If you’re searching, window-shopping, and whittling down the list of your favorite Costa Rica vacation rentals, then this one’s for you.

We’re covering what to consider (location, location, location! but not just location…) and then, jumping into the minimum requirements and baseline expectations of what you should look for from your vacation home and property manager.

Happy vacation planning and, as always, feel free to get in touch anytime!

Basic Considerations: Here’s What to Consider

Before we jump into the full list of requirements and expectations (bottom line: respect for you), let’s talk about a few of the biggest factors that comprise any selection of Costa Rica vacation rentals:

✅ Location, Location, Location

Of all the many factors at play, location is perhaps the most important. It’s essential to consider that Costa Rica is small but our geographic range and areas are very diverse.

What may constitute a single vacation destination in a larger country – say, North Carolina’s Outer Banks (about 120 miles, from north to south) – travels half the length of Costa Rica’s Pacific coastline and offers vastly different flavors and vacation experiences.

As an example, Playa Flamingo and Tamarindo are just 14 miles apart. Flamingo is known for its laid-back vacation vibe (especially popular with families and seniors) and offers mostly single-family homes and villas. Tamarindo, on the other hand, is a small city-on-the-beach, beloved for its lifestyle amenities, foodie scene, and nightlife, and offers many condos, townhouses, and offers Costa Rica vacation rentals from beachside condos and townhouses to sprawling mansions in the hills.

✅ Private or Shared Amenities

One of the big vacation lifestyle (and budget) considerations is whether you’ll rent a single-family home, which usually delivers its own, private amenities: a private pool, outdoor living/dining, outdoor showers, etc. Note that, occasionally, even single-family vacation homes share amenities, either within a small single-family complex or a greater resort community.

On the flip side, Costa Rica’s rental condos and townhomes usually share amenities. But what you lose in privacy, you often earn back in scale: larger resort-style pools, gourmet outdoor kitchens, and much more. 

✅ Standard or Luxury Amenities

If you’re considering a vacation home within a gated community or a resort community, know that there are differences.

Gated communities are fairly common along Costa Rica’s Gold Coast. As vacations go, they offer basics including 24/7 security and gated access, great roads, and occasional lifestyle amenities like a pool. Resort communities are wholly different: Built for the resort lifestyle, they pack on the luxury amenities, including massive resort pools, onsite restaurants, multi-million-dollar beach clubs, tennis courts, and championship golf courses.

✅ Access

Depending on your chosen method of Costa Rica transportation, you need to consider vacation home access: Some properties are so easy to get to, you can walk everywhere; others, you’ll need a 4WD to access the hilly roads that wend their way to those exclusive, breezy, and spectacular ocean views that you fell in love with.

If you’re renting a car while here, this isn’t a factor; you can choose any home that suits your fancy. If you plan to use private transportation, shuttles, Uber/taxis, beach bikes, or walking, then be sure to inquire about property accessibility before booking.

✅ Budget

There’s no way around it: Budget is one of the most important factors in designing your trip. We suggest starting with the bigger items – transportation to Costa Rica (from your city of origin, is there a big $ difference between Liberia/LIR and San José/SJO?), transportation within Costa Rica, and your vacation home – and working your way from there.

✅ Value

Always factor in the difference between budget and value. While we’ll discuss this more in detail, below (see: best-in-class vacation homes), a cheap property does not always represent the best value.

By way of example, a vacation home that is well cared for, comes stocked with beach extras, has lightning-fast high-speed internet, and that has an attentive manager can be a better value, even when priced slightly higher, than a home that’s hasn’t been updated since the 1990s, has slow (or no) internet connection, and forgot to send housekeeping in before your arrival.

Requirements & Expectations When Searching Costa Rica Vacation Rentals

At the end of the day, this list really boils down to respect: As you search and peruse Costa Rica vacation rentals, you’ll invariably get in touch with people. And when you do, you should not just expect but require respect – respect for your time, for your needs, for your wishes, and for your autonomy.

You’ll know it when you see it. And you’ll definitely know it when don’t. But between now and then, this list of absolute requirements and minimum expectations should set the tone for the vacation home you ultimately choose.

Require: A Personal Touch

There are a lot of ways to book a vacation rental but not all are created equal – even when you think you’re comparing apples to apples.

Case in point: There’s a big difference between a property management company that hides its contact information vs. a property management company that invites you get in touch (or directs you to an 800 number for who-knows-where, with reps who have never laid eyes on the rental home in question.)

Sure, they’re both vacation rental companies. But the similarities stop there: The first is probably a major corporation. When you call, whether it’s to ask about a specific home or because it’s 1 a.m. and you accidentally locked yourself out (!), you’ll speak with someone likely outside of Costa Rica, who has never visited the vacation home, and who only has access to the same listing information you do (it didn’t help, you checked).

We’re not talking about the warm-and-fuzzy parts of the personal touch; we’re talking about the practical, real-life application of the personal touch. Because that second property management company is local. They’ve personally visited, inspected, and re-visited every home they represent. You’ll be on a first-name basis with your vacation home representative. And if you have questions or problems, you’ll have an easy way to get in touch with them.

At Blue Zone Experience:

There is no comparison to the personal touch. We’re that second property management company: We’re local. We’re here when things go wrong. We’ve been inside, outside, and around all of our Guanacaste vacation homes. And by the way, my name is Ale, Blue Zone’s Chief Experience Officer. It’s nice to “meet” you!

Expect: A Curated List of Costa Rica Vacation Rentals

Unless you’re the kind of lucky that regularly wins the lottery, then a diverse and plentiful home inventory is a requirement when searching for a vacation rental that meets your needs and fulfills your wishlist.

But beyond a merely plentiful inventory, you should expect a curated inventory: homes that meet specific and high standards: best-in-class Costa Rica vacation rentals. To be clear, what we mean by that is not just the best-of-the-best but truly the best-in-class, for every class.

So, whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly two-bedroom condo or an ultra-luxe, ocean-view estate, you’re looking for the best, in terms of amenities and standards and value for that budget-friendly two-bedroom or that luxurious eight-bedroom mansion. That’s what you should expect, if not require. (And we almost classified this a requirement!)

At Blue Zone Experience:

We seek high standards for ourselves and our vacation homes, so we can guarantee our travelers the best rentals in every market, whether that’s home size, value, location, or other factors.

Require: Up-Front, Clear Pricing

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been fee’ed to death. You know the routine: You search for a home within your budget. You find what looks like the perfect place. And then, you click through to payment and suddenly, that $XYZ/night home has wildly increased in price. Worse, it’s now out of your budget.

Talk about a bait-and-switch. We consider this a matter not just of customer service, but respect: When you’re perusing Costa Rica vacation rentals, the price advertised should be the all-in rate, inclusive of fees and taxes.

At Blue Zone Experience:

Inclusive prices are how we roll. Search for a specific date range, and the price displayed will be the all-in total, including everything. You won’t be charged extra cleaning, service fees, or any other additional expense; what you see is what you get, so you know that your dream rental is and will stay within your budget.

Require: On-the-Ground Expertise

Expect: An In-House Concierge

Here’s a two-fer for you: At a very minimum, your chosen vacation home should put you in contact with a feet-on-the-ground, local expert who can answer your questions, troubleshoot, or simply fill in some of the blanks about your upcoming trip – occasionally, even on topics not related to your vacation home, like “where’s the best place to get a Costa Rican breakfast?” or “what’s the best canopy tour in town?”

An in-house concierge is even better than a friendly local. They’re a professional whose entire job is to help vacationers plan their travels. (Note: in-house concierges are also friendly and local, they’re just next-level friendly locals!)

A concierge’s services should be free. What this means is that, if XY canopy tour advertises a tour for $XYZ/person, then you’ll pay $XYZ via your concierge, too. There’s no upcharge. What there is, is serious expertise behind your trip planning: Your concierge is a travel professional whose job is to inspect, experience, and become the authority on best-in-class everything.

So, while a friendly local can provide first-hand suggestions, that friendly local has probably only taken one or two canopy tours. A concierge has done all 10 in the area – and can tell you which is best for families with kids vs. which will thrill even the most experienced adrenaline junkies in your adult travel group.

At Blue Zone Experience:

We’re not just locals – and we are 100% local! – but we also have best-in-class concierges who are well equipped to help you plan your travels. That means, whether you just want help scheduling airport transportation or want us to help you organize, schedule, and book your entire vacation, we’re here and we’re happy to help. Again, at no added cost to you.

Expect: Your Selected Location & Basic Home Parameters

You’ll have a lot of choice when it comes to Costa Rica vacation rentals. And that means you shouldn’t have to give up on your chosen location or home type.

If that sounds obvious, then you’ve likely had some great vacation home experiences. (We’re really happy to hear that!) But the ugly truth is that some rental companies and homeowners will try to finagle your wishlist to force it to fit their inventory. And it should only ever be the other way around: you should always be able to map your location wishes, home needs, and wishlist to available local inventory.

Of course, there are stipulations to this expectation. For example, you may not be able to find a beachfront villa with a private pool, in your specified location, on a tight budget. In that case, a company should be able to explain this – and offer alternatives. For example, an ocean-view villa with private pool, in your specified location, at your budget OR a beachfront townhome with a shared pool, in your specified location, and your budget.

But you should never feel like, if your heart is set on Reserva Conchal, that you have to swap that location for something an hour away. You should never feel strong-armed into renting a three-bedroom home, if what you really need is a four-bedroom home. Work with someone who respects not only your baseline requirements but does everything in their power to meet or even exceed your wishlist.

At Blue Zone Experience:

We will honor your needs and wishes, every step of the way. And we will do our very best to provide you with a list of curated, high-standards Costa Rica vacation rentals that meet those needs and wishes. And we’ll keep the lines of communication open, so you understand why we’ve made specific recommendations (or not).

Tell Us About Your Next Adventure

At Blue Zone Experience, we’ve built our reputation based on 5-star service, best-in-class Costa Rica vacation rentals, and Guanacaste’s best tours and activities. The truth, though? Our true passion is you and your experience.

What you may not know is that, when you book one of our homes, you gain access to our free concierge services: on-the-ground expertise, curated tours and transportation options, and a one-on-one with your personal concierge, who will have your back from the moment you begin planning until the day you return home.

So, please, get in touch! We can’t wait to hear about your next adventure!