Villa Paraíso Jacques — Private Pool Villa, Finca Shambalah, Guanacaste

What we love most: waking up to horses grazing right outside the window. Two suites open onto one airy living pavilion, with a private pool, garden, and terrace of your own.

Guests love the area for its two beaches. Playa Negra, known for surf, and Playa Avellanas, calmer and better for sunsets, are both under a kilometer away.

The standout nearby is Finca Shambalah itself, a 35 hectare equestrian estate where horses roam freely and riding lessons or beach rides can be arranged on site.

That is what sets this villa apart. It is not a pool villa with a horse theme. It is a real equestrian retreat, with the privacy of your own residence in a quiet corner of Guanacaste.