We visited Pura Vida in June 2011 and loved our stay there. The casitas are charming and tastefully appointed. We loved the patio, complete with fridge and coffee machine. The breakfasts were amazing. We took an early tour one day and loved having the "to go" breakfast. The location is perfect for day trips in the area. We had our eight year old with us and he didn't want to leave. He loved the dogs and exploring the beautiful gardens on the property. We felt very safe and secure. We loved the convenience of booking the rental car right from the hotel. We were embarking on a three week trip to both Nicaragua and Costa Rica and planned to leave the car near the border. Bernie and the rental car agency helped us to prepare and arrange for this experience (...and yes, Bernie, you described Penas Blancas well! It is the Wild Wild West). Our arrival was delayed by an almost 24 hour layover in Dallas (due to mechanical and human error) and we were pleased not to have to pay for the night we missed (though sad to have lost one night at this lovely place). We loved the airport taxi voucher. Our only challenge at Pura Vida was that the restaurant was closed. We requested a dinner one night when we knew that we would return late and were provided with a simple, but very tasty meal, but generally we didn't care for the local restaurants and none of them are within walking distance. We would have liked to have dined at the hotel. If that had been possible we would have given an excellent review. We loved this place and hope to return soon!

Our room was very spacious with a big bathroom. We had a view of the Poas volcano. The grounds were lush and beautiful with flowers and trees. The owner (Berni) was very helpful with advice on restaurants and finding us a guide to tour for a day. We did not have a car so the only disadvantage was that we had to take a taxi to go out to eat for dinners. The breakfast was great with lots of fresh fruit and served in an open air dining room. It is a very good location with close proximity to the airport.

Pura Vida is the perfect place to begin and end your travels in Costa Rica. It would also be the perfect home base as you travel around. Berni is a wealth of information and always available to answer questions. We rented our car through Berni which turned out to be not only easy but stress free. Toyota brought the car to Berni's our first breakfast and we signed the papers and everything while we enjoyed one of the best breakfasts of our trip.

Pura Vida is beautiful! The grounds are a wonderful place to escape -- you would never know all of this lies inside the gate. We stayed in two locations -- one the night we arrived and then in Katydid the night we left Costa Rica. Both places were extremely clean and beautifully decorated.

The next time we travel to Costa Rica, we will definitely stay at Pura Vida. We will probably spend more time there and work with Berni in advance to plan our trip. He is a wealth of information. Pura Vida is a must, especially if this is your first time to Costa Rica.

The hotel lived up to its billing on previous Trip Advisor reviews. Accommodation was modern and clean. Breakfasts were excellent. Berni and staff were very helpful in connecting us with taxis, guides and tour operators.