Testimonials

Guest Book

Here are just some of the testimonials from a few of our happy customers.

"Everyone was wonderful. Gabriel II is a fantastic your man - wonderful English - always went above
and beyond. German - what a gentleman. Doris - incredible cook, sweet. Jose is very knowledgeable
and friendly tour guide and his driver Antonio is quiet but very responsible. Spa services great - used 3
days!!! Housekeeper Maleen was quiet but very, very hard worker."

The Bowen Family

"The staff was so wonderful and very professional. There was nothing that we needed that was not
provided. The Villa was exceptionally clean and security was great. Always felt safe. Our excursions
by Jose were exceptional. Gabriel, German, Doris, Maleen and all the staff made us feel welcome and
took wonderful care of us! We will definitely be back."

The Long Family

"All staff very warm, happy and friendly...I love them and wish I could stay here longer. Jose, our tour
guide was smart, energetic and wonderful and very knowledgeable. The Villa security was very good
and the rooms immaculate. German and Doris were friendly, professional and charming. Gabriel, the
bartender is my new best friend!!! Thanks for the wonderful time in Costa Rica."

"Just a quick note to say "Thank you"! You made our vacation (Dec. 29 - Jan. 5) truly spectacular. All
of you did a great job of taking care of our every need. I must say that this was the best vacation I have
ever taken in my life, one that will never be forgotten. I have include some pictures, enjoy!

Thanks again!"
Laura Mullen

"My name is Tommy Pidduck, I just stayed in one of your villas in ocotal, with the "Sempel" group. I
wanted to pass on how much fun and what a first class time I (and I'm sure the group had). Your staff
and the facility were excellent. I would be hard pressed to think of way the week could have been
better."

Thanks a million,
Tommy Pidduck

"Our stay at Villa Ocotal was everything we hoped for and more. In fact, the house was perfect for our
family, with all the age differences and needs. The staff was most helpful and we had no communication
problems! German anticipated all our needs, and couldn't have been more professional or attentive. The
menu's were excellent, as well. Gabriel, though, fixed the best smoothies- just ask the kids! If I were to
have any complaint, it would be that we couldn't stay any longer. Thank you so much for all your help
and suggestions. Costa Rica was a memorable vacation for our entire family. And, you were great to
work with, Pam."

Schuck Family Dec. 2007

"We just wanted to send a little note thanking you for such a fabulous experience and vacation. The
villa was absolutely gorgeous and the staff exceptional. Herman and Doris are fantastic host and cook
and Gabriel became part of our family while bartending and sharing his knowledge of the county.

We have come home and shared your site with many hoping they will experience Costa Rica as we did
Thank you again and we hope to go again in the near future."

Christy & Jack

"We had a WONDERFUL time. We absolutely LOVED the villa and Costa Rica. All 8 of us agreed that
it was the best vacation we have ever been on. The villa was perfect, the rooms clean and beds
comfortable, the food delicious, the staff was so nice and attentive and the area was beautiful. Even the
weather cooperated (mostly). We will definitely be back, hopefully as soon as Oct. 2008. We were
expecting a lot and our expectations were exceeded!   Thank you to both of you for indulging all our
questions and concerns up front. That set our minds at ease and helped us with a comfort factor.

Upon arrival the welcoming staff and pina coladas was a great way to kick off our vacation. The entire
staff was fantastic (German, Doris, Christina) but I want to especially praise Gabrielle and Ronaldo for
putting up with us at the bar - what a great job they both did. And, to Jonathan for doing an excellent job
of scheduling activities and excursions. And I want to express our gratitude for Jonathan's and
Gabrielle's excellent English skills, what a wonderful surprise that we didn't have to struggle with the
language barrier.

Thanks so much for providing the villa and staff for our pleasure."

Reese Group

"Your choices in hiring those that you did are right on. They work so very well together. They either
read each other minds or are so well orchestrated in their duties that I felt they were not only taking care
of every need, they anticipated them. We all felt that we were living with friends. Gabriel (big) and
German are very managerial without making you feel it.

Doris is a delight. There was not one bad meal. Gabriel (little),also such a delight, he was always near
by to assist her and to make sure she understood our compliments.   German also was a delight and
extremely helpful.

I didn't see a bad room in the Villa. The presentation of the room with the swan towels, etc. was 5 star.
Thanks to Christine. How delightful she is. I slept as if I was in my own bed and mine is a Sleep
Number Bed.

Gabriel (little) is a God send to your Villa. He bartends, served us at breakfast, translated without
making anyone feel uncomfortable, and answered so many of our mannnnnnnnnny questions with very
informed answers. After I asked if he had a picture of his son, which he didn't, he suggested that we
could stop by his home to meet his son and wife on our way to the airport. We were so very touch by
that and we were excited to do just that. So sorry we didn't take any pictures there.

When we were leaving for the airport everyone came to give us hugs and kisses as we were leaving.
I've seen that on TV at 5 star hotels for their very special wealthiest guests. I'll bet those people didn't
feel as "family" we as we were being sent off.

Gabriel (big), Jonathan and Orlando took us to the airport and made us feel as if they were seeing off
family also. Hugs and waves sent us on our way.

We were taken to Coco Breach to see our Steelers play. Jonathan stayed close and we enjoyed being
able to see the Steelers.

We chose to go to the National Park to experience the nature of Costa Rica. It rained, we enjoyed
thanks to Jose. Then we had lunch which was explained to be very Costa Rican which we also enjoyed.

Jonathan. Another delight. From the ride home from the airport he was into us as 60+ (just barely) and
handled us as if he hadn't noticed. Such tact. Another one that we asked mannnnnnnnnnnnny
questions and got mannnnnnnnnny answers. He brought to our attention the election regarding Free
Trade that was going on that first weekend we were there and we were very excited about being there
for that very important event. We read everything we could read and watched the news very day. He
gave us the pros and cons and stayed ambivalent about what he wanted the outcome to be. He also
gave us insight to his life growing up and living in Costa Rica which we totally enjoyed hearing about.

When it came time to contribute our meager (as we came to see) school supplies he informed us that we
were to meet his mother when we went to the school. He explained that he tries to distribute to other
schools but he wanted us to meet his mom. Which by this time we really wanted to meet her also. I
can't understand how the English teacher can teach English without workbooks. We are working on
that. HE NEEDS HELP.

Those children were so HAPPY.

Jose. Another delight. As he seemed to know that our tours could be tedious he chose to enlighten us
on the environment, history and government of Costa Rica. Again, answered mannnnnnnnnny
questions.    We all felt that we were living with friends.

Connie Acquaro

Doris & Pam,

As one of the ladies in the McConnell group I just wanted to let you know how wonderful everything was
and we can't say enough about the help. They were warm and friendly and when we left we felt like we
were leaving family. Their training is excellent and we certainly felt spoiled while we were there.

Betty Ahearn ---McConnell Group

Very sweet and accommodating and food was good.

Sandy Contis

It was one of our best times ever.

Joyce Acquaro

"Our entire family had a fabulous time. The staff, the food, the service, the villa, the pool, the patio area
everything was really first-rate. The children enjoyed themselves immensely, with the pool, the constant
frozen drinks, and beach so close by."
Amanda Lietman / June 07

"We had a tremendous experience--it was truly magical. My mother and father loved every minute of it.
The cousins, all 12 of them, had such a great time at the house and down at the marvelous Playa
Ocotal. One day they were in the pool from 6am to dinnertime. The pool is the most perfect set-up for
young kids. All of it was great. Thanks for working with us last minute and for providing us with a great
rate and a great stay. We truly loved it all!"
Best wishes,

Ann Hillers

"First I have to say a huge THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how amazing our entire week was!
You made me look like a hero for finding you and your wonderful villa! My husband's family was SO
impressed with everything.

The wedding was beyond our dreams!!! When we finally came back from the beach (we were there for
quite a while...hanging out at Father Rooster with our photographer, Shaun) it was pretty dark...the villa
looked, gosh, I know it's a Cinderella word, but enchanting is the only thing I can think of at the moment.
Everyone had decorated, the band was playing (I was SO tickled that there was an accordion player!!!),
the flowers, the table, the lighting...it was so magical!!! I knew you would take good care of us, but we
couldn't possibly have imagined how romantic it really would be!

Bari's cake was GORGEOUS and exactly what I wanted! It was also one of the tastiest wedding cakes I
have ever had! We ordered chocolate cake with orange frosting. It sounds a bit odd I know, but it was
amazing...rich and elegant and the perfect ending to a perfect dinner.

German and Doris were angels from heaven! The food was perfect...fresh, tasty, varied and hearty!
Even my Tristan, who is world's pickiest boy ate like a piggy. He tells me every day he misses Gabby
and asks constantly if we can move to Costa Rica!

But back to the wedding...the flowers!!! What can I say????? I got my ivory roses, she brought white
orchids for my hair, the ceremony flowers were so gorgeous and the villa looked SO elegant!!! Thank
you from the bottom of our hearts!!!! I cried when they arrived and I saw those roses! Thank you, thank
you, thank you!!!!

Even the decorations in our room that night brought me to tears...my mom too...ok, that sounded sort of
weird, didn't it?...she had to run up to my room to get something for me and saw how they had
decorated. She said "I don't want to spoil the surprise (sniff, sniff, sniffle), but wait till you see your
room!!! It's so beautiful!!!" cue the waterworks!!!

The ceremony was so beautiful! It was all I could do to keep from crying through the entire thing. But the
Costa Rican vows are really beautiful, all joking aside. It was really an honor to be married there.

Ok, so let me prattle on about the rest of the week... our arrival was great! I have to say the best
resource Costa Rica has is not the water, the greenery, the monkeys...it's the people!!! This was my
second time there (my first to Guanacaste) and nothing has changed in 10 years as far as the people
go. They are the most real, the most genuine and kind people I have encountered in my life. I have
traveled a lot of the world and have worked in the travel industry both as a flight attendant and in the
wholesale tour business (Mark Travel Corporation who run Funjet, United Vacations, Pleasure Break
Vacations etc) and Costa Rica is by far the most perfect place on Earth in my mind (and now my
husband's as well) We would truly love to live there some day...

Your staff is to be commended! By the end of the week we all cried a little when we had to say goodbye.
Ok, I cried A LOT. I hated saying goodbye to our little Gabby...he is such a wonderful person! My family,
new and old, really considered them friends in a day or two of arriving. I hope you don't mind, but my
father-in-law took over the kitchen Thursday night!!! He really wanted to cook some traditional Italian
fish for everyone...he's an amazing cook and it's always been his hobby. We made the staff that was
there that night at dinner time sit and eat too...please don't be mad...we made them, but it was so hard
for us to have them with us day after day and not think of them as part of our family too! They were so
sweet and shy and humble about it...you have found real gems there. They made that villa feel like a
home away from home. It was such a pleasure to give my moms and my best friend and my new cousin
some much deserved time off from taking care of their homes...but we all felt it was such a guilty
pleasure everyone there worked SO hard to take care of us.

Thanks from the bottom of our hearts..."

Warmest regards,
Dawn (Feb. 2007)

"Thanks guys for helping me arrange our Costa Rican Holiday. Everyone who came thanks me every
time we talk and say it was one of the best experiences they have ever had (and these are well traveled
folks!)."

"Jonathan was terrific in arranging tours! Jose and Junior were great tour guides - very knowledgeable.
Edith was fabulous! The staff was most accommodative. Special thanks to Gabriel Uno and Gabriel
Dos and Edith. Gabriel numero dos was awesome! Extra Special thanks to the entire staff!"

The Sempel Group

"I wanted to take the time to tell you what a fantastic time we had at Villa Ocotal. Sue�s 60th birthday
was a huge success. The Villa was immaculate, the staff was unbelievable and the food was always on
time and excellent. The whole staff gets a huge round of applause from all of us.

I couldn't have scripted a better vacation. We are already planning for my 60th birthday in July of 2008.
When you have time, could you send me some information on the bigger villa just down the hill from
ours. I have a feeling we may need more space when word gets around.

I wanted to take the time to give individual praise to German, the kindest and most warm and gentle
host. He was especially good with the baby. Elba and Doris were fantastic in the kitchen. Each meal
was sumptuous. I didn�t get the know the housekeeping woman, I think her name was Edith, but she
did a marvelous job of keeping the rooms clean at all times. I especially bonded with the young
bartender, Gabriel. What a fantastic smile and personality. He was always there for us. We also had
the honor of being able to celebrate his birthday too! Hope he is there for years to come. Jonathan did
a great job of planning the trips which were enjoyed by all. Last but not least, Raul was a joy to be
around. What great fun he was to be with.

Thanks again for everything. Hope to do it all again some day. Love and thanks from all the Burton-
Middleton clan."

Yours truly,
Patrick Burton

"We were part of the Miller/Amerling/Chefetz group that rented the Villa from February 3 - 10, 2007. We
want to write and give you our impressions, and thank you for making our vacation so memorable. It
was a very important vacation since it was a gift from our 88 year-old mother to her children and their
spouses.    The vacation could not have gone any better from the time your staff met us at the Airport on
February 3rd (with an air-conditioned van and cold drinks) to the point at which they dropped us back at
the Airport on February 10th! The one thing that stands out above all else was the dedication and
commitment of the staff. They worked non-stop for the entire week to make sure our every need was
met. The food was delicious, and the rooms were clean & spacious and offered a magnificent view of
the ocean. The location of the Villa offered a spectacular view of the harbor and the surrounding hills.
The maintenance, upkeep and services were timely and provided in a cheerful , pleasant manner. The
proximity to the beach was an added benefit, and information/arrangements for activities and tours made
our visit to Costa Rica very memorable.

In addition to life at the Villa, we enjoyed a trip to the Pallo Verde National Park, deep sea fishing
adventures, snorkeling, a canopy excursion and massages both at the beach and at the Villa. So, as
you can tell, we had a fun-filled time. We would recommend without reservation your Villa to friends that
were looking for a wonderful, sunny, relaxing vacation.

In closing I want to commend German and Gabriel for an outstanding job of management of our day-to-
day life at the Villa. Gabriel stopped by daily and German's attention was constant. Attached are a
couple of pictures we took while at your Villa."

Sincerely,

Dave Miller & Mary Cotton-Miller
View the Amerling Photo Album

"I am one of the guests from the Pogge party who recently stayed at the Villa. I just want to express how
wonderful everything was for us. I am also in the hospitality industry (I have a restaurant up in
Westchester County, NY), and I have very discerning taste when it comes to service, quality and value.
The staff at the Villa went above and beyond what I had expected in terms of the level of service that we
received. German made sure that our every need was met and really is a person who exhibits extreme
professionalism in what he does. Of our group, I was the only one who speaks Spanish, but regardless,
German was always able to comprehend and execute any requests from others in our group.

Also, Ulysses demonstrated exceptional service from the first moment I met him. I was very sick upon
our arrival and probably looked half dead to him as I sat waiting to get checked in at the Casa Blanca.
He came over to me and gave me his number and German's name and said that if I need him to go to
the pharmacia, he would be happy to do so. Wow!

To you, I would like to express many thanks for providing a band for Eric and Karl's birthday, they were
awesome and a good time was had by all!

Well, again, thank you for everything and I hope that you pass these good words on to my new amigos
at the Villa. I will certainly be recommending Villa Ocotol to anyone that I can. I hope one day I will be
able to return to experience the Pura Vida!!!!"

Muchas gracias,
Natalia Macri
Pogge Group

"This vacation was magnificent because of your hard-work and dedication to your guests.

It has been an honor and surely our privilege to be in your presence and your beautiful country.

From our hearts, we thank you. You are warm, kind and gracious human beings. And, you are welcome
in our home when you come to America.

Until our paths cross again, we wish you God�s peace and love."

Daniels Group (Aug 2006)

"There were so many pluses on this vacation (between the villa, the food, staff, etc.), beginning the
moment we stepped off the plane.
Villa staff greeted us at the airport with smiling faces. It was clear from the start the staff aimed to please.
There was a gentle rain in the late afternoon on our first day. We'd never seen such vivid colors or
beautiful double rainbows until we watched our very first Costa Rican sunset. The weather cooperated
all week. Hot mornings, lazy afternoons and occasional, short rains only added to the enchantment.

The food was delicious and we enjoyed the Costa Rican cuisine prepared by Elba and Doris. We only
had to ask and our needs were met, whether related to food, drinks, towels, etc. German, the two
Carlos' and Gabriel ensured that we had to ask for little. (German was the best!)

The canopy tour was great! Some from the group were hesitant at first. After the second or third zip line,
they overcame their fears and everyone loved sailing through trees. It was an experience every visitor
should take advantage of. We rented scooters and motorcycles, hitting different beaches and other
locales. This was a great opportunity to stop and see many of the different areas in Guanacaste, at our
own pace.

The band at the villa, on the last night, capped off a wonderful week that ended all too quickly. We had
a GREAT vacation and talk about returning in the not too distant future. Hope you all will be ready for
us!"

Santiago Group (Aug. 2006)

"Everything is going great. Sheryl and I were just doing our thank you letters for the wedding and saying
that we owed you guys a letter thanking you for everything. We're like walking commercials for you
guys.

Send our love to Gabby, German, Martina, Carols and the rest of the gang."

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