So Arabella tells me I am her first guest from the Homestay program. However she has been hosting international students in her home for many years and does a wonderful job. This place was just what I hoped for. Arabella and Didier are the most welcoming Tico family you will find. What their place isn't: it is no 4-star hotel. If you aren't prepared to step out of your urban first-world comfort zone a bit, you'd better go find a resort in Tamarindo. If you're ready to work on your conversational Spanish (although Arabella's English is pretty good), appreciate good home cooking, don't mind walking a short distance to some almost deserted beaches, and enjoy a very small town that appears to have no high-end tourist development whatsoever, then you will love it here. Pura Vida all the way!