My wife and I along with another couple spent 8 days in Casa Colibri. For a long overdue retreat from our hectic work lives, this place was perfect for us. It proved very suited for two couples as we each had our own bedrooms and bath. The house turned out to be as beautiful as the pictures on the website. The views were breathtaking by day and at night we could actually see the stars in the sky and also enjoyed the twinkling city lights down in the valley below. The sound of the birds in the morning were so therapeutic that my wife posted them online for her friends to hear. The high altitude really made the weather ideal and comfortable. I for one do not like summer heat and even during the warmest time of day the ceiling fans made me feel cool and very comfortable. No AC was necessary.

We took day trips to Monteverde Cloud Forest and Jaco beach (only an hour drive away) where we ziplined and rode ATV’s. We were very pleased with the central location of the property. It was our first time in CR so we had many questions leading up to our stay. Charlie, the owner was extremely helpful in answering every question we had in detail. Whenever my wife and I travel, I get appointed as the designated trip coordinator and Charlie made my job much easier with all the info he provided. He even explained how to obtain a Costa Rican phone no at the airport that would work on our US iPhones. During the taxi ride to the house, he was in contact with us by phone to be sure our driver got us to our destination and to be sure he was present to greet us timely when we arrived.

This was our first experience renting a VRBO house in another country outside the US. We found it to be very clean and well-kept and stocked with all the basic kitchen utensils and other essentials throughout the house. We were particularly thankful for the blender in the kitchen since we use that to make our breakfast drinks and it saved us from having to pack that item which we always need to when staying in a hotel. During our stay, Charlie was attentive and quick to respond with any question or need that came up.

We have also been researching future retirement locations and heard that Atenas CR had been rated at the top of AARP’s list as Best Places to Retire abroad. I would say it lived up to expectations for all the reasons they mentioned. We found the local residents truly welcoming and friendly.

We would definitely choose to stay at this property again in the future.