We've hosted a lot of families with babies and toddlers, and we've noticed something: the parents who have the easiest trips didn't pack better than everyone else. They just booked a house that was actually set up for little kids — instead of discovering on night one that it wasn't. Here's what we've learned actually matters.
“Has a pool” isn't enough information when you're traveling with a toddler. The questions that matter: is there a shallow area? Is the yard fenced? At Cacique Retreat, the pool has a shallow toddler ledge — a landing where little ones can splash while sitting — and the entire yard is fenced. That combination is what lets parents actually relax on the patio instead of hovering.
A crib and a high chair are the two heaviest, most annoying things to travel with — and the two things every baby needs daily. Confirm the house has them before you book. (We keep both, plus children's dinnerware, kids' books and toys, and board games for the older ones.)
Nap time runs the schedule. A house where every bedroom is ensuite means the baby sleeps behind one closed door while everyone else keeps living — no tiptoeing past the crib to reach the only bathroom.
Toddlers eat on their own clock. A full kitchen — oven, dishwasher, blender, the works — means early dinners and picky phases are a non-event instead of a nightly restaurant negotiation.
The best family base is one where nothing is far. We're about 30 minutes from Liberia airport (short transfer, no meltdown window), minutes from calm, warm water at Playa Hermosa, and minutes from restaurants in Playas del Coco. And babysitter recommendations are one message away.
Costa Rica with a toddler isn't harder than home — it's just home with better sunsets, if you pick the right house.