| Good service, Staff are super friendly |
| Hotel Grand Papagayo by Occidental |
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Nina II >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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The arrival to Costa Rica was like any other Carribean country - You have to wait in long lines in the heat to get through customs, pick up your luggage and then head off to your resort. I recommend bringing a change of clothes either before you arrive or while you wait in line to get through customs. Air Canada Vacations had a bus waiting to pick everyone up and take you to the Grand Papagaya. The whole process takes about an hour. Once there you have a cocktail waiting for you as you wait in line to check in. Overall a smooth process and as I said before no different from any other all inclusive set up.
Costa Rica though is an extremely beautiful country and I highly recommend people to explore the countryside as much as you can. The best tour company bar none to go with is Avispa Adventures to book all your excursions. They are an excellent tour company. You can book in advance by emailing or calling the owner, Amy and she will see to your every need. She provides not only the tours but any other things your would need to know about in Costa Rica. She is an US expat who fell in love with Costa Rica and stayed. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
On the resort, we did some diving with the Dive Company situated at the Resort. The visibility was poor when diving. You would be lucky to have 25 ft of visibility. I am not sure if it is because of the location in the Pacific or the time of year we came. But it was not as good as what I have seen on the Carribean side. But you do see some great sealife (white tipped reef sharkes, lots of eagle rays, manta rays if you are lucky). It is just too bad that you can't spot them until they are up close and even then it still isn't nice and clear. Th resort dive company could have been better. They aren't very accomodating (their dives leave late as far as dives go - 9 am and they weren't very happy to move it to an earlier time so that you could do some other tours in the afternoon). Also their boat is old and needs repair. The dive master and boat captain were very good though and helpful.
For off the resort activities, I went on tours with Avispa Adventure and as I had mentioned above, they were excellent. I would go with no one else and when I go back I will book everything I want to do next time with them. What was really nice with them is they are quite flexibile with your schedule. As I mentioned above, the dive company wasn't very flexible and so we would come back later than I wanted from the dives but Amy made sure to be ready for us once we got back so that we could do other things with her to maximize the day. Very excellent with that. Again, I can't say enough good things with this company. Avispa and Amy are the best. The Miravelles Tour is absolutely great with Amy. Fun and lots to see and do. Whitewater rafting is a lot of fun. Palo Verde is great to see especially if you are into nature and wildlife. Hidden Treasures takes you to the Llanos de Cortez Waterfall and it is beautiful. If I had more time, I would see more of the region but that will be for another time with Amy.
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| The pool was nice to swim in to cool off from the heat. The grounds were well kept and the view from the hotel is gorgeous. The hotel is situated on a hill so from the main building to the beach it is quite an elevation difference so be aware that at this resort there are a lot of stairs to climb. But it is a good way to build up an appetite for dinner. The beach isn't like the carribean beaches with their white sands - darker volcanic sand. And with the tide in there isn't much beach but that is usually late in the day. The water is warm and nice to swim in. |
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| Other Comments |
| Overall, we enjoyed the hotel. Good service, Staff are super friendly there and everyone has a smile there. My best recommendation is where ever you are staying go with Avispa for your activities. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| The Oriental and Italian restuarants are very good. The meals we had there very good. It is a la carte but you can order as much as you want. No issues with that. If you are a large party (greater than 6) the Oriental restaurant puts you in your own separate room where you sit close to the floor and it is excellent. The Buffet was good for buffet. However they don't have as much of a selection as some other places I've been. But the food overall was fine. This is the Carribean so you shouldn't be expecting five star here. |
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| Rooms |
| The rooms were fine. Clean and spacious with good beds. Though not all the rooms have a safe as advertised. Air conditioning works so that really is the most important thing for when you are in the room. Otherwise we didn't spend much time in the room except to get ready and sleep. The rooms are set up in about a dozen buildings spread out throughout the grounds of the resort. So depending on where your room is, you could have a bit of a hike to get to the main building where the restaurants are. But they do have a shuttle to drive people around. Our room was in building 1 so nothing was far away. |
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| Flamingo Beach ROCKS! |
| Hotel Flamingo Beach Resort & Spa |
| User Rating:
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Mary from Portland, OR >
1 contribution(s) |
| Nov, 2009
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Rooms:
Comfortable, clean and everything we needed. Soundproof quiet yet upon waking - enjoyed the sound of waves crashing on the beach through open aired hallways/views.
Restaurants and Bars:
Chef Dave is a creative and gifted artist, friendly, open to suggestions, visible, fave of mine was the fresh Mahi Mahi Florentine, bon Appetit! Best deal yet was their daily fresh fish of the day, grilled or fried, served w/ choice of rice, mashed potats, black beans, fresh veggie saute and anything else your heart desires. More than ample to please the palate and pleasure the tummy. The Jumbo Shrimp were well worth the additioanl $3(for those all-inclusive plan' folks, wow!) Enjoyed some random, live musical entertainment, always music in the air, bar staff superb and attentive. Elesius (sorry, can't remember how to spell your name) and Karla especially thanks for making our time a memorable one!
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Imacculately kept, great for any age group (accommodating to kids, too). Luxurious tropical landscaping w/ awesome lighting at night. BEACH IS THE BEST!!! Perfect water/ocean temp when we were there (67 maybe?), clear - great for body surfing, sea kayaking, swimming and just floating around.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Concierge Danise is always there w/ a smile and info about what is available, the Zip Lines scared me to death however my cohorts thoroughly enjoyed every thrill seeking moment. The ride to/from was enough to qualify as an adventure in itself! Horse riding on the beach at sunset, river trip to hang out w/ crocodiles/gigantic Iguanas, rare birds...Catamaraning on the Lazy Lizard was also a highlight, snorkeling and a bite at fishing all included. Awesome, unlimited FUN.
Other Comments:
For more honest feedback, please write to: discoverwild@aol.com, higly recommended for a escape to Paradise, you can't believe it until you experience it, Flamingo Beach ROCKS! |
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| I found the prices somewhat outrageous |
| Hotel Allegro Papagayo by Occidental |
| User Rating:
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Amy from Oklahoma >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Aug, 2009
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| Arrival: August 7th- August 31st
I stayed the first 2 days at the Hilton Papagayo, it would have been equal amount to stay for 7 nights as it would have been for Occidental Allegro Papagayo IF it wouldnt of been for a "sale" that the Hilton was having!!! I tell you what- the lady who asked about my stay is NOT going to like what I had to say about her hotel.
It was beautiful. The hotel surroundings was beautiful. I loved the comfortable beds!!! But I did however leave because I found the prices somewhat outrageous. I will always remember paying $60 U.S. dollars for a meal for 3 that left us still feeling very hungry. Even just after we ate we were still very hungry. I decided to pay an extra $575 U.S. dollars and switch hotels to the Occidental Allegro Papagayo. I was extremely stressed at your hotel and felt as if I was going to run out of money very quickly when the prices for food were so expensive for so little food.
My first few days stay in Costa Rica were extremely stressful. I honestly couldn't enjoy my time there at all. I paid $30 U.S. dollars for 3 basic alcoholic drinks.
If you were to get one alcoholic drink a piece (3 drinks) and 3 meals for 3 people each day you would be spending over 200 U.S. dollars a day!!! With your belly still hungry too!! $60.00 U.S. dollars each meal, 3 meals a day= $180.00 U.S. dollars $30.00 U.S. dollars for 3 alcoholic drinks add with the $180.00= $210.00!!!
The gift shop was also a lot more expensive than the Allegro. $8.99 U.S. dollars for a key chain. The exact same key chain at Allegro was $4.99 U.S. dollars- half the price!! Not to mention the phone charges are fairly cheaper at the Allegro. But I didn't spend much time on the phone over there, seeing as though I was happy with my stay at the Allegro and my phone charges at the Hilton were over $50.00 because I was using it solidly to try to switch hotels so I would "enjoy" what was supposed to be a "vacation".
I did however enjoy my stay very much at the Allegro. I was very glad I paid the extra $575.00 U.S. dollars. Most of the staff at Allegro also understands English A LOT better than most staff at the Hilton Papagayo. I came to find that most people that visit Costa Rica speak English with very very little spanish knowledge on words. It is more important for the staff to know how to speak English than the visitors, seeing as how the majority of people who stay in Costa Rica (for tourism) are fluent in English. We are there to get our needs met and this is hard to do when staff doesn't understand you. We are only there for a week, most people are only there for a short amount of time. So it wont do us any harm to not know or learn spanish, however your staff will be dealing with people who speak English on a day- to- day basis for as long as they work with you!!! Which could be years!!! |
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4. Butterfly Garden- My mom went. ($60.00US cab ride, $10.00US to enter) The one that is closest to the Occidental Allergro Papagayo- the one with the cage of monkeys at the end of the butterfly garden. My mom loves butterflys...... but she said that was nothing to be happy about- however she said she will always remember the monkeys, (as described by my mom) you walk into this large cage and the next thing you know, you have monkeys all over you !!! Wanting you to hold them like babies and holding on to you like your their mother. Feet and arms wrapped around you. My mom said the best part is, they dont want you to leave!! You put them down and they get right back on you and when you finally do leave, they hold on to the cage and look at you as if to say "... but... dont leave me..." picking through your hair for fleas, taking spare change out of your pockets, playful little boogers, but sooo cuddly.
We sent her to the butterfly garden while me and my brother did the Papagayo Zipline! :) Shopping at coco cay was worth it 100 percent!! Souvenirs are so much cheaper !!! |
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Overall- I would not recommend this hotel to anyone I know. Unless- they want to run their bank account dry. The only thing worth staying for again at the Hilton Papagayo, would be the extremely comfortable beds.
P.S. The view was the exact same if not more beautiful at the Allegro, but they had tons of wildlife right there on premises!! Monkeys right by the beach guaranteed every day!! :) Crabs and Raccoons also. But it wasn't overflowing or annoying with wildlife- everyone else staying there loved it also!!
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
My mother and little brother went kayaking! They said they loved it!!! This was "at" the hotel, that came with it for free. The other "excursions" we did was-
1.($115.00/person US dollars) View the rainforest by the Arenal Volcano, meet the Maleku tribe, eat lunch, go to a hot springs at a beautiful brand new hotel called The Springs with a spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano and dinner at that hotel (The Springs). I did not, repeat- did not, like the rainforest- it had "NO" flowers or color to it, other than green. The Maleku tribe wasnt 'that' friendly of people nor was their little show very interesting. However there is room for improvement. The hotel with the hot springs, OMG this made the day!!!!! It was sooooooo beautiful. I took tons of pictures there and there is a water slide there also- look for it cause they dont tell you about it!!! The lunch and dinner on this excursion were very awsome!!!
2. ($125.00/person US Dollars) Buena Vista Combo tour- OMG, soooooooooooooooo awsome!!!! My favorite overall of the tours!!!! Zipline, Water slide through the rainforest, horseback riding, mud bath with steam room and hot springs, and lunch. Not in that order lol. The Zipline was fun!!! I felt very safe at all times! The water slide was a BLAST, especially for kids (my lil brother is 14 and he loved it!) however there was a man at least 45 who was running 'up' the natural man made (out of dirt from the rainforest) steps ALL the way up to go do the waterslide as many times as he could!!! Very thrilling to see! Lunch was very good!! Not alot to choose from though... The horseback riding was beautiful. succcch a pretty view !!! I couldnt seem to get 'enough' pictures of just 'how pretty' it was!!! The mudbath- wow... such an experience !!! for all ages !! We had a blast!!!! However, there is quite a bit of walking upwards (which is hard for me.. walking down is easy, even at a steep angle, previously shattered foot,ankle and heel) my mother had a hard time also with the walking up to the zipline and waterslide and walking up the steep angle to go back from the hot springs. Overall- I looked past my foot and I made it fun !! It was awsome !! An experience of a lifetime !!!
3. Papagayo floating and zipline- ($45.00/person also includes transportation) oh yeah, now here's something that is soooo much fun for you thrill seekers, but it is quick and fun!!! Most of the excursions are half a day, this one is just a few hours, but sooo worth it !!!!!!! The staff at the place is soooo nice and it was private too, I was able to do just me and my little brother without a huge group like at the Buena Vista!! We were able to zipline upside down and superman style!!!!! I highly recommend this one!!! Plus, they are adding a resteraunt and a gift shop. The best part - It was all hand made!!! They dont even get to use any bulldozers or any large machines!! It's all done with a mashetI!!!!! Restaurant, Zipline landing pads, Gift Shop, all hand made!!!!!! Which is very impressive when you 'see' it. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
Oh the black sand was very pretty. I dont have any clue how Jay from Canada says its like black mud..... It was actually lighter than sand to me! The pools were great! They clean them at least 3 times a day that I saw!! I wish they had a place for people to rinse off like one of those outside shower things, before you get into the pool though, so the black sand wasnt in the pool as much.
The grounds- omg let me thell ya - monkeys outside the hotel by the beach every single day !!! In the mornings gauranteed and sometimes afternoons. Even though they have signs up not to feed them... they love food from ya like bananas!!! lol. What an experience it is to feed the monkeys!!
That's the last thing my mother did beore we left was see the monkeys right next to the hotel !! :)
I took her and my little brother there for vacation since I could afford it but she couldnt. :)
The monkeys were by far---- the best part of the whole Costa Rica trip!!!!! :) |
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| Other Comments |
| If you have a hard time with someone not understanding English at the Occidental Allegro Papagayo- ask for Pedro at the front desk, he speaks it very very good and understands it also ! and Gilbert/tour guy is from California, so he understands very very well and can speak it, but isn't available that often at all.
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| Restaurants and Bars |
The food "was" different every single day !!! I just got back- I am telling you how it 'really' is! -some- of the food was the same every day, such as most of the fruit or the beans and rice. But all the rest of the food (which is alot) switched around on a day to day basis. I stayed for 7 nights and only ate the same things by choice. The bars were pretty nice. I wasnt going with the "all inclusive" so I could get hammered, so I am just telling you from a 1-3 drinks a day perspective. I tried the dirty monkey and it was great!!! However, not ALL the bartenders know how to make it!! :)
I recommend the steak at the mexican restaurant! very good !! Pay attention to the italian menu- it is soooo funny how many things are mispelled! lol |
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| Rooms |
| The beds were not comfortable at all at the Occidental Allegro Papagayo, but I do agree with the lady almost 100 percent who stayed from May 16-22!! The room did have a whole lot of tiny tiny ants which yes- was annoying considering I was waking up in the middle of the night to one crawling somewhere it shouldnt of been crawling! lol. But they are so small and dont bite, that it didnt bother me. Because as the lady from that review (May 16-22) said- you should use the room more as a place to sleep, you shouldnt be camped in it all day. Also like she said, there was no alarm clock which was kind of annoying to have to call every 20 minutes to the front desk (is how we found out the time, since our phones dont work over there) when you are getting ready to go to dinner at the fancy restaurant that you have 'reservations' for by a certain time, or have to be at the tour by a certain time. |
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| Go for the Royal Service, it's very much worth it |
| Hotel Paradisus Playa Conchal |
| User Rating:
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Melissa from Houston, TX >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Jul, 2009
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| We did the sunset tour and it is really great, very very beautiful and just so nice to be out on the water. It is BYOB, they don't provide any beverages, so grab a few beers from your fridge if you'd like those while on the boat. We also did the ATV/zip line tour and that was a blast! Definitely recommend that! Rode ATVs for about 30 min to the zip lining, zip lines for an hour or so and then rode ATVs for 2 hrs, we rode some pretty rough terrain (it really stormed the day before so lots of mud puddles to go through) and then we rode to the beach, out on the beach - that was so cool - this area of the beach was secluded, nobody there at all, as we'd rode through the jungle practically to get there! this was a fabulous way to see Costa Rica off the resort. it was my first time on a 4 wheeler , so it's very easy to do, the guy gave me a mini-lesson before we set off. We booked ours through the desk that is downstairs from the main entrance, by the golf pro shop - we just went to the first guy and booked it. it was $110 a person , we thought that was a great rate for 4 hrs of fun! all of our guides were excellent. At the Royal Service desk they have High Tide for their tours, but it's so overpriced compared to the others. |
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| Arrival: July 2009 |
| I must start by telling you we are from Houston, so the humidity and mosquitos at dusk that some people mentioned in their reviews were non-existent to us. The weather was actually cooler than what we left in Houston and we never once got bitten by a mosquito! We did spray ourselves with bug spray before going on the zip-line tour in the rain forest but other than that, never needed it. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| Pools are beautiful, we hung out at the royal service pool and it was just sooooo relaxing to sit and read a book and when you get hot, you just take a little dip into the pool , swim on over to the pool bar, get a drink and wade back to your lounge chair. There was a man who was supposed to be walking around serving drinks and food but he didn't come around very often so i suppose that service could have been better. The weather when we were there in July is such that it rains every afternoon, so if you really want to get some great poolside time in, go in the morning. Around 1-2 pm every afternoon it clouds over and would rain, sometimes not a lot, sometimes a drizzle off/on but every afternoon there would be some kind of precipitation so keep that in mind when planning excursions or poolside time! The beach is very shelly, not the soft sandy kind , and when the tide is coming in, it's a very small beach area, just be aware of the tides when you set up your chair/stuff, if you plan on hanging out at the beach. we just walked down by the beach a little, we didn't spend a lot of time there. The vendors at the beach area are very nice and friendly, not pushy.
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| Other Comments |
| If you are going without kids, go for the Royal Service, it's very much worth it. We were taking an anniversary trip without our 2 yr old and especially when it's a mini getaway from the parenting life, you don't want to be surrounded by kids! That said, when we walked around the resort and saw all the kid things to do that is on the other side, away from the Royal Service area, we thought how fun it would be to come back with him when he is older. When you're on the Royal service side of the resort it's so quiet and peaceful and just perfect. We would have loved to stay a little longer to enjoy more tours and more of the resort, but 3 days is all we had. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| We tried Gabi our first night - SKIP GABI. it was a waste of a dinner for us and we talked to another couple who had the same opinion. It is however, excellent for breakfast, they have a big buffet with plenty of different items to choose from. We had breakfast here every morning. The Mexican restaurant is excellent - we actually ate there 2 times because we loved it so much. We had the enchiladas, I had them with green sauce, and my husband had the red sauce and we both loved the enchiladas but the red is very spicy. If you go there one night, you should definitely try the enchiladas! We never tried the Italian restaurant, we were going to but then booked a sunset cruise in our time slot, so we went back to the mexican place instead, but we heard very good things about the Italian restaurant, so worth trying I think!
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| Rooms |
| We got the Royal Service, and our room was great, our balcony looked out over the pool, where the bar and the Gabi restaurant are. We filled out a request for mini-fridge items to be removed and some to be added and that same day our butler had stocked it with our request! Fresh fruit in the room is very good - try the pitaya, we'd never had it and it is sooo delicious - yellow bumpy looking fruit. |
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| We never had a problem with anyone on our trip |
| Hotel Allegro Papagayo by Occidental |
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Rheanna from Minnesota >
1 contribution(s) |
| May, 2009
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Arrival: May 16 - 22
After the swine flu struck the world, we had to cancel our plans to Mexico and decided to rebook to vacation to Costa Rica. We are so glad everything happened the way it did and we had a amazing, beautiful stay at the Allegro Papagayo Resort. When we arrived we couldnt get into our room right away but they stored our luggage for us. We changed into our suits and went down to the beach.
Rooms:
We were sort of leary about the rooms at first but we definitely got use to it. The rooms are kinda old and we did experience some ants. But its no big deal and I dont understand why people make such a big fuss out of the rooms. You shouldnt be in your room that much anyway. Its just a place to sleep and it did the job. One thing - there was no alarm clock and our cell phones did not work so we never really knew what time it was. but we just checked the clock that one of the channels on the TV had.
Restaurants and Bars:
The buffet was nice. Everyday they have a different theme such as "Tropical", "American" and others. There is always tons of fresh fruit - we've never eaten so much pineapple in our life! There is food that is repeative - they eat lots of beans and rice - so get use to it! We liked the food and never starved. For the Italian restaurant and Mexican restaurant, they allow you to reserve 2 nights for your stay. If there is more room after 4:00 that day they will let you add a night - which we did so we got 3 nights! The food at both is very good. No compliants here! The bars are also very nice. You can get a drink or pop wherever you want and take it with you wherever.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The pool is awesome. Nice to just relax and cool off. There was always a place to lay on the lounge chairs. Never had a problem with that. The beach is beautiful. We loved the black sand. We walked the beach about two times a day - taking pictures and picking up seashells - loved it! It is not really a swimming beach but it is nice for getting your feet wet and watching the sun set nightly. = Beautiful. The resort grounds are nice. There are quite steep hills but we found it as an excerise after eating a big meal! We absolutely loved the wild life around the resort. There are iguanas everywhere! So cool! Also we did find the white faced monkeys, frogs, birds and geicos. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| We did the "Beach Club" which takes you to a local beach that is for swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, relaxing and they even feed you! It was a great experience. The tour guides are great. One of ours went looking for exotic fish and found 2 puffer fish! They puffed up and we got to hold them and take pictures. We also went to "Coco Beach" about an hour boat ride. We walked down the streets and shopped. There are many shops to buy sounviors, get something to eat, and lots of other things! We also did the White water rafting down the Tenorio River = ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would do it again in a heartbeat. We had Sam as our tour guide - made it so much fun and laughed the entire time! Totally worth the money spent! |
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| Other Comments |
| All the staff and guides that we had on our trip were extremely friendly and nice. We never had a problem with anyone on our trip. Edgar at the front desk with TAM tours is really helpful. When it was time for us to leave, we found out that at the airport we were required to pay $26 per person for departure taxes. If you wanna return home you have pay it! All in all we had a wonderful trip and want to go back right now! It was worth every penny spent and are so lucky to have experienced Costa Rica in such a beautiful way! :) |
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| There is no chair game here |
| Hotel Los Suenos by Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort |
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Trista from Wisconsin >
1 contribution(s) |
| May, 2009
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Arrival: May 14 to May 16
Arrival was smooth, met by staff with cold bottled water, luggage taken immediatly. Front desk very efficient. Waited for a room ocean side, 1 hour wait, otherwise room with golf course view was ready.
Rooms:
Rooms are large, plush sitting area, work desk and king bed. Huge patio off room with sitting chairs and table. Bathroom was large, equipped with hair dryer, makeup mirror, and robes. Nice FULL mini bar, has to be the bestest mini bar I have ever had access too. Pool and ocean view was remarkable.
Restaurants and Bars:
Arreicife pool restaurant and bar are nice and a great place to eat. Great great local foods which were down right wonderful. Casa Del cafe, is a great little coffee shop where you can get any kind of coffee, and treat to go with it. Ate dinner at La Vista, which offered an extensive menu, with anythign you wanted. service was good their and very great atmosphere. Puesta Del Sol, is the "lobby bar" over looking the ocean pool. Ate dinner there one night, had great meal, TONS of ceviche and super service. Had room service for breakfast on the terrace. Was excellent and arrived quickly. Meal was presented very gracefully.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach is extensive, but volcanic black sand, and the tide goes out quite far. Also fresh water flows from a small river to the right of the property. So the beach is a wash. Pool is enormous, and has many different lazy river type, and tunnels to go through. Downside only one swim up bar, and only one bar by the pool in general. Water was warm, chairs were plenty. You do have to sign for your pool towels, and there is no chair game here...people JUST DONT DO IT. Grounds were maintained, not as nice as some I have been at. I didn't see anyone out maintaining like usual but the resort grounds were beautiful, there is a walkway to the marina which is covered by manicured bushes. Golf course looked great.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Jaco, and bejuco are 20 and 40 minutes respectively from resort. Both offer downright gorgeous beaches, with great surf, and TONS of shells. Zip lining which my friends did was amazing. Now vegetation is lush, and the rain forest is peaking with vibrant colors. Short 15 minute ride to tram, which takes you up to the platforms.
Other Comments:
Nice resort, would return. They do offer AI packages. Resort caters to young and older crowds, allows children. Staff was impecible, and always had smiles on their faces. Housekeeping checked in every evening to see if we needed anything and offered turndown service and snacks. It is 2 hours through the mountains to this location from San Jose. Roads are rough, but not as bad as some other locations in Costa Rica. |
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| The food was wonderful! |
| Hotel Paradisus Playa Conchal |
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Lynne from Indiana >
1 contribution(s) |
| May, 2009
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
| We had a bad experience with an attempted bachelorette party - the hired driver refused to take us where we wanted to go - only taking us to the disco he recommended -- we ended up going back to the hotel and trying to continue our party there. Suggest you get something in writing when dealing with the drivers - they may be getting 'kick-backs' from the different bars/restaurants in Tamarindo. We did end up getting back our $120 - but it took some talking. Our group went ATVing several times and each time got a different view of the countryside. The men golfed - the course looked beautiful, but it was just too hot/humid to attempt golfing -- they quit after only 13 holes and opted for the swim-up bar in the pool. Some of the group went to the rainforest and others went zip-lining. Some also used the spa facilities and seemed pleased with them. The major activity of our large party was "The Wedding" which was held on Friday. The Romance Director didn't have a pleasant attitude toward the event and after many 'hiccups' in the planning stages, the wedding went off as planned. The 'reception' was held in the disco and the food served was amazing. We all had a great time eating and dancing. The bride and groom then honeymooned in the Arenal area of Costa Rica -- with a view of the volcano. |
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| Arrival: May 19-26 |
| We were in Costa Rica for our son's wedding. Some of the wedding guests preceeded us to the resort, we arrived on Tuesday. We were met at the airport by two limo-buses for our group of 8. Enroute we were given a 'tour' of the Costa Rican countryside, including a stop at a local liquor store to buy beers and 199 Viejo calling cards -- very tasty, the beers that is! |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| The pool was very warm (to my liking) - probably due to the extreme heat and humidity encountered in May. The grounds were kept up nicely, with very little interruption of our peace and quiet. The groundskeepers even would come to the pool to tell us that the monkeys were in trees near us, just in case we would like to watch them. The beach was a little disappointing -- it was small and there didn't seem to be any service out there, i.e., chairs, blankets, etc. We stayed in the pool most of the time, but would have enjoyed being on the beach if there were accommodations. The beach vendors were entertaining!
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| Other Comments |
| Be careful using the phone in the room to call the United States - make sure you get and use the 199 card -- it seemed to be the easiest and most efficient way to stay in touch with the States. I took my laptop and got great signals -- there are wi-fi stations at all the restaurants and at the pool. You can also get wi-fi in the villa near these areas - unfortunately our room was not one of these villa, so we carted the laptop to breakfast every morning and logged on there. No problem. There was a slight fee for wireless, but some in the group with laptops got wi-fi without having to pay for the service. Suggest you try before you buy! We had some problems with Swiss Travel (our travel agents at the hotel) - especially due to language barriers. The majority of the employees that dealt with the public spoke moderate English, which made it easy to communicate. Our stay at Paradisus was great - but don't know if I would go back to Costa Rica again -- perhaps if the humidity wasn't as high in other months -- like when the whales visit offshore, or the turtles make their trip up onto the beaches. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
| The food was wonderful! We were expecting some bland Costa Rican fare, but were very pleasantly surprized by the tasty food served for breakfast and lunch. They seem to have Americanized the entrees, but still managed to put a tropical twist on things. The wait staff was wonderful and very attentive. We only had one surly waiter (Gabi's restaurant) and he might just have had a bad day. The Hostesses were gracious and the bartenders were outstanding -- especially at the swim-up bar, which was generally crowded, but we didn't experience any delay in getting service. Some employees that gave us exceptional service were Carolina, Roberto, Minor, and Kenneth. I don't remember the names of the other wait-staff employees at Mitra, but they were great in the morning with coffee and water for us. Several of the restaurants were not air-conditioned (Mitra, 19th Hole, Snack Shack and the lunch area near the pool) but the other restaurants were (italian, japanese, mexican, Gabi ). The Italian restaurant was very good - we ate there twice. The Mexican restaurant was not air-conditioned when we arrived for our reservations, but it was soon fixed. Had a nice experience at the Spices Restaurant (Japanese-style food) - they serve a variety of sushi appetizers so you don't have to pick and choose -- very helpful for those of us who were unfamiliar with sushi, etc. It was a dining experience for some of our group -- but at least they tried some of the foods. The entrees were delicious - for all - and the Flaming Coffee was great. The desserts at all the restaurants were excellent and should not be missed. Every night there was a show at Mitra and most of our group tried to make an appearance there. After the show, it was on to the Disco or the casino. Plenty of things to do at night! |
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| Rooms |
| Costa Rica was very humid in May - don't know if this is usual year-round, but air-conditioning was #1 on our list of 'must finds'. Our group had a variety of styles of rooms -- one room had a completely air-conditioned enclosed veranda, while the others were not. Some had two queen beds, or a king, or two queen beds together. All rooms were very clean and completely air-conditioned. One of our group even got upgraded to Royal Service -- VERY nice! We didn't opt for this service due to the size of our group and financial situations. However, we could not have had as much fun if part of our group was in RS and the rest at the main pool. All amenities seemed to be the same for each class -- at least we didn't notice any difference in treatment. We have had up-graded service at many other resort hotels in the past, but didn't seem to miss it this trip. Perhaps this was due to the large size of the group and the many places to go on the resort properties. |
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| The "black" sand beach was more like a mud pit. |
| Hotel Allegro Papagayo by Occidental |
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Jay >
5 contribution(s) Canada |
| Apr, 2009
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Arrival: April 2009
We arrived at the resort and had to wait two hours to get into our rooms, for they had not been cleaned yet.
Rooms:
The rooms were old. there was mold in my room along with an infestation of small ants.
Restaurants and Bars:
The restaurants served the same food every night, no change. They had a snack bar that served, pizza, fries and chicken wings, and that was it. there was nothing ot eat after 9:00, which is not good when you are at the disco drinking til 2:00.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The "black" sand beach was more like a mud pit. the pool was nothing special and the grounds were also nothing special. there was no where to sit other then right by the pool.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
There were few activities for the guests. we did 2 tours off resort both were disapointing. the first started off nicely however one of the sights we payed to see was a waterfall and the road was closed to it, therefore we had to pay for it and did not get to see it. the other was a small safari. this one was a disaster. we waited for over an hour, the car never came, we said we wanted our money back and was not given it, after fighting the trip was bumped to the afternoon, but we still had to pay full price.
Other Comments:
The managment of the resort was horrible. You were never able to talk to anyone in charge, they dodged your calls and drop-ins. No one ever had an answer to your questions. this resort was such a disapointment. I would never recommend it to anyone. |
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| It is a long way out from anywhere |
| Hotel Allegro Papagayo by Occidental |
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Rodney from California >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Feb, 2009
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Arrival
It was 94 degrees when we arrived so to be met with a drink wwas very nice. It was quite a drive from the airport with not much in between. Check-in was easy and quick and we were off to our room.
Rooms
The room was smaller than I had liked but the air conditioned space was just right for me. The beds were firm and that was a plus.
Restaurants and Bars
I didnt spend any timne in the bars but they always seemd to have quite a few people around. The Italian restaurant was terrible. The look and flavor of the place was not up to code. The Mexican restaurant was the best! I wanted to try all the menu had to offer. Everyone was was right on the ball and the food was not to be forgotten.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The beach was cool with its trees and shade. The pool was very nice. The grounds were so manicured and neat. Very pleasant to the eye.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We took a couple tours with CAT tours. Edwardo was very helpfull. Whatever they said was on the tour...well, it was. One morning we did not get a wake-up call so missed the bus. They rescheduled for us at a later date. No problem.
Other Comments
I asked for an iron for my shirts for five days in a row speaking to every department and seven people. I finally got ahold of one. I think the reason being that they charge about a dollar an article to press for you. If they give you an iron they loose that dollar. So irons are hard to come by. The airconditioner one day started to pour out water onto the floor. Called maintenance and they came very quickly and remedied the problem. Most of the staff was so friendly and helpfull. The people working the Buffet were extra nice. If I came to Costa Rica again I would not stay here. It is a long way out from anywhere. If you just want to stay at a nice place and not go out except on tours, not on your own then this is the spot. I like to rent a car and drive around a bit. This place added to the mileage.
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| The resort has not a single whirlpool |
| Hotel Doubletree Hilton Puntarenas Resort |
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Janet from Toronto >
2 contribution(s) Canada |
| Feb, 2009
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The resort has 2 main sections. On the left side is the older building-Building 1(not up to Doubletree-) on the other side is the new buildings(2&3) and they are much better. (they have queen beds and bath tubs-some with whirlpool)
The older section has just 2 double beds, no kings, hot water is intermittent and the building is very noisy. the walls are paper thin and people talking (not shouting) in the hallways are clear as a bell. speaking of bells, on the first night, we werre treated to the fire alarms going off at midnight, then again at 2 AM
As you read in all the reviews in here, you will notice that a consistent theme is that the maid service is hit and miss. this is accurate. one day it's no floor matt, then it's no face cloths, then it's now duvet on the bed etc--it rotates with no apparant order. in 2 weeks we only got the face suncscreen on the last 2 days, and our coffee was replaced only once. Also check your TV--your supposed to have approx 55 stations. we had none for the first week, then only 11 (all spanish) for most of the second week.
They let on that there are more restuarants. dont be fooled! there are 2 "a la cartes" and one big, 2 sectioned buffet. as for Bars, there is 2 swim up and one main one at the buffet area, and one near the snack bar (chips, hamburger/hot dog/ nachos/pizza and a few salads)
Food - is classic "all inclusive" fair--sitting in pans floating in sauce or grease or dry, but lots to choose from. fresh fruit is terrific. The beef is shoe leather, so dont go looking for a good steak or prime rib. Im used to succelent Canadian beef and Tico beef is really tough--brama cows who walk the mountains. their bread is stale and hard as a brick so dont get too excited about a nice sandwhich at the resort
The beach-
The beach has dark sand (volcanic) didnt bother me at all--except that by noon it scalded your feet so bring beach sandals if you plan to walk the beach. the water was warm, and you could go in up to your chest/neck. some people surfed and boogy boarded, some people even fished from the beach/pier
Pools -
Lots and vacuumed daily, but the water is a bit cloudy (it's hard to keep a pool crystal clear with that many people uninating and spilling drinks in it) there is also a quiet, adult only pool. we were surprised to discover the resort has not a single whirlpool. |
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Lounge chairs -
if you want shade, claim it before breakfast. Sometimes replacement beach towels were in short supply so plan ahead if you are going off resort with them.
Tours -
Lots to do, but if you prefer smaller groups, flexible and personal service/stops, then just use the drivers that are around the lobby area. We used Juan and he took us wherever we wanted (often for less than what CAT was offering) i have his contact info if you want it. be prepared to spend time driving--most activities are at least one hour away (or more) the roads however are getting much better and there is tons or road construction going on. be sure to head to the beach for some spectacular sunsets.
Casino exists but small if that's your thing
Also if you are arriving between Dec 15 and Feb 15, the resort will be fully of Ticos as this is their summer vacation. the down side is that the nightly and even some of the day activities, jokes/skits are dont in spanish only.
The resort is located to be a good "jumping point" for sight seeing. Other than that it is average to below average to other resorts we have been too in the worldwide. I didnt try the spa or massages or hair braiding but were available.
Front desk staff is over whelmed and the guest services people are not willing to go above and beyond . they will do the basic minimum (make your a la carte reservation if you are on time) but not be overly helpful. Hilton Honours people are not treated at the level their status deserves. Dont go expecting Hilton quality, they have a long way to go. |
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| It is quite hilly |
| Hotel Grand Papagayo by Occidental |
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Karen from Toronto >
2 contribution(s) Canada |
| Feb, 2009
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The CRT tours were lackluster in comparison. First we went to Santa Cruz & Guaitil to see where the beautiful Costa Rican pottery is made. CRT first charged us $75 as only 2 of us wanted to go, but when they found 2 other couples, they dropped it to $50. Thank God, as this was not a $75 trip. It was barely worth the $50. Santa Cruz is a tiny little town. The town centre is interesting as is the church that the guide took us to, but this only took about 10 minutes. Guaitil is interesting, though the pottery demonstration is only about 15 minutes and then each pottery shop is pretty much the same as the last. However, we did meet a lovely woman potter and bought a few things from her and her family. The CRT guide was very impersonal. We weren't too impressed. We did see a tree full of howler monkeys along the way and he let us out to take pictures.
The second CRT trip was to the Monteverde Cloud Forest and Don Juan Coffee Tour. Again, paled in comparison to the Avispas Adventure Tour. There were about 40 people on this tour, so there was zero personal attention. The bus was crowded and cramped, and this was a long trip, so these conditions made it very uncomfortable. We joined up with a group who were doing a 2-day Arenal Volcano/Monteverde Tour. They said that they didn't get to see the Arenal Volcano go off the night before, so I'm very thankful that we took Avispas' advice and didn't spend the money to go to Arenal. The coffee tour was interesting. The cloud forest was beautiful, but again, with CRT, there's no personal attention, so we were pretty much left on our own. The walk through the cloud forest is about 3 km and we did it ourselves with no guide to point out plantlife, wildlife, etc. Very disappointed. I wouldn't do the Air Canada tour again.
I was disappointed that I didn't see much wildlife on the tours. If I was to go back, I'd do the Palo Verde boat tour as the people who went on this one said that they saw crocodiles, monkeys and lots of birds. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
Activities on the Resort: almost non-existent. The 2 or 3 Fun Club staff, while energetic, didn't do a lot - at least not in comparison to other places I've stayed. They did a very quick AquaGym class in the mornings and a quick dance lesson in the afternoon - 1 song only! They sometimes started a volleyball or water polo game in the pool, but that's about it! There is not much entertainment in the evenings. There were only 2 shows while we were there and you don't find out about them unless you're hanging out in the lobby and the Fun Club staff happen to tell you about them. The lack of entertainment was disappointing given that the hotel is isolated and there's nowhere to go in the evenings.
We went on 3 tours. Two were with the Air Canada Vacations tour operator: CRT. The third was with Avispas Adventures. We had researched Avispas on the internet prior to going to Costa Rica, with the intention of calling when we got there. However, they found us - one of their reps was selling tours on the beach. We went on the Avispas Miravelles Volcano Adventure. I can't say enough about Avispas as it was a fantastic trip & they are a far superior tour operator to CRT. I talked with Amy on the phone before booking as I wasn't sure if I should try the Arenal Volcano Tour or the Miravalles Volcano. She highly recommended Miravelles as there is a lot packed into the day and the travel is not very long. She advised that the Arenal Volcano is not always active or visible and is a 3 hour drive. She said that customers are often disappointed to travel a total of 6 hours to not see the volcano. The Miravelles trip was awesome! First we went zip-lining. Very scary, but after the first line, the rest is easy. The zip-lining crew was amazing. They kept our spirits up with their jokes all morning. Then we went to a Costa Rican restaurant. This was the best food that we had the entire week in Costa Rica! Amazing! Then we went to the volcano. We first went horseback riding for about half an hour part-way up the mountain, then we hiked for another half an hour and saw some beautiful waterfalls and the lush forest. Then we rode the horses back and toured the crater of the Miravalles volcano. At the end of the tour, we had a mud bath right there in the crater! Then we bathed in the hot springs. The Avispa tour guide, Mario, brought us a bottle of wine to drink while we were in the springs. Heaven! This trip was $145 and there were only 4 of us. The personal attention was worth every penny. We were able to go to souvenir stores and stay as long as we liked. I would absolutely recommend Avispas Adventures to anyone wanting to tour in the Guanacaste Region. |
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| Arrival |
| We flew with Air Canada. The flight was uneventful. Bags came fairly quickly at the airport. Immigration was pretty quick also. The Air Canada Vacations representative was visible immediately upon clearing immigration and we were quickly taken to a waiting bus. The ride to the hotel is only about 30 minutes away. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
The beach is not fantastic, but we knew we were on the Pacific side, so not the whiter sands of the Caribbean side. The sand is brown, so if you're looking for pristine white sands, this isn't the place for you. However, we enjoyed ourselves on the beach. The water isn't as clear as in other countries I've stayed, but still, the salt water was nice and it sure beats Toronto in February! The pool was nice, but too small for the size of resort. It was often difficult to get beach chairs after about 10:00 a.m. It was difficult to actually swim in the pool because of the activities happening in and around the pool. It was extremely annoying when the 'college-boys' engaged in games of football across the whole length of the pool making it impossible for people to relax in the pool or on the chairs surrounding the pool. It would have been nice to have a lap pool or another pool where people could relax without activities going on.
The grounds were beautiful - well maintained. Beautiful tropical flowers. However, when researching this hotel, some sites had spoken of bird-watching and wildlife. While the birds were plentiful, there was not much variety - maybe 3 or 4 different kinds. We saw one monkey from a didstance. There were occasionally quatimundi's (like racoons) walking about the resort - they're harmless. |
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| Other Comments |
| Overall, I would say that the Grand Papagayo is a beautiful hotel with some really nice staff. Ana Mary in the buffet & snack bar is particularily lovely and remembers everyone's names. Even though I've been a little critical, I do think that the hotel is a good value and if I was to come back to this region of Costa Rica, I would stay here again. As many travel sites state that this hotel isn't appropriate for those with physical disabilities - take this advice seriously! It is quite hilly. My travelling partner had a sprained ankle and it was unbearable for her often on the hills and steps. However, the shuttle bus is available to take you around, so don't let the hills stop you. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
The buffet was fine. It's much smaller than ones I've been to in other all-inclusives, but the food was fairly tasty. After a few days, it gets a little repetitive: each night, there is the same beef, chicken and fish in a different sauce. The snack bar is ok by the pool. As others attest to, the bars are far from the rooms, and with the 'hilly-ness' of the resort, makes it inconvenient to go out and get drinks. As well, only the lobby bar is open after 6, so went we wanted drinks in the evening, we'd go to the lobby bar and order 2 each and take them back to our rooms we knew we were not going to make the long trek back to the main building to get any more drinks.
We had been told that there were 2 a la cart restaurants: the Oriental and the Italian. We could only get reservations at 9 p.m. for each of them on the days that we booked. They were both OK. The Oriental restaurant had sushi and sashimi which were not high quality, but not too bad. The teriyaki dishes were on the sweet side, but OK -worth a night away from the buffet. The Italian restaurant had nice main dishes: we had beef tenderloin and mahi mahi. Very nice. Tiramisu dessert was terrible.
We found out on our last night that there was another a la cart: The Grill Restaurant. We were ticked off that the business centre staff had never mentioned it, not was this restaurant mentioned in any of the hotel literature. We tried to book on our last night, but it was totally booked up. |
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| Rooms |
| We booked the Grand Romance Package as it was the only package available at the time of booking that guaranteed an oceanfront view. We loved our room. It was in building #24 with a beautiful view of the water. It was spacious. We were told that the Deluxe Rooms in our building were larger than the ones in the stacked building closer to the main building. The only complaint is the bathroom. I expected more from a 4+ star hotel. The bathtub had flaking enamel & the soap and shampoo dispensers were broken and falling apart. Included in our package were some nice touches: a bottle of champagne on the first night, a plate of chocolate covered strawberries the second night, nightly turn-down service, bathrobes (though they were a little small!), a beautiful bouquet of tropical flowers mid-way through the trip, and two 30-minute massages outside. That was heavenly! I'd highly recommend this package. We were also to get continental breakfast in bed, but we were always too hungry in the morning to settle for a small breakfast & instead got the buffet. A romantic dinner is also included which we also ditched. |
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| All rooms had a view of the ocean |
| Hotel Allegro Papagayo by Occidental |
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Melissa from Lindsay, ON >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2009
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Arrival: January 2009
Flight was about 5 1/2 hrs, but went very smooth. Not long before we were on the bus headed for our resort. They gave us all our check in information on the bus which was great (rooms keys, towel cards etc.) Arrived about 12:00, we couldn't get into rooms until 3:00. Headed for lunch and a walk around the hotel, beach and pool. Were able to get into our rooms 1/2 hr early.
Rooms:
Rooms were clean. Our air conditioner was leaking, but only because the person before us had it set down to 16 degrees which froze it up. We call for it to be fixed and they stated they would send someone, put the garbage can under it in the mean time. We got changed and went for a swim. The room smelt a little musty, but i had broughten a little bottle of air freshener which worked great. Got two double beds, wanted a king so just pushed the beds together. Upon returning from our swim the airconditioner was still leaking so we went to lobby and they sent someone immediately. Was fixed and never had any problem again. Had to pay for saftey deposit box $2 per day. There is a sign on the balcony not to hang stuff outside, which is a good idea because there are sprinklers that sometime spray towards the balconies. All rooms had a view of the ocean as i could tell.
Restaurants and Bars:
Buffet restaurant had a good variety, no complaints from any of the 8 other people i travelled with. Did 2 a la cartes, Italian and Tex Mex. Liked italian better but both with great service and food. Bars were good, pool bar closed at 5:00 and lobby bar closed at 8:00 which only left one bar open, which closed when the disco opened
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Pool was beautiful, kept clean as it could be with some wind blowing flowers etc into it. Beach wasn't a swimming one but great for walks when tide was out and to feed white faced monkeys throughout the morning. Took a boat to the white sand beach which was worth a day trip. Spent most of our time at the pool. Wasn't overly busy, but still got chairs earlier in the morning. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
Activities at the resort were not great, only went to one evening show which was nothing special. Probably the worst at any resort i had been too. But didn't bother me due to being in the heat all day, we were exhausted by the 9:15 showtimes.
Booked tours outside of the resort with Papagayo/Vargas Tours which was the best thing we ever did. Great people who run the tour who have really investigated how to make peoples trips ones to remember. The three owners Ricardo, Micheal and Josta met us at the resort the day following our check in, to go over the 3 tours we booked (Arenal Volcanoe, deep sea fishing, and Palo Verde Tour) The Arenal Volcanoe tour we had our guide Manny, who you could not say enough good things about and driver John who was again just amazing. Did a great job in breaking the 3 1/2 trip to the Volcanoe up. We went to a wildlife sanctuary, had the best lunch ever overlooking the arenal lake, continued to ziplining over the rainforest and overlooking both the arenal volcanoe and lake. From there went to a very secluded hot springs, which our guide Manny explained the big tours companies take you too an amusement type one across the road (which we did end up hearing from other people at our resort and they didn't like it) Had supper on the other side of the volcanoe and returned to see a bit of lava flowing down the volcanoe in the evening. Our trip back was very long, but the whole day made it well worth it. The 5 guys travelling with us did deep sea fishing for the smaller fish, they had fun and caught 4 black fined tuna, which we had the chef at the resort make us for dinner, which was excellent. We ended with our final tour of the Palo Verde Tour, and we had our two favourite men, John and Manny again. We saw birds, bats, monkeys and crocodiles very upclose on our own privated guided boat (other boats we full of about 20 people and we had 9 on ours) We had lunch at a local family run restaurant which was once again great and then headed to shopping in CoCo. I would reccomend booking with Vargas Tours and you will be blown again by their services. We were able to make stops when our driver John would see a sloth up in the tree, or kimates (look like racoons) on the side of the road, or to cut us some sugar cane. Or when Manny wanted to show us the different fruits growing or when they were kind enough to pull over when i was car sick. We had a 15 passenger van to our group of 9 which had water and juice supplied. To sum it up, this tours company made our trip and memorable as it was.
mdaniher@hotmail.com |
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| The birds and wildlife on the resort are beautiful to watch |
| Hotel Barcelo Tambor Beach |
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Gerry from Toronto, Ontario >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2009
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
The activities on the resort were the best - especially the aquarobics class every day.
Jose, who was a member of the animacion team, and the aquarobics lead was fantastic !! He is personable, friendly and excellent at his job.
He certainly is an asset to the resort, and to the animacion team.
In the evening when Jose MCs the evening show, he gets participation from all of the audience, and they all love him !!
We did go on tours,organized by the brokers on the beach.
We went on the seadoos, ATVs(twice),to Tortuga Island and horseback riding.
All activities such as pool volleyball, beach volleyball, and dancing were very well organized and a lot of fun.
The disquotheque each night, was also a lot of fun.
The mini-golf course was another fun place.
The Kids Club was wonderful for the kids, and they could go every day from 8-5 if they wished.
The kids also performed on stage every night from 8-9 and they had a ball !!
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| Arrival: January 27 to February 10 |
| We chose to go from San Jose Airport CR to Tambor, by bus and ferry.It was a beautiful trip,but a long day. Coming home,we flew from Tambor to San Jose, and that too was a beautiful trip and a whole lot shorter. (It is possible to fly both ways.)
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
The beach was gorgeous even with the darker sand. It was very clean at all times, and the beach chairs were always plentiful.The palms and trees on the beach afforded lots of shade when needed.
The towel service was excellent.
The sunrise over the ocean every morning was breathtaking.The pool was huge, clean, and never crowded.The chairs around the pool were also always plentiful.
We were not accosted on the beach by locals selling their wares.There were only 3 brokers on the beach, and they were the same people all the time. They got to know the guests, and did not bother the guests, unless the guests approached them.
The grounds were immaculately kept at all times. |
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| Other Comments |
The location of this resort is peaceful,serene,tranquil & picturesque.
The birds and wildlife on the resort are beautiful to watch.
The macaw and butterfly farms are truly interesting.
Another fabulous point of interest is the Natural Park on the premises.
The mountains surrounding the resort are breathtaking, and an ATV trip up to the top of the Tambor Hills is an unbelievable experience.
Although we took loads of insect repellant, we did not need it at any time.
We did not see a mosquito or bug.The only things we encountered were little red ants, if you stood too long in one spot on the grass, or in the jungle.The ants do bite, but the itch does not last long.The key is to keep moving !!
I would recommend this resort to anyone.
We hope to return next yesr - if not sooner. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
The buffet restaurant had numerous selections every day. All was food cooked to perfection and very tasty. The fresh vegetables and fresh fruits were always fresh. The desserts were delicious and plentiful !!
The a la carte restaurant was another wonderful place to eat with very obliging and patient staff, even with their very limited English.The presentation at the a la carte restaurant was indeed a special art.
The snackbar was a great place to grab a snack. Lots of variety and wonderful staff.
Allan who was the bartender in the evenings was very friendly, helpful and efficient, even with an almost total lack of English - but he had an amazing memory and our drinks were on the bar before we even spoke !!
All other bartenders too were very efficient and friendly.The swim-up bar was a very busy place, and the bartenders excellent. |
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| Rooms |
We had 2 rooms, and 2 full bathrooms for 4 adults and one child.
The rooms were very clean, and well kept and the maid service was excellent.Hot water was plentiful.
The room bar was kept well stocked.
Towels and bedding were changed daily. |
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| Every afternoon a duck came for a swim and bath |
| Hotel Barcelo Tambor Beach |
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Becky from St Catharines >
1 contribution(s) |
| Jan, 2009
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Arrival: Jan.27
we arrive at 12pm costa rica time. and travelled by bus, ferry and bus to the resort. our group looked at this as a free sight seeing tour.
Rooms
we were in rooms 262 and 261. we overlooked the garden area and could see and hear the beach. we had macaws outside our rooms every evening and even monkeys. lots of iguanas
Restaurants and Bars
the food was excellent and so was the service. never too much of a line at any bar.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
the pool clean and very warm by mid day. every afternoon a duck came for a swim and bath. no one seemed to mind except for one group the say before we left.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
we were on an atv. tour, zip line(or canopy) tour and a boat tour to tortuga island. we booked our trips with DNA on the beach except for the zip line. the other two tours were private just the 5 of us.
Other Comments
this was my second trip to costa rica and the first time to this area. i wounld not hesitate to recommend this resort and would love to go back some day. the resort also offers you the option of fying back the san jose for 75$ US. this means you leave at 7:15 or 8:15 instead of 4:00 am. this was a great deal.
r.ryder@sympatico.ca |
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| We would definitely reccommend getting married at this resort |
| Hotel Barcelo Tambor Beach |
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Denise from Peterborough, Ontario, >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2008
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| Arrival: Dec 2008/Jan 2009 |
| We arrived in San Jose on Dec. 30,08. Customs was very quick. There were 11 people in our party, including a 9 month old baby. We decided to take the short flight from San Jose to Tambor ( remember to take your bathing suit with you as your luggage will go on the ferry and arrive later at the resort). Great trip, amazing scenary. Check in was fast.and friendly |
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| Rooms |
| We were in the green building (600's) right beside the Nature Park and the ocean. It was only a short walk to everything, but far enough away not to be disturbed. The Howler Monkeys would come and visit the fruit trees infront of our rooms everyday, and there were iguanas everywhere :). Rooms were really clean, Mini bar in some the rooms was stocked daily with pop, water and beer, other rooms did have to ask for it to be refilled but this was no problem. Lots of Hot water, A/C was awesome. Rooms on the corners of the building had hamocks on their balconies and they all had tables and chairs. |
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| In a word, the resort was INCREDIBLE |
| Hotel Paradisus Playa Conchal |
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Michael >
1 contribution(s) |
| Sep, 2008
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My wife and I spent our honeymoon at the Paradisus Playa Conchal from September 7 to September 14, 2008.
This is apparently the rainy season in CR... but we did not have one day of rain... it was sunny and hot the whole time!!
In a word, the resort was INCREDIBLE.
We absolutely loved most everything about this resort.
I'll try and break down a few things about the resort to try and help you out if you are considering this as a vacation option. |
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| Alex on the beach |
Give "Hightide" a pass -- they are the resort's in-house or contracted tour guides. Mark-up is high.
Instead go and talk to Alex Rabbit (yep, that's his name) on the beach. He has a baseball cap and a black ponytail and is a great guy.
He set us and many people that we met on the trip up for sea-dooing, sport fishing and ATV/Canopy Tour and it was all incredible.
Here's what we got:
ATV/Canopy Tour ($110.00/pp): We were picked up from the main lobby by a local from Brazilito (the neighbouring town) and driven about 5 minutes from the resort. There waiting for us were 6 ATVS (there were six of us) and our guide. All the ATVs were new. The guide even had a cooler to put cold drinks in (raid your bar fridge in the a.m. so you don't have to buy anything). Then from that point you ATV about 1.5 hours up into the mountains/countryside all the way to the canopy tour. This is where you get suited up and go ziplining... awesome... what an experience and the guys who run the ziplining company (Congo Trail) are awesome. Lots of fun. Then after a couple hours ziplining, you get back on your ATVs, go all the way down the mountain again and they cruise you along the beach back to Alex. It was terrific. GO!!
Sea-Dooing ($80-$100pp): Sea-doo was nice and new, worked like a breeze and was TOTALLY worth it.
Sport Fishing ($350 per boat which holds 5): We didn't do it but another couple and some friends of theirs did... they loved it... mahi-mahi jumping, tuna... they even had fresh sushi on the boat.
Alex Rabbit is amazing and will swing you a good deal. Do yourself the favor, get to know him and his team... he's a good guy and just wants to make an honest living. |
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| All Inclusive... and then some! |
Everything, and I mean everything, was included. If you want to order 10 bottles of wine to your room, you got it. Room service, 24 hours. Drinks aplenty. Food at the restaurants non-stop. Like my wife said, all the staff there just want you to have an amazing time -- they urge you to have dessert, encourage you to try everything on the menu, drink more, party more... honestly, it is terrific and you want for nothing.
The only thing I would give a pass to is room service... not that great. |
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| Beach |
It is honestly beautiful -- a bit rough in terms of sand and the way the waves come in and pull-back out mean you often get a mammoth load of shells and sand in your suit, but the water is super warm and it is a blast to have the waves crash into you.
Be forewarned though: The riptides are strong. So if you get caught in one, don't panic. Turn your body parallel to the shore and the waves will carry you back in.
Lots of little vendors on the beach but they weren't pushy at all.
Overall, this was a great vacation and I would go back in a minute. Honestly, if you have a week or two to spare, go and enjoy everything the resort has to offer. |
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| Restaurants |
Gabi: Right by the Royal Service pool. Food is quite good. The buffet in the morning is for Royal Service guests only. The lunch is a la carte, but also only for RS guests as well. The restaurant opens in the evening for all guests -- but make your reservations. The food and the restaurant's location next to the gorgeous RS pool make it a hot commodity.
Spices: This is the Asian restaurant. Food is not bad, but I would probably skip it if I had to do it over again.
19th Hole Restaurant - Right off the main lobby of the resort, overlooking the golf course. It is open only for lunch. GO HERE every single day if you can. We didn't realize this restaurant existed until our final 2 days... awesome food. Get the stuff potatoes with chicken and jalapenos. So good.
Faisenella: The Italian restaurant. AWESOME. Make reservations though as it books up fast. Have the chicken breast with the gorgonzola/spinach rice dish. So good. They also have a sketch artist that goes table-to-table to draw your picture, as well as a piano player to set the mood. Very good.
Mitra: Out of all the restaurants, this one just did nothing for us. Service was poor, salad and dessert bar were unappetizing (too many flies) and it just seemed too much like some crappy buffet chains. I'd give it a pass.
We didn't get to go to the Mexican place as it was closed until our final night there. People we met at the resort said it was quite good. |
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| Royal Service |
| Some people on this site seem to be opposed to Royal Service and suggest it is not worth your money. Let me disagree wholeheartedly: GET IT. With Royal Service you get access to the private pool (no kids allowed -- which, trust me, when you walk past the gong-show that is the main pool, you'll come to appreciate), you have guaranteed shuttles everywhere (they have Royal Service golf carts that are available exclusively for the RS guests), your rooms are gorgeous and overlooking the garden or pool, and the concierges and butlers bend over backwards to make your life easy. As a shout-out, let me say that Andrey, Ivanna, Ivan and Hector were amazing and we were grateful for all they did. They score you reservations, they take care of your laundry, they refill your bar fridge with whatever you want... trust me,spend the money if you can and do it. And, love every minute of it. |
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| Royal Service Lounge |
| For Royal Service guests, every night they serve hors d'oeuvres. This is a great time (between 6 and 8pm) to go and check your email and relax. They have all sorts of alcohol to drink... we made it our routine to have Baileys on the rocks while checking our email and having some appys. Worth it. Plus, hardly any guests go -- which is too bad because it is a real gem in there. |
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| Seabird Sailing ($85pp) |
This had to be one of my most favorite things to do. Go to the Royal Service lounge and ask to book a catamaran day-trip with Seabird Sailing. You will not regret it.
You are picked up and driven to Flamingo Beach where you are picked up by a little motorboat and taken to a beautiful catamaran.
On-board: open-bar and beautiful food. And, it is exclusive versus some massive party boat.
They take you to a deserted island and cove where you can go snorkelling and lay on the beach... it is honestly like something out of Survivor. Just amazing.
On our way to the island, they served us fresh pineapple and watermelon. When we were done snorkelling, they had a lunch of fresh guacomole, meat, cheese, fresh banana bread and vegetables for us to eat. It was delicious.
If you do nothing else, do this. |
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| Trip to Tamarindo ($50 roundtrip) |
Go to the main lobby (or if you are Royal Service, have them book for you) and book a cab to take you into Tamarindo. The cab will take you there and then they give you a voucher to give to any shop or restaurant there and they will call and then come back to get you.
Lots of shopping... bit overpriced... beach at sunset is beautiful... surfing is apparently amazing... but I liked staying closer to the resort... Tamarindo was a bit sketchy.
BRAZILITO (about 15 min walk from the resort): Rough-looking little town with a good restaurant. "The Happy Snapper". Go. |
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| We went fishing and caught about 8 marlin and 1 sword fish |
| Hotel Copacabana Hotel & Suites |
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Robert from California >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Aug, 2008
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Rooms - 36
Restaurants - 2
Bars - 2,
Beach and Pools - 1
Activities and Entertainment - yes
Tours - A lot of them
Conclusion - Jaco, costa rica is a great vacation place for people that like night live and sport fishing. I was there in july and the weather was great . We went fishing and caught about 8 marlin and 1 sword fish and some "mahi mahi". The hotel was right on the beach with a excellent view, the staff where really friendly and professional. We did some other activities from the hotel, ATV, Jet ski and much more... |
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| All the employees were excellent |
| Hotel Grand Papagayo by Occidental |
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Tracy >
1 contribution(s) |
| Nov, 2007
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| My boyfriend and I are in our late 20’s and are frequent travelers. We stayed at the Occidental Grand Papagayo Nov 3-10 2007 and had an AMASING time. This was classified as their rainy season but we had beautiful hot weather with only a few showers. I would highly recommend this resort. |
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| Food |
| This resort has 1 buffet, 1 pool-side snack bar, and 2 a la carte (Oriental and Italian) restaurants. The food was good but is more of what I would call traditional “Costa Rican” style. Lots of beans, rice chicken and fish - you will never go hungry though!! I would highly recommend the Italian restaurant A++ |
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| Mario Tours |
| There are a few people on the beach operating tours. They are usually much cheaper then the ones offered through the resort. We did a 2 hour boating trip with Mario which included snorkeling (2 different sites) caves, and whale/dolphin watching for $25. It was safe, and we had a great time. |
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| Staff |
| All the employees were excellent. They spoke good English and always went out of their way to help you. They make approx. $1/hr so if you decide to tip, it is extremely appreciated! |
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| Sunset Walk |
| This is arranged by the entertainment staff and is worth doing! |
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| Tours |
| Avispa’s Tours - www.avispasadventures.com we read about Amy before we left Canada and booked the Miravalles Volcano Adventure and Arenal Volcano Adventure and had a FANSATIC TIME! I would highly recommend booking with them– you won’t be disappointed!!! Her tours are smaller groups (2-4ppl) so this way you get a more laid-back adventure as it’s up to you how long you want to stay at each site. Miravalles is a must do tour which includes zip-lining, horseback riding (or tracker ride), nature hike with water falls, sulfur springs, hot springs, and mud baths. Arenal includes a nature hike, the volcano, hot springs and we added ATV’ing. We did not see the volcano the day we went it because it was cloudy – still worth the trip! This tour is a long day 13+ hours so if you want something closer to the resort go with Miravalles, its only 1 hour away. All food, snacks, beverages are included in the price (which is comparative to what the hotel is going to try and sell you). The van is safe and secure so don’t worry you wont lose your personal belongings. I recommend you bring rain gear and a change of clothing just in case. I won’t go into much more detail but if you want more info check out her website or email me! TOUR WITH AMY – AVISPA’S IS THE BEST! |
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| Wildlife |
My big concern before I booked this trip was scorpions. I heard stories of people finding them in their suitcases, in their rooms etc. I didn’t see one my entire trip. If you get up early (animals feed in the am) you can see all kinds of wildlife on the property. If you are not into the wildlife, don’t worry, unless you are out looking for it you probably wont come across much on the resort
If you have any questions or want more info, please feel free to email me tracybug@hotmail.com |
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| The place feels more like a B&B than a hotel |
| Hotel Catalina Apartotel |
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Ted from Sacramento, California >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Feb, 2006
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My wife and I stayed at the Catalina Apartotel for a week in early February. It was everything everyone says it is: simple, quiet, clean, and friendly.
Rooms: Almost Spartan. Beds, chest, a couple of stools, and a small kitchen. The beds were comfortable. A chair would have been nice. (There were two chairs on the patio but none in the room.) The bathroom was small and the shower was so-so, but I have never stayed in a cleaner room. The maid service is amazing. An overhead fan is plenty to keep cool at night. The upstairs rooms have AC but we did not need it.
Management: Naomi and her mother, Sandra, are the most wonderful of hosts. The place feels more like a B&B than a hotel. (Dino, the dog, and Kitty, the cat, also go out of their way to make you feel wanted.) After experiencing their hospitality, I have no trouble believing that half their visitors are repeat customers. We would certainly stay there again.
The Beach: Just across the narrow dirt road that fronts the hotel is a big, wide, flat beach. The sand is dark, coarse, and sticky. It is much better for long walks than for lying on. The beach is so flat that the distance from high to low tide is about 100 meters. There is some surfing on the beach but it isnt very good. The break tends to be up and over with very little forward drive. Needless to say, the water is nice and warm.
Food: There are lots of great places to eat in Jaco, a fifteen minute walk along the beach. In the immediate vicinity are a wonderful creperie (50 meters down the beach), a great little pizza shop (5 minute walk), and a typical Costa Rican soda (same distance). You can get a decent meal at any of them for $3 or $4. There is also a small grocery near the pizza shop.
Tours: We did the Canopy zip-line tour that is about 10 minutes walk from the Catalina. Great fun! Thirteen platforms with 12 cables. The price was a bit much at $55. We also went to Carara National Reserve with a guide but the animals were smarter than we were and spent a very hot afternoon snoozing out of sight. We took an all day tour to Manual Antonio National Park. It is a beautiful place but one that is being loved to death. The place is overcrowded with about 100 hotels built right on its edge. Sad but beautiful. This one cost $64. There is also a lot of horseback riding in the area and fishing trips for those so inclined.
I would recommend the Catalina to anyone who prefers quiet and simple to big and luxurious. |
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| I enjoyed watching the many humming birds |
| Hotel Montana de Fuego Hotel & Spa |
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John and family of 4 from Wilmington, NC >
2 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Aug, 2005
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| Our family of 5 spent the first two nights of our Costa Rica vacation at the Montana de Fuego resort, which is at the base of Arenal Volcano. The rooms are actually rustic cabins with fantastic views of the volcano. We rented two units, one for us parents and one for the 3 kids. The folks who run the resort were extremly helpful and cheerful. Each room had air conditioning, TV and phone service, which made it all that much more comfortable for us. The pool was very nice and included a jacuzzi. While there, we booked a canopy tour directly with the tour company. The tour is a thrilling run, very high above the jungle. If your nervous with heights, you may rethink it. The kids loved it. We also enjoyed the hot springs (don't miss this) and had a very nice, inexpensive meal in the local town "La Fortuna". Although we did not do this, you may want to consider renting a car so that you can spin around the other side of the volcano to see lava flows and Arenal Lake. The volcano did erupt several times while we where there and booms and smoke were visible from the resort. Also, I enjoyed watching the many humming birds and other exotic birds visiting the resort. Overall, I rate the Montana de Fuego a 4 star resort and highly recommend you stay for 3 nights so as to take in all the sights. |
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| We were greeted very warmly by the staff. |
| Hotel Capitan Suizo |
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Maldonado's from Texas >
1 contribution(s) United States of America |
| Apr, 2005
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Flying into Liberia, Costa Rica is the best route to go not only in location to resort but also getting in/out of customs. It was a breeze. Resort is located about an hour from airport. Tamarindo Beach is a small surfer town. April may not be the best month to visit as the heat was almost unbearable. On the up side, no mosquitoes.
We were greeted very warmly by the staff. We chose to stay in a bungalow. They are quite large in size, excellent patio areas and although it has an inside bath & shower, we chose to use our outside shower all week. The pool here is really large and resort is located right on beach.
Rosa (Tour Desk) is extremely efficient and a nice lady. Four months before visiting we had already scheduled our sport fishing tour since this is prime fishing area. Capulla is who we went through - chartered a 36 ft. Topaz. Caught fish right away - including a big 4 ft long Dorado who put up quite a fight. Staff was very accomodating and filleted the fish and packed on ice. German chef at resort did fabulous job of preparing it for us for dinner.
Canopy Tour - we went to the newest one that opened about 30 min. outside town - Cartahena Canopy. I tried to chicken out once we climbed the first tree but the guide said I would regret it and he was certainly right. As we zipped from tree to tree - I never wanted the tour to end. This is a must!
High Tide is who we went through for an ATV tour. You'll want to do this as well to see some of the country side. You end up on a bluff overlooking the whole area. Rigo, the guide, was a real sweet kid.
The resort restaurant serves good food. However we had a difficult time finding lunch options outside the resort that we liked. The day before we left we walked down the dirt road by the hotel, headed back toward town and on the right side of the road is a place with a Taco Stop sign. Wish we'd found it earlier - their tacos (nothing like in US) were fabulous.
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| This is important - due to the remote location of this town - they don't have access to malls as we do here in the US. Three months before our trip I shipped 2 large boxes of childrens clothes and toys. The shipping cost was outrageous, it took almost 3 months to get through customs and someone from the resort had to drive a distance to get them. I would encourage any of you who can afford this to please bring a 2nd suit case filled with new items for the kids. The resort staff couldn't stress how much this was appreciated as the kids have so little there and we are so blessed. Now, go get a pencil and write this down: Jorge Espinoza is the awesome guy they have in reservations. You can't meet him without liking him immediately. He will go out of his way to make sure all your reservations and transportation are taken care of before you arrive. We took a special gift bag for him filled with different items from our area with logo on it. I also included a box of Lindt Lindor Truffles - white chocolate balls. You can find these in the special candy section in Wal-Mart or possibly your grocery store. Grab as many of those as you can afford to carry on with you (they would melt if you pack in suit case) and take to him. He couldn't get over how good they were and it would be a nice gesture. When you get back and do your review - please keep this going so he's stocked with those. Tell everyone the Maldonado's from Texas send their regards and have a nice trip yourself. Oh! one more thing - we've never traveled anywhere else that we felt so safe and the local people were so friendly. |
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