You should stay here! We were in CR for 9 days with four different rentals, and this, by far, was our favorite place to stay. Nick was informative, attentive and incredibly helpful. The unit was even better than the gorgeous photos. This is the only unit out of the four that has outdoor living space right in front of the kitchen. So, when my husband was cooking I could sit out by the pool and we could still talk and hang out together. When another couple came a couple of days into our stay they just joined right in and we shared rum cocktails out by the pool and got to know each other. The location is quite remote, but very worth the bumpy dirt road drive to get there. The kitchen was well equipped for cooking, and we ate almost all of our meals in. It was also nice that there were some spices in the kitchen that we were able to use to flavor our locally bought food. We would recommend stopping at the Supermercado in Villareal on the way in to stock up on all of your needs prior to arriving. Nick, thank you thank you thank you for such an awesome vacation. We will be back!

We just returned from our vacation at Beachwalk Casa Uno! Nick was an amazing host! Upon arrival he called to make sure we made it okay and if there was anything we needed and giving us tips and advice on different restaurants and site seeing!! Casa Uno is very unique living space! We enjoyed the pool on some relaxing days! Omar lives on site and is always there if you need him! If he wasn't sure what we were saying he would always call Nick to translate and Nick was always available! Omar tends to all your needs and works hard on site!! Playa Avellanas is a beautiful beach with lots of locals! It is only a short 15 minute walk over the estuary! Lunch at Lola' s is amazing!

Nick was an awesome person to work with - prompt with responses and proactive. The pros of this place are the onsite person Omar who helps with any problems you have; away from the craziness of Playa Tamarindo, nature with howler monkeys and awesome birds just down the street; quiet; very clean. The cons MAY be (depending on what you are looking for) - can't close the living space area ie its an open space design - so if you want to hang out in privacy in the evening in living room cant do so; neighboring condos may/may not have residents at the same time; wasps/bees in the swimming pool looking for water in the heat (we learned to get used to these and they eventually flew away each time we went into the pool.. but was a little unnerving at first).

Beach walk was great & Nick was an excellent host. The house was in a great location super quick drive to beach and restaurants; Lola's, BeachBox, etc. (Go the Lola's for the location & Beach Box for amazing burritos.) House was clean & comfortable and having a pool in the main area was a plus as it was nice to take a dip in the morning or after spending the day at the beach. The onsite caretaker Omar was always around incase you had a question. The house is very open so you do have to be ok if bugs and critters come in. (We only saw some geckos and one spider.) We really loved the little town of Playa Avellana! The beach is gorgeous!! After a short drive to Tamarindo to explore, we were even more happy we made the decision to stay here. Less touristy & more of an authentic, laid back Costa Rica experience. Nick checked in several times to make sure all of our questions were answered and gave great recommendations on dinner spots (we loved dinner @ Los Olas Cabinas up the road). Thanks Nick for a really nice stay!

Great host ...nice place

Nick was a great host! He called several times during the stay to make sure all was going well and offering suggestions for places to eat and things to do as he has a local knowledge of the area. Nick also dropped what he was doing to help with "walking" us through directions on day one when we found ourselves lost! The home was perfect for the family being only short walk or drive from beaches and places to eat (Kon Tikis our favorite). Waking up to Howler Monkey alarm with coffee and playing with LuLu the sweet dog on property will be missed! LuLu also found us on beach which was a great surprise and she made leaving very hard! Also, we made friends with family staying on property which definitely added entertainment value. Being so close to jungle did bring some critters around requiring a nightly sweep of rooms before bed and there seemed a bit of construction or repair of one of the homes on property which was a bit of an eye sore. Overall this was a fantastic place from which to enjoy Costa Rica!

The house was amazing!! With everything that we needed and what described. Will stay here every time I go to Guanacaste! :)

We absolutely loved our stay at Beach Walk Casa Uno. Nicks place is super cool, the area is off the beaten path. Only 300 meters to the beach. There is a cool restaurant on the beach called Lolas, sit back have a drink and watch the surfers. Nicks Place is really clean and modern, the bedrooms are large and have AC, the kitchen opens up the a cool covered porch. My family and I had many wonderful dinners outside. There is also an outdoor BBQ and outdoor shower. Omar is a great source for local information and very helpful. Tamarindo beach is only 27km away about 15min and it is wonderful to spend the day there surfing, ATV, horseback riding and has really cool restaurants. Drink the Pipa about $1.00 that coconut water. Nick even called us a few days later to check on us and offer any help or info we may need. If you get a chance go on one of the catamarans in Tamarindo beach. its a 6 hour cruise, where you will see Whales, turtles, dolphins and watch the sunset. We will definitely come back to visit and looking forward to stay at Beach Walk again. Thank you Nick

La coordinacion para atender nuestra llegada fue exacta, atenta y acorde a lo que esperabamos, Luis facilito esta conexion, la casa es ideal para grupos que desen combinar montaña y playa. La unica recomendacion es que a pesar de que las habitaciones son muy frescas, el a/c hubiera hecho mas placentera la estadia... El contacto con la naturaleza es un plus.

The host canceled this reservation the day before arrival. This is an automated posting.

My friends and I had what I suspect to be an atypical experience at Casa Sabura. We were met by Mateo at our check-in time, who explained the house to us and walked us around the grounds. Make sure to ask about working the A/C units, how to activate the outdoor lights and how to turn on the hot water. I'll start with the bad: The house was not ready at the time of check in. The gardener/plumber, was in the upstairs bathroom trying to fix the shower (damaged by previous tenants) for three hours after our arrival and an additional eight hours the next day. Even after the fix, the shower was unusable due to the lack of hot water and very little water pressure. Water just dribbled out of the shower head. Also, the pool was quite dirty and required a lot of skimming before it could be used. The downstairs bedroom smelled strange and was very musty at check-in, so we opted not to use it. Also, there are some roommates in the house such as several geckos (which chirp very loudly), at least one whip scorpion, and quite a few katydids. A scorpion even hitched a ride in our suitcase home, much to our surprise. The good: once we cleaned it, the pool was a great place to relax and cool off after a long day surfing/lounging at the beach. The house's architecture is amazing and we loved hanging out in the large kitchen/bar area. The A/C units work great and were much needed. We awoke each morning to the sound of howler monkeys in the nearby trees and were able to spot them one morning just 100 meters off the back porch. The host (Andre and Rita) and the property manager (Fabrice) were very responsive to our emails and tried to address the bathroom issue. Overall, I would recommend staying at Casa Sabura as a truly authentic rustic rain forest experience. Note - If you are planning to stay at Casa Sabura, be sure that you rent an SUV or truck, because the road leading to the house is very muddy and full of potholes. It would be quite difficult or impossible to get there by car.

If you are looking for a place near Tamarindo, look no further. Andre and Rita's house is spectacular and was the perfect jungle home for us during our stay. It was only two of us but there was room for at least three couples, two nice sized bedrooms up stairs and one downstairs right next to the pool. There is also a small portable BBQ grill, table, chairs and two hammocks, it made the pool experience so much nicer. Plus the outside shower and the bathroom downstairs made coming from the beach and then jumping into the pool a breeze. We spent whole days just lounging around the house, swimming in the pool and napping in the master bedroom with a full view of the jungle. One day we even saw two monkeys swing down into the tree outside our window and watched them nap and chill out in the tree, it was pretty special. We'd never been to Costa Rica before but we would highly recommend you stay in Avellanas, rent a car and explore the area that way and this is the perfect house to stay at. If you don't feel like driving it's a quick 15min walk to the beach and Lola's a good but touristy restuarant on the beach. There is also a 'Soda' or restaurant and bar that serves typical Costa Rican food in walking distance as well, which we never ate at but looked awesome. Lastly, right next to Lola's is the Beach Box, they had some of the best food in the whole area at a good price. So yeah, the place is amazing, the area is amazing and we couldn't have been more happy with our stay!

We truly enjoyed our stay at Casa Sabura! Fabrice was very helpful throughout our stay. The house was a delightful escape from the tourist filled Tamarindo but was a short enough drive that we could enjoy it at will. Although we traveled during the rainy off season the weather each day was amazing. 5 days was too short a stay so we will definitely be returning soon. As for the house it self, everything is accurate as described and pictured. Beautiful full length windows and natural wood design bringing the outdoors in. Ants and bugs were expected due to the location. We rented a car so that we could explore other areas. Tamarindo was a short 25min drive with lots of activities, yummy restaurants (Patagonia was a fav), and great shopping. Playa Conchal was about 1 hour from the house with the most amazing beach and the best food (Soda Brasilito). Overall I would certainly suggest staying here! Gives the true feel of Costa Rica!

I stayed two nights at this property and will say it is a very nice eco-friendly establishment that has great access to the beach of Playa Avellanas and to the lively area of Tamarindo less than a half hour away. We had some trouble finding the home initially, but Andre worked with us to locate it which I appreciated. No issues getting around after that. Nothing crazy or out of sorts to report in terms of severe bugs or anything. The beds are most definitely comfy. Big plus there. I liked the idea that Andre is also a chef! Although I wasn't able to use his culinary services due to the particular menu item I wanted not being available (lobster, which is partly because of my late request for it), I would recommend giving it a try, which I feel would add to the experience. I would most definitely stay again, next time with a group, since there are three bedrooms and only two people stayed (including myself) at the time of this reservstion. Thanks Andre and Rita!

This place is great!! Casa Sabura is a very beautiful home. There is one queen, one full, and two twin mattresses to accommodate your group. The setting is incredible being right in the middle of the jungle and still so close to the beach. BRING BLANKETS AND TOWELS! That was truly the only issue we had. The kitchen is well stocked except for cutting knives. The Wi-Fi is sufficient considering how remote it is. We were able to stream movies at night on our iPad. The pool is a great feature that we enjoyed immensely! For restaurants I'd recommend Lola's for a higher end experience, Gregorio's for authentic dishes, Vida Buena for healthy options or pizza, and Las Olas for breakfast. Be sure to rent a 4x4 vehicle as the roads in the area are all dirt and unpredictable.

The host was great. The house was wonderful and not far from Lola's which is a great place to eat.

Great house in a fantastic location. Not the easiest to find, but once you do, it is a hidden gem. They gave us very specific directions and met us at the gate when we got there. Totally worth the effort. Lots to do in the area, and Andre and Rita were wonderful about giving suggestions of places to eat, etc. The pool was amazing and they came to clean it daily. A private oasis (with a lot of wildlife surrounding it) in the middle of the jungle. Short walk to a magnificent beach and great food at Lola's. I would recommend it to everyone.

Casa Sabura (once you find it) is very picturesque. It was the perfect place to hangout and relax after days of swimming and riding the waves. It is not right next to the beach but is just a short walk or drive away. Be sure to check out both Lola's and the Beach Box while you stay. Both have great food! Myriem helped us during our stay with check in and check out. She was super helpful with making dinner and sailing reservations. And Andre and Rita checked in during our stay to make sure everything was going smoothly. Overall this was the best part of our Costa Rican vacation!

Exelente equipamiento y comodidades. Muy buen mantenimiento de areas comunes.

The host canceled this reservation 9 days before arrival. This is an automated posting.

The place is excellent for family trips with 3 rooms each one with its own bathroom. The living area is big. The place is kept in shipshape and the kitchen is well equipped. Jeffrey and Benito are great hosts and we loved Guapo, Princesa and Mita. This is is a great place if you are a dog person.... not so much if you are not.

Hermoso lugar, equipado con todo lo necesario y muy buena atención, súper recomendado

The condos are very clean and the road isn't as bad as the other listed it to be(I've seen way worse) . Mauricio was very helpful. The house is made of wood so it really doesn't allow for too much privacy(you can hear everything between rooms and floors) Amenities listed are exactly like it says. I only had 2 discrepancies with the whole trip. One was that you are 3 kilometers away from the beach( i knew that coming in, but it sucks more when you get there and realize that) and 2. I did not like the fact that Jeffrey physically pull the plug on your A/C units if you leave for a couple of hours to eat or something and are the type of person that likes to come back to a cold room to freshen up. This was confirmed by the grounds keeper himself when i came back with my family(he told me that Jeffrey had a knack of doing that). He literally showed me the unit where it was unplugged. I think if i am paying a little more for a unit w A/C, that it should be my choice to turn it on or off at my discrepancy during my stay. I feel i have an obligation to put that here so that it doesn't mysteriously happen again. Aside from these 2 things, the place is not bad and the beach is beautiful. On a side note, pool was very clean as well. Overall, we enjoyed out stay and would recommend it to others.

Mauricio met us at the gate, showed us around, and was available to any questions or needs. Very friendly. Jeffery made us feel most welcome.

Excelente lugar totalmente equipado apartamentos amplios y en impecable condición, a 10 minutos de la playa, recomendado.

Nos encantó!! Todo! La casa, la piscina, el trato! Súper recomendado y volveríamos sin dudar. Muy calmado y bonito! La casa súper amplia y cómoda. Todo aseado. El personal muy atento siempre que ocupamos algo. Muy linda experiencia!

Joel was a fabulous host. His biggest strength is communication. We experienced a few problems with the house and community throughout the trip that were outside of his control. However, his responsiveness was outstanding and we were inconvenienced for only small periods of time. The house itself is in a very quiet, gated community with a gorgeous pool and excellent kitchen. We even used the outdoor barbecue! It is a short drive from lively Tamarindo and has excellent access to Playa Avellanas, a fabulous beach with surfing and two great restaurants. For groups looking for a quiet retreat in close proximity to great restaurants and beaches, check this place out.

Casa Prana and Joel's hospitality were exceptional! The house was a vacation in itself!

Excelente lugar, hospitalidad de Joel y la casa muy bonita, con un diseño moderno y apropiado para la zona. Disfrutamos muchísimo en familia. Gracias por todo...!! Esperamos volver pronto.

Joel was incredibly helpful and friendly, always available to help out not only with the house, but with recommendations and help with booking services around town. The house is gorgeous, unique, and in a wonderful location. Thanks again!

Joel was welcoming and answered all my questions about the house and surrounding community. The photos don't do the house justice-- it's an absolute paradise! My husband and I traveled with my parents, cousin and his wife-- the house allowed for separate bedrooms and ample communal space inside and outside the house.

Excelente lugar, cien por ciento recomendado

Angenehme ruhige Lage, sehr engagierter und netter Gastgeber aus Deutschland mit vielen Tipps für den Aufenthalt, nicht allzu weit zum sehr schönen Strand, kein großer Supermarkt in der Nähe, Cafe Playa Negra (etwa 20 Min Fahrt Richtung Süden) ist ebenfalls empfehlenswert

the villa was quiet and private. i really enjoyed lying in the hammocks, saw numerous birds, lizards, and monkeys. was able to walk to the beach.

This was a nice little place—elegantly designed and open, perfectly suited for a few days' stay. The beach is about a mile away—an easy walk or drive from the residence, and the hosts—Isabel and Robert—are extremely warm and accommodating.

Wonderful host and hostess. Beautiful space and very comfortable beds. We had thought it was going to be a short walk to the beach but it was actually a 15-20 min walk. Not an ideal place if you do not have your own transportation. Closest grocery store had very limited options.

Really great place! We loved Isabel and Robert and little Lea. It felt as if we were visiting friends. Loved the area as well- perfect getaway spot to hide from craziness of a big city. Amazing nature(crazy hot in April though) and a great beach:) Grumpy Monkeys and climber lizards

This place was cozy. The people were very nice and friendly. When one of our group left behind their wedding ring they worked to ship it to him which we greatly appreciate! I feel this location was a bit more remote than the description indicates. It can be expensive to get to the city if you want to go very often.

The villa was great, exactly as pictured and a very welcoming space. There was some work being done around the property, but they were accommodating when we asked them to avoid working while we were there. They offered us another complimentary night because of the inconvenience which was much appreciated, although we had already made other arrangements. We also hadn't realized that the air conditioning wasn't included in the price, but they waived the additional fee for us at the end which was very nice :) The villas are beautiful, and both being architects we really appreciated and enjoyed the designs. Also the hammocks were very nice to relax in and read after a great morning surf a short 15 minute walk away at Avellanas. The beaches are incredible and were some of the best waves we had surfed all trip.

we paid for a room that was advertised as three beds but it was just one large bed and one small one

Persona responsable y de palabra!

Beautiful home and location. Hacienda Pinilla is a very secure and well maintained complex with lots of things to do, places to access the beaches, golf, jog, trek, golf and just relax. Villa Real is close as is Tamarindo. I suggest you try the small local restaurants, the "Soda" locations. We did not realize how great and inexpensive the food was until the 6th day of our 8 day stay. Yes there are the larger touristy places in Tamarindo, but you'll be shelling out a whole lot more and getting less. Talk with the locals, they are very friendly and willing to help with suggestions, directions and tips. You might consider having a car, the location is off the main drag, which for us was a plus.

The host canceled this reservation 6 days before arrival. This is an automated posting.

My wife and stayed in this location for a two week period and we really enjoyed it. It was secluded, private and several times there were monkeys in the trees right outside the house. The location is a bit off the beach as you need to drive several minutes from the home (basically out the long dirt access road) before you can get to the ocean. Isa had lots of great suggestions for things to do locally (dining, beaches, etc) and because of this, we felt that we experienced some parts of Costa Rica that were very "authentic" and not completely spoiled by tourism and development. The home does not have AC but it is gets of airflow most of the time. Our favorite feature was the unique stone shower with outdoor views which still maintained personal privacy. Both, my wife and I would happily stay at this location again. Great value, great host

Isabelle was the most gracious, welcoming guest: she met us in Tamarindo and directed us to the property by driving in front of us. She was incredibly kind and accommodating. The property is magical: she has built a beautiful place and I feel lucky that I got to experience it. The property was exactly as described but photos cannot capture the beauty of the surroundings, the animals, and the beautiful details of the house.

Finca Shambalah is an incredible place to stay!! We had the pleasure of being there for 12 days and loved every day of it!! It's literally 5 min from 3 different beaches but is secluded so you can get away from the crowds of the beach if and when you choose. You must have a car to get to the house and I'd recommend it anyways to be able to explore the nearby area (it's not as scary driving as everyone likes to say). I have to say my favorite part about the house was getting to hang out with the monkeys that swing by in the trees. We would set chairs out and just observe them for hours (and they observed us, too). Also, Isabelle was an amazing host who went out of her way to help make our stay in Tamarindo a memorable one. I highly recommend the horse back class she offers as our two littles (2 & 5) had a blast and learned a lot!! It truly is pura vida at Finca Shambalah!! Enjoy!!!

We enjoyed our stay at Finca Shambala - we would definitely stay there again. The proximity to a nice secluded beach is what we enjoyed the most, and it is conveniently located between Playa Negra and Tamarindo. Isabelle was an attentive hostess who made sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. From the property photos and description, we were expecting it to be an operating equestrian center, but there are no horses on the property (although Isa did offer us horseback riding lessons at another location where her horses are currently being held.) One of the reasons this property appealed to us was because we thought it was an operational farm with horses, so I was a bit disappointed when we arrived and found out that wasn't the case. But I am still glad that we chose Finca Shambala, and we would certainly stay there again.

Isabelle welcomed us with a wonderful orientation tour and a lovely bottle of wine. The house is surrounded by nature, peace, solitude and a lot of privacy. This is a guest house on a large estate, so I was pleased to discover that you cannot see the main house at all. In fact you don't see anyone, the only human interaction was friendly greetings from workers on the finca. And our host checked in occasionally to see if we needed anything. The house is designed in Costa Rican style, high ceilings and windows everywhere so you see nature from the shower, the bed, the living room, every room! It feels quite spacious especially when compared to a hotel room. The house is only a half mile off the main road in Playa Avellanas, but a world away from the tourism of Tamarindo. You are 5 minutes from one of the best surfing beaches in Costa Rica, and a million miles from the stress of city life. The beds were very comfortable, a concern I had since we have experienced some terrible mattresses in Costa Rica. After staying a week, a wonderful lady came in and cleaned everything, washed the sheets and towels, and even did our personal laundry for a tip. I had concern about not having air conditioning...and it was hot in the afternoons. But with all the shade and the fans, no problem really. The nights were comfortable for sleeping with a fan and all the open windows (there is no glass, but the house is fully screened). The house is very clean on arrival, but you should be prepared to enjoy living with nature, small animals and bugs which cause no harm and are interesting to observe. This is a tropical environment after all! If you want to party, this is not the place for you. If what you enjoy is the Marriott, it is just down the road. If you are pleased to be wakened early by monkeys, parrots, distant ocean sounds, a gorgeous sunrise and coffee on your totally private patio, you will be delighted with Finca Shambalah. A big highlight of our stay was walking several times a day up the tree lined road to the back gate - views of nature and beauty to enjoy in the constantly changing light. If you'd like to see photos from our stay, here is a link: (URL HIDDEN) If you come during the rainy season at all, you will want to have a 4wheel drive car. We will be thrilled to stay here any time we come to Costa Rica!

The Finca is a special place- Isabelle, the host, is wonderful and the house is great. We spent a month there with three small kids- they loved having the space to explore and be kids. We traveled all over CR and the beach at Avellanas/lolas has be our favorite spot- its a five minute drive away. We also rented a beach house for four nights while in CR but we actually preferred this home over the beach house. At the beach there is a heightened level of security which requires you to lock and close all windows and doors and use a security system. At the finca you are away from all the craziness, the property is completed fenced, with a full time security guard on site. You open up the shutters and let the wind and natures sounds lule you to sleep. The caretaker and cowboy who tend the farm are great- some of the nicest and most sincere people we met in CR. The pool was also a huge hit for kids- its located at the main house, which is used by the owners one week a month so I'd recommend checking to see if you'll have access to the pool while your staying. This home does not have air conditioning but Isabelle is right- you don't need it. The wind whips through there and provides a nice breeze. It has a very natural feeling as if you we're laying outside- its hard to explain. While renting at the beach we were locked down with all the windows shut and we're forced to run the AC nonstop. We are environmentally conscious so we recognize how wonderful it is to use home design over electricity to cool a house. Regarding amenities, we had a TV, hot water, microwave, full size fridge, coffee maker, stove top, and internet. Everything you needed. If you want a dishwasher and air conditioning and expect The Westin Style amenities its probably not the right place for you. For us it was perfect. It was simple- probably 750 square feet of living space and 350 square feet of patio space. We spent much of our time on the patio. The wildlife is all around you- expect the Howler monkeys to visit and wake you up some mornings. Parrots are everywhere. They don't have laundry onsite but ask Isabelle and she'll coordinate laundry service with the cleaner for a good price. Isabelle also did Horse lessons with our three kids which they loved. Internet worked great, I'd recommend bringing your Ipad and TV connectors so you can stream Netflix through your Ipad to the TV. Regarding the location- your a five minute drive to the beach- we walked it one day but its haul. I wouldn't recommend it with kids. The location is great because its so private. I'd highly recommend this home for everyone- the people, the location, and the simple style made it feel like a true authentic CR vacation.

In a word: paradise. This is the ideal spot for travelers (not tourists) who want to appreciate Costa Rica's "pura vida" lifestyle. The horses, tropical birds and monkeys are your only neighbors. The roomy, airy bungalow is an ideal base for exploring west coast of Nicoya peninsula. Playa Negra and Playa Avellanes surf breaks are a quick drive away, and the virtually private Playa Lagartillo is walking distance or 3 minute drive. Rental includes use of the spectacular infinity pool at the main house, with view of the Pacific and endlessly entertaining play of birds (Great Kiskadees and Magpie Jays my faves, along with hummingbirds). Isabelle is super-sweet host, great in planning stages, and always available with detailed suggestions for off-the-beaten path itineraries. Take her up on a sunset horseback ride on the beach on her own horses--Finca Shambalah is a working ranch/farm. If, like us, you were looking to escape civilization, you may find it hard to pull yourself away from the hammock on the shady porch--especially if the resident howler monkey family is performing their acrobatics routine in the treetops just for you. Inside, two bedrooms would easily accommodate two friendly couples, and there was a cot for a child. We loved the "Fred Flintstone" shower in the modern bathroom. Kitchen has everything you need if you cook--huge fridge/freezer accommodates a week's worth of goodies (shop at AutoMercado in Tamarindo on the way). Good appliances: blender, coffeemaker, electric kettle, microwave, toaster oven--even a capacious steamer. Isabelle will recommend terrific nearby restaurants, too--she never steered us wrong. Excellent wifi enabled us to keep in touch as needed, and to tap our Netflix queue for quiet evenings in. The week passed like a dream, and we are already plotting our return...

Review from my wife, Cindy: My husband, my 6-year-old, my eight-month-old baby, and I took our first trip to Costa Rica, and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Finca Shambalah. The dwelling was quaint and beautifully designed with artistic touches and Moroccan lanterns. The open-air nature was just what we were looking for to truly experience Costa Rica low to the ground. This is not your sterile, air-conditioned fancy hotel. We saw lizards running up the walls and ants crawling around if we left any crumbs on the countertops. We heard the sound of Howler Monkeys every morning and evening, felt the breezes waft through the place, and really soaked in the serenity of this dwelling. The closest neighbor is not even visible from this property. We enjoyed fresh Starfruit and citrus fruit from the nearby trees. We appreciated that the property is in close proximity to the beach, with about a 10-minute drive to Avellanas. The owner, Isabelle, is an incredible person. She is certified in aerial silks and horse training. My six-year-old son and I took lessons in both the silks and a Western horseback riding lesson right on the property, as it is just a one-minute walk to Isabelle's riding stable. Both lessons were fulfilling, informative, and very enjoyable. She taught us both with patience and at just the right instructional level. Then I also purchased a horseback riding tour of the ocean. The lessons and tour were both worth the time and reasonable expense. Isabelle has an unmatched level of expertise in these fields. I truly learned about horse psychology, training, and relationships with the animals. Even with just one lesson, I feel equipped to ride horses. This was not the typical "show-up-and-jump-on-a-horse-and-go" lesson. I felt connected to my horse, Chocolate, by the end of the lesson and tour. Isabelle was also readily available to answer any and all of our questions, offer recommendations, and make our stay comfortable and memorable. All of her employees were friendly and welcoming. I highly recommend Finca Shambalah.