nina

I'm just making an observation, but I'm finding myself a bit surprised at the cost of certain things in CR, for instance, lodging. I always thought Hawaii was very expensive but I'm finding CR to be more expensive for comparable lodging, and even more expensive in some cases for some inferior lodging...but that's fine, I saved on airfare (thank god). Car rental is also higher than elsewhere.

Also, I just received an email back from jungleATV tours in Uvita. For a HALF DAY tour that includes no meals (just drinks, snacks) and no transportation they want to charge $110 PER PERSON! For 4 hours???? I got the distinct impression that I was being taken advantage of as a (perceived) rich American. Needless to say I told them we wouldn't be taking their tour.

To contrast we were in Tucson in April and paid $75 per person for the half day ATV tour.

I guess I'd always been under the (obviously mistaken) impression that Costa Rica was not an expensive destination. I know you can get inexpensive lodging, but it's very rustic (to put it kindly).

Anyway, not a complaint, just an observation. I'm still very excited to be going, I'm just going to have to bring a bigger wallet!

hipvirgochick

If I remember correctly you're traveling during peak season. This is going to be big cost difference over what you'd pay during rainy or off-peak season. Agree that tours are not cheap, but if you wait to book tours when you get there you can most likely save a bundle too. Car rental is what it is, but most people here recommend Tri-Color as the best deal. Good luck and enjoy your trip!

nina

Thanks, I'm really looking forward to it and appreciate all the help I've received from the Fodorites!

shillmac

Like anywhere, there are some great deals, and some not so great. We've stayed at some very nice hotels (not luxury, but certainly not rustic) for very decent prices ($60-$80 per night). We've also stayed at a few places that were priced a little too high for what we got, but that hasn't happened often.

Naturally, with CR having become a popular destination for travelers from all over the world, prices have climbed (unfortunately). That's to be expected. One of the advantages of this board is that there are people with extensive experience who can help you find some of those better values.

Unfortunate regarding the ATV price gouging. We ran into something like that with a mangrove tour in July. I was extremely disappointed because it wasn't what we thought it would be and we were unhappy to even be paying $40 per person. First time (out of many experiences) that we've been disappointed.

hipvirgochick makes a strong point that prices do increase about 30% during high season (and even more during peak seasons between Christmas and New Year's and also Easter). It's one of the reasons June-August are good times to travel in CR.

I'm very hopeful that you guys will have a wonderful time and lots of WOW moments!

volcanogirl

nina, we always travel during the rainy season for that very reason - you really can save bundles; we've gotten pretty lucky with the weather. My husband and I love Hawaii, but it was getting too pricey for us; Costa Rica is our affordable alternative. Unfortunately, it's no longer an undiscovered spot, and prices keep going up, up, up. Every time I hear the rates for the hot springs at Tabacon, my jaw drops - seems like it gets higher and higher with every posting!