La Mansion Inn Hotel, Manuel Antonio

We both went here on our honeymoon and when we first got there, we were suppose to stay in the Penthouse 4 but instead got the 2. The Penthouse 2 was also very amazing but we really wanted the Penthouse 4, so we spoke with one of the managers Damien about it. We were expecting to maybe get a credit of some sort and move to the Penthouse 4 in 2 days with the current guests left. Instead, they upgraded us to the presidential suite which was absolutely stunning, and even more than we could have imagined. All the rooms in this hotel was amazing. We tried food around in Quepos but the food at La Mansion at the Jacques Cousteau restaurant and the breakfast and lunch were by far one of the best in the area. The staff was amazing, we got to meet Alberto at the front desk, Adriene, Jorge, Christopher, and Roberto at the restaurants and these guys were just great when it comes to service and answered a lot of questions for us, not to mention Damien who made sure we had everything we needed. Hotel has great views to the ocean. Definantly go for the honeymoon package, it was well worth it. We also checked out the Spa Uno which is 5 mi from the hotel and got a massage on their outside balcony in the middle of the jungle where you got a relaxing massage and here the monkeys and birds all around...and their products are great too. Highly recommend this hotel to anyone and we will come back again for sure :)

PROS THe rooms are huge. The service is exceptional. The front desk staff and all the restaurant staff work very hard to make everything worry-free for you. The pool is beautiful and the view from the pool even more beautiful. If you are considering staying at La Mansion Inn, make sure you get one of the rooms on the upper level (better view), and, if you can swing it get the Penthouse. CONS La Mansion Inn is trapped in a bit of a time warp when it comes to decor. Sorta reminded me of The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, CA (but I don't think it means to). I think its heydey was some time in the early 80s, judging by the photos donning the lobby walls replete with then-big celebs and dignitaries. We were there for 7 days around New Years holiday. Only ate at the hotel once. The food was in our opinion, horrific. I ordered a chicken dish stuffed with spinach and shrimp (which is weird enough, I guess). But there was no spinach to speak of, and the shrimp tasted weeks old and like it had gone off. My bet is the simpler dishes like steak and grilled fish are fine, but they try so hard to make the restaurant "fancy" experience, that they seem to have forgotten about the food. Example of strange features: two large-screen TVs playing old video of Andrea Bocelli concert, followed by an even weirder video of Sarah Brightman dancing around like a Moroccan gyspy. Who wants to watch TV while they're eating? And the decor in the restaurant is equally, er, eclectic. Statues of jousting horses, undersea photography, and huge ornate chandeliers, and, my favorite feature, the dancing inflatable snowman and Santa right outside the windows. To conclude: try to avoid eating there, except breakfast (which is GREAT!!!). There are looads of good restaurants in the area. Oh, and don't rent a car either. you won't need it. Cabs are everywhere and cheap (by NYC standards). Lastly, It's a 4-star hotel in CR, but in US would probably get 3.