Villas Santa Maria - Arenal
Villa-style rooms with kitchens and full-service laundry
About this stay
This villa property pairs a kitchen option with full-service laundry, a combination aimed squarely at travelers settling in for several nights rather than passing through. An outdoor pool and air conditioning cover the daily comfort basics, and free breakfast is included alongside the self-catering option, giving guests flexibility between cooking and a provided morning meal. Restaurante la Casa de Dona Celina is a six-minute taxi ride away for dinner out. Accessible rooms extend the property to guests with mobility needs, and the airport shuttle removes the need to arrange a separate taxi for the three-hour-plus transfer from San Jose. With a perfect review score from a smaller pool of guests, this is a quieter, less-reviewed property than the larger resorts on this list.
- Kitchens in some villas
- Full-service laundry
- Outdoor pool
- Airport shuttle
Our take
A perfect 10.0 on 28 ratings is a very good sign, but a small sample, so I would not treat it as settled. The inclusions are what stand out: free breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking, full-service laundry and a San José airport shuttle, with a pool and kitchens in some villas. Dining is a taxi ride away, so plan transport. I would book it for the value of what is included.
- ✓Confirm your specific villa has a kitchen, since it is listed as available in some units rather than all.
- ✓Use the included laundry service partway through a longer stay rather than packing extra clothes.
- ✓Book the airport shuttle ahead of arrival for the long San Jose transfer.
Why we love it
- Kitchen and full-service laundry together
- Free breakfast included
- Outdoor pool
- Airport shuttle included
Why guests love itI would consider Villas Santa Maria in Nuevo Arenal for a villa stay with an outdoor pool and free breakfast. Some villas have kitchens, and air conditioning is listed. Free breakfast, Wi-Fi, parking and full-service laundry are included, and an airport shuttle covers the San José run. Restaurante la Casa de Doña Celina is six minutes away by taxi. The 10.0 rating rests on only 28 ratings, so I read it as a very good sign from a small sample, not as proof.