"There is nothing better than waking up with the sun and morning sounds of Costa Rica while enjoying a cup of coffee on the porch. We enjoyed a canopy tour and thought that day would be tough to top! We topped it the next day with a full day hike to the top of Cerro Chato with Steve, Debbie and Giovanni-a great guide. Dinners and drinks at the house with Debbie and Steve were a wonderful and relaxing way to end the day. Thank you! No phone, no Internet, no TV-the perfect recipe for a relaxing vacation. It was great to leave the 'Type A' personalities of the East Coast far behind. You will enjoy the view and the hospitality of this unique property." Steve Davis and Deirdre Kelly, Washington DC, USA
"We had a wonderful time, hiking the Rio Celeste with Giovanni (despite getting off to a rocky start with a dead car battery-thanks for rescuing us, Steve and Debbie!) Other highlights: watching Arenal do her thing, the delicious dinners, Lucky and Chloe, the 17 piglets, and getting to see a toucan and sloth-just a few minutes away. Oh, and how could we forget driving the Land Cruiser...! Thanks for your warm hospitality that made the setting even more beautiful." Lexi Dwyer, Travel Editor BRIDES magazine and Ernesto Munoz, Brooklyn, NY- Leaves and Lizards was featured in the September/October 2007 issue of Brides Magazine!
"This has been an adventure we will never forget. Steve and Debbie did a wonderful job of catering to our nine year old daughter. We went on the horseback ride down to the river and swam. In the afternoon we went on a terrific hike to a private waterfall where we had our 'own' private dip in paradise. Great views from our cabin and well worth the trip off the beaten path." Lee Johnson, Chete, WI
"We had a great time horseback riding to our 'own' waterfall pool in a river. We swam in the water there. I enjoyed watching the rocks from the volcano skid down the side as they turned a glowing reddish-orange color at night. The birds sounded lovely as they chirped beautiful songs. Even thought I got a sunburn, I had a lot of fun! Haley WJ, (nine years old)
"We had an adventure of a lifetime! Steve and Debbie were great. Good food, good company, great views, good times....Thanks!" Rita Hong, Cheteh, WI
"I spent one week in Costa Rica and three days in Steve and Debbie's paradise. Early in the morning we can see the volcano without clouds...add a wonderful horseback ride to the wonderfull landscape and you have the solution to how to build a miracle. Thanks a lot for this very well configured and situated bungalow!" General Christian Houdet, Paris, France
"We went river rafting, it was fun. We saw monkeys. We went to the hot springs and the volcano and then slept like lambs. Leaves and Lizards will be a hit to anyone who comes here. Steve and Debbie run a good place, they are fun to be around and truly care about you." Howard Daniels and Jackie Daniels, Beacon Falls, CT USA
"We spent six nights at Steve and Deb's cabin retreat. The last 3km of our journey was bumpy but soon forgotten once we arrived. Our cabin was perfect! Modern, but rustic, clean, comfortable, quiet, and peaceful. The views of Arenal, the valley, and surrounding countryside were spectacular. And, of course, we heard the howler monkeys each and every night. We ate our meals, family-style, at the "gathering kitchen", just a 5 minute walk from our cabin. The food was fresh, authentic, and delicious, thanks to talented and beautiful Mireya. She is pure gold, as far as we are concerned. Each and every day was packed with many tours, each one amazing and unforgettable. We had no worries with reservations or transportation. Steve and Deb took care of all details, making our stay completely stress free. We will never forget our time at Leaves and Lizards and we will definitely return. Thanks, Steve and Deb. You two are awesome." John and Sandy Owen, Duluth MN USA
"Steve and Debbie have done a fabulous job with the construction of the cabins. I was very impressed with how beautiful and lush everything was. Highlights included: Toucans Lightening bugs lighting up the jungle at night-Hummingbirds everywhere!-Sloths-Pancake breakfasts-Seeing the glow of the volcano late in the evening- Fresh bromeliad arrangements in the room!
The little town at the bottom of the hill was such an awesome little place too. We had a great and affordable dinner at 2 different places in town. Our only mistake is not planning accordingly and leaving too soon. There were a ton of things we wanted to do but didn't have the time. That's just more the reason to plan another trip back." Alison B. and Family Colorado, USA
"I'm Annika and I'm 11 years old. Leaves and Lizards is so cool! Horseback riding to the Dairy Farm was awsome. At the dairy farm I milked a cow, made cheese and went fishing. There is even a mini-zip line there that goes over the pond where I went fishing. If you go there and catch a fish ask Eric to cook the fish it tates so good! I saw a baby sloth on the way back from the farm. You can see the volcano really well out the window of the cabin. My brother, Evan, took a picture of it he even took a picture of the door. The carvings are cool. Steve is really nice and a good painter ( I hope to be as good as he is some day). Lucky and Chloe (the dogs) are playful, smart and fun to talk to; it's like they understand me. I could write forever about Leaves and Lizards, about the horses, the pigs and the chickens.." Annika Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
"This place is an out-of-this world paradise. The view and feeling of being in a treehouse from the deck is outstanding. Steve and Debbie's layout of plantings and flowers and paths-both road and foot-are stunning. It is simply gorgeous here. To look out over the green splendor, makes one feel incredibly lucky to be one of the few who gets to experience it. The sunset lava hike is definetely a once in a lifetime experience-we got amazing views of red hot lava rocks emitting from the cone and rolling down the sides! The hike at El Silenco forest was also amazing-spider and howler monkeys AND fantasitc volcano views. Anyone who stays here will never forget it as a once in a lifetime experience." Johnson Family-Huntsville, Utah, USA
"Debbie and Steve, You have indeed crafted a miracle here in the middle of Paradise! We loved our terribly short stay with you very much. The birds were great, the view amazing and the hospitality wonderful. We enjoyed the mix of nature and your welcoming house together with the culture and personalities of Costa Rica. We really enjoyed meeting Mireya, Geovanni and Sergio.....We wish you all the best and hope to see you again." Connie and Dick Sandlin, Dallas, Texas USA-Audubon Dallas VP of Field Trips.
The visit was wonderful and we're very grateful to Steve and Debbie for their hopitality and strong will to make this place fit so well with its surroundings. As a biologist (Marcy) and geologist (Richard) we found much to enjoy and it was enhanced even more by Geovanni's excellence as a guide. He truly knows an unlimited amount of information on the area and is generous in sharing it. We recommend the Arenal lava bed hike, El Silenco reserve and the hanging bridges. Best of luck to Steve and Debbie with their future restoration work here and in their relationships with the local people. " Dr. Marcy Brown Marsden and Richard Mardsen, Dallas, Texas - Audubon Dallas.
"Thanks for your hospitality. Your place is lovely and will surely inspire many visitors to care for things in nature that bring us comfort, joy and the means to sustain our lives. Your home cooked meals were delicious! The stops along the drive from San Jose were very pleasant. The tours that were arranged with Geovanni were outstanding. He provided a wealth of information having spent his life in this area. I would recommend him to a lot of guests. Good Luck and best wishes in your venture here." Julie Britton, Dallas, Texas - Audubon Dallas.
"Debbie and Steve-What a wonderful memory I have from staying at your place!! I just wish we had thorougly looked through your website to see all the things we could have just done directly through you. I'm sure we would have planned things a bit differently and I wish we could have stayed longer. Geovany is a real gem and we SO appreciated his taking care of us and his pasion for the environment and giving guests the best possible experience. We loved your story of how you got to Costa Rica.....Thank you for a truly wonderful experience and hospitality. You've got an idyllic place." Carolyn Muegge-Vaughan Anchorage, Alaska, Wife of the late Norman Vaughan Chief Dog Sled driver for the Admiral Byrd Antarctic Expedition 1928-30.