We spent a week at Montezuma Beach Houses in April of 2012. We toured the area extensively and are convinced that there is no better place to stay in Montezuma.
-It is private.
-It has amazing beach access.
-It is right next to the turtle preserve.
-It is just a 5 minute walk into town.
-The owners, caretakers, etc. are all wonderful.
-The houses are charming!! They remind me of a luxury version of the Swiss Family Robinson house in the old movie.
-The pool was WONDERFUL.
-We loved the sounds of the ocean, animials and birds....you can hear them all day and night. It is magical.
-The outdoor cooking area next to the pool is perfect for entertaining.
-There are dozens of fruit trees on the property----go pick your breakfast.
-The beds were comfortable and clean.
-The kitchens were modern and stocked with all the tools you need.

I read some of the negative reviews and frankly I don't understand them. We LOVED Montezuma Beach Houses.

My husband and I spent a magical week at the Montezuma Beach Houses with my young son (aged 7) and a friend.

The people are wonderful, the beaches amazing, and the beach houses are charming, cozy, and private.

I wish we could have stayed a month. We hope to go back sometime when the turtles are hatching.

Was very "rustic" accommodation in terms of the tree house property not being very well maintained. The floor tiles were cracked, broken and missing. The mosquito nets had many large holes in them. The taps in the bathroom were partially broken. The biggest downfall of this rental is the lack of A/C (which I didn't think we needed) but with 35 degree heat, you need it. We were hoping there would be a breeze off the ocean but the large house in front of the tree house blocks the breeze you might normally get.

The pool was great. Our son had a blast in the pool everyday. We actually discovered a Turtle Camp was set up right in front of the property on the beach where they rescue and release turtles to the ocean. The camp is run by volunteers who do round the clock watches for the turtle nests. I thought this was really cool and one of the main highlights of the location but the owner did not seem overly excited about his obstructed view. Anyway the walk to town with our little boy (4 yrs old) was close and easy and safe and you could walk down the other direction towards Ylang Ylang which was very cool. I absolutely loved the Location - I think the owners have a real gem...they just need to work on the upkeep of the property. Laying in the hammock at night and hearing the waves crashing was the best part!

The caretaker Oldemar - was a wonderful person and so friendly and helpful.

I think that, in general, the Montezuma area is ideal for someone who is interested in a “get back to nature” or “get in touch with the local culture” kind of experience. It is a perfect location for an eco-vacation. If you are looking for a surf experience then Montezuma is perfect. But if you are looking for a luxury vacation then go somewhere else.

I loved my visit to Montezuma. There were no crowds, no tourists, the people we wonderful, there was no crime, no cheap t-shirt shops selling crap, none of that.

I thought the weather was great, I loved the authentic experience...and I could not get enough of the local produce. You won’t get better tasting fruits or vegetables anywhere!! My friends and I zip-lined, rode horses on the beach, rented ATVs, bought local craft items in town, and generally enjoyed ourselves.

But at none of the local hotels, hostels, or homes did we ever experience anything that anyone would call luxury. I think that the general standard of luxury in Costa Rica is much lower than we would experience in the US.

I booked the villa at the Montezuma Beach Houses, in part, because the word luxury was used several times in the description on the website--and the pictures looked great. And also I wanted the privacy of a residence rather than a hotel. But it was neither luxurious or private by US standards.

Montezuma Beach Houses are charming, rustic, homey, relaxing, and cozy. I do not want to turn you off in any way. We really enjoyed our stay and would considering going back again. THIS PLACE IS TOTALLY WORTH A VISIT. YOU'LL LOVE IT. YOU JUST NEED TO MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE WORD 'LUXURY'.

There are some things that the owners could do to improve the overall experience.

I always try to paint a very clear picture when I write a review of any kind. I don’t want to overstate the pros or understate the cons. I just want to be honest and clear.

Below is a list of my issues:

+++There is absolutely no privacy. The owner and members of her family were in and out of the house and the immediate area multiple times each day. They hang out in the back of the house on the carport, walk through to get items from the storage area, come in to get things from within the house, etc.
++There is constant foot traffic in front of the house on the little public road. People wander on to the property no realizing that it is a private house and locals selling things also come by every day.
+++The grounds are generally well kept but lots of the trees have dead branches or palms hanging down and some plants look like they really need to be pruned. Many of the plants are very overgrown and causing problems with the pavement, etc. I think they are going for much more of a wild and real look rather than a manicured look.
+++There are many, many tiles missing from the swimming pool; the lounge chairs and cushions are weathered and worn.
+++Many of the outdoor lights and the outdoor speakers (for music) do not work.
+++The gas stove and range in the kitchen doesn’t get much of a flame so it takes a long time to cook anything. The outdoor cooking area works much, much better. We ended up grilling a lot.
+++The outside dining table is beautiful!!! But the chairs are old and worn and the cushions are as well.
+++The furnishings are fine. Nice and comfortable. But the beds upstairs are queen-sized but in a king frame--so there is a huge, weird gap at the ends of the beds between the mattress and the frame.
+++The only washing machine on the property is on the back porch of the villa in plain site of the pool, the outside dining area, etc. So the caretakers, other visitors, etc. are doing laundry right where you are hanging out.
+++The laundry for all of the three homes on the property is hung to dry right outside the back of the villa within plain view of the swimming pool. So you get to look at the owner’s underwear drying while you sit by the pool.
+++The quality of the bed linens and towels is very, very poor. The are old, worn and stained. And since all of the items are line-dried they are not at all soft---are very rough, in fact. Just making the investment in really nice linens and towels would improve the entire experience ten fold.
+++Many of the outlets, lights and switches in the house do not work.
+++All of the metal bathroom and kitchen fixtures are a little bit corroded.
+++The wireless internet service is fine when it works.
+++The short path from the house to the beach has some garbage, broken glass, and lots of driftwood in the way. No one from either the Montezuma Beach Houses, the local village, or the government takes any responsibility for cleaning up the beach.