MileHighHC

Hello! I'd love to hear if anyone has any vacation rentals or private bungalow-type hotels they'd recommend in Costa Rica (or the Caribbean?) that would be suitable for a 1 year old. We'll be traveling in the Fall for 1 week and are looking for a rental ideally with it's own full kitchen, as we're planning to cook most of our own meals (with a few early dinners out), and will need to do laundry (cloth diapers). Ideally we'd love to be on the beach OR somewhere with a view and private pool. Budget is a factor - ideally $100 - $200/night. The kiddo is great in the car and we've driven CR roads before so we know what we're in for. We've been to Arenal and Manuel Antonio so we'd rather see somewhere new. While ziplining and kayaking and fishing and shopping are all great - we're just looking for somewhere we can spend a lazy week in the sun (so somewhere off the beaten path is A-ok, as long as it's near a grocery store).

We welcome any ideas - preferably somewhere we can get to with a direct or one-layover flight from Denver. Thanks in advance!

colibri

Not sure what month you'll be there in the fall, but the Caribbean side (Cahuita/Puerto Viejo area) is relatively dry Sept/Oct. I would not attempt to go anywhere near the Osa as it can be a total deluge during this timeframe. Check out Guanacaste beaches as it will be drier there than further south.

hopefulist

Have you considered Roatán, Honduras? The rainy season generally starts some time in October, I think. It would likely be much cheaper - lots of rental options and small hotels with kitchens.

MileHighHC

@hopefulist have not considered Roatan but will definitely look into it! Any part of the island in particular that you'd recommend?

Thanks @colibri - we've heard mixed things about the Caribbean side but I'll look into those 2 areas, as well as Guanacaste. Any specific properties you'd recommend?

sylvia3

I think Flamingo (Blanca) Beach would be a good choice, or one of the nearby (couple of miles) beaches/towns such as Brasilito or Playa Conchal. Flamingo has the town, lots of lodging, and a lovely, fairly calm beach. A few miles away is Brasilito, which has a good number of restaurants (these are pretty nice condos, though not oceanside, and quiet: http://www.vrbo.com/218238); Playa Chonchal is gorgeous, but the prices, like Flamingo, are a little higher than Brasilito.
This area is a 20 minute drive from Tamarindo, but I think much nicer.

sylvia3

Sorry about the bad link (it's a problem for me today): just go to VRBO and look at 218238: you can get into all the Guanacaste listings, including Flamingo, Conchal, etc. from the menu.

emilya

Following this thread. We're looking for a similar vacation with our 2 year old in September. Roatan looks a little more difficult for us to get to (2 stops from Chicago) so might not be worth it (for us) with a toddler.

http://www.fodors.com/community/mexi...h-2-yr-old.cfm

Andrea_loves_travel

I would definitely recommend Puerto Viejo (will come up as Puerto Viejo de Talamanca or Puerto Viejo de Limon)! We went in January (a couple years ago) but the locals told us September is the best (dryest) month.

Beaches cannot be "owned" property in Costa Rica so if you find a place on the beach, the beach would still be public. There are quite a few places on that VRBO (vacation rental) site someone else suggested.

We have a 16 month old and haven't been on an adventurous vacation with her yet. Good luck in your travels!!