Costa Rica Vacation Rentals
If a hotel or resort feels too busy for you, consider a home rental instead. Idyllic scenery and views, on-site amenities, exciting nearby adventures, privacy, serenity, and personalized service make a vacation rental in Costa Rica the perfect option for your next getaway.
Take a look at our stunning Costa Rica villas and beach home rentals in the top destinations around the country.
There’s nothing like having your very own rental all to yourself to make you feel at home in this luxurious paradise. Some are completely independent for ultimate privacy, while others are in secluded parts of larger resorts with added amenities you can access.
Costa Rica’s beaches, rainforests, cloud forests, and mountains offer variety in weather, nature, and wildlife. With so many microclimates, it’s easy to forget the nation is smaller than West Virginia.
Overwhelmed by Choice? Let Costa Rica Vacations Experts Help
Its small size and many options make Costa Rica perfect for day trips. Choose your favorite home base and explore from there. And if you need help choosing that home base?
That’s where our experts step in to help.
While we love all the areas we recommend, we fully understand that certain areas will have more draw for your particular group, depending on what you want to see and do.
We’d love to get to know you and point you in the direction of the best hot spot for you, and introduce you to some great rentals that best suit your group’s needs.
From family gatherings to wedding parties, corporate getaways, girlie groups, and surf trips with the boys, we've got something for you.
Which Costa Rica Rentals Are the Best for Me?
Most vacation rentals in Costa Rica have at least a three-night minimum stay, so you’ll want to choose your favorites with two primary criteria in mind:
Your Comfort
Look for a vacation rental that meets your requirements. It's not only about the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, but also amenities (a stocked library and an infinity pool, anyone?).
Think how you’d be most comfortable, both inside and out, as you picture yourself staying in each rental on your shortlist.
What do you dream of when thinking about your luxury vacation home in Costa Rica? Do you see yourself grilling poolside or relaxing in a jacuzzi? Would you like a private chef to create tasty memories for you?
Location, location, location!
Map out your planned day trips, then look for vacation rentals in Costa Rica that are central to them.
An area like Monteverde is ideal for having many activities in town, but it’s not great for day trips outside of town because it’s isolated. It’d be best to stay there a few nights and then move to another home base.
Guanacaste is an excellent base for day trips to a variety of beaches, the rainforest, a volcano, etc. There are rentals in various locations, but Las Catalinas is famous among families and Santa Teresa, in Nicoya, is great for surfers. For your sanity, try to keep one-way drive times to 2.5 hours.
If you have questions, let a local expert explain the benefits of luxury rentals in each area to make an informed decision that’s right for you.
Costa Rica Rental Hotspots
Vacation rentals in Costa Rica are sprinkled throughout the country, but a few hotspots are worth serious consideration:
Jaco and Herradura Beach Vacation Rentals
This beach town is well located. Just 75 minutes from San Jose, Jaco is an excellent base for exploring both inland and along the Central Pacific coast.
The road conditions there are excellent, making travel a breeze. From your Costa Rican vacation home rental on the beach in Jaco, you can easily day trip to Manuel Antonio, the Central Valley, national parks, or take some adventure tours.
Jaco has a vacation and party vibe but going home to your place after the party is a huge benefit. Jaco boasts more restaurants than you can try.
You’ll find some excellent Jaco vacation rentals, among them the ultra-exclusive rentals at Los Sueños Resort, in Playa Herradura just outside of town.
This large resort community features several options, from spectacular ocean-view condos for two, to large and luxurious villas for large family vacations and group reunions.
A stay at Los Sueños grants you access to a private 4.6-acre beach club with a free-form swimming pool, swim-up bar, jacuzzi, elevated white sand beach, yoga pavilion, soccer field, children’s play area, restaurant, and an activity and yoga pavilion.
Manuel Antonio Condos and Luxury Villas
Consistently rated as one of Costa Rica's most popular destinations, Manuel Antonio is also a top choice for anyone looking for a vacation rental.
Casa Playa Vista and Los Altos are our favorite Manuel Antonio vacation rentals, but there are plenty of others dotted around the rainforest-clad hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Los Altos sets its condos at treetop level to offer guests stunning views and closeups of wildlife. Their rentals have top-notch kitchens, high-speed internet, and direct phone lines. The food served here is fantastic and can be delivered to your home away from home or even to the nearby beach.
A luxury villa on a secluded, lush hillside or a villa rental with an infinity pool is waiting for you in Manuel Antonio.
One-Bedroom Condos to Luxury Mansions—Guanacaste Has It All
Located on Costa Rica’s North Pacific coast, Guanacaste is all about the beach. The Papagayo Peninsula is a perfect base to enjoy golden sands and tropical sunsets surrounded by luxury.
Then there’s Playa Conchal. There’s a reason everyone raves about Conchal, or “Shell Beach.” The white sand often glints pink as the sun’s rays reflect the rounded shell bits that sprinkle the beach. Reserva Conchal offers the privacy of your own home while granting access to five-star hotel features, including a spa, beach club, fitness center, golf course, and international cuisine.
Costa Rica's larger hotels and all-inclusive resorts are almost exclusively found in Guanacaste. It's here where you’ll find the all-inclusive villa rental of your dreams. Each includes a slightly different set of offerings, but this can mean meals, drinks, housekeeping, security, or even activities, depending on the individual rental.
The area’s top resort, the Westin Conchal, offers many types of vacation rentals, from couples’ condos to spacious villas.
You'll also find a lagoon-style pool, an impressive fitness center, and a soothing spa with every healing and rejuvenating treatment. There’s also a kids club that the little ones will ask to go back to day after day.
Why spend long hours planning for yourself, stressed out by info overload? Relax and let our agency handle the details.
Our local experts live, work and play right here in Costa Rica. We have decades of experience that make us uniquely suited to give you insider tips and tricks on the best places to visit and stay.
FAQs About the Best Vacation Rentals in Costa Rica
How much does it cost to rent a house in Costa Rica?
The cost varies quite a bit based on amenities, location, and size. We only recommend lovely, safe homes. The ones we recommend start at about $220 per night. We have much bigger properties for large groups, such as Casa Basha Beachfront Estate, with a four-bedroom house and three two-bedroom villas on the property. It can sleep 20 people. So, we have options for every type and group and different budgets.
Is it safe to rent a villa in Costa Rica?
As in any country, there are neighborhoods of all types. We only recommend very safe areas known for welcoming tourists. Many of our rentals are in gated communities or have security guards for added safety. We know the towns we recommend personally and vouch for them as safe areas to rent a villa, condo, or home in Costa Rica.