Conni, aren't you in Costa Rica now??

Dh won a trip from work. We have some options of where we can go. Dh wants to go to Costa Rica. We would stay at the Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Gulf Resort. Do you know anything about it?

Anyone else that has been there can chime in too.

By Tunnia on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 01:16 pm:

We vacationed in Costa Rica for two weeks about 10 years ago and we would go back in a heartbeat! It was a beautiful country. We landed in San Jose, but left the following morning for Arenal Volcano. We stayed in La Fortuna for a several days while dh and my father fished in Lake Arenal and we went on rainforest hikes, bathed in hot springs, and went sight-seeing. We had rooms reserved at the Observatory Lodge, but lost them (a very long story, but the short of it was that the travel agent accidentally canceled our itinerary when she was supposed to confirm it the day before the trip and the waiting list for the Lodge was about 6 months back then), but the Cabinitas we stayed in were beautiful and a wonderful experience. Arenal is an erupting volcano and it was the most amazing part of our trip and the part that we all agreed was our favorite. Next we headed to the Pacific coast to La Playa del Ocotol and stayed in cabanas on a cliff over-looking the ocean. Dh and my father went deep sea fishing there and both caught sailfish. The sand on the beach was black from the volcanic rock and the view was nothing short of breath-taking. We headed back to San Jose, but my father, dd, and I had all caught the flu so we spent two days in our hotel rooms while mom and my dh toured. We never went to the Gulf coast side nor did we get to go on any canopy tours, but would love to do both if we ever make it back down there.

Words of caution--be careful where you go, especially in San Jose. There are parts that tourists shouldn't be in. Also, the best roads there are worse than our worst roads here in the USA. It was not unusual to be driving down the road and all the sudden one lane (or most of the entire road!) is just not there anymore, as in it slide down the side of a cliff! If you travel across the country you'll want a 4-wheel drive. The way they drive down there is very different than here and it can be scary at times so you'll want to learn their rules of the road. That said, I would highly recommend the trip and do a little inter-country traveling if at all possible. It really is a beautiful place and so different from here.

By Conni on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 09:54 pm:

Los Suenos Resort is a gorgeous ritzy place on the Pacific Coast!!! From Los Suenos you can go deep sea fishing. They have a nice marina. Jaco beach is very near Los Suenos- you can go to Jaco to shop/eat but I do not allow my kids to swim at that beach, the water there is dangerous. I have not been to the beach that is right next to Los Suenos...so no advice or tips on it. I want to say the name of it is Playa Herradura??

You can do daytrips from San Jose to Poas Volcano and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens if you spend any time in San Jose...(there are many more places you can go from San Jose as well) We went to the Britt Coffee Plantation the other day here and it was pretty fun.

1.5 hrs south of Los Suenos is Manuel Antonio beach and park. Your kids can see monkies/iguanas/sloths if you hike the park. We were there in July and heard the Howler monkies at 5am every morning. It was incredible the noise they made. Wild and so cool to hear. If you can do a canopy tour they are a lot of fun and ditto Tunnia Arenal is beautiful-but I don't recommend it in the rainy season. (which won't end until November) Arenal is not near Los Suenos.

I am assuming you will have transporatation provided so you can relax and not have to worry about navigating your way around this country. Ditto Tunnia the roads here and traffic are whacko...They actually sell T-shirts here that read 'I survived the potholes in Costa Rica'. lol

ack...we just had a little earthquake while i was typing. yuk lol

Dec-April is dry season (summer)
May-Nov is rainy season

By Debbie on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 10:51 pm:

Thank you so much, Conni.

This will be a trip for just dh and I!! He won 2 airline tickets to anywhere, and 4 nights at participating Marriotts. One of the Marriotts that we really like is Los Suenos. We are looking at going either spring break or summer. My parents will be watching the kids, and it is such a hassle when school is in. I guess we will have to go during spring break if we pick here.

Thank you again for the information. The pictures of the resort are just beautiful!

By Conni on Saturday, August 11, 2007 - 10:55 pm:

BTW- I have never stayed at Los Suenos we just go there and look around and eat at the sports bar that overlooks the marina. I know people that have and they like it.