HotelChatter - cr

A Special Killer View from Riu Guanacaste in Costa Rica

juliana — 2009-11-13T15:49:05-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/RiuGuanacaste3.jpg" class="top"> We are suckers for a room with a killer view.  We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the <a href="http://flickr.com/groups/hotelchatter/">HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool</a>, or by <a href="mailto:tips@hotelchatter.com">sending the photo along to us</a>. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.Today we have a very special <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/killer view">Killer View</a> from <a href="http://www.hotelsmag.com/blogger/3051.html">Adam Kirby</a> of HOTELS Magazine. These snaps were taken at

The Jade Resort Residences and Beach Club Promises a Quiet Escape

Heidi Atwal — 2009-09-04T16:07:16-05:00

We've heard the adjectives "isolated," "peaceful," and "remote" thrown around one too many times to trust the descriptions some supposedly out-of-the-way hotels offer. You may have been met with the unfortunate scenario of looking forward to a getaway, only to arrive and find a resort in a spot heavily populated by tourists with the same idea in mind.

The Jade Resort Residences & Beach Club (branded under Wyndham) in Costa Rica sounds like it might be the real deal, though. What makes Jade different, at least from the sneak peek details we're privy to, is the fact that it's one of the first major developments in a quiet, relatively untouched region known as Manuel Antonio.

Green Costa Rica Hotels Celebrate Their Blue Flag Beach With Deals

amandak — 2009-07-07T09:19:18-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Manzanillo_Beach_Costa_Rica.jpg" class="top"> Two resorts in Costa Rica have been taking good care of the beach they share in fact, they've been so environmentally friendly that the Manzanillo Beach, where you'll find the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Allegro+Papagayo+All+Inclusive/ian/204606">Allegro Papagayo Resort</a> and the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Occidental+Grand+Papagayo/ian/187133">Occidental Grand Papagayo Resort</a>, has been awarded an Ecological Blue Flag for 2009.Blue Flag beaches are not common, and it's a good way to recognize a beach whose caretakers are making sure it's clean, safe and will stay that way in the future. And these two Occidental resorts are celebrating their Blue Flag achievement with a couple of special deals for this summer.At the Allegro Papagayo, they've reduced the nightly rates to start at $68, and they've also got

Hotel Villa Caletas Needs To Quit It With Those Ads For Its Spa and Residences

globetrotting gourmet — 2009-07-02T16:02:59-05:00

We got all Diane Lane “Under the Tuscan Sun” as we pulled up the windy hill to Hotel Villa Caletas in Herraduras, Costa Rica. We’re a sucker for sweeping panoramic views of the Pacific (especially from cliff side vantage points) and all the pomp and circumstance en route led us to believe we were in for something really special. As in five star special – the elite status this misguided member of Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica fancies itself to have. Reality check: three stars is more like it.

We must’ve suffered a bad case of beer goggles, because as soon as we starting paying close attention to our surroundings, it wasn’t all that pretty.

Seek Out Cute Surfer People at The Harmony Hotel

globetrotting gourmet — 2009-07-01T16:10:11-05:00

<![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/26601/The_Harmony_Hotel.jpg" class="top"> Nosara is located in Costa Ricas North Pacific province of Guanacaste, about 160 miles west of San Jose, best reached via a short flight on <a href="http://www.natureair.com/">Nature Air</a>, followed by a short taxi ride. The village is a surfers paradise and <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Harmony+Hotel/ian/256821">The Harmony Hotel</a> has one of the areas best stretches of beach and surf breaks just outside its back door. Playa Guiones is a near 4-mile swath of white sandy beach with year-round waves and long left and right beach breaks.Since we hadnt been on a surfboard in ages, we asked the staff where we should go for a refresher, since it seemed like surfing savviness was a job requisite at Harmony (as well