Romantic hotel convenient to both SJO and Pavas airports, Costa Rica?
 

Thanks to your help we have booked Bosque del Cabo for 5 nights and we have booked Nature Air flights as well. Our wedding anniversary trip is January 2011. I'm getting excited! :-X

Now I need to book a hotel that is convenient to both San Jose airports....SJO and also the San Jose Pavas airport. I'd like someplace romantic, since this is our anniversary trip. I'm not sure how much we want to spend on this hotel, so I'd welcome suggestions for romantic hotels in any budget...from inexpensive to luxury.

So far I'm interested in these hotels but I'm open to other suggestions....some of these are more conveniently located than others:

Hotel Bougainvillea (Santo Domingo de Heredia)
Pura Vida (Alajuela)
Xandari
Finca Rosa Blanca

We might take a day-trip up to Poas at the end of our trip.

We stayed at Hotel Bougainvillea on a previous trip for just 1 night and we loved their beautiful garden. It's about a 15 or 20 minute drive from the SJO airport, depending on traffic.

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm not sure if we will need a car on this trip.

We love Xandari; it's a beautiful property with good hiking, waterfalls, a spa, gorgeous villas, and a nice open air restaurant. Great views too.

www.xandari.com super nice but on the wrong side of SJO

Pretty far away from Pavas.

2 Escazu hotels I like both FREE pick up frop off sometimes

www.mybeaconescazu.com

www.thealtahotel.com(stayed there for $90 booking expedia)

also for Boutique B&B

www.casabellarita.com Steve and Rita are super nice folks.

Happy Journey,

Don't get too hung up on the convenient part. You can easily stay at any of the hotels you mentioned. If it takes you an extra 15 minutes to get there from Pavas, that isn't a big deal, especially if you are staying at a really awesome hotel.

I vote for Xandari. You need to be looking at what is convenient for your extra day, and Xandari puts you on the right side for that. And it is not far from SJO. Try someplace you haven't stayed before. Anniversary trip and all, Xandari!

Finca Rosa Blanca is definitely the romantic type of hotel. If you can get "El Cafetal" it has a working jacuzzi tub and a fantastic view.

I prefer Pura Vida for the attention from Berni and the delicious meals by Nhi, but it doesn't rate high on the romance factor.

My vote Beacon jr suite.

I haven't stayed at Finca Rosa Blanca but it would be at the top of my list from my past research. I'm pretty sure it's one of the first true "eco-lodges" in Costa Rica (from memory, I don't have all my notes handy) and I've talked with travelers that said it was simply amazing.

I forgot to mention that when we stayed at Xandari, they offered free transportation to or from the SJO airport, one way, so if you stay there, be sure to check to see if they still offer that service. Xandari to SJO was about 20 minutes for us. I'm with shillmac - make sure you stay at an awesome hotel, not just something convenient since its your anniversary and all. Your biologist husband is already getting BdC right?! :)

Melissa, I have stayed at both Xandari and Finca Rosa Blanca. Both are beautiful, romantic boutique hotels and you
would not be dissapointed with either. Finca Rosa Blanca is
smaller, and the dinner we had at their beautiful restaurant
was slightly superior. Both have beautiful walking trails(Xandari's are a bit more extensive), and both have rooms and views to die for. I did see more birds at FRB which is abundant with mot mots. Trust me, either will be paradisical (is that a word?)

Are

Xandari gets my vote. It is a very romantic hotel!

At the moment, Xandari and Hotel Bougainvillea and Pura Vida are my favorite choices. Maybe I will email all 3 of them. <b>QUESTION: From any of these hotels, would it be fun to book a half-day tour to Poas?</b> Or is it better to rent a car just for the day and drive up there ourselves? Has anybody booked a good tour up to Poas and enjoyed it? We won't need a car during our stay at Bosque del Cabo, which is most of the trip. (This is a short trip...8 nights total in all.)

Xandari offers guided tours to Poas, amongst other places. The other hotels probably do as well. We did a tour through the Peace Lodge. I liked having a guide and all the info. he had to offer. The Doka Coffee Tour is interesting too.