2nd attempt...October Honeymoon in Costa Rica - Trip report: Tree House near Puerto Viejo, Peace Lodge in Central Valley, Buena Vista Villas in Manuel Antonio!
Nov 4th, 2006, 03:23 PM
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2nd attempt...October Honeymoon in Costa Rica - Trip report: Tree House near Puerto Viejo, Peace Lodge in Central Valley, Buena Vista Villas in Manuel Antonio!
Sorry...2nd attempt to post the full and accurate report...don't know what happened with the 1st one...so ignore the 1st one...this is the one to read!
Well let me get started by saying thank you to everyone on this board that helped me plan the most perfect honeymoon in CR! I could write an illustrated book about it...but will try to keep it as short as possible...and if anyone needs more info...just ask and I will reply.
1ST STOP - COSTA RICA TREE HOUSE IN PUNTA UVA...right outside of Puerto Viejo on the Southern Carribean Coast. It is set on the same property as Iguana Verde Fundacion...an iguana reserve. We saw iguana, sloths, monkeys, and other wildlife while we were there.
We stayed in the Beach House for 1 night due to a confusion with our reservation...and then the Beach Suite for 4 nights. The best way to describe this place is wild, beautiful, and relaxing...kind of rustic barefoot luxury. The Beach House and Tree House on the property are more rustic than the Beach Suite...but still really neat. We were looking for a bit more luxury so if you can afford the Beach Suite...it is totally worth it!
We were awed by the Beach Suite! It has a great open air design...wild bathroom...and is a very short stroll to an amazing "private" beach. If you don't like open air places allowing the outside to sometimes crawl or fly in...and you are all about luxury...without the rustic barefoot part...you would probably not like this place. We loved it!
The "private" Punta Uva beach that the property sits next to was my favorite in CR. We went snorkeling right at Punta Uva...and went on a doplhin/snorkeling excursion out of Manzanillo towards Panama...where we saw tons of dolphins and fish. By the way...Manzanillo freaked us out a little bit. The weather on the Southern Carribean Coast was very hot and there was little to no rain while we were there...which is the norm for them in October.
The only downside to the Tree House was the distance from Puerto Viejo on a very bad road...there is not much in Punta Uva. It was too far to walk and we didn't rent a car so we had to take taxis back and forth...about $8 each way. We would have explored a little more if we had a car. Our 5 night stay was the perfect amount of time for us there...and then we were ready for a change. We would definitely go back to the Costa Rica Tree House...but next time we would rent a car or scooter and bring some friends.
PUERTO VIEJO - very cool laid back little town. Great restaurants...we particularly liked La Pecora Nera, Gatto Ci Cova, and Stanfords. Tons of little shops and street vendors. Much more of a Carribean influence...and not as developed as other touristy parts of CR...we loved it!
Side note for those fearful of getting sick in foreign countries. I had to go to the local 24 hour hospital for some antibiotics while I was there...right outside of Puerto Viejo...not far at all. Very nice and knowledgeable doctor, decent facility, medication on the spot, in and out in 30 minutes, and no charge...the doctor said it was a honeymoon gift...great and unforgettable experience! We had no problems with the food or water while we were in CR...but we did not drink tap water. We also do not drink tap water where we live in New Jersey!
2ND PART - PEACE LODGE IN VARA BLANCA...located in the Central Valley...north of San Jose. We stayed here for 2 nights in a Deluxe Room...Heliconius Sara. This place was amazing...and I would go back there again and again! I don't care what anyone says about this place being like Disneyworld...it is beautiful, cozy, romantic, and just the type of luxury and pampering we needed after the Tree House. The rooms are stunning with a cozy fireplace and hottub on the balcony, the bathrooms are wild, the views from the private balconies are amazing, and the surroundings are breathtaking. It was rainy and chilly when we were there...but the rain never stopped us...and when we returned to the room...the fireplace and hottub was just what we needed to warm up!
We had so much fun on their property...seeing the waterfalls, fishing in the trout pond...my husband diving off a cliff into the trout pond was really hysterical...the butterflies and hummingbirds were great, and the staff were so nice and accommodating...true Costa Rican charm!
The free breakfast was the best we ever had...and despite some poor reviews I have read about their dinners...both dinners we had there were delicious...and I'm pretty picky. We both regretted not staying in this place one more night. We didn't get a chance to go on any of the tours and would definitely want to do that the next time we go. We would probably stay there 3 nights next time just because the place is so relaxing, romantic, and fun. By the way, there was construction going on below us while we were there...but we never even heard it and it definitely did not effect us in any way.
3RD PART - BUENA VISTA VILLAS AND CASAS ON THE TULEMAR PROPERTY IN MANUEL ANTONIO. We stayed here 4 nights and did not get a chance to do so many things we wanted to do. We wished we would have stayed here atleast 2 more nights...6 nights total.
We were picked up by the concierge at the front entrance and were told they had a surprise for us...we got upgraded to one of their casas! These casas are beautiful, luxurious, spacious, and modern two story villas perched on the hillside with 2 outdoor showers (my favorite part), an outdoor jacuzzi, and a great kitchen...with amazing views of the coastline. I initally had mixed feelings about the upgrade because the casa didn't have a very cozy feel to it...but I figured we would never be able to afford this place...so the next time we go there we will get to stay in one of their villas...which we are looking forward to!
The villas and casas are set on the hillside of the Tulemar property...the casas are up higher on the hill than the villas. The casas seem to have better unobstructed views while the villas are surrounded by lush vegetation but still have great views. We got to choose casa #415...which we thought was the best one because we thought it had the most privacy, it was below all the other casas, nearest to the vegetation that is stil growing in, and right next to the pool.
On the Tulemar property we saw 3 different types of monkeys...howler monkeys hanging out in the trees on their private beach, white-faced monkeys running around the property right in front of us on our way to their private beach, and squirrel monkeys right in front of our balcony. We also saw a sloth holding her baby sitting directly above us every day on their private beach. We saw more wildlife on the Tulemar property than we did in Manuel Antonio park...which was the only tour we had a chance to do while we were there.
The private beach at Tulemar/Buena Vista was beautiful because the rain forest and wildlife surrounds the beach...with amazing sunsets. The water was a bit rough here so we couldn't do much in the water...but the pina colodas went great with the monkey/sloth/sunset watching. The pool at Buena Vista was great and so were the staff. Buena Vista also provided free transportation for us on and off the property within Manuel Antonio.
We ate at Tule Cafe at Tulemar twice...and we thought the food and service was great. We also ate at El Avion in MA and we were not crazy about it. The free breakfast on Tulemar included baked breads and fruit...nothing like the breakfast at the Peace Lodge. The weather while we were in MA was not so bad. The first night we were there we were a little worried...we never saw it rain so hard before for so long...but the thunder and lightning show made it worth while. The next day was sunny with rain in the evening. Then the two next days it was mostly sunny with little to no rain.
You can tell Buena Vista is still trying to work out some kinks with Tulemar, since they share the property with them...and plus some of their own kinks...but we expected that from a newer establishment. The staff at Buena Vista was so kind that the kinks didn't bother us much. We saw some other properties in MA and we were so happy that we were staying at Buena Vista...we would definitely return there and stay in their villas next time.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Peace Lodge hooked us up with the best private driver/tour guide we had while in CR. His name is Carlos Soto...and as soon as I find his number I will post it...sorry! He stopped to show us coffee plants, crocodiles on the side of the road, and an amazing gift shop. He was the nicest person we met...he loves Americans...speaks English...and is as sweet as can be! We will only use him the next time we are in CR.
FINAL THOUGHTS - Overall, our honeymoon was amazing...we could not have asked for anything better! I am so glad we returned to CR for our honeymoon than going to an unfamiliar place...we knew what to expect from the country and immediately felt comfortable once we got there! We loved all of the places we stayed and hope to return to all of them in the future! I would definitely travel to CR again during the rainy season...it is worth saving some money and avoiding the large crowds. There are so many places we still want to see and so many places we want to return to with our friends...we look forward to our next time in CR!
Please let me know if you have any questions! We have tons of pictures...over 400...that I plan to post somewhere but I haven't figured that out yet? If you have particular requests...I might be able to send them to you via email.
PURA VIDA!
Well let me get started by saying thank you to everyone on this board that helped me plan the most perfect honeymoon in CR! I could write an illustrated book about it...but will try to keep it as short as possible...and if anyone needs more info...just ask and I will reply.
1ST STOP - COSTA RICA TREE HOUSE IN PUNTA UVA...right outside of Puerto Viejo on the Southern Carribean Coast. It is set on the same property as Iguana Verde Fundacion...an iguana reserve. We saw iguana, sloths, monkeys, and other wildlife while we were there.
We stayed in the Beach House for 1 night due to a confusion with our reservation...and then the Beach Suite for 4 nights. The best way to describe this place is wild, beautiful, and relaxing...kind of rustic barefoot luxury. The Beach House and Tree House on the property are more rustic than the Beach Suite...but still really neat. We were looking for a bit more luxury so if you can afford the Beach Suite...it is totally worth it!
We were awed by the Beach Suite! It has a great open air design...wild bathroom...and is a very short stroll to an amazing "private" beach. If you don't like open air places allowing the outside to sometimes crawl or fly in...and you are all about luxury...without the rustic barefoot part...you would probably not like this place. We loved it!
The "private" Punta Uva beach that the property sits next to was my favorite in CR. We went snorkeling right at Punta Uva...and went on a doplhin/snorkeling excursion out of Manzanillo towards Panama...where we saw tons of dolphins and fish. By the way...Manzanillo freaked us out a little bit. The weather on the Southern Carribean Coast was very hot and there was little to no rain while we were there...which is the norm for them in October.
The only downside to the Tree House was the distance from Puerto Viejo on a very bad road...there is not much in Punta Uva. It was too far to walk and we didn't rent a car so we had to take taxis back and forth...about $8 each way. We would have explored a little more if we had a car. Our 5 night stay was the perfect amount of time for us there...and then we were ready for a change. We would definitely go back to the Costa Rica Tree House...but next time we would rent a car or scooter and bring some friends.
PUERTO VIEJO - very cool laid back little town. Great restaurants...we particularly liked La Pecora Nera, Gatto Ci Cova, and Stanfords. Tons of little shops and street vendors. Much more of a Carribean influence...and not as developed as other touristy parts of CR...we loved it!
Side note for those fearful of getting sick in foreign countries. I had to go to the local 24 hour hospital for some antibiotics while I was there...right outside of Puerto Viejo...not far at all. Very nice and knowledgeable doctor, decent facility, medication on the spot, in and out in 30 minutes, and no charge...the doctor said it was a honeymoon gift...great and unforgettable experience! We had no problems with the food or water while we were in CR...but we did not drink tap water. We also do not drink tap water where we live in New Jersey!
2ND PART - PEACE LODGE IN VARA BLANCA...located in the Central Valley...north of San Jose. We stayed here for 2 nights in a Deluxe Room...Heliconius Sara. This place was amazing...and I would go back there again and again! I don't care what anyone says about this place being like Disneyworld...it is beautiful, cozy, romantic, and just the type of luxury and pampering we needed after the Tree House. The rooms are stunning with a cozy fireplace and hottub on the balcony, the bathrooms are wild, the views from the private balconies are amazing, and the surroundings are breathtaking. It was rainy and chilly when we were there...but the rain never stopped us...and when we returned to the room...the fireplace and hottub was just what we needed to warm up!
We had so much fun on their property...seeing the waterfalls, fishing in the trout pond...my husband diving off a cliff into the trout pond was really hysterical...the butterflies and hummingbirds were great, and the staff were so nice and accommodating...true Costa Rican charm!
The free breakfast was the best we ever had...and despite some poor reviews I have read about their dinners...both dinners we had there were delicious...and I'm pretty picky. We both regretted not staying in this place one more night. We didn't get a chance to go on any of the tours and would definitely want to do that the next time we go. We would probably stay there 3 nights next time just because the place is so relaxing, romantic, and fun. By the way, there was construction going on below us while we were there...but we never even heard it and it definitely did not effect us in any way.
3RD PART - BUENA VISTA VILLAS AND CASAS ON THE TULEMAR PROPERTY IN MANUEL ANTONIO. We stayed here 4 nights and did not get a chance to do so many things we wanted to do. We wished we would have stayed here atleast 2 more nights...6 nights total.
We were picked up by the concierge at the front entrance and were told they had a surprise for us...we got upgraded to one of their casas! These casas are beautiful, luxurious, spacious, and modern two story villas perched on the hillside with 2 outdoor showers (my favorite part), an outdoor jacuzzi, and a great kitchen...with amazing views of the coastline. I initally had mixed feelings about the upgrade because the casa didn't have a very cozy feel to it...but I figured we would never be able to afford this place...so the next time we go there we will get to stay in one of their villas...which we are looking forward to!
The villas and casas are set on the hillside of the Tulemar property...the casas are up higher on the hill than the villas. The casas seem to have better unobstructed views while the villas are surrounded by lush vegetation but still have great views. We got to choose casa #415...which we thought was the best one because we thought it had the most privacy, it was below all the other casas, nearest to the vegetation that is stil growing in, and right next to the pool.
On the Tulemar property we saw 3 different types of monkeys...howler monkeys hanging out in the trees on their private beach, white-faced monkeys running around the property right in front of us on our way to their private beach, and squirrel monkeys right in front of our balcony. We also saw a sloth holding her baby sitting directly above us every day on their private beach. We saw more wildlife on the Tulemar property than we did in Manuel Antonio park...which was the only tour we had a chance to do while we were there.
The private beach at Tulemar/Buena Vista was beautiful because the rain forest and wildlife surrounds the beach...with amazing sunsets. The water was a bit rough here so we couldn't do much in the water...but the pina colodas went great with the monkey/sloth/sunset watching. The pool at Buena Vista was great and so were the staff. Buena Vista also provided free transportation for us on and off the property within Manuel Antonio.
We ate at Tule Cafe at Tulemar twice...and we thought the food and service was great. We also ate at El Avion in MA and we were not crazy about it. The free breakfast on Tulemar included baked breads and fruit...nothing like the breakfast at the Peace Lodge. The weather while we were in MA was not so bad. The first night we were there we were a little worried...we never saw it rain so hard before for so long...but the thunder and lightning show made it worth while. The next day was sunny with rain in the evening. Then the two next days it was mostly sunny with little to no rain.
You can tell Buena Vista is still trying to work out some kinks with Tulemar, since they share the property with them...and plus some of their own kinks...but we expected that from a newer establishment. The staff at Buena Vista was so kind that the kinks didn't bother us much. We saw some other properties in MA and we were so happy that we were staying at Buena Vista...we would definitely return there and stay in their villas next time.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Peace Lodge hooked us up with the best private driver/tour guide we had while in CR. His name is Carlos Soto...and as soon as I find his number I will post it...sorry! He stopped to show us coffee plants, crocodiles on the side of the road, and an amazing gift shop. He was the nicest person we met...he loves Americans...speaks English...and is as sweet as can be! We will only use him the next time we are in CR.
FINAL THOUGHTS - Overall, our honeymoon was amazing...we could not have asked for anything better! I am so glad we returned to CR for our honeymoon than going to an unfamiliar place...we knew what to expect from the country and immediately felt comfortable once we got there! We loved all of the places we stayed and hope to return to all of them in the future! I would definitely travel to CR again during the rainy season...it is worth saving some money and avoiding the large crowds. There are so many places we still want to see and so many places we want to return to with our friends...we look forward to our next time in CR!
Please let me know if you have any questions! We have tons of pictures...over 400...that I plan to post somewhere but I haven't figured that out yet? If you have particular requests...I might be able to send them to you via email.
PURA VIDA!
Nov 4th, 2006, 09:41 PM
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I found Carlos Soto's contact info...we highly recommend him as a private driver/tour guide. His phone numbers in CR are 506-308-1323 and 506-310-9722...and his email is [email protected].
I also figured out a way to share some of our pictures online...but I need to send the link via email...so give me your email address and I will send you the link.
I also figured out a way to share some of our pictures online...but I need to send the link via email...so give me your email address and I will send you the link.
Nov 4th, 2006, 10:04 PM
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I figured out how to share some of our pictures without sending the link via email...just click on this link or copy and paste it to your browser to check them out:
http://favecostaricahoneymoon.shutterfly.com/action/
Let me know if you have any problems accessing this...I have never done this before so I am not sure if I did it right.
http://favecostaricahoneymoon.shutterfly.com/action/
Let me know if you have any problems accessing this...I have never done this before so I am not sure if I did it right.
Nov 5th, 2006, 04:32 AM
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Great report & photos! The link worked just fine. The outside tub at Buena Vista loons wonderful, in fact it looks like you had fabulous bathrooms everywhere you stayed! 
The Tree House looks spectacular but I don't know if I could deal with the open aspect of it, I'm a little skittish. Thanks for posting!
The Tree House looks spectacular but I don't know if I could deal with the open aspect of it, I'm a little skittish. Thanks for posting!
Nov 5th, 2006, 02:30 PM
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Thanks, mishi! So glad you guys enjoyed all everything about your honeymoon. You selected some great hotels/locations. I'm sure it helped a lot of already know your way around a bit. Isn't the Caribbean side "cool"? Will definitely look into the Beach Suite one of these times! Congratulations on your new life as newlyweds--and welcome home!
Nov 5th, 2006, 05:11 PM
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Wow, sounds like an amazing time! The pictures are stunning! I, too, am from NJ and am planning a trip to Costa Rica. We want to stay in a luxury resort, but still have fun during the day. Maybe you can e-mail me so we can talk further. [email protected]
Nov 5th, 2006, 05:58 PM
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Thanks Shillmac and Tully...couldn't have done it without you!
idaninalevy - explain further what you mean by luxury resort? In Costa Rica a typical "luxury resort" is hard to come by...so try to give a litte more info about your expectations. So many people on the CR forum can help you...that's how I planned my trip! So keep the questions coming and don't leave out all the details of what you are looking for...good luck!
idaninalevy - explain further what you mean by luxury resort? In Costa Rica a typical "luxury resort" is hard to come by...so try to give a litte more info about your expectations. So many people on the CR forum can help you...that's how I planned my trip! So keep the questions coming and don't leave out all the details of what you are looking for...good luck!
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