sparklegem

We are considering a trip back to the Osa and had sort of figured that BdC would be out of our budget this time. We really wanted to go back (we had the very best time!!) Then I remebered the garden cabinas. We might be able balance our trip out so that we could stay there.

Could anyone tell me about the garden cabinas? I know where they are located and have seen them from the outside but do not remember much about them and I have not been inside. It would also help to know what type of beds they have. If anyone has stayed in them- is it really hot at night?

Thank You!!!

tully

gem haven't stayed in one but have looked in them. Not positive but I would say the bed is a double - maybe queen, hard to say at a quick glance. I've always talked to people staying back there - some have said it gets hot there, others have said they actually got a breeze and loved all the wildlife and solitude. None of them seemed very perturbed by the walk or anything in their cabina. I would just be prepared that since you don't have all 4 walls you may be a little closer to nature than you have before

sparklegem

Hi Tully!!

Thank you for the information! And so very nice to hear from you!!

Do you remember if they have a porch and if so, if it has chairs and/ or a hammock?

I think that I would like the walk. I would hope that it would allow us see even more animals.

I wonder if they have a fan?

Very Best,
Gem

sparklegem

oh, and I wonder if they have an outdoor shower. ?

hipvirgochick

Hi Gem! Can't add much more to what tully already said, just wanted to say hi.

I'm pretty sure the cabinas have outdoor showers cuz I remember reading a poster talking about the monkeys above them while taking a shower. They have porches, but I can't say for sure the hammock/chair situation or fan. I would think they'd be similar to the others though. If you dont' get good answers here, definitely e-mail BDC. I ran into a family last trip who loved it out there!

When are you going back? GTG at BDC next June you know!

tully

hi gem! Glad to hear you are thinking of BdC again, it has a strong pull The porch....well, basically the one side just extends past the foot of the bed and is all open except for a railing, so I guess it is porch/more room at end of bed! It does have a hammock and best I remember an outdoor shower as well.

If you go to the end here, I just added the only decent pic I have of one of them, maybe give you a better idea of the layout: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...localeid=en_US

tully

and hiya hvc! GTG at BdC, you don't say

sparklegem

Hello, Hipvirgochick!!

So nice to hear from you! Thank you for your help. We are thinking of April or February, school vacations...

We are considering the garden cabinas or Teka or Casa Blanca (boy, that one has gotten some bad press). Or maybe another place that I have just heard about. Or back to the Yucatan. Just seeing what is available for our dates and if any friends want to come along.

Thank you for the pictures Tully. I am making myself wait to look at them. I want to show them to my husband. I will get to see them any minute.

I hope that both of you are well! It has been a long time. I was off the boards for some time. Travel just did not seem like an option for a while. But now everything is much better!

So nice to hear from you both!

P.S. The GTG sounds like a blast!!

parrmt

sparkle, We were at CB for a week, last month. In fact we left the day that jilkovina checked in. This was our second stay there. Yes, the toilet bowls were stained, like old iron stains, seats were a little pock marked, but spotless. I didn't think a thing about it actually. Our daughter and son in law's bath did have a water problem when using the shower. I did not find out about that until we had been home for a while and then it came up.It didn't bother them either.
We bought the food pkg and at no time had food in the house, just drinks. We would have stayed longer if we could have. The animal sightings were incredible at the house . I would go again today if I could and stay at CB. I told my hubby that when we go next time it will probably just be the two of us and I would sure miss CB. There was no one in the garden cabinas this trip. If it meant that was the only way I could get there, I would stay in one of the garden cabinas.

I don't know if you saw my trip report,posted last month. Here is a link to my pics. Other than the few at first (still at MA with all of our family, and the ones at the Animal sanctuary...they are all at BDC and a lot are from the deck at CB)

http://ovies.smugmug.com/gallery/526...23038272_ETmZt


PS I see you mentioned the Yucatan. We are long time travelers to the Yuc. That may be why we have no issues with CB. Our
accomodations over the yrs in MX have been....no AC, no hot water, even no water at times. Lots of bugs at times. But we love it and it all adds to the adventure. We will be in MX again (Yuc)in Oct/Nov.
I will say CB was spotless, very clean, beds were great. We had a leak in the kitchen sink (maids found it) and it was repaired immediately. Also one day our toilet leaked and they had it repaired in less than an hour. Great staff. Hope this helps and sorry for rambling! Toni

sparklegem

Hi Toni,

Thank you for your reply. I am so glad that you enjoyed your time at BdC. We felt the same way exactly. And we feel the same way about the Yucatan, too! Where are you traveling to down there? If we go there, instead of the Osa, we are planning to visit Villadolid, Ek Balam, Rio Lagartos, Chichen Itsa and Tulum. I have been to some these places and some are new. I always like to add a few new elements to the old favorites.

I think that we would be fine staying at Casa Blanca. It looked fine when we walk through two years ago, although we did not look at the kitchen and bathrooms since the house was being cleaned and they graciously let us in. The deck and view certainly drew us out there. It is amazing! I think that I read some where that Kim said that they were going to be updating the house?

I have not read your trip report. I will search it down. Thank you for the link to your pictures. I can't wait to see them!

It seems as the more information that I have, the harder it is getting to decide. I am still waiting ti hear back from our top two places regarding pricing and availability That should help us to decide. Bosque and our Yucatan trip seem very different and it is so hard to choose.

Thank you for all your help!
Gem

sparklegem

Toni, I just checked your pictures and I had seen them and read your trip report. Your pictures are amazing and your report was a great read. It sounds like quite an adventure with all that rain!! I love the pictures of the baby sloth. That would have been my favorite part of the whole trip!

Your picture are so great! I am off to look at them again!

Thank you!

reillygee

Sparklegem,

I you email BDC, they will send you photos of the two garden cabinas. It looks like they both have hammocks and outdoor showers.

We've reserved both for a week in December since they were all that were available. We are really looking forward to being so close to nature.

I haven't heard much else about them, although there is a review on Trip Advisor and the person really loved them.

janenicole

hey sparklegem! When we were at BdC, we made friends with some other fodorites who were staying in Casa Teka, so we got to look around. The kitchen and living area are completely open on one side with a hammock strung across the front. It was pretty neat. The bedrooms were small, with just a small fan and big windows. The bathrooms were enclosed (no outdoor shower ). It was March when we were there, and it was hot for them, but they survived it.

parrmt - don't want to hijack, but I am curious where you stay in the Yucatan. I am always looking for interesting places, and want to go there sometime. Have been to Coz, but never the mainland.

fae

Had some acquaitances stay in a Garden cabina part of their trip. The other part they were in one of the main area cabinas. They were there in May and said the heat really got to them at night in the garden cabinas because there is not a breeze.

sparklegem

We are thinking staying there the end part of April. And I was a little afraid of the lack of a breeze.

Hi janenicole, thank you for the description! It sounds nice! I would like to learn where parrmt stays, too.

I am still waiting to hear back from BdC.

hopvac

Just wanted to put my two cents in on Casa Blanca. We were there at the end of June and spent 4 nights. Loved the house! The deck is amazing. There were four of us (two adulta and two teens)and it was the perfect size. I would only rent the house if there are 4 of you. Bed wise 5 would be tight unless you have two small children sharing one of the doubles and your children don't fight! The bathrooms were fine and toliet seats had been replaced. We ran out of propane for the hot water the first night and they replaced it right away. We hardly used the inside, but the fridge came in very handy and saved us bundle on drinks. Just secure your snacks. We had a curious coati that got to have a few chips one day. Loved the location and would rent Casa Blanca again in a heartbeat.

We walked through the garden during the day and thought it was beautiful, but hot. There was no breeze at all when we were there. And the walk back after dinner would be adventurous. I'm dreaming of our next visit back to BDC!

sparklegem

Thank you, hopvac! I am so glad that you enjoyed your stay in Casa Blanca. It really sounds wonderful. I think that everyone at BdC is so kind and quick to right even the slightest problem.

Hmm... is there a way that I could send a private message to my dear advisors on this baord? I have a question, not regarding BdC, that I would like to ask. I am on trip advisor under the same name. If you could pm me or give me your name on TA, I could pm you. Sorry to be so secretive but I feel it is a bit of a secret.

Thank You!
Gem

shillmac

Hi Gem, just wanted to chime in for a minute since we just left there--my dos colones. We spoke with a couple who stayed there 2 nights (they were shifting around from accom to accom since they had booked late). They were a tad bit uncomfortable in Teka--no ceiling fan and just that very small one would barely cool a fly!

Now THAT was in JULY, when it is generally cooler and we were always very comfy and enjoying the cooler breezes. NO WAY would I want to stay there in Feb. or April. There is NO air movement up there.

Casa Blanca, on the other hand, would be a GREAT choice for you there on the bluff enjoying the ocean breezes. YouŽll need every fresh breeze you can get during those months. We were there in March of 2007 and kept wet bandanas around our necks the entire time!

I joked with Phil and asked what heŽd been up to lately besides changing toilet seats in Blanca! LOL. He just shook his head and began speaking his frustration, but is very good natured about it. As Phil generally is. Kim took me on a tour of THEIR home and was quick to point out that THEIR seat had a bit of paint missing here and there as well! LOL!

The bad reviews do bother them, because of the dishonesty involved, and apparently the same people posted again on TA under a different name. I told them not to worry about a couple of bad ones in the midst of all the raves they get; but they are the owners, you know, and those reviews are read by a LOT of people. And probably more people are on TA than FodorŽs. They are very conscientious about their place and strive so hard to please. It is clear that jilkovina et. al. were just not a good fit with Bosque. And we all know that it is NOT for everyone.

Good luck in your planning!

sparklegem

Thank you, Shillmac! It did seem very hot when we were there last. It was April and it seemed extra hot in the garden. I am just trying to figure out a way to make-it-fit into our budget.

Is there a way to contact you? You could pm under the same name on Trip Advisor.

tully

gem I pm'd you

shillmac wait, who was I to thank - Toni was it you with the Panasonic rec? I will have to go back and check. Anyway shillmac has informed she is taking zillions of fantastic pics with the new camera and is going to give Mr Toft a run for his money Now go divvy up the colones for the alotted Imperials

gem was just thinking....I can't remember if Vista Mar is the same price as the cabinas but it sure does have a nice view and outdoor tub