Getting close to booking our room at Villas Nicolas. Which type 3 room would you recommend?
Thanks much!
Carrie

You are not doing Tulemar now ?
Villas Nicolas is really sweet , I can't remember which room type we were in , I will go to the site and try to figure it out ...

Hi Faithie,
I keep going back and forth on where to stay. It's buggin' the heck out of me, and I probably will keep checking places out until I have them firmly booked. Probably much easier to just go for one place and settle it. As for Villas Nicolas, that's most likely where we'll end up. May even want to book the type 4. The upper category of type 3 is already booked (hard to believe it's booked this early for next July). I'd love to stay at Tulemar, but I think it's over budget. Same with Makanda.
Villas Nicolas has a good reputation and its location is very nice.

Then last night my mom calls and thinks we should just book with Caravan Tours!!!! Ugh! She thinks it would be 'safer'. I doubt that. In fact, the accommodations I've been checking out look 'safer' than the ones Caravan offers (larger, hotel-like settings). She also thinks it's going to be a real hastle trying to get transportation to and from the places we'll be staying. She doesn't want to travel on a large 'unsafe' bus. So I suggested we just cancel everything and not go at all if she's going to get paranoid over the whole thing. Of course, she said that was out of the question.
You have been very helpful and I thank you for taking the time to respond to my postings.
Carrie

You can't go wrong with Villas Nicolas for the price , much like a little " boutique " hotel ..... I guess for transfers Interbus is a safe bet . ( small bus , more like a big van ) Or hire a private driver like Carlos ( do a search here for more info. ) . How adventurous is your mom ?? This is not Bermuda !!lol It's still central america after all .In areas the roads are much better than home , in others .... Yikes !! If you get down there and she is not well prepared for what to expect , it could make for an unpleasant trip . I think you sound like a great daughter , you are doing a great job of researching etc.

Carrie - your hotel choices as I recall are Vista del Valle, Arenal Parasio or Arenal Springs, Don Carlos and Villas Nicolas, don't remember your choice for Monteverde. But my point is - these are all fabulous choices!!!!. Caravan would simplify things, but your plan is a much better one IMHO! If my memory serves me correctly, Caravan has you staying in Jaco at a Best Western, with a daytrip to MA - that would not be my choice. And Caravan has you at a large hotel in SJ which could be any large hotel anywhere - VdV is so wonderful, it would be a shame to change. And Caravan is only 8 or 9 days, so you would still have to fill the rest of your trip. I'm liking your plan, Mom is probably just seeing all the work you are putting into this, when you could just call Caravan and say "book it".

BTW I don't recall how you intend to travel in country?

Hi,
stayed in 6-down. think that's a type 3??? was wonderful. nicely decorated, very clean and just enough privacy for reading in the hammock on the porch, next to pool. will stay there again someday...