Does anyone have information about Casa Bambu on the Osa Peninsula? It looks like a great place. I would love to hear from someone who has stayed there or has been in that area.

I have lots of questions... Did you like the house? Is the kitchen functional for cooking? Are there lots of animals on the grounds? Did you see a sloth? How is the bug situation? Do the animals ever come in the house? How is the beach? What type of sand? Are there shells? How is the water? Is it safe for swimming? How does Casa Bambu compare to Casa Linda? Did you find places to eat? How were they and how long of a walk? Wondered about walking to the restaurants at night. Did you take any tours?

Thank You!!

P.S. I don't usually have so many questions but I can not find any information other then website.

If I am thinking of the same Casa Bambu at Montapalo - it would be a long dark walk up the hill to the Lapa Rios for dinner. I think it would be your closest dining option. I have only seen this house from the outside and I had no urge to stay there. There are lots of animals in the area and not much else. The closest store is in PJ- about 1 1/2 hrs on a dirt road if the creeks are down. I liked the rental house at the Iguana way way better and you are much closer to town, tours, and assistance

Hi Greenfieldhunter,

Thank you again for your replies. From my research I have heard that Lapa Rios will send a car for you for dinner and I think someone mentioned having the lovely Tico caretakers provide local dishes. I understand that on your way in that the taxi, that the owner arranges for you, takes you to a market in PJ (and the provide you with a shopping list, to help).

Would these things make the house more appealing or would you still avoid it? How did the house look from the outside? Was it crummy?

Any thoughts about the food at Lapa Rios? What type do they serve, is it good; is it costly?

Thank you so much!!
Gem

We had drinks at LR and while it was nice we were perfectly happy to get back to our room at the Pearl. LR had a nice Lodge and very high end honeymoon feeling, but I can live without staying there. Drinks and food were costly but good. Again, we were well fed at the Pearl and dinner at the Iguana is hard to beat.

You will see lots of wildlife at LR and the Bamboo house but some people might find it too remote. I think the main reason I would not stay at Casa Bambu is we saw other rental houses we liked more. The Bamboo house seemed dark and without a view but the area was very nice. I actually saw their site after visiting the area this fall- the info did not change my mind but if someone invited me to stay I would do so. It just would not be my first choice if I were handling the details. I have never been a huge fan of bamboo

greenfieldhunter,
Thank you for all your help!! I really appreciate it.

Did you like your stay at the Pearl? Were you able to see animals on the grounds? Did you take any of their tours? Was it noisy in the evening?

Do you know how to contact any of the other houses that you liked? I would like to see if they have websites.

sparklegem: My husband and I stayed at Casa Bambu in Montapalo 4 yrs ago. We had a fantastic time. I would highly recommend staying there if you like beach front, hiking trails at the backdoor, wildlife everywhere, privacy and relaxation. The house was 2 story bamboo structure built on stilts that backs up to the beach and the front has trails that lead you to waterfalls. The lower part of the house had a bathroom with flushing toilets and running water, and a functional kitchen with simple butane burners. Each morning we enjoyed our coffee on the porch front while watching the Titi(squirrel) monkeys eating bananas out of the trees in our yard. On our hikes we saw Toucans, Scarlet Macaws, Tent Bats, Sloths, White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys, Squirrel Monkeys, Spider Monkeys, Coati, Agouti and some type of black animal that looked like it had the head of a cat and the body of a weasel.

Since we were on the waterfront, there was always a nice breeze to cool us off and keep the bugs away. The insects were only a bother at night when they were attracted to the lights. This was not an issue when sleeping because the four post beds are entirely secured by netting and entered by zipper. While in bed, we enjoyed listening to the sounds of the ocean waves and the Howler Monkeys in the distance. The house was immaculately clean and provided containers to prevent ants and other varmints from trying to eat the food. We did not have any animals enter the house because we closed the shutters at night and while we were gone. We didn't cook our own dinners, instead went to Lapa Rios and enjoyed local Costa Rican meals prepared by the caretaker's lovely family. Lapa Rios picked us up from Casa Bambu so we would not have to hike up the hill. It was only a 10 minute walk down the hill back to our house. Valentin, the caretaker, has lived his whole life in Matapalo and knows the area like the back of his hand. He took us on a fantastic hike showing us wildlife, spectacular views and explaining effects of the medicinal plants. I highly recommend hiring him for this tour.

One day we hiked up to Bosque del Cabo and enjoyed a drink at the bar. The service was very friendly and the grounds were nicely landscaped. However, it was a bit like leaving our adventurous Tarzan and Jane jungle experience for more modern conveniences.

We traveled all over Costa Rica and Osa was by far our favorite place. I'm not the roughing it type and loved staying at Casa Bambu.

We look forward to returning someday.

Nicci

I have not stayed at Casa Bamboo but my husband and I went to visit the owners about 4 years ago. It seemed like a nice enough place, but as some others have mentioned, it felt very isolated with no one around to talk to! If you like privacy and quiet, you'd like it there. It is VERY close to the water which is very nice. They have a very small cove you can swim in...if I recall the sand was soft enough, but there was not much of it....the grass was growing almost all the way to the water! It's very, very dark at night so I would not try to walk anywhere.

Thank you for your replies and great info, Nicci and Alley. I think that we have decided to stay at the Pearl. It looks great. My husband and daughter are pretty bug phobic; so I don't think that the house would have worked to well for us. My only concern is this trip I really wanted to see more animals. Do you think that the tours from the Pearl will fulfill that?
Thanks Again,
Gem