This stay was the highlight of my time in Costa Rica. This villa was perfect for our family, the rooms were perfect, comfortable beds, cool a/c, panoramic windows, on suite bathrooms, etc.! The open air kitchen and living area was a nice and welcome change and I loved it. The patio chairs and hammock were perfect for relaxing and listening and watching the nature around you. The hosts couldn't have been more accommodating. Someone seemed to always be there whenever we needed anything or had any questions to ask and always had great recommendations. A special thanks to Andres for all his attention, especially towards our 5 year old son, who just loved him! Another special thanks to Ana and Daniel, who are extremely friendly and helpful. The property itself is beautiful and we said numerous times that we felt like we were at our own private resort! Would love to come back one day!

Where do I begin? The lodge is one of the most wonderful places on earth. The casita we stayed in was open to the elements (aside from the rooms which were air conditioned), and while I was nervous about bugs at first, it was not an issue whatsoever. The view from the porch was remarkable with horses galloping across the mountain skyline at sunrise. A few steps from the front door is a wonderful restaurant for the lodge guests, which serves food sourced from their garden mainly. I had some of the best meals of my life there. La Fortuna was about 35 minutes away, but we were always happy to return home at the end of the day. It was so nice not being around the hustle and bustle of tourists. The staff at the lodge make you feel like home immediately. They even offered to make us sandwiches for our trip to the airport on the last day. My family and I will never forget the magic experienced here, and are forever grateful. We look forward to returning soon! Pura Vida!

Where do I begin? The lodge is one of the most wonderful places on earth. The casita we stayed in was open to the elements (aside from the rooms which were air conditioned), and while I was nervous about bugs at first, it was not an issue whatsoever. The view from the porch was remarkable with horses galloping across the mountain skyline at sunrise. A few steps from the front door is a wonderful restaurant for the lodge guests, which serves food sourced from their garden mainly. I had some of the best meals of my life there. La Fortuna was about 35 minutes away, but we were always happy to return home at the end of the day. It was so nice not being around the hustle and bustle of tourists. The staff at the lodge make you feel like home immediately. They even offered to make us sandwiches for our trip to the airport on the last day. My family and I will never forget the magic experienced here, and are forever grateful. We look forward to returning soon! Pura Vida!

Where do I begin? The lodge is one of the most wonderful places on earth. The casita we stayed in was open to the elements (aside from the rooms which were air conditioned), and while I was nervous about bugs at first, it was not an issue whatsoever. The view from the porch was remarkable with horses galloping across the mountain skyline at sunrise. A few steps from the front door is a wonderful restaurant for the lodge guests, which serves food sourced from their garden mainly. I had some of the best meals of my life there. La Fortuna was about 35 minutes away, but we were always happy to return home at the end of the day. It was so nice not being around the hustle and bustle of tourists. The staff at the lodge make you feel like home immediately. They even offered to make us sandwiches for our trip to the airport on the last day. My family and I will never forget the magic experienced here, and are forever grateful. We look forward to returning soon! Pura Vida!

As we were driving up the dirt road, I started to wonder if I had made a mistake. As soon as we entered the gate, I realized we had found paradise. The grounds are beautiful, the villas are gorgeous, and the people make you feel so welcomed. Manuel gave us an amazing tour and then continue to check in with us throughout our stay. Daniel took us on an amazing ATV tour. The pool was a lovely place to relax and catch some sun. If you have a chance, I highly recommend La Finca Lodge!

As we were driving up the dirt road, I started to wonder if I had made a mistake. As soon as we entered the gate, I realized we had found paradise. The grounds are beautiful, the villas are gorgeous, and the people make you feel so welcomed. Manuel gave us an amazing tour and then continue to check in with us throughout our stay. Daniel took us on an amazing ATV tour. The pool was a lovely place to relax and catch some sun. If you have a chance, I highly recommend La Finca Lodge!

The villa was perfect. Quiet and peaceful. While it was a short 30 minute drive into La Fortuna, we really enjoyed being away from the activity. All of the staff was warm and welcoming. Manuel in particular went above and beyond for us. Also recommend the ATV tour from the property. Danny was a great guide and that tour was the highlight of the trip. If you are planning on visiting La Fortuna, this is the best place to stay and get away and enjoy a stress free vacation.

We had a great time, the place was beautiful! I thought your staff was especially great, I enjoyed meeting Manuel and Dennis. We LOVED the ATV ride and had fun on the horses too! Danny was a blast! Thanks again!

My family and I are leaving this piece of heaven today and are sure to return! The accommodations are beautiful and peaceful, we can hear all the sounds of Costa Rica from our casa. Upon arrival we were greeted like family. We arrived a bit early and Dennis made us delicious cold fruit smoothies while our casa was being prepared. The pool and hot tub were pleasant and breakfast in the morning so delicious. Such a lovely, lush place to sip coffee and have breakfast. The private tours offered here are amazing. The family and I had the pleasure to take a private ATV tour to the hot springs with Grievin who was so attentive and made sure the experience left us with memories to last a lifetime. He pointed out sloth along the way, taking time for us to get amazing photos and video. We hate to leave but are glad to to have the opportunity to experience paradise.

My family and I are leaving this piece of heaven today and are sure to return! The accommodations are beautiful and peaceful, we can hear all the sounds of Costa Rica from our casa. Upon arrival we were greeted like family. We arrived a bit early and Dennis made us delicious cold fruit smoothies while our casa was being prepared. The pool and hot tub were pleasant and breakfast in the morning so delicious. Such a lovely, lush place to sip coffee and have breakfast. The private tours offered here are amazing. The family and I had the pleasure to take a private ATV tour to the hot springs with Grievin who was so attentive and made sure the experience left us with memories to last a lifetime. He pointed out sloth along the way, taking time for us to get amazing photos and video. We hate to leave but are glad to to have the opportunity to experience paradise.

An absolute perfect getaway with my daughter. Two bedrooms with full baths provided some personal space. Open kitchen, dining and sitting area with views over a horse pasture and distant volcano view. Kitchen was well stocked for all cooking needs, and items were very clean. Property had hiking paths and offered tours from their property. Staff went out of their way to help with bags and provided information for tours. We hated to leave such a serene environment. We stayed at four different properties across northern Costa Rica and this is one we will return to.

The villa is beautifully designed overlooking the horse pastures and providing a great view of the landscape of the region. The rooms were spacious with large private bathrooms. The living area was open-air which really made you feel like you were in the countryside (no doubt the hammocks and rocking chairs helped). Esteban was a wonderful host. He kept in contact throughout the trip, from our initial inquiry until after checkout. He assisted us in planning and booking a lot of our activities in the area, including zip-lining and white water rafting, so definitely talk to him if you are looking for things to do. They do a great ATV ride from the ranch to a nearby hot spring that is definitely worth checking out! He also has great recommendations for food in the area if you are not looking to cook during your trip. They provide daily cleaning, have a pool, and breakfast is available on-site. You get the feel of a private rental with all of the amenities of a hotel. I highly recommend checking out Villa Heliconia at La Finca during your next trip to Costa Rica.

I found the place to be more beautiful than expected. The house and grounds are kept impeccably well, the staff are very friendly and Esteban provided a huge amount of useful information for our stay there as well as for the rest of our trip.

I found the place to be more beautiful than expected. The house and grounds are kept impeccably well, the staff are very friendly and Esteban provided a huge amount of useful information for our stay there as well as for the rest of our trip.

As it was our first time going to Costa Rica we were unsure of what to expect. All the positive reviews are spot on! Esteban, his staff, the property, equipment, animals, and the facilities are top notch and maintained in near new condition. Breakfast cooked in your villa is awesome, laundry on site (inexpensive) is a convenience you can't get in most places. Esteban took care of everything for us from rental car at Liberia airport to onsite activities (ATVs, horseback riding), and even offsite arrangements for zip lining in La Fortuna and tour of La Paz Gardens. It would be an understatement to say that he goes above and beyond being an excellent host! You won't regret it.

We arrived based on a friends reccomendation and couldn't have been more pleased. We are a family of four with two teenagers. We are an active family and enjoyed relaxing in our well appointed Casita as well getting out and experiencing incredible excursions. The Casita was comfortable, private and equipped with all modern conveniences. The surroundings are absolutely beautiful. Esteban was extremely helpful and coordinted our activities. He took the time to understand our family's preferences. He does not steer you wrong. We couldn't have been more pleased with the amazing activities that felt one of a kind and not overridden with tourists. We especially enjoyed the river rafting, horseback riding and ATV ride to the magical hot springs. We highly reccomend these outings but would defer to Estaban's suggestions for your family. You will experience a very special Costa Rica. Thank you Esteban and team!

Where do we begin? We went down for Spring Break with our 3 kids(11,9 & 5) and we had a blast. We stayed in Villa Heliconia and we loved the setup with the kitchen and living area being out in the open and the two bedrooms on each opposite side. The balcony provided a great view of the mountains in the background with the horses grazing in the pasture. The AC worked really well, since it was really nice and warm down there. There was so much to do on the property for the kids starting with the pool and moving on to some hiking that we did on the property. The kids also enjoyed seeing the stables where the horses were kept and even helped in feeding the horses. Esteban and his staff were wonderful and very attentive to all of our needs! Esteban even helped us out with the car rental, which we greatly appreciated. Driving from San Jose was an adventure in itself, but we finally made it to our destination and were very impressed by our villa. We ended up doing the ATV tour and horseback riding tours, which we highly recommend. The great thing about these tours is that it ends up being a private family tour. We hate going on group tours with a bunch of people that we do not know. The tours were at our own pace and the ATV tour ends with us reaching the hot springs and relaxing in them for about and hour. Our tour guide Alonzo was very good with the kids and provided us with some very fun tours. We drove thru the pineapple plantations and got to see how they are cultivated. The horseback riding was a wonderful experience for our kids that had never been on horses before. The horses were really good with the kids and my 5 year old even had his own horse! We even got to eat some fresh fruit straight off the trees! We ended up leaving from here to Jaco so I'm really glad that we did the horseback and ATV tours here where we really got to enjoy ourselves as a family. The location was great and we got to also see how the sugar cane is cut and carried away when we went on the ATV tour. We were able to cook breakfast there at the villa and there are plenty of local stores nearby that have everything that you would need to cook yourself some meals. Spend some time here away the hustle and bustle of the big cities with your family if you want to find a place to relax and still have some stuff to do. Plus the attention that you will receive is first class! Here's a short video of our stay: https://youtu.be/mARqk3eLxBE Copy and paste link. Pura Vida!

Our family of 4 - including two teenage boys (ages 12 & 16) - had a wonderful stay at La Finca. The villa was perfect with a large kitchen, sitting area, with two air conditioned bedrooms and two bathrooms. We enjoyed waking up everyday to a beautiful sunrise, mountain view, horses in the pasture, birds singing in the trees, and our daily visit from the family dogs - Milo and Gitana (a definite highlight of our trip). We cooked breakfast every morning before starting our day. The onsite pool is relaxing and clean. The pool table at the stable was a hit with the boys. We enjoyed exploring the property and visiting with the horses, chickens, and pig. The entire staff is extremely friendly and helpful. We felt like we were staying with friends. We enjoyed a horseback riding trip and ATV tour with Danny as our guide - both were available onsite at this property. We'll add reviews for both activities, but we highly recommend both. They were highlights of our trip to Costa Rica. La Fortuna is only a 30 minute drive from the property. Here we we enjoyed views of the Arenal Volcano, touring the hanging bridges park, and authentic food and fun souvenir shopping in the down town area. Esteban setup our first night of accommodations (to avoid a closed bridged and long trip to his property) and also arranged for us to be picked up by Alonso, who led us on a private tour to the Poas Volcano (with excellent views of the crater) and waterfalls at Peace Lodge before driving us to La Finca. Esteban also made all of the arrangements for our rental car (and even loaned us his GPS) during our entire visit (great rate and easy rental). We couldn't be more pleased. Esteban, Alonso, Danny, and his entire staff do not disappoint. Book now -- you will be glad you did!

Our family of 3 stayed at the villa for our first 4 nights and had a wonderful time. We really enjoyed our stay here and we keep talking about how beautiful it was to wake up each morning with the birds singing and being able to watch the horses grazing nearby. It's an open villa with only the bedrooms closed off to the outside. The bedrooms have air conditioning to keep the temperature cool for sleeping or when you just needed to cool down. The villa was well kept and very clean. It was even cleaned daily which was a great plus for us. Working with Esteban was great and he was very patient with us while booking the property. He helped us with arranging our car rental which we're very grateful for! He also arranged an ATV tour with one of his guides which was also a great experience! The staff were very friendly and even helped us with washing our daughter's clothing one day when she got car sick. When we were first looking at this property we were concerned about the distance to the touristic spots but it looked so beautiful to not stay here and we booked it. Once we were there those concerns were quickly lifted and it we found it nice to be outside of those areas. The villa was so quiet and peaceful and we were able to birdwatch right from the open living space which was so amazing. The villa is in a secure location behind a locked gate. It was nice to not have to worry about our car although we never had any issues with theft on our trip. There are grocery stores nearby that should have most of what you'll need for your stay. Our only one recommendation for the villa would be to put up a sign on the surrounding horse fencing that it may "zap" if touched. This ranch really is gorgeous and my daughter was even treated to a horse ride on grounds which she loved as well as feeding the horses. She was also excited to swim in the pool while we were there. Overall, we would highly recommend this villa and would one day love to be able to return. It was that great of a stay for us! Thank you!

We were greeted at the airport by a wonderful young man, Alonso, who drove us to our Villa and was a great host since Esteban was away during our 5 night stay. The villa is beautiful and peaceful and all of the arrangements that Esteban had made for us regarding the vehicle rental as well as his recommendations for the rest of our visit to Costa Rica were spot on. While I have been to Costa Rica several times in the past and have loved the country since my first visit, this was my husband's first visit and I wanted to be sure that he enjoyed the country as well. Thanks to Esteban, Alonso and the beautiful ranch, he certainly did.. he is now hooked too! We will definitely return, hopefully when Esteban is there too so we can do the balloon ride as my husband is a pilot (airplane) and therefore loves anything that involves being in the air!!

Our family of four stayed at Villa Heliconia for five nights during our two week vacation in Costa Rica. Esteban greeted us upon arrival with a big smile and a warm welcome. We were blown away by the beauty of the ranch and the villa. It is an open air villa, meaning the kitchen/dining room are essentially outside, flowing into the patio area. The two bedrooms and bathrooms are not open air which is perfect for sleeping at night (no bugs and a/c to cool you down). The view from both patios is breathtaking, truly. Probably one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. Birds of all kinds would land in the trees around us, the horses would graze in the nearby pasture, and the sun would rise directly in front of us. Magical. The pool is only steps away from the villa, solar heated, and refreshing after a day of activities. Speaking of activities, Esteban was very helpful in suggesting excursions and even booked us a couple with one of his guides, Dany. Day one we took a 3 1/2 hour horseback ride through their many acres of rain forest and open fields. My two boys (10 and 8) had never ridden a horse before and it was as easy as could be. Dany picked the perfect horses for them, gentle yet playful too. We also spent the day with Dany on an excursion to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge for a private boat tour (booked with Esteban). Dany was the perfect guide to accompany us, sharing details of Costa Rica on our drive up, helping us to spot fuzzy critters, and entertaining our boys. Villa Heliconia is in the perfect location if visiting the Arenal area, far enough away from all the tourist hustle and bustle, but close enough to get there in less than 45 minutes. At the end of our vacation, my family was talking about our favorite parts of the trip (everything we did was amazing) - we all agreed that spending five nights at Esteban's ranch was our favorite part. He and his wife Monica have created something truly special. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but to say it is blessed. I miss being there and I hope to return one day. Thank you Esteban and Monica - so glad to have met you! The Egerdahls

We stayed five nights at La Finca Villa Helliconia. Monica greated us like members of there family. The living area is opened to the wild and made the experience even more natural. Esteban came to see us the following day to give his advice on adventurous activities for our family of five. Also note that he had helped us with the rental of our vehicule providing a special rate with his coorporate account. My kids loved to visit the many horses at La Centaura when the sun came up in the morning. They also appreciated the in ground pool that was seconds away. We really felt at home and didn't want to leave when the time came. We extremely suggest this location to anyone who wants to live the REAL Costa Rica environment and ambiance. Regards, the Doré family, xoxo

Our 5 night stay at Esteban's ranch was the highlight of our 6 week stay in Costa Rica. From the quality of the lodging, to the friendliness of the staff, the great and honest recommendatioons for activities and the sincere intentions of mgmt to make your trip as wonderful as possible, me and my family will have great memories of our stay at Centaura and Esteban's great service, even when we left and needed guidance in the rest of our trip. Do not hesitate, even if it looks too good to be true, this is the real thing. REAL Costa Rica. A GEM.

I've stayed in many VRBO homes throughout the years and this is definitely my favorite! Esteban is the perfect host! He provides so much info beforehand and really works to make your stay and trip the best. We gave us great advice on local tour operators as well as helped us with a car and the airport transfer so we didn't have to drive in the dark on our first day. The house itself was perfect too. The beds were so comfortable and the showers were even better than home. We loved just sitting in the rocking chairs on the porch watching the horses. We did horseback riding and ATVing with them as well. It was a wonderful, personal experience. It's only your family and the guide. Also, when our daughter got sick the first day, Esteban helped us reschedule our activities so that we could still do everything we wanted. His help was priceless as my daughter and I would have ended up missing the horseback ride, which has been my favorite activity so far in 2 weeks of Costa Rica. Thank you Esteban for everything!! We will definitely be back!

Villa Helliconia was a superb, well kept villa with an astonishing view of the hillside, mountains, and Platanal Volcano. The beautiful horses grazing on the hillside and valley were a glorious view for our eyes to behold, as well as the little birds rustling in the trees and flora. They kept us entertained ,while we sat on the veranda, sipping our morning Costa Rican coffee. We enjoyed our down-time enjoying the property; petting the majestic looking horses, relaxing by the pool, or swaying in the hammocks. However, when we wanted excitement, we got what we were looking for, Esteban was great at setting up our adventures! He paired us with a knowledgeable and fun loving guide named Dany. We couldn't have asked for a better guide than Dany. Esteban, the owner, also did all of the foot work in setting up my car rental and was super helpful with any questions we had. I will certainly be visiting this property again!

We stayed in Villa Heliconia for 6 days. Pictures don't do it justice! This house is so beautiful, the views from the bedrooms and in the kitchen are beautiful. The kitchen is open, which added to the beauty of this house. They also have maids come to clean daily and do your dishes. Esteban was very helpful. Our GPS didn't work so he lent us his to use while we were there and also recommended some tours and activities while we were in the Fortuna area as well as for the second part of our trip in Manuel Antonio. We did an ATV tour and horseback riding tour offered by Esteban with Danny as our guide and both were fantastic!! The ATV tour took us to some beautiful natural hot springs surrounded by jungle and not a tourist in site. We saw howler monkeys, toucans and a sloth while on these tours. All four of us agree that might have been our favourite day. While in the area we also went to La Fortuna waterfall, did the volcano hike, went ziplining and to hanging bridges. Staying at Esteban's property was our favourite part of our trip to Costa Rica and we would come back to stay here.

From my first conversations and emails with the owner of this property it was clear he understood the meaning of the word "vacation" and he was determined to do everything possible to make ours as relaxing and stress free as possible. He should be the poster child for the hospitality and tourism industry! From the beautiful, well thought out and impeccable (my standards have never been met until now) accommodations, to the pool and the barn where we could go and visit the horses anytime we wanted, the entire property was amazing. The people employed on this horse ranch are not just "customer service" friendly, they are truly warm and kind people. Each one we met made us feel were were the only people on earth and they handled arrangements for our tours with ease. We loved that it was away from the tourist center, yet the drive to everything seemed like nothing at all. All I can say is if you are looking at this property, do not hesitate, book it now!

We stayed here ( my husband and myself along with our 2 young adult children) in May. After reading all the positive reviews I knew this was the right place for us to stay. This was our first trip to Costa Rica and our first non resort stay. All I can say is, it was well above our expectations and all of us still talk about how great our stay was. Estaban is a terrific host, he is alway there to give suggestions and any guidance you might need. He arranged our rental car which was at a great price. Take his advise and get the gps. The villas are splendid, so clean and comfortable, we all slept great on very comfortable mattresses. His house cleaning staff does a wonderful job keeping the rooms clean and will do your laundry for a very small fee. His property is in a very small town full of very kind people, we were always greeted with a wave and a smile. A dip in the pool is very refreshing on hot days. It was so nice and relaxing to not be in a main tourist hub but close enough to the sites you want to see. He arranged a tour at an animal rescue for us which we highly recommend. We did a half day horse ride and an atv ride to some very private hot springs with Dany as our guide, your awesome Dany! . You must do both! The horses are so gentle and very well trained. We loved our daily visit by the family dog, gypsy. Hansel, who works at the barn and around the property is so kind and always availability to answer any questions. We can not wait to plan a return trip, the views from our villa on the hill are amazing and the feeling of true tranquility fills you.

WOW! What can I say after an experience like our stay at this place. I read all the other reviews and they are 100% true. This was our 1st trip to Costa Rica and thanks to Esteban and his wonderful staff it was a trip we will never forget! Esteban interviews you to find out what your interest are and then plans a trip that is tailored to you. Just put yourself in his hands give him a call and let him make all the arrangements and suggestions. We drove ourselves from the coast and he even planned our rout and itinerary for our trip back to San Jose. The road from the cloud forest to Sarci is the drive of a lifetime. The church in Zarcero with its topiary gardens was otherworldly. I could go on and on.. Thanks Esteban! Next time will be a longer stay for sure. You are an ambassador for Costa Rica!

We had a wonderful stay at Esteban's ranch. In fact the moment we got there we immediately regretted we were only staying two nights!! Esteban was there to welcome us and is very friendly and speaks perfect English. He allows you to roam free on his spectacular ranch, pet his horses, eat grapefruits off the trees and plenty more!! The place was neat and tidy and Esteban was very good to provide feedback about places to go and things to do. His ranch is a little bit of a drive from the volcano and more in the country but that was what we loved about it. Very private and quiet and peaceful. Any place you want to visit or see will be less than half an hour. I also recommend taking Esteban up on his horse tour as its quite a thrill to gallop with him and his horses and get a tour of his spectacular ranch!! Highly recommended!

We were so pleased with the villa and with our host, Esteban. One of our goals was to relax and there is not a more perfect place to do so. It was a short drive to Fortuna and Arenal Volcano. We enjoyed Ecotermales - hot springs - in very beautiful surroundings and also a traditional meal at La Choza de Laurel. The highlight of the week would have to be the Hot Air Balloon ride with Esteban, our pilot! It was wonderful and amazing to see Costa Rica from the sky. The landing in the farmer's field, along with meeting the farmer's family added to a wonderful experience. The Termales Del Bosque was another fantastic hot springs. Our afternoon horse back ride couldn't have been more fun, with our 3 guides. The local La Hacienda was a great restaurant. We would not have found all these places without the help of our host, Esteban. The property was exactly as described and pictured, very clean with daily housekeeping. There is a wonderful swimming pool just a few steps from the villa, and we enjoyed it when the sun came out. We highly recommend this property!

My family (my husband and 2 sons ages 20 and 16) and I had an amazing introduction to Costa Rica at Centaura Farm! Esteban was so helpful and welcoming. He arranged a driver to pick us up from San Jose (what a relief after an over-night flight!), set up our rental car, and spent time with us finding out what our interests are so that he could arrange activities for us. In 3 days we packed in so many fun adventures and still managed to feel relaxed! We all loved the ATV ride through the fields to the beautiful hot springs lead by our guide Michael, and the exciting ride on Esteban's gorgeous, well-cared for horses with our guides Jonathan and Michael. (Just a little side note: I have been in a lot of barns and tack rooms, and nothing prepared me for how immaculate this barn was - wow! These animals are really well cared for!) We hiked near the volcano on the hanging bridges, sped down the side of the volcano on zip-line after zip-line, and had our fantastic guide Jonathan take us to the poisonous frog farm. After all these activities we knew we would be able to come back to our beautiful, well-appointed villa and kick back in the hammocks or swim in the pool, and enjoy the amazing view of the farm and the mountains in the background. We loved having the horses and the water buffalo close by, and the family dog Gitana was always happy to greet us! Everyone at Centaura farm was so nice and happy to help us! I cannot say enough how great it was to have Esteban help us plan our vacation before and during our visit. He was such a wonderful host! All his suggestions were right on, and he absolutely follows through on everything he says. Our only regrets were that our visit was so short and that we didn't get to meet his wife Monica and their kids! And we would have loved to have gone up in the hot air balloon - we want to return!! Hope to see you in Snowmass!