This was a family vacation with friends.  The view was so spectacular (the pictures don’t do it justice) and it was such a peaceful place to be. Coming from busy lives in busy cities, it was great to just relax and unwind. The kids loved being in the pool from morning until evening. The nearby beaches are quiet with perfect water temperatures, horses, and surfers. The howler monkeys were fun to watch in the backyard and birds, geckos, and toads on the property kept everyone entertained all day. The restaurant recommendations from Christine and Andy were fantastic, but the dinners prepared by Marilu were amazing (we chose to make our own breakfasts and grab lunch while we were out)! The house is about 10-15 minutes from Samara and just a ride down the hill to Playa Carrillo. There are grocery stores, banks and ATMs, butchers and fishmongers.  While we came during the rainy “green” season, we had sunny days with only occasional clouds – the rains would come in the evenings to cool things off. There is a wonderful macaw sanctuary in Islita and we explored Nosara beach to check out larger waves. We love the outdoors, so the open air style of the house was perfect. Playing some music, sitting in the hammock with a good book, playing in the pool at night, working on puzzles, playing a game of chess or ping pong while watching the sunset – we miss it and can’t wait to go back. The rooms were kept cool with the air conditioners at night. We also miss Brisa, the house dog – she loves music and loves to just hang out with the family by the pool. The house had everything we needed for the beach and pool – towels, beach umbrellas, pool toys and sand toys.  The offered menu at the house is amazing – we need to go back for more of Marilu’s pineapple crumble!

Beautiful Views, Perfect Pool, & Amazing Beach

La Paila has gorgeous views and the pool is great for both adults and children! My husband is Costa Rican and I have been visiting Costa Rica for the last 20 years so we’ve seen a lot of the country. Playa Carrillo is one of the few beaches which has not been developed and is as pristine and beautiful as it was 20 years ago! It is a great beach for couples and families and is never too crowded. If you want to get away from it all, and just rest and relax, La Paila and Playa Carrillo are perfect.

One of the best family vacations we’ve ever had!!! Wow! A house with no walls, or at least half of the walls aren’t there by design. To allow the guests like us, this amazing view over multiple bays below from the living room couch, or while playing ping pong, and definitely while having dinner at the dining room table from within the house! In under 5 minutes down the mountain you are literally at the beach, and no one else is there!  Choosing any spot (a new spot each time) on the beach and picking any two of the thousands of coconut trees that line the beach to hold the hammock was just unreal. Awesome beach for anyone, and we have little kids. The rooms kept very cool at night which was great, and everyone slept very well on the beds which were also in very good condition. You don’t see any neighbors while swimming in the pool or walking around the yard picking mangos and coconuts. You feel as though you are on the top of a mountain by yourselves. We’ve been all around Costa Rica now and Carrillo beach is one of our favorites. If you’re up for a quiet, beautiful and secluded beach and area, this is it!

We loved every second of our stay at La Paila. We were there with our two boys, ages 6 & 9 and our parents who are in their 70’s. The open air layout of the house was so awesome – the temps were in the 90’s all week, but it was never hot – breezes everywhere. The drive up to the house reminds you that you’re heading to a spot away from it all. We loved being away from town and the drive down to the beach at Carrillo was easy when our boys wanted to spend time on the beach. The views of the ocean are incredible, we could hear monkeys throughout the week, and the house and pool made our stay different than being at a hotel. During our week, we took an ecological hike, a dolphin-watching tour, ziplined, and the boys took surf lessons – all of that was within a 10 minute drive. We didn’t eat too many meals at the house because we wanted to try different restaurants in Samara and Carrillo, but we had breakfast there each day and two dinners.  Marilu, was attentive and friendly. We loved La Paila – a home off the beaten path of a town that’s off the beaten path nowadays in CR.