Walk Through Casa Colorado

Take a self-guided tour of our family's vacation rental home in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, from the front gate to the jungle behind the pool. Scroll, and follow the footprints.

The front gate

We know. It is not much to look at. That is total Tamarindo style: the best houses here hide behind a plain wall and a slightly dusty gate, and nobody walking by has any idea there is a pool and a jungle on the other side. Keep scrolling. It gets better fast.

Gated entrance to the walled Casa Colorado property seen from the street

Casa Colorado sits on a quiet street at the south end of Tamarindo. Turn left out of the gate and Playa Tamarindo is about a 4-minute walk. The whole property is walled, with a pedestrian door and a gated driveway, and keypad entry means you can leave the keys behind when you go surfing.

The driveway

Inside the gate, a stone-paved driveway gives you secure parking off the street, with tropical plants growing right up to the edges. The gate closes behind you, and the street noise goes with it.

The casita

Casa Colorado casita with a queen bed, green walls, a TV and a small dining table on terracotta tile floors

To the right is the casita, a separate little house with its own entrance. It has a queen and a twin, a kitchenette, its own bathroom, air conditioning, a TV and a safe. It sleeps 3, which is why Casa Colorado works so well for grandparents or a second family who want their own space.

The jungle garden

Stone courtyard with tropical garden beds in front of the main house at Casa Colorado

Between the casita and the main house, patches of jungle garden line the path. Landscape lights come on in the evening, so the walk back from dinner in town feels like coming home to a garden.

The front door

Front porch of the Casa Colorado main house at dusk with a wooden door, lit windows and a green lawn

The path leads straight to the front door of the main house: 4 bedrooms in all, counting the casita, and 4 bathrooms, so every bedroom has its own bath.

The great room

Vaulted great room at Casa Colorado with white sofas, ceiling fans and wooden doors

The great room is the heart of the house, with a vaulted ceiling, ceiling fans, smart TVs and a sofa bed for one more guest. The double doors at the back open straight onto the covered patio and the pool.

The kitchen

Casa Colorado kitchen with granite island and stainless appliances

A real cooking kitchen with an island, a breakfast bar with stools, a dishwasher, a garbage disposal and a chilled, filtered water tap. The tap water in Tamarindo is safe to drink too. Our grocery guide covers where to shop.

The master suite

Casa Colorado master suite with king bed, wooden wardrobe and reading chair

On the left side of the house, the master suite has a king bed, a closet and its own en-suite bathroom. Like every bedroom at Casa Colorado, it has air conditioning, and there is an "all AC off" button for when you head out to the beach.

The bunk room

Bunk room at Casa Colorado with a twin over full bunk bed, nightstand and lamp

Across the house, the bunk room has a twin-over-full bunk and its own bathroom. It is usually the first room the kids claim.

The queen bedroom

Queen bedroom in the Casa Colorado main house with a carved wood bed, blue spread and glass-door shower

Next door, the queen bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom as well. Altogether the main house sleeps 9: the king, the queen, the bunk room and the sofa bed. Add the casita and Casa Colorado sleeps 12.

The covered patio

Covered patio at Casa Colorado at dusk with blue-cushioned teak chairs, a hammock and café lights

Through the double doors, the covered patio runs the width of the house: a long teak table for family dinners, teak loungers, and shade all afternoon. Café lights come on at night.

Ping pong and the grill

Outdoor ping pong table beside the lit pool and covered patio at Casa Colorado at night

At one end of the pool deck: a professional outdoor ping pong table we brought down from the USA, and the gas BBQ grill. Tournaments here get serious.

The pool, the waterfall and the rope swing

Casa Colorado private pool glowing blue at dusk with the covered patio, hammock and rope swing

The private, natural-shape black-bottom pool is 5 feet deep, with a stone waterfall at the far end, jacuzzi jets, evening lights and the only private pool rope swing in Tamarindo. Lounge chairs line the side. The yard is walled and gated, but the pool itself isn't fenced, so keep an eye on little ones.

The jungle

Young howler monkey in the treetops of the protected green zone behind Casa Colorado

Behind the pool, the property backs onto a protected green zone. Howler monkeys often nap in the trees above the pool in the afternoon, and iguanas wander through. That is the end of the tour, and usually where guests decide they never want to leave.