Back from Costa Rica - our hotel reports
Mar 17th, 2005, 10:14 PM
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Back from Costa Rica - our hotel reports
Having received a lot of help from people on this forum in planning our trip, I would like to return the favor. Here is a report on our lodging experiences.
Vista del Valle, Alajuela Province - outstanding! Great food, wonderful room (we had Ilan Ilan), outstanding staff, friendly and helpful owners live on site. Definitely one of the best places we have ever stayed.
Las Cabañitas- Arenal area, very close to La Fortuna. Fabulous breakfasts, very nice quiet individual cabins, set back away from road noise. We enjoyed this place a lot.
Manuel Antonio area - Hotel California. We were given the "villa" which is a 2 bedroom small house behind and below the main hotel. Not great...there were 4 of us, and only enough hot water for 1 shower. Also smelled musty and moldy. Plus it was a very steep hike up to the main hotel to get taxis or vans, to eat, to do anything at the reception desk. Maybe the rooms in the main hotel are nice, but we don't know. We don't recommend the villa.
Arco Iris- Monteverde area, Santa Elena Our rooms were nice, very clean and tidy. One peculiarity...no hot water in the bathroom sinks, only in the showers. We found this a little inconvenient. Nice breakfast, but there is a separate charge, which is about $6.50 US. Price of rooms was very reasonable. Grounds are attractive, and it is a very short walk into "downtown" Santa Elena. Most of the staff is nice, except for the German owner, who was...well....Teutonic and humorless.
Villa Bonita- town of Alajuela, short distance from Juan Santamaria Airport. Owners are a Costa Rican couple who are extremely pleasant and helpful . This is a B & B, not fancy, but very comfortable, clean, and reasonably priced. We recommend it!
Vista del Valle, Alajuela Province - outstanding! Great food, wonderful room (we had Ilan Ilan), outstanding staff, friendly and helpful owners live on site. Definitely one of the best places we have ever stayed.
Las Cabañitas- Arenal area, very close to La Fortuna. Fabulous breakfasts, very nice quiet individual cabins, set back away from road noise. We enjoyed this place a lot.
Manuel Antonio area - Hotel California. We were given the "villa" which is a 2 bedroom small house behind and below the main hotel. Not great...there were 4 of us, and only enough hot water for 1 shower. Also smelled musty and moldy. Plus it was a very steep hike up to the main hotel to get taxis or vans, to eat, to do anything at the reception desk. Maybe the rooms in the main hotel are nice, but we don't know. We don't recommend the villa.
Arco Iris- Monteverde area, Santa Elena Our rooms were nice, very clean and tidy. One peculiarity...no hot water in the bathroom sinks, only in the showers. We found this a little inconvenient. Nice breakfast, but there is a separate charge, which is about $6.50 US. Price of rooms was very reasonable. Grounds are attractive, and it is a very short walk into "downtown" Santa Elena. Most of the staff is nice, except for the German owner, who was...well....Teutonic and humorless.
Villa Bonita- town of Alajuela, short distance from Juan Santamaria Airport. Owners are a Costa Rican couple who are extremely pleasant and helpful . This is a B & B, not fancy, but very comfortable, clean, and reasonably priced. We recommend it!
Mar 18th, 2005, 10:55 AM
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Blearynet, do you think Vista del Valle would be good for our first 2 nights on our first family trip to costa rica? I'm travelling with my husband and 23-year-old son plus daughters 18 and 19 years. We will be renting a 4-wheel drive when we're ready to move on to Arenal.
Do you think there is enough to do at vista del Valle and close by to interest a family who doesn't do horseback riding? I should also mention that my husband is a biologist. Thanks for any info.
Do you think there is enough to do at vista del Valle and close by to interest a family who doesn't do horseback riding? I should also mention that my husband is a biologist. Thanks for any info.
Mar 18th, 2005, 10:10 PM
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Melissa,
There is plenty to do. For starters, everyone can do a hike to the waterfall at the bottom of a canyon on their property. It is challenging on the way down (steep), but not hard coming up. You can get to LaPaz waterfall gardens in about an hour and 15 minutes, which is good for hours of hiking and looking at plants and butterflies. They have the biggest butterfly garden in Costa Rica. I think everyone would like this Vista Del Valle, but if your kids want to go to dance clubs, bar-hopping, etc., this would not be readily available within walking distance.
There is plenty to do. For starters, everyone can do a hike to the waterfall at the bottom of a canyon on their property. It is challenging on the way down (steep), but not hard coming up. You can get to LaPaz waterfall gardens in about an hour and 15 minutes, which is good for hours of hiking and looking at plants and butterflies. They have the biggest butterfly garden in Costa Rica. I think everyone would like this Vista Del Valle, but if your kids want to go to dance clubs, bar-hopping, etc., this would not be readily available within walking distance.
Mar 22nd, 2005, 12:24 PM
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I'm sure Carmen and Humberto at Villa Bonita will appreciate your giving their B&B a thumbs up! They are a lovely and energetic young couple who go out of their way to make guests feel welcome. Indeed, this is a great place to stay overnight upon arriving or before departure day. VERY close to the airport is a big positive!
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