All in one Beach and Rain Forest

uest: Kristi27(Washington, DC)
Date of Stay: 05/09/09 Review Submitted: 05/09/09

We stayed at Bella Sirena in June, 2008. We were two adults and two twelve-year-old girls that we mentor. It was an amazing experience! Our city kids from DC certainly had never seen anything like it, and being surrounded by nature was amazing. We also tracked down some howler monkeys by their howels, and saw lots of wildlife. The nearby beaches were beautiful and peaceful. We fully recommend Bella Sirena!

Absolutely Amazing
Guest: Padge(Arkansas, United States)
Date of Stay: 09/27/10 Review Submitted: 10/07/10

I just returned from our stay at the "La Bella Serena," and it was one of the most picturesque places I have ever seen or been to. I traveled with my girlfriend and another couple that we work with and stayed for a full week. I was a little skeptical at first, considering we went during the "rainy" season, however, the weather was absolutely beautiful throughout our entire stay...It was Sunny and warm everyday, and it only rained at night which just made for a better nights sleep as the rain hit the tin roof of the Villa...We would wake up every morning to the sound of the Howler monkeys roaring in the trees above. We experienced fantastic food at many restaurants throughout the local towns, went snorkeling, took jungle hikes to the hidden waterfalls, rented bicycles for a day, went to the Jaguar Rescue Center where we were able to play with the monkeys and hold sloths, and not to mention, enjoyed many of the beaches nearby...Manzanillo is a very small town, as well as the other close-by towns, but it was nice to not be overrun by other tourists...The beaches are absolutely beautiful, and also very "non-touristy." The locals are very nice and welcoming to everyone...Bibo is also a very nice guy that takes care of anything that you need at the place...I would definitely reccommend "La Bella Serena" to anyone that enjoys the beauty of nature and serenity...I'll also throw in that it was actually nice to not receive any phone calls or texts, b/c wifi is few and far between...This was my first trip out of the United States and its going to be hard to beat a trip like the one I just took with my friends...Two thumbs up!!!

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, sightseeing, romantic getaway.

We loved, loved, loved everything about our week's stay at Bella Sirena. The setting was amazing--howler monkeys waking us up in the morning and parrots coming in later in the day. Toucans, over 50 species of birds seen--completely amazing. The caretaker was friendly, helpful, warm, and welcoming. The setting was perfect. We definitely would go back.
Yvonne Perret, Cumberland, MD

Just arrived back from la bella sirena. had a fabulous time. would most certainly return in the future.
Michael Giraldi, ontario,canada

We had an AMAZING time! I can't even begin to say thank you for renting
us that absolute paradise property. The house took our breath away as
soon as we stepped out of the car. It was quite dark and the porch was
lit up just like in the photos we'd seen.

Believe it or not, our favorite part of the whole trip was afternoon
rain showers. We'd sit in the upstairs room with the doors flung open
and watch the rain hitting the jungle.

The grounds keeper was great! He arranged tours for the other couple we
were staying with and was always able to answer any questions we had
for him. I also wanted to mention that we had the housekeeper cook for us
one night (on the suggestion of the greeting card on the coffee table)
and we were thrilled with the meal. It was hands down the best dinner
we ate the whole time we were there (and that's saying quite a bit). The
experience was one that every guest should take advantage of. For the
price, it really couldn't be beat and we had the luxury of sitting on
the porch with our glasses of wine, surrounded by nature throughout
dinner without ever having to leave the house :)

I have already had several people ask me for the link since seeing my
photos and I'm sure there will be more still. Andy and I are thinking
of when we can go back and will probably make the Bella Sirena a yearly
get away if schedules permit. Between the two of us, we've seen every part
of Costa Rica now, but Manzanillo has been our favorite by far. We'd
set out to find a quiet and romantic hidden paradise, and we found nothing
short of exactly that.

Please feel free to use me as a reference if anyone every wants a
testimony. I'd also be happy to share any of my photos.

Thank you again and I hope to be in touch quite soon.

Kindest Regards,

Vanessa (Canada)

Looking forward to a much needed R&R, I found Mary's house on the Internet and booked 2 weeks. The pictures were beautiful but pale considerably with the real thing!

The house was FANTASTIC!!! Plenty of room and drop-dead gorgeous, my wife's vocabulary was reduced to a single syllable, "WOW", which she repeated for 2 days. The boys were just giddy when they saw a three-toed sloth climbing a tree less than 20' from the house. After following the path to the beach, which in itself is wonderful treat for any nature lover and photographer, we stepped out of the jungle and my wife promptly started repeating "the word of the week." The beach made us feel that we were the only souls around for miles, almost our own private beach!

The caretaker, Bibo, was more than helpful and arranged almost all of our excursions for us; zip-lining, dolphin spotting, resturants, and even gave us a tour to Bocas del Toros, Panama. What minor problems that arose he was instantly on top of the situation and had it fixed in no time.

I would make a suggestion to anyone thinking about going to anywhere in Costa Rica; when you rent a car, get the GPS. The fee is nominal when you figure the gas, time, and frustration of getting lost would cost on your vacation. It was a Godsend, took us right to Manzanillo without a hitch, and Mary gives excellent directions too!

Our two weeks were over too soon and I already miss it, I've only been back 4 days!

I want to thank you Mary, and Bibo, for making my vacation a wonderful break and for giving my boys memories that they will carry fondly for the rest of their lives. I will certainly return!

(The coolest part about the whole trip is that neither of the boys, 12yrs and 15yrs, whined once about not having a TV or XBox. And THEY never realized it!)

Much love and thanks again!
RZ
Robert, Baghdad, Iraq

Each day while enjoying early morning coffee on the upstairs deck, we watched howler monkeys swing through the trees and flocks of parrots fly over. From the downstairs living area, we had close-up views of hummingbirds, our first ever sighting of chestnut-colored woodpecker (spotted by one of my granddaughters) in the banana tree at the bottom of the
steps, and scarlet-rumped tanagers, among many others.

Preparing meals or washing dishes in such surroundings was pure pleasure. A sloth hung out in a cecropia tree along the path to the beach. The close-in reefs in nearby Manzanillo drew us back each day for snorkeling; even the 5-year-old donned her mask to enjoy the fish in tide pools. The water was calm and clear in June, tropical fish abundant and the coral amazing.

We discovered a gourmet supermarket between Manzanillo and Puerto Viejo on the last day; fresh baked bread every day, wonderful cheeses, plenty of fine choices if you are cooking in. Interesting small restaurants are along that road for an evening out.

Ceiling fans kept the bedrooms cool at night, and we draped the beds with the mosquito netting more for the romance of it than necessity, because the bedrooms are screened. In the evening in the open areas, we did use repellent, but there were not many insects. The big showers are great, the tropical hardwood floors beautiful. We had happy hours playing cards, listening to the sounds, going over the day's adventures. The biggest problem was deciding which hammock, couch or chair to enjoy, plenty for the six of us to choose from. The caretaker came by every day
to see if we needed anything. Our four days sped by, we would love to have had more time at La Bella Sirena. We highly recommend it.

A group of us spent a week at La Bella Sirena in January and loved it! The incredible natural beauty of Costa Rica was perfectly enhanced by our comfortable and elegant lodgings. We had everything we needed and then some, yet we never felt out of place in the wildness of the rainforest. Howler monkeys, sloths, toucans - they're all right there in the yard. The nearby communities of Manzanillo and Puerto Viejo are both welcoming and relaxed, offering anything a traveler might need: restaurants, markets, shops, and gorgeous Caribbean beaches! We enjoyed the great restaurants, and also had a fabulous time cooking in the all-inclusive kitchen. For a little extra fun we created a different "drink of the day" every day to take advantage of the abundance of exotic fruits (and tasty Costa Rican rum). We slept soundly in the comfortable bug-free bedrooms, the gentle sounds of the rainforest providing a relaxing sonic background.
I can't think of a better way to have had our first Costa Rican experience, nor can I offer enough praise for this lovely vacation rental. Take full advantage of its beauty!
Barbara

My family and I stayed at La Bella Sirena this past winter and had a wonderful time!!!! The location is so perfect for spending time with loved ones and exploring the abundant nature surrounding you. Each morning we looked high in one of the tree tops next to the house to see if "our" sloth was still there. We would always see it and even once watched it come down to the ground (Quite a sight!!) My son was just over a year old at the time and loved watching and hearing all of the animals in the rainforest. We really enjoyed our room, it was all screened in, which we appreciated as it kept the mosquitos outside so we were able to sleep well. The kitchen is really wonderful to use, we would go to the market make fabulous guacamole and fresh fish on nights we felt like staying in. The beach is dreamy, fairly soft waves, but enough for body surfing, I felt totally comfortable to have my son in the shallows to teach him to swim. I would highly recommend this rental to anyone. Especially those who want a truly authentic Costa Rican experience!!!!!
Sarah Drews, Minneapolis, MN.