When you pass the last bend in the road and you see Villa Avellanaa 10-bedroom mansion situated on Costa Rica’s Papagayo Peninsula, it feels as if the home is growing out of the North Pacific landscape of Guanacaste itself. Designed by Sarco Architects, the property is situated in a gated community inside a gated community and offers over 33,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space and three acres of black sand beach. It is also equipped with a 42-meter yacht and a 20-person crew.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana
As you may expect, the full-service, full-rental property, which officially opened to guests in August 2023, has a premium price tag based on the season. Nightly rates for a five-night stay requirement are $22,000 from May 1 to November 18 and $32,000 from November 19 to April 30, excluding the “holiday season.” The latter covers the period from November 20 to 27, then from December 20 to January 4, and costs $40,000 per night for a minimum stay of seven nights.
It’s typical for multiple generations of a family to live together at Villa Avellana, says general manager Thomas Freitag Entrepreneur. Groups of friends also moved in; there was even a wedding in the villa.
Naturally, those spending greater than $100,000 on a vacation may have some high expectations, including the have to enjoy a range of amenities and activities suitable for all ages, interests and abilities.
Villa Avellana provides this and more: world-class meals prepared by a private chef; spa services and treehouse yoga classes; swimming and spear fishing in the warm, calm Prieta Bay; golf, nature tours, zip lines and mountain biking on the peninsula; and service projects in partnership with local nonprofits—simply to name a few.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. Treehouse retreat.
The proximity of the villa to Four Seasons Resort, Andaz Resort and Prieta Beach Club this is also an advantage as guests can reap the benefits of day passes that provide access to additional restaurants, amenities and services.
My husband and I had the opportunity to experience Villa Avellana in November as a part of a small press group. We were presupposed to spend three nights there, but an unseasonable tropical storm and subsequent airport closure doubled our stay (spoiler alert: it wasn’t a bad place to be stuck).
Although heavy rains prevented us from having fun with some of the weather-dependent activities, similar to a surf lesson and a boat ride, we still had a wonderful time, a testament to Villa Avellana’s extensive amenities and amazing staff.
Photo credit: Amanda Breen. View from Villa Avellana beach.
Any company that strives to exceed customer expectations can learn a lot from Villa Avellana’s approach.
Read on to take an inside look at the property and see how the team goes above and beyond to make guests feel at home and as if anything is possible.
Business lesson no. 1: Don’t skimp on details – attempt to surprise and delight
Upon arrival at Villa Avellana, guests are greeted by name, provided with a towel, and are met with the subtle yet calming scent of doTERRA essential oils wafting through the hallways and from the bedrooms.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. Ocean view king room with private bathroom and private balcony.
My husband and I stayed in one of the king-size rooms with an ocean view. Like all rooms in the villa, ours had an en-suite bathroom and a private balcony. The home, which sleeps as much as 18 adults and five children, includes three ocean-view king rooms, two ocean-view queen rooms, 4 king-size rooms and garden view and one bunk room with an ocean view for children. Villa Avellana provides every day housekeeping and laundry services.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. Ocean view king room with private bathroom and private balcony.
In the evening, after an eventful day or lounging by the pool with a spicy mezcal margarita, guests return to the relaxing amenities. Some of ours included an incense set with sage, palo santo, selenite stone and a lighter carved in the shape of a bird; healing golden mud from the Rincón de la Vieja volcano for a face mask; and a choice of tea infusions.
Learning guests’ names before they enter the property and leaving amenities in rooms each evening may appear to be small details, but together they make a huge impact: a series of moments of surprise and delight that may mean the difference between a great experience and an unforgettable one.
Every company would do well to do not forget that the little things make a huge difference. The surprise and delight aspects don’t have to cost a lot time or money, but even minimal investments in them often repay with interest.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. Ocean view king room with private bathroom and private balcony.
Business lesson #2: Be exceptionally prepared – but flexible at the same time
Thanks to a detailed questionnaire that guests complete prior to arrival, meals at Villa Avellana accommodate everyone’s dietary restrictions and preferences.
Costa Rican coffee was prepared in a traditional Vandola filter coffee machine, and freshly squeezed juices, pastries, toast and fruit were available in the kitchen every morning. Breakfast chef Michelle Brenes also offered every day specials similar to chilaquiles and French toast. Chef David Moya’s lunch and dinner menu featured global classics with creative twists and fresh, local ingredients.
“Everything in its own time” – this was a common refrain during our stay at the villa. Meals were planned and penciled in on the schedule, but the staff was completely happy to deliver breakfast to the rooms of early risers and consulted with our group to substantiate when a lunch or dinner spot made sense for the remainder of the day’s plans.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. Dinner served outside.
The ability to plan rigorously but also act purposefully was also on full display when a storm interrupted several of our planned activities.
Since browsing and boating weren’t on the agenda, head concierge Sergio Jaén helped organize a few spontaneous activities in the living areas that also felt thoughtful and meaningful. We really enjoyed the creator’s presentation Chocolate Master, Henrik Bodholdt, who discussed cocoa farming and helped us prepare our own chocolate bars. We also heard from the director of Common developmentElsa Bonilla, who shared more information about the nonprofit organization supporting primary and secondary schools in the communities surrounding Peninsula Papagayo.
Companies, remember: Unforeseen circumstances provide an opportunity for this show your preparation skills — and prove that nothing stands in the way of providing customers with a five-star experience.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. The living area includes an internal dining room and kitchen.
Business lesson #3: Hire great people with a knack for building relationships
The bar, pool and dining and living areas at Villa Avellana create one other oasis inside the property. Despite the storm, mild temperatures in the 70s allowed us to enjoy the covered outdoor space for most of our visit – and with good company.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. Bar, swimming pool and outdoor dining and lounge area.
My husband and I enjoyed chatting with Food and Beverage Manager Jose Murllio Miami Vice cocktails and Costa Rica national football team. Bartender Tatiana Juarez generously invited my husband behind the bar to show him how one can make a daiquiri with aged rum and sour guaro. I learned about Costa Rican coffee and the means of making it at Vandola from Aneth Alvarez – she was even kind enough to provide us some beans to take home.
Freitag is an excellent host who can build relationships and build trust; he has a knack for making people feel like all the pieces has been taken care of, even when unexpected challenges arise, and there have been loads of those during the storm. From showing us around the Papagayo Peninsula in lower than ideal weather to helping us select flights and hotels in the face of diverse flight cancellations, Freitag was at all times able to make the most of every situation.
These are just a few of many examples of how the Villa Avellana staff provides guests with a truly rare experience.
Companies should never lose sight of how essential it is to assemble a team with a talent for communication and relationship building. Hire the right people and you’ll provide your customers with an experience they will not find elsewhere.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. Sports swimming pool and jacuzzi.
Business Lesson #4: Listen to what’s not being said, then go beyond it
Villa Avellana strives to supply you with an unforgettable holiday. This is a lofty goal that requires not only the exceptional willingness, flexibility, attention to detail and relationships mentioned above, but also the ability to really hear what people want and then execute on it flawlessly.
Meeting expectations, even extremely high ones, will be quite easy if people know what they need and don’t hesitate to verbalize it. Of course, even if someone is open about their wishes, it’s hard to exceed expectations if that person, well, expects them to be met.
Freitag says a part of the job is listening to what people want but aren’t necessarily asking for. For example, if a guest casually mentions to a different person how cool it will be to see a whale, this is a probability for the magic to occur – take them out on the boat and spot the whale.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. Media room.
During our stay, when someone in the group mentioned how convenient it will be to eat the homemade chocolate chip cookies that were situated in the downstairs kitchen, closer to the upstairs bedroom, a plate of them appeared on the table in the media room. Later when people expressed interest in watching Studenta copy of the film was placed in the media room.
The lesson here is easy but crucial: Companies that hearken to their customers so rigorously that they hear what is not being said can exceed even the highest expectations.
When the rain stopped, the airport in Liberia was still closed, so our group drove to San Jose, where we spent the night before catching a flight the next morning.
Photo source: courtesy of Villa Avellana. External view from the beach.
It was difficult to say goodbye to Villa Avellana, not only because of the unique property, but also because its staff created such a warm atmosphere: A spot where guests can make certain that all the pieces is taken care of and loosen up enough to give you the option to enjoy the vacation they dreamed of. I’ll remember eternally.