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This is Roberta’s tiny ‘cabina’ in Costa Rica. After moving to Costa Rica and renovating her home there, she decided to build this casita in her backyard for rental revenue and as a place for her family to stay when visiting.
It’s a lovely riverfront tiny home in San Isidro de El General, Costa Rica, available on Airbnb, too. What do you think? Learn more below including construction photos of how it was built.
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Tiny Riverside Cabin in Costa Rica
The kitchen looks cozy, simple, and functional.
The living room with staircase that takes you to the bedroom loft.
Bedroom loft with nice windows and a rocking chair.
The bathroom with flush toilet, shower, vanity, storage, and a large overhead window.
The elevated deck with a jungle view.
How would you like waking up to something like this?
The cabin sits on a slight slope because you’re in the mountains here.
How would you like to build a cabin like this?
Can you see yourself living tiny here? What would you change about it if you were building your own?
This cabin is located in San Jose, Costa Rica.
You can actually book it on Airbnb via Roberta if you’d like to stay.
Construction of the Costa Rica Casita 🙂
Highlights
- Riverfront ‘cabina’ cabin
- San Isidro de El General, Costa Rica
- For up to 2 guests
- 1 bedroom, 1 bath
- Southern zone location of Costa Rica
- In the mountains
- 3 miles outside of San Isidro de El General
- No 4×4 needed to access
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Modern bathroom
- Spacious loft bedroom
- Lounge area
- Deck with 180-degree views
- Lots of nature
- Gated property with secure parking
Learn more (book a stay here!)
Related stories
- Casa Maria: 764 Square Foot Vacation Home in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica Shipping Container House with a Rooftop Deck
- Roberta’s Tiny Tranquil Cabin in Costa Rica
Our big thanks to Roberta for sharing!?
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Alex
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Wow, this is a great build…gonna try and book it but now since being on TinyHouseTalk it’s probably slammed thru 2030!… 🙂 I’d like to winter in Costa Rico for sure!
Gorgeous house, gorgeous location! Yes, I could live there permanently. Only thing I would change would be a different type of shower head. I know these showerheads (with electric heater built in) are pretty standard in the area, but they always make me nervous. I would go for a more remote instant hot water heater. I just am uncomfortable with the water heater in the shower head. We used to call them “widow-makers.” Other than that, absolutely beautiful and functional!
So they discriminate by sex huh? No widower makers at all. rg&dfc
I’m wondering what the size (in feet) of the cabin is. It is laid out beautifully, and seems to take advantage of space better than most of them I have seen. And it is totally homey and comfy looking. Wish I could figure out where they placed the bathroom; can’t tell from the pictures here. Really beautiful design and build!
Whoa! What was that stair riser pattern thing they were using? Can you get those here? How clever. I love the huge overhangs that keep sun and rain out of the large windows. It’s a beautiful home!
I think you are speaking about the welded steel stair stringer, before it was painted. Probably custom made for this house.
I’m with you on that Nancy, electricity and water don’t mix…that’s a crazy showerhead/electric heater contraption!…lol
Elaine, I would guestimate 750 square feet or so….500 on 1st floor/250 in loft. From pics bathroom appears to be to the right just as one goes thru front door….that’s the only wide narrow window in the whole build…and a rectangular window up high usually denotes bath area….
Marsha, that template along with the steel frame riser system seems to be all custom…I’m sure any custome metal shop can replicate that for you…really cool stair install to be sure!
So you don’t use an electric jug for any reason??? Come on, same principle. Safe as, unless made in China.
Well, it does have a bad reputation in multiple countries. Issue is it relies on a grounding wire for safe operation but it’s not always installed properly and can be a victim of poor construction standards.
Tap water is usually not very conductive, though, so most of the time you may only feel a tingle but it’s understandable to want it safer…
Well in NZ they were a flash in the pan for a while and then just bombed. Went to a few stores and asked about them and they said people just stopped buying them but couldn’t say why. So went to a plumber to see if he knew and bingo, they were too slow heating up. Not unsafe at all. So there you go…
They do have a very limited heating capacity but everything else I stated is also true and is how they got their reputation… The reputation is a bit exaggerated but without the grounding wire properly installed you would be exposed to current and if the water is more conductive than regular tap water then that can become risky…
I’ve used one myself long time ago during a visit to Peru, and can attest to the tingling sensation, which meant current was flowing through my body… Mind, construction standards of small countries aren’t always up to the standards of more industrial nations like NZ…. So grounding wire can be missing or not connected, no fault protection circuit, etc.
For people with pace makers, etc. it can be a more significant risk factor…
Properly installed, they’re okay but they’re not always properly installed…
Eric – The question isn’t whether you use an electric plug as much as it is whether you use an electric plug in water. GFCI plugs have become standard if you are even close to water, and that means instant unheated water. Either that or the “tingle” is not how I want to wake up in the morning.
It’s also too easy to install a little ($100-ish) on demand and provide hot water to tub and tap. For a unit this size, with the bath next to the kitchen, you’d only need one ($200?) to supply all the hot water needs. Too simple and reliable.
Eric can’t think of one right off hand…gimme some examples and I’ll tell ‘ya if I’m guilty as charged… 🙂
Very nicely done! Very little to know wasted space, Love how the kitchen pantry is under the stairs. This one of the few that I can actually say I wouldn’t change a thing about.
Cup of coffee? Cup of tea? There ya go, 2 examples ?
Nice set up, like the fact you built right next to a running creek. Have to thought of using it for energy power?
Building near the creek does add nice scenery and other benefits. A slightly hidden concern is how big does the river get during monsoon season? The news stories showing flooded buildings aren’t as much a matter of bad luck as they are bad/no planning, or good times planning.
So they discriminate by sex huh? No widower makers at all. rg&dfc
It would be interesting to see structural calculations for the framing, especially with all the little holes for attaching the wood and standing on top of stilts. Costa Rica is earthquake territory, so hopefully it can withstand the inevitable shaking or at least be empty when the earthquake hits.
The visible question I have is where does the 2nd person sleep? It would be nice to see it with at least a full size bed (vs the twin).