tripinink

Hip

What color Keen's did you go for - the beautiful ones or the practical ones? Also what color is the dirt around Puerto Viejo? The first time I came back from Costa Rica, my shoes were stained red and later when I wore socks, they became a nasty color as well.

hipvirgochick

tripinink - Funny you should ask because I debated over color for a long time! I went for the darker purple ones because most the clothes I took were earthy tones. My daughter chose the orange with flowers and they're really cool too. For some reason hers didn't absorb the red clay as much. Mine seemed more of a porous material. The dirt around Puerto Viejo is just regular (brown/grey), not the red clay stuff.

When are you off to PV?

tripinink

Off to PV for 3 nights at the end of Feb. Am travelling first to Honduras, via Guatemala City - planning Spanish school, homestay and some clinic volunteer work before my best boy and our best friends join me in CR. We all land within 10 minutes. Isn't that something?!!


Hip...I know you really enjoyed Banana Azul, and I have been in touch with Colin. Did you know that they are fazing out the Red Frog Room? From your pics, that was our first choice, but of course the Ocean View rooms at Banana Azul seem more that fine. We have 3 nights in PV area and are still waffling between BA and Azania, where we might enjoy the pool or splitting up the accomodation between 2 places. My problem is that I want to try it all. I really like the idea of Almonds and Corals also , but would not want to have all the meals included, as we have other lodges where this is the case and just want to explore some menus.

BTW, my Keen's are 4 or 5 years old, and are the reddish orange porous Keen fabric but I really like the new pretty flowered Keens like your daughter chose. But do I really need 2 pairs of Keens?

hipvirgochick

tripinink -- Sounds like you have a fabulous trip in the works! Meeting up with your friends will be something to look forward too and will be a beautiful time of year. Azania Bungalows looks nice and I considered them last time as well. Shillmac recommends them and they get great reviews. I didn't know BA is phasing out the Red Frog Room. I assume that is so they can reclaim their house back, maybe for personal friends or family. Not sure. I'll have to follow up on that as I have reserved the Red Frog room for March and Colin didn't mention it. The other rooms are really lovely too though, and I wouldn't hesitate to stay in any of them. If the deciding factor for you is a pool, I'm sure Azania would be a great choice.

Re: pairs of shoes, we each took 2 pairs. Keens and Solomon Techs. I barely wore the Techs as I preferred the Keens and so did my daughter. If you do decide to buy another pair of Keens, try Zappos or Ebay, you might save a little $. My daughter still wears hers several times a week.

tripinink

Good suggestions, Hip. I hadn't thought of Ebay. Think I'll take the Keen's, Tevas and flip flops, this trip. I wish I could begin to wear out these Keen's so I could justify a new color....got brave and wore this pair to work one day this week with my scrubs. No one seemed to notice ... lots of staff wear crocs at the hospital and the venting is not that different from crocs, which do not draw any comments. They were comfortable all day, so I might try again before I order a second, "cuter" pair.

I hope Colin is going to allow you to stay in the Red Frog, since you are a returning customer. For us, he suggested the Iguana room, right beside the Howler Suite but I would stay in any of the Ocean Rooms. Just love to hear the sound of the surf coming in. Oh no, I feel that wave of indecision coming again, Azania, Banana Azul, Azania, Banana Azul. I hope there are many more trips for us to CR - I have a big list of hotels and B and B's I would love to try.

kimmarinelli

Hi Jarvis family, We took our 3 sons (15, 13, 10)last june and had a great time, 4 nights in Arenal, 4 in M.A. and 2 in Alajuela. We stayed at the Hotel Buena Vista, about 15 min. from SJ airport, large room with 2 queens, 1 twin for about $120 a night. Clean and great staff. In Arenal, Los Lagos, big room with 2 queens, 2 pull out twins, great pools and slides. In M.A. we stayed at la posada jungle bungalows, great room for our family of 5. All these hotels came with breakfast. This was a vacation my kids will never forget!