Casa Ogopogo

Tourism Service in Playa Potrero, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Casa Ogopogo is a five-bedroom vacation house in Surfside Playa Potrero, a walkable pocket of Costa Rica's northern Pacific coast. Completely renovated in 2023, the home is built for large families and multi-family groups: about 4,000 square feet including a covered outdoor deck, a private pool, and sleeping space for as many as 17 people. An 8- to 10-foot perimeter wall and an automatic gate enclose the property, with room for three to four cars inside.

Surfside living a short walk from the sand

The house sits in Surfside, a few minutes on foot from Playa Potrero. Restaurants, a brewery, and stores are about a two-minute walk; the beach is roughly 500 metres away, typically a four- to seven-minute walk. That layout lets a group split the day without lining up cars for every meal or swim. When you do drive, Playa Flamingo, Playa Penca, Playa Prieta, and Playa Conchal are only minutes away.

Potrero works well as a base because daily life is close: groceries, casual meals, and the bay are in the same small circuit. Flamingo adds diving and a broader restaurant strip. Conchal is the region's crushed-shell beach, better as a dedicated outing than a last-minute stroll. If your group wants mornings at the house and afternoons in the water, this stretch of Guanacaste is easier than a villa farther from town.

How the five bedrooms actually work

The floor plan is unusual, and that matters when you assign rooms. The largest master has a pool view, a king bed, a sitting area, a flat-screen TV, a walk-in closet, and an ensuite with a walk-in shower and dual vanity. A second bedroom opens from inside that master: two bunks with doubles on the bottom and singles on top, sleeping up to six children, plus a wall-mounted TV and two closets. That connecting suite is the natural setup for parents traveling with several kids.

A second master opens off the living room, with a king bed, an armoire, and a private ensuite with a large shower and dual vanity. Bedroom four has a queen bunk below and a single on top, plus a TV, useful for another couple or older children who want their own screen. Bedroom five has a king bed and a sliding door to the outdoor shower and pool deck. Between bedrooms four and five is a shared bathroom with dual vanity and a walk-in shower. A powder room sits off the pool deck. Together that is 3.5 bathrooms, plus the outdoor shower.

A queen sofa bed in the living room brings capacity to 17.

Air conditioning runs throughout the house and in each bedroom. When you book a large Potrero home, map who needs a door to the pool, who needs an ensuite, and which children should sleep next to adults. Confirm how the connecting master and bunk room will be used so no one is surprised by the pass-through.

Kitchen, pool, and the covered deck

The eat-in kitchen was redone with new appliances, cabinetry, and a quartz counter with stools. A square table seats eight. Indoor seating including bar stools totals 12, with 12 more seats outside, so about 24 people can eat if you use both sides of the sliding doors. A small bar area sits off the dining room. The covered pool deck holds another dining setup and lounge chairs. The pool is large, with in-water stools and a bench, and is available year-round.

Outside you will find an outdoor shower, coconut palms, and mango trees. Howler monkeys sometimes move through the forested edge of the property. Inside, the living room has a DVD setup, board games, and the pull-out couch. Wifi, a washer and dryer, and television with Netflix cover typical group-house needs.

For a house this size, decide early whether you will cook, hire a private chef, or walk out for most meals. The kitchen and outdoor table make a grocery-and-grill rhythm easy; the two-minute walk to restaurants makes it just as easy not to cook at all. Mid-stay cleaning can be arranged if a full house starts to show.

Arriving from Liberia and moving around

Liberia's international airport is about a 45-minute drive. Airport shuttles can be arranged, including a 16-passenger van through a local driver the owners work with, useful if several families land together. Up to four vehicles fit inside the gate if you rent cars. Check-in runs from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with self check-in by lockbox; checkout is before 10:00 a.m. Alexandra, the on-site property manager, handles arrival, departure, and issues in between.

A car is optional for a beach-and-dinner stay in Surfside and almost essential if you want Conchal, a waterfall day, or a zip-line park. Taxis and private drivers are common in Guanacaste; for a group, one van often beats three compact rentals. Pets are not allowed.

Minimum stays are three nights most of the year and five nights in high season and holidays. Seasonal nightly rates are quoted when you inquire; weekly pricing is sometimes offered in quieter months. Reservations go by email or WhatsApp with party size and preferred dates.

Beaches, meals, and days out from Potrero

Playa Potrero is the everyday beach: close enough for a morning walk, a sunset, or children who still have energy after the pool. The Sailing Center nearby rents stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and mini catamarans and is also a sunset-dinner spot. Hemingway's there is set up for live music, beach fires, and families moving between ocean and pool. The Shack Bar and Restaurant covers breakfast through dinner, including typical Costa Rican morning plates and eggs Benedict, with live music at night.

Potrero Brewing Company is steps from the house; guests of Casa Ogopogo can ask for an Ogopogomoso, a drink that is not on the public menu, and tacos are served on site.

Farther afield, a sunset catamaran with Manta Ray Catamarans on the Bali is a full-afternoon outing. Scuba and snorkel trips leave from Playa Flamingo toward the Catalinas, where reef fish and, in season, manta rays are the draw. Diamante, about 30 minutes away on the Monkey Trail, combines zip lines, a sloth sanctuary, and beach time with lunch. Llanos de Cortés waterfall is roughly a 1.5-hour drive; pack food and treat it as a full day. Fishing, diving, and other outings can be arranged through the house.

Build a Potrero day around heat and distance. Swim or walk the bay early, come back to the pool and indoor air-conditioning through midday, then walk to the brewery or the Sailing Center as the light drops. Save Conchal, Diamante, or the waterfall for the one or two days you are willing to leave the compound. Grocery the first afternoon so breakfast is in the house; leave one night open so the group can repeat a restaurant that worked.

Choosing a large home in Surfside

When you compare houses in this area, look at the true sleeping layout, not just bedroom count, whether the pool is private, how far you walk to sand and food, parking inside a wall, and whether someone local meets you at the door. Useful details to settle before you pay a deposit include the connecting bunk room, the sofa bed, chef and cleaning fees, shuttle cost from Liberia, and which nearby tables can seat your full group.

Casa Ogopogo's mix of space for 17 people, a walled yard, and a two-minute walk to dinner is why multi-family groups look here instead of a cluster of hotel rooms in Flamingo.

Location

Phone: +1 250-575-3646