Peaceful ocean view Home in Ballena Marine National Park. Walk to Beaches. Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Is Peaceful ocean view Home in Ballena Marine National Park. Walk to Beaches. pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Q: Where is Peaceful ocean view Home in Ballena Marine National Park. Walk to Beaches. located?

Situated in Ballena, this vacation home is within a 10-minute walk of Playa Ballena and Arco Beach. Marino Ballena National Park is 0.8 mi (1.3 km) away.

10/10 Excellent

Shawn E.

Mar 15, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Absolutely Perfect Retreat

House was exactly as advertised and beyond. Spectacular views and perfectly located to forget anyone else is anywhere near you. Highly recommend for a quite get-away with beach access and lots to explore. I will be booking it again with my wife !!!

Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

R W.

Jan 28, 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing

Loved being on the balcony seeing white face monkeys toucans flying across the field. Walk thru jungle to the beach. My Son and I hated to leave

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Melanie G.

Mar 19, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Absolutely wonderful

We loved Casa Lutecia! We stayed there in March 2025 (my husband and I and my parents) for 7 days. It was the highlight of our trip to Costa Rica - with glorious views of the ocean, waking to the sounds of the jungle, visits from capuchin monkeys and colorful birds, and beautiful traditional wood and bamboo architecture. We walked to Arco Beach each day past banana, coconut trees, hibiscus, and heliconias. The beach also was amazing, and we saw howler monkeys, wild turkeys, and leaf cutter ants there. Perhaps the 5-10 min walk was a little rugged and hot for my 83 year old parents, but they managed and were rewarded with plenty of shade, a protected cove for ocean swimming, and a cool fresh water spring. A person could also drive to the beach is preferred. The house had everything we needed including a clean laundry room with a washer and dryer. And the rustic aspects suited us fine and added to its charm. It is a few minutes drive to Uvita where there are several places to get groceries or dine out. David was a wonderful host and promptly answered all of our questions about the area and house.

Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca W.

Mar 5, 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful paradise immersed in nature

Our stay here was the highlight of our CR trip. No matter where you stood in the house, you were assured of a beautiful view and treated to a jungle symphony 24-7. Watching the sunsets each evening from the front porch was our favorite.Kitchen has ample fridge, dishware and most of the basics to get cooking. Though all the non-stick cookware was in very rough shape, two SS pans in good shape worked well for us. Master bed was firm and comfy. Plenty of hot water, and liked that we could still enjoy the capuchins' antics while showering. Despite such expansive views, house offers great privacy.The wide eaves and fans helped keep the house cool enough. As you are surrounded by screens and some occasional holes in them, there will be bugs once in a while, but not too bad. Walk to the beach takes about 15 minutes (longer on way back), or you can drive down (4x4) in 8-10. Walk to Arco is probably another 15-20 min once you're down there. Upper portion of the beach is medium-sized rocks, so not walkable at highest tide. Other times, though, there is a wide enough swath of lovely sand beach to allow for walking long distances in both directions (just keep an eye on the tide and how high it will be so you don't get stuck).Easy drive to Uvita, approx 14 min. Quepos/Manuel Antonio about 1h 15 min. You will need 4x4 to get up the last bit of driveway and if you're driving down to the beach.Can't wait to stay here again!

Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Apr 8, 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication

The location of the property was perfect. The views were amazing.

Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Vincent P., Saint-Lambert, Canada

Mar 23, 2019

The best kept secret

We ended our first trip to Costa Rica at this beautiful house in 2014 and we love it so much we wanted to be there again 5 years later. We’ve been lucky enough to stay at many incredible places over yhe years in amazing countries but this house has something magical. It’s not too big, not small, clean and well equipped yet not enough that you lose touch with your surroundings and the spirit of natural Costa Rica. We’re just afraid it will not stay secret forever. We’ll be back again.

Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tony L.

Apr 10, 2018

Time well spent

We loved our stay, hard to beat a place that offered monkeys and tucans just minutes into our stay. Would love to stay here again. Pictures and other reviews do a good job describing this property, everything was just as expected.

Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2018

8/10 Good

Elad L., Petaluma

Feb 7, 2018

Amazing views, wildlife and peace

Loved the constant sounds of ocean So much jungle everywhere with monkeys bird life and changing weather The house is perfect for we two Sunrise and sunsets galore Loved Uvita My favorite place in Costa Rica David and Natalia our hosts where friendly and helpful Definitely need 4WD car

Stayed 20 nights in Jan 2018

6/10 Okay

Melanie P.

Jan 7, 2018

Gorgeous setting, house needs some TLC

We spent 5 nights at this home with 3 teenagers and enjoyed our stay. First of all, the setting and views are gorgeous. You are surrounded by nature, you can hear the roar of the ocean in the distance, there are colourful birds flying everywhere and monkeys in the trees next to the house. Speaking of monkeys, the howler monkeys woke us up every day at around 530am so make sure you go to bed on time! It feels that the house needs a bit of loving from an attentive owner, there are numerous things that anyone committed to the house would fix or repair. The view and location are great but until small things like locks, outlets, plugs and appliances are updated I would keep an open mind to other houses available.

Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Matthew H.

Nov 30, 2016

Amazing place

Without doubt the best place we stayed in Costa Rica. The location was great as it was on the edge of the jungle so you had wildlife constantly around and then it was only a 10 minute walk to the beach where you would hardly see anyone else. It was then only a 10 minute drive to the town. The house was spacious, clean and comfy. It had everything you needed and more. The property managers were very friendly and helpful. The next time we go to Costa Rica we will definitely look to stay in one of the places managed by these people again.

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2016

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Apr 21, 2016

A great place for nature lovers who seek comfort and convenience.

We stayed at Casa Lutecia for the last week of March and it was a perfect place for us, as family of two middle-aged parents and two boys, ages 7 & 10. The house is beautifully and simply furnished, accurately depicted in the website's photos. Staying in an open-air house (with screens) really helped us acclimate to the hot weather, and the surrounding tree cover made it very comfortable even on bright, sunny days. Walking through the jungle to get to the beach always felt magical. During that short walk, we saw a basilisk lizard, a toucan, leaf-cutter ants, howler monkeys, and many other creatures. At the house in the mornings we were alternately visited by howler monkeys and white faced capuchins. Green parrots squawked from high branches; a couple of geckos climbed the screens outside at night. Apparently we missed seeing a pair of scarlet macaws fly by one day, but we saw several pairs at various times during our canopy tour and Nauyaca Waterfall trip. We also visited the wildlife rescue shelter just north of Uvita, where we saw baby sloths, an anteater, a squirrel spider monkey, among others. When we felt like swimming, we could take the short walk to the beach or take a short drive to Uvita to cool off at Cascada Verde, a wonderful set of swimming holes and waterfalls. The kitchen had what we needed and the internet worked perfectly. If you are looking for a place that is low key, clean, private (we rarely saw others on the beach), and comfortable, this is the place for you. Notable attractions were the Osa zipline tour and the waterfalls. Playa Arco is breathtaking. We came at the wrong time for whale watching, but the surf was great for boogie boards with our kids.

Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2016

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Anna A.

Mar 3, 2016

Amazing View!!!

My family ( in- laws, husband and 2 1/2 year old and me) stayed here for 3 nights. The view from the upstairs bedroom was amazing. The house is screened in so most, not all of the bugs stay outside. In the mornings you can hear the howler monkeys although we never got to see them. The hosts David and Natalia were very helpful and accommodating. They helped us to set up a shuttle to their place with a very friendly driver who stopped for groceries before we arrived. Once there, we realized because of the location we would need a rental car to get around. They drove my father in law in to town to help him set that up. The beach is a bit of a trek- maybe 15 minutes. It is only a beach at low tide so you have to plan your beach time accordingly. Uvita is a small town but it has everything you need- a couple restaurants, pharmacy, groceries etc.

Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2016

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Aug 22, 2015

Awesome Jungle House Near the Beach

We spent 3 weeks in the lovely house in the Jungle in august and we've loved it ! We were two adults, one seventeen year old and 2 twentie year olds. There are many things to do in Uvita and around the town like national parks, walking, horse back riding, canopy tours, snorkeling, rafting, surfing and you can go see dolphins, turtles and whales on a boat at Playa Uvita (10min drive). There are also 2 grocery stores where we bought food and restaurants, bakery, sodas and a pharmacy if needed in Uvita. The best moment in the house is when you fall asleep with the noises of animals like monkeys, crickets and the waves (even whales sometimes). We also had the visit of the sweetest dog named Flaco that was our guardian and our guide to the beach during all the trip. We've been to the beach almost everyday at Playa Arco which is at 20min by foot from the house and it was a pleasure to cool down in the small waterfall there after we swum. Moreover David and Natalia who live just near the house were really helpful when we needed informations ! It was great to spend some times in this peaceful property out of time and making one with nature. Ns avons passé 3 semaines ds cette magnifique maison isolée ds la jungle et ns avons vraiment apprécié l'endroit ! Ns étions 2 adultes, 1 jeune fille de 17 ans et 2 jeunes d'une vingtaine d'année. Il y a ps mal de choses à faire à Uvita et aux alentours comme des parcs nationaux, de la marche, des balades à cheval, de la tyrolienne, de la plongée, du rafting, du surf et on peut aussi aller voir les baleines, dauphins et tortues en bateau à la plage d'Uvita (10min en voiture). Il y a aussi 2 supermarchés où ns faisions nos courses ainsi que des restaurants, une boulangerie, des sodas et une pharmacie si besoin à Uvita. Le meilleur moment est lorsque l'on s'endormait avec ts les bruits d'animaux dont les singes, criquets et rouleaux des vagues (on entendait même des baleines parfois !). Ts les jours ns avions la visite du chien le + attachant et souriant (vraiment !) nommé Flaco qui était notre gardien et guide durant tt le séjour. Ns avons été à la plage d'Arco presque ts les jours qui est à 20 min de la maison à pieds et c'était vraiment agréable de se rafraîchir ds la petite cascade après avoir nagé! Et David et Natalia qui habitent à côté étaient très aidant qd ns avions besoin d'infos. Bref c'était génial de passer du tps ds cette maison hors du temps et en harmonie avec la nature !!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

debora u., Floyds Knobs, Indiana, USA

Jul 13, 2015

Breathtaking view and ideal location

We absolutely loved our stay at Casa Lutecia. We saw monkeys the very first day! And my kids fell in love with David and Natalia's dog, Flaco. We were actually teary eyed when we had to leave because they became so attached to him. The home is just what you need for a relaxing stay and the view is outstanding. White faced monkeys visited very near the porch and happily posed for pics and entertained the kids. Two mother monkeys with babies was an amazing site to see! I would recommend this home for couples looking for privacy and families looking for a fun adventure. The hosts were always available to answer questions. We also very much appreciated being able to use the house's boogie boards at Playa Hermosa. Hopefully we can come back again some day!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Mike T.

Mar 13, 2015

Great Jungle Getaway for Family

My wife and I and 3 boys (7, 10, 12) stayed here for 11 days. We all had a blast! This house is pretty much all screen windows from floor to ceiling, so it really feels like you are sleeping outside in the jungle. The noises are incredible, especially in the early morning when the Howler monkeys, parrots, and every other jungle critter makes its presence known. The boys couldn't have been happier seeing both Howler and White Faced monkeys several times on the property, and toucans and parrots are around daily. We also saw a Tamarindo Anteater a few times. There is a nice trail through the jungle to the beach, which is absolutely fantastic. In all the days we spent on the beach, we probably saw 10 people total. Playa Arco, which is accessible via a short trail from the beach out front is without question the most amazing beach I've ever been on. Groceries and a nice assortment of really good restaurants are a short distance away in either direction. David and Natalia were very helpful in setting up a activities for us, and were super responsive and quick to lend a hand when we had questions, which is not something you find at many VRBOs. The boys also fell in love with "Flacco" their yellow lab that led us to the beach daily and kept us company. Give him some water and attention and he will take you where you need to go. The boys cried the morning we left so it was obviously very special for them. If you are wanting to get away from the resorts and crowds and have a true CR experience, I don't think you can go wrong here.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

PS I.

May 24, 2014

PARADISE

What a spectacular house. Highly recommend for types of travelers: friends, family, couples. The house was truly in the jungle with monkeys and tuscans surrounding the property and the private beach was just a dream. David and Natalia were incredibly helpful and just so friendly. That was just a huge bonus!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Brooke D., Campbell River, BC

Apr 9, 2014

At one with nature

We had a wonderful time at Casa Lutetia. It is a spacious home in a beautiful setting. David and Natalia are extremely helpful and made the trip even better by offering assistance and information whenever needed. We saw monkeys from the deck every day, what an experience! Our family (with 2 teenagers) walked to the beautiful, secluded beach almost every day, as well. The house is secluded yet close enough to a grocery store and restaurants, plus plenty of other beautiful beaches if you want to explore more. The only downfall is that because you are in such a beautiful natural setting, some of nature's creatures find their way into the home. This is no fault of the owners and if you want the joy of a jungle experience, you need to be prepared for some unexpected surprises.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Elona H.

Feb 23, 2014

Absolutely unique experience in the Costa Rican jungle

We feel so fortunate to find this place for our recent stay on in Costa Rica (especially now, after having seen a bit around the Central Pacific Coast of the country). It has it all: a stunning view of the ocean (from both the first and the second levels) through the canopy, unmatched privacy (if you crave for it), perfect wild-watching location (especially early in the morning and just before the sunset) and an easy and pleasant access to a couple of secluded beaches in the area. If you are looking for some nightlife, time your trip around the week of the TheBestFest (the annual 3-day music festival in the jungle, which seemed out of place to us, given the vulnerability of the region's wildlife). The best dining options can be found in Ojochal (be sure to make reservations though), with Exotica being our favorite place. The hosts (Natalia and David) will make the arrangements easy for you. Thank you for an unforgettable stay!!!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Sylvia E.

Mar 21, 2013

Peaceful, private, rustic beach vacation

We LOVED our time at this home. The owners are SUPER helpful, available by e-mail or skype before and during our stay, helping reserve activities and arrange transportation. The property is big, clean, with great views, and only a few minutes walk from the beach. The beach is secluded, rocky during high tide, but sandy and swim-able during low tide. We took the owners suggestion and headed down to the next beach (by a trail through the woods for a few minutes) where there is a wonderful cave you can walk through, and the waves are a blast to play in. The shower in the home is a little funky in terms of consistent water availability and pressure, but that adds to the feeling of adventure, and all was explained to us when we arrived. The kitchen is well organized and functional. If you don't have a car it is tricky getting around and taxis are expensive, but do-able. The upstairs room is all open, including the bathroom, and the bath up there is only cold water. We were two adult friends and two young teenage boys and we all loved it. The white faced monkeys were in the trees right by the house one morning, checking us out. The owners have a dog, Lucy, who adopts the visitors. She does not come in to the house, but sleeps peacefully out doors and is ready to show you the trail to the beach, watch over you, and make sure you get back to the house on the right path. A true host! Do be warned that the owners have two other dogs who stay on their nearby property. If you need to go on the owner's property, I would recommend that you e-mail the owner first to let him know and have the dogs put in the house or on a leash. The dogs are protective of their property and we had a bad experience with one of them. Other than that one incident, we had an amazing time and would go back in a heart beat.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

betsy g.

Dec 27, 2012

spacious jungle house walking distance to beach

Natalia and David's spacious, clean and comfortable (a bit sparsely furnished) house exceeded our expectations! We were greeeted with fresh banana bread and coconut water, as well as Lucy the dog, who became our guide and companion for the week. David and Natalia were available and helpful with suggestions for activities and happy to make reservations as needed. The gorgeous secluded beach was a pleasant walk through the jungle and provided hours of floating and bobbing in gently warm Pacific ocean surf. The house is located 10 to 30 minutes from a variety of eateries, grocery store and activities, and less than an hour to the gateway for boat tours through mangroves and to amazing bio-diverse national park. We had a great time ziplining (Osa Canopy Tours), short hike and swimming near waterfalls (near location where Tilapia is caught and fried to order - our favorite meal) and fine dining in Ojachal (15 minute drive) as well as trinket shopping and people watching in surfing town of Dominical (30 min drive).

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

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Aug 3, 2012

Honeymoon

We had a wonderful time at Casa Escondida! The home was beautiful and well taken care of. There was no air conditioning which was as struggle, but sill worth it! There were monkey's right outside of our window and lots of interesting flora and fauna to appreciate right outside our window! We would definitely recommend this home or any of the other homes on the property :)

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Maureen G., Pleasant Valley, NY

Jul 9, 2011

Charming Private Villa in the Rainforest

Our stay in Casa Escondido was absolutely wonderful! A charming house tucked away in the rainforest along the ocean in Playa Ballena. From our bedroom we could saw toucans and other birds, howler monkeys playing in the trees and lots of other jungle creatures. A short stroll along a jungle path and the Pacific Ocean awaits. The kitchen is equipped with everything you need to eat in, but there are some charming restaurants in the area too. David and Natalia are wonderful hosts, too. If you are looking for an authentic Costa Rican rainforest experience, this is it!!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Anna W., Houston TX

Jun 30, 2011

Awesome experience!!!

I have lived in Costa Rica for over 16yrs and have travelled throughout the country extensively. I, however, had not been to this part of the country and was quite pleasantly surprised. My family and I agreed that this house has something special about it: jungle surroundings, exquisite decor, detailed attention to guest necesities, and close proximity to the beach. We even found some beach chairs under the house that we used when we walked down to the beach. The monkeys and toucans were a delight in the evenings, and Lucy, the sweetest farm dog, kept us company through our entire visit. Going to the grocery store was not an issue, as it was just 10 minutes away, as was Uvita Information Center, where we booked our tours! We are already planning our next visit! Only a 3hr drive from San Jose (Escazu) on a great highway...

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

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Apr 22, 2011

A Very Special Place to Stay

This was our 4th visit to Costa Rica but our first to the Playa Uvita area. We had only 4 days so we wavered between driving the extra miles south from Manuel Antonio , Dominical or going on the Caribbean side but with David and Natalia’s excellent advice we rented a car and headed to Playa Ballena. The roads were great, 3.5 hours from airport. Natalia met us at the entrance to the property and escorted us to the house. What an amazing experience to stay on private property in a newly built cottage so near the beaches. Every day we walked to the beach to swim, body surf and run. Natalia offered to arrange any tour for us and offered many suggestions for lunches and dinners. Stores and restaurants are near by but the feeling of being in the jungle happens right from the window views. We had the chance to see Howler monkeys each afternoon into the evenings right from the bedroom and living room windows. By the end of our stay we thought we were birding and monkey experts. What a decadent life we lived in Playa Ballena. We can't wait to go back!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Mar 31, 2011

most relaxing vacation ever!!

What a lovely house and the private setting is so peaceful! Super clean and comfortable, we loved just looking out into the tree tops to see all variety of birds like toucans and parrots. Monkey families were there every day as well giving us a good show as they hopped from tree to tree. It's a quick hike down a trail to the beach where we were usually the only people there. The water was warm and the tide pools were great for spotting lots of colorful creatures. I am sure the snorkeling would be great there too! A waterfall right there was perfect for rinsing off before heading back up to the house. There is a small town about 15 miles away for grocery shopping and also surfing lessons. Day trips like white water rafting and zip line can be arranged there in town. Natalia and David helped us with all our needs and we hope to go back again soon!

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Peaceful ocean view Home in Ballena Marine National Park. Walk to Beaches.

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