Pura Vida at Mango Condos Tamarindo

We stayed at Mango Condos for a month during our stay in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Overall, Mango was one of the cheaper Tamarindo condos we looked at renting. We were quite happy with the value that we got for the price, despite a couple of minor problems.

Mango Condo Tamarindo
Mango Condo Tamarindo

Price. We negotiated with the ever-patient owner, Julius, and got our two bed, one bath unit at Mango condo for a month, starting in mid-January, for $1,200 USD. When we went, the Tamarindo economy was still in a bit of a funk, but prices were starting to pick up again, so you might pay more.

Security. The condos have a secure, locked front entrance, with separate keys for each condo. There are three levels, with condos facing either the dusty front street or the big leafy trees in back. A troupe of howler monkeys traveled through trees in the back a couple of times, making for some great wildlife watching out back. Because Mango condos are about a three minute walk from the beach, none of the condos have ocean views.

Pool. The pool is nice but small, with a small kiddie pool and an attractive fountain. It’s great for a quick plunge, but not really big enough to hang out at all day. It’s in the center of a small courtyard, and out of the sun most of the day. The cafe tables by the courtyard are a great place to read the local paper or enjoy a drink.

Laundry. There was a washer and dryer on site that we used for $4 USD a load on an honor system. The laundry facilities were in the dusty, cinder block shell of an uncompleted condo. The dryer was broken when we were there, so we hung our laundry on the clothesline strung around in the laundry area. Since there were no windows in there, our laundry dried overnight in the heat.

Internet. The only Internet connection in our condo was hardwired, which was fine. We just set up the laptop on the desk by the kitchen table and worked from there.

Mango condos is owned by a friendly Canadian expat named Julius. He was extremely helpful and patient with all of our questions and emails.

We rented a two bedroom, one bath, condo on the third floor at Mango condos. Inside, the condo was gorgeous, and very similar to the photos on VRBO, though our condo didn’t have a vaulted ceiling. The condo we rented was modern, with granite counter tops and a nice fridge and stove. The air conditioning worked perfectly.

Potential Problems

While we were happy with Mango condominiums, there are a few things to be aware of:

  • Our condo wasn’t equipped with any basic cooking supplies like dish soap, paper towels, or spices except for a small container of salt and pepper. The cooking utensils, pots and pans, and coffee maker were nice, although a blender would have been great. Gotta love those fresh margaritas!
  • We chatted with another couple who’d made a last minute reservation, and they were quite upset at being given a smaller condo than they said they were promised. Apparently, their condo was one of the first built, and lacked a few key features, like windows that opened fully.
  • Because the road in front is gravel, it constantly throws up dust. The plants in front and the entrance are coated in dust if they’re left for a couple of days without washing. Because we were in the back of the condo, dust wasn’t a big problem for us, but I’d imagine the condos in front get a bit of dust. That said, a lot of the roads in Tamarindo aren’t paved, so that may be a problem in other condos in town.
  • We had understood that a maid would come in once a week, but after about 10 days we had to ask Julius to get them in. It took a little negotiation with Julius to make the maids appear a couple of days later, and they did a pretty perfunctory job. Not a big deal; I imagine it was just a simple mix-up and was resolved fairly quickly.
  • The condos are still under construction, so there’s a chance you may get some construction noise or disruption, though there wasn’t any while we were there.

Mango Center Condos is located at the beginning of the dusty, bumpy road to Playa Longasta, and about a three minute walk to gorgeous Playa Tamarindo.  It’s a five minute walk to Playa Langosta for a great afternoon checking out the waves, or lounging by the pool at the Langosta Beach Club.

This post is part of our Barefoot Guide to Tamarindo, which dishes on where to eat on a budget, gives you the self-catering supermarket options in town, tells about some of the great things we found to occupy ourselves, and gives some hints on how to actually find a car to rent in Tamarindo.