Anamaya started as our dream home, but as fate would have it, our home is now yours.

Before coming to Costa Rica, my wife Karen and I traveled extensively throughout Asia for our gift and jewelry design business, searching for beads, trinkets, and ideas to incorporate into our designs, and we had especially fallen in love with Bali, Indonesia. We always hoped to find a way to build a villa in an amazing spot, and incorporate a bit of Balinese style and design.

When I found Montezuma in 2004, I knew immediately that this was THE spot, and within days discovered the land upon which the villa now sits. It was love at first sight. With the most breathtaking view in Montezuma, and perhaps the Nicoya Peninsula, and the only private paths to Montezuma Falls, it seemed like a miracle that no one else had already bought it. We like to think that it was simply waiting for us, and that fate would not deny the vision that was to unfold here.

First we built the small house in the back, and moved into it while we observed the property in depth. We watched the light throughout the seasons and studied the wind. We knew that we would only have one chance to build our dream house on the point, and we wanted it to be perfect.

I designed the house without the help of an architect, but our builder, Rico Reolon, offered many good suggestions, and helped me to learn the 3D design software necessary to realize our vision. We had many ideas that I wanted to incorporate into the design, which you can see in the structure:

* The shape of an old retrofitted barn, with a loft built into the back, to give it high ceilings, light, and a feeling of grandeur and openness.
* The form of a church, to bring a sense of reverence.
* The design of a Balinese temple, to create a sense of spirituality and exotic flavor.

In a way, our motives were cunning and selfish too. We knew that we had moved away from our friends and family to a remote area of the world, and we wanted everyone we loved to visit us, stay as long as possible, and return often. Could we build a villa that would make all who visited it fall in love with Costa Rica?

The construction took almost exactly one year, and during the construction process, we made a final trip to Bali, while Karen was 5 months pregnant, where we designed most of the furniture to fit in our future home, and bought the rest from a variety of shops. The furniture we designed is all made from recycled teak, re-milled from old houses in Indonesia. You will also see many hand-made stone and ceramic pieces, and various works of art, from Bali, that are incorporated into the house as well.

When the house was complete, we moved in, and our guests came in droves. Many declared it to be the most spectacular house they had ever seen. Karen and I have been professional fire dancers for many years, so we had a very unique and talented group of friends who visited and enjoyed our home.

We had many dozens of amazing parties where the house was filled with music, djs, fire dancers, circus performers, and artists and other creative people of all types and from all countries. As often as possible we would have dinner parties, where up to twenty of us would squeeze in around our large Balinese table and eat amazing and healthy food, usually prepared by us and our guests in our kitchen. These were really great and memorable times.

When the idea for our hotel/retreat was conceived, we knew it was a very special place with a very unique history, and we didn’t want it to be just another Costa Rican boutique hotel. We asked ourselves how we could re-create those incredible times? Could we use the innate feeling of magic and spirituality in the structure itself to produce healing and wellness? What could we do to make sure that all of our visitors had the most memorable and wonderful time of their lives, so they would tell everyone they know about us, and return?

As you read through our website, you will find many unique features about our place, which we have created with one goal in mind: to make your stay with us one of the best times of your life.

This is our vision for Anamaya. Welcome to our family.