I booked a type 3 room at Villas Nicolas after reading great reviews and taking advantage of an off-season 35% off special. Wow, what a great decision that turned out to be! We spent 3 nights in villa "6 down," which offered spectacular views of the ocean from our patio and a good amount of privacy even with its location next to the pool.

The comfortable balcony really was the stand out - with its hammock, reading chairs, and nice dining table. We were able to watch monkeys from our balcony (sometimes just feet away) each evening. The living room/kitchen was also very useful and comfortable. The main bed wasn't large, but was comfortable. There was another bed, so, with the couch, we probably could have slept a family of 4.

The complimentary breakfast in the mornings was simple but good. The pool was wonderful. The location is also very good, walking distance to a number of restaurants and the grocery store - although a bit far for walking to the beach.

Finally, we used the hotel to book a guided tour of Manuel Antonio that was great! Henry was the best and definitely worth it!

My daughter and I spent 4 nights at Villas Nicolas celebrating her 30th birthday. It is a very intimate hotel with a small open air bar and restaurant and a refreshing pool. The villas are individually owned so the decor and layout varies slightly, but all villas that we were able to see were great!

I was originally placed in the villa at the top of the hill, closest to the office. My daughter was in the villa just below mine. It was either 11 up or 1 up, can't remember. I had a very difficult night- the street noise is very loud in this unit, and you can actually see the buses zooming by from the bathroom window. Also, across the street there is a new club that has a loud event on Mondays and some Fridays. I was up all night due to the music and loud drunken crowds moving to and from this club. Even with the a/c blasting and my sound machine on full blast, it was impossible to sleep through. I notified the office first thing in the morning- and they took care of my concerns immediately. They showed us every villa available and allowed us to choose which we would prefer. My daughter, by the way, was right below me and heard nothing. Almost all villas are built into the side of the hill and the acoustical differences are amazing! We moved to 7 up and 7 down. The rest of the trip was completely quiet and tranquil- save for the howler monkeys!

The sun sets around 6 and rises around 5, so if you are light sensitive bring your eye mask!

7up was definitely the most beautiful of all the villas. Though we met folks at the pool who swore by 3 down! It is spacious and gorgeous. There is a bathroom with a large open tile shower. Bedroom area with very comfortable bed. A sitting area and full kitchen. The porch is wonderful with a hammock and table and chairs. We spent many hours on the porch watching the monkeys, tucans, and other wildlife as well as the beautiful unfettered ocean view. My daughters room just below was just as nice but smaller with no porch but big open windows across the wall.

When swimming in the pool we were lucky enough to have a group of white faced monkeys playing right over our heads in the mango trees! The dinner meal was delicious and fresh. The bartender was a great guy- don't leave without indulging in a cacique sour!!

The location of Villas Nicolas is perfect! You can walk in one direction to several great restaurants and the local grocery store. The neighboring hotel on the right- Si Como No- has several little gift shops. It is a pretty hot and sweaty walk down the hill to Manuel Antonio but the bus stops are clearly marked and cost one dollar. The beach in the national park is totally worth it- gorgeous, stunning and on the quiet side of the island.

Tours- we signed up for two tours of the rainforest. One all ziplining and one that had ziplining, monkey drop, and water fall rappelling. Both were reserved by the front desk who had good suggestions for us. Both also included lunch which were the best meals we had the whole time we were in Costa Rica- very authentic made by family members of folks running the tours. Both tours were great! The double zip line on the first tour - sorry I don't remember the tour group names!- seemed like a good safety measure but once we were into it, didn't feel like we needed that. If my younger kids were doing ziplining it would probably make me feel better though!

We ate at several places throughout Manuel Antonio and all of our meals were amazing! My young son had us make a list of all the new foods we tried and whether we liked it or not so we were very adventurous! Cafe Milagro had the best gazpacho I have ever had. We enjoyed the sunset view and drinks at La Mariposa- both great! Could live without the food though and service was actually pretty terrible. Bring your suit and you can enjoy the sunset from the pool bar.

Overall, this was truly the trip of a lifetime. We felt like we found the best place to stay in Manuel Antonio- the perfect mix of quiet relaxation, convenience and comfort. I cannot wait to come back to Villas Nicolas!

My wife and I stayed here earlier this month and had a small suite overlooking the ocean. Very nice balcony with hammock, dining table & chairs, and two rocking chairs. Suite was equipped with stove, microwave etc. and internet in the rooms. Nice swimming pool and complementary breakfast. There is a small outdoor restaurant independently owned that is open for dinner and the food and service is excellent. If you are taking a guided tour of Manuel Antonio the guides will pick your up at the property. Nice beaches in the park (bring your swimwear) or you can go to the beaches outside the park. (About a 5 minute bus ride). If you take a cab make sure the cabdriver has his meter on or the ride will be very costly.

Good location between Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Good view and tropical grounds. Restaurant was great! Kids couldn't get enough of the Banana desert!

Each morning on our large balcony, we were visited by white faced monkeys swinging through the trees and eating leaves and fruit.

#9 had a full kitchen, two beds for the kids and two queen beds in the main room. The bathroom was large.

Occasionally, there was some noise from the road but it was expected since we were close to the main road.

It was convenient to many of the restaurants and bars in the area.

This was my second visit - I'll return!