costa rica advice
 

We are returning to Costa Rica at the pleading of our 5 and 6 year old daughters. We stayed at Manuel Antonio and Arenal and Peace Lodge last time and we all love love loved the trip. It is a perfect place for a family vacation. This time we are going in Feb. and we are going to stay at the Peace Lodge and then Arenal and then we want a week of relaxing together at or near the beach and forest. We have a 7,5 and 2 year old. Any advice on Bosque Del Cabo or Osa somewhere else for the beach portion? Any suggestion for the family at Arenal or Cano Negro or there abouts?
THANKS!

My kids loved Bosque del Cabo. You can read our trip report at http://www.markandmonica.com/Travel/...taRica2008.htm Our daughters are five and seven.

My husband and I went to Arenal, MA, and Peace Lodge 2 weeks ago for our honeymoon. Our hands down, favorite hotel was at Arenal's Silencio del Campo. They are family-owned, have a hot spring pool, regular pool, included breakfast and all of the staff are absolutely wonderful. One time, we didn't realize they shut down for 2 hours between breakfast and lunch and they offered us tons of fruit in between. After our experiences, my husband and I agreed to stay at the cheaper & family owned places for the better service, over resorts.

I think Arenal might be best to stay at...on our way to Cano Negro I felt sick halfway through and our guide advised us to continue on to the tour because the area wasn't safe to wait for a taxi (we stopped halfway around Muelle).

We have already agreed to come back on our next trip and go to BdC...it seems like the best place to see wildlife. I couldn't imagine coming back to CR and not spending time in the Osa!

We just got back and in Arenal we stayed at Los Lagos and I would definitely recommend it for families. Theres a lot to do there and your kids will love the pools. Especially your 7 year old! They have a few water slides and their own hot springs. My kids (ages 7 and 9) could have stayed on the property and never left! They also have their own zip lines, horseback riding, a small butterfly house, crocodiles and a little ant farm place. The views of the volcano are spectacular as well. The rooms are basic but spacious.

We went to Bosque Del Cabo a year ago without the kids and personally I wouldn't recommend it for a 2 year old and a 7 year old may be pushing it - for my kids anyway. Just too many very high cliffs with steep drop offs for my liking! I'd look more towards the hotels in the Puerto Jiminez area with kids, like the Iguana Lodge or Black Turtle Lodge.

This trip we went to Tortuguero, which was very nice, but if it's not turtle nesting season, I'm not sure that I'd head out there!

As soon as I get some time, I'll start my trip report!!

Los Lagos dated ranked 22/50 on TA

Was just there not great

www.lostiguanaresort.com

www.royalcorin.com

great $150

www.costaverde.com

great the Penthouse $150

for beach rain forest experience

I would be nervous to take a 2-year old to Bosque del Cabo; it's perched up on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I'd stay somewhere where the beach is more accessible. You really have to hike down for beach access at BdC.

I agree that BdC may not be the best place to visit with young children.
If you're doing Arenal on the second half of your trip then I would stay in the Guanacaste region for your beach vacation.

I would highly recommend Sugar Beach. My husband and I loved it there. The water is quite calm and they have a nice pool as well as a nice restaurant. If you plan to have a rental car then the road to the hotel will be one of the worst things you encounter in Costa Rica but believe me, I think the location is well worth it.

Agreed would skip BdC til they are older, especially the 2 year old. I know my 8 year old niece would love it there but I'm giving her a couple years to grow into an attention span :) Unlike Arenal & PL there won't be as many distractions there so I think I'd definitely wait a couple years. Someplace closer to PJ may work, like Iguana Lodge or across the Golfo at Playa Nicuesa.

Well, I'd agree that two is too young for BdC but my five and seven year old liked it just fine, especially the seven year old who thought it was heaven.

We loved Villa Mot Mot, Tulemar bungalows at Manuel Antonio. I realilze you've been there, done that, but it still is a great place to visit until all the kids are old enough for Bosque del Cabo. The private beach was fabulous. We were there with our 3 year old granddaughter and we saw all the wildlife right at the hotel we could have wanted. Sloth VERY close, right over the pool. Lots of iguanas--we had fun feeding them raisins. Squirrel monkeys and white faced monkeys within 3 feet of our porch. Even BdC doesn't offer as much wildlife up THAT close and personal! I'll have photos up in a few days; just let me know if you'd like an invitation to view them.

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