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LAS BRISAS DEL MAR

Our front yard is a beach where three people are still considered a crowd. Pelicans, iguanas, hermit crabs, lobsters and the rest of nature still own this beach and ocean. There is probably nothing like this left in the USA, it feels like you should need to camp out to be here. However, your “tent” is an upscale beachfront Condo complex dropped in place by a Florida developer. The unit is like two large beachfront hotel rooms with two private baths, a complete kitchen, living room, large deck overlooking the ocean and a laundry room with washer and dryer added as a bonus. One bedroom has a King sized bed, the other a Queen. If you don’t feel like cooking over a beach camp-fire, with one of the complex’s gas grills or in the unit’s fully equipped kitchen, there is a host of affordable restaurants close by. We obviously really love it. We can’t at this point live here full time. Our loss can be your gain. The Las Brisas del Mar complex also has a great and friendly Costa Rican crew. Gerardo, the complex’s full time caretaker, and his family live on the grounds. Moises helps keep the pool and landscaping in shape. Harlem repairs & improves. Fanny takes care of the interior housekeeping. Our security guard, Guillermo keep a watchful eye out at night. Because of their work, and their presence this complex is an even nicer place to spend time. The almost Olympic sized pool is a great place for a swim. Around the pool, chairs and palm-fronded shelters are provided for lounging. The landscaping surrounding the grounds harbors enough harmless wildlife to keep things interesting. There are iguanas, hummingbirds and crabs, to name a few. If you look carefully at the picture above you can see Iggy, our iguana lifeguard, at work. There always seems to be interesting and fun people from around the world to meet also. Pictured is the Costa Rican owner of the Restaurante La Cocina de Leña in San Jose and part of his family on vacation.

The ocean is just steps away, and its beaches are nearly deserted for miles in both directions. Pictured is our morning ritual, the 1.5 mile beach walk south to the Rio Andamojo estuary at the southern end of Playa Junquillal.

Below is an aerial photograph of the Las Brisas Complex in March near the end of the dry season. The four straight months of no rain has been great for the vacationers but the vegetation is ready for the change of seasons. This is high season but still no problems with crowded beaches!

Photo by John Latham

Playa Junquillal currently proudly flies the Costa Rican Ecological Blue Flag award for beach cleanliness and safe water quality. Being only 9 degrees north of the equator our area experiences a 15 ft tide change. The beach is shown here near high tide gets significantly wider at low tide. Turtles have nested on the beach to the extreme right of the picture.

The four condominium buildings, containing 18 units, are arranged to create a courtyard containing the pool as a central element. The pool is barely visible in this picture due to the irrigated, lush vegetation in the courtyard. The short path to the beach is visible in the center of the picture. The units themselves are either four or six to a building and are located on either 1^st or 2^nd floor. All are two bedroom units but the floor plans come in three sizes. Their owners offer approximately 3 of the largest units and 5 smaller units for rent part of the year. Our unit is one of the largest floor plans located on the 2nd Floor in the building to the extreme right in the above picture.

The complex is also gated, well lighted and surrounded by a low wall. The Tico (Costa Rican) caretaker or workers provide security during the day and a watchman during the night. The caretaker and his family live on site. Crime of any kind is unusual in Playa Junquillal but this extra security is comforting. Parking for up to two cars per unit is available. Two parking shelters, one visible to the extreme right, provide spaces to keep you car out of the direct sun or rain.

REAL COMMENTS FROM PAST GUESTS

Hi Ron,

We are back in Connecticut now after an excellent vacation in Costa Rica, especially the last week which was in Junquillal.

Here is a photo taken from your balcony early in the morning. (Editor note; everybody takes Sunset pictures in Costa Rica. Here is a Moonset & Sunrise picture.)

Everything at Las Brisas was perfect; the accommodations and setup of your condo, the neighbors, the pool, the view, etc.. etc.. The surrounding area is special as well and we had a great time meeting people, viewing nature, enjoying the beach/ocean, checking out real estate and eating at local restaurants.

Laverne is a most helpful and pleasant person who greeted us upon arrival to make sure everything was okay and offered her assistance in helping with anything we might need/questions we might have. We really enjoyed talking with her, Milo, and their friends.

I would hope that we have the opportunity to rent your condo again. Rest assured that I will recommend your condo to friends, but only if they tell me the dates first as we would not want to be shut out!!!!!!!

Thanks for everything, and we'll be in touch just as soon as our next trip to Costa Rica is in the planning stages.

Kevin and Lori -- Stonington, CT, USA

Ron,

Everything was perfect, thanks for asking.

We love the place and we probably will need to rent it again before our own beach house is done.

We will keep in touch,

--Mario Q Santa Ana, San José, Costa Rica

Ron,

We had a great time in Costa Rica. The condo was very nice. Your suggestions on the WEB site were very helpful and on the mark.

Thanks for everything.

-- Helen H Mount Joy, PA, USA

Hi Ron,

Just a note to let you know I have returned your key by mail yesterday.

We had a great time and fun adventures ... Las Brisas Del Mar is beautiful. Hopefully everything is in order for your return.

The weather was hot and the roads were bad, just as predicted.

Lola's was my favourite beach bar, Villa Serena my favorite 'nice' restaurant, Bernardo's my favorite burger joint and the Mini-Super in Junquillal the best store for all our needs.

-- Laurie P London, ON, Canada

Hi Ron,

Well, I've finally completed a website featuring our favorite photos from our Costa Rica trip, and even some movies. Feel free to link to this on your site:

http://lowbrowlowdown.com/costarica/

Thanks again for helping to make our trip unforgettable!

-- Kate Jersey City, NJ, USA

Dear Ron,

Got back AOK and compelled to email you soonest possible

And so,…. You are a very lucky guy,… Brenda and agree it is the most beautiful sea side villa we have been to. The beaches are amazing and more than we could have hoped for in our wildest dreams. Your lovely condo accommodation absolutely added to the trip as it is great in every way. Totally equipped and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was coincidence or your generosity that there was a new bottle of Soy Sauce in the cupboard !!! We tried to leave it as clean as we found it but that was difficult as it was perfect when we got there !!!

Lots of friendly people at Las Brisas not only the pool people but the neighbors too much of whom are very familiar with Ron B,… you’ve made a favorable impression and apparently not just for your drinking habits.

We did proceed in the dark and made it to honky al’s safe and sound. A bit of an adventure without question. Did need to stop (sort of lost) at the beach bar and got directions (and a drink) before the final few steps.

Our adventures took us north and south on the beach roads to some of your recommended locations and never a disappointment including beautiful scenery extremely friendly people and relaxation plus. That is one BIGGGGG PIGGGGG at Lolas Unfortunately we never found the time to go inland to the forests and without question there is lots more to do given more time.

HOT HOT HOT though and perhaps the only real complaint is that going from snow and cold to 38 C requires a certain amount of acclimatizing. I sweat from places I didn’t know you could. We did spend much time hiding from the sun and keeping cool in the comfort of your AC and that of our Vitara Rental car. Again with only 7 days it was too little time to really settle in. Denise and others were saying it was unusually warm. Apparently a little cooler in January and Mid February might be a little more comfortable for us. Never the less, we really did enjoy ourselves and I thank you for your guidance and the overall opportunity. Thank you for allowing us to share your home. We will tell our friends of our experience and new found connection. Please feel free to use us as a positive reference to the “BORTHWICK EXPERIENCE” ALA COSTA RICA.

With very best regards

--Brenda and Murray Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Hi Ron,

We want to let you know what a fantastic time we had at Las Brisas!! Your condo is wonderful and the grounds are manicured to perfection. We loved walking on the beach and walked almost every day. One morning we walked to Bernardo’s and on other days went in the other direction and across the river. We found wonderful shells on the beach, many of which I had never seen before. We had a lovely Christmas dinner at Hotel Iguanazul and a delicious New Year Eve dinner on the ocean at Bernardo’s. Of course, we visited Lola’s a couple of times which is truly an amazing adventure over roads that I would never have believed were possible to travel had we not done it. Tom became a very good “off road” driver.

We took advantage of one of Helmut’s tours to Palo Verde National Park and found Bird Island an awesome sight. I would like to go back. We also went to the Farmers’ Market one Saturday and got some huge very fresh and delicious jumbo shrimp and excellent fish. They had a Fiesta in Paraíso which we attended for a while one evening and watched the caballeros ride the bulls.

Thank you for sharing your wonderful Las Brisas with us!

-- Barbara and Tom Charlotte, NC, USA

Las Brisas del Mar beachfront vacation condo for rent in Playa Junquillal, Guanacaste, Costa Rica !