Our family of one couple, 3 adults and a teen really enjoyed our stay in this jungle setting! Mal Pais is a small, quiet community close to Santa Teresa (about a ten minute drive). There are a couple good restaurants and a coffee shop just around the corner from the house. We also made daily trips to Santa Teresa where there were more shops, restaurants and beaches to explore. Ruth was very helpful in scheduling a fishing trip, massages and a visit to the Montezuma waterfalls, as well as recommending beaches and restaurants. She and her husband were so kind to do a thorough search of the house for an item we thought we had left but found later in our luggage. The house was cleaned every few days, making it very pleasant to come home to after a day at the beach. The bedrooms have great air conditioning and comfy beds. The loft was a roomy space with two nice beds but it was a little too warm for our kids. The living areas and pool were great! We were glad we had a four wheel drive vehicle to drive up a hill before getting to the house. We never walked to the beach since it wasn’t a straight shot there from the house. However, there is a “secret beach” in Mal Pais about a 5 minute drive from the house that is beautiful! I highly recommend this property!

The house is as listed and beautiful! The property manager Ruth is very attentive and has great suggestions for places to go & eat. The loft is not air-conditioned, something to note if using for sleeping quarters. The air-conditioned bedrooms are fantastic. The verandas are amazing! Nighttime swimming in pool for the teens and cocktails on verandas for the adults was a perfect way to end the days. Highly recommend staying here. We were a group of 9.

My husband and I and 8 of our friends stayed at Casa de Noni for a week and it was so amazing. Mal Pais is such a nice and quiet little spot outside of bustling Santa Teresa. The house was perfect for a large group of us who did stuff both altogether and in smaller groups. Honestly I could have stayed at the house the entire time and been perfectly content. It has everything you need and Ruth is super responsive and helpful! Would return in a heartbeat.

My husband and I and 8 of our friends stayed at Casa de Noni for a week and it was so amazing. Mal Pais is such a nice and quiet little spot outside of bustling Santa Teresa. The house was perfect for a large group of us who did stuff both altogether and in smaller groups. Honestly I could have stayed at the house the entire time and been perfectly content. It has everything you need and Ruth is super responsive and helpful! Would return in a heartbeat.

Great jungle house. Saw monkeys every morning and evening. The pool is perfect. Deck and loft is not suited for young children. Perfect for families if you would like your own space. Mal Pias is a excellent location. We will be back! Pura Vida

Perfekt House for relaxing. Close by you find an excellent Italian restaurant and a small Super Market. Very convenient!

Casa di Nonni was a beautiful property with a pool and easy access to restaurants, beaches and activities. The rooms were spacious and organized for family time together and with enough space to spend some quiet time alone. A lovely spot!

La casa en sí es muy linda, sin embargo hay detalles que se deben de mejorar en la descripción: la casa cuenta con 3 habitaciones full y una habitación sin aire acondicionado que solo tiene ventiladores (esta habitación es un mezannine y es absurdamente caliente). Dentro de la casa solo hay 2 baños completos por piso y uno que está fuera de la casa por la piscina pero estaba super sucio y al aire libre (nadie lo usó). Hay perros de los vecinos que llegan hacer necesidades por la piscina y la limpieza le toca a los inquilinos hacerla. Las 2 parrillas nos las entregaron super sucias.

We loved our stay at this beautiful home! After a day of activities, it was so nice to jump in the pool to cool off and relax. Ruth the host was amazing and took care of anything we needed. Great family getaway!

We had a great stay here. The pool is fantastic and it's wonderful sitting on the covered veranda watching the amazing fauna cruise by. Ruth is a wonderful resource.

Really good house in a Beautiful garden. Nice people helpfulling. Très belle maison dans un jardin tropical magnifique, gardien et personnel très serviable. Muy buena casa en un manifico jardin tropical, gente muy amable. Muchas gracias

I picked this property on a whim without doing much research on location because I was so impressed by the photos. The rest of the plans fell into place after that, and it couldn’t have turned out to be a better vacation. My husband, myself and our 4 kids (15, 13, 10 and 9) had the most amazing experience and thoroughly enjoyed an adventurous, relaxing and fun vacation. The property was the best part of it all. It was the perfect retreat after a long morning of adventure. The kids could come back to swim and have lunch before heading down to the beach to swim some more. Ruth, our concierge (and one of the nicest people I have ever met), took care of making arrangements and booking our day trips. She arranged for us to have ATV’s for the week, zip lining/canopy tour, waterfall hikes and delicious restaurant recommendations. Best of all, I didn’t realized a massage was included. I got the most amazing poolside massage from Ruth, probably one of the best I have ever had! If this is your first trip to Costa Rica, this is the perfect house. You will be well taken care of and have the privacy and independence that you would not get at a resort. It is the perfect distance to downtown town and surrounding adventures. Thank you Ruth and Naomi for the wonderful accommodations!

I picked this property on a whim without doing much research on location because I was so impressed by the photos. The rest of the plans fell into place after that, and it couldn’t have turned out to be a better vacation. My husband, myself and our 4 kids (15, 13, 10 and 9) had the most amazing experience and thoroughly enjoyed an adventurous, relaxing and fun vacation. The property was the best part of it all. It was the perfect retreat after a long morning of adventure. The kids could come back to swim and have lunch before heading down to the beach to swim some more. Ruth, our concierge (and one of the nicest people I have ever met), took care of making arrangements and booking our day trips. She arranged for us to have ATV’s for the week, zip lining/canopy tour, waterfall hikes and delicious restaurant recommendations. Best of all, I didn’t realized a massage was included. I got the most amazing poolside massage from Ruth, probably one of the best I have ever had! If this is your first trip to Costa Rica, this is the perfect house. You will be well taken care of and have the privacy and independence that you would not get at a resort. It is the perfect distance to downtown town and surrounding adventures. Thank you Ruth and Naomi for the wonderful accommodations!

I picked this property on a whim without doing much research on location because I was so impressed by the photos. The rest of the plans fell into place after that, and it couldn’t have turned out to be a better vacation. My husband, myself and our 4 kids (15, 13, 10 and 9) had the most amazing experience and thoroughly enjoyed an adventurous, relaxing and fun vacation. The property was the best part of it all. It was the perfect retreat after a long morning of adventure. The kids could come back to swim and have lunch before heading down to the beach to swim some more. Ruth, our concierge (and one of the nicest people I have ever met), took care of making arrangements and booking our day trips. She arranged for us to have ATV’s for the week, zip lining/canopy tour, waterfall hikes and delicious restaurant recommendations. Best of all, I didn’t realized a massage was included. I got the most amazing poolside massage from Ruth, probably one of the best I have ever had! If this is your first trip to Costa Rica, this is the perfect house. You will be well taken care of and have the privacy and independence that you would not get at a resort. It is the perfect distance to downtown town and surrounding adventures. Thank you Ruth and Naomi for the wonderful accommodations!

The property was great - hidden away on a hill with beautiful greenery around it and fun wildlife. Ruth was a tremendous help with planning outings and getting to know the area. I highly recommend Casa de Noni and the Mal Pais area for anyone looking for an off-the-beaten-path vacation!

The house is lovely but if you are looking for a 1st world experience, this is not your place. The power goes out almost everyday and I did not see that posted in previous reviews. The first evening that it went out and we were thrown in total darkness, I would have expected that Ruth would have come over or contacted us to let us know what was going on and what to do, but we were left to walking around with flashlights. Sometimes it went out in the morning when you are making your coffee, sometimes at night when it is 90 degrees and then you have no AC. The roads are terrible and we live on dirt roads in the States. They were so dusty that you could not rent 4 wheelers unless you had full respirators. It was nice to sit on the deck in the morning and watch the monkeys come through. There are cute, free range dogs that visit regularly and we did learn their names and enjoyed their company. The pool is nice, the kitchens are well stocked, and the beds comfortable. The biggest drawback was the poor infrastructure in power and roads.

I loved our stay. The house, location, pool, wildlife. Everything was perfect

Beautiful home, once arrived even more beautiful than the pictures. Our favorite was relaxing on the big deck every morning and evening in the leather and wood rocking chairs while the teenagers lounged in the pool. We bbq'd a few nights, and played cards at the outside table. The teenagers lounged down stairs most of the time, making use of their own kitchen and hang out area which gave us parents a quiet serene main floor. The master bedroom was large with a comfortable king bed and plenty of space for our luggage and clothes. The girls took the large bedroom downstairs with more than enough room for all their stuff. The bathrooms were very nicely done. Both kitchens stocked with appliances. Every day around 3:30 the monkeys would migrate by, perfect view from the deck. The birds were beautiful, new ones I'd never seen before visiting on the deck rail in the mornings and chirping away. One of the best perks about this vacation home is the owner Noni and onsite concierge Ruth. From the first email to the owner I knew I was in good hands. She responded immediately and over the next three months answered every question I had promptly. (and I had a lot, as we had never been and I was traveling with 4 teenagers. I was very nervous!) She recommended the best way to travel to their home, and even set up a driver to come get us. Ruth is onsite and she was amazing! Before we left I booked a flight hop to get us back to San Jose (Highly recommended, it was a stunning 20min flight) and the agent sent the confirmation had our family name wrong. I asked Ruth for help and she called the airline and fixed it for me. She set up all our activities and recommended the best things to do. Our favorite was the atv ride up to Montezuma falls. I also loved snorkeling at secret beach. (I bought a snorkel set from costco and brought it with us.) Having her there made our trip so relaxing, knowing she could help us with anything. If you are thinking of going to Costa Rica, this is the place to go. The beautiful home and the support of the owner and concierge made this a bucket list trip to remember.

Our family of five had a terrific stay at Casa de Noni. As several reviewers have mentioned, this place isn't for everyone because of its remoteness, but if you'd like to immerse yourself in Costa Rican culture in one of the most beautiful spots we've ever seen, this is absolutely the place for you. Our favorite activities were ziplining at Canopy Malpais, horseback riding, fishing with Pequeno, and our trip to Montezuma to jump and swim at the waterfalls. The pool at the house was perfect for the whole family and we spent a ton of time in it! A couple of the local restaurants were absolutely delicious - Mary's (walking distance) and Caracola's (a five minute drive), and the perfect lunch spot in Playa Carmen, called Product (C). Truly an experience for all of us where the memories will last forever.

My boyfriend and I spent two incredible weeks at Casa De Noni in December 2016. With the jungle as a backyard, monkeys and iguanas as neighbours, hot morning sun by the gorgeous salt water 'walk-in' pool and the beach just a short walk or drive away, this place is the ideal place to live while visiting Costa Rica. The home is comfortable, spacious and well-designed. Our favourite details were the reliable and powerful air-conditioning, and the built-in barstools in the pool. The bathrooms are modern, clean and luxurious, and we enjoyed cooking many meals in the grand, open plan kitchens and living areas (yes, there are two!) that become true indoor-outdoor living spaces when the expansive sliding glass doors are open. Ruth, who manages the property, was a real asset to us. She booked a number of activities for us including ATV rentals, a fishing trip and a snorkeling trip to Tortuga Island. She and her family must be well known and liked in town as whenever we mentioned we were staying at Casa de Noni, we were given preferential treatment and big warm smiles! We loved Santa Teresa which is the local town just down the road. It has clean and high quality restaurants and boutiques, but it still feels like a place yet to be discovered. The locals are friendly, there are no big hotels or resorts, and the surfing is top notch. There are a number of beautiful diverse beaches to choose from - but no matter which we chose, we more often than not had the sand and surf to ourselves. The dirt roads are bumpy but charming, and while we were glad we rented a car in San Jose for the trip over, we found that getting around by ATV was the best option in Mal Pais. We would highly recommend renting ATVs and driving the back road through the jungles and local farms over to Montezuma Falls - it was a real highlight! We cannot wait to go back to Casa de Noni and would recommend it 100% for families, young couples like us, or anyone! Thank you for an incredible experience!!

We thoroughly enjoyed our week in Malpais... everyday was packed a with a new adventure and activity---each better than the last, but the best thing was coming home to Casa de Noni and its wide open layout and saltwater pool. The walls practically go away and the whole house is open and to the clean, sweet Costa Rican air. The kitchen is well stocked for cooking on site, the bedrooms all have AC except the loft which made for great nights sleep and the deck and patio gave a number of outdoor seating options. We explored the area by 4 WD vehicle (definitely recommend) and a couple of ATVs. There are plenty of restaurants, beaches and shops within 2 miles of the house so you don't have to venture far to fill your day. Ruth, who lives in a cottage on the property, was a great host and concierge both before and during our stay. Malpais is a dusty, working village with terrifically friendly residents. This is not for everyone... it is not a resort, but maybe the best place I have ever been.

One might say we're addicted to Mal Pais. This was our family's 5th trip to Mal Pais & what more could you ask for?--beautiful, sunny weather during our cold winter; breathtaking scenery; consistently good surfing waves; warm, friendly people; delicious, fresh tropical fruit, veggies & local fish; gorgeous sunsets & so much to do! It's official, by unanimous decision, Casa de Noni is now our all-time favorite Mal Pais rental home! Our party of 7 enjoyed a truly relaxing 2 weeks in this very well-designed house with not just one but two fully-equipped gourmet kitchens; 4 great indoor & outdoor living areas & a wonderfully refreshing salt water pool. The accommodations were perfect for the seven of us. Entertaining wildlife, shady tropical trees & colorful flowers were just outside your door. Personally, I loved the private library--a chance to read up on all the tropical birds, mammals, reptiles, fruits, flowers & trees of Costa Rica as I sipped my morning coffee on the patio. It became a game to see how many creatures & plants I could identify in our travels--even when shopping for fresh fruits & veggies in the local markets! Ruth was very warm, attentive & helpful both before & during our stay. The staff maintained the property well & were very gracious as I attempted to communicate with them in my very-less-than-fluent Spanish! And the favorite activities this year were: surfing at Playa Carmen, riding the quad...all over, hiking in Cabo Blanco followed by lunch & smoothies at La Panaderia in Cabuya, hiking & swimming at the Montezuma Waterfall, dining at Mary's Restaurant & Caracola's, breakfast/lunch at The Bakery, smoothies at Maracuya (in northern Santa Teresa), early morning fishing off the coast, snorkeling at (Not So) Secret Beach, swimming at Playa Hermosa, SUP with Andy & Edie, Canopy del Pacifico zip-lining; poolside yoga on the lawn & watching the sunsets at the beach. Every year we contact Adrian @ Ollie's Adventures in Santa Teresa to arrange some of our activities & to rent surfboards & a quad. If you have the chance to catch the exceptionally talented Kyle sing, whistle & play guitar at Mary's, you're in for a very special treat! Thank you Noni for sharing your beautiful home!

My husband and I had a wonderful stay recently at Casa de Noni! The home is located in such a beautiful area surrounded by the tropics, yet walking distance to a market, as well as a delicious restaurant Mary's !! It was very comfortable to sleep at night with the cool AC equipped bedrooms. We enjoyed observing all the butterflies that flew around the pool area !!! Ruth was very helpful in scheduling an ATV drop off/pick up for us at the house!! It was fun to explore the area via ATV !! We really enjoyed our stay and when we return to Mal Pais we would LOVE to stay at Casa de Noni again!! Thank- you!!

The highlight of my family's trip to Costa Rica was staying at the Casa de Noni in Mal Pais. This beautiful home, with an amazing pool, exceeded our expectations. The main floor has a great open kitchen, with gorgeous new appliances, large dining room table, living room, master bedroom and full bathroom. However, the best part for us was the floor to ceiling windows that opened onto a wrap-around deck, overlooking the pool. The perfect weather meant that we spent a great deal of time on the deck. In fact it was from the deck that we saw the barrel of about 20 monkeys commute from north to south, in the branches of the trees beyond the pool, at 8 in the morning and then back home again at around 4pm. The home is on the edge of the jungle and the crazy road to Montezuma. Oh yes, back to the pool. It was exquisite. Heated by the sun, it was warm always warm and inviting. The gradual entry was great for the kids. The best time for me was at the end of the night, when we turned off the lights and floated around watching the stars above. Mary's Restaurant is a stone's throw from Casa de Noni. We had a great meal there. The actual fishing village of Mal Pais is just around the corner. Ruth, (who lived in Vancouver for a number of years and speaks fluent English), made it all better and provided us with lots of local knowledge. If you are heading to Mal Pais, and want a luxurious and private place (and pool) to call home then I recommend you get in touch with Casa de Noni.

What a beautiful open plan house!. We lived with the back doors accordioned open to the gorgeous covered deck and just dealt with the critters that would fly through occasionally including beautiful butterflies. The pool is great, we would head straight for it after a day out and it has three cool stools built in, so you can have your happy hour in the pool. We were there during rainy season and one of my favorite things was swimming at night before bed, usually beautiful stars, but once in a torrential downpour, so much fun. It was still SO warm. The bedrooms VERY well air conditioned, the rest of the house with built in fans. We cooked and BBQ ed a fair bit, but I also recommend Mary's just down the hill. We walked down to the fishing village around 9:30 a.m. once and bought " big eye" ( Mahi, Mahi ) from the guys. On the BBQ with mango chutney on the side! Yum! This was perfect accommodation for our family of five. Ruth was helpful, organized our car which you need. Be ready for the potholes!

Left on Jun 6, 2015 for a stay in May 2015 This house was awesome!!!We enjoyed cooking breakfast in and grilling out. The pool was so nice, clean and refreshing. It was perfect after our daily adventures. We also spent every morning on the porch loving our coffee and monkey viewing. We had so much fun searching and taking pictures of monkeys and birds everywhere. Our concierge, Ruth, was wonderful! She lined up all our transportation, activities and even gave us the best massages we have ever had. This house was located close to the beach and fishing village and a few miles from town. We rented Toyota Prado thru Ruth and loved our car. We also did a ATV tour to Montezuma waterfall. We spent a day out fishing chartered crew thru fishing village. Loved all the outdoor restaurants and food was so fresh & delicious. As you are in the jungle remember to keep the doors shut so the insects and animals stay outside. Also, keep bedroom doors closed so A/C cools. I would highly recommend this house! We had a wonderful family adventure vacation!!!

My wife and I have been to Costa Rica three times now. The last two times we stayed at Casa de Noni and we wish we had found it sooner! The high-end home is gorgeous, comfortable, functional and tucked away behind just enough jungle to make it perfectly private. The home is within walking distance to almost everything, and within a short drive, bike and/or quad to absolutely anything we needed and wanted to do. This place is the ideal base camp for those interested in surfing, hiking, fishing, snorkeling, beach walking, jungle trekking, zip-lining, day trips, relaxing... you name it. However, the best part may be having Mary's restaurant only a few steps away preparing the freshest, local, and most responsible cuisine we have found in all of our Costa Rican travels. The owner's are amazing and truly created our idea of Costa Rican Paradise. We are already planning our next stay!

We were very for fortunate to be able to stay in this beautiful home for a 2 week period. The house is custom built with incredible quality set in the beautiful setting of the small quaint rural village of Mal Pais. Only steps away from a fishing village, choice of beaches and the delicious cusine of Mary's restaurant where the daily catch is prepared in the most mouth watering way. For the more adventuresome, zip lining in Mal Pais and surfing in Sainta Teresa. Day trips to explore near by towns and tourist attraction were equally fun. We had such a wonderful time being immersed in the culture, thrilled to have had the opportunity to meet some of the nicest and friendliest people Costa Rica has to offer.

We were very for fortunate to be able to stay in this beautiful home for a 2 week period. The house is custom built with incredible quality set in the beautiful setting of the small quaint rural village of Mal Pais. Only steps away from a fishing village, choice of beaches and the delicious cusine of Marys restaurant where the daily catch is prepared in the most mouth watering way. For the more adventuresome, zip lining in Mal Pais and surfing in Sainta Teresa. Day trips to explore near by towns and tourist attraction were equally fun. We had such a wonderful time being immersed in the culture, thrilled to have had the opportunity to meet some of the nicest and friendliest people Costa Rica has to offer.