Costa Rica Vacation Villa for Rent

Beyond 5-Star Service

And our staff will ensure that you enjoy individualized service "beyond five stars". Karen, our housekeeper, will pamper you with authentic, lovingly prepared Costa Rican meals exceeding anything you can possibly get at a restaurant. Meanwhile, the owner's assistant, Laura, is available to offer local travel advice and handle any concierge service you may require so that you can focus on your travel experience and enjoy the house.

Personalized, authentic travel experience
The owners are simply travel fanatics.  Based on five years living in Costa Rica and hosting numerous friends from around the world, we pretty much know every excursion, every restaurant, every instructor, and every special nook possible.  Our visitors have a short time to enjoy the area; we want it to be just right.  We work with every visitor to find out just what they want from their holiday, and we will customize our service appropriately.  All bookings are usually followed by a few phone calls to understand your interests so we can make sure we provide you our opinionated advice on making your visit special.
Our objective is to guide you so that you travel like a local, experience the best of what our rich environment offers, and weave together a special story about your Dominical experience.
The possibilities are endless, but here is a sampling.
Select possibilities:

• In-villa massage.  We have 2 or 3 favorite masseuses in the area who will come to the villa…enjoy a sunset massage right on the terrace while you listen to the birds and the waves in the background.
• Personalized or group yoga.  There is arguably no better place to learn or improve yoga than in the midst of the rainforest or on an idyllic beach.  We can arrange yoga instruction right in our villa…or you can join group classes nearby.
• Fried tilapia in the rainforest.  Catch your own Tilapia in a pond surrounded by rain forest covered mountains, and have it cooked to order in a friendly, thatch-covered restaurant…accompanied by fried plantains, Costa Rican picadillo, and naturally, a cold Imperial, Costa Rica’s most popular beer.  Then walk down the dirt path to a lovely swimming hole next to a beautiful waterfall and cool off before heading back to the Villa.
• Beach excursions to tranquil beaches.  Mati can pack a lunch and a cooler full of drinks, or you can bring the portable grill and have a fun beach barbecue.  There are countless out of the way beaches in the area, and we’ll point you in the right direction.
• Weeklong surf lessons to enjoy Dominical’s epic waves.  Whether a beginner, or just brushing up after a few years out of the water, we’ll provide you with just the right instructor who will work around your holiday schedule.  Leave Dominical as a bona fide surfer…tattoos optional.
• Customized day excursion to the Osa Peninsula.  Board a boat from the sleepy little former banana plantation town of Sierpe.  Once on board, get ready for a one-day immersion into the heart of the rainforest…slowly explore Central America’s largest mangrove canals where you can see exotic birds – and a crocodile or two.  Head out to the open sea and land at Corcovado National Park the heart of what National Geographic calls the “most biodiverse place on the planet”.  Arrive back at the villa by sunset where Mati will have cold beers and appetizers ready for your arrival.

The Menu A trip overseas is incomplete without trying the local cuisine. After five years of living in Costa Rica, the owners and their visitors find that the best place to eat Costa Rican food in Costa Rica is in someone’s house. One of the fun things about staying at Casa Mar y Luna is precisely the chance to try authentic, home cooked Costa Rican food. Mati uses seasonal ingredients so you can enjoy simple everyday dishes…or more elaborate festive type meals.  We can have groceries stocked for your arrival, but we also suggest you have fun shopping with Mati at the local farmer’s markets and seafood stands after your arrival.

Breakfast possibilities Costa Rican full breakfast.  Fried or scrambled eggs, Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican national staple which is rice and beans mixed and seasoned), platano maduro (fried sweet plantains), home made tortilla (needs no explanation…to die for, not like the store bought stuff), natilla (extra creamy sour cream), and queso frito (fried cheese).   Local granola with plain yogurt and fruit.  All ingredients purchased at our local organic farmer’s market, this makes a light and nutritious way to start off the day. Omelet with potatoes and toast.  An international favorite, toppings can include cheese, tomatoes, ham, mushrooms…your choice. Owner’s favorite:  mushrooms and tomatoes!  Accompanied by Mati’s homestyle, diced potatoes.  Breads and fruits platter.  Our local farmer’s market has providers of homemade wheat bread and other baked products.  Costa Rica has an abundance of tropical fruit:   mango, papaya, banana, pineapple, or maybe something more exotic like mamon chino, guanabana, or carambola.   A large fruit stand is located right at the entrance of Dominical, open 365 days a year. Pancakes or crepes.  No description required.  Owner’s kids say that it makes them smart. Gerardo’s mother’s tamales.  Mati’s husband’s mother makes the best tamales in Costa Rica.  Period.  Made from a dough of ground corn and wrapped with banana leaves, the tamales also have pork, potato, and other condiments.  These are usually made for the Christmas season, but through our family connections, we can arrange a special order for your visit.  Just give us advanced notice.  Highly recommended.

Lunch or dinner possibilities Oya de carne.  Considered by most to be the Costa Rican national dish, this is a traditional beef and oxtail soup, cooked slowly with plantains, yucca (a stringy potato), and other assorted potatoes and vegetables.  Usually enjoyed by Costa Rican families on Sunday get togethers, it somehow is not offered at local Dominical restaurants.  Honestly, no trip to Costa Rica is complete without it. Pozol.  Originated in meso-American indigenous cultures, this is a heavily condimented stew made from hominy corn, cilantro, and a pork broth, it is accompanied by diced onions and peppers and chopped cilantro to season to taste.  Served to politicians and local business magnates alike, this is another “must have”. Carne en salsa.  A Costa Rican “comfort food”, this is a basic tomato-based braised shredded beef dish.  Normally accompanied by Mati’s famous rice and beans or a cabbage salad. Picadillo de “whatever’s in season”.  Picadillo is basically diced vegetables  with ground beef.  If it’s available, Mati prefers to use green papaya, but any kind of plantain, squash, potato, yucca, or other firm vegetable or root is possible.  This dish can be enjoyed as the main element of a meal or a side dish. Pupusa.  Simple and yummy, this is basically like a Mexican quesadilla with a twist; a homemade tortilla stuffed with cheese and fried in oil.  Can be accompanied with homemade pico de gallo (tomato salsa).  Probably not on the weight watcher’s list, so probably best enjoyed by itself, maybe with an Imperial Beer. Assorted appetizer platter.  A meal in itself or perfect for a happy hour sunset, this is an assortment of tasty little Costa Rican appetizers.  Costilla frita (fried pork ribs), fried yucca, pico de gallo (tomato salsa), guacamole, frijoles molido (refried creamy black beans), and homemade tortilla chips.

Mati specializes in authentic, home made Costa Rican dishes.  For a change of pace, or if you simply love to relax by cooking, you may also cook yourself.  Casa Mar y Luna's kitchen is fully equipped and we have excellent fresh ingredients nearby.  Seafood, of course, is the highlight.  A local fish stand is located just three minutes down the hill.  Locally sourced tuna, mahi mahi, shrimp, marlin, and other fish make a great base for a wonderful meal.  A local farmer’s market (open Friday and Saturday mornings) provides excellent seasonal fruits and vegetables.  We have a pretty well-stocked supermarket ten minutes away that has a variety of American, European, and Asian products including cheeses, pastas and most other everyday foods, condiments, and vegetables.

You may also cook yourself if you prefer. Casa Mar y Luna's kitchen is fully equipped.

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