Nature's Paradise
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 4/29/08
Date: April 21-28, 2008
After reading mixed reviews for this hotel, I wasn't sure what to expect. It was my first time at an all-inclusive hotel and my plan to to take advantage of all Costa Rica had to offer regardless of the hotel. I never thought that this hotel would be amazing! The reviews fail to mention that it is nothing short of a nature's paradise! We saw more wildlife hanging out from the hotel than on jungle trips. There are howler monkeys that hang out in the nearby forests and many huge lizards roaming around. There are many different species of birds including parrots, vultures, crested blue jays, bentivis (portuguese), etc. There are costa rican raccoons called mapaches and the best part is the coral reef at its doorstep. We saw many different schools of fish of all the colours of the rainbow. Some of the guests saw marlins, sting rays, and jellyfish. We were so lucky to swim in phosphorescence. It was the first time that I had ever experienced this and it is really more amazing that words can express.
The hotel staff are amazing, friendly, and very accommodating. They really take care excellent care of the guests and go the extra mile to make sure that they are comfortable. Example: we asked permission to make a bonfire on the beach for our last night. Before you know it, there was someone chopping wood and arranging it on the beach. They told us to come back at 9pm! I was really impressed! The food is very delicious and fresh. There are always fruit, salads, fried plantain, lots of fish, meat, and vegetables to enjoy. While I overheard some guests complaining that the menu is repetitive, I am more than happy to eat delicious fresh salad, rice, fish, yuca, vegetables, soup, every day of the year. The coffee is amazing (not a huge surprise) but certainly an added bonus. The rooms are very comfortable and clean with a/c, tv, coffee maker, hair dryer.
The staff helped us organize a rental car for a good price. We were able to take it to see the Arenal volcano- which i highly recommend. Near the Arenal volcano there are fabulous hot springs, waterfalls, jungle trails and of course the volcano is breathtaking. We also went on an organized tour to Rincon del la Vieja, organized by the hotel. The tour was amazing, and our guide, Larry, was very knowledgeable and showed us lots of animals and volcanic mud pools, waterfalls, etc.
I would recommend this hotel for any fellow nature lover but not for the tourist seeking ultra luxury. However, there is a Four Seasons down the bay. Something to note is that the bar closes at 10 and it helps to have a rental car to go into town at night. There are no activities, which I thought was great, but some of the older guests would have liked that. I can easily entertain myself, especially with snorkeling gear at a coral reef, but if you can't this might not be the best place for you.