We just returned from 2 weeks in our cozy home. As the other reviews have stated, the highlight is definitely the outside space - the pool, bohio w/hammocks, yard, covered patio and 2nd floor balcony are great and we definitely spent most of our time outside. The lot is well landscaped and meticulously maintained. There are mango, lime, pineapple and banana trees. We were only able to enjoy the limes as they other fruit was not quite ready. There were tons of roadside fruit stands though.
The house was nice if a showing a little wear and tear. The house easily accommodates 4 people comfortably. We found the living room area a little small and awkward when we did try to watch the Oscars on tv. There certainly were plenty of English speaking stations. We really enjoyed the 6-burner gas stove. The kitchen was well equipped for basic cooking (you need a new can opener - the ones in the drawer are terrible!) There are lot of fans throughout to keep you cool and a/c if the bedrooms and living room if required. The only drawbacks were the comfort level of the bed (very firm mattresses) and the noise from the nearby highway. There was also noise during the 4 days of Carnaval - nothing too crazy but you could hear firecrackers, fireworks, party music and drumming at times. The fan of the a/c helped drown out any noise.
Jenni and Tim, the caretakers were wonderful - very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. They directed us to some great price fixe restaurants and side trips. When we had trouble reaching our car rental company for our return trip to Panama City, they helped us secure a driver.
The nearby beach was very nice, especially for beachcombing and jumping in the waves at low tide. The black sand is very beautiful but definitely hot to walk on. There is very little shade and as it was so hot and sunny while we were there, we found it hard to spend long periods of time at the beach. It was a 10 minute walk down a road that is under construction. Most days we would only see a few people on the beach but at the height of Carnaval, there must have been 20+ locals enjoying the surf.
San Carlos is very central to a lot of beaches, activities, restaurants, Coronado and the ex-pat community. It was a little less hectic than Coronado but only 10 minutes away so we enjoyed the slower pace. If you want to avoid the 1 1/2 hour drive plus the crazy traffic, we found out that Sunwing and Air Transat fly to nearby Rio Hato, only 20 min away!