WOW Luxury and Adventure!

From the moment I walked up to the huge carved wooden door and was greeted by the automatic lighting, I was impressed. When I entered, I was blown away! I felt as though I had just walked into a copy of Architectural Digest magazine. The view is amazing and the decor is stunning. All the nice touches are present; natural stone floors, granite counters, neat furniture and cool lighting. The bedrooms are away from the common areas and offer a great deal of privacy. We had two families staying at the casa with a total of 5 kids and never felt crowded or cramped. We could gather in the living room, kitchen or mostly on the balcony, and not disturb those in the bedrooms. The large dining table on the balcony was the perfect setting for the fresh seafood dinners that we bought and prepared in the well equipped kitchen. A breakfast tray arrived each morning with breads, fresh fruit, cereal, coffee and juice. It was just the right start for our family group. We shopped at the local market for lunch items, snacks, etc. which stocked the fridge. The under counter icemaker was a great convenience. There is plenty to see and do in the area. The private beach at the resort is fantastic and the staff was friendly and helpful. The casa was a great place to call home for a week. I can't wait to go back.

Fantastic!

I recently did some travel in Costa Rica, solo. I stayed in several places, just checking them out through out the country. I went with no reservations and no real plans. When I got to the Manuel Antonio area I looked at a few different places to stay for a night and happened upon Buena Vista Villas and Casas and could not be happier that I did. I was lucky enough that they had space available and stayed in the lower level of a villa. I was only going to stay for one night, but after my first day there I wanted to stay for one more. Everyone was go great to talk with and wanted to make sure that I was having a great time. The concierge at the pool could not have been nicer!!!

This place was beautiful, the landscape, my room, and all of the wildlife...monkeys everywhere, especially in the early morning. Make sure to check out their beach, they've got kayaks and snorkels for you to use....it was amazing!

Sleepless in Costa Rica

My husband and I just got back from a 4-night stay at Buena Vista Villas. I wish I could say that it was a relaxing and restful vacation, but too many things disturbed our slumber. At night it was the concierge's phone ringing...and ringing...and ringing well into the night. Avoid staying in #203 or 303 because it is above the pool and bar, which is the concierge's station (and not much of a view to boot). It also seems to be where the hotel staff congregate, so there was an endless flow of conversation and music, especially in the mornings and evenings. Our mornings began with construction noises that started up around 7am, making the alarm clock unnecessary. Other people mentioned ongoing construction in their reviews of Tulemar Bungalows; it's an issue at Buena Vista Villas as well. I have a feeling construction will continue indefinitely because there are still some lots on the property for sale.

The concierges are very friendly and helpful, but we often found that they were nowhere to be found, so we ended up walking up the steep, long drive to the main road (they arrange for shuttle bus pick-ups for guests). Also, I would think twice before booking the guided hike in Manuel Antonio National Park through the concierge. It's US$40/person and the guide only takes cash. The cost covers round-trip taxi fare and a small plate of fruit at the end of the hike, but you could get a better deal hiring a guide at the entrance of the park (there are guides milling about with their telescopes in tow).

The cons above should be considered along with the pros of this property: private beach (w/ free equipment rental), complimentary breakfast delivered to your room, friendly staff, and a location teeming with wildlife.

I hate to be so negative, but I thought it would be important for anyone thinking of staying at Buena Vista Villas to know about our experience before they spend a lot of money on their accommodations....

OVER PRICED, VERY DISSAPOINTING

We were looking forward to staying there, seemed very nice, although if you are spending U$600 per night, you expect much more than just a nice setting; just to mention some items:

* You expect high quality on food, at least at breakfast that is what is supposed to be included on the rate, not just some fruit and coffee....we had to go to the Tule Cafe, which is a restaurant managed by Tulemar Bungalows, there you can find a real breakfast, but of course since it is another company you have to pay them....I can't believe that a 5 star Hotel (According to Buena Vista advertising) doesn't have a restaurant.

* You expect service: trying is not enough, they give you lots of excuses, explaining all their failures; I think management needs to organize everything before running business, not using guests like testing of how much one can take.

I had the opportunity to check the Tulemar Bungalows units, they look very nice and comfortable; I will reserve with them next time, you really can tell the difference in experience and capability on service

Best of the Best~ Buena Vista Villas

My husband and I stayed a week at Buena Vista Villas Tulemar while in Manuel Antonio for our son's beachside wedding. Our villa had an amazing view from the wrap around balcony, from the living area, and from the bedroom. The concierge service (Charlie or Jerome) was cordial and helpful. Often Charlie or Jerome would tell our friends or family our whereabouts- -at the beach, gone to lunch, on zipline tour. (Missed those cell phones!) They were both very accommadating. One of the best things was having Guillermo, the driver, to take us to the grocery, to dinner, to meet friends, etc. He was helpful and very nice. His service was outstanding. The only negatives were a few issues with timely breakfast service and, hopefully, that is resolved. Our AC went out and a repairman came within an hour and fixed it. I got the feeling that they are really trying to please their guests. I would definately stay at Buena Vista Villas again.

Paradise on Earth

We just returned from our second trip to Costa Rica and once again we stayed at the Buena Vista Villas in Manuel Antonio. What can I say but the villas are truly heaven on earth. The views of the jungle and ocean from the villa are amazing and the one bedroom villas are truly luxurious. Our favorite thing though which brought us back a second time is the friendliness of the staff. Charlie the concierge is incredible. He'll assist you with anything and speaks excellent English and is just so friendly to talk to. Guilermo is the van driver and he will take you anywhere you want to go in the vicinity and loves to practice his English with you. The squirrel monkeys visited our balcony almost every morning and put on a real show playing in the hammock. The white faced monkeys would swing in the trees right in front of our villa. We even saw a sloth down at the beach. Buena Vista Villas is the only resort in Manuel Antonio that has it's own private beach which is beautiful. It's about a 7 minute hike through the jungle down to the beach and then you can either walk back or call the van driver and they will drive you back up to your villa. Manuel Antonio is a very touristy place but staying at the Buena Vista Villas makes you feel like you're staying in some remote area. Don't confuse the Villas with the Tulemar Bungalows which are on the same property. The Villas are MUCH MUCH nicer. Buena Vista also has new casas which also look beautiful but we'll definitely return to the villas again and again. Thank you Charlie and Guilermo for making our vacation so special. You're the BEST!

Favorite Vacation

It is well-known that Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful places to visit. Luckily, we found Buena Vista Villas in Manuel Antonio, which made our vacation truly outstanding. The villas have great views, comfortable beds, and oversized patios to enjoy the lush surroundings. We plan on staying in one of the new casas for our next visit, and we expect to return with regularity.

A Magical Destination

Buena Vista Villas and Casas - Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

June, 2006

Trip- Advisor Member

The Buena Vista Villas and Casas are located in Tulemar Gardens but are a different property altogether so be sure to note this. We stayed in the Casas which are all new. They have 2 and 3 bedroom luxury Casas available. We stayed in a two bedroom with incredible views and sunsets. The property is magical with lush gardens, a fantastic private beach, great service provided by very friendly staff all English speaking who are ready and able to do anything to make your stay memorable.

Manuel Antonio is in my opinion the best place to visit in Costa Rica. We were there in Dec. over Christmas and again in March. Weather was perfect and the foliage lush and tropical. Compared to other destinations, it is not crowded and there is tons to do from river rafting to horse back riding, excellent fishing and great surf for swimming not to mention the two great pools and your very own hot tub on the deck of your Casa. It's hard to be motivated to leave the Casas given the luxury of the facility and the unbelievable setting. Would highly recommend this destination. I know we will be going back.

Perfection on Earth

My fiance and I just returned from a week stay at Buena Vista Villas and Casas. We actually stayed in one of the Casas that had just been completed. The house was spectacularly decorated in Bali/African style, had a beautiful full kitchen, large hot tub on the patio, and a breathtaking sunset view that could compete with that of Santorini. I do not remember ever staying in a more lovely place! Every morning I would walk to the exclusive beach, among all sorts of tropical plants and animals, and then cool off in the Casas' infinity pool. We saw three different types of monkeys, a sloth and even a flock of bright green parokeets from our wrap around patio. Although Buena Vista Villas and Casas are located in Tulemar Gardens, they are not the same as Tulemar Gardens Bungallows, as they are a completely differenent establishment.