Stunning Artisan Home on Coffee Plantation with Exquisite View
About this house rental
ABOUT THE HOME.... The Zabala house is nestled in a lush organic coffee farm called Finca Flor Mar. This 100 acre farm produces organic Arabica coffee, plantains, bananas, mangos, limes, starfruit, & avocados. The home is shaded by an abundant Mango & Lime orchard that is buzzing with butterflies & native birds. With 4 bedrooms (3 bedrooms + loft) & 2 full baths, the Zabala house hosts a max of 8 people (6 adults with extra room for kids). It is the perfect couple’s getaway or family vacation home. The home has a fully functional kitchen and a maid that comes 2 times per week. Your floors will be cleaned, and dishes sparkling =) Laundry service is included. The open floor plan boasts a rustic yet luxurious feel. It is comfortably furnished & tastefully decorated. The Zabala house features a large eat-in kitchen, wireless high-speed internet, two story high living room with a flat screen TV & DVD & Chromecast, a living room-like front porch, an expansive master suit with a spa-like hot shower, two upstairs bedrooms (one room with a twin bed, the other with a queen), and an open loft bedroom with queen bed & quadruple doors that open to a private patio. (The loft has an additional mattress nestled into the balcony nook that will sleep 2...great for kids.) This is the only home of its kind in the area. It was hand-built by the community with local hard woods. All the doors, windows, & much of the furniture is artisan-made by the next-door neighbor. This house is the home of the Zabala family, who has temporarily returned to Atlanta. It has been called (with jaws dropping) a wonderland...the home is full of art, full of soul, and it is Costa-Rican gem like nothing else you can experience on the mountain. I just posted a video link on our VRBO site from one of our guests who did a video blog of our house and their time in Monteverde. Enjoy! You will see in the picture that since that video was done we have completely renovated the exterior of the house, installed a new sidewalk that has no stairs, and installed some new bed and artwork! Enjoy the video though. It gives you a great sense of how comfortable and big the house is! ABOUT MONTEVERDE... Monteverde is a largely bilingual town. It’s home of the Cloud Forest Reserve, stunning natural landscapes, world-class restaurants, local shops, a strong art community, & a bustling local economy. The world-famous Cloud Forest Reserve is a private nature reserve listed as #14 on Newsweek's 100 Places to Remember Before They Disappear. The massive 10,500 hectare reserve draws 70,000 tourists a year. It is known as the site with the largest number of orchids in the world, and houses 60 species of amphibians (including the near extinct Monteverde-endemic golden toad) and the elusive bright Blue Morphos butterfly. This area is also a stop for 91 species of migratory birds. The famed quetzal resides here seasonally. What is now considered Monteverde was founded by Quakers from the United States whose pacifist values led them to defy the American draft during the Korean War. These conscientious objectors blended well with the Costa Rican philosophy of peaceful living. The Cloud Forest Reserve was set aside by Quakers to preserve the Cloud Forest & protect the water shed. Monteverde & surrounding areas are inhabited by a blend of Costa Ricans, Americans, & families from around the world. The Zabala house is located about 20 minutes outside of Monteverde, in a small town called San Rafael. San Rafael is usually a good bit warmer & less rainy than Monteverde. It is a 100% Tico town, outside of the residents of Finca Flor Mar. This active town is formed by a strong community of families, a tasty restaurant, a pottery pavilion, local bar, two pulperias (small general stores), and two public schools. CASA ZABALA DETAILS The Zabala house is THE most personal, unique, and authentic way to experience Monteverde, Santa Elena, & San Rafael, Costa Rica. High-end hotels of comparable quality to The Zabala house are $150-$250 a night for a single room. The Zabala house offers 4 bedrooms for $125 a night. Our home is about 2,000sqft of Costa Rican hardwoods & rustic comfort. It is one of the largest, most unique houses in the area. Finca Flor Mar is the birthplace of the Sustainable Coffee Initiative. Chelsea’s father, Ken Lander, is the founder of this community based organization that created a system which exponentially increases the farmer’s profits compared to Fair Trade. San Rafael is the center of an agricultural revolution for the coffee industry. The Sustainable Coffee Initiative’s practices & philosophy are being explored around the world. Come visit Ken Lander at The Common Cup (or at his home next-door to The Zabala House), who will take you through the ever-growing world of the Costa Rican coffee farmer. We strongly recommend having a rental car when you stay at Casa Zabala. It is a 25 minute drive to Monteverde & 3 minutes to San Rafael's center. Sooo much to do...but you will need to drive there. The value of staying in our house verses a hotel or rental closer to Monteverde in incomparable. Please email us for more pictures. We have lots! (Had fun taking them...our home is lovely!) FOR BIRD WATCHERS!: We had a group of diehard bird watchers who came and spent most of their time on the farm and surrounding area doing what they love to do! Here is the results! Thanks Nancy and all of your team!: Some Birds of Casa Zabala & Neighborhood, Guanacaste, CR Protocol: Traveling 2.0 mile(s) Comments: Party of Capek, Johnson, D'Hont, Edmondson. 45 species Gray-headed Chachalaca Turkey Vulture Swallow-tailed Kite Red-billed Pigeon White-tipped Dove Squirrel Cuckoo Common Pauraque White-collared Swift Purple-throated Mountain-Gem Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Orange-bellied Trogon Lesson's Motmot Turquoise-browed Motmot Emerald Toucanet Hoffman's woodpecker Golden-olive Woodpecker White-fronted Parrot Orange-fronted Parakeet Yellow-bellied Elaenia Common Tody Flycatcher Dusky-capped Flycatcher Social Flycatcher Tropical Kingbird Long-tailed Manakin Masked Tityra White-throated Magpie-Jay Brown Jay Northern Rough-winged Swallow House Wren Rufous-and-white Wren Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Slatey-backed Nightingale-Thrush Clay-colored Thrush Blackburnian Warbler Rufous-capped Warbler Blue-gray Tanager Palm Tanager Blue-black Grassquit Yellow-faced Grassquit Buff-throated Saltator White-eared Ground-Sparrow Great-tailed Grackle Yellow-billed Cacique Montezuma Oropendola Yellow-throated Euphonia Keywords: coffee farm, secluded, family, couples, mountain home, relaxing home, tropical, cloud forest, costa rica, monteverde, rustic, open floor plan, full kitchen, orchard, authentic, farm, gardens, casa, finca, finca de cafe, espanol, honeymoon, family vacation, romantic getaway
Amenities
Pets allowed
Kitchen / Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Parking
Laundry
Balcony / Patio
TV
Wheelchair accessible
Map of Alajuela Province
House in Alajuela Province
Reasons to book
People love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Great for pets
$$$$
Reviews
4.8/5.0
Outstanding(214 Reviews)
10.0
Timeless
10.0
Fantastic overall stay at the coffee plantation farm home, authentic experience to stay in the mountains and have a self guided tour through the home owners plantation fields where the farm workers were harvesting and processing coffee beans. Bella, the farm dog joined us on our tour through the fields.
Cool breezes and temperatures in the 20 degree range cooled things off at night.
There is a 15-20 minute drive to Monteverde which is typically along the route for night tours and zip lines.
Being on an active farm you may see some critters but most travellers to the area pay guides to see them and these are all included in the price of admission. 😉
Ken and his family were great hosts, very pleasant to talk to and offered some great recommendations in the area.
If you are looking for an authentic experience in the Monteverde area then this is your Casa.
5.0
Owner stays on the property, in a different house and is very helpful. We stayed at 5 different properties at various locations in Costa Rica during this trip. I'd have to say this one is the best in terms on comfort, since he's an American, made sure the guests have all the comforts and convenience from our perspective.
5.0
Unexpected, novel, different and beautiful.
Ken's abode needs to be experienced as it offers an inside extension to the outside. Ultimately your Costa Rican visit will be all about the outside, so a well designed artisan home that blends inside and out will only supplement your holiday. Don't spoil your stay and put the telly on!
Ken was attentive, informative and happy to share some of his wealth of local experience. Listen closely to his recommendations; a perfect host.
I can not recommend highly enough, frankly superb.
5.0
We had a great stay at this property in the guest house. The host and his family were extremely accommodating, especially during the holiday season. Exploring the farm was interesting and will give you a new appreciation for coffee if it's part of your morning routine.
The house was well set up and easily accommodated our family of 6.
This is a good staging area for your adventures in the area.
5.0
Great place, proprietor was ahead of our needs all along the way
5.0
Beautiful setting with warm, welcoming hosts! We just happened to be there over a celebration on December 1, which we wouldn’t have known about if our hosts hadn’t informed us about it. It was one of the most wonderful experiences we’ve had in going to Costa Rica over the past five years! It was the best! 😊
5.0
This charming property offers culture, history, nature, and a quiet, inviting atmosphere. Take the opportunity to tour the farm and learn about the deeply-rooted and humble beginnings of an amazing story to sustainable, organic, quality coffee. You will surely find your stay worthwhile. Thank you Ken and Alexander!
5.0
Ken was a fantastic host and an incredible asset for us in Costa Rica. Our kids enjoyed the property so much and it really made our stay!
5.0
This house was beautiful, and perfect for our family of 5. The views were spectacular, and Ken was such a great host. We stayed here for the Monteverde portion of our trip and I would definitely recommend this property.
5.0
Stunning property and beautiful house, we loved being able to walk the coffee plantation and hang with Ken’s German Sheppard and his macaw Cocoa. We picked limes off the fruit trees for fresh squeezed margaritas and played board games on a rainy night! Great location about 20 min to town, plenty close enough to all the activities, shops, and restaurants!
The only negative thing I will say for this house (which is to be expected in a tropical rainforest climate) is that it was warm at night with no AC and the windows do not have screens; so you either have to be okay being warm or accept some creepy-crawlers might end up in the house with you!
It didn’t phase us and we loved it overall. We would visit again. Thank you Ken, Stella, and Cocoa!
5.0
Our family of 5 adults stayed for 2 nights and explored the surrounding area! House was just as pictured and lived up to expectations! Great place for home-base while in Santa Elena/Monteverde area, magical area!!
5.0
The place was wonderful. Ken is so great and accommodating. He offered tips for activities, did our laundry, and his sister in law cooked us 2 delicious meals. The place itself and the property were wonderful. It is a bit farther from town, so keep this in mind depending on your plans, but we loved it!
5.0
Ken, Coco and Stella warmly greeted us upon arrival. Ken was a very responsive and a delightful host. For our group this location was perfect, but it is a bit of a drive to most attractions! This was a very rustic getaway that could be elevated further with a few additions.
5.0
The place was a great location for exploring the Monteverde area. The house fit my family of six very easily and the host was there to greet us on our arrival, making check in very simple. One of my parents highlights of their trip was touring the coffee farm here.
5.0
We booked a last minute stay. The place was large and Ken the host was super friendly. Bonus there is a working coffee farm that we walked through complete with mangos!
5.0
Ken was very helpful, kids had a great time running around on the property!
4.0
We cannot say enough good things about our host. Kenneth wasn't available, but Alexander was around. He was attentive, responsive and helpful during our stay. It is clear he is passionate about the history of the area and eager to share his work. They are very generous people, and we enjoyed adding fresh limes and mangos to our meals.
The house is a large cabin, and you are in a rural area. Make sure this matches your expectations. I personally loved the cabin feel, but we did hear noises (mice most likely) at night which disturbed some members of our family.
Also be prepared for the roads around the area (not unique to this place). Allow extra time to navigate the potholes and twisting roads. However the views are spectacular!
4.0
The house was big and rustic. The best part was it’s an active coffee farm and Alex was so nice to give a very informative tour. The location was peaceful and secured. The living room sofa sets weren’t able to sit comfortably, which really should be replaced. It would be nice if the linens had the better quality, but you got what you pay for. If you’re a light sleep, please beware the sound insulation wasn’t good, you can hear almost everything between the downstair and upstair bedrooms.
5.0
Spent 3 nights with a group of 5. Exactly as advertised. Quite, secluded and the hosts where fantastic. Wish we could’ve stayed a few more nights to spend more time touring the coffee farm and chatting with the hosts.
5.0
Stayed at this house for 2 nights while visiting Monteverde. About a 15 min drive into town . Is an older home but very well maintained . Beautiful property. The host ken and his family were great and very helpful!!
If you love dogs . Perfect place . Their German shepherd “Bella” loved showing us around and playing ball.
5.0
This is the perfect place to stay if you want to explore the Monte Verde area. Ken went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and made great suggestions of places to visit. The kids loved running around the property and we enjoyed sitting on the porch watching. Pack a set of long sleeves and pants because it can get windy/chilly. I would suggest getting a 4 wheel drive since the roads to get there can be rocky. I wouldn’t think twice to book with Ken again!
5.0
Kenneth is the best host ever. He personally greeted us and gave us some really good suggestions on where to eat and what to do. He let us go for a walk with his dog on the coffee farm and allowed us to pick vegetables out of his garden if we wanted to. He offered his maid service to wash our clothes if needed. He even has his coffee for sale but we did not get any because we ended up leaving a day early due to finishing up our excursions early. Kenneth is awesome!
5.0
Ken is tremendous
Site is beautiful
Loved the plantation tour
5.0
We loved staying at this house with nature all around, but close enough to Monteverde to get to all the activities there. Ken was a great host and we loved meeting with his Macaw, Cocoa, and dog, Bella. We loved eating breakfast and dinner on either the lower or upper porches - both open air with birds singing all around. Everything was clean and comfortable. The only thing that was a little drawback was that sound travelled easily between the floors, which was okay as long as no one was too noisy. We would definitely return if we travel to the Monteverde area again!
4.0
Friendly host and large place to stay. Beautiful farm to be on.
5.0
Ken was a helpful and gracious host. When we couldn't find the house and we're a little stressed from our drive. We drove down to the little supermarket for directions. One of his employees was there and, jumping on his motorbike said to follow him. What a blessing that was. This is a beautiful property and very spacious for families.
5.0
We so enjoyed our stay in Abangares! The house has a rustic charm that fit the location very well. It's not a luxury rental, but definitely has all you need.
The property is beautiful. Morning yoga on the deck was a highlight for me. Our younger kids had a blast exploring around the house and playing with the friendly dog Bella. We cooked a little in the kitchen, which was equipped for all our needs.
I'm guessing windy nights are typical for the area. I was kept awake much of the first night, but the rest of my family didn't complain of it. I slept much better the next three nights.
Alexander spent time giving us a fantastic tour of the coffee plantation. He had the kids help out by hauling a crate, and we all enjoyed getting up close to the process. What an amazing story he has to tell about it all! Don't miss a chance to hear it.
One thing that could improve the comfort of the home is some new living room furniture. Also, mattress protectors on all the beds would be nice.
We'd stay here again! There's so much to do in nearby Monteverde and Santa Elena. We left with priceless memories of ziplining through the cloud forest, horseback riding at sunset, jumping in an icy-cold waterfall, and marveling at the fascinating flora and fauna. This home was a great homebase for it all.
5.0
Kenneth’s property and house is spacious with ample indoor and outdoor space. Our grands loved exploring and playing with Bella. We were able to see beautiful rainbows from the property. Less than 10 mikes from major attractions like Monteverdi Cloud Forest, Frog Pond, Bat Jungle, all the adventure parks with zip lining, Hanging bridges etc. great home base for exploring.
5.0
Ken and his family are wonderful hosts! We especially loved “Bella” (the dog). She is a sweetie! The place is rustic and could use a new couch. But it was clean and unique. The farm and area are beautiful! And the house is bigger than it appears.
Thank-you Ken!
5.0
Monteverde excursions are spread out and Kens place was not super close to anywhere, but it was a great experience and a fun spot! Ken gave us wonderful recommendations we really enjoyed. It’s a simple home with lots of character. Nothing fancy, but unique build and surroundings. We enjoyed staying here!
5.0
The house and the land were perfect and better than on the pictures! Kenneth was a perfect host and the communication with him was super easy. He also gave a lot of great recommendations.
The employees on the coffee plantation were really nice.
Location is perfect for activities in Monteverde and Santa Elena!
5.0
We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Casa Zabala from booking to departure.
Ken Lander made sure we knew how to reach the property and stayed in contact with us throughout our journey.
Ken greeted us warmly on arrival and gave us wonderful advice on what to see and where to go in the surrounding area, and places we were headed.
The house presents itself exactly as is shown and is situated on the mountainside overlooking a coffee plantation.
We were fortunate to be there during harvest season and were permitted to roll up our sleeves! We managed to fill a basket of the ripe, red, sticky coffee cherries alongside the pickers! It was great fun even though our ankles/legs were eaten by bugs. No wonder the pickers had long pants tucked into rubber boots!
We were educated in coffee bean processing and it was fascinating! We definitely have a much greater appreciation for every bean that we as coffee consumers buy!
From this location it is a short jaunt to Monteverde and all the glorious offerings in the area.
Very friendly and accommodating - the house is spacious and lovely! Would highly recommend.
5.0
Ken is a wonderful host and took care of all our needs. He setup a tour of the coffee farm and we learned so much! He also suggested many wonderful local spots to explore which made our stay jam packed with adventures. We would love to stay again in the future.
5.0
This house is a rustic large 3 bedroom (plus a loft with 3 twin beds), 2 bathrooms, 2 balconies, large living room, and a kitchen.
It was just the two of us during our visit but we could easily see this as a great place for a larger/extended family vacay.
Be aware this a home in the mountains/jungles of Costa Rica. There are gaps here and there and little critters may visit. We kept the windows and doors shut, but a few smaller bugs/insects found there way in. We also found a scorpion one morning and a tarantula made its way across the living room floor one night. This is not a huge deal to us, my SO just dispatched them back outside but for some people that might be a deal breaker. Know what you are getting. This is Costa Rica
We like a mix of eating out and cooking at "home" when traveling. The kitchen was well supplied with pots, pans and dishes. Really had the basics of everything we needed. Coffee pot, toaster, blender, stove, fridge, ice trays.
The bathrooms had showers, towels, and soap.
Ken and his family were so nice and helpful from check-in to letting us know about the Community Christmas Parade. A couple of light bulbs were out and Alexander noticed at check in and came back with bulbs next day.
Location was about 15-20 minutes from St. Elena/Monteverde. We thought it was perfect. (If you want to be walking distance to shops and restaurants this is not for you though. Stay closer to town.)
We would definitely recommend.
5.0
Excellent property and location; highly recommended.
5.0
It was a dream of my life to spend some time on a coffee farm that came true. The house was clean and spacy, the kitchen had everything that we need. The place was easy to find, and on arrival we were greeted by the owner, Ken. Thanks a lot, Ken, for providing us with such a great place to stay and giving us a possibility to have a tour around the coffee plantation and the new coffee processing facility!
5.0
This was a real find! We stayed at Ken's VRBO as our last stop of a 12 day trip in Costa Rica. We had been staying in areas that were closer to cities and hustle-bustle and noise. It was so nice to stay where we could enjoy the peace and quiet... take walks in nature and see the coffee plants while also finding some birds of Costa Rica. The house has plenty of space! It is gorgeous inside and uniquely built with various types of wood. The kitchen, living space, and bedrooms are large! We could leave the windows cracked at night to let a breeze in as well. The hosts were very helpful! They even washed a load of laundry for us! Ken had suggestions on restaurants and activities and was available for any questions we had. Even though it was a quiet location, we could drive into town in about 15 minutes and find plenty of restaurants and activities. If we make it back to Costa Rica, we will hope to stay here again.
5.0
We enjoyed our stay on this beautiful property. All of the folks we met were wonderful. We completely enjoyed walking the farm and our visits to the surrounding area.
5.0
Location / Security
This house is located on the property of a full-time resident. It's about 20 minutes from Santa Elena / Monteverde. It's a just place to stay if you have a car, too far if you need constant pick-up for activities. The property isn't gated but the owner lives on site and has security cameras. We felt safe.
Amenities
The house is on a working coffee farm. Although it was only the growing season and so there wasn't any activity on the farm, it was still cool to walk around the farm and see the coffee plants. We were invited for a tour of the farm with a family member of the owner. He drove us around and explained everything about the farm. We spotted a toucan, a snake and a set of toledo birds doing their mating dance (so cool and unusual).
The house is stock piled with plenty of cooking materials. We even got bananas and lemons and peppers when we went walking with the manager on the farm.
The house is clean but it is a rustic experience. You will encounter bugs but honestly it's not that much and they really don't bother you. Nothing that flies, just some spiders and little bugs. Just be prepared to squash a few spiders and ants. We found a massive grasshopper right outside which my kids loved.
There's tons of birds living in the trees right outside the house so be prepared to enjoy being awakened by nature. It's so lovely.
The owner was on site and chatted with us regularly. He gave us some tips about what to do and where to go. I highly recommend.
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in Alajuela Province?
The average price for a rental in Alajuela Province is $112 per night. This rental is $64 above the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Stunning Artisan Home on Coffee Plantation with Exquisite View. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this house?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Stunning Artisan Home on Coffee Plantation with Exquisite View pet friendly?
Yes! This house is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Stunning Artisan Home on Coffee Plantation with Exquisite View?
We found 8 amenities for this rental. This includes pets allowed, kitchen / kitchenette, internet / wifi, parking, and laundry.
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