Casa Heliconias La Fortuna

The road noise was a serious problem, and the house didn’t feel as private as the photos suggested. A large house up the hill had several workers who could see over the fence, and people walking or biking past often looked in. The road outside was ridiculously loud, much worse than other reviews let on. Every 10-15 minutes, day and night, semi trucks, loud motorcycles, and speeding cars would race by. We had to stop talking until the noise passed, both inside and outside. The bed was very hard, and with the road noise I barely slept. There was about a 1/4" gap under both doors, so bugs, frogs, and geckos could walk right in. Other reviews had mentioned this years ago, but it still hadn’t been fixed. The locks were annoying too, you need the key to get out and to open the door from outside after it closes, so I was always carrying the key to avoid locking myself out. I was disappointed with the host’s responsiveness. The pool lights didn’t work, and after messaging twice, it took over 48 hours to get a reply, then another full day for him to turn them on through an app. There’s no local switch, so we spent most of the stay sitting by a dark pool. He also didn’t answer my question about what to do with full trash, and I only learned from reviews that the Bluetooth speaker could connect through Google Home. I expected Oscar to be as responsive and friendly as other reviews described, but it was the opposite. The pool wasn’t heated, which wasn’t promised, but it was too cold to swim most days during my mid-November visit. Parking also felt cramped, since the only spot for a car or truck is beside the pool, something the photos didn’t make clear. You really need a rental car unless you plan to stay put. The host offered a shuttle from SJO for $170 one way. I paid $320 for a truck for six days, which was cheaper and more convenient. I highly recommend Alamo. The host’s slow response and the noise made the whole stay disappointing. I know he can’t control the road, but the listing should mention how disruptive and obscenely loud it is.