Costa Rica

Barcelo San Jose Palacio

Hotel | "Not Quite a Palace but a Very Nice Hotel!"

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The Barcelo San Jose Palacio Hotel, San Jose, Costa RicaWe arrived at about 5pm local time and were taken to our hotel Barcelo San Jose Palacio just outside the main city centre of San Jose. The Reception area was large and airy and staff very pleasant, welcoming and efficient. There were a number of efficient lifts and there were also stairs to all floors.Our room was very large with plenty of storage space 10 drawers, huge wardrobe, bathrobes, safe, coffee maker and fridge with mini bar. The bed was a large queen sized one and was VERY comfortable with 5 huge plumfy pillows and over the bed lights so that reading in bed was easy rather than struggling with fiddly dull lights. There...Read More

The Barcelo San Jose Palacio Hotel, San Jose, Costa Rica
We arrived at about 5pm local time and were taken to our hotel Barcelo San Jose Palacio just outside the main city centre of San Jose. The Reception area was large and airy and staff very pleasant, welcoming and efficient. There were a number of efficient lifts and there were also stairs to all floors.

Our room was very large with plenty of storage space 10 drawers, huge wardrobe, bathrobes, safe, coffee maker and fridge with mini bar. The bed was a large queen sized one and was VERY comfortable with 5 huge plumfy pillows and over the bed lights so that reading in bed was easy rather than struggling with fiddly dull lights. There was also a radio alarm clock, iron and ironing board plus a trouser press. Furniture in the room beside the enormous bed included a table and two comfortable chairs plus a settee that made into a double bed too for a third person or child.
The bathroom had a bath and shower over the bath, basin and large mirror behind plus a basket of such exciting toiletries – conditioner, body lotion and bath gel in little bottles, a shaver and cream, a toothbrush and tooth paste, shoe horn, comb, sewing kit, shoe cleaning sponge and shower cap all in small plastic packs. Also over the bath was bath/shower gel with a nice fresh smell, shampoo and conditioner in dispensers. This hotel certainly wins the prize for offering the most toiletries and bits to their guests. There was also a hairdryer attached to the wall in the bathroom and we had large fluffy and white towels and plenty of them too.
Our room air conditioning didn’t work at all but my sister and her husband were next to us and theirs worked perfectly, had we been staying longer than two nights we might have made more fuss but we opened the window and it wasn’t too bad.

Breakfasts were buffet style and there was a great choice. Fruit juices and champagne too so it was a shame that I thought a day of sightseeing was probably not best started with a champagne breakfast!, cereals, a huge choice of fruit both whole and cut up and a fruit salad, Breads and pastries, cold meats and cheeses, cooked sausages, burritos, rice and beans, eggs cooked in various ways and so much more. It was an excellent breakfast as we were all happy with what was offered and everything was really nicely presented and looked fresh. I have since looked on the internet as we wanted a hotel for our last night in Costa Rica and thought this was so nice that we could do worse than return here. The night’s stay was about $180 and then breakfast was a huge $68 on top. It was a good breakfast but you would have to eat a huge amount to justify that price and I certainly didn’t get my money’s worth!

The evening meal was also buffet style. The first night I had a huge plateful of about 20 different salads, cold meats, cheeses, and some fish and seafood. There was also cooked fish meat and vegetables but I was quite full after my salad splurge. The desserts were also numerous, nicely presented and varied from a choice of ice creams and sauces to fruit salads and cut fruit to beautiful looking chocolate, lemon and many other cake and mousse looking tasty looking treats. Both my husband and brother in law went for the cooked selection and went back for more saying how tasty it all was.

There was a beautiful tropical garden to wander though on the way to the pool and poolside bar area. The pool was quite large with a shallow part under a bridge leading to a very shallow beach like section for sitting in or for children. The prices in the bar were slightly less than in the UK a total of £8 for a beer, a coke and two Cuba Libras which we thought wasn’t a bad price. The pool was quite fresh and too cold to be pleasant for me and my sister but my husband and brother in law braved it. There were plenty of sun loungers and you had a pool card to get pool towels which you exchanged back ready to hand in when you checked out of the hotel.

There were several areas where you could sit and relax and enjoy a chat as well as at least one other restaurant and bar within the hotel. There were a number of conference rooms available for business meetings and an internet room where you had to pay $5US for an hour. If you wanted to use your own laptop wifi then it was $10 per day, $15 for 2 days or $20 for 3 days. It was free on the 5th and 6th floors but I didn’t test to see if anyone could get on if they went up to those floors or if you had to be checked in to a room/suite on one of those floors.

All in all this was a very comfortable hotel and the rooms had everything you could possibly want, Shame that our air conditioner did not work but it was not too hot with the window open. The selection of food offered in the restaurant was excellent and very tasty and well presented too. The hotel is a little way out of the city so if you wanted to be in the city then this may not suit you however I would certainly stay here again if we ever returned to San Jose as it offered everything you could possibly desire except perhaps free internet.

This review may be posted on other sites under my same user name

© Catsholiday

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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 28, 2025

Barcelo San Jose Palacio
ROBLEDAL DE LA URUCA
San Jose, Costa Rica OFFICIAL H
506-220-2034

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Braulio Carrillo National Park

Attraction | "In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle..."

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Braulio Carrillo National ParkWe spent the morning driving through the Braulio Carrillo National Park on our way from San Jose to Tortuguero National Park. This National Park is named after Costa Rica’s third president, Braulio Carrillo Colina. Braulio Carrillo is located only 20 km northeast of the capital city of San Jose. It is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m and the entrance fee is $15 or $7 if it’s been purchased in advance. The park was founded in 1978 in order to save some of the area that was being opened up by the Guapiles Highway which is the road we drove along. The park is home to more than 6,000 species of plants and 333 species of birds although as we pas...Read More

Braulio Carrillo National Park

We spent the morning driving through the Braulio Carrillo National Park on our way from San Jose to Tortuguero National Park. This National Park is named after Costa Rica’s third president, Braulio Carrillo Colina. Braulio Carrillo is located only 20 km northeast of the capital city of San Jose. It is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m and the entrance fee is $15 or $7 if it’s been purchased in advance. The park was founded in 1978 in order to save some of the area that was being opened up by the Guapiles Highway which is the road we drove along.

The park is home to more than 6,000 species of plants and 333 species of birds although as we passed through we did not see too many of the birds but we did see a lot of different plants though I would struggle to name too many. Some were huge leaved like umbrellas while others were vines climbing up some of the many varieties of tree. This is a real flora and fauna sanctuary, an emerald-green mass of vegetation, a saturation of tropical plants, waterfalls and trees that are heavily laden with orchids and other plants that cling to their branches. This is a virgin rainforest and you would be a strange person not to feel a sense of awe because of its beauty and magnitude.

As we drove along the Highway we were able to see the Turiellba Volcano which is active and was smoking away in the distance. I was quite happy to see it from that distance as it is still active and spurts out ash and smoke at different times fairly constantly so I was not sorry that we were not going any closer. At this time I was blissfully unaware that the unpronounceable volcano in Iceland was about to start causing aviation havoc and give us a very interesting journey back from Canada.

This area is another area with a very high rainfall in Costa Rica and all along the road we passed waterfalls running down the hill sides. At times we also saw evidence of recent landslides; these were dramatic to see great mud slides just beside the road which had only been cleared a week or so before. Worse than this was the sight of demolished houses and great gaping areas of missing land and this was a really bad land slide only about a year before, Landslides and floods are disasters that Costa Rica suffers from fairly frequently but it was quite shocking to see the evidence of this disaster in which quite a number of people died and a lot more lost their homes.

We stopped and visited a butterfly farm called Selvas where we also enjoyed our lunch. The butterflies were really beautiful especially the large bright blues. There were also stunning tropical flowers such as the ginger lily, the torch lily and passion flowers. While we were eating our lunch an enormous bug flew down and landed on our table, it was apparently a relative of the praying mantis but he had really big pincers and was brown. After we had enjoyed his company for a while and taken photos I tried to return him to the bushes. He would not get off my napkin when I took it over to some vegetation so I left it and the napkin near the bush and instantly a very curious group surrounded the insect and took photos too. I think he was enjoying his moment of fame.

Our next stop was a visit to the Del Monte banana processing factory. We learned a lot about how bananas are grown, picked and processed ready for us to enjoy back home.
The plants only produce one bunch of bananas and then the main plant is cut down leaving the daughter shoot to replace it, the second daughter shoot will then grown up to take her turn and so on. The plants are hybrids and so do not require pollinating in order to produce fruit. Once the plant has flowered and the flower drops over then a blue plastic cover is put over it with a date to say when it was put on. The date will tell them when the bananas will be ready to pick and the blue cover keeps birds off the fruit as birds cannot see the colour blue.

When the banana bunches are cut they are still green, they are hung on a rail in the field; once about 25 bunches are on the rail a man pulls them along the rail to the processing plant. The hands are cut off the big bunch and put in water. All through the factory they were transferred in water as it protected the bananas from getting damaged. They were sorted into those that were the right size and shape and then stickers put on each banana before they were packed into boxes of a certain weight ready for transportation.

It was a very busy factory and a huge number of bananas passed though on a daily basis. The huge banana lorries were constantly going up and down the road with their loads. Costa Rica exports to a number of countries including the USA, Canada and several countries in Europe including the UK.

While we were at the factory there were a couple of men selling coconuts for juice and each of them had a huge rhinoceros beetle on a piece of sugar cane. They seemed quite happy for you to have your photo taken with this beastie which was quite the largest beetle that I have ever seen but was quite harmless, it just looked fierce. Both men did a roaring trade on the coconuts so I guess the beetles did a good job of attracting business.

After we left the banana processing factory we drove for another two hours down a dirt road to the dock to get our boat to Tortuguero where we were staying for the next two nights.

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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 29, 2025

Braulio Carrillo National Park
20 kms. northeast of the capital city of San Jose
San Jose, Costa Rica

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Cano Negro and Rio Frio

Attraction | "We Saw 'Blondy' in Cano Negro"

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Cano Negro ReservationWe set off from our hotel in La Fortuna and drove an hour and a half through the San Carlos Valley to this reservation on the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. On the way we passed over a bridge with a large tree beside it and it was full of iguanas. It was really strange to see about 50 iguanas sitting in the trees eating the leaves just at the level of our bus window. Our guide had told us that we would be seeing an iguana tree and we thought he was joking but indeed there was a tree full of these huge reptiles chomping away on the leaves.When we arrived at the town where we were to board the boat for our trip on the Rio Frio in the Cano Negro Reserva...Read More

Cano Negro Reservation

We set off from our hotel in La Fortuna and drove an hour and a half through the San Carlos Valley to this reservation on the border of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. On the way we passed over a bridge with a large tree beside it and it was full of iguanas. It was really strange to see about 50 iguanas sitting in the trees eating the leaves just at the level of our bus window. Our guide had told us that we would be seeing an iguana tree and we thought he was joking but indeed there was a tree full of these huge reptiles chomping away on the leaves.

When we arrived at the town where we were to board the boat for our trip on the Rio Frio in the Cano Negro Reservation we initially stopped at the place where we were going to have lunch for a quick toilet stop before walking down a couple of blocks to the dock to board the boat. The boat was a covered pontoon type boat so everyone had an excellent view as there were no windows and there was also an open deck area at the front where you could go to take photos if needed.

Our guide was lovely, so enthusiastic and knowledgeable and he told us of his exciting news. A ‘blonde’ howler monkey that he was particularly attached to had given birth only two days previously and National Geographic had been there on that day and taken photos. He was really hoping that we might see this monkey who he had named ‘Blondy’ and so we went one way up the river to find her troupe. Amazingly we did find the troupe with Blondy in and were able to see this unique animal. She is not albino, she has a colour aberration and is a lovely golden colour. We could see her really well up in the trees above us as the boat driver drove up to the bank so we could get out and walk under the trees with the howler monkey troupe above. Unfortunately she was quite protective about her baby and kept her back to us and her baby tucked away safely but to see her was very special as she is an extremely rare case being this colour.

After we spent some time with Blondy and her troupe we turned around and went the other way down the river towards Nicaragua. The boat trip lasted about two hours and during the trip we crossed the border into Nicaragua very briefly but we did not officially go through border control. We did see the border post and the sign saying that we were entering Nicaragua which was quite a novelty on a boat trip to enter another country so easily.

Just before the Nicaraguan border we came across another troupe of howler monkeys and these were on trees quite low down and we were able to get photos so close up that we could almost touch the monkeys. They were so not bothered by our being there and just continued eating their leaves and occasionally howling in their typical fashion which is meant to be a warning for the others in the troupe that they need to be aware of danger but they didn’t seem so worried as they hung by their tails and went on eating and we were there for a good ten minutes at least.
Apart from the wonderful howler monkeys we saw several Cayman of various sizes from about 10 inches long to well over 3 feet. They were basking out in the sun with their mouths open which did look a little threatening but they were so still that they looked like stuffed ones until something spooked them and they moved off into the water or into the undergrowth.

Costa Rica is a bird spotter’s paradise as there are so many different and unusual birds to see. We saw several different egrets, cormorants, different breeds of heron, anhinga, roseate spoonbills, northern jacanas, a jabiru which is a kind of stork, vultures, hawks, several types of kingfisher, swallows which dived and flew around the boat and finally hummingbirds. Some were very easy to spot while for others you needed the eagle - eyed guide to point out to you as they were so well hidden and then often they flew on just as you saw them. There were parrots around as we could hear them but as they are green it is virtually impossible to see them up in the trees.

After two hours on the river looking at the wild life and learning about the different rain forest tees, kapok, teak, carob and many others, it was time to return to the dock and then walk back up to the restaurant for lunch. After lunch we were invited to look in the gift shop and look at the lovely carved wooden items that our guide from the boat and his brothers had created. They were all made from fallen trees and used the natural beauty of the wood carved and polished into interesting bowls of various shapes, animals, earrings, necklaces and other things, they were not just wood carvings they were real works of craftsmanship and very creative. We bought some animals for the grandchildren and a simple wooden mat made of ovals of different hard words polished and it is so simple, useful and yet very pleasing to touch and look at as it is so smoothly polished and yet all natural wood colours.

This was a very special trip and we were so thrilled to be able to get so close to the howler monkeys especially but also all the other animals we saw along the river. The guide was excellent and his enthusiasm for the animals and his knowledge about both the flora and fauna of the area really made the trip special. This was a trip that I am glad I did not miss and would recommend this to anyone interesting in seeing these animals in their natural habitat.

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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 29, 2025

Cano Negro and Rio Frio
Caño Negro
Cano Negro, Costa Rica

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JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa

Hotel | "Possibly the Best Hotel I Have Ever Stayed In"

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This was one of the most amazing places I have ever stayed I think. We arrived at the end of about 10 miles of dirt road past some pretty luxurious houses; according to our guide Mel Gibson has a pad in the area. The hotel looked like a film set hacienda, huge, neat and palatial even. We were met by the bell boys and trolleys and then taken to the reception area where were given a bottle of cold water and a cold towel which was most refreshing. Our keys were plastic card type keys with a picture of the hotel on one side which we were impressed with!We walked down an open corridor past two large garden and patio areas before finding our room. As we opened the door we both said ‘Wow!’ It was...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 1, 2025

JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa
Hacienda Pinilla
Costa Rica
+506 26812000

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Magic Mountain Hotel

Hotel | "Would Have Been Nice to See the Magic Mountain"

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Magic Mountain Hotel, La Fortuna, San Carlos Valley, Costa RicaThis very new hotel is within sight of the Arenal Volcano and all rooms have a view of this active volcano when it is not covered in cloud. Unfortunately for us the two nights we were staying here the cloud was very thick and we could barely make out the volcano never mind see red lava flow at night. They do trips to see the lava flow from the hotel but not if the weather is unfavourable and as it was raining and very cloudy we were unable to go but these cost $15 per person when they do go. The hotel is a little way out of the town of La Fortuna, you can walk into town but on the way back it is up hill so it might be an idea t...Read More

Magic Mountain Hotel, La Fortuna, San Carlos Valley, Costa Rica

This very new hotel is within sight of the Arenal Volcano and all rooms have a view of this active volcano when it is not covered in cloud. Unfortunately for us the two nights we were staying here the cloud was very thick and we could barely make out the volcano never mind see red lava flow at night. They do trips to see the lava flow from the hotel but not if the weather is unfavourable and as it was raining and very cloudy we were unable to go but these cost $15 per person when they do go. The hotel is a little way out of the town of La Fortuna, you can walk into town but on the way back it is up hill so it might be an idea to get a taxi back especially if it is really hot.

Back to the hotel now. Reception and the bar and dining room were all at the front from the road and the rooms went away from the road back from these rooms. Reception was quite small with a desk and also a computer with internet which was free. Wifi was also available in the bar and reception on your own computer at no cost as well which was great to be able to send a few emails and read a few reviews! There was no wifi or internet access in the rooms though.

The room were very big with two high and very comfortable double beds. It was tastefully decorated in muted tones of coffee on the walls, white sheets with a brown and cream silky covers on the bed and plenty of decorative cushions as well as very comfortable and plenty of pillows to sleep with. The floor was tiled in a light colour and the huge picture window opened up to a small patio which overlooked the pool and beautiful gardens (and volcano when it was not cloudy!).

The bathroom was so clean and new with a shower over the bath and plenty of fluffy white towels too. Toiletries included shampoo and soap and there was a hairdryer too There was no iron though so our creased clothes had to stay creased and I couldn’t risk washing shirts as it was raining and I usually iron them to get them dry more quickly. We did use their laundry service as we came here after our Tortuguero trip in the rain forest and everything we had taken was damp and a bit smelly. We sent quite a few things and I think the prices were pretty average for hotel laundry service $12US for a pair of shorts, 2 shirts, 2 pairs of pyjamas,4 men’s underpants and 4 pairs of socks and I washed some other smaller things by hand and hung them in the bathroom.

In the room there was plenty of storage space, a coffee maker, fridge with mini bar, a safe. It was light and airy and the air conditioner worked very well too. All in all the room was more than satisfactory. As part of our tour with ‘Caravan’ a Happy Hour was arranged in the Sports Bar above the restaurant from 6pm to 7pm where it was buy one get one free. They were really nice and did not make you have both drinks at the same time and we made good use of this perk on both nights that we were there.

The food was also included in the tour price and we had breakfast and dinner there on both nights. The breakfast offered a range of fruits and juices, a couple of cereals and some hot choices like sausages, gallo pinto (beans and rice) eggs and such like, toast and some pastries were also available. Choice was more limited than at some of the hotels but more varied than others so it was a good choice but not overwhelming.

The evening meals were also buffet style with a salad table with about 6 salads to choose from and then the main course was a choice of chicken, fish or a casserole with vegetables and either potatoes or rice. It was all well cooked and tasty and enough choice to keep most people happy. There was also a choice of about four desserts which I appreciated and these were once again tasty and looked nice too. Water was provided with the meal and you could order and pay extra for wine if you wanted but we had enjoyed Happy Hour upstairs so decided to stick to the water and not overdo the alcohol.

I was very impressed with this hotel as everything was so fresh and clean. The rooms were light and tastefully decorated and all had such lovely views too. The food was all buffet style but there was enough choice to satisfy most tastes and everything was nicely presented. All the staff from reception through to bell boys and bar men and waiting staff were all so very pleasant and wanting you to enjoy your stay.

I would definitely recommend this hotel for anyone wanting to visit this part of Costa Rica. The price of room, a standard room with two double beds $125 US a night but we stayed as part of our tour but I had to look on the internet to check.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on June 1, 2025

Magic Mountain Hotel
La Fortuna
Costa Rica, Central America
+506 2479-7246

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Manuel Antonio National Park

Attraction | "Careful where you leave your clothes when swimming!"

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This is one of the most visited National Parks in the wonderful country of National Parks. It is in the central Pacific region of Costa Rica just south of Quepos and about three hours drive from the capital San Jose using the Costanera Highway which in some parts is a very good fast road. As we got close to the park we were ‘guided’ into a parking area beside the road by official looking people. We got out and thought we had a fair walk to the park entrance but accepted that then the hard sell for a ‘guided walk’ started. It took us a while but we realised we had been conned and got back in the car and drove nearer to the park entrance about half a mile down the road....Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 2, 2025

Manuel Antonio National Park
Manuel Antonio Park Road
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

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Auberge Pelican

Hotel | "Great Location, Basic Hotel"

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We found the hotel really easily after about a two hour drive and parked in the car park behind the hotel. As it sits on the beach the back of the hotel faces the road. First impressions were that it looked a bit basic and a come down from some of the other hotels we had been staying in throughout our tour in Costa Rica. As we were paying $120 per room per night we thought it should have been okay.Reception was a minute room but hey, who cares about that and after we confirmed who we were the young manager took us up to our rooms. They were next to each other with a shared balcony which was fine as we were together but if you didn’t know the people next door it would have been a little to...Read More

We found the hotel really easily after about a two hour drive and parked in the car park behind the hotel. As it sits on the beach the back of the hotel faces the road. First impressions were that it looked a bit basic and a come down from some of the other hotels we had been staying in throughout our tour in Costa Rica. As we were paying $120 per room per night we thought it should have been okay.

Reception was a minute room but hey, who cares about that and after we confirmed who we were the young manager took us up to our rooms. They were next to each other with a shared balcony which was fine as we were together but if you didn’t know the people next door it would have been a little too cosy I think, especially as the window on the balcony looked straight into the bedroom. The chairs on the balcony were solId wood and looked quite nice but were actually not very comfortable as the backs were very upright. We did spend a bit of time on the balcony as we enjoyed some supermarket purchased drinks on there while watching the tropical storm one night and a gang of turkey vultures roosting on the trees another night. On the third night a huge flock of parrots disturbed the roosted turkey vultures and entertained us with their cacophony of squawks and after this we had a display of fireflies so all in all the balcony and surrounds did a fine nature display which was just as well as we could not read in our room as the lights were so dull and one was not working.

The rooms were basic with nice polished wooden floors and wooden ceilings too. The walls were painted yellow with blue and yellow cotton curtains that looked home made. The bed was a wooden frame with sprung mattress which was quite comfortable but we only had three pillows, a sheet and a bed cover. There was a small cupboard with two small drawers and then two bedside tables and a suitcase strand. On the wall were four pegs to hang whatever didn’t fit in the tiny cupboard I suppose. There was air conditioning and an overhead fan and so the temperature in the room was very comfortable once you had these going but it did struggle a bit when we first arrived to cool the room during the middle of the day heat.

The bathroom was pretty awful, very small with a blue basin and toilet and a fairly basic shower with a rusty framed door. You also had to put the toilet paper in the bin which I always find revolting and worse they didn’t empty it after we had been there a day. My husband went to complain but it still wasn’t emptied when we went to bed. It was finally emptied after we complained again the next day. The shower nozzle squirted up as well as down and the water temperature fluctuated from cold to quite hot without you altering the taps which was pretty unpleasant. Towels were provided and soap but nothing else, no shampoo and no hair dryer either.
On the day we arrived we had had a pretty good breakfast at the Holiday Inn in San Jose so we just felt like a snack for lunch so we went to the bar/restaurant downstairs. We ordered a smoothie, a fresh lime juice a coke and a beer as well as corn chips with guacamole and a tomato salsa. We sat for nearly 20 minutes before the drinks arrived and well over an hour for the food. What creased us was the bar man came and told us the food would be with us in a few minutes and he was sorry as they had been very busy – there were only three tables of people in there, us four, another couple and a group of five. We hadn’t asked for a gourmet meal just a few corn chips and a couple of dips. Then to add insult to injury there was a 10% service charge added as well as a 13% tax. This food and another round of drinks – the smoothie and fresh lime we changed to two bottled drinks to save time, cost us just under $30US which we thought was rather a lot which is why we were buying drinks at the supermarket to drink out of plastic cups (we also had to buy as there were no glasses in the rooms) on our balcony.

Apart from breakfast we did not eat in the hotel restaurant again after this fiasco so I cannot say if they did produce any other food in the advertised restaurant. The breakfasts were fine but I did find the fact that the owner had four large dogs wandering around the restaurant area a bit off putting. They were all very friendly but I prefer not to share my meals with large dogs and find the pitiful stare as I took each mouthful was just a little disconcerting. They did come for walks along the beach with us and swam in the sea when we did. I didn’t see them in the pool but that was another reason I kept out of the pool just in case!

Breakfast was from 7am to 9am and was laid out on the bar down stairs. There were 6 plates of fruit cut up and covered with clingwrap. Coffee and tea bags with hot water was also on the bar. On the other side there was white or brown bread, a large four slice toaster, butter and three jams in sundae dishes under a plastic fly proof cover. It was adequate and we were quite happy with this, basic but it did the job and was what we had at home normally anyway. There were spoons for the jams on the second day but on the first day we had to use knives to get the butter and jam which made it get a bit messy after a couple of people had been using it and there were no saucers for the cups but it could have been worse, it could have taken two hours like our drinks and snack had the previous day.

The hotel was in a lovely location right on the beach lined with palm trees and other tropical vegetation. The sand was dark but when we were there the beach was empty and you could walk for miles along the sand unless it was sunny in which case you ran across the dry sand to walk along the wet sand which was a bit cooler. The sea was quite rough and there were definite rips but as long as you stayed within your depth when the waves were deepest then it was okay but I would not have let children swim there. Also because it was rough as the waves broke a lot of sand was thrown up so as you swam you got your swim suit full of sand.

There was a small tropical garden leading to the beach with a covered cement floored area with hammocks as well as a table and chairs. A tap allowed you to wash off the worst of the fine dark sand as you left the beach. Right at the beach edge were more hammocks and some sun loungers (plastic but no cushions) but it had rained really heavily in the night and when I sat in one at about 3.45 in the afternoon I got a damp bottom so we went for a walk along the beach instead accompanied by a couple of the hotel owner’s four dogs. We found three or four really lovely sand dollars on our walk which was interesting as I hadn’t seen any on a beach since I found them in St Kitts when my Dad lived there.

There was a pool just below our room but every morning we saw about half a dozen crabs in it which slightly put me off going in there. My sister and brother in law swam in there but I wasn’t risking an ear infection prior to the three flights we had over the next week so I didn’t venture in. The following day the pool was full of new guests so maybe I was just being a bit fussy.

When we checked out a day early so that we could be back in San Jose near the airport the young manager did apologise for the bin in the bathroom not being emptied and said they had a new cleaner. He also only charged us $80 a night which was far more reasonable so we left happy and looking forward to a night in the Holiday Inn Express next to the airport for our final night.
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on June 3, 2025

Auberge Pelican
Esterillos Este Beachfront
Playa Esterillos, Costa Rica
(506) 778-8105

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Poas Volcano

Attraction | "I Stood Beside a Volcano"

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Poàs Volcano and Escalonia Cloud forest TrailThese two places of interest are located in the Poàs National Park which is a high rain forest area or cloud forest so the chance of rain is extremely high and if it is not actually raining then low damp clouds are most likely. However, we were so very lucky as on the day of our visit we had a bright sunny day and the views were clear. Apparently the chance of seeing the volcano clearly is only 30% so we were so thrilled to have a clear picture of the entire volcano and the surrounding area too.This is one of Costa Rica’s most visited volcanoes since 1828 it has erupted several times and is thought to be one of the world’s largest ac...Read More

Poàs Volcano and Escalonia Cloud forest Trail

These two places of interest are located in the Poàs National Park which is a high rain forest area or cloud forest so the chance of rain is extremely high and if it is not actually raining then low damp clouds are most likely. However, we were so very lucky as on the day of our visit we had a bright sunny day and the views were clear. Apparently the chance of seeing the volcano clearly is only 30% so we were so thrilled to have a clear picture of the entire volcano and the surrounding area too.

This is one of Costa Rica’s most visited volcanoes since 1828 it has erupted several times and is thought to be one of the world’s largest active craters, it is about a mile wide and 1000 feet deep and there are frequent geyser like eruptions. Near the volcano are a number of molten lava lakes which are thought to be the only ones in the world.

When you arrive at the visitors centre near the car park you can enjoy the use of a cafeteria and clean toilets as well as a gift shop. There is also a video presentation of the volcano and a museum in case the weather is so bad that you are not able to see the real thing. From the visitor centre you can walk up on a tarred pathway which is suitable for wheelchairs and after about 1/3 mile you reach the volcano rim. On the way you can enjoy the wonderful tropical rainforest vegetation which is lush and green and has some amazing flowers so the walk is a pleasant easy walk on a slight incline upwards.

Once at the volcano rim we had a fantastically clear view of the entire area and could clearly see the crater. It was possible to climb on to a viewing platform in order to get an elevated view but to be honest the view from the path level was pretty good.

The volcano is 8,871 feet above sea level and at times the smell of the sulphurous gases can be over powering but on the day we were there the smell was not really noticeable at all. From the volcano rim the path about 20 feet back takes an upwards turn and this is the start of the hike through the Escalonia Cloud Forest. After about 100 yards you come to another volcanic crater which is now the lovely green Botos lake. This is where you have to make the choice as to whether you want to return along the relatively easy pathway to the visitor centre or to walk along the trail and through the cloud forest and back to the car park up quite a steep trail through the forest.

We chose to do the walk and were informed by a notice that the trail was 1800 metres long as we set out from the lake. Going up was quite hard work at that altitude and the trail was a mixture of slopes and steps for about 2/3 of the way. After this was a short passage on a relative flat followed by a long, constant slope or steps down wards. This was very hard on the knees going down for such a long distance and it was steep and quite slippery. They have recently added rope hand rails and sunk concrete grippy bricks in the path so heaven only knows what it was like before these were added as it was tricky enough as it was.

It was quite a challenging walk but the vegetation that we passed through was interesting and as it was so high it was quite cool in the shade so we didn’t get hot and bothered despite the effort we had to put in. Others in our group declined to do the walk and some that did do it came back feeling rather more tired and challenged than they thought it would be as we did too. We did enjoy seeing the orchids, epiphytes, ferns and plants with huge leaves called ‘Poor Man’s Umbrella’ so felt that our walk had been worthwhile but we did feel that we should have been warned how slippery and steep the trail was coming down as there some people in the group who were not quite so fit and they did struggle a bit and could have slipped and hurt themselves.

In this area it is possible to see hummingbirds, tanagers, and even Quetzals but we did not see any of these birds although we could hear a few bird noises they were too well hidden. A Poas squirrel can only be found in the park but you might also see coyotes, long-tailed weasels, skunks and wild cats but once again we saw none of these animals which was a bit disappointing but we did enjoy the walk through the interesting vegetation in a lovely clear and bright day.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on June 3, 2025

Poas Volcano
Poas Volcano National Park
Monteverde, Costa Rica

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Baldi Termae

Attraction | "Baldi Hot Springs Resort"

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Volcanic Hot Springs Baldi Resort One afternoon was spent relaxing and exploring these amazing hot springs and pools not far from our hotel in La Fortuna just under the Arenal Volcano. This was like a huge water park really and it even had a couple of water slides. You paid your entrance fee then made your way to the changing rooms. On the way you paid a deposit of $10 for a towel and $5 for a locker but as part of our ‘Caravans’ tour the guide sorted all this and we didn’t have to take any money with us at all, we left everything valuable on the bus with the driver. We were asked to keep an eye on our towels because there was a £10US deposit on towels some people sometimes ‘f...Read More

Volcanic Hot Springs Baldi Resort

One afternoon was spent relaxing and exploring these amazing hot springs and pools not far from our hotel in La Fortuna just under the Arenal Volcano. This was like a huge water park really and it even had a couple of water slides.

You paid your entrance fee then made your way to the changing rooms. On the way you paid a deposit of $10 for a towel and $5 for a locker but as part of our ‘Caravans’ tour the guide sorted all this and we didn’t have to take any money with us at all, we left everything valuable on the bus with the driver. We were asked to keep an eye on our towels because there was a £10US deposit on towels some people sometimes ‘found’ other people’s towels and took them back to collect the $10. We kept a very close eye on ours and I did wonder whether it was worth looking around for any towels that looked ‘lost’ but thought about the embarrassment of tussling with someone over a towel in order to gain $10!!

The changing rooms had showers and toilets and an open area for changing however some people felt the need for total privacy and used the showers and toilets which meant when you wanted to use either of these facilities for their intended use you had to queue to wait for one of these overly modest or shy people to emerge. I didn’t bother with a shower before or after as I had spent enough time queuing to use the toilet. Finally I managed to get out with my bundle of clothes to get to the locker. We left our towels in there just to ensure we had them when it was time to get out and also it was raining a bit and they would only get wet out beside the pools.

Now ready for dipping into one of the twenty five different pools that were in the resort. We tried a range of pools from quite ‘cool’ through to ‘too hot to put your foot in’. Each pool had the temperature of the pool displayed on a sign at the entrance. The very hot pool caused quite a bit of interest with some young people who challenged each other to run through from one side to the other. It was really hot and I put just my foot in it and then out again pretty quickly. I am sure you could damage yourself if you did go in with your whole body for any length of time. We found a few that were a lovely warm bath temperature and blobbed about in those for a reasonable amount of time.

When you are in hot tubs or hot springs it is really important not to get dehydrated. In Rotorura, New Zealand when we went to the hot springs spa there were water fountains all round the place but there were none here at all. We had taken a couple of bottles of water with us which was lucky and we made sure that we didn’t overdo the time we spent in the hot ones.

We spent quite a lot of our time exploring the place to find all the different pools as they were hidden amongst greenery and rocks so it was very natural looking. Some of the pools had waterfalls in them, others had swim up bars and one even had televisions showing Premier League football so we stayed and watched Liverpool play for a while. One of the larger pools had a couple of water slides too and all around there were lovely tropical plants with brightly coloured flowers. The pools were all very different and the setting was beautiful.

There was a beautiful tropical garden for you to walk through with further pools which we discovered after we had got changed. We had wanted to go for a walk through the gardens but it started raining when we got up to that part of the grounds so we did take a quick look and then changed our mind and headed for the shop.

At the entrance to the Baldi resort there was a bar and restaurant as well as a souvenir shop. We felt no need for either the bar or restaurant as we had been so well fed at lunch and we planned on making use of the great ‘Happy Hour’ between 6pm and 7pm at our hotel where you got one drink free for every one you bought. I don’t know what the restaurant served but it did look quite nice as did the bar. The shop had a decent range of souvenirs including Costa Rican coffee, various T shirts , postcards, jewellery and fridge magnets as well as some very tasty chocolate covered coffee bean samples which we had to test. The prices seemed reasonable, not cheap but fair if you wanted to buy something.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 3, 2025

Baldi Termae

La Fortuna, Costa Rica
+506 479-9652

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Finca Corsicana

Attraction | "Largest Organic Pineapple Farm in the World!"

The Collins street bakery Shop Photo - Costa Rica, Central America

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Finca Corsicana – Pineapple FarmThe pineapple industry in Costa Rica is bigger than Hawaii now and they export more than any other country. We visited this organic plantation which was owned by the people who started the Collins Street bakery, based in Corsicana, Texas and famous for its rich fruit cakes in the USA. They wanted to get a reliable source of quality papaya and pineapples for their cakes so started their own plantation in this area. The plantation was started in 1991 but the tourist part only began in 2005 as the interest in eco tourism took off and Costa Rica became an increasingly popular tourist destination.The farm is over 3,000 acres and still growing and they...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on June 6, 2025

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Laguna Lodge Tortuguero

Hotel | "Laguna Lodge "

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How to get there:We spent two nights at this rainforest, river and beachside lodge on the fringes of the 47,000 acre Tortuguera National Park. The lodge was on the river front on one side and the Caribbean Sea was the other. The entire area of Tortuguera is like Venice, based on rivers and canals as the only means of transport apart from planes which tend to only bring in tourists rather than supplies as it is a very small airstrip and only small private aircraft can land there. We came in by river which took about two hours in a small covered boat which went at quite a speed in some parts of the river but at times the smaller rivers were so shallow that the boat driver had to lift the motor an...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on June 6, 2025

Laguna Lodge Tortuguero
Curridabat Jose
Tortuguero, Costa Rica
506.280.7843

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