View of the Gulf of Papagayo Costa Rica

Playa Hermosa, one of our favorite spots in Costa Rica, is in Guanacaste, on the northern Pacific coast. It’s a quiet town on a crescent gulf, with the Papagayo Peninsula on one end and Playas del Coco on the other. Despite the comments in the recent article in the International Property Journal about sporadic water and electric, in several visits we haven’t seen an interruption in either. And if we did? just head for the beach or jump in the pool and enjoy a relaxed lifestyle. Open air restaurants? Oh, yes, and some of them are fantastic! From the El Velero Hotel to the Four Seasons, you choose your lifestyle. You have choices to buy as well, from a gated community with the luxurious amenities of a  Florida resort to a home on the hillside that’s open to the breezes, overlooking the water, the promontories and the islands.

Here’s a short video on the current look of Playas del Coco in the Guanacaste area on the northwest Pacific coast of Costa Rica, thanks to a RE/MAX colleague there. Rob and I were in Playas del Coco earlier this month – it’s less than half an hour from the international airport in Liberia, Costa Rica.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpQNQxE19k8

Playa Hermosa Guanacaste Costa Rica

A friend living in Playa Hermosa in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica answered my question about electric and water interruptions:

Hermosa is not a real crazy city. It is a quiet little relaxing place, as you know, and everyone remembers to find time to go and eat breakfast, something we never did or do in the US, where we are always on the go. Hermosa reminds you to stop and enjoy the little things in life, like a cup of coffee with the waves crashing. The electricity really never goes out any more as they spent millions upgrading the power and the water maybe once a month for half a day. But they are in the process of upgrading that system, too, so I think that will be in the past in another year or so. But I always remind myself that I came to Costa Rica to get away from concrete, steel and freeways.

Our colleague Mike relaxing on Playa Hermosa Costa Rica

After reading the article about Playa Hermosa being named one of the top 10 second home markets, I contacted my colleague in Playa Hermosa to ask him about the comment that Hermosa had sporadic electric and water service. We haven’t experienced either on our trips to Hermosa, so I wanted to ask a local. Here’s what he said:

“Hermosa is only about 300 acres and when it is completely built out someday, you are dealing with less than 750 homes TOTAL and there are only two small streets to the beach with NO real town to speak of. It is a TRUE breakfast community which makes for the perfect second home investment. It is close to the action (Playas del Coco 10 minutes) close to the airport (Liberia International Airport 20 minutes) yet you feel like you are miles from everywhere. That is what people want in a second home – NOT Cancun.

Water and electricity, as you know, are in the process of being upgraded as these developments continue to move forward. Remember, this is Central America. So if you wake up and there is no water, jump in the pool, put on a baseball cap, and go to one of those romantic open air restaurants and have yourself a nice breakfast on the beach in paradise!

But 10 years from now, anything you bought today will easily be worth 2 or 3 times what you paid, and quite possibly a lot more!

I remember living in St Thomas back when the power went out every day – life just went around it. And one day this week a client who lives in a nearby luxury condo here in St Petersburg, Parkshore Plaza, came over to our office because the building had no power.”

Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste Costa Rica

Playa Hermosa in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica has been named by the International Property Journal as one of the Top 10 second home markets – their compilation of vacation home destinations offering the best potential for luxury, relaxation, adventure and rental income. Kevin Brass, editor, comments:

HERMOSA, Costa Rica

Never has an airport changed a location as dramatically as the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia transformed Guanacaste, the stretch of rugged coastline on the northwest coast of Costa Rica. No more treks through San Jose and puddle jumpers over the mountains to get to the coast. Instead it’s an easy flight into Liberia and Read the rest of this entry »