Stay in Tamarindo Costa Rica — Local services in Tamarindo

STAY AWAY!! - Luna Weddings - Stay In Tamarindo ‘Wedding Planning Division’ - Kate Crawford – STAY AWAY!!

About a year ago, my now wife and I contracted Luna Weddings (Wedding Planning Division of Stay In Tamarindo) to start our wedding planning in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Coming from the US, we wanted a team that we could trust locally as we were bringing down 80 guests from another country. Kate Crawford, who claims to be the owner of this business is actually just a property manager for the Stay In Tamarindo management company. She/They do not have the necessary experience in wedding planning which we came to find out over the last several months, and ultimately had to terminate the contract 2 weeks before our wedding. The point of this review is to make others aware and hope that no other prospective client gets defrauded in the way that we did during the wedding planning process.

Held Deposits to Vendors – We sent several deposits to Kate Crawford to forward to vendors (which she kept secret) which were never forwarded to the vendor even though she said she did. I asked for verification of payments and she would not produce bank statements or transfer confirmations that showed she had forwarded these deposits to vendors. She then used this is as leverage when we wanted to cancel our contract with them to get paid on her contract even though they did not satisfy all aspects of our contract. She threatened to cancel these vendors and keep their deposits as payment for their own services which would have significantly disrupted our wedding. She ultimately forwarded the deposits to the vendors but it was only after we paid the remainder of her fee which she did not satisfy her contract on. We are working on recouping these fees and damages through a legal process. We had to pay this final payment or else she would have used this as leverage to significantly disrupt our wedding.

Built In Fees – Kate got very upset when we asked to see actual invoices for vendor services before we made payment and we realized after the fact she was building in fees into invoices without telling us and keeping the difference. This was not discussed or agreed to in the contract in transparency so there was a conflict of interest. We questioned this for the venue/house deposit and she threatened that if we did not pay the fee we would lose the venue/house 60 days before our wedding. After we dropped Luna Weddings, I talked to the actual property manager/owner who said that the house/venue cancellation was never on the table and that was never communicated to Kate and that she was lying to push her own agenda.

Overall Difficult to Work With – From the day we started working with Kate, everything was a push back. From ceremony location not using her ‘preferred vendors’, every conversation we had with her was problematic. We rented an 8,000 sq ft house as the venue and she purposefully did not tell us breakfast was included in our house rental to get us to pay more money to one of her vendors Pangas Beach Club Market (Stay In Tamarindo is part owner of this as well for the grocery stocking for houses) so she could add fees on top. Nothing Kate did was in the best interest of us as the wedding clients, but was to generate more money for herself and Stay In Tamarindo and make it easier on them. There was a 2 week period of time where she went completely dark on us and then emailed us back which I’ve attached.

Save yourself the trouble and do not work with this company or Kate Crawford specifically. It will be a massive mistake to contract her as your wedding planner. She lied all throughout the process and made it seem like we were the problem. We also made the owner Bruce aware of these unethical and questionable business practices and he ignored our requests to have a conversation which means management knowingly lets this go on. There are several other wedding planners locally that deserve your business and will do a great job.

I attached the last interaction with Kate before we terminated the contract. You can see...

We vacationed with friends in mid-July. I want to first thank Cris and Adriana, Guest Coordinators, for assisting with ALL the booking process. They answered emails in a timely manner, were always very helpful and polite. They booked all of our ground transportation, our excursions, personal chef, golf carts rentals, and assisted with any other inquiries we had. Those two ladies worked very hard to make sure that ever aspect of our stay in Costa Rica was stress free and enjoyable.

Casa Lomas del Mar...WOW what a beautiful home with STUNNING views of the ocean. Staying at Casa Lamas was very relaxing, comfortable and enjoyable for all. We spent most of our time while at the house taking in the splendid ocean and beach views from the outdoor patios or from the infinity pool.

We rented gas powered golf carts. All the shopping, restaurants, bars, and beaches were within easy driving distance from Casa Lomas. If you want to see a spectacular sunset while enjoying a delicious dinner, please go to Pangas. We ate there several times, and was never disappointed. I would also recommend The Grinder for breakfast. There are many other yummy eateries. We weren't disappointed anywhere we ate at. We did hire a personal chef, Lady, to prepare a meal for us everyday. Depending on our day, Lady prepared breakfast or dinner. We enjoyed seeing Lady and her assistant everyday. Both ladies went over and beyond to make sure that they prepared a beautiful and tasty meal. They both put in a lot of hard work and effort to prepare authentic foods for my friends and I to experience. Lady brings all the ingredients to the house, does all the prep work, sets the table, and does all the cleanup. Again, we were never let down.

Also, during our stay in Tamarindo, we wanted to make the most of our time. With Cris and Adriana's assistance, we booked several excursions. Our first excursions was a full day adventure with zip-lining, rappelling, rock climbing, horse back riding, river rafting, volcanic mud treatments and hot springs. Our second excursion was the ATV beach and mountain plus zip-lining adventure. Our next adventure was using Ospray Fishing Charter to go deep sea fishing. We reeled in a blue Marlin, 2 Sailfish, 2 Tuna's and 5 Mahi-Mahi. While out in the ocean, we got to see a whale and several sea turtles. Cris arranged for some of our fresh caught to be prepared by a restaurant and what was left of the fish was prepared by Lady. Our final farewell to Costa Rica was the Sunset Catamaran cruise. All of the guides were very friendly, helpful and attentive. They made sure that we had experiences that we would never forget.

While in Costa Rica, we never came across anyone who was not friendly and helpful. Again, with the help from the guest coordinators, Cris and Adriana, my friends and I had a wonderful vacation. We made everlasting memories and was able to experience a new culture and adventures.

Thank you to the owners of Casa Lomas del Mar for the use of their beautiful home. Thank you to Cris and Adriana for all their assistance and thank you to the Costa Rican people.

Fondly, Trapp, Silvey,...

An Unforgettable Group Stay at Hacienda Vista Grande, Playa Grande

We just returned from an absolutely incredible stay at Hacienda Vista Grande, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. We were a group of 14—family and friends of all ages—and this stunning home near Playa Grande was the perfect base for our Costa Rican adventure.

The house is managed by Stay in Tamarindo, and our host, Renzo Scaglioni, went above and beyond from the moment we arrived. Warm, welcoming, and attentive, he made sure everything ran smoothly. We also want to give a special shoutout to Leda, who took amazing care of us throughout our stay. Her kindness and attention to detail made a huge difference and helped make this trip truly special.

A Luxurious Jungle Escape

Hacienda Vista Grande is a beautifully designed, three-story home with panoramic views of the jungle and ocean. Every detail felt fresh, high-end, and thoughtful. The layout was perfect for a large group—everyone had privacy when needed, but there were plenty of gathering spaces for meals, lounging, and sunset watching.

The house has two gorgeous pools—an infinity-edge pool overlooking the trees and coastline, and a second more private pool that’s perfect for a quiet dip. The kitchen was fully stocked, and we cooked many meals together. Every bedroom had a comfortable bed, private bath, and A/C, which made it easy for everyone to relax and rest well.

Surrounded by Nature

We were constantly surrounded by the sights and sounds of wildlife—monkeys, tropical birds, butterflies, and iguanas. Each morning, we woke up to birdsong and sipped coffee while watching howler monkeys swing through the trees. It was peaceful, grounding, and incredibly special.

Close to Playa Grande & Local Favorites

The house is just a 4-minute walk to Playa Grande, a quiet and beautiful beach with perfect waves for surfing or swimming. We spent time at the beach every day and always returned to the house feeling recharged and grateful.

One of the best parts of our trip was renting golf carts and a Polaris side-by-side to get around town. It gave us the freedom to explore, made quick beach runs even more fun, and added an adventurous element to everyday errands.

We also want to highlight a local favorite: Pots and Bowls. We had several meals there and were always impressed. The food was healthy and delicious, and Melissa provided warm, wonderful service every time.

Perfect for Big Groups

Planning a trip for 14 people can be challenging, but this house made everything easy. From spacious gathering areas and a beautiful kitchen to fast Wi-Fi and laundry, Hacienda Vista Grande had everything we needed and more. Whether we were swimming, eating, laughing, or relaxing in hammocks, the house supported every moment.

Final Thoughts

Hacienda Vista Grande is more than just a vacation rental—it’s an experience. It offers luxury, comfort, privacy, nature, and warm, attentive care from people like Renzo and Leda who genuinely care about your stay.

If you’re planning a group trip to Playa Grande, this is the place to book. We made memories that will last a lifetime and are already dreaming...