Condo Catalina: Best Beach Views Steps to Sand! Luxury in Samara. World Class Views+Service! 3rd Flo Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

Q: Is Condo Catalina: Best Beach Views Steps to Sand! Luxury in Samara. World Class Views+Service! 3rd Flo pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Q: Where is Condo Catalina: Best Beach Views Steps to Sand! Luxury in Samara. World Class Views+Service! 3rd Flo located?

Situated by the ocean, this condo building is 0.9 mi (1.4 km) from Samara Beach and within 6 miles (10 km) of Carrillo Beach and Buena Vista Beach. Playa Barrigona and Playa Barco Quebrado are also within 9 miles (15 km).

10/10 Excellent

Rita B.

1 May 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

We had an amazing time. Property was very clean and bigger than pictured. 2 mins walk to a beautiful beach and 10-ish to restaurants/super markets. Owner and all staff were very friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend.

Stayed 9 nights in Apr 2024

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10/10 Excellent

Jason C.

28 Nov 2023

Our favorite

Samara is our home we from home. Alta Vista truly makes us feel at home. Patrick and Hilda are amazing hosts. The condo, views, amenities are truly 5 starts. We love it here, thank you

10/10 Excellent

Kristen S.

5 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Loved it!

We loved our stay at this condo and in beautiful Samara! We rented a golf cart which made it super user friendly to get into town, which would be a bit of a walk otherwise. Surf lessons, boogie boarding, acai bowls, and happy hours at the beach. Special trip!

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Safia W., Evergreen, CO

5 Feb 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

An Oasis in Samara

Just returned from our second visit to Samara and had a fantastic stay at Alta Vista! Better than expected. Impeccably clean, great views, and tons of space for two couples. From coffee in the mornings on the rooftop deck, to soaking in the pool in the late afternoon, it’s the ultimate place to relax and still have access to all Samara has to offer. Tons of places to rent bikes nearby so morning rides on the beach were a regular activity. The condo provides a couple of boogie boards so that was fun in the later afternoons. Very secure location and parking for two vehicles. Can’t wait for our next visit!

Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Robert E.

24 Mar 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Place

We traveled to Samara with our 2 kids (12 and 14 years old). Alta Vista was perfect for us. It is only a short walk down to the beach and either a 20 minute walk to the city center or 3 minute drive. It really is a great location. The condo has everything you need for the beach (towels, chairs and umbrella). It has all the kitchen items you need to cook if you decide to do so. The beds are comfortable and the AC works great to cool things off. We stayed during Spring Break 2020 and the Coronavirus was happening, so besides somethings being shut down, our trip was great. The Alta Vista team (Laura and Dennis) were fantastic to give us any information we needed or wanted. The guide books in the house were a great resource to help us enjoy all that Samara has to offer. I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking to stay in Samara.

Stayed 9 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Clay R., Regina, SK Canada

22 Nov 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing View, Perfect Location,, I watched a different sunrise show every morning.!

From first communication with Patrick to Miguel carrying our heavy bags down three flight of stairs for our checkout, everything at Alta Vista is AAA+ The view from our third floor deck was fantastic! Hilda (the administrator) arranged for our arrival and was there to greet us. She was informative and easy to work with. We arrived prior to check in time but were found a place for our luggage and and access to a change/bathroom. Pool Time! Patrick (the owner) puts his guests first and it shows! Communications are quick, clear and informative. After arrival, questions and and minor issues are acted on quickly. The outdoor space and gardens are clean and well maintained by Miguel. The pool is smaller but deep, perfect for a refreshing dip anytime of day. There's always a mix of sun and shade around it. There were some issues with the pool but Patrick scheduled visits from the pool guy around our prime swimming times and the pool was soon back in full operation. There was little interruption to our "busy" schedule. Thanks Man! The Condo Catalina has the best equipped kitchen I have ever used in a vacation rental. The beds are comfy and the linens soft. The master bath is great with a double headed large walk in shower with a huge window that opens to a view of the jungle and beach/palm trees in the distance. I miss my showers there! The kitchen/living area floor-to-ceiling glass doors open to the deck and create an amazing living space. (did I mention the view) The massive tree in front of Alta Vista is frequently visited by large flocks of parrots and other brightly colored birds. Bring your binoculars. The Howler Monkeys visited us on several occasions, sometimes as close away as 5 meters in the trees surrounding the condo. Xinia cleans the condo twice a week and the place was spotless after she was done. Even the coffee pot was spot free! The location is ideal, less than 5 minute walk to the beach one way and a well equipped local store the other way. A fantastic local (Soda LaPerla) eatery is a couple minutes walk away. We ate several meals there, sweet people and everything we had was excellent! The center of Samara is maybe a 15 minute walk on either the road or beach. The state of the tide will determine how wet you will get but it was always safe and doable on the beach. We rented bikes for a week, they are the perfect way to get around. Nice, chill place to wind down. Go check it out!!!

Stayed 13 nights in Nov 2021

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10/10 Excellent

Nancy C.

9 Mar 2025

guest at the Catalina Condo

The Catalina condo felt like my home! The master bedroom with the ensuite and the fantastic views was fabulous! Comfy bed! Second bedroom with the bathroom across the hall was perfect for my friend. Dinning room, kitchen, living room area was lovely! Enjoyed my breakfasts and lunch at the condo. Plus the fourth floor common area was fantastic to see the amazing views and play some games. Pool was enjoyed multiple times throughout the day! Golf cart rental was great getting around Samara and surrounding areas. Loved my time here! 100/10 for me!!!

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10/10 Excellent

SallyM

11 Mar 2024

Paradise Again

Our stay could not have been better— helpful staff, immaculate condo, fantastic views and a comfortably short walk to town or the ocean. Nothing needs improving,

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10/10 Excellent

Merritt B.

23 Feb 2024

Fantastic Stay

We were two couples who stayed in the Catalina suite for a period of 4wks. The suite is large and bigger than pictured. The kitchen was stocked with necessary cook wear etc. The beds are quite comfortable. The view is astounding. You can watch the sunset every morning while you drink tea/coffee on the balcony. Patrick and/or Hilda are extremely quick in replying to any questions or concerns. And they are both very nice people to boot! The other guests in the building added to family feel of our stay. The location is excellent being mere minutes to the beach and a short walk into town. The pool is perfect to enjoy a nice cool off and the deck area was great to while away the day reading. One can easily move into a shaded area throughout the day. We highly recommend staying here, whether in the Catalina suite or any of the other units.

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10/10 Excellent

Matt N.

30 Jul 2023

Love this place

Patrick and the team that takes care of this place does a wonderful job. This is the second time we have stayed here. This time we stayed for 16 days. It is walking distance to town and the beach. View is amazing. If we come back to Sara for a third time we will defiantly stay here again.

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10/10 Excellent

Kevina

10 Jul 2023

Fun Times!!

We enjoyed our stay. Lovely condo. Great host and wonderful staff.

10/10 Excellent

Nancy V.

21 Mar 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Terrific place in great location

Alta Vista is everything advertised and more-- the location is perfect, a brief walk from town and beach, the people are very helpful and attentive and the property is extremely well maintained. Additionally, the view is fantastic. We had a great stay.

Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2023

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10/10 Excellent

Arlene K.

2 Feb 2023

Beautiful condo in ideal location

It was our first time to Samara - the condo was beautiful. Condo Catalina is on the 3rd floor - it was spacious and very clean on arrival. It has a well equipped kitchen and nice balcony area where we ate our meals. The balcony gets morning sun and it does cool down int he afternoon. It was a few minutes walking distance down to the beach - frm there you can walk across a small stream to get to the town of Samara in 5-10 minutes. The other way to town - heading up from the condo and across was about a 15 minute walk. We did not have a car but found it easy to walk everywhere. When we stay here again, we would consider renting bicycles to travel around. There is a wonderful Soda called La Perla a few minutes walk which had great food. Also, Iguana Verde for groceries a few minutes walk in the other direction. And a few days in, I was so happy to see monkeys on the tree beside our condo. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. We had a wonderful stay here and plan to return. :-)

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10/10 Excellent

Robin R.

26 Jan 2023

Samara Gem

Alta Vista Condos are the perfect place to stay in Samara. Spacious, comfortable, location and views to die for. We were there for 10 days in January, and we enjoyed every minute of it. Being just a short walk to the beach, and plenty of great little places to eat, was really nice. The condo and grounds are beautifully kept, very quiet, and peaceful. The owner, Patrick, Was a great communicator, and also very understanding and tolerant of the many changes I made to the dates of my stay. Overall, just a great experience, and I will definitely stay here again. Just perfect in every way!

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10/10 Excellent

Wendy S.

8 Aug 2022

Steps from Samara....but more peaceful!

We enjoyed our stay at condo Catalina. It was lovely to be so close to downtown Samara (for restaurants, surf lessons, etc) but to be able to return to our peaceful side of town where we could enjoy gorgeous views from our balcony while sipping morning coffee or evening cocktails. Seeing howler monkeys in the trees outside, WHILE in the shower was one for the memory book! Just a short walk to the beach, and a short ride to multiple restaurants and shops, Condo Catalina was a great location for our family. We appreciated having on-site access to washer and dryer, as well as a secure location to park our car. We would happily visit and stay again.

10/10 Excellent

Lynnette W.

20 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Vacation!

We had a wonderful time in Playa Samara! The Condo was great! We enjoyed the Congo Lounge, relaxing in the pool and spending time in the condo. It was great to be able to cook and barbeque during the week. Everything was clean and in good condition.

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2022

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10/10 Excellent

5 May 2022

Outstanding

Have stayed in Alta Vista several times. We keep coming back because it is extraordinary value. High quality at low cost. In a paradise setting!

10/10 Excellent

Chris T., Baltimore, MD

22 Apr 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Close but not too close

Alta Vista is as advertised, Patrick put a lot of thought into the property balancing the comforts of home with the raw environment that is Costa Rica. We were there during Holy week which made it busier than usual, however the location for us was perfect. We could access the beach in a 5 minute walk, and town in about 10-15 minutes. We found this an ideal situation for us. The unit was very clean and comfortable, the showers had excellent water pressure and the water was clean. We were able to use the plumbing as we do here in the states, Costa Rica prides itself in being eco friendly, and as such the objective here was to carry on that philosophy, so recycling was provided along with composting. We stayed a couple of days past Easter and the beach was desolate, which was a nice way to wind down our trip. I would describe town as Boho meets hippies, a few surf shops and some restaurants along with markets and a liquor store. Although not traditional Tico food I would recommend Casa Parisio on the far end of town if you are craving Italian fare. We were lucky enough to see howler monkeys just outside and experience a rain storm from the covered terrace on the top floor both a great experience. Hilda made check-in easy, I was concerned at first with the itemized list of the price of things of they go missing, like barstools, dishes and some other items, I am sure there's a valid reason but it's a first for me. Oh yeah and dedicated covered parking, although we didn't use our car much due to the ease of being near town it was great to know that it was securely locked up. We had the light cleaning on the third day which was a nice touch, and the landscaper was there each morning cleaning up the fallen leaves and skimming the pool to keep the property pristine.

Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sheila H., Blue Ridge, Virginia

7 Apr 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome location

My husband and I stayed in the third floor Catalina condo. Condo is spacious with beautiful views of Samara beach. We picked Samara as a home location to visit many locals in Costa Rica, including Monte Verde. Location of Alta Vista is prime for the beach and town…everything is walkable! Everyone one was very helpful and friendly…so much so that we are considering a second home here. Easy access to three great beaches and snorkeling. Many food choices around Samara, and a devious bakery (Roots). We will be back!

Stayed 9 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Paula L.

24 Jun 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Our Family Reunion at Alta Vista Samara

My husband and I came from Sweden and my daughter and her husband and their 1 year old son came from California, we had not seen eachother for 2 years cause the pandamic so it was a very special visit.. Alta Vista has everything they promised and more and the best staff you could ask for who fixed and did anything for you that you needed, and the owner responds fast on email at all times if you have questions about anything.. the place is big and Wi-Fi, airconditioning, and Tv works great… we Will defintely come back and stay here next time were in Samara and strongly recommend anyone to stay here.. very close to beach and to Town.

Stayed 19 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

wesley c.

27 Apr 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location

The property was easy to find and very convenient to town as well as the beach. I loved the short walk to the beach and the views from the condo. The pool was perfect in the afternoon because it gets shade and gave us a break from the sun.

Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2021

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10/10 Excellent

24 Feb 2020

Guest at Catalina

Catalina is a wonderful class condo in Samara! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. We greatly appreciated the balcony, eating breakfast there every morning, watching the sun come up. Then snacks and drinks in the evening before dinner! The dining room was an unexpected treat. It is almost a large separate, large room, but is very spacious to easily sit six at the dinner table. It also has a large window looking out to the vegetation just outside the window. One evening we were entertained by a number of monkeys right outside our window during dinner. We did have to travel to the jungle to enjoy the fun and grace of monkeys doing acrobatics. Catalina was spacious, immaculate and comfortable! All appliances worked to perfection and even the outdoor gas grill was filled with gas and the grill was thoroughly cleaned every day. Such service exceeded our expectation for Costa Rica! Xinia, the cleaning person does an outstanding job. Over one week she came in once and gave the condo a complete scrubbing top to bottom! We had a couple of questions which Denis, the daily helper at Alta Vista, responded to rapidly and with great courtesy. The views from Catalina were spectacular. We went to the Congo Lounge on the top level and they were even better, just breathtaking. We cannot wait to go back and be treated to the lap of luxury.

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10/10 Excellent

Mike B.

16 Feb 2020

Simply the best!

This is my 6th year at Alta Vista and the 5th time in Condo Catalina. Each year has been better than the last somehow. This is hands down the best place to stay in the Playa Samara area. From the immaculate grounds to the stunning views and clean, beautiful living space, it is simply the best.

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10/10 Excellent

Mike B.

16 Feb 2020

Mr.

10/10 Excellent

Erin S.

17 Jan 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Panoramic sweeping views + close to everything!

Our family of 4 had a wonderful stay at Condo Catalina in Alta Vista Samara January 2020. Everything about the process was smooth, the condo was very functional and ambient, and the location and views were perfection. I quickly got used to sunrises with Costa Rican coffee on the deck and I felt like I could have stayed a LONG time if life had only allowed. Our days in Samara were so adventurous and relaxing all at once. Surfing, snorkeling, horsebackriding, yoga, beach soccer with locals (our son), and just reading and relaxing with some ceviche and a cold beverage. I highly recommend the condo. Walking distance to beach, walking distance to restaurants and shops, great views, spacious and modern interior, and plenty of resources provided to book activities. Even though the pool is small, it was clean and cool and was perfect place to take a dip on a after a hot day at the beach--and was perfect for the kids The howler monkeys hanging out in the trees surrounding the condo thrilled the kids (ages 9 and 11) as well. We hope to be back one day!

Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2020

Condo Catalina: Best Beach Views Steps to Sand! Luxury in Samara. World Class Views+Service! 3rd Flo

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