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Bahia Pez Vela: Traveler Reviews

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4.5 of 5 stars 13 Reviews
5.0 of 5 stars
12
4.0 of 5 stars
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3.0 of 5 stars
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2.0 of 5 stars
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#2 of 10 hotels in Playas del Coco
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  • Hotel class: 4 of 5
  • Rooms: 19
  • Address: Playa Ocotal Playas del Coco Costa Rica
Property Type: Resort
  • Hotel featuring an assortment of amenities, sports facilities and leisure activities.
Business Center Restaurant Swimming Pool
Check Rates: $277 Avg. Price
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TripAdvisor Traveler Reviews

Reviews of Bahia Pez Vela

( 1-5 of 13 )
“Absolutely Fabulous!”

Bahia Pez Vela

Sep 28, 2008
2/2 found this review helpful

In April '08 I my family of nine visited the Guanacosta area of Costa Rica. We reserved a privately owned villa located in the Bahia Pez Vela Resort near El Coco. After arriving at the Liberia Airport we drove to a "jewel" of a place with its own beach, swimming pool, restaurant, and colony of howler monkeys! The three bedroom villa we had rented was immaculate with a great kitchen, three bathrooms, spacious living room, laundry room, outside clothes drying area, and lovely lawn with flowers overlooking the ocean. All of the appliances were of good quality and worked well. Although maid service was available every day, we only requested the service midweek - they did a great job!

For food, we bought groceries in the local markets, washed vegetables with a 10:1 water/bleach solution, and drank both bottled and villa water. NO ONE got sick during or after our vacation!

Each day we swam and snorkeled in the ocean right off the resort beach. When the tide was low, we hunted little sea creatures in the tide pools. More often than not, we had the beach to ourselves. Twice during the week we had massages on the beach for about $35/person (group rate). Maribelle was fantastic! The fellas at the restaurant also provided coupons for massages and other activities in the area. Besides swimming and snorkeling we rented kayaks from a little shop just outside of El Coco. There were many empty beaches and uninhabited islands to explore. On one beach my son had a verbal standoff with a monkey. The monkey won - it was his island!

Occasionally during the cool of the day we discovered small jellyfish in the water. We avoided stings by swimming when it was hot (best time to swim anyway!), wearing wet suits, or rubbing sand on any tiny stings (a suggestion of the massage therapist!). If we weren't in the mood for the ocean, we swam in the resort pool that was always clean and uncrowded. For extra exercise, my daughter-in- law, who trains for triathlons, found a nice fitness center just 15 minutes away in El Coco.

Other highlights of our week included riding the Canopy Tour zip lines through the jungle, taking a walking tour through the Butterfly Conservatory, and driving to the Arenal Volcano. It was worth the 4 hour trip to see and hear the volcano in action! If you go there, be sure to check road conditions before your departure - there are often detours due to rain wash outs. We stayed one night at the Smithsonian Arenal Observatory Lodge for the best views of the volcano. We also enjoyed seeing the many mammals, insects, and reptiles on our jungle hike at Arenal. If you have time, there are more great tours in the Monteverde area.

Of all of our family vacations, this was our favorite. Besides being adventurous and fun, it was the most restful. Of great significance was the return of my daughter in law's lost wedding ring that was found by one of the maids after we left! The villa owners also helped in the ring's return since it had to be brought back to the States! The owners were wonderful people to work with! Needless to say, we hope to return to Costa Rica and "our" villa at the Bahia Pez Bela Resort!

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — Not crowded - no wild parties, lots to explore!
    • Disliked — NOTHING to complain about!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
M.J.Mn.'s Summary
Date of Stay: April 2008
Traveled with: Family (extended)
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 50-64
Member since: July 07, 2005
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older travelers, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure
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Average price*: $277 (year-round)
“Great with kids!”

Bahia Pez Vela

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5 of 5 stars
Maryland
Sep 23, 2008

We stayed at Bahia Pez Vela unit 6 and loved it! The group consisted of three adults and three children ages 6, 8 and 11. There was plenty of space at this lovely villa for all and even a cabinet full of toys for the kids. We loved that the villa was located right by the beach. We flew into Liberia, which was exceptionally convenient (only 25 minutes away.)

The beach was perfect for all of the children -- and the adults! We spent hours playing in the water, exploring tidepools, snorkelling, and hiking to a nearby beach. One highlight was watching the sun set while we were in the water. We even saw monkeys in the trees by the beach in the early morning. We also enjoyed both beautiful infinity pools. The beach was very safe and neither the beach nor the pools were ever crowded. There were always just a few friendly people.

The staff was great. The office helped us arrange day trips both big and small. We also really enjoyed the restaurant, Picante, and very much appreciated the convenience of having a good restaurant right at the resort. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. They had an excellent children's menu -- the food served to kids was much better than in the US. We highly recommend Bahia Pez Vela.

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
SuzanneKG's Summary
Date of Stay: August 2008
Member since: September 23, 2008
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Average price*: $277 (year-round)
“A great find”

Bahia Pez Vela

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5 of 5 stars
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sep 2, 2008

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.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — Privacy, service, cleanliness, proximity to Playas de Coco
    • Disliked — N/A
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Madison50's Summary
Date of Stay: August 2008
Traveled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Other
Age group: 25-34
Member since: September 02, 2008
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
People with disabilities
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure, Other
Was this review helpful? Yes No
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Average price*: $277 (year-round)
“Girls' vacation rocked at bahia!”

Bahia Pez Vela

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5 of 5 stars
California
Aug 6, 2008

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!

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — friendly service & beautiful location/views
    • Disliked — that I can't live there
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
travelgal222's Summary
Date of Stay: July 2008
Traveled with: Friends
Visit was for: Hobbies / interest / culture
Age group: 35-49
Member since: August 06, 2008
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
People with disabilities
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $277 (year-round)
“FANTASTIC getaway at the Bahia”

Bahia Pez Vela

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5 of 5 stars
Southern California
Aug 6, 2008

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.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — Location
    • Disliked — Drive
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
bhalle1's Summary
Date of Stay: July 2008
Traveled with: Family with teenagers
Visit was for: Quality time with family
Age group: 35-49
Member since: August 06, 2008
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Great pool scene, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
People with disabilities
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Other
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $277 (year-round)

Reviews of Bahia Pez Vela

( 1-5 of 13 )
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Bahia Pez Vela Address

Playa Ocotal, Playas del Coco, Costa Rica