortable, fun stay. We were 4 families, with a total of 7 kids (all of whom stayed comfortably together in the bunk bed room). The beach is close, the pool and cooking facilities were great and there is on site help for any help you need. Would definitely stay again

My family and I can not stop talking about our trip to Nosara and Casa Paloma Azul! What an unforgettable week! Our group consisted of 14 people, 10 adults and 4 kids ranging from 7 months old to 68 years old. The outdoor kitchen and pool area was where we spent 90% of our time and it was perfect for our group. The property's caregiver, Andres, was very helpful in coordinating dinners, suggestions, and assistance around the property. He was so sweet and we truly enjoyed the time we got to spend with him! We left with a new friend in Nosara! We also took advantage of the house chef. It was nice to have several nights where we simply stayed at the house and played around the pool but were still able to enjoy a fabulous local meal! The house is located in a great location, close to town and the beach! Members of our group walked to the beach every morning at 5 a.m. to surf a couple hours before the rest of the group was up and moving. The house is very convenient to the beach which allowed us all to go at different times and multiple times a day! We absolutely loved our week in Nosara and will definitely return!

Our family of 10 (6 adults and 4 children) from 4 to 70 years young enjoyed a superb holiday and life experience at this wonderful, tropical and well equipped home! Our stay exceeded expectations from the time of our initial inquiry as to availability until our departure. Craig Stanford, the owner, was gracious and hospitable; answered questions immediately, provided exceptional advice and ensured our overall satisfaction to the last detail. After a long travel day, we were met at the Liberia airport by the resident caretaker - Andres Morales Jimenez! He helped us navigate our convoy of 3 vehicles to Paloma Azul in the dark! Not an easy feat! He was also an invaluable translator, concierge, guide, surfing guru and now friend! On arrival, late at night, we were overwhelmed by the peace and tranquility of this spacious home. The "Big Reveal" came early the next morning! Such great beauty - hibiscus, Bougainvillea, birds, breezes, iguanas (a kid favourite) and a chorus of distant howler monkeys! AND, that incredible beach and ocean vista mere steps away! We had been transported from -25 degrees Celsius in the Canadian north to a true paradise. Prior to arrival, we arranged with Craig, to have his recommended Chef , Elena Gomez prepare breakfast and dinner daily. Absolutely the right decision! Shopping with Elena at the Supermercado was an experience and paid huge dividends at meal time. Her menus were varied, delicious, nutritious, typical of local cuisine, beautiful buffet presentation and enjoyed family style at THAT huge table with both she and Andres! I have never seen my grandkids devour so much food without a single complaint-especially the fruit platters, beans and rice, pollo con arroz, huevos, etc. etc.etc.! Sinai, the ever smiling and energetic housekeeper was amazing. Our rooms were immaculate each day and her floral tributes were appreciated. The handbook provided by Craig and the advice from Andres were great resources. Surf lessons, board rentals, fishing excursions, horseback riding, "secret" beaches and exceptional restaurant choices were easily arranged. Our stay at Paloma Azul was simply - A M A Z I N G! Volveremos pronto! Gracias. The Ritter Family Ottawa, Canada March 11-18, 2017

Craig is a wonderful owner. His home is immaculate and he is quite helpful, offering local tips on activities and restaurants. He answered all of my questions, helped me book massages and overall, I couldn't have asked for a better owner/renter situation. Thanks Craig!

We had five adults and five kids ranging in age from 4-12, with sleeping options to spare. We celebrated two birthdays and Thanksgiving 2016. Best money spent was to hire Elena to cook (she will also do dishes!). We loved not having a TV and being away from the resort scene. We rented two all terrain golf carts which were enough to take us everywhere, except grocery shopping. Outdoor showers and sleeping porch were well utilized. Beach access is great. The house is a challenge to find in the middle of the night, even with the directions printed and in hand. Once you know where it is, it seems easy. We had the excitement of preparing for hurricane Otto, but the weather turned out to be great. Craig stayed in touch and we had multiple options for making local contacts for assistance and information. Yes, you should go!

We had three families with six adults and nine children spend a week at La Paloma and we cannot say enough about this property or Randal, the caretaker on-hand during our trip. The four cabanas were spotless with comfortable beds, air conditioning, private baths, and patio space with rocking chairs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The bunk room is above the garage and care taker quarters and was a fantastic space for our eight boys ranging in age from 10-16. The highlight of this house is the palapa (the huge palm leaf lined building that houses the kitchen, dining area, and living space). Aside from sleeping in our bedrooms, we spent almost every minute off the beach under the thatched roof or in the pool. Some of our group also slept in the palapa loft that included four additional beds with views of the Pacific Ocean. It was FANTASTIC!!! Everyone was able to hang out in this outdoor living space while listening to music, playing games, swimming in the pool, blending drinks, grilling dinner, and enjoying the beautiful Costa Rican weather. A palapa is now a requirement for all rentals in our future! The caretaker, Randal, was also invaluable to our trip in Nosara. There wasn't a thing that Randal did not do to make our trip perfect. From cleaning the pool to wiping down surf boards to brewing the morning coffee, Randal was the 16th member of our crew. He even rode his motorbike into town to pick up ingredients and ice. He helped us arrange golf carts, surf boards, a cook for dinners, and taxi rides. Randal's English is limited but there isn't anything he wouldn't do to help make our stay the very best. A few things about Nosara - the beaches offer amazing surfing but it is a five minute walk from the house. We rented golf carts to get in and out of town and also to haul all of our boards to the beach. We were there in March and it was HOT - 95 to 105 degrees between 11:30-4:30. Get out and surf early, take a brake, and go back for round two in the afternoon/evening. During low tide, the snorkeling is terrific. Bring some gear to check out the fish and beautiful shells. Finally, the roads leading to Nosara are a little rough but they keep the town off the beaten path. The actual town of Nosara is about a 10-15 minute ride from the house and has almost all of the amenities you could want - grocery store, liquor store, post office, air field, ect. Enjoy this little piece of paradise!

This was our second time to stay at this house, and yet again, everything was perfect. We were a group of 8 adults and 6 kids. Everyone had more than enough room. Days were spent waking up early for workouts or early mornings runs. After breakfast early morning surf, which is quiet close to the house. Back to the house for some down time and pool time. Picked everything back up at around 3.30pm. Yoga and afternoon surf until sunset. Back to the house for dinner. We noticed how much more busy Nosara is becoming, so it was nice to have a secure and quiet house to relax. Everything was clean, and well kept. Thank you for a wonderful stay and YES, we will be back.

Our accommodations in nosara were more than we could have dreamed of! The house was beautiful with plenty of space. All of our guests felt at home. The rooms were clean and well kept. The pool was serene and peaceful, and a beautiful space to relax. Juan Carlos was so immensely helpful during our stay. He showed us the best spots in town, and helped with anything that we could need while we were down there. The kitchen was well stocked with all equipment that we needed. It was wonderful to have such a clean, organized space as a home base while we adventured around Nosara. Thank you for the hospitality and we look forward to coming back in the future.

The house is extremely comfortable and worked very well for our stay - which included two grandparents, four parents, and six kids aged 3-13. The caretaker, Juan Carlos, is about as perfect as one could wish. He is incredibly friendly, eager, knowledgable, diligent, responsible. He even knew exactly how to treat my sister's (extremely painful and scary) stingray injury. Oh, and he has the most awesome dog ever, Lulu. A couple things that aren't quite as advertised, just so one is completely prepared. One, the directions to the house are unbelievably detailed and accurate, up until the point of locating the actual place. It's possible signs have been moved (indeed, it seems the Guiones Beach Club sign must have been), etc., but the final approach is really elusive, and no one else in Nosara seems to know where the Club is. Two, "four minutes" to the beach is a tad enthusiastic. It's probably closer to ten if you're walking; maybe four if you rent a golf cart in town. Still, when you reach it, it's absolutely gorgeous. For surfers, though, the better break is significantly to the north, so you'll probably want to drive to the main Guiones Beach parking lot and paddle out from there. Three, the internet is so slow as to be essentially non-existent almost all of the time. There is great wi-fi availability from multiple cafes and restaurants in town, but don't expect to stay on-line from the house. Those cautionary notes aside, a highly recommended rental - especially because you could not be in better hands in Nosara than you are with Juan Carlos!

After making a few wrong turns we finally found the quiet, fairly secluded Guiones Beach club and the stunning Paloma Azul. The place completely exceeded expectations! Each room had its own private bath and A/C, fan and beautiful high cathedral ceilings. The outdoor combination living "room" and kitchen were a treat to have as a communal area for games, yoga, breakfast, lunch, and general lounging. The set up was perfect for our group of ladies wanting some privacy and relaxation and possibly often times operating different schedules. The beach is a short walk down a private path making it easy to come and go as you please. The walk into "town" is a bit longer by road but a beautiful stroll on the beach gives you access to all the various access points to restaurants, shops, etc. Being on the southern end of Nosara made it feel more private yet accessible - a fantastic combination. Nosara is quite clearly a special place and the secret (if there was one) is out. It appears that the lots surrounding Paloma Azul are for sale, so the feeling of being tucked away may indeed change in years to come. We loved the staff, especially Bernando and Elena, the chef. They were professional and always available for all of our requests without ever feeling intrusive. We wanted to take them with us :) Lulu the dog was so sweet and would greet us coming "home" on our walks up from the beach. Truly a wonderful retreat.

We just spend 2 weeks at Rancho Paloma Azul. The staff were very accommodating. A big shout out to Bernardo! He was there in Juan Carlos absence. Bernardo was our go to person. He worked hard everyday maintaining the property while ensuring our needs (calling cabs, setting up excursions) were met. He definitely went above and beyond. When Juan Carlos returned, he also was very helpful. We hired "Big Tony" on a couple of occasions to cook for us! He was amazing and very reasonable. We told him what we wanted and he prepared it perfectly! Big Tony can be found at his kabob stand going into town. Highly recommend him. Housekeeping was excellent! LuLu the dog was a cutie! Definitely a part of the Rancho. Miss her already! One thing I would recommend is renting a golf cart. The walk into town is only about 20 minutes however, if you need supplies, you can't carry them back to easily. We rented a golf cart from Paradise Rentals. It was used daily. The whole experience was awesome! Hope to return one day.

We stayed in Nosara for a week. This was our second trip to Costa Rica. The house is even more beautiful than the pictures. This is the perfect house for multiple couples. We loved cooking in the Rancho. We spent every afternoon in the pool. We fished two days with fishing Nosara. We caught Dolphin and Sailfish. I definitely recommend the howling monkeys tour. We saw a part of Nosara that we didn't see on our last visit. We enjoyed watching the stars in the oversized lounge chairs by the pool. The weather was so nice at night, that we slept upstairs in the Rancho. We had some magnificent sunsets. We will definitely stay at this house again! We are already planning our next trip back to Costa!

We loved our recent stay at Paloma Azul. We rented the place for a week with my husband's family. Craig was extremely easy to work with and helpful in getting us ready for our trip and Juanca was equally helpful and friendly once we arrived. He does a wonderful job maintaining the house. The house is beautifully maintained and tastefully decorated with lots of small thoughtful details which make the stay extremely pleasant and make one feel well cared for while there (similar to being at a boutique hotel). For example, we were offered cold drinks on arrival, there was daily maid service and concierge services, such as taxi bookings or excursions, from the house manager. In addition, the safes in each room allow one to charge computers, phones, etc while being locked up. The house is carefully stocked with things that one might forget to get or don't really feel like purchasing for a short trip, such as dish soap, laundry detergent, garbage bags, etc. In addition, the house has lots of the stuff you need if you are traveling with small children, such as a pack and play, a clip on high chair seat, and sand toys. There is a beautiful view of the ocean (not vast, but still highly appreciated). The rooms are simply, but beautifully decorated. While there are houses close by, it feels extremely private. The cook was wonderful -- she approaches local cuisine very thoughtfully and was helpful in planning out our meals for the week. The massage therapist was amazing, we all agreed that she provided one of the best massages that any of us had ever received. It is a short walk to the beach (great surf and never overly crowded while we were there). And about a 10 - 15 minute walk to the Yoga Institute. I would say that if you are traveling with small children and will be having them sleep in another room, it is helpful to have a monitor as there is no internal hallway to the house, so it is difficult to leave doors open or to hear from room to room (which is probably good if you don't have children with you.).

Paloma Azul is a great rental property and we had a wonderful time spending our Christmas holidays there. Our group consisted of 4 couples + 4 kids (ranging from 22 (not a kid anymore) to 3) and this was the perfect property. We all hung out together in the open living/dining/kitchen area and then had our own private suites with attached bathrooms to sleep in. The beach is a short walk away and great to swim in & watch sunsets. The owner was very helpful with answering questions & the website/photos are accurate with what we found. Juanca, the on-site manager was very helpful with everything including recommendations for restaurants & activities, arranging for Elena (the cook), making a quick run into town for pineapples for our pina coladas, and putting together a pinata for the kids on Christmas eve. Also, highly recommend using Elena to cook a few Costa Rican meals - it was nice to relax in a home setting while someone else cooked, cleaned and left you with leftovers that didn't last very long. A little warning, the roads in Nosara are not paved - if you can afford to get the bigger SUV with good suspension - get it!!!