Designer Villa in Tamarindo

Set back from the sand inside the same gated community between Playa Tamarindo and Playa Langosta, this house turns inward towards its own garden and pool. The ocean isn’t in view, and that’s part of the appeal. Instead there’s green, shade and quiet, with the beach a minute away down a private path whenever you want it.

The living room is the centre of the house, high-ceilinged and air-conditioned, and it opens fully onto the deck and pool so the inside and outside run together through the day. There’s a lounge with a smart TV for slower evenings, a full kitchen, and a 10-foot table (about three metres) that seats ten, which happens to be exactly how many the house sleeps. Sonos plays throughout, and the barbecue sits out by the pool for dinners that drift on.

Three primary bedrooms each have a king bed, their own bathroom, a desk and a view over the pool and garden. A fourth room is set up for children, with two sets of twin XL bunks and a bathroom of its own. It’s a layout that suits one large family, two families travelling together or a group of friends who don’t need to be under one roof with strangers.

Housekeeping and pool and garden care happen daily, and breakfast is laid out as a buffet each morning, with groceries billed at cost. The concierge team handles everything else without charging for their time, from booking a private chef or a massage to stocking the kitchen before you arrive (groceries extra). Drinking water, still and sparkling, comes from a purification system in the house, and beach chairs and umbrellas are ready to carry down.

Membership at the Langosta Beach Club is included for the stay. Tamarindo, with its surf breaks, restaurants and easygoing international crowd, is a ten-minute walk or three minutes by car. Most guests find a rental car or golf cart worth having for the evenings and longer trips.