Our story
A Costa Rican family, a piece of land and a lot of banana trees
Magic Place is owned and run by us, not by a management company. We know the town, we are always reachable, and we are the ones who answer your messages.
We built the place we wanted to stay in
We are Marianne and Rob. Marianne came from San José, Rob from North Carolina, and 25 years ago the two of us moved here, to this corner of the Nicoya Peninsula, and never left.
Magic Place was built slowly and by hand, with our two daughters growing up in the middle of it: helping plant the garden, helping paint the studios, helping welcome the first guests who ever stayed. When we started we had one simple test for every decision: would we be happy staying here for a month?
That is how the studios ended up with real desks and proper kitchens instead of just a bed and a mini fridge. It is why the wifi is fibre-optic and why there is a saltwater pool rather than a chlorinated one. And it is why there are seven studios rather than thirty: small enough that we still know everyone's name.
Marianne runs the day to day
Marianne looks after the day to day and is always available. If the wifi drops, if you need a doctor, if you want to know where to eat on a Tuesday night or which break suits a beginner, just ask.
Many of our guests stay for months, and a good number come back the following year. That is the part we are proudest of.
Rob cooks and reads the surf
Rob is Marianne's husband and part owner of Magic Place. He is a vegan chef and a surfer, so between the kitchen and the water he is usually the one who will tell you which break to paddle out at that morning and where to eat afterwards.
Peace · Love · Joy
Peace
A quiet property, a quiet garden and neighbours who look out for each other.
Love
Built and run by one family, with the care that implies. You are a guest, not a booking number.
Joy
Fruit off the trees, the pool at midday, and the beach five minutes down the road.
Experience the magic. Feel at home.
