we just got back from a week in Costa Rica.
Sat April 29: Flew from Miami To SJO in Lacsa/Taca Airlines: smooth flight. arrived at SJO , picked up by costa rica shuttle for our private transfer to Arenal Paraiso in La Fortuna which took 3 hrs. transfer was $110.
This hotel is Amazing, right in front of the volcano, nice pools including thermal pools, great buffet breakfast included, staff courteous.
Sund: we visited Tabacon hot springs, wow this place is beautiful a MUST! then we ate at the night buffet there. many hotels have a free shuttle to tabacon hot springs including ours. tabacon entrance was 70 dollars for both of us, and dinner buffet $15 per person.
Mond: we did the canopy tour at Arenal Paraiso. wow this was so scary considering we are afraid of heights. we were told the lines were 350 feet up in the air. there were around 12 zip lines. we took a cab ride to La Fortuna town and bought some souveniers. the volcano erupted nicely each night we were there! how cool!
Note: although we didn't do it, most people we talked to recommended the volcano hike tour as well as the hanging bridges and water rafting.

Tuesday: we took Interbus to Manuel Antonio. checked into Costa Verde. we had an efficiency in the building C next to the reception which was pretty nice. You must know that breakfast is not included in this hotel, but they offer a very reasonably priced menu. They have 3 amazing restaurants, one of which is an old plane. Monkeys come into the Anaconda restaurant in the afternoons we saw like 20 of them!

Wed: we took a bus (105 colones which is less than 25 cents in dollars) to the national park, then paid the $7 entrance fee. this place is beautiful. we saw capucchin monkeys, goatis, sloths. then we relaxed at Marlin Restaurant across the beach, which had great food

Thurs: we went horseback riding on a tour by rancho tucanes or something like that (we bought it from our hotel reception). The ride was longggggggg and took us into the forest to a cascade. we had breakfast and lunch at their ranch.

Restaurants/etc: we went to a sports bar that is by Si Como no, played some pool, watched sports. we ate at El Avion, also at Anaconda and at The barbeque restaurant that Costa Verde owns, food was great.

Friday: took interbus shuttle to Hampton inn airport hotel in Alajuela. from there took a cab to Xandari for $15. What a beautiful property! we stayed at prima villa #10 next to the reception beautiful views and service.
Sat: we hiked all the trails at Xandari including the one with hundreds of steps that goes to a HUGE waterfall which is so beautiful!
They don't offer a free airport shuttle anymore, but they arranged a driver to take us to the airport for $12
Final Thougths......
We flew back on Lacsa saturday evening.
Now we're home we had a fantastic time.
i cannot recommend interbus enough, it's a great way to travel in between cities and it's like $29 per person each way. My favorite place was La Fortuna and the arenal volcano, but my hubby liked Manuel Antonio better since there is a little more things to do at night.

Great report... thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing. We also stayed at the Paraiso and Costa Verde so at times I felt I was rereading our adventure. Yes, Arenal erupting would have to be the most outstanding event of the trip which we viewed from our window at night at the Paraiso.

Thanks for the report. I am considering staying at Xandari for the last night of my honeymoon and just spoke with a rep at Xandari. They did confirm that they are still providing one free transfer to/from the airport. Just an FYI...I'm wondering what they told you?

well when we got there the guy who gave us the tour told us that yes he believed there was a free transfer, but then they called us to arrange the transfer and said that no it was going to be $12.