If your are a dirty back packer and like camping then...this is your place. We visited Puerto Viejo (4 women and my teenage daughter) and rented all three cottages for one week. The location is great, across a nice beach BUT that's it!!! The cottages are old, infested by termites, dirty and without proper ventilation. It is almost impossible to sleep on their cots, trying to grasp air from a malfuntionning, noisy , 10 inch diameter fan. Look at my pictures and you'll notice how run down the place is. We advised the owners about the issuesbut they ignored us. I personally rented the bigger cottage and could not use the kitchen as I noticed that termite droppings were falling from the ceiling anytime someone was in the upper bedroom just above the kitchen!!! Furthermore as there is no screens, you either have to stay in the dark by closing the shutters or leaving everything open, welcoming all critters. I was also scared to use the shower or touch the plugs are the electrical wires are overly exposed! We could not wait to go home after a week!

I have been to Chimuri twice -- once in 1997 and then in September 2009. I had remembered it being beautiful, relaxing, removed from the town and I had the beach all to myself; this visit I found the same to be true, even though the town of Puerto Viejo has grown quite a bit in the last 12 years.

Mauricio and Colocha are excellent hosts, providing us access to filtered water (so no lugging bottles from town or purchasing a bunch of plastic ones) and having a cleaning lady come every few days to keep the houses clean. With the full kitchen we were able to cook most of our meals ourselves -- don't miss the weekly veggie truck! Great produce for even better prices.

You can easily rent bicycles either in town or up the road at Banana Azul and it makes getting to/fro Puerto Viejo very easy for shopping, discos, bars, restaurants, etc. But you're also very removed from the town, which I found quite lovely, and you're right in the midst of the jungle but by the sea.

I really love it here and will definitely plan to go back again -- much sooner next time!

to be one with Nature and living the experience of how simple and yet beautiful life can be.
ideal for meditation, disconnecting from a stressy city world. The genuine PURA VIDA (pure life) can still be felt here. My friends and I enjoyed it and are looking forward to return soon.

Within a couple of hours of arriving i felt the tranquil atmosphere of the Chimuri Beach Cottages ease all my tensions and concerns away. First impression is that the cottages are very basic, with no frills. Second impression is that you have everything that you need and that you are surrounded by beauty and a sense of well-being. I was traveling on my own for the first time (54 yr. old woman) and part of my intentions for this trip was to have a bit of a retreat, where I could relax, read, study, and pray. This was the perfect spot for this. Perfect!! It is right across from a black sand beach, and a nice walking distance from the village of Puerto Viejo. Made a nice routine, to get groceries, or explore a little, make phone calls and so on.

I also had a great time with fellow guests and with the owners Colocha and Mauricio are wonderful, helpful and extremely knowledgeable and sensitive to the ecology of this area. They also have a lovely dog Coco. If you are looking for something authentic and genuine to the east coast of Costa Rica, look no further. This is it.