more help -alajuela or arenal
 

Hi Thanks for the help on our christmas trip itinerary, 2adults 2 kids montzuma.
we have the 1st 5 days of our trip sorted.
21st-arr SJ-stay Hotel grano de Oro.
22nd 23rd-drive to MA-stay Villa Romantica.
24th 25th-drive montezuma-stay El Jardin.

Thought we would drive up the coast and back to Alajuela for 26th-31st dec and do stuff around there. CANNOT FIND ACCOMODATION!
Any hints on a nice place, off the beaten track is OK but would prefer a pool.

OR should we try Arenal/Monteverde?
How long to drive to SJ from there? Our flight leaves 2:30pm from SJ on 31st Dec.

Feeling a bit stumped right now.

Thanks :)? or :( ?

What hotels have you contacted in or near SJ?

You have 10 nights - correct? So you are looking for someplace for 5 more nights?

Yes Arenal and/or Monteverde are a good choice. But for 10 nights, I would probably go for 3 locations rather than 4. Adding a night to both MA and Montezuma. The 22nd is a drive day, as well as the 24th and the 26th, leaving you with one day to enjoy each destination.

On the way back from Arenal to SJ, possibly check Poas Volcano Lodge for a night or 2. This would put you about an hour from SJO.

Thanks for yor reply dfarmer.
I am a little concerned about driving times too, but, unfortunately we found it pretty hard to get extra (any!)nights in the beach locations. We're really more interested in the non-beach side of CR for this trip. It seems like we may have had some luck with Las Orchideas in SJ.
Any comments?
Should we keep our car while we're at Las Orc. or would it be just as easy to take bus tours etc?
Can anyone reccommend some reliable hire car companies please?

If you stay at Orquideas you will have a tour company right there. You can go on one of their "canned tours" or design your own and pay by the hour. I designed my own and had a great time.

Orchideas is a good location. Easy to get to Poas, Doka, La Paz, Sarchi, Grecia, Zoo Ave, Turubari, and so on.

We did not feel the need for a vehicle for our few days at Orchideas. We used Wady Tours (on site) and arranged for a driver for one day to tour Cartago and the Orosi Valley. As Suzie mentioned you can create your own adventure or go on one of the prearranged tours. With a car you could easily drive to many nearby attractions.

A few days at Arenal and then ending at Orchideas would finish out your trip nicely. 5 nights at Orchideas may be a bit long, but you would have a pool for the kids to enjoy, if you wanted to take a slow day.

We also stayed at Orquideas, but only one night. We had our rental car picked up there when we arrived. The next day we had one of their tour drivers take us to Zoo Ave and pick us up, and then late in the day drive us to the airport. The tour desk was very helpful.

Thanks everyone. Feel like Las Orquideas will be fine. We like the idea of taking a couple of slow days after all the driving we'll be doing and there also seems to be enough to see doing day trips from there.

What is the av. temp in that area around Christmas? Will we have to steel ourselves to go in the pool or will it be a relief to get out of the heat?

The average high temperature should be around 80 degrees or so. Las Orquideas is a very pleasant place and, as you noted, handy for many attractions. Your kids will enjoy Zoo Ave, which is just a few minutes drive from the hotel. La Paz Waterfall Gardens is also a fun place for kids [and adults....].

cheers

Jerry

Thanks so much to everyone who posted replies to my messages....Fabulous info and we are so excited to go now!!