Ten minutes south of the famous Playa Jacó is Playa Hermosa, one of my favorite beaches in Costa Rica. It’s extremely close to the Central Valley and has just the right balance of excitement and relaxation.
While Jacó is teeming with tourists, clubs, stores and luxury condos, Hermosa contains only a few quaint hotels, bars and restaurants that cater to a laid-back crowd. I love sitting on the thick grey sand of Hermosa’s beach while I watch a wild ocean full of professional surfers battling out the day’s seemingly impossible waves.
I’m not the only one who has fallen in love with Playa Hermosa. LaVonne and Larry Airdo are living the dream of owning a home on the Central Pacific Coast, and they want to share that dream with the guests of their bed and breakfast, Villas Adele.
“People who come here like it because it’s private and quiet. Not in the mainstream, not Jacó,” says Philip James Tambasco, co-manager along with the owner’s daughter, Ariel Panjwani.
Villas Adele is located about two kilometers off the coast of Playa Hermosa, on Calle Hermosa, among residences and farmland pastures. It is secluded and private, separate from even the subtle party scene that can be found beachfront. In the immediate area, along Calle Hermosa, there are a couple of hikes to waterfalls, a sea turtle hatchery, and residents selling homemade products such as coconut oil, baked goods and sculptures.
The owners also offer a breakfast of coffee, patries and fruit. Photo by Erin Morris
The villas, main house and outdoor patio surround charming tropical gardens and a sparkly, sunlit pool fed by a small waterfall. A lot of work has recently been put into the beautification of the property to create the feeling of a tropical oasis. The landscape is abundant with the bright reds and greens of heliconias and sealing wax palms, and fresh fruit such as lime, papaya and star fruit can be picked from trees.
Villas Adele has two villas for rent that are detached from the main house for a truly intimate experience. Each villa accommodates one to four people and is perfect for couples, families or anyone looking for a cozy getaway from the hustle and bustle.
Each villa features a queen-sized bed with a comfortable mattress, a twin bed, a living room area, a generously sized bathroom and a fully stocked outdoor kitchen with four-burner gas stove and medium-sized fridge with freezer. Guests are also given access to the large, outdoor grill located in front of the main house, whch is perfect for cooking up the fresh catch of the day.
“We like serving guests on a personal level,” says manager Tambasco.
A stay at Villas Adele can be highly customized – one or both villas are available for rent nightly, weekly or monthly, and meals or excursions can be arranged for an extra fee. There is also a small garden area that can be rented and catered for events such as birthdays, bridal showers or engagement parties.
Going there
Villas Adele is located in Playa Hermosa – 4 km south from the south end of Playa Jacó – about a 1.5 hour drive from San José.
Driving: Take Highway 27 towards Jacó, Quepos, and Puntarenas. Take the exit to Jacó (highway 34), which is immediately after the tollbooth following the town of Orotina. Drive past Playa Hermosa and take a left at the bus stop on to the dirt road called Calle Hermosa. Villas Adele is 1.7 kilometers on the left.
Public buses also run to Playa Hermosa. It’s about a 2.5 hour ride from the Coca Cola terminal in San José to Jacó. In Jacó, another bus needs to be grabbed to Playa Hermosa, or for a quicker and easier trip, take a cab. Once at Villas Adele, Philip and Ariel generously offer to take guests into Jacó or Hermosa with them whenever they go. Discounted cab fare can also be arranged: to Jacó: $10, to Hermosa: $4.
Visit www.villasadele.com for more for more information.
