We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Calin's Ocotal home. It was spacious with plenty of bedrooms for everyone. The pool was clean and refreshing and a perfect place of entertainment for the kids/teens. The beach was in walking distance. Calin, our host was incredibly friendly, accommodating, and generous making our stay a beautiful experience. Thank you!

We were a large group of families and friends of different ages visiting Costa Rica for the first time. Calin's villa was a perfect place for our stay, we really enjoyed the different spacious areas, with lots of ventilation and breeze for the excellent weather. The pool and the BBQ were a plus. Although there are details that could be improved, we found it clean and comfortable. Another thing to mention, Calin recommended a tour company for transportation and tours; their service was exceptional and highly recommended. Calin, thank you very much for your hospitality.

We had a wonderful time. Anytime we needed help , the owner, Calin was there to help. He also got us in touch with reliable transportation, excursions and a wonderful chef. The location was wonderful. It is very close to excellent restaurants. Hope to return to Ocotal some day.

La atención fue muy buena y la experiencia del lugar sensacional, una casa muy cómoda para disfrutar

We loved Cailin’s home for a big family/friend gathering! We were able to all stay together, and cooked together morning and night. Cailin, a 65yo looking spry intelligent 78yo, was a warm, welcoming host, sharing his own Costa Rica story, and offering one of the children with us the chance to keep a book that he had admired. This home is clearly a piece of his heart, and he lives right next door, so we had the opportunity to have coffee together and chat a couple of times. The beach was a few minute drive, and was accessed through a property that housed condos and a restaurant from where waiters brought food and drinks to us on the beach. Heavenly! One issue: I know that Cailin pays to have the home cleaned, but all I can say is—he was ripped off! The floor in the kitchen was grimy, and there were pots in the cabinets that had mouse droppings and a gigantic cockroach running through. We were really grateful for the lovely space that suited our needs so well that I didn’t even think to mention this to Cailin, who I am sure would be horrified, but when I saw the specific question in this survey decided to be truthful.

Pretty place. Great pool. Ten minute walk to the beach. Pretty view of the ocean from the house. Would recommend highly.

We stayed here with 3 adults and four small children. The location is wonderful and quiet and just far enough from the touristy town of Coco to feel relaxing but close enough to shops and restaurants (about 5-10 minute drive). My only criticism was that it was not an easy walk to the beach for us. I think if we didn’t have kids with us it would be fine but we ended up driving each time. The driveway is very steep and the road that made the walk short was washed out in October so we just popped in the car and drove 5 mins which was not a problem. Playa Ocotal is beautiful and quiet and was our favorite beach we visited while there. Father Roosters restaurant is right there and was a great setting for meals. The kitchen is equipped with all cooking supplies but there no salt, oil, paper towels, etc and bring your own shampoo and soap and such. I highly recommend this Home to any groups traveling to Guanacaste!

We were in Costa Rica this year in June, in our honeymoon, at the beginning of the rainy season. Initially we were supposed to stay only 2 days at Vila El Sueno at Ocotal Beach and then visit other locations in Costa Rica. But when we got there, we were wonderfully impressed by this peaceful location, with its great view over the ocean and the nice beaches around, so we decided to stay for 2 more days. Even if the rainy season had just begun, the weather was nice during the day and whenever we got a shower in the evenings, we'd found it as a real blessing. Since the villa is just a few minutes away from Coco, we were able to go out and experience some of the local cuisine (the locals call them "SODAs", don't have any idea of what that means). The only point I would make is that the roads are in a poor condition, so if I would go to Costa Rica again, I'd definitely rent an SUV Sandy and Dean, the property managers, were great hosts and they made us feel like home right away. They provided us with all the information needed, where to eat, what to see and what to avoid, in order for us to make the best of our time there. Even Coco, their dog, was a friendly and funny host :) The Vila El Sueno rooms weren't so fancy, but very clean and comfortable (AC, big bed, cable TV, wifi, refrigerator). Also having access to a real kitchen made it easier to cook our own meals and store our food, when we were not in the mood for dining out. In Costa Rica it gets dark around 6pm, so in the evenings we preferred to cool ourselves in the swimming pool, while contemplating the sunset, listening to the birds and the howling monkeys :) To conclude, I highly recommend El Sueno to anyone. I would gladly choose the same villa if I were to revisit the Guanacaste region.

This was our second visit to Vila El Sueno and will certainly not be our last! Calin and Silvia treat us like family and continue to go above and beyond all expectations. Calin is an excellent host who does everything he can to accommodate your needs. From booking excursions, to recommending restaurants and things to do in Coco, he is a wealth of knowledge. We arrived New Years Eve, and accompanied our hosts to a nearby hotel where we danced the night away under the stars. It was a truly memorable experience. This time around we enjoyed the spacious upstairs apartment with full sized kitchen and stunning balcony views. The bedroom was large, and the bed very comfortable. Totally laid back and unpretentious is the best way to describe our experience here. A quiet place with a great beach, yet a short cab ride (we liked to walk) to the town of Coco for shopping, restaurants and nightlife. The best of both worlds. Thank you Calin and Silvia for everything!

We have mixed feelings regarding this rental experience. First, the positives: The view from this villa is incredible and the pool was relaxing and refreshing. We rented the second floor apartment w/ 3 bedrooms & 2 baths. It is very spacious with 5 wall air conditioning units. It is a peaceful location where birds and howlering monkeys can be heard. The kitchen has lovely granite countertops, a coffee maker, microwave and propane stove. There are plenty of plastic dishes and glasses. The cookware, however, is minimal and old. There were 2 dull knives and the dishwasher is broken. The dining room chair cushions are in desperate need of replacement. The wifi worked fine near the pool and in the SW bedroom. It did NOT work in other rooms of the apartment. The villa is currently for sale so perhaps a new owner will make improvements. Upon our Friday arrival, the owner informed us that one of the AC units was broken and would be repaired on Monday. This was acceptable. However, we soon discovered the AC in the master bedroom was also malfunctioning and had soaked the pillow & bed which were directly underneath the unit. We contacted the owner & helped him flip the mattress, move the bed & the sheets & pillow were replaced. A bucket was placed under the leaky AC unit until repaired. The owner understandably asked us to turn off the AC units when not in the apartment. We honored his request but on one occasion, our son forgot to turn off the unit in his room & the owner chided us for forgetting. He also lectured us that 10 degrees cooler than the outside temperature of 98 degrees should be sufficiently cool. It was clear that every time we left the villa, the owner entered the apartment to ensure the AC units were off. The owner is a friendly, pleasant man but this was a bit awkward. A family wanting more privacy may be bothered by this. Please know this villa is quite a distance from Playas de Coco where the grocery stores, restaurants and other shops are located. A rental car with high ground clearance is highly recommended due to the incredibly steep driveway and local speed bumps. Yes, Father Roosters restaurant is within walking distance. However, it is quite expensive to dine there on a daily basis due to a mandatory 10% gratuity and 13% service tax. Overall, the villa was fine but we would try a different villa upon returning to Guanacaste.