We had great excursions in all the areas of Costa Rica we visited. Some of the highlights were Luis guided walk through Manuel Antonio Park. We wouldn’t have seen 90% of the animals without him. Street art in Joca was also a great stop on travel day. Monteverde night hike was a great chance to see insects, bats and sleeping birds. Sky Adventures zipline in Arenal was amazing. The Mistico Hanging bridges with David was phenomenal. He was great explaining the different climates and spotting animals (vipers, coati, howler monkeys and sloths).
Hotel Reviews
El Establo Mountain Hotel
Monteverde
Everything was amazing. The room, the view, the staff, the food…. The only negative is we didn’t stay long enough to explore the grounds, restaurant and pool
Authenticity & Character
Views are unbeatable, the spa is also amazing.
Location
Sunset views from the room and top of the property were great. Centrally located in town to access stores and restaurants
Staff
Friendly, courteous, helpful, friendly
Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa
Manuel Antonio
The hotel was nice and staff were great, but everything does feel a little run down. The pool wasn’t fully operational and wifi was spotty or out.
Location
Access to the park can’t be beat and it is walkable to the beach. I would feel unsafe taking the access tunnel to the beach alone. But it might be better to stay closer to Quepos for restaurants and excursions outside the park.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The staff kept everything cleanly but the hotel feels a bit rundown. The pool fountains and hot tub were broken, the room door had large gaps, the patio door can be opened even when locked and a lot of visible tile/caulking repairs in the bathroom
Casa Luna Hotel & Spa
La Fortuna
Check in was easy and the staff was helpful in explaining how to get around town and in setting up a trip to a hot spring. Their spa, pool and breakfast were also great.
Authenticity & Character
The spa is excellent, there is a pools, multiple hot tubs, and small hiking trail on premises. The landscaping is also very nice and makes you feel more secluded from the other guests
Location
Near town for restaurants and night life and they had two great restaurants (Chante verde and Dona Liz Pupuseria) walking distance. The rainforest chocolate tour is excellent and also walkable from the hotel.
Staff
Very helpful in making recommendations for activities and helping setup reservations
Cleanliness & Comfort
The only negative was being able to hear our upstairs neighbors through the ceiling.
Villas Sol Hotel And Beach Resort
Playa Hermosa
Location
Shuttles or a car are recommend for getting around as the grounds are steep and roadways narrow for pedestrians. But the hotel does have a good shuttle service that addresses this. Great sunset views from the hotel/pool area overlooking the bay.
Cleanliness & Comfort
We needed to ask housekeeping to clean the room at checkin, the floors were still dirty and had leftover hair ties from the previous guests. But the bathroom and bedding/towels were fresh. No cleanliness issues aside from this. The lighting in rooms should be improved. There are small overhead led lights (2 above the bed headboard, and 1 in the entry) but I needed to use a flashlight to find items in my luggage after sunset. The hotel does not have an elevator, this was not an issue for us, but could be for others.
Activity Reviews
Ocean Kayaking Adventure
Manuel Antonio
Pleasant kayak and snorkeling experience with a snack and lunch included.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kudos to our driver making pickup/dropoff on the other side of the bay where the roads were narrow, winding and full of traffic.
Night Walk: Children's Eternal Forest
Monteverde
It was nice to see and hear animals that are normally not visible during the day
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Sky Adventures Zip Lines
Arenal/La Fortuna
Great experience on the zipline, helpful guides and ground staff. Great views of the volcano and lake from the deck.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
You can stay for lunch at the cafe and enjoy the views. There is a schedule with shuttle times to plan your return.
Morning Sailing and Snorkeling Adventure
Costa Rica
The crew was very nice, informative, and quick to offer drinks/snacks.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Monteverde Cloud Forest Guided Hike
Monteverde
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ian has an incredible knowledge of the forest, particularly the plant life. Would have preferred if he was a little more professional towards other guides/groups (they’re walking too fast and missed this orchid, he always takes groups too big to experience the forest, etc.)
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike
Manuel Antonio
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Luis was excellent at keeping the group organized, engaged and has an incredible talent for spotting animals and explaining their habitats and actions
Local specialist: Holden Ketchum
