Xandari has been recommended as starting and finishing nights in Costa Rica. What do you think? Will kids three under 9 be okay here?

To be honest, it depends on your kids. Xandari is really geared more toward adults or families with older children. I have seen families with younger children during my stays there and for the most part, they seemed to enjoy their stay. But I've also stayed in a villa that shared a common wall with a family with 2 young children. The kids screamed and bounced off the walls until after midnight. It was awful, especially given the cost of our villa and our reason for being at a resort like Xandari (beauty, peace and quiet). However, if your children are reasonably well-behaved, I think it would be fine.

Xandari is very beautiful, and has lovely grounds and pools;however, it is a quiet, peaceful atmosphere that appeared all times we were there, to be more suited to adults looking for luxury, spa treatments, etc., somewhat of a sophisticated atmosphere. I have stayed there three different times and have never encountered children. You might want to double check that they allow children.

We stayed at Xandari on 3 occassions and there were always kids there at the time (including our own daughter who was 6 and 9 respectively). Having said that, Xandari is not specifically geared towards children and unless they are well behaved, I would hesitate to stay there with young kids.

One additional thought, the pools at Xandari are not heated and at that elevation it never really gets hot - so the water is chilly at best. Young kids would probably not enjoy them.

Also, check out Vista del Valle which may be a better option as you could get a free standing villa that would be comfortable with 3 kids.

We just returned from the Xandari Resort on April 4/04. I have three children ages 7, 10 and 11. We found that because the rooms have screened windows that any noise our children made everyone was able to hear. They have two pools at the property and we found that the water was not that cold and the kids spent alot of time there. The menu that was available for children was pizza, penne pasta, grilled ham and cheese sandwich and peanut butter and jam, which my kids thought was o.k. Their were alot of children when we went but that my be because of Spring break. I would take my children back. Hope this helps.