Our morning cuppa Joe overlooking the rainforest and Osa Peninsula, at Costa Rica's Lapa Rios Ecolodge (Lapa means "macaw").

Flocks of the lodge's namesake, rainbow-colored parrots greeted us every morning as we sipped our caffeinated bevvies on the porch of our open-air bungalow nestled in the treetops… along with fluttering blue Morpho butterflies, wily coatis, spider monkeys, and enormous lizards. It's a wildlife-lover's paradise. GO.

High season (Jan-April) rates from $380 per person, double occupancy. Includes lodging in a private bungalow, meals, round-trip transfers to local airport, and guided nature tours. (Plus, the morning coffee delivery is complimentary!).

[Photo: Suzanne Steinert for HotelChatter/ Twitter]

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On the same trip that took us to Costa Rica's sexiest new sustainable hotel back in October, we ended up acquiring a nasty bout of food poisoning (no, not from said sexy hotel, mind you!) a couple days before our flight home. When we stumbled upon San Jose's Corteza Amarilla Art Lodge & Spa, we knew we'd found the perfect spot to recoup. Sure, maybe it was all the antibiotics and electrolytes the local farmacia prescribed. But seriously, one night in this place and it was a miracle. We were cured!

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People swear when they go on vacation they are going to “disconnect” from the trappings of technology, jobs, and whatnot. What we’ve found? Many of them are filthy liars.

They lose their ever-loving minds if their room is without a television, nevermind cable, have fits of despair without WiFi, and if there aren't enough outlets to plug in all of the toys they swore they weren't bringing along on their getaway? Best get outta the way because there'll probably be hell to pay.

Well, the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo has thrown down a gauntlet, a challenge of sorts with its “Disconnect to Reconnect” idea. ]]> Chanize 2012-12-06T17:54:41-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/11/14/11656/541 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/36985/kura2.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>A few weeks ago, we hightailed it to Costa Rica's posh central Pacific Coast for a quickie first glimpse of the country's newest eco-licious spread, <a href="http://www.kuracostarica.com/"><strong>Kura Design Villas</strong></a>, during its invite-only soft launch phase. <p><strong>Officially opening on November 15th, just in time for the high & dry season</strong>, even in the pouring rain (at the time it was wet, excuse us, "green" season), this place is bangin'. <p>After clamoring in our 4WD rental up to the hotel's steep mountaintop perch, <strong>bypassing signs like "WARNING: Very Dangerous Road!"</strong> while raindrops pounded our windshield, we were greeted warmly by the fresh faced, thirty-something owners Alejandra and Martin. "You made it! We were worried about you!" they genuinely exclaimed. suzsteinert 2012-11-14T18:55:49-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/9/21/113023/427 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/36985/BarbieRoomCostaRica.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>You know we're the biggest kids at HotelChatter. We see rooms intentionally designed for children and we get all pouty and think "we want that, tooooo!". But alas, we're big kids now, some with little tykes of our own, so we get our thrills when we see things like this--the new <strong>Barbie Room</strong> at the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel/local/5117"><strong>DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cariari</strong></a> in San Jose, in Costa Rica. <p> We are positively entranced by all the pinkness that is Room 2036. It is filled top-to-bottom with Barbie-themed linens, clothes, costumes, games, dolls, movies and accessories galore. <strong>And do not <em>ask </em>about Ken. This is not about Ken!</strong> <p>Through Nov. 11, 2012, kids can spend the night in the Chanize 2012-09-21T16:46:51-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/