We stayed at MA Estates for 2 weeks this month with our 3 kids (12, 10 and 7) and really enjoyed our time there. We had no vehicle and could easily walk to town for anything we needed. There's a couple of close supermarkets within minutes of the entrance.
We LOVED the pool - especially in the afternoons when we could swim and watch the monkeys in the trees nearby. Many days they came onto the roof of the condos and even right onto the balconies. We saw one push over a rocking chair on the balcony and even try the door handle! (You may want to keep your balcony door closed if you're swimming in case they get really brave and enter into the condo).
Dorit at at the front desk is wonderful. She was really helpful and knowledgeable. She helped us arrange two tours (Rainmaker Jungle Hike and Mangrove Tour). We would highly recommend BOTH tours.
Things to know about:
1. the hill going up to the condos is STEEP and you'll be sweating by the time you get to the top - it definitely burns off the sweets you should try out at Musmanni Bakery in town.
2. The air conditioning is only in ONE bedroom, not the whole condo.
3. The kitchen supplies are minimum. There was one pot and one saucepan in our condo. There were no baking dishes for the oven but we did get one brought over when we asked for one. We had to eat cereal and oatmeal out of a cup because there were not enough bowls.
4. There are tiny ants that get into everything that's left out on the counter. You'll want to use zip-lock bags or tightly sealed containers to store any food items not in the fridge.

We stayed in Villa Jacana in 2012.

Pros:
- Dorit (in the main office) was VERY helpful and nice
- Requests were followed-up on
- Good Excursion recommendations
- Affordable
- Could accomodate a large group
- Didn't have to book for a full week
- Relatively near a bus stop (and the bus is inexpensive and reliable)
- Private pool
- Safe

Cons:
- MAE's pictures made it look nicer than it was (we were extremely disappointed with the house upon arrival, poor construction that has been through lots of wear and tear)
- Air conditioning only in bedrooms (made common areas of the house unbearable)
- We did not rent a car and Villa Jacana is up a very steep long hill
- The "short walk" into town was at least 15 - 20 minutes and was through unpleasant areas
(We also found that being near the town of Quepos did not have any advantage, we wished we were much closer to Manuel Antonio park area.)

Notes:
- They do not provide towels for the pool or beach. Only bath towels that they instruct you from using otherwise.
- Grocery stores were small and expensive. Cooking for ourselves was a bigger inconvenience than anticipated.

In the end we were very disappointed and would not recommend MAE (with the exception of the great service from Dorit). If we return to Quepos/Manuel Antonio we will stay somewhere else.

My wife and I just spent a wonderful vacation with the kids and grandkids at Manuel Antonio Estates near Quepos, Costa Rica. We had booked a 5 bedroom home and were upgraded at no additional cost to a 7 bedroom estate at the top of the hill overlooking Quepos and the bay. The house was elegant, clean, well maintained, and very convenient to Quepos, the national park, and the beaches. This was our fourth "grandkids" summer trip and the best by far. The kids especially enjoyed the pool built into the deck. We saw monkeys in the trees next to the house, as well as many birds including Toucans. We highly recommend this property.

We rented this property for one of my tour groups as an upgrade. Usually we don't stay in luxury but if you divide the price between 14 persons it comes even less than a hotel but gives you much more!
I prefer this type of accommodation instead of boring big hotel chains. You are close to everything yet separated on a small hill (which can be frustrating to climb in a heat if you are without a car or taxi). Its not the most modern, highest luxury, but a very comfortable, affordable place for up to 14 persons. The rooms have with private bath and AC plus there is a little pool and the really big sun deck where we all fit during the night barbecue. The living area could need an A/C but apart from this you have everything here!