Dominical Villa for Rent: Better than the beach! - Property 144809

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bird-watching: Perched on the edge of a 50-acre tree farm, the deck is a great place to watch falcons, kites, toucans and toucanets, mot-mots, and chattering flocks of parrots, big and small. Mornings ring with birdsong! Dozens of varieties of hummingbirds and tanagers visit nearby flowers (arbors and pergolas make plants part of the architecture), and butterflies occasionally fly through the house. We provide the definitive bird guidebook to Costa Rica as well as binoculars, and guests are always amazed at the diversity of species at this elevation. Having drinks on the deck at sunset accompanied by a pair of Laughing Falcons is unforgettable!

getting here: If your flight gets in after 2pm, you may want to consider spending the night in San Jose and getting a fresh start in the morning. The drive up into the mountains and down their spine is pretty spectacular if occasionally hair-raising—better to do it rested.

Rooms with a view...: It is very hard to capture the magical views of this property in a photograph--no camera has the depth of field! People who have seen a lot of views in Costa Rica agree, this is Very Special! The view off the main deck is soaring, with a steep (though not dangerous) drop-off that has been landscaped, and the dramatic play of light and mist in the valley changes all the time. Spectacular sunsets! Not a neighbor in sight! All the cabinas have their own decks and special views. The path down to the jungle pool through mature rain forest, carefully and selectively landscaped, is gorgeous. We have planted a new orchard, and have mature citrus, banana, papaya and hairy litchees for the picking. The spread-out floorplan of the buildings makes it impossible to shoot in one photograph, but they are all Asian-inspired open-concept with hard wood ceilings and many handcrafted details. A labor of love!

Guest Book: 'Your house is phenomenal- the layout works for privacy and the common room brings all together. We did the horseback ride to the falls, rainforest zip lines, swam in the Pacific, skinny dipped in your jungle pool, drank much too much, ate like royalty and read 12 books collectively. Absolutely wonderful. For sure a return trip in the future.' robertbgiven@eaton.com 'We had a wonderful week: your house is delightful. Our one suggestion is to keep a notebook in the house to list bird sightings. You may be accustomed to the variety but we were amazed!This was one of a few vacations that I was not looking forward to going back home.' iasid@direcway.com 'We cannot possibly describe the magnificent time we had at your home. We were completely spellbound by its beauty and by your touch. I hope to bring my brother, the real birder of the two of us next year for his 50th birthday. We saw and confirmed 42 species from your deck, including a pair of laughing falcons WOW!' clausenmooney@yahoo.

Other Activities: rappelling, yoga classes

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