Casa Candelitas

Casa Candelitas is a modern house set high on a hill, with gorgeous views of the mountains and the ocean and enough distance from everything else to feel genuinely private. One thing is worth saying plainly: this is closer to a glamping experience than to a luxury home. The architecture puts the bathrooms and toilets outdoors, in a private environment that keeps you close to nature.

The infinity pool can be walked into directly from the living area or the master suite. Cook a gourmet meal while watching the mountains, the birds and the monkeys; take the yoga deck on top for a practice, for a massage or simply for the quiet; or spread out on the other sun decks, in sun or shade. The house is full of paintings and glass art installations made by the owner, there for your enjoyment and, if you wish, for purchase — like living in a gallery in the middle of the forest.

The house is 15 minutes by car from Sámara town and the nearest grocery store is a 15-minute drive, so you will need a car, and a 4x4 (or at least a high-clearance SUV): the last stretch is a rough dirt road and the driveway is very steep, narrow and unlit, so plan to arrive in daylight. Sámara and Carrillo beaches are both close by, and Nosara, with its own restaurants, is a 30-minute drive.