Villa Libélula

Built in 2016 on one of the highest elevation view properties in Sámara, Villa Libélula — dragonfly in Spanish — is extremely private. Its 180° panorama takes in Samara and Carrillo beaches, Isla Chora and the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, jungle on every other side. Four red macaws nest in the reserve next door.

The central living area is sunlit and breezy under a 25-foot pitched ceiling with dark wood beams. A gourmet kitchen with granite countertops faces a 40-foot wall of 10-foot folding glass doors, opening onto a covered terrace with a red cedar dining table, Costa Rican rocking chairs and cushioned teak loungers. Beyond it lies the infinity pool, and much of the furniture was crafted by a local artisan from trees cleared for the build.

The master has a king bed, an en-suite bath with ocean and jungle windows, a walk-in closet and sliding doors to the terrace; the guest bedrooms have queen beds and the same panorama. Ceiling fans run throughout, terrace included, and air conditioning in the bedrooms is a paid option. Sámara beach is about five minutes away by car, Sámara town about seven and Playa Carrillo about ten; the access road is narrow, steep and partly unpaved with a rocky final stretch, so you will need a car (a 4x4 or high-clearance SUV), and walking to the beach or town isn't practical. Set among cliffs and with a pool, the house is not toddler-proof: children under five cannot be accommodated.