We just returned from a week at the Milarepa although after 2 nights we left and moved into a villa next door. The first evening we arrived (Saturday) the restaurant was closed for a private party, although it worked out fine since we were invited to eat and drink at no cost to us and we met some very nice people. The second day the restaurant was only open for breakfast and everyone left at 7:00PM. The property is very secluded with very little lighting and the power goes out all the time. The receptionist did leave us some candles just in case the power went out. We decided to go next door for dinner and we walked on the beach to get there. It was so dark it was impossible to see anything. Before we knew it there were crabs crawling all over our feet, to the point that when we finally made it to the restaurant, I had a crab claw attached to my sandal that I had kicked off my feet. It was like a horror movie. The restaurant gave us a flashlight to get back to our bungalow's which helped us avoid being attacked by crabs again. When we returned to Milarepa not only was the property infested with crabs, but the entire swimming pool had been invaded by crabs. It was 9:00PM and we had no where to go but to our bungalows, which not only had crabs, but if you kept the light on the bugs swarmed you. The ceiling fans did nothing to cool the rooms off so you would lay in bed in a pool of sweat. It was the worst night. No one gave us a heads-up about the crabs, there were no flashlights, very minimal lighting, and at one point someone was walking around the property in the middle of the night and we were all alone. If there was an emergency we had no idea how to reach management or anyone.
On day 3 we decided to move next door to a villa. What we found was that the crabs came out after rain and the only way to get around after dark was to have flashlights since the crabs tend to run away. The villa did have crabs on the property, but it was very well light, and they had flashlights for our use. The ceiling fans were great. We were able to sleep comfortably (without nets over the beds). The management was right on the property so it felt much more secure.
When we decided to move, we explained to the receptionist we wanted our family to be together instead of separate bungalows and we didn't want to make a fuss or complain. We didn't ask for a refund, but said we would like to use the pool etc. during the day. On day 4 the owner of Milarepa Caroline came by our villa and was very rude, accusing us of stealing her keys to the 2 bungalows we had rented. We explained we planned to still use the pool and possibly the showers since we were still paying for the bungalows. We were immediately put on the defensive. Not only did we not complain about our experiences and pay for an additional 5 nights we didn't use, but Caroline wanted her keys back right then and there. She was throwing us out but refuse to give us a refund.
To top it off , when we woke on day 3 after packing our stuff to move the night before we we missing 4 tee shirts, 3 pairs of shorts, and I pod and a pair of sunglasses. We are not saying someone at Milarepa was to blame for this, but the night when we were all alone and we went to dinner, anyone could have come up from the beach and taken our things. There was absolutely no security and very little lighting. We didn't want to believe some stole our clothes and held out the possibility we fogot to pack them. It was not so. It could have been the airlines, we will never know what happened to our things.
Again, we tried to stay on a positive note with Milarepa and not make waves, but when Caroline the owner came by with an attitude after all we had gone through we though our experience deserving a write up on this web site!

We booked our trip to Costa Rica through Solimar Travels. They are a wonderful resource for first time travelers to Costa Rica.

Milarepa is a great place to go if you just want to get away and relax. It is completely private as there are only 4 bungalows. We were often the only ones on the beach during the daytime so it is definitely not a haven for tourists. If you want something that is off the beaten path but still somewhat luxurious, this is the right place for you.There is very little shopping and it can be difficult to leave the hotel grounds at night as the road is not well-lit at all. There is not much to do besides walk along the beach and wander around the main road on which the hotel is situated. We stumbled upon the Baraka Cafe which is about 20 minutes up the road from the hotel. It is a great little cafe which is perfect for a snack or lunch.

Soma, the hotel's restaurant has AMAZING food. It is a bit pricey, but definitely worth it since the presentation is beautiful and you can spend a couple of hours enjoying a long meal. The mojitos are the best I have ever had. The only downside is that there were several dogs that wandered around the hotel grounds. They didn't really bother us, but it was a bit irritating to see them lurking while we were trying to enjoy a romantic meal. We also loved the restaurant at Florblanca, which is next door to Milarepa. That restaurant is not as intimate as Soma, but still very good. We especially loved the sushi. Florblanca is about a 5 minute walk from Milarepa. The road is a bit dark so I would caution people to be very careful. That being said, we felt very safe and our biggest concern was running into animals rather than being bothered by people.

We stayed in Bungalow 3 which is simple but beautiful. It was very clean. We had the occasional bug or small lizard, but that is to be expected when you book a place right on the beach and in the middle of the woods. The bathroom was incredibly clean despite being partially open. The staff swept and cleaned our room every day so that helped to cut down on the sand and bugs that may have accumulated.

We got massages by the beach and although this was a nice experience, the massages are expensive and not that great. One note of advice: all of the extra services (ie massages, yoga lessons etc) must be paid in cash while everything else can be charged to a credit card.

We stayed at the Milarepa for one week in February and fortunately we had the beach front bungalow which is a heavenly location. The simple bamboo and concrete structure with shuttered doors and windows was, in my opinion, exactly right for a beach location. The restaurant has gourmet food at dinner. I can't say the same for breakfast.

Now the negatives - The bathroom which is partially open to the sky is fine but the wooden flooring over part of the structure should be replaced immediately - it looks rotten and had spaces where the crabs crawled in. There are no amenities other than soap and towels - no wash clothes, no shampoo or lotion, and no hair dryer. The safe is on the floor so you must get on your hands and knees to open and close it.

Even though there are only four bungalows, the owner or owners never made any attempt to welcome us or see that we had everything we needed for the visit.

I think the owner is basking in past glory since this place has been written up in a couple of travel magazines, including Budget Travel. Right now, I recommend some attention to detail and guests.

This place should be called "Mila CRAP a"
It stunk. It was dirty, had not one amenity and charged top dollar for the minimalist look...so basically i paid $150 a night for a bed and that was it.....there were bugs everywhere in the cabin...and i had to put my clothes on the ground bc there were no chairs and i am sure bugs were getting in my clothes. The outdoor bathroom would have been cool if the toilet didn't clog and there weren't huge spider webs all over the outside and I didn't have to use the old soap from the guests that were there before me.. Additionally, the staff was more interested in themselves than the guests and one night were partying and laughing so loud - i couldn't sleep. Also - i was charged top dollar for everything I did outside of the hotel like they arranged a horseback riding tour for $75 and i met some people at the hotel 2 doors down that only paid $30 for the same tour. The same things happened with the taxis. I really regretted staying there and moved to "The Place" that was so much better for much less money. I would also recommend Horizons. But this hotel really really was a major disappointment. You can spend much less money in this area and stay in a much better place.