Life Comes with a Reset Button at Las Ventanas del Mar Costa Rica
A friend of ours who passed away recently said “friends, life is not a dress rehearsal, enjoy your life.” Yet how many of us feel our life is monotonous? Some of us wake up by an alarm clock, drag ourselves off to a job we hate while we count the days till retirement. Can we really change our lives at this late stage of the game? The answer is yes and for some of us it takes a life changing event to recognize what’s possible. For others, now's the time to get off the sidelines and claim a stake in Central America.
We had the opportunity back in February to visit Central America for the first time. Living on the beach, we wondered how Costa Rica could be different than South Florida. A beach is a beach right? Sorta. Costa Rica is a step back in time to a simpler way of life and more healthy living. It’s wild beauty is a refreshing change from over regulation and commercialization. It’s less expensive and is centered around a life spent outdoors. Folks are drawn to the area because of the turquoise beaches, world class sport fishing and panoramic views from the lush green mountains hugging the shoreline.
Guanacaste resembles the coast of California yet has warm waters, extraordinary fishing and ocean view homes for a much smaller price tag. Costa Rica has been the buzz since the 1990’s when Americans began buying up property. Did you know North Americans make up 65% of the real estate purchases in the Guanacaste region?
A country still early in development, the roads are continuously be improved so don’t expect it today to look or feel like America. Commit to driving in Costa Rica as an adventure like we did and check out what we found at the end of the rainbow!
Las Ventanas del Mar will quickly steal your breath away upon arrival with the sounds of the ocean and long range view of what locals call ‘Crocodile Rock’ hugging the shoreline of beach below. Not only can you see Playa Carrillo Beach from the mountain top, you can see sailboats anchored in the harbor of Playa Samara Beach and Playa Buena Vista off in the distance. After a couple days here, you’ll shake your head and wonder why you took so long to come to Costa Rica. If you’ve been here before, you already know Playa Carrillo is known for the most beautiful unspoiled beaches. Unlike Tamarindo, you won’t find high rise buildings and ‘wanna be’ casinos. You'll find fruit stands, ice cream shops and maybe a wild horse roaming the streets.
We met a couple from Atlanta who brought the luxury and quality of an American built master planned community to an intimate gated Guanacaste community in Playa Carrillo, about 1.5 hours south of Tamarindo. As avid sport fishermen, they knew Playa Carrillo was the undiscovered sweet spot of Guanacaste. Sailfish and three species of marlin are abundant in the area. The Carter family stumbled upon the area years ago and bought the first finished condominium unit at Las Ventanas del Mar from the original real estate developer.
After reworking the master plans, the father and son team acquired the development. Gary and Matt Carter tapped into the expertise of Abraham Valenzula, one of the most renowned architects in Costa Rica. To date, the oceanview neighborhood has three cliff top single family homes, 8 large luxury condominiums, 10 low maintenance townhomes built and one new single family home under construction.
Amenities at Las Ventanas del Mar are lavish. The infinity edge pool and jacuzzi are set on the mountain’s edge in the center of a lush tropical garden filled with blooming birds of paradise and ginger. The gardens are the perfect setting for an afternoon siesta under one of the multiple tiki huts shading twin hammocks or for a friendly game of bocce ball. Two tennis courts are adjacent to the gardens for the more ambitious. Folding in a life well lived outdoors, this gated Guanacaste community has a Hawaiian-style open air entertainment pavilion they call ‘lake ranchos’ with outdoor barbecues and hardwood cocktail bar overlooking a spring fed lake. Cooing monkeys and colorful song birds add to the tropical atmosphere.
The contemporary Adobe architecture in the neighborhood blends in beautifully with the vibrant sunrises and sunsets. Soft colors in earth tones magnify the lush tropical foliage. The condominium buildings are interesting with dramatic roof lines and decorative arches. The buildings are deliberately positioned to maximize the panoramic views from all directions. The European-style interior finishes are of the highest quality including hallways accented by decorative columns and grand entrances. Finishes include stone flooring, granite counter tops, stainless appliances and floor to ceiling windows.
Luxury homes for sale include the Casa del Lago, a dramatic three bedroom, three and a half bath home that boasts a private courtyard with lush gardens, private swimming pool and an oversized two car garage with immense storage area. It also has a interior garden with a water feature, beautiful architectural details throughout highlighted by custom metal and wood work. Over 8,000 square feet of construction for one home. Oversized bedrooms with private baths, lush gardens around the property, luxurious living and dining room with vaulted wooden ceiling and a wrap around L-shaped patio that overlooks the lake and courtyard. The home is incredibly private and spacious.
We found the property owners at Las Ventanas del Mar genuinely warm and friendly. A few years ago, they began the casual tradition of congregating poolside at sunset to share deep fishing stories and tales of the day’s of adventures. Social events at the gated Guanacaste community include a 4th of July celebration and pig roast. With a trained culinary staff on hand, impromptu themed dinners take place at the ‘lake ranchos’ year round.
Las Ventanas del Mar is the perfect place to push the reset button and get away from the fast pace and toxicity of a city. Costa Rica offers a pure life filled with natural beauty, kind people and the luxuries Americans are accustomed to. When folks need a ‘city fix’, the high density city of San Jose is a little over 3 hours away with excellent medical care and the Multiplaza Escazu high end shopping mall. Getting to the gated Guanacaste community is easier than ever now that Jet Blue has added nonstop flights into Liberia International Airport (airport code - LIR). The airport is less than a two hour drive away.
If your retirement search includes Central America or better yet Costa Rica, make the time to find your way to Las Ventanas del Mar in Playa Carrillo.
Contact the Carter's directly to arrange a stay on property at 404.418.4970 or email.
