The views of the Scarlet Macaws from the balconies brought us to the Villa Caletas. As we birded our way across Costa Rica we found the elegant surroundings and luxuries found here to be enchanting. Views are beautiful and the meals delicious. I enjoyed the sunset activities at the amphitheater. But the best moments were at the outdoor spa with an aromatherapy message after days of hiking.

Most beautiful resort. The views are spectacular. The service is top notch. Everyone who works at the Villa Caletas are so kind and helpful. Our only complaint is that breakfast is a bit pricey. They also should have some evening entertainment such as a music combo that would increase business at their bar and give guests something to do at night. Being so isolated at the top of the mountain leaves guests very little choice for ewvening activities. Loved the overall experience and would highly recommend this hotel.

If you have negative comments towards this place, well, you probably have problems everywhere you travel. My wife and I just returned from a great week at Villa Caletas. Had a Superior Junior Suite overlooking the Pacific Ocean with complete privacy. I would however recommend renting a car to travel around for other dinner options just up the road in Jaco. Villa Caletas was everything we were hoping and more. You can't get over the Toucans flying around as well as the beautiful Macaws that fly around all day. The beach isn't your ordinary beach but is completely private and secluded. Never had any problems with anyone at the resort. If we needed something, it was taken care of in a timely manner. Costa Rica is a beautiful place rain or shine. Do some exploring, check out some waterfalls. It's all very close, just don't be afraid to be adventurous. Let yourself go, don't sweat the small stuff and you will be in for a great vacation. As for us, we have traveled to many great places and islands. Costa Rica is right up there with the best of them and Villa Caletas comes recommended highly from us. We will return with our kids next year. Plan a day in Manual Antonio, it is a beatiful place with nice beaches.

We booked a 5-night stay with Villa Caletas via a groupon deal for the off-season, so we were able to get quite a good price. There's been a number of complaints about Groupon's travel deals not living up to what they had promised, but I'm pleased to say that Villa Caletas did not fall into that category.

Located about 5 minutes outside of Jaco by car, Villa Caletas is an eco-friendly resort carved out of a mountain with fantastic views and decor. Essentially, everything you see on the website is an accurate representation, if not an under-sell. The rooms have fantastic climate control, are well maintained, and come equipped with high quality furniture. Due to Villa Caleta's location you are going to see a good amount of wildlife (toucans, hawks, lizards, coatimundis, and occasionally monkeys) though nothing dangerous. The spiders are prevalent outside, but never invaded the rooms and kept to themselves. We had a view of the mountains from our porch in our junior suite, along with a jacuzzi outside.

The service was excellent. We arrived much earlier than we had expected to, but the staff were able to accommodate us almost immediately. Room service was very responsive, and maintenance was able to fix a small issue with our TV with ease. The servers at the restaurants and bars were very friendly and accommodating, and the concierge gave us great recommendations in terms of restaurants and bars in Jaco and excursions. One thing that really stood out to us was that when my girlfriend got a severe ear infection and she needed to see a doctor, the concierge was able to find one to come in from town immediately. The doctor showed up at the door in less than 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of valid criticisms. The food is really off-value for the money paid. When you keep in mind there is cheap, delicious seafood all around you, as well as good quality beef, it's a bit annoying to have to pay 14 bucks minimum for in some cases sub-TGIFridays level food -- some of the food lived up to it's value, but these were rare cases. We avoided the more expensive entrees because essentially, you are looking at close ~$40 per entree, and when the food doesn't impress you before that point, it's unlikely to do so. The bars were considerably better value; the bartenders knew their stuff, and the wine selection was great.

While it's somewhat expected that a resort would want you to spend most of your money there, it's disappointing when the value isn't coming through. You can get to town by having the concierge book you a car, but this is going to cost you $40 round trip for what is a 5 minute or less drive. It's hard to get a taxi (which are very affordable and safe) if you aren't in town, and it's nearly impossible to walk to Jaco from the resort, so this leaves you with little option. The excursions are also generally a little more pricey than some of the same ones you can find in town.

This isn't enough to stop me from recommending it; considering we booked our room for 50% off, it was a wonderful experience at a luxury resort, and by and large we were treated like royalty. Further, Costa Rica lacks a culinary identity somewhat, so the food issue is somewhat par for the course.

Final word: if you have some extra money, Villa Caletas is a great option for Jaco