Booking a stay
How do I book, and is it cheaper than the platforms?
Pick your dates on any property page and reserve directly. Booking with us means no guest service fee — on the big platforms that runs roughly 12 to 16 percent, so on a week in Guanacaste it is usually several hundred dollars back in your pocket for the identical house.
When do I get the exact address?
As soon as your booking is confirmed. We keep exact locations off public listings at the owners’ request, but you will have the address, gate codes and arrival notes well before you fly.
What is the cancellation policy?
It varies by property and is stated on each listing before you pay. Most homes allow free cancellation up to five days before check-in. High-season and holiday bookings are stricter — ask us before you book if the dates are tight.
Do I need to pay the full amount up front?
No. A deposit secures the dates and the balance is due closer to arrival. The exact split shows on the booking form before you confirm anything.
Can you arrange a chef, a driver or an airport transfer?
Yes, and these are the three we book most often. A private chef for dinner, a transfer from Liberia, surf lessons in Tamarindo, car rental delivered to the house. Ask when you reserve and we will price it before you arrive.
What if something goes wrong during my stay?
One WhatsApp thread, answered by someone who lives here. Guest support runs 24/7 in English and Spanish, and for most of our homes we can have somebody at the door within twenty minutes.
Travelling to Costa Rica
Which airport should I fly into?
Liberia (LIR) for Guanacaste — about an hour and five minutes to Tamarindo. San José (SJO) is often cheaper but adds four to five hours of driving each way, which costs you a day at each end.
Do I need to rent a car?
For anything outside Tamarindo town, yes. Roads to the beaches are paved but the last stretch to many houses is gravel. A standard SUV is fine in the dry season; take a 4x4 between September and November.
When is the best time to come?
December to April is dry, hot and busiest. July and August sit in a break in the rains with green landscape, thinner crowds and rates roughly a third lower. September and October are the wettest and cheapest.
How far ahead should I book?
Six to nine months for Christmas and Semana Santa — those genuinely sell out and rates roughly double. Two to three months is comfortable the rest of the year.
Owning and managing a property
What does property management cost?
A flat 18 percent of each booking. No setup fee, no photography fee, no listing fee, and no markup on maintenance invoices — you see the same receipt we do. If the house does not rent, we do not charge.
Can I still use my own house?
Of course. You block whatever dates you want in the owner calendar and nobody else can book them. Most of our owners keep three to six weeks a year for themselves.
Do I have to sign an exclusive?
No. Twelve-month agreement with a thirty-day exit. If you are not happy you leave, and you keep the photography, which is yours.
How and when do I get paid?
A monthly statement showing occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, every booking and every expense, with the deposit landing on the 10th by wire or SINPE Móvil.
Buying property in Costa Rica
Can a foreigner own land here?
Yes, on the same terms as a Costa Rican. No residency requirement and no local partner requirement. Titled property is registered in your name at the Registro Nacional with the same rights a citizen has.
What about beachfront?
The first 200 metres from the sea is the Maritime Zone. The first 50 is public and cannot be owned by anyone; the next 150 is concession land with real restrictions on foreign ownership. We only list titled property and will tell you which side of that line a lot sits on before you get attached to it.
What do closing costs run?
Budget about four percent of the purchase price — transfer tax, registry stamps and legal fees, usually split by agreement between buyer and seller. Annual property tax is a quarter of one percent of registered value.
Still not answered?
Send us the question. We would rather talk you out of the wrong house than sell you one.