Los Suenos -Things to Do
 

Hi, In our itenerary, we have 1.5 days at the Los Suenos Mariott to relax. Any suggestions on what's to do around there? We don't have transportation during those 1.5 days. Any beaches? water sports? shopping? Any feedback is welcome. Thanks
Rachel

There are some tours to the tarcoles river to check out the crocodiles. Also canopy tours in the area and the carara biological reserve to check out the scarlet macaws.

We spent 5 nights at the Los Suenos Marriott a few weeks ago and loved it. We had reserved a deluxe ocean view room for my husband and our two boys using Marriott Reward points. Hotel was full, so they upgraded us to an amazing suite. Thought we died and went to heaven. Beautiful hard wood floors with tile borders. Huge bath. Double balcony with chaise and table with chairs over looking Pacific. Definitely worth getting the ocean view with balcony. Resort's architecture had old-world charm. So spacious that it never seemed crowded.

Pool complex designed after Venice canals very nice. Only drawback is the beach. Sand is brown and water is murky. Still saw people jet skiing nearby. Large harbour next to resort for fishing trips. Heard Hermosa and Jaco beaches are nicer, about 15 minutes to Jaco. Hermosa a little farther.

We had a rental car and drove everywhere on our own, but you could get taxis, or take bus to Jaco. It's a small, surfer town with lots of small shops and some cute restaurants. Had a grocery store, banks, laundry, pharmacy, etc. Quite a mix of people. Didn't feel real safe there at night.

Los Suenos can arrange dozens of tours for you including transportation. I contacted them and they emailed me a long list of options. We visited Manuel Antonio, went to the Rainmaker, and the guys zip-lined at San Mateo with the Orignal Canopy Tour. Los Suenos offered all of those tours, but since we had a car, I arranged them on my own and saved a lot of money. Since you're only there a short while it would be better to just have the resort set it up with transportation.

Resort is nice enough to just hang out there a day, too. Staff had water volleyball games, salsa dance lessons, spanish lessons and water aerobics every day. Restaurants there were nice. Several conventions there during our stay and they had live music on the beach at night, once with amazing fireworks. Golf course and casino there, too.

Much poverty surrounding the area. Most locals walk, ride bikes or take the bus. Many are employed at the resort. But we found the people to be very friendly and helpful.

Our family loved it and would definitely stay there again if we returned to Costa Rica. We also stayed at the Costa Rica Marriott and Tabacon. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Erin, enjoyed your comments. Just booked today for next Feb to stay 2 night Marriott in SJ, 4 nights in Los Suenos Marriot, and last night back in SJ. Any advive about tours, etc. Renting a car in SJ, good idea??

Rogfam, our family's favorite tours were Rainmaker and Manuel Antonio while staying at Los Suenos. And La Paz waterfall gardens, and Pacuare 1day rafting trip while we were at the Costa Rica Marriott. I arranged all of these tours on my own and we drove to them in a rental car (except for the rafting trip). But the hotels could arrange them and provide transportation, too.

We enjoyed having a rental car just so we had the flexibility to do what we wanted when we wanted. But the driving was a little scary, especially on the way to Arenal, and also at night. We would never travel far in the dark, but just coming back from dinner in Jaco to Los Suenos there are so many people, bikes and animals on the road, that you must be very careful.

We had reserved an automatic SUV thru Thifty. We prepaid it and saved 10%. Got a Jeep Cherokee Sport that was in good shape, though the suspension and brakes were iffy. We paid a little more for the automatic, but after seeing the driving conditions, my husband was so glad he wasn't constantly shifting gears as we dodged potholes, bikers and cows.

Got a shuttle with Thrifty from the airport to their offsite location a few minutes away to pick up car. Then someone from Thrifty came to the Costa Rica Marriott when we were due to return it. Entire transaction was very easy. Hotel provides shuttle to airport. So next day was more convenient to leave hotel and go straight to airport without having to return car.

Also recommend paying $26 departure tax before if possible. Lines can be very long. We stopped at airport before going out to dinner one night and there was no wait. They take cash or credit cards. Also told that certain banks can process departure tax, too. Just need passports and airline tickets.

Let me know if you have any questions about specific tours. I wrote a detailed description of our Pacuare rafting trip under the post "Osa Peninsula or Arenal". Hope this helps!

Erin,

We are taking alomst exactly that you did the same itinerary - San Jose --> Los Suenos >>Tabacon. Did you have much trouble navigating between Los Suenos and Tabacon? Did someone give you explicit directions or did you just follow a map. thanks for any advice. We are a little nervous about getting lost.

You won't have any trouble getting there, jfusco! One of the mainstays of our travels in Costa Rica is a Berndston & Berndston laminated map. You can pick one up at Barnes & Noble or order online. It is excellent for navigational purposes! You just make your way from LS up to the highway to San Jose, then take the San Ramon exit and head north. You'll go straight to La Fortuna, turn left and head to Arenal and Tabacon! Looking at the map right now, I'd say your fastest bet would be to drive to Puntarenas (Barranca, actually) and get on highway 1 to San Jose there.

If you ask directions, you might be told to go to Orotina, then Atenas, where there is a highway that takes you north toward highway 1 and San Ramon. However, this road (while it is a high, curvy, and beautiful drive) would be a little slower. I also think you would run into complications when you reach highway 1 and wonder "just which way would the San Ramon exit be?" It's an easy drive. 5-6 hours.