Trade to Travel features Casa Big Sur

By Leah Powell, President

Hola, members of Trade to Travel and owners of luxury properties worldwide,

I hope you've all been extremely well and hope your travels have been wonderful in every way. My mother, Vaniene, and I recently visited "Casa Big Sur" in Costa Rica (T1468 on our site) which was so extraordinary that I had to write about it. Our time in this Garden of Eden was pure magic and fractions of the villa are for sale to a lucky few who will co-own the property. Please let us know (or contact Ben Morris directly) if you'd like to experience the magic for yourself.

We were spell-bound by the special appearances made each evening at the villa by two toucans during the "Magic Hour" - that's what Ben (your AWESOME host, builder extraordinaire, and extreme surfer) calls the late afternoon when jungle colors become even more vivid and critters of all sorts start moving about.

We had four fabulous meals catered by Chef Diana (whose cooking is amazing, plus she's such a cool woman full of great stories...she makes the best carrot cake that any of us had ever tasted and everything she makes is jam-packed with moisture and flavor). Melanie, another incredible woman full of stories, came to the villa to give massages. She makes her own massage oils and I chose "Ylang Ylang" which is the scent of "Chanel #5." There's an Ylang Ylang tree flowering beneath the dramatic infinity pool which perfumes the air around the villa. It's too much. Following an hour-long massage, I walked out the poolside door at sundown to be floored by the sight of a GORGEOUS full moon coming up over the jungle mountain in a sunset-pink sky, shining down on the rainforest and the endless Pacific, reflecting brilliantly on the infinity pool. Howler monkeys roared in trees further up the mountain. It was a WOW moment.

The villa is full of WOW moments (the first of which was seeing it blazing brightly in the jungle night as we drove up the mountain road at Escaleras for the first time). It's a masterpiece. Built using only the finest, most beautiful materials, it was created with loving attention to detail and a grand artistic vision. I'm smitten!

As you walk in the front door, you're awestruck by the grandeur of the house and its art/furnishings/lighting and by the oh-my-God Pacific panorama spread out before you (including a postcard-perfect view of the incredible "Whale's Tail," a jut of land in the shape of a whale's tale where whales and dolphin come to breed). There are 30 foot ceilings, soaring windows, and huge beckoning balconies. There's formal dining for 10 and the kitchen is a cook's dream come true.

The home is 6500 sq.ft. with five bedrooms, two of which are master bedrooms with large balconies and fantastic bathrooms (the views from the spa tubs and showers are divine). There are 5 bathrooms and don't miss the wonderful outdoor shower. There's even a well-equipped gym/excercise room beside the pool and hot tub...a workout with a view followed by a hot soak or cool splash!

There's central A/C throughout, so you're cool as a cucumber in the midst of the tropics, and there's wireless internet for those of us unable to live without our laptops. The binoculars are in the kitchen, you'll want to use them a LOT.

Your caretakers, Carolina and Didier, live at the gated entrance. Carolina cleans the villa and is happy to do laundry. Didier takes care of all sorts of things including security, the grounds, pool, hot tub, etc. If you'd like him to wake you to see howler monkeys in the early mornings, he's delighted to do that!

Following is a link to a video which Deborah Rath Howell (globe-trotting travel writer and Los Angeles radio personality on 94.7 "The Wave") put together during our visit. She and her sister and friend (Peg and Margo) were there with my mom Vaniene, Lee (our friend) and me, so you'll see photos of us in the video, but I invite you to imagine that it's YOU and your family and friends enjoying the "pura vida."
 

In the video, mom is the intrepid adventurer galloping on the beach, riding through the river, hugging the sailfish, and swimming with me 46 miles out. I'm with her in the sailfish photo and that's Ben pulling the blue marlin out of the Pacific (it was a different fishing trip, but the picture was too good to leave out). Deborah and her sister, Peg, are the two laughing and lounging on floats in the pool.

1/8 shares of "Casa Big Sur" are currently available for $395,000 (which will increase to $425k and $445k for the final shares). Please give us a call if you may be interested and I'll be happy to rave at length about the property, the area, local activities, recommended restaurants and services, etc. Before you know it you'll be headed for the southern zone of Costa Rica, claimed by many to be the most beautiful, most biodiverse spot on the planet. Wouldn't you LOVE to own a slice of it?