We had an absolutely perfect stay here. We stayed in 5 different VRBO properties during our trip to Costa Rica and my wife and I both agree: this was the best one. We stayed in the 4th house which has its own private hot tub on the deck. The kids had a great time playing in the pool. The grounds were immaculate and beautiful. Max was so kind, helpful, and attentive. It was very easy to communicate with him via WhatsApp (which if you don't use it now, download it before your trip because everyone in Costa Rica uses it) and he was always super quick to reply. The house itself was immaculately clean. It fit our family of 5 (two adults and 3 kids) perfectly and it was great having a full kitchen. The beds were comfortable and the A/C kept everything comfortable. This property is located far enough away from things that it's quiet but close enough to the city that you can easily get to food, groceries, and activities. When we visit Costa Rica again, we will definitely be staying here again.

Beautiful accommodations, property, and friendly host. Located approximately 12 mins from La Fortuna. Close to Arenal, Mystico suspension bridges, and La Fortuna Catarata (waterfall). Through Max (the friendly host) we hired Victor, a private guide (506-8758-6363). Victor is knowledgeable and humourous (with a reasonable price) - if in La Fortuna we highly recommend him for a guided tour. If heading to La Fortuna, and you have rented a car - this is your place to stay - hands down.

The place was great and our host had terrific recommendations and made the stay a real treat. Highly recommend.

Our family of 5 absolutely loved our stay here. The home had everything we needed and more. It was beautiful, modern and very clean. We loved our private hot tub overlooking the gorgeous gardens! Kids enjoyed the pool. Max was the best! He was extremely helpful with booking adventures for us and giving recommendations. He is terrific! We would highly reccommend this place!

Our family of 5 absolutely loved our stay here. The home had everything we needed and more. It was beautiful, modern and very clean. We loved our private hot tub overlooking the gorgeous gardens! Kids enjoyed the pool. Max was the best! He was extremely helpful with booking adventures for us and giving recommendations. He is terrific! We would highly reccommend this place!

The place was great and our host had terrific recommendations and made the stay a real treat. Highly recommend.

We ha da a great time at Bukala Village. Max and Ingrid were very accommodating; helping us book zip line and thermal water tour as well as being present at most any time for other little questions that came up. The beautiful common area was carefully thought out- large, polarized windows overlooking the amazing garden, walkways to the inviting pool, a pre-programmed whirlpool on our porch just underneath an extra large umbrella. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The only downside I can mention is that the rooms were not big enough to include a closet. Other than that, the place is just gorgeous and well worth its price.

We had the most amazing time and experience staying at Bukala Village for our first family trip to Costa Rica. The pictures don’t do this place justice for how real and natural the environment is around it and how well kept the inside is. We were so impressed by the host, Max, and how welcoming and helpful he was during our stay. Our positive experience was made because of him and his kindness. He was there with a smile to greet us after our first long travel day, and each day coming back to our place afterward. When we had questions about things to do/recommendations or about the Costa Rican culture, Max was genuinely happy to help us and assist in navigating our trip itinerary. If we had a question or concern about the place specifically, Max would promptly come over to assist. Our first trip to Costa Rica was remarkable because we chose this place to stay and had Max as our host! He positively impacted our group more than he knows. :) We highly recommend staying here. This experience doesn’t compare to others! We hope to come back again!

We had the most amazing time and experience staying at Bukala Village for our first family trip to Costa Rica. The pictures don’t do this place justice for how real and natural the environment is around it and how well kept the inside is. We were so impressed by the host, Max, and how welcoming and helpful he was during our stay. Our positive experience was made because of him and his kindness. He was there with a smile to greet us after our first long travel day, and each day coming back to our place afterward. When we had questions about things to do/recommendations or about the Costa Rican culture, Max was genuinely happy to help us and assist in navigating our trip itinerary. If we had a question or concern about the place specifically, Max would promptly come over to assist. Our first trip to Costa Rica was remarkable because we chose this place to stay and had Max as our host! He positively impacted our group more than he knows. :) We highly recommend staying here. This experience doesn’t compare to others! We hope to come back again!

Everything was as advertised. The property was great as well as Max. We had a wonderful time!

Everything was as advertised. The property was great as well as Max. We had a wonderful time!

Everything is exactly as they said. What an amazing spot, we loved every minute of our stay and wouldn't hesitate to go back. The grounds are lush and inviting, the pool is so relaxing and the hammocks by the brook what more could you ask for. It can be a little difficult to find first time but put Bukula Village in GPS you will be fine. It's a bit from downtown Lafortuna so you will need a car.

Everything met our expectations. Max was very helpful in finding and booking activities for us and was quick in settling our inquiries. The bonus was the beautiful lush garden with various species of birds and butterflies. We would recommend this place.

This property was very clean and we enjoyed exploring the garden our first morning. It was great to see the hummingbirds right outside the door. It is very quiet there. We did not use the pool or hot tub. Max was very helpful and available. My only suggestion would be to add a dresser to each bedroom. Not having anywhere to put your clothes is somewhat frustrating. The hooks are small and not strong enough. It is a nice condo and is pretty close to La Fortuna.

We really enjoyed our week at Bukala #4. Max was very helpful in suggesting places to visit we never would have thought of. The villa was very clean...general housekeeping and new towels were provided every other day. For the two of us it was perfect and we had no issues we couldn’t work around. There is not a lot of storage for clothes other than your suitcase. A few well placed hooks could help with that.

Our stay has been amazing, such a fantastic place to visit. The location is remote, 15 minute drive into centre of town. A car is a must have. We truly enjoyed the activities and beauty of the area. The property manager Max was amazing, don't book ahead get your excursions through him. He is very informative & you will get a better price, guaranteed. The home it wonderful as well, has everything you need & is well maintained & very clean. The hot tub was a nice bonus especially after hiking for the day. The grounds are beautiful, enjoying sitting on deck listening to the birds surrounded by such lush gardens. We did not give a 5* rating only because the wifi is very slow. I had asked prior to booking and was assured it was very good. My husband and I both run our own businesses so it is important we stay connected. There are no closets or dressers in the bedrooms so you have no where to put your clothes. All in all, an amazing experience & would certainly recommend that you visit. Thank you Max.

We loved our stay over Christmas at Villa 4 in Bukala Villas. Our flight was late so we didn’t arrive until 1am but communication with Max was super smooth and we had no trouble getting in. The place was well appointed and perfect for our family of 5. The kids especially loved the hot tub each evening surrounded by sounds from the “jungle”. Max helped us with restaurant and activity recommendations. And we even got a special Christmas surprise gift of chocolates from the hosts! We liked being about 10 minutes from the hustle and bustle of the town and had no trouble with the short gravel road leading to the villas. Would definitely stay here again if we return to La Fortuna!

Max was very helpful with restaurant tips and sight seeing.

My family and I just returned from a fabulous stay at Unit #4. I can not say enough good things about our stay. The unit itself is nicely updated, with plenty of room for a family of 4. The living areas do not have air conditioning, but there is enough of a cool breeze at night and in the morning, that we were completely comfortable. The bedrooms do have air. The landscaping at the property is so lush and beautiful. There is a quiet stream that runs at the back of the property,and the pool is a nice bonus. The property itself is about 10 minutes to La Fortuna. It is so nice and peaceful that it is worth the extra drive to town. We drove from San Jose. We had no trouble with Waze guiding the way. I will second the earlier review, that it was much easier to enter the name of the restaurant "El Gran Abuelo" and the road to the property is right beside the restaurant. The road to the villa is a gravel road, so be prepared for a short bumpy ride. However, before the end of our stay, a fresh load of gravel was placed on the road, and it was a much smoother ride. Max was fabulous. He met us at arrival, and gave us the lay of the land so to speak. We took his advice and booked an ATV excursion, and we were so pleased. We highly reccommend a stay here and hope to return soon.

Great property in a quiet area away from the hustle and bustle of La Fortuna but still a short deive away.

My family and I had an absolutely fantastic time. We arrived late, but Max was there with a friendly face and very good English help us get settled in . There is a gorgeous pool,brand new everything. Max our host was helpful in booking a Zip lining and hot springs tour that did not disappoint. I highly recommend staying here if your travels bring you to the Arenal area of Costa Rica

We stayed in the last villa on the property - most private, and great for couples. If you have kids pick the one near the pool. Max was super helpful, all the activities he set up for us were great. Everything you need to cook supplied. The villa is several miles out of town, so quiet with a great back yard.

The grounds are beautiful and the villas are very well appointed. I would highly recommend this place for its serenity and beauty. Max was a great host and very accomodating. He was a great asset to the whole Casa Bukala experience.

We spent three nights in Unit #4. The villa is quite comfortable and easily accommodated the three of us. It has a nice kitchen and a deck overlooking a very pretty landscape. The two bedrooms are air conditioned, but the rest of the villa is not. Max welcomed us after some difficulty in locating the property. All they can give out in the form of directions is the latitude and longitude of the villa (I kid you not). Good luck entering that in your nav app and then being successful in being directed there. It's much better to enter the name of the closed restaurant "El Gran Abuelo" into Google Maps, Waze, etc. Once you get there, simply drive 1 km down a VERY bumpy gravel road, and look for the sign "Casa Bukala" on your left. The villa is about a 10 minute drive from and to La Fortuna once you traverse the 1 km gravel road which takes about an additional five minutes. You can't go much over 10 km/hr if you have a normal sedan like we did. It might be better in an SUV, but it was very uncomfortable in a standard car. Speaking of Max, he was very helpful and suggested restaurants, white water rafting and zip-line companies. We took his advice about the white water rafting company, Costa Rica Descents, in La Fortuna. They'll pick up if you're staying in a hotel, but we drove to their office and then rode with everybody in their bus to the river (about 45 minutes). We're glad we followed Max's advice because this company is terrific. The owner, Warner, is only in his mid-thirties but has already done more than most people twice his age, and he has a lot of big plans for his future. He's a great guy, and I have no doubt he'll succeed in anything he puts his mind to. All of his guides, especially Tom, are great guys, and we had a blast. All-in-all, we enjoyed our stay at the property, but the drive back and forth on the gravel road gives us pause about returning. It might not bother you as much especially if you have a big SUV.

The property is gorgeous! You feel like you are in “Honey I shrunk the kids”...the leaves and foliage were larger than our kiddos heads! Max was beyond helpful and is the type of guy that makes you feel at home. He was not only knowledgeable about his country, but about the birds and wildlife that surround the bungalow. We did have excursions booked, but upon arrival we cancelled and went with max’s suggestions and he did not disappoint. The bungalow makes you feel at one with the surroundings and was the exactly what we wanted to wake up to and come home to each day! Our children were sad to leave and I will forever remember the sounds I heard each morning while enjoying my tea on our front porch...pura vida❤️

We loved our stay at villa bukala. We only stayed there for one night but wished our stay was much longer! The house is clearly new and has really nice amenities like AC in the bedrooms, hot water for the showers and an amazing covered porch so you can sit outside when it is raining and look out on the beautiful garden. Check in was super easy even though we were a little later than expected. The only downside is the road to get to the house, it is pretty rough and takes a while to drive down in a rental car.

Our family of 6 spent a week here in the Arenal Villas Bukala, and I can't say enough nice things about this property, the location, or the hosts Max & Ingrid. The villas are tucked away off a country road, making it both tranquil and convenient to area attractions. The villa itself was immaculately maintained- SPOTLESS!- and the grounds are beautifully landscaped with a stream that winds its way through the backyard- perfect for sitting out on the deck with a cup of coffee in the morning & enjoying the wildlife. Both bedrooms have air conditioners and while the main part of the villa has no air, opening the windows provides a great cross breeze that kept us nice and cool. Furnishings are great and kitchen is well equipped- we cooked breakfast every morning. But even more amazing than the property were the hosts, Max and Ingrid. I've never had hosts go so far above and beyond to make us feel so at home. We came as customers and left as friends. Our only complaint was not being able to stay longer. Thank you for making our stay so magical. We will be back!

Not only was the house located in a beautiful Jungle almost scenery, paired with a pool as well as your own river in the backyard, the inside was just as beautiful! Sleeps 8 Perfectly and very comfortably. New furniture making the house a modern classy look was also fun to walk into. Not to mention Max, the guy who runs the place is AMAZING! Very friendly, and I could tell he really wanted to make sure we had a good time! He helped us out with tours, as well as just fun things to do around the area and his recommendations were SPOT ON!!! My entire group of 8 agrees, we would come back in a heart beat just to stay here again!!!!

My wife, daughter and I stayed at this property while exploring the La Fortuna/Arenal area. The property is modern as it was constructed in 2017. It had everything we needed. It was very clean. It’s located about 7-8 mins south of La Fortuna. Host was Max, the brother of the owner. Max is a great guy, very helpful with our trip planning. We would definitely stay at this place again!

We just recently spent 4 days in one of these villas. Max and his wife welcomed us with mango smoothies and instantly we felt welcome. These are relatively new units (a year old I believe) so everything was new and clean. We loved having a front porch where we ate breakfast in the mornings and watched as the resident toucan came to visit us on a couple of occasions. Although it's a 15 minute drive from the centre of La Fortuna, we really enjoyed the jungle feel of the property. To be out in nature is such a beautiful thing. We would highly recommend this place, especially for those travellers looking for an authentic Costa Rican experience. We will definitely be coming back to this spot in the future.

This house was very new, clean and perfect for our 3 nights in La Fortuna. The location is great if you have a car, the gardens are very pretty and the pool is cleaned daily. Our host Max was very welcoming, helpful and he brought us freash fruit platters, which was very kind of him. We would recommend this place to anyone without a doubt!