Can anyone recommend lodging in or around ma that is not like Disney world but is clean and nice and a good location for going to ma and doing activities and day trips? Villas would be nice near the water. We will be coming here first then going to dominical. We will be driving as well.

Check out Mango Moon, Tulemar Bungalows, and Buena Vista Villas. You might like Si Como No too.

La Posada Bungalows offer great service, extremely reasonable prices, and is literally right next to the park entrance--its lot shares a fence with the park.

www.villasnicolas.com

www.costaverde.com

www.tulemar.com Mot Mot

all nice close to park based on budget

Happy Hunting,

I just booked a bungalow at Tulemar. While I haven't been there yet I have read great things and have to say that communications with Dave there have been wonderful and it has led me to believe that they take great pride in their customer service.

I satyed last year at Tulemar and yes it is beautiful. I have to say though we booked it because the place next door (I forget the name) was full. In the place next door, there were beautiful terraces with each room. As much as I liked the room at Tulemar I really missed having a terrace.

we have stayed at villas nicolas twice and enjoyed it. nice rooms, views, breakfast is excellent and if the restaurant area is still run by susan at dinnertime then you should definitely have a dinner there...

Buena Vista Villas should fit your needs nicely (great beach, location, & wildlife)

We enjoyed Villas Nicolas a couple of weeks ago. Beautifully landscaped small pool, excellent restaurant (newly renovated), great sunset views from the villa's terrace, inquisitive capuchin monkeys, helpful staff. I recommend at least a type 2 room (type 1 doesn't have a balcony), at $145/night, and make sure you get an ocean view. The villas are well-located right on the road to Manuel Antonio park (easy access by bus or car), with plenty of dining options in the area.

Much more expensive, with wonderful grounds, great rooms, and an ambience of isolation, right on the beach, is Arenas del Mar.

What do you mean "not like Disney World"?
Costa Verde has an airplane fuselage converted into a hotel room and So Como No has some fanciful treatments of the exterior decor, but I think you are safe from Disney otherwise. The are precious few villas that are really NEAR the water, (again subject to clarification). Otherwise, most of the properties in M.A. seem to fit your requirements. Arenas del Mar is close to two good beaches, but Tulemar Bungalows and Buena Vista Villas lay claim to one of the best beaches around. There is a wide selection of places to stay in M.A. beyond the personal favorites mentioned here, and you can investigate them on TripAdvisor.

No Disney in MA.

Arenas del Mar gets a thumbs up if you can afford it.

I like Tulemar, specifically the upper or lower unit of Villa Mot-Mot. I had to switch our accommodations last minute due to some work being done there, but it's fabulous. We ended up staying at BVV, which was really nice too, but would choose Mot-Mot next time.

Mind you this was in green season when the lower unit was $125/night, a bargain. Not sure what it's going for right now. It's nice have your own beach right there. I like the sounds of La Posada too, which was booked or we would have probably stayed there.

La Colina. Not sure if it would be too basic/bed and breakfast like for you. Very good rates though.

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