The house itself is beautiful, really well maintained, and cozy yet modern. Paul and his family took great care of us. The breakfasts were hearty, filling, and offered a view into the local cuisine, and were accompanied by an informal bird show, since plates of fruit are left out in the morning to attract some avian amigos. After dinner the first night we were hooked- I think we ate dinner there every night of the stay since we knew it would be a solid choice. We had pizzas two nights, and the vegetarian lasagna. They had plenty of veggie friendly options. In general the hospitality was impeccable.

Going into this portion of our trip, we had some ideas as to what we were interested in doing. During our stay we ended up white water rafting, hiking Arenal, and going to the hanging bridges. Paul helped us plan our trips. He has preferred companies and guides that he works with, and we had great experiences with everything. It was rainy and cloudy during the entirety of the stay, but white water rafting in the rain was still a ton of fun, and we were even able to see a fair amount of animals in the hanging bridges park.

Over all it was a great house and having Paul and his family help us added immensely to our experience. I think everyone in my group is looking forward to coming back and spending more time at Casa Cielo!

My sister and I desired to experience 'la pura vida' with our parents. Planning a vacation for a family of four...with diverse interests and traveling experience... in a country where we were unfamiliar was daunting at first... then we found casa cielo.

This rental is a spacious and well-maintained house tucked away in a remote area with amazing views of the volcano. It features many amenities for all of us--a pool, outdoor dining area, a slick bar set-up, and comfortable hammock. Two rooms on the bottom floor with king and queen beds. The upstairs is like its own apartment with indoor and outdoor accessibility--the view from the bed to the volcano was majestic! Kitchen was fully equipped including handy coolers for our day-trips AND open space for late night pasta cooking. The location was off the main road a few kilometers, but very accessible for driving once we got familiar with the area.

While the house itself is a gem, the hospitality rendered by the neighbor/owner, Paul, transforms it into a true home away from home. Breakfast every morning--fresh fruits, hot coffee, and a delicious menu of breakfast dishes. I would recommend the traditional dish The Tico--very filling for a day of activities. We also had the pizza and lasagna for dinner, both were very tasty. My family considers themselves vegetarian food lovers, and we were very satisfied. Paul even hunted down some exotic fruits per my mom's request--amazing.

Paul professionally and quickly answered our questions about the place even before we booked. Upon booking, he provided ample materials for planning the trip including a VERY useful set of direction including pictures! Upon arrival and throughout our entire stay, he and his wife proved to be kind, warm people and very nice, helpful hosts. He arranged for various activities including poolside massages, a trip to Cano Negro with a guide and driver and a sky-tram tour. He was a very useful resource for getting directions and finding our way around the La Fortuna and Volcano Park area. Even got an inside scoop on the local hot spring spot. He made managing and planning our vacation a breeze.

Paul and his wonderful family's hospitality at Casa Cielo makes this rental into a sanctuary. It made our trip to Costa Rica unforgettable, it will forever hold a special place in our hearts.

This house is a hidden trasure - a wonder in the the Arenal area. A bit removed from the major highway and, like the Springs, accessible by a long dirt road, this architectural wonder provided extraordinarily comfortable lodging for our family of 7 (including 3 adult children and 2 tweeners). The house offers a relaxing pool, lounges and covered outdoor dining table, bar and brick oven. The living room kitchen area is a large space, beautifully decorated and comfortable for relaxing indoor conversation in an open California-style space. Bedrooms and bathrooms are modern and comfortable. Transition to a large upstairs master passess through an outdoor covered space with bar and seating and hammock, offering an alternative for outdoor relaxation. Paul is a gracious, attentive, service oriented owner who lives in the neighboring house and takes pride in his personal creation which was clearly a labor of love. Paul helped us arrange activites and transportation - all executed flawlessly. Thanks Paul - you were fantastic.

We were a family of 7 (3 adults and 4 children ages from 7-14) traveling together. I would say that my expectations were pretty high prior to arriving at Casa Cielo based on the previous reviews not to mention we were spending the Christmas Holiday away from home.
We arrived to a beautiful home that was immaculately clean. The views from the second floor open air living space are breath taking. The children loved their time swimming in the pool, watching the many birds on the property and using the hammocks. As adults who were looking for some rest outside of excursions we appreciated that the kids were happy and we were able to relax with amazing views in amazing accommodations.
Perhaps the best part of staying at Casa Cielo is the manner in which you are treated by Paul and Rosie. Most importantly they are an absolutely lovely couple with perfect instincts about what their guests need/want. Paul is exceptionally helpful with booking excursions, providing good driving directions (trust me this is pretty important where not much is marked) and tips on pretty much anything that will help you while in the area. Rosie prepares much of the daily breakfast which is amazing...an excellent base to start your activities.
Since we were there over Christmas we did request dinner for Christmas Eve. The dinner was perfect. Every person enjoyed the wonderful mix of tamales and traditional US holiday foods. We were even treated with a few fireworks to top off the evening....as you may guess the children were thrilled with that surprise.
Overall I can't recommend this property highly enough. Paul and his family (I forgot to mention their two adorable children) operate an environment that is far better than any hotel could offer. We will definitely be back to Costa Rica and to Casa Cielo!

We visited Casa Cielo in mid December 2015. The house and the host fully deserve 5 stars: we were helped with advise from what to do in Arenal to booking all our activities. There is so much to do in the area, Costa Rica is great. And our hosts made the experience memorable, helping in every possible way. The breakfasts and dinners that they cooked for us were fantastic! Thank you Rosie and Paul!

We had the joy of staying at Casa Cielo for a weekend and it was absolutely wonderful. The pictures do not do the house justice--it is just gorgeous. The outdoor area is just wonderful--the pool, hammock, dining table, water display, it was all so peaceful. Paul and his family were incredibly kind and awesome hosts. All of the food that we ate was EXCELLENT. Paul was also wonderful about communicating with me via email prior to our trip to help plan our activities. He knows some of the best guides in the area, and his assistance was so helpful. Also, Martin, the private driver that he used, was great! Awesome driver and so nice. My only regret is that we weren't able to stay for longer. I certainly hope we can return to this piece of paradise one day!