Villa Hermanos

Villa Hermanos is a recently constructed house on a hillside in the Sámara Reefs community, above the quiet east end of Playa Sámara, Guanacaste, designed so that the view does most of the talking. All four bedrooms are positioned to give a panoramic view of the Pacific, which means the ocean is the first thing you see in the morning, whichever room you wake up in.

The infinity swimming pool is the centerpiece of the property, and next to it stands a BBQ palapa where a meal can be cooked and eaten while the sun goes down. Those sunsets are the house's other signature: from several points around the property you can watch the sky turn red and orange over the water.

The bathrooms are contemporary and generously proportioned, and the house is built for comfort as much as for looks. The beach is about 5–10 minutes downhill on foot and the center of town about 20–25 minutes on foot or five by car; the walk back up is steep and not advisable after dark, so a car or golf cart makes things much easier, while the house itself stays private and quiet.