Our trip to Costa Rica was wonderful.
Costa Rica | May 9 - May 16, 2026

Patricia
Patricia L.
Katy, TX | Reviewed on May 27, 2026

Our trip to Costa Rica was wonderful. We visited a historic theater in San Jose. The next day we were off to Arenal. The hotel was nice and had a lovely pool. We hiked down and back up 500 stairs to enjoy an amazing waterfall. We had a coffee and chocolate tour that was interesting and delicious. Our tour guide David was awesome. We drove to Monteverde and had a night time wildlife tour. We saw a poisonous snake, frogs, tarantulas and a scorpion. We went to a sloth sanctuary during the day. Then we drove to the beach near Jaco. We didn’t like the hotel but the beach was beautiful.

Hotel Reviews
Auténtico Hotel
San José

The room, restaurant and pool were very nice. I enjoyed the open air lobby.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Luna Hotel & Spa
La Fortuna

We loved the room. There were so many birds in the beautiful gardens. The pool was lovely too.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Punta Leona
Tárcoles

We didn’t like it at all. We had an apartment upstairs with no elevator. The condition was bad. The shower faucet didn’t work. No breakfast included

Authenticity & Character
Location
The roads were awful
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience - Self Drive
Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience - Self Drive
Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide David was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable and entertaining. It was amazing to see the cocoa fruit and taste it. The different stages of the chocolate making process was interesting. The plain chocolate was bitter but the chocolate as you add milk and sugar was delicious. The coffee segment of the tour was just as enjoyable. Watching the lady roast the beans was intriguing. David ground the beans and brewed the coffee . It was very tasty. The farm had many different plants including pineapple. Also we saw a “blue jeans” frog on the property. Everything was fabulous.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Yuliana Valverde
Yuliana
Yuliana Valverde
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on May 28, 2026
Hello Patricia,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It sounds like you had such a wonderful adventure exploring Costa Rica and enjoying so many different activities along the way.
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the mix of culture, nature, wildlife, and beach experiences throughout your trip. From hiking to waterfalls and exploring the rainforest at night to learning about coffee and chocolate production, it sounds like you truly experienced many of the things that make...
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Hello Patricia,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It sounds like you had such a wonderful adventure exploring Costa Rica and enjoying so many different activities along the way.
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the mix of culture, nature, wildlife, and beach experiences throughout your trip. From hiking to waterfalls and exploring the rainforest at night to learning about coffee and chocolate production, it sounds like you truly experienced many of the things that make Costa Rica so special.
I also appreciate your honest feedback about the hotel near Jaco. Your comments are very valuable and help me continue improving future recommendations and travel experiences for my clients.
Thank you again for trusting me to help plan your Costa Rica journey. It was truly a pleasure, and I hope the memories from this trip stay with you, and perhaps you can visit Costa Rica again and explore different locations that our country has to offer.
Warm regards from Costa Rica!
Yuliana