Casitas Del Rio - Riverfront Nature Lodge

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to a couple different countries and have some decent accommodation but this one stood out! So much so that I wouldn’t mind coming back just for the opportunity to stay here again. Chris was an absolutely amazing host, giving us the option of breakfast every single morning, Paired with some delicious coffee, and my favorite treat. A story! With every Meal he shared a story about Costa Rica and the history of the beautiful country, which was so eye-opening. It changed the way I viewed the entire trip and it changed the way I viewed travel in general. I was so impacted by his love for the land. He was so gracious to share. I had gone to a festival nearby Which was admittedly, a bit challenging, but every night I felt so lucky to be coming home to our little villa. It’s not uncommon during travel to never meet your host, or to have a quick minute conversation and never see them again. Every interaction we had with Chris was intentional and felt so good. He spends a lot of time maintaining his property in a way that invites wildlife so you get to feel like you’re immersed in Costa Rica. If I were to give one piece of advice, it would be to book some of his excursions that he has available! I think that that would’ve made a huge difference for our travels and we wish we had done that after. Chris, thank you so much for sharing your home with us, and I feel so honored to have stayed there!

Casitas Del Rio is a fantastic place to stay in the Uvita area. The casitas are spacious, super clean, and are in the middle of the rich nature of Costa Rica. The hosts allowed early arrival and offered a tour of the property. Chris took us around the property showing us all the plants, trees, and the different animals and insects each one attracts. I could easily spend hours sitting in the river adjacent the property watching the river and the opposite side is a nature preserve so there were plenty of birds and other animals to see! The breakfast is great, and the hosts have a really good knowledge of local activities as well as local coffee bean sources and other things. The property is immaculate and meticulously cared for, the hosts are amazing, going above and beyond. I would love to come back again another time if I am this way in Costa Rica, the only thing I would change would be to have a day to relax on property. The pool is really nice and much better than many pools I've been to at larger properties. The property is easy to get to, shows on Google Maps and literally takes you to the front door! The main road has been recently paved and is super smooth. As with all of Costa Rica I have been to the main roads are the standard that I am accustomed to in the United States and then when turning off the main road the side roads that lead to the property our combination of concrete pavement and gravel. While this kind of road is different than what we are accustomed to in the United States it is easily navigable even if your rental car is not four-wheel drive. Once off the main road there's a bit of a hill that leads to a well marked turn and then the road turns mostly to gravel and ends right at the property entrance. While the side road is small by American standards there's plenty of room to pull to the side if there was another vehicle. During our stay we were in and out several times going to town and other activities and we never had an issue getting to and from the main road. It is bumpy in places but, not out of standard for Costa Rica and quite nice compared to other roads I drove in the Country during our 10 day trip. The hosts live on site and truly have a passion for Costa Rica and especially the Uvita area. They provided a really good balance of being there for anything that we might need but also allowing privacy, the only rules and expectations the hosts have are the common sense courtesies that make the stay enjoyable for all, and show respect to the property so it can remain in immaculate condition. The hosts provide information on hidden things that might be hard for tourists to find like waterfalls and local markets. While we had most of our activities in the area pre-planned before we arrived this would be a great place to stay if you were open for recommendations as I am sure you could come here with no agenda and no plans and after talking with the hosts would realize you do not have enough time to get everything that they suggested that you wanted to do done! This ended up being one of the best surprises of our trip because our lodging we were supposed to have suddenly canceled the day before we left and we happened to get lucky to see a vacancy at Casitas Del Rio. The hosts were surpsingly prompt at communication even though our reservation was last minute-sending us pictures of the intersection we would look for off the main road and making sure we had all the details needed for our safe arrival, literally minutes after making the booking. It was such a great contrast from the other property that had not communicated with us. There is so much to do in Uvita that it would be easy to spend a week here and still not do all the fun things! We will definitely be back in the future, and this time stay longer!

My wife and I have traveled extensively. We’ve never experienced a place quite like Casitas Del Rio. The owner, Chris, is also traveler and an entrepreneur, and it shows in every detail of the grounds surrounding the casitas. The property is a paradise with its labyrinth of trails winding through gardens of flowering plants, towering trees, hidden casitas, and ranchos. The trail makes its way down to a pristine river adjacent a large forest reserve. Chris serves breakfast poolside, tells stories of Costa Rica, and has connections to rafting tours, ATV rentals, and advice for the best park entrances, coffee plantations, markets and more. We plan to visit again in the off season to experience afternoon rains in this newfound sanctuary.