the setting is perfect with lots of nature around and close to Monteverde. house has some major flaws. shower was cold even though a number of other guests have had the same complaint it wasn't fixed. The house becomes an oven in the afternoon sun but no fans, screens, or ac. so when you turn on the house lights you have to close up or you get lots of bugs. no way to ventilate. also - the dogs in the valley bark for a long time in early evening and morning. nothing the owner can do about that I know. may not irritate some but it was excessive. these problems put a damper on an otherwise great experience. saw 6 quetzals in Monteverde with an excellent bird guide.

We stayed at the Star House for 5 nights. It was the perfect distance from town and the views from the living room and deck were amazing. The house had everything that we needed to cook with and was supplied with all the bathroom essentials. The washer and dryer in the house was a nice bonus. Zabrina and Beto were great help with our questions and offered wonderful suggestions for places to visit. There is fire pit and a small gazebo with swing chairs (although we gathered firewood) we were always exhausted by the end of the day and never did have a nice fire. There is also a road/trail that connects to another community as well as small trails we found that led to large open areas with picnic tables. We were greeted with White Face Capuchin's, a Coati, a friendly lizard under the deck, turkeys, and agouti's. Im so glad that we stayed at the Star House and it was the perfect house to end the day.

We stayed at the Star House for 5 nights. It was the perfect distance from town and the views from the living room and deck were amazing. The house had everything that we needed to cook with and was supplied with all the bathroom essentials. The washer and dryer in the house was a nice bonus. Zabrina and Beto were great help with our questions and offered wonderful suggestions for places to visit. There is fire pit and a small gazebo with swing chairs (although we gathered firewood) we were always exhausted by the end of the day and never did have a nice fire. There is also a road/trail that connects to another community as well as small trails we found that led to large open areas with picnic tables. We were greeted with White Face Capuchin's, a Coati, a friendly lizard under the deck, turkeys, and agouti's. Im so glad that we stayed at the Star House and it was the perfect house to end the day.

This is a nice house on a hill overlooking the town of Canitas. The hot water didn’t work for the three days we were there. The power went out briefly one night. The owner had no solution to the water problem. The owner told us that they had taken their hot water tank to the house and that they themselves also didn’t have hot water. I don’t know if that’s true but we certainly didn’t have hot water. So if you like hot showers this is probably not the place for you. Utility problems aside, this is a great cottage with very nice views of the area northwest of Santa Elena. It’s within walking distance of a good family-run restaurant and a few tourist attractions like a coffee farm. We didn’t have a car. You should probably have a car if you stay here because taxis are hard to come by and not very tourist friendly. There is no municipal bus service. Uber might work for you (we managed to take it a few times from Santa Elena but it’s hit or miss). There are lots of birds that fly in front of the house. The sunsets are great. It’s beautiful and away from the busyness of downtown Santa Elena. I recommend inquiring about the water situation because we were told by the owner that the previous renters also didn’t have proper hot water. If this is fixed then this will be a five star place that I would warmly recommend. Judging by the guestbook entries other people had a great time and didn’t experience a problem with hot water so perhaps this is temporary. In conclusion: beautiful views and a nice place to stay.

This is a nice house on a hill overlooking the town of Canitas. The hot water didn’t work for the three days we were there. The power went out briefly one night. The owner had no solution to the water problem. The owner told us that they had taken their hot water tank to the house and that they themselves also didn’t have hot water. I don’t know if that’s true but we certainly didn’t have hot water. So if you like hot showers this is probably not the place for you. Utility problems aside, this is a great cottage with very nice views of the area northwest of Santa Elena. It’s within walking distance of a good family-run restaurant and a few tourist attractions like a coffee farm. We didn’t have a car. You should probably have a car if you stay here because taxis are hard to come by and not very tourist friendly. There is no municipal bus service. Uber might work for you (we managed to take it a few times from Santa Elena but it’s hit or miss). There are lots of birds that fly in front of the house. The sunsets are great. It’s beautiful and away from the busyness of downtown Santa Elena. I recommend inquiring about the water situation because we were told by the owner that the previous renters also didn’t have proper hot water. If this is fixed then this will be a five star place that I would warmly recommend. Judging by the guestbook entries other people had a great time and didn’t experience a problem with hot water so perhaps this is temporary. In conclusion: beautiful views and a nice place to stay.

We felt immersed into the Monteverde life. Getting to the main parts of town was super easy. The house was quaint and was just fine for us. The Star house was a bit hard to find since they have no addresses there, but we were able to ask someone at a near by restaurant for directions. He happened to be her cousin, so a small town indeed. Zabrina is such a sweet lady, such a helpful host! Pura Vida!

We enjoyed our time! The small house was well equipped - plenty of hot water, nice bathroom and laundry! Zabrina provided advice on local tours. Loved the balcony and watching the hummingbirds and butterflies. Lots to do in Monteverde area but the house is a bit out of town so you can get the best of both worlds! If you go I totally recommend the Don Juan coffee tour and a visit to Curi Cancha wildlife reserve. Spectacular! We rented a car and drove from La Fortuna and had no trouble. Take it slowly and treat it as part of the adventure!! 4WD is a must!

We enjoyed our stay at this little house in the woods, not far from attractions, outside of town. It's a rustic setting with beautiful view. The kitchen has what you need for basic meals, the beds are quite comfortable, and we were kindly provided with a foam mat for the floor for one additional person, although the couches are firm and comfortable enough to provide a good night's sleep. The bathroom could use some updating and the smaller bedroom has a musty odor, which you may or not may not mind. We had some issues with lack of hot water, and resorted to heating water on the stovetop, which we didn't mind, but did take more time. There are some nice trails near the property that are fun to explore, and every morning there are hummingbirds that come to feed in the bushes right outside the balcony. The weather, of course, is unpredictable, but on clear days, cloudy days, and even during rainstorms, the countryside is beautiful. Be cautious on the road to the house, as it's a little hard to find (gate to the entrance is next to a very yellow house) and the road is steep with a tight turn. Definitely need a four wheel drive to make it up the hill.

4x4 a must for drive.....very comfortable and close the Santa elana

4x4 a must for drive.....very comfortable and close the Santa elana

We stayed at the Star House for a couple of wonderful days! Monteverde is just wonderful and the location of Star House makes it easy. It has everything you need and could reasonably want- and the views and cool air come free :)

We had such a lovely stay at the property. We drove up to Monteverde from Arenal and the drive was beautiful. It took us up through the mountain and past the huge wind turbines, which was very cool to see. We preferred to stay in Santa Elena because is was on our way in and still close enough to the adventure parks, grocery and restaurants. We arrived at the property in time to see the gorgeous sunset off the patio. Zabrina was more than accommodating with directions and suggestions for site seeing. Definitely worth going the VRBO route.

Our host was delightful and accommodating. The place had a stunning view past grazing cattle down into a lush mountain valley through which mist and clouds were blown by the wind, creating one of the most beautiful rainbows we've ever seen. The place was comfortable, set in the forest, but close to a nice village and not far from Monteverde. Would stay here again!

We spent five days at this lovely home outside of Monteverde near the town of Santa Elena, where you can shop for food. We found the house to be very comfortable and had most everything we needed, Zabrina was very responsive to any requests we had, giving us good information about things to do in the area and quickly solving the hotwater issue when the gas ran out. We were very glad we had rented a four-wheel drive vehicle since the dirt road into Monteverde and the driveway to the house was very rough and quite steep up to the house. We had two successful birding trips, visited two reserves with skywalks both very enjoyable. We ate in several local restaurants in the shopping mall near the town, they were all good the very best was the D'Thomas. Overall we had a great time here.

The house was modern, clean and felt very safe. We loved that it was off the main road but still very close to the city. The road to get to the house was the only thing I could say comes close to this properties downside and it really wasn’t bad at all. I would recommend 4 wheel drive but we were warned of that ahead of time. Zabrina is so friendly and eager to help. We loved our stay in their home and hope, one day, to come back.

This property is a great spot to stay while visiting the Monteverde area. It is clean and comfortable. The wi-fi is great. The furnishings are modern. The beds are comfy. The view is incredible. The front deck is great for relaxing and enjoying the view. You can hike on trails behind the starhouse and spot many birds including toucans, toucanets, mot mots and jays. Capuchin monkeys frequent the area as well. We enjoyed our stay and would recommend it to anyone. Zabrina is friendly and helpful. She recommended a 4x4 SUV which was a smart choice. Santa Elena is close by for shopping. Monteverde, Curi Cancha and Valle Escondido are all close by. I would recommend the night walk at Curi Cancha. Thank you

A must see.

The house was very comfortable and was perfect for a family of 4. I cannot say enough about the amazing views from the house. The owners had not posted photos of the house itself so we didn't know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised to see the cute cabin on top of a hill overlooking the valley. The sunset views were spectacular. We also enjoyed walking through the woods around the house. Overall a very pleasant experience.

We had a great time at our recent stay in the Starhouse. It was well stocked and suited all our needs. The surrounding area was perfect for hiking and exploring while also being close to town. Berto and Zabrina were very responsive whenever we needed anything whether it be assistance or advice! They were accommodating with arrival time as we took much longer to arrive in Santa Elena than anticipated! Many memories were made!!!! Thanks so much! Highly recommended.

We had a great time at the Star House and really enjoyed our time in the area. Abundant wild life (toucans, monkeys, agouti) right on the property, and a rainbow in the mist every morning made for a memorable visit. We enjoyed the backyard fire pit/ BBQ, and the tranquil setting.

Everything we needed at a great price. We loved it.