Author Archives: Nick Halverson

  • 20
    Jul 19
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ojochal luxury home

Ojochal Luxury Home

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Ojochal Luxury Home: Casa Aventura

Osa Property Management is proud to announce the newest Costa Rica vacation home rental option: Casa Aventura. This is an amazing Ojochal luxury home with:

  • 5 bedrooms
  • 6 beds
  • Comfortably sleeps 12 adults
  • Private swimming pool
  • Private Jacuzzi
  • Modern, high-quality, kitchen
  • Open floor plan for easy flow
  • Huge outdoor covered patio area with pool and ocean views
  • Gated entrance
  • Hi-speed internet
  • Cable TV
  • One floor living so all guests are on the same level
  • Close to the best restaurants in the area (less than 5 minutes from Exotica, Citrus, Mama e Papa)
  • Five minutes from Playa Tortuga and Reserva Playa Tortuga (turtle sanctuary)

The staff of Osa Property Management is still taking inventory of everything in the home and we hope to have the home available and ready beginning September 1st. We allowed a group of friends to spend a weekend in the home for some immediate feedback, ideas and input - the feedback has been WOW! Amazing! We're coming back!

Currently the home is unavailable to rent as we work with the new owners on repairs, re-painting, buying some new furniture and replacing some artwork. However, please contact us immediately if you would like to reserve this home for your vacation or party.

Inside Ojochal Luxury Home

The open floorplan allows for easy passage from one part of the home to another part of the home. There is an easy and open flow from the kitchen area to the outdoor area (including a huge covered outdoor living area) since all rooms are on the same level.

Swimming Pool Area Ojochal Luxury Home

These large and private swimming pool and Jacuzzi provide a great place to relax - day or night during your time in Ojochal.

Photos of Bedrooms

There are a total of five bedrooms in Casa Aventura.

  1. Master Suite: King-size bed, walk-in shower, dual sinks, huge walk-in closet.
  2. Suite #2:  King-size bed, private walk-in shower, private balcony.
  3. Bedroom #3 is a huge bedroom with two queen-size beds, ocean- and pool-view.
  4. Bedroom #4 has a queen size futon is located in the office and comfortably sleeps two adults.
  5. Bedroom #5 is the third suite is located in a separate building, providing absolute privacy. This secondary building is only ten feet from the main house, but this building has its own private bathroom, shower and queen size bed.

Each of the three suites at Casa Aventura have their own privacy. In the main home, the two suites are on the "suite side" of the home. The doors for each suite are over fifteen feet away from each other in the hallway. Each of the main house suites has its own unique feature with the Master Suite having a double walk-in shower (stay tuned for photos) and Suite #2 has  a Private balcony.

We are still preparing this house for rent and will have more photos and videos coming soon. Be sure to Contact Us if you'd like to be kept updated on this. Also be sure to follow our social media channels (look for logos on top of page).

Reserve this Ojochal Luxury Home today!

Click here for availability and pricing.

Additional Links

Learn more about Ojochal 

Other Ojochal Vacation Rentals

 

 

  • 16
    Jul 19
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citrus restaurant ojochal dining room

Citrus Restaurant Ojochal

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Citrus Restaurant Ojochal

Citrus Restaurant Ojochal is, arguably, the best fine-dining restaurant in the entire Costa Ballena region. Every year it seems there is a new fine-dining restaurant that opens in the area, offering new and exciting options. In fact, I would suggest, that there isn't a bad fine-dining restaurant in the region. However, even in an increasingly crowded marketplace, Citrus continues to stand above the others.

The reason can best be described in one word: DETAILS

One reason why I prefer Citrus Restaurant Ojochal is that it has been open for nearly as long as I have been visiting and living in Costa Rica - which dates back to 2005. Back in 2005 the only real fine-dining option in Ojochal was Exotica (another amazing restaurant in Ojochal, and some would argue, an even better option than Citrus - we will discuss Exotica in a future post). Marcella Marciano opened Citrus a couple of years later. The exact location has moved between two locations, but the current location is brand new.

Menu & Food

Let start off by saying, "I am NOT a foodie or a food snob." However, I LOVE the food at Citrus Restaurant Ojochal. The menu is unlike any other restaurant in the area, and does not have a clear definition. On the company's Facebook page, they state "Gourmet Mediterranean inspired menu". The Every time I go, I make myself try something new.

There is a lunch menu and a dinner menu (starts at 5 pm). The lunch menu has fewer options and is more affordably priced. The dinner menu is robust with many options to choose from. They also have options for vegans, vegetarians and almost any other dietary custom.

Service at Citrus Restaurant Ojochal

The service at Citrus is always fast, friendly and knowledgeable. They are experienced in providing great service at fine-dining restaurants. Most of them grew up in the area, and if you have a question about either the menu item or the area, they will probably know the answer. After just a couple of visits staff members will remember you and say, "Hi" (even if you are not seated in their area).

My experience is that they all speak Spanish (obviously) and English. I believe several of them may speak French also. This would make sense as the owner is a French-Canadian, and Ojochal is a large French-speaking population from the Quebec area of Canada.

I appreciate that the staff has a low turnover rate, which means that the staff is extremely knowledgeable about the food, drinks and the menu changes. It also shows that there is job satisfaction.

The Chef's focus on both taste and presentation. Annually, Marcella takes several trips to locations in the world to learn new techniques and to get inspiration for new dishes for Citrus.

Desserts, Coffee

Citrus offers a full variety of coffee, lattes, espressos and cappuccinos. During the day, the price for a specialty coffee is less than you will find at a Starbucks in the world. When one considers the ambiance, service and quality, it is the perfect place for a business meeting or to plan the next days' excursions.

The dessert options are a mix of decadent chocolate, fruit and a number of other deliciously 'sinful' options.

Vacation Rentals Nearby

If you're a foodie, or if  you'd like to spend your time in Ojochal within five minutes of Citrus, please consider one of the following homes:

Casa Aventura

Lluvia de Brasas (coming soon!)

Ojochal Suenos

  • 19
    May 19
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palmar sur airport may 2019

Palmar Sur Airport May 2019

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Palmar Sur Airport May 2019 Update

This is the latest update about the Palmar Sur Airport May 2019, recorded recently from the airport. The video below includes photos and videos of the current status of the airport, along with Abigail Vargas holding one of the LED lights that will be installed on the runway.

We are cautiously optimistic that the new deadline will be reached. A lot of work still needs to be completed, but with a large and skilled crew it is feasible. We were told that the following still needs to be completed:

  • Ceiling fan installation: We were told they have been purchased and are in storage.
  • Installation of seats and benches. Again, we were told they have been purchased. Based on earlier conversations, the seats will have USB charging ports.
  • Finishing of details. As one can see in the video, workers are still hand-sanding the downspouts for quality control.
  • Final installation of landing lights. We were told most of those have been installed and are operational but it is not 100% completed yet.
  • It is unclear if the electrical and data system has been completely installed.

Revised Deadline for Completion

We will continue to monitor the progress of the Palmar Sur Airport May and June 2019 updates. As the video stated, the new target deadline for completion is July 1, 2019. We are hopeful that the July 1 deadline will be met. When this happens it will be great news to start having daily flights to and from San Jose again.

If you would like information about vacationing in the Osa region of Costa Rica, please fill out the form below. We typically respond within 24 hours. You may also send us a text or WhatsApp message to +16128198154 or +50671001006. Palmar Sur is a great location for those looking to visit Sierpe, Chontales, San Buenas, Ojochal or Uvita. Palmar Sur is located across the Terraba River from Palmar Norte.

Photos Palmar Sur Airport

Below are some photos from Palmar Sur Airport May 2019.

  • 19
    May 19
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kayaking in tarcoles river

Kayaking in Tarcoles River

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Kayaking in Tarcoles River

Costa Rica has many exhilarating adventure options for the adrenaline junkie in your group. However, recently a good friend of ours sent us this video of him taking a group kayaking in Tarcoles River. He shot this video several years ago and wanted others to see it.

The Tarcoles River is an extremely popular destination for tourists to Costa Rica. It is located just north of Jaco, approximately one hour from Juan Santamaria international airport. The reason Tarcoles is popular is because of the crocodiles that live in the Tarcoles River. The video below takes it to an extreme level of crocodile observation.

This is one adventure we do NOT recommend doing - even our friend no longer kayaks in this area of the Tarcoles River. However, we felt it worth sharing so visitors to our website can see how big the crocodiles can get in the Tarcoles River.

If you group doesn't have any small children in it, we do recommend observing the crocodiles from a distance on the Tarcoles River Bridge. Observing from the bridge has its own potential hazards including speeding traffic and narrow sidewalks with no official observation deck. Look at this video for visiting Tarcoles.

Osa Property Management has plenty of other custom tours we can offer guests. Additionally, we can schedule established tours and adventures for you and your group, while visiting Costa Rica. Contact us for our recommended tours - don't worry, kayaking in Tarcoles River is not one of them.

  • 21
    Dec 18
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san buenas paved road

San Buenas Road Paving

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San Buenas Road Paving

On the morning of Saturday, December 15, 2018, I awoke to the distant sound of heavy machinery operating somewhere in the San Buenas area of Osa, Puntarenas, Costa Rica ("san buena, costa rica" in Google Maps). This isn't completely unusual right now given that the November storms caused quite a bit of damage in the area, and developments and homeowners have been slowly repairing their property now that the heavy rains are all but gone. However, around 11 am I headed towards the San Buenas Pulparia (convenience store) to pick up some more coffee and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the sound of the heavy machinery was from the Osa Municipality who had begun improving Main Street.  Given all the rumors that I've heard throughout the years, the San Buenas Road Paving project is something that I thought would never be done - at least not this "soon"

San Buenas Road Paving is going to be a wonderful enhancement for everyone living in the San Buenas region. Check out the video for more information.

I spoke with a couple of administrators from the Osa Municipality on Monday, 17 December, to ask them about the timeline of the San Buenas Road Paving.  According to these administrators, the current plan is for the municipality to begin paving the road in February 2018 (exact date unknown, although we will keep everyone updated once the project starts) and they will pave one kilometer of the road. One kilometer in San Buenas will mean that the road is paved to the public elementary school and the local Catholic Church.

I asked them about the possibility of having Las Villas de San Buenas work with the local community to pave even more of the road, and to share the costs, and they suggested I work with the newly formed community road board. I had already spoken with the President of that board the day before, so I will continue to see what can be done to pave even more.

Regardless of the outcome of the additional meters of pavement, it will be wonderful to have SOME pavement in San Buenas.

san buenas road paving dec 2018
  • 21
    Dec 18
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dominical paved road

Dominical Paved Road

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Dominical Paved Road

There have been fewer rumored infrastructure projects discussed in the Bahia Ballena/Osa region than whether or not there will be a Dominical paved road or if it will stay as gravel. As one can see, the rumors are finally becoming a reality. As of December 2018 there will be a Dominical Paved Road running from the Costanera Highway (Highway 34) down 50 meters into Dominical (past Delicias), turning left (south) at the first intersection, at the only stop sign in town, and then going all the way through Dominical until the ICE tower.

Additionally, the Dominical Paved Road will head north from the stop sign for several hundred meters also.

Dominical Paved Road Spanish

Below is Abigail Vargas explaining the Dominical paved road in Spanish.

Throughout Dominical (both north and south of the stop sign), large, new drainage systems have been built or are in the final stages of completion. All told, this is a very large infrastructural project that is being completed by the Osa Municipality to improve the customer experience of visiting Dominical.

The Dominical Paved Road is not without its opponents, however. There is a group of long-term resident ex-pats who prefer to keep the ruggedness of Dominical and consider the dusty, bumpy, road as Dominical's "charm". I used to work for a company based in Dominical's main street and I can attest that breathing in the dust all day, fighting for precious parking spots on the narrow and undefined road and watching vehicles and buses come dangerously close to hitting pedestrians, will not be missed by many.

As many people know, Dominical is home to some of the world's best surfing, has a great funky and energetic vibe and is a beautiful place to watch the sunset. Due to these amazing benefits, making the road safer for travelers, visitors and the people who work in Dominical, the Dominical paved road will be greatly appreciated.

  • 21
    Dec 18
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perez zeledon international airport interview Hanz Nick

Perez Zeledon International Airport

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On December 18, 2018, Nick Halverson, owner of Osa Property Management, sat down with Perez Zeledon's City Council President Hanz Cruz, to discuss the potential Perez Zeledon International Airport. This has been something Perez Zeledon has been working hard on for over four years, and the preliminary work is coming to completion.

The embedded video of the conversation is approximately twelve minutes long and includes other planned projects that will enhance living in the Osa region, especially Playa Hermosa, Uvita, Ojochal, San Buenas and Chontales. Perez Zeledon's City Council is also planning on working with the Osa Municipality in a joint project to pave the road connecting Uvita and San Isidro. This would cut down the travel time traveling between those two towns by over 50%. Along with the construction of the planned Perez Zeledon International Airport, the entire Osa and San Isidro region will grow.

As many people know, there have been rumors for years about an international airport in the southern zone of Costa Rica, however, that plan is "dead". It is no longer being pursued for a variety of reasons. Read my blog post from a couple of years ago about why I believe the southern zone airport is a 'no-go' and why the Perez Zeledon International Airport is currently the best possible option for the region.

Hanz Cruz also has heard unconfirmed rumors that the Orotina airport project is currently stalled or stopped all together. However, those are just rumors. If you know anything more about the Orotina airport project, please comment below or privately submit what you have heard. We appreciate keeping everyone up-to-date with accurate information.

As with any major infrastructure change there will be those in favor of it and those against it. However, for the thousands of business owners, local Costa Rican's and ex-pats, who spend hours traveling to and from the area, a new Perez Zeledon International airport will be a wonderful resource.

  • 06
    Dec 18
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southern zone international airport

Costa Rica Southern Zone International Airport Opinion

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First published February 2017 & Used with permission

My first trip to Costa Rica was in March 2005. During that initial trip, the local real estate agent told me about the “New international airport that will be built soon.” Here we are twelve years later and still not another international airport.

In my agent’s defense, there had been government publicity, an article in The Tico Times, with a map, about the airport and he was simply repeating what he had read. Again, in 2007, then-Costa Rica President Oscar Arias held a public relations event whereby he signed a decree to move forward with an international airport in Osa.

southern zone international airport arias
President Oscar Arias initiating the feasibilty studies for airport (Palmar Norte, 2008)

In the past 18 months there has been a lot of talk about a new international airport to be built in Orotina. From contacts I have, as recently as six months, after the formal announcement had been made, no wind studies or environmental studies had been conducted. I find it hard to believe that the Orotina airport is as much of a ‘slam-dunk’ as is being reported. The latest news is that we will all know more by the end of 2017. Below is an artist rendering of the Orotina airport.

orotina-international airport-design

Will the Southern Zone International Airport Be Built in Osa

Is the airport going to be built in Osa? I would guess no.

As much as I would love to have an international airport 30 minutes away from our development (believe me, prices would go up quickly!), based on what happened the past 10 years from Oscar Arias announcing it, until now = very little of anything has happened. Osa currently doesn’t have the infrastructure in place to handle a project that large. I could argue it is a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem. The large hotel chains haven’t built here yet because there isn’t a reason to without an international airport. The feasibility studies would show that the region isn’t equipped to handle an international airport since there aren’t any large hotels in the area. It’s a circular argument.

In addition, after the signing of the document [airport decree] by Arias, the people of Costa Rica voted on Costa Rica’s participation in CAFTA (Central America Free Trade Agreement) or TLC as it was known in Costa Rica. The Osa region voted against the measure, and it has been speculated that in retaliation for not supporting him, President Arias pulled the project out of Osa. By contrast, Limon on the Caribbean side, voted “Si” (yes) for the TLC, and soon after the vote, the Limon Port expansion was announced (Limon Moin Container project).

Regardless of the real reason why the airport was never started in Osa is still up for debate today. I have spoken with Osa Mayor several times, and he is continuing to try and push the project forward. However, he understands the difficulty of getting the politicians in San Jose, four hours away, to listen.(Central America Free Trade Agreement) or TLC as it was known in Costa Rica. The Osa region voted against the measure, and it has been speculated that in retaliation for not supporting him, President Arias pulled the project out of Osa. By contrast, Limon on the Caribbean side, voted “Si” (yes) for the TLC, and soon after the vote, the Limon Port expansion was announced (Limon Moin Container project).

Perez Zeledon International Airport

Another option that has quickly, and quietly, been worked on is to build a new airport in the San Isidro de el General, Perez Zeledon. Although not technically in Osa, it would be a great advantage for owners in Las Villas de San Buenas. The reason why this would be great for Las Villas de San Buenas is that currently San Isidro is only 75 minutes away. I have it confirmed by several sources, that the Osa municipality and the municipality of San Isidro are in late planning stages for improving and paving the road from the southern area of San Isidro that leads into Uvita. When this road project is completed, the trip to San Isidro will be cut down to approximately 45 minutes.

southern zone international airport

San Isidro (Aeropuerto PZ) has numerous advantages over Osa for the airport. Several include:

  • Large population base (~150,000 people) that may use the airport for outbound flights.
  • With the large population base, there are dozens of hotels already available.
  • A very entrepreneurial region of Costa Rica. There are 1,000s of business owners in the region who support commerce and trade.
  • By building the airport in San Isidro, the Osa region would still benefit due to the Pan American Highway that is already in place connected Palmar Norte to San Isidro (by way of Buenos Aires).
  • Plenty of flat land is available.
  • The project is not just an airport. The local government is planning on a multi-faceted development plan, including tax incentives for business to move there and other project tied to the airport.

Here’s a video that shows the concepts for the Perez Zeledon international airport:

Regardless of which location is chosen, it will be a benefit to us here in the Osa region. I can’t guarantee when or where exactly, although I would estimate that the timelines are at least five years away. The one thing I can guarantee, is depending on where the location is chosen, land prices will go up quickly or VERY quickly.

UPDATE December 2018

My thoughts have not changed regarding the feasibility of a southern zone international airport - I don't believe it will be built in Osa...I don't believe it will be built in the province of Puntarenas. At this point, based on conversations I've had with administrators and politicians, the best bet is still Perez Zeledon.

San Jose's Juan Santamaria International airport continues to expand - as of last week they have signage for 20 gates, although only 15 are open and operating. One can see the work that is being done right now to expand it to 20. The new domestic airport terminal has been completed next door to Juan Santamaria, solidifying at least some flights will continue to be flown out of the current airport location.

What are your thoughts on the southern zone international airport? What have you heard? At this point everything is just rumors. Send me your thoughts below or directly to me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Pura vida!

Nick

  • 05
    Dec 18
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Palmar Sur Airport Remodel 2

Palmar Sur Airport Update Dec 2018

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Palmar Sur Airport Update

December 5, 2018

Recently we made several visits over the course of a week to Palmar Sur in order to provide a Palmar Sur airport update. The remodeling project began in August 2018 and involves many wonderful upgrades and updates from the previous airport terminal. The goal for the construction crew, based on several interviews with the Project Manager of the project, is to have the construction phase of the airport completed by December 30, 2018. Watch the video below or watch it on YouTube here.

We are doubtful that all of the work will be done by the end of the calendar year 2018. As of December 1, 2018, the following work still needs to be completed - and this is only a list of what we know about and can make assumptions about:

  • Half the runway and the area near the terminal needs to be paved with more asphalt.
  • Roof needs to be put on (we were told this won't take very long given the design and materials being used for the roof)
  • Internal walls are still being built
  • Skim-coating of 90% of the walls
  • Installation of CAT5 lines, telephony hardware, electrical lines and plug-ins
  • Lighting fixtures
  • Finishing work - which would take at least a week on this type of building
  • Installation of the custom made benches we were told about (with power plug-ins)
  • Perimeter fence needs to be moved to the property boundary
  • Clean-up work
  • Federal inspections by engineers and outside project evaluators

With everything that needs to be completed before opening, along with the Christmas/Holiday season just a couple of weeks away, we don't expect it to be ready anytime before February 1, 2019...at best.

In the short-run, this is definitely an inconvenience, and it is a bit frustrating that they didn't start the construction in May 2018, instead of August. Had they started the work in May, that would have left sufficient time to complete the remodel in time for the high season which is now starting (December 2018).

In the long-run, this is a wonderful upgrade and we will all soon forget the temporary inconvenience this closure has caused. Let us know your thoughts about the Palmar Sur Airport Update.

Also, if you are planning a trip to the Osa/Southern Pacific region of Costa Rica in 2019, or later, be sure to submit a form below to let us know and to let us help you with your trip planning. Additionally, if you are a home or lot owner in the region, contact us for a no-obligation bid on our property management services.

October 2018 Palmar Sur Airport Update

August 2018 Palmar Sur Airport Update

  • 26
    Oct 18
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palmar sur airport remodel photo

Palmar Sur Airport Remodel Update October 2018

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Palmar Sur Airport Remodel Update

We recently visited the Palmar Sur Airport Remodel project currently taking place at this popular airport for travelers vising the Osa Peninsula and nearby towns of Sierpe, Chontales, San Buenas, Ojochal, Uvita and Dominical. The following video provides an update and some great information about the Palmar Sur Airport remodel.

Click on the photo below to watch or view it on our YouTube Channel.

As mentioned in the video, everyone here at Osa Property Management is hoping that the airport is completed with the remodel by the end of calendar year 2018.

We are recommending to our scheduled guests to have a back-up plan in place if their plans include arriving into San Jose's Juan Santamaria's airport first, and planning on flying down to Palmar Sur. We can help with securing a car rental in San Jose, or hiring a private shuttle for you and your travel companions.

Once the Palmar Sur Airport Remodel is completed, this regional airport will be one of the nicest in the country. Palmar Sur serves travelers from Sierpe, Rio Claro, Chontales, San Buenas, Ojochal, Uvita and Dominical.

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Dominical, Uvita, Ojochal Property Management

Osa Property Management Experts  have lived and managed homes in the region for over 16 years. Not only do we live here, but we are one of the few LEGAL property management companies in the area with legally working, full-time, and fully insured employees (this protects YOU from potential legal problems also).

Our Team will ensure your property is well-maintained and actively rented (if you want to offer your home as a vacation rental).

We are focused on Hatillo, Dominical, Playa Hermosa, Uvita, San Buenas, Chontales and Ojochal property management.

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