Just back from La Casita in Cocles, south of Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. I highly recommend this sweet, thatched jungle cottage near the sea. The house is open-air for the living area and kitchen, with blue morpho butterflies fluttering through. The setting is gorgeous jungle by the river with torch ginger, carambola and other fruit trees, and a ylang ylang tree for night fragrance.
There are two additional houses for rent on this property, Casita Grande and Casita Nuevo; all have an artsy feel.
I enjoyed waking each morning to the roar of the howler monkeys nearby, walking the path to the beach, picking up shells at the tideline, and taking a refreshing swim. The hammock on the porch beckons for reading next. Within walking distance are a gourmet grocery store, internet café, wood-fired pizza place, bread bakery, and a number of "sodas" or small restaurants offering fresh ceviche and Costa Rican specialties.
The bustling town of Puerto Viejo is a bike ride away, with live music at night, craft stalls, a bank with aTM, fish market, bars and restaurants. I recommend the chocolate brownies at Bread & Chocolate, the gazpacho at EZ Times, the local crafts at Lulu Berlu, and organic chocolate at the Saturday morning farmer's market.
At Pure Jungle Spa, get a chocolate body wrap, then a massage with cocoa butter. You can kayak up river; see turtles nesting on a night tour to Gandoca; bike to Manzanillo for kayaking and fish lunch at Maxis; take the bus to the Sloth Sanctuary with a stop to hike at Cahuita National Park.
My best memory is floating in a calm, crystal clear sea, gazing at the most stunning coastline you'll ever see, not a building in sight, only coconut palms and jungle coming right to the sand's edge. Two weeks at La Casita slips away too fast.
p.s. Did I mention we had a sloth in a tree in the garden one day?