My fiance and I just returned from Costa Rica and we both loved Bahia Pez Vela. We stayed there for four nights at the end of August and drove from San Jose. It took us about 4-4.5 hours to get there but it was well worth the drive. They say the roads in Costa Rica are poor however besides not having enough lanes on either side they were fine with the exception of the last two miles (or so) into the resort where there were some bumps along the way but nothing one can't manage. If you are looking to be off the beaten path just slightly and really relax, then this resort is for you. It is tucked away at the end of a road and is roughly 4 miles from downtown Playas de Coco. After reaching Playas de Coco's downtown, you turn on another paved road that twists and turns its way through a neighborhood (look out for people and dogs as they both walk along both sides of the road).
As previously stated, the paved road has a few bumps in it that you must chose a spot to cross over and manuever across slowly. After about three miles, you reach the first security gate into Octotal. At this point the road gets fairly bumpy and is dirt at
certain times however it is manageable. We rented a car and were able to get through fine. There is another security gate for the resort and they are there 24 hours a day in addition to having two guards roam around the property all day and night as well so one definitely feels safe. The resort consists mainly of villas however there was just two of us so we stayed in a studio. The studio was one room with a huge bathroom which was great. It was perfect for what we were looking for. The air conditioning worked great and we had very few bugs in the room. (I killed a few ants which is to be expected so I commend the resort with regards to the great job they did keeping the insects away). Anyway, we stayed in Villa 40 and outside of our room was a little wading pool (about 3.5 ft. deep) that one could sit in and see the spectacular view of the bay. To give one some perspective, bahia pez vela sits in a cove with steep embankments on all ends. We were at the top of the resort that meant we had about a five minute walk down a fairly steep paved road to get to the pool and restaurant. The walking down part wasn't bad, but walking up the hill is some good exercise however we did not mind it. So there are two or three clumps of villas at the top of the hill while the rest are down closer to the pool area so keep that in perspective when booking. The resort has it's own private volcanic sand beach which is very peaceful and a pool overlooking the beach. It was beautiful. They have a restaurant called Picante there which is right next to the pool and is open air like most places there. The food was no more expensive than the places in Playas del Coco and it's nice because if you don't want to leave the resort, you don't have to (except for an ATM). There is one that takes all cards in the new Pacifico shopping area to the left of the upscale grocery store in Playas de Coco. Anyway, the staff was all extremely friendly at Picante and we never had poor service. In addition, the staff in the office were all friendly as well. I made my reservation through Katelyn Tocci (the property manager). She was extremely helpful and as mentioned so were the other staff. We would definitely stay here again as it was very peaceful and relaxing. We also did take taxi's (about 4000 colones) into Playas de Coco to experience some of the nightlife as well. We liked Z lounge (for dancing) but our favorite place was La Vida Loca.

Bahia Pez is all that my college friend/travel buddy & I hoped it would be and more! The villa was meticulously clean. The security was outstanding and ever present. The resort managers helped us tremendously with our itinerary. Katelyn & Michael set us up royally with the rainforest zipline tour, snorkelling, horseback riding & kayaks, although that is probably not in their job description. We arrived with only five days to spend carefully and departed having experienced an adventure! The service and recommendations we received from them was what made our trip such a great time! The beach cove was a great place to swim without concern at any time, & we rock hopped & explored the tide pools during low tide. The swimming pools are pristine. The restaurant is 5 star, well-managed & a casual yet elegant place to dine. It's also a great place to hang out day or night & meet people. The view is fabulous. All of the local people we met were very friendly & fun. I would highly recommend this resort to families, romantic couples or travel buddies who leave their spouses at home for a week!

I had no idea about Costa Rica or where to stay with my family. After two weeks at the Bahia, all I can say is WOW. The location is fantastic, the views amazing and the people were wonderful. Right on the beach, calm water for the kids, and a great location for driving to local areas to surf and swim. The resteraunt and bar are great at the property. Ask Allen (the bartender) for a "la cucaracha."The town of Coco was fantastic and the people there great as well. I recommend the Blue Marlin in Coco for fishing trips. The property owner should be contacted directly through email at johnscm@yahoo.com. He is a fantastic host and will go out of his way to ensure your stay is a great one. I would recommend traveling here to anyone I know interested in Costa Rica.

Reviewer - A traveler from Texas! We stayed at the Bahia Pez Vela Resort ([--]) at Playa Ocatal, Guanacaste, Costa Rica in June, 2008. We rented a 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath ocean view villa for a week. The accommodations were very comfortable and exactly as advertised and pictured on the website. The villa was roomy, pleasantly decorated, and with all the amenities one could desire - A/C, TV, Internet, fully equipped kitchen, etc. The patio and upstairs balcony overlooked the ocean which was just a short walk down a hill away. There was ample patio furniture - even a hammock. The beach is a black sand beach - and you can snorkel right off the end of the beach. The resort's pool for guests is attractive. There is an on-site restaurant that is open all day 7 days a week - so one could eat every meal there if desired! The management people were very helpful in everything we needed. In arranging excursions, the connected us immediately with Amy at Avispa Adventures (www.avispasadventures.com). My family and I just clicked immediately with Amy - she is co-owner of the tour organization, and is from the States - so obviously, no language issues! We took 3 tours through Avispa - a riverboat ride complete with Tico wildlife, an all day adventure - canopy tour, hiking in the rain forest, visit to Rincon de la Piedra volcano, and horseback riding, and an all day beach tour - surfing and an ATV tour. On the first 2 tours we were accompanied by Amy and our driver, Carlos, and on the beach tour, Carlos guided us as I have enough Spanish to communicate. We were more than satisfied with all our adventures. The van was very comfortable and roomy, as well as air-conditioned. There were snacks and cold drinks of all varieties available - and lots of little touches like hand-wipes, towels, and garbage bags. We ate in several restaurants and the food in all was delicious and authentic, and the service and ambience were wonderful. The guides at the canopy tour, horseback ride, etc were just as helpful as Amy and her group are - friendly and accommodating in every way. You can basically tailor an “adventure” to whatever your group will enjoy most. The prices for the tours were quite reasonable and would include pick up and return wherever you are staying - virtually a must in Costa Rica where road conditions are poor and signs and maps are virtually non-existent. Avispa is very helpful and sensitive to any kind of special needs - I walk with crutches, and I was able to participate in all the activities thanks to Amy and her guides. While in Costa Rica, we did 2 activities that were not through Avispa - snorkeling and river rafting. Neither lived up to the standards we had come to expect from our tours with Avispa. I would whole-heartedly recommend this group for any and all needs in Costa Rica - I have traveled extensively and have to say that this was the most personalized, friendly, and accommodating group that I have ever encountered - they made our trip very special. The only potential downside to the Resort is location - it is about 10 minutes up a winding road from the town of Coco - and Coco itself is a little off the beaten path. However, Coco had a number of great restaurants that we ate at, and we did not find the location of the Resort to hamper our travels significantly. The accommodations at Bahia Pez Vela were well worth the trip and we would certainly return there.