Stunning Ocean View-Rainforest Villa. Concierge, Breakfast/Housekeeping M-F. | House in Dominical

10.0 (99 Reviews) |   4 Bedrooms  4 Bathrooms  13 Guests  Stay&Play
Ballena House | Stunning Ocean View-Rainforest Villa. Concierge, Breakfast/Housekeeping M-F.

4 Bedroom House in Ballena, Dominical

Refugio Madreselva's views of the Pacific coast will take your breath away. Enjoy the iconic view of the Marino Ballena Whale's Tail and beaches from the infinity pool, palapa, terrazes, social areas and the 2 master bedrooms. We are located in rain forested mountains, yet only 15 minutes from the beaches which make our location so special. Madreselva is ideal for the nature lover, birdwatcher, photographer, and anyone looking for peace and relaxation.
If you read our reviews, what makes us different from other rentals is that we have dedicated staff to pamper you. As part of your rental fee, Monday to Friday, Carolina and her husband Rumenigg will serve you a delightful breakfast made from local ingredients. She will also do light housekeeping - making beds, cleaning bathrooms and doing one load of laundry per day for your group.
Also included in our price is concierge service to help you plan and organize your trip. If you wish, Carolina will help you arrange transportation, vehicle rentals, tour reservations, on-site massage and yoga classes. Finally, Carolina and Rumenigg can prepare lunch and dinner for an additional fee. This is great deals as serving and clean-up is included for less than typical restaurant prices, and without having to leave the comfort of Madreselva. As you can see from our reviews, their cooking is highly praised by our guests.
The house was designed to be at one with nature, yet offer all the conveniences and charm our guests desire. The open-floor plan takes advantage of the ocean breezes, big views and incredible sunrise over the mountains. At night, leave your windows open - the climate is perfect for sleeping at 66-70 degrees year-round, as we are 1776 feet above sea level. We offer light cotton blankets in case you get cold easily. The HOUSE HAS NO STAIRS and is WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY.
The gourmet kitchen is spacious with high-end appliances, and granite counter tops. There is a small TV room with a flat-screen. The 4 bedrooms have high quality, comfortable mattresses to leave you refreshed and ready for days of adventures. Enjoy the views from our terraces and gently heated pool.
Each morning you will awake to the call of howler monkeys as you are surrounded by the wonders of nature. Sit by the pool and watch the clouds roll by, waves crash onto the Whale’s Tail, and birds fly everywhere. The thatch roofed palapa (called 'rancho' in Costa Rica) hangs over the valley offering seamless views, and is a perfect place to enjoy your morning coffee or a sunset cookout on the BBQ grill. The outdoor spaces are complete with hammocks and comfortable furniture perfect for napping or reading that book you have been dying to finish. In the evening the delightful fragrance of the Ylang-Ylang waft through the breezeways, and the stars on a clear night will remind you of life before city-light pollution.
You can also take advantage of our hiking trails for bird watching and photographing our diverse wildlife. A short walk in our forested trail will take you to a small waterfall, where you can sit to enjoy the sound of running water and nature. With little effort you are likely to see morpho butterflies, strawberry frogs, and on occasion howler and capuchin monkeys, coatimundis, as well as the occasional sloth, anteater and agouti.
Madreselva is the perfect base from which to launch several exciting excursions. You can choose among a dozen beaches, surfing, whale and dolphin watching, horse riding, birdwatching, water rafting, kayaking, zip lining, fishing, and day or night-guided nature tours. Near us you can hike to 3 magnificent waterfalls through primary forest, as well as swim and play in the local river.
Uvita is only minutes by car and offers a wide array of services including many restaurants, super markets, banks, a health clinic, dentist, pharmacy, veterinarian, and much more. If you are a golfer, the San Buenas 18 holes golf course is only 25 minutes away.
Madreselva is a 'green home' - we are proud that we rely on solar energy for power and hot water. The home was built to the highest ecological standards and best practices in tropical architecture. The roof is made from recycled plastic, the pool tiles are recycled glass, and the wood throughout the house comes from local wood, certified as being sustainably harvested. Even the dining room table was crafted from a hardwood tree that fell on the property decades ago.
We hope you will choose Madreselva for your next vacation, family get-together, small wedding, or yoga/meditation retreat. The balmy breezes, private setting, and lush jungle surroundings will leave you relaxed, refreshed and looking forward to your next visit to our beautiful country.
IMPORTANT: Our private gravel road (1 mile), while in excellent condition, is steep and thus you will need a 4x4 car to access our property. Also, our pool is not fenced, and all the rooms open to the breezeways, thus it is not suitable for toddlers or very young children.

This 4 Bedrooms House provides accommodation with Sports/Activities, Entertainment, Laundry, for your convenience. This House features many amenities for guests who want to stay for a few days, a weekend or probably a longer vacation with family, friends or group. This House is less than 7 km from Ballena, and gives visitors the opportunity to explore it. The rental House has 4 Bedrooms and 4 Bathrooms to make you feel right at home.

Check to see if this House has the amenities you need and a location that makes this a great choice to stay in Ballena. Enjoy your stay in Ballena at this House.

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Unique Amenities

  • Parking
  • Pool
  • TV
  • View
  • Private Pool
  • Ocean View
  • Balcony/Terrace
  • Security/Safety
  • Sports/Activities
  • Bedding/Linens
  • Fireplace/Heating
  • Guest Services
  • Entertainment
  • Breakfast
  • Barbecue/Outdoor Cooking
  • Child Friendly
  • Internet
  • Kitchen
  • Laundry
 
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Policies

Event Policy Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings;maximum event attendees: 25;pre-approval is required for parties and visitors.
Check-in Check-in time starts at 3:00 pm minimum check-in age: 25
Check-out Check-out before 11:00 am
Child Policy Children are welcome. note from host: pool not fenced. children under 7 need permission
Pet Policy Pets not allowed
Smoking Policy Smoking is not permitted;no-smoking strictly enforced as per contract
Other Policy Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip long-term renters welcome note from host: pre-approval is required for parties and visitors. parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site; maximum attendees: 25 safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed this property is managed through our partner, vrbo. you will receive an email from vrbo with a link to a vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
 
Dominical, 00000, Costa Rica

What Our Guests say 500 + Reviews

Apr 28, 2025 04:21:35 AM
Summary: Our family of 6 stayed at Madre Salva for 6 days during April vacation. To say that the experience was magnificent is an understatement. It is unreal. The house itself is thoughtfully designed and an ideal fit for our family. The communication and attentive service from Carolina and Rume were excellent. It was remote enough to feel "off the grid" but surrounded by activities and everything that you could need. We did plenty of walking, waterfall hiking, white-water rafting, and relaxing. Thank you so very much for this memorable experience.
Jerome D. Jerome D.
Apr 17, 2025 08:17:15 AM
Summary: our stay at Madre Selva was absolutely wonderful. the house was spacious, clean, and surrounded by wilderness. Every morning started with an orchestra of birds and beautiful sunrises. Highly recommend taking advantage of Carolina’s expertise, cooking, and planning. We had a fabulous time and will be coming back!
thomas c. thomas c.
Mar 21, 2025 04:03:04 AM
Summary: My girlfriend and I recently spent a week at "Refugio Madreselva". All expectations were exceeded. It's an easy 3.5 hour drive from SJO. You really do need a 4x4 to get up the driveway, go slow and steady, not bad at all. The pool and subsequent views of the valley below were the highlight. House and property were well manicured / landscaped. Carolina greeted us with breakfast each morning - she and her husband (groundskeeper) are amazing. I mentioned to Carolina that it was my GF's birthday during the trip. The next day she stopped by with the best tres leches cake I have ever tasted. So thoughtful.I would highly recommend a 20 min drive to Ojachal for a few dinners - great food. We will be back - this is a special place!!!
Chad W. Chad W.
Mar 15, 2025 04:46:27 AM
Summary: We had an amazing stay at Madreselva, definitely one of the best vacation experiences we’ve ever had. The home itself is beautiful, clean and the mountainside setting is spectacular, with incredible views over Uvita and the Whale’s Tail. To top it all off, Carolina was amazing, providing delicious breakfasts every morning, helping us arrange the best tours and sites to visit. She really made our stay truly memorable, as did all of the hardworking staff. We will definitely return again!
Andrew H. Andrew H.
Jan 15, 2025 02:37:57 AM
Summary: We stayed here 8 years ago and decided to come back again. Not much has changed. It is a great house with a great location.
David G. David G.
Jan 6, 2025 10:32:44 AM
Summary: Just a fantastic spot and we can’t say enough about the house, the views, and Carolina’s hospitality.The first time up the road was an experience and 4x4 is absolutely required - but it gets better with practice!Amazing home and vacation.
Kelly M. Kelly M.
Dec 11, 2024 05:57:21 AM
Summary: Communication with Carolina, (the property host) was excellent before and during our stay. She helped to coordinate our staggered arrival to the property, arrange some of our adventures. We had some quirky issues with the property gates and security alarms when we arrived, but Carolina was attentive to getting everything straightened out with just a phone call. The house was situated in the middle of the forest, with the view of the ocean and surrounded by the sounds of nature. It was cloudy for much of our visit so some of the nights were interrupted by the sounds of the generator located outside of our beautiful bedroom window. But the memories of the howler monkeys, toucans and other tropical birds prevailed. We appreciated the delicious breakfasts prepared by Carolina as well as the dinner the night before our departure. Our bilingual children and grandchild enjoyed conversations with Carolina and Rume in Spanish, and were pleased with Carolina's clear English for the others. The beautiful infinity pool was the desired spot for the grandkids, and perfect for our 5 year old to perfect his newly acquired swimming strokes. The hammocks were in constant use for relaxing. The bedroom on the back of the house with the queen bed and one twin bed was “less than ideal” as there was no cross ventilation and didn’t have an en-suite bathroom. The grounds were beautifully maintained and we enjoyed everything the house had to offer. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us.
Susan C. Susan C.
Aug 20, 2024 05:26:23 AM
Summary: Refugio Madreselva is what you envision when thinking of a Costa Rican vacation. This house is amazing. The view is breathtaking. The surrounding wildlife made this location truly one of a kind. However, what made it all come together was the property manager Carolina and of course her kind and sincere husband (not nephew ;) Rume. After a week with them, we felt like we were saying goodbye to family. Carolina was amazing with scheduling our excursions, transportation to and from the airport, and setting up our rental cars. By the way, when they say you need a 4x4 to access the property, you do need a 4x4. Traveling the road to the house was very much part of our adventures. The rental vehicles Carolina got us were perfect and we had no problems accessing the property, even when it was raining hard. Carolina's cooking is out of this world. Having breakfast prepared for us was so convenient and all of us could not wait to taste the next meal. Carolina and Rume made us some pretty amazing dinners with desserts. The layout of the house is awesome. There are 3 separate buildings of the house. This provided the group with privacy and a central meeting place. The infinity pool was so refreshing to dip in after a long hot day. This property gave us everything to make our first trip to Costa Rica memorable for years to come. Thank you to Carolina, Rume, and Tico for taking such good care of us! Sincerely, the Colorado and Oregon gangs
Tracie Y. Tracie Y.
Jul 15, 2024 06:11:52 AM
Summary: My family and I stayed at Madreselva for 8 nights in July and had a wonderful time! The views were absolutely amazing and constantly changing as the weather changed. I probably have 8 versions of the same picture from the pool area...each stunning. The house was exactly as the pictures showed and perfect for our group of 8 ("kids" from 17-23 and three parents). The house was set up perfect for our needs with shared space for hanging at the pool, eating and playing games after dinner.....but also enough separation to allow the kids an escape to their rooms when needed. Carolina was so helpful from the time we first booked the trip, to planning our adventures, and helping us with everything in-between. We were supposed to land in Costa Rica at 1:20 p.m. and she had a driver waiting to pick us up and bring us to the house. However, after flight delays and rerouting, we didn't arrive until after 9:00 p.m. She was in constant communication with us to make sure we were ok and that our driver was ready whenever we were. When we finally made it to the house around 1:00 a.m. Carolina and her husband were waiting for us with the 4-wheel drive vehicles to bring us up the mountain! Was so appreciative for their patience and help after such a long and stressful day. Would recommend the house to anyone and hope to return some day!
Kathy S. Kathy S.
Jun 9, 2024 07:12:12 AM
Summary: This was the ideal place for our family from grandparents to grandkids. And having Carolina, the housekeeper who made breakfasts, tidied up and did laundry was a real plus. She was a great source of information and did concierge duty to the many tours and arrangements that needed to be made.
Bob H. Bob H.

FAQ's

Is this Ballena house pet-friendly for guests?

No, pets are not allowed at this property. Check the guest reviews to learn what guests had to share.

Does the Ballena house have a swimming pool?

Yes, this Ballena house has a swimming pool. Check the Facility Overview section for details about the pool and other available facilities.

How much does it cost per night to stay in Ballena house?

Best-rates for the Ballena house starts from $593 per night with includes Pool, Private Pool, Ocean View, Balcony/Terrace, Fireplace/Heating, Guest Services, Child Friendly, Internet, TV, Security/Safety, Bedding/Linens, Barbecue/Outdoor Cooking, Sports/Activities, Entertainment, Laundry, Parking, View, Breakfast, Kitchen StayAndPlay offers fully equipped golf villas, golf hotels, golf resorts, luxury golf cabins, and exclusive golf retreats, making it easier than ever to find your perfect golf escape — ideal for families, peaceful getaways, or pet-friendly retreats with the whole crew.

Is Ballena house a family-friendly place to stay?

Based on the information we have received from the owner or our partner, this is considered to be a family-friendly property. Families have rated this house Good or guests have recommended them suitable for families. As reported by the owner or manager, the house has specified that children are welcome. Please see details about suitability for your family or inquire with the property to learn more.

Is the Ballena house wheelchair accessible or offer services for disabled guests?

Based on the information received from our partner, the Ballena house has not specified they are wheelchair accessible. Likewise, there is not an elevator specified as being available at the property. Specific accessibility details may be addressed in the property details section of this page.

What is the minimum night stay policy for the Ballena house?

Based on the information reported by the owner or manager, the Ballena house indicates 1 day stay policy at this house. Guests are cautioned that the minimum stay policy may differ based on seasonality or availability and may be at the discretion of the owner or manager.

What cancellation policy is in place for Ballena house?

Based on the information reported by the owner or manager, details for the cancellation policy for the Ballena house are as follows: Cancellation policy Guests are cautioned that the cancellation policy may differ based on seasonality, availability, or current travel restrictions. Guests should also be aware that this policy may be subject to change and should be confirmed prior to booking. More details may be available on this page in the property description. However, early check-in or late check-out can sometimes be negotiated between the guest and the owner or the manager of this property.

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