Casa Chameleon Mal Pais

My wife and I stayed here for a week in early February. I had booked a superior room and was not disappointed. There are only 10 rooms at Casa Chameleon and privacy was assured. The rooms are beautifully appointed with a four poster bed, coffee and tea making station, fridge. Our room had a plunge pool with a magnificent view over the Pacific Ocean. It was delightful having an aperitif each night looking at the sunset. The staff were very friendly and efficient. Thanks to Nicole, Mariono, Andy, Tyner and Brandon who made our stay a real treat. The restaurant food was very good Cooked breakfast is included in the rate The only negative point I would make is that the lunch menu was expensive for what was on offer ( the same menu as dinner) and a couple of the wines rather expensive in relation to quality It’s useful to be aware that there is not much wildlife in and around the property which does not have grounds so to speak ( it’s quite contained on a steep hillside). It is also definitely worth going out to dinner in Santa Teresa a few nights where there is a great youthful vibe and some excellent eating spots. Note that it is too far to walk to Santa Teresa and you will either need to rent a car, an ATV or as we did cut a deal with a local taxi driver of you plan to stay for long. The regular rate each way is $20. The beach at Santa Teresa is great for surfing and swimming. The sand here is yellow not dark as in some parts of Costa Rica. Our favourite lunch time spot was Carmen’s Restaurant at the near end of Santa Teresa from the hotel. The food is excellent, the atmosphere laid back and you can just hang around taking in the beach vibes We would definitely return to Santa Teresa combining a stay here with a wildlife excursion in the Osa Peninsula

I stayed with my wife and two teenagers at Casa Chameleon in Mal País, and it exceeded my expectations on all counts. It's one of the best boutique hotels I have stayed at. The service was impeccable. The staff memorized the guest's names, which is a small detail that goes a long way. The waiters were super friendly and seemed genuinely interested in us. Honestly, I can't say enough about how good they were. I would give them 5 stars. The food was extremely good. The meals were made with top-quality ingredients and the chef made everything with expertise and care. We were there for New Year's Eve, and they had prepared an amazing special menu for the evening. They had a very tasteful BBQ with a dessert plate that included 6 or 7 different pastries for each person! Wow. The desserts were as good as I have had at a fine restaurant in Paris. I was not expecting that! We had 2 separate rooms for our family, and the accommodations were incredible. Just look at the pictures people have posted. That says it all. I feel like my review is gushing, but it was really that good. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Casa Chameleon Mal País to anyone who is looking for a top-drawer boutique experience. I hope to be back!

Private & Perfect As wonderful as I had hoped. Personal attention from the time you arrive and new friends when you leave. The staff (In particular - Ariel, David, Andy, and Christopher, and the amazing chef we did not get to meet, but most definitely enjoyed) were welcoming and very helpful. The room was large, clean, and inviting, but what stands out when first entering the room are the large glass doors that fold open onto the personal balcony and plunge (infinity) pool. We were in the pool in minutes overlooking the green jungle canopy and the ocean. The cocktails were freshly made and delicious at happy hour. The breakfast selection was great and came with fresh juice and fruit along with Costa Rican coffee. We did happy hour every night and dinner twice - both great. The staff set up an island tour for us and transportation. A great, great place with great people.

My girlfriend and I stayed in the Estrella suite. We are world travellers with a taste for the good life, and we were not in any way disappointed. The room was absolutely gorgeous, with great attention to detail. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, with excellent sense of customer service, and no request was even thought about, just accommodated. The food was terrific, and the location unbeatable - although when they tell you that you should have a 4WD to get from the main road to the reception, you should listen! At the end, we agreed on two things: 1) we will return to Mal Pais and 2) we will not return to Mal Pais and NOT stay at Casa Chameleon!

We had thoroughly researched Mal Pais before choosing Casa Chameleon and weren't disappointed. Our villa was lovely with amazing views down to the Pacific. We only had 2 niggles with the room: the bed was so hard that I had to sleep on top of the pillows and the lovely folding doors kept sticking. Neither of these were too disastrous but our friends were upgraded to a superior villa where the bed was soft and the doors were on runners. There was also no wardrobe so we hung our clothes (after requesting hangers) around the room. The waiting staff and the lady who cleaned our room were all delightful. Andy, David and Justin were absolutely amazing and so efficient. The beauty of the location is tempered by the tremendously steep hill on a very rough road leading up from the main road. We all walked up and down as we deliberately avoided hiring a quad bike (ATV) as being too risky. We took taxis in the evening to go out but at $20 each way, seemingly irrespective of distance, this was another cost if you want to eat out at night. The food at Casa Chameleon is superb. Breakfast was fantastic and the 2 dinners we had during our 6 night stay were excellent.