Spectacular view, convenient to attractions of Monteverde and Arenal Volcano

We found Casa Esmeralda to be the perfect spot for us to stay in Costa Rica. The view of Lake Arenal is breathtaking. The people of Nuevo, Arenal, are different than any other people we’ve ever met. Esmeralda was the perfect home for us. It’s a private location only minutes away from a small town with some of the best restaurants you’ve ever dined in. In two months, we’ve gotten to know, the restaurant owners, the shopkeepers and many others in town. Each person was friendlier than the last one we met. If you’re not obsessed with culture and busy days will absolutely love being here. Our house had all of the amenities that you could ask for. It meant all of our needs, and then some. We had many guests, all of them were comfortable in the home, and absolutely loved being here. We can’t say enough about Denis, Jennifer, Amelia, and Kirsten. They responded to our requests immediately and took care of any issues promptly. Many thanks to our host and staff. We are grateful for the opportunity to live in Casa Esmeralda for Teri months. We will be back. If you stay Casa Esmeralda, you will not be disappointed.

Loved this spot so much we canceled plans to head out and explore one day, and just hung out at the place to enjoy a secluded spot and a jaw-dropping view. It was raining quite a bit when we first arrived, so when the air cleared the next day, it was just incredible. Saw lots of beautiful birds and great sunset view. Highly recommended!

House was great! View was amazing! Kirsten was so kind to buy us a barbecue, which we really appreciated. Great restaurants in the area- we really enjoyed Gingerbread Restaurant and Moya's. Everything was great!

We were a group of 4 and overall we had an enjoyable and relaxing stay. We enjoyed the views, the wild life and the colorful gardens. The local town of Nuevo Arenal is close by and has some great, casual places to eat with really good food (Lucky Bug, Los Platillos Voladores, Las Delicias). Ed had returned to US before we arrived, and his friend Kirsten got us settled and was helpful with a couple of questions we had during our stay. The use of the local phone was very helpful. However there are some things that either need attention or guests need to be aware of. The beds are a disaster - this is primarily because there is no box spring under the mattress, and so the mattress collapses into the bed frame during the night. The recent renovations mentioned in the property description were not very evident and seem to be relatively minor. The kitchen is functional but needs updating, and the washing machine & drier are rusty and tired looking, but worked fine. The cleaning in the bathrooms prior to our arrival was not good and there were many examples of hair around the basins and shower. The internet was slow, but I suspect this is not so much a property problem but the capability of the local infrastructure. There were only 3 rocking chairs available rather than the stated 4. Guests need to be aware that any food crumbs/particles not cleaned up will attract ants. As a final comment, while the views are good, they are not "one of the most spectacular in Costa Rica". With a small amount of extra attention this property would go from good to great.