Villa Mango B&B

The best parts for us were the slow evenings in rocking chairs with wine as the sun went down, and waking early to birds and howler monkeys before strolling along Playa Pelada. Then came a big communal breakfast and the chance to meet new friends. Agnes and Jo shared their beautiful jungle oasis with us for four wonderful nights, high above the beaches of Nosara. It has a comfortable feel, and breakfast around the shared table makes it easy to get to know people. A short walk down the hill brings you out of the jungle to rugged beaches. If you’re lucky, a local dog might join you, and you may spot monkeys resting in the branches overhead.

The host couple were kind, resourceful, multilingual, and had traveled widely. They knew plenty of good places to visit. The villa had a classic Costa Rica feel, with a tasty breakfast, comfortable shared spaces, and a pool overlooking the beach. Tasteful, too.

The stay at Villa Mango was atrocious. On our second morning, Joe asked Elena if she was still angry about what had happened the day before. She raised her hand to signal him to stop, and he grabbed her wrist. I woke to Elena screaming that he'd grabbed her, then rushed onto the deck. She was panicking, while Joe's wife, Agnes, repeatedly apologized to both of us. The previous day's incident began when Elena accidentally broke a ceramic mug beside the pool. She quickly got a broom and swept the pieces over the nearest edge to keep anyone from getting hurt. Joe saw her from a distance and started yelling, calling her “subhuman” and other names. She kept offering to make things right, but he called her an irresponsible liar. When I tried to calm him down, he said I was insulting him. When we left, Elena said a few final words. Joe muttered that he would call the cops and that we'd insulted him. We found the experience belittling and horrifying. Joe was aggressive, rude, and violent, and we don't think he should be dealing with strangers every day.

Villa Mango was a nightmare. The day before I was grabbed, I accidentally broke a ceramic mug by the pool. I swept the pieces over the nearest edge right away so nobody would get hurt. Joe saw me and flew into a rage, calling me an “animal,” “subhuman,” and “a sneaky liar.” I apologized again and again and offered to pay for the mug, but nothing helped. His wife tried to calm him, too. When my husband stepped in, Joe said he was insulting him. The next morning, Joe confronted me to ask if I was still mad about his outburst. I tried to walk away and held up my hand to signal “stop.” He forcefully grabbed my wrist to keep me from moving away. My husband woke when he heard me screaming that Joe had grabbed me. Agnes ran over as if to block him from coming at me again, then apologized repeatedly to us both. Joe is volatile, aggressive, and downright rude. I don't think someone who acts this way should be dealing with strangers, much less paying guests, every day. As we left, I had a few last words for him. He muttered that he was going to call the cops and that we'd insulted him. The whole experience was horrifying.