LevAmus

First timers to CR! Two active couples looking for accommodations in Costa Rica. While we love to travel together and always have a great time, agreeing on hotels is sometimes a challenge. While I love the idea of Bosque del Cabo, the other couple is hoping for more of a resort experience, complete with A/C, easy beach access, good food & booze, and nice pool. I’m hoping for wildlife and access to hiking. My husband wants all the above. Yikes! Any lodging spring to mind that might work for all of us? Budget is pretty flexible within reason (not a week at Lapa Rios flexible though) and open to any location! I really appreciate your input!!

RAC

I would recommend not Costa Rica but the Gamboa Rainforest Resort near Panama City, Panama.

It's exactly what you're looking for, minus the beach access (but plus being right on the Panama Canal).

The main pool area offers a swim-up bar and ... views of capybaras. We also saw night monkeys while hiking on their grounds (during the day even).

If it has to be Costa Rica, maybe Ylang Ylang Beach Resort in Montezuma, or Iguana Lodge near Puerto Jimenez, but they miss more of the boxes you're looking for.

morettixlx

Oh I DO recommend Costa Rica! It's simply beautiful!
Think about staying in a places like Manuel Antonio on the Pacific, or around the area of Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean. Why? Because there is a LOTS of wild like and at the same time, lots of nice hotels hotels and restaurants so you can meet everyone's desires easily. Even if you stay at a nice hotel (with a/c and nice pool, etc) you will for sure get beauty of the forest (lots of animals around you).
In Manuel Antonio, I've stayed in lots of hotels but I always liked one called Villas Nicholas (ask for a room with ocean view for sure, its spectacular!) or a little more "resort" like you can check into "Hotel Si Como No". Easy find on google just type the name of the
hotels + Manuel Antonio and you'll find it.

volcanogirl

I love Bosque del Cabo, but if you want easy access to wildlife, beach, and a.c., Tulemar Bungalows in Manuel Antonio is great. You get your own concierge, and they have a shuttle that drives you down to the beach. We saw lots of wildlife on the property - monkeys, sloth, aracari, etc. There's a national park full of fairly tame wildlife, and the beach inside the park is very pretty. Lots of good open air restaurants that you can walk to from the property.

LevAmus

Thank you for the suggestions!! So appreciated!

RAC-we do have our hearts set on CR this trip but the Gamboa Rainforest Resort looks amazing. Panama has never been on my radar but it is now! Iguana Lodge is of particular interest as I would love to see the Osa this trip. And I hadn't even considered the Montezuma area which looks great, too.

Morettixlx - Both hotels look beautiful! I will definitely be suggesting a visit to Manuel Antonio to the other couple as it seems to offer most of what we are looking for in a destination. I hope they bite!

volcanogirl - Love the Tulemar Bungalows! They have a 2 bedroom rental that would be perfect! I still don't want to let go of my BdC dream so may try to add it on before or after we travel with our friends. Does that seem too redundant to you? Or could it be a problem to travel from one place to another?

RAC

Iguana Lodge and BdC are a popular combo--we very much enjoyed a trip where we combined them. But IL is still a lodge as opposed to a resort, albeit one with beach access and a lovely lap pool. Great food too.

volcanogirl

I don't think it's too redundant - both have nice wildlife. BdC seems more wild and off the grid, but MA has a lot of creature comforts. Always hear good things about Iguana Lodge too.

mlgb

There are also numer4ous villas around Dominical an Uvita...Good location for beach and wildlife

It isn't necessary to go all the way down OSa for that.

mlgb

If you can affod it5, you might look at Arenas del Mar..http://www.arenasdelmar.com/