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Warm Weather Hotels
Warm Weather Hotels: Hotel Fonda Vela in the Costa Rican Forest
January 21, 2008 at 9:00 AM | 0 Comments
We've been tipping the Peninsula Papagayo region as the one for a beach vacation in forever-warm Costa Rica, but if cooler kinds of nature are more your thing, you might want to head into the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and try the Hotel Fonda Vela.
Fonda Vela bills itself as "the jewel of the Monteverde hotels" and does in fact hold the #1 place out of the 20 hotels TripAdvisor lists in the Forest Reserve. With just 40 rooms, there's time for personal service, yet apparently enough business to run two restaurants and a bar. The rooms are also relatively large and are commonly described as "rustic" in taste.
The bonus at the Fonda Vela is the huge collection of paintings you'll keep almost tripping over. Paul Smith Sr, the father of the two founders and current owners, brothers Paul and Steven Smith, is a prolific artist, and some 400 plus of his paintings cover the rooms of the hotel. Head into the shops and restaurants of Monteverde and you're just as likely to find his pictures adorning walls there, too.
On top of all that, the rates at the Hotel Fonda Vela are more than reasonable. A standard double costs $103, although meals are extra ($9 for breakfast, $14 for lunch and $18 for dinner)--or they'll set you up with an all-inclusive package. Perhaps soon they'll start throwing in a free painting with every extended stay.
[Photo: BonB]
Warm Weather Hotels
Warm Weather Hotels: Relax at The Four Seasons Costa Rica
January 16, 2008 at 9:20 AM | 0 Comments
Another warm weather pick is to head down to Costa Rica and try out the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. The website starts out by making this resort seem like some kind of heaven on earth:
Spilling down a coastal hillside to an isthmus of golden sand, Four Seasons creates an ambiance of simple luxury in this pristine natural setting. With two unspoiled beaches, an indigenous spa, championship golf and the magic of the tropical dry forest.
Wow. We accept happily, however, that nothing could live up to that kind of prosaic marketing, but nonetheless the Four Seasons is rated the top hotel by TripAdvisor reviewers, so it must be on the right track. The biggest plus seems to be friendly and flawless service, with a meet-and-greet service that takes the place of an annoying check-in procedure.
The setting is also amazing, although with more developments planned around Liberia in the future, it might become a bit spoilt. There are a couple of large swimming pools and easy access to the beach so you can get a proper taste of summer fun.
Standard room rates start at $835 per double, but there are a stack of different packages to choose from. These include the Room and Spa Package, Adventure in Costa Rica (horse riding, hiking and catamaran cruises), a golf deal and the Romance Package, so choose one that suits your interests.
[Photo: ocGlobetraveler]
Costa Rica Hotel Reviews
A Magical Room Transfer at Hotel Playa Espadilla
June 1, 2007 at 12:06 PM | 0 Comments
Picture this deja vu scene. You leave in the morning from one room, come back in the afternoon to another, and everything looks exactly the same, including where you left all your stuff.
This was the scene at the pleasant Hotel Playa Espadilla, in the Manual Antonio Reserve and surfing beach area in Costa Rica. As our group left for a rafting trip in the morning, one couple mentioned that the air conditioner in their room was making a noise like a freight train and they wanted to move to a different room. "No problem," said the man at the front desk. "We will arrange it for you." Thinking they would deal with it when they got back, the couple boarded the minibus and went off for a day of splashing down the river.
Upon their return, they went to the front desk to check up on getting another room. "Here is your new key," says the man at the front desk. "All of your belongings have been transferred, so please give me your old key."
Upon stepping into their new room, the couple found every single item placed exactly where they had left it in the other room, down to the panties on the corner of the bed. The dirty shirt hanging on a chair was on the right chair and the placement of the toiletries in the shower were eerily perfect. Who says you have to pay Four Seasons rates for attentive service?
Spacious rooms at Hotel Playa Espadilla are under $140 a night and you can sip a big daiquiri made with fresh fruit poolside for four bucks.
Related Stories:
· Hotels in Costa Rica [HotelChatter]
Costa Rica Hotel Reviews
Killer View: Hotel de Montaña Monteverde in Costa Rica
June 1, 2007 at 11:28 AM | 0 Comments
The Monteverde Cloudforest Reserve in Costa Rica is known for its range of plants and wildlife, but also for the notoriously terrible gravel and dirt road you must traverse for over an hour to get there. So it's nice to settle into a hotel with a balcony and a killer view.
Hotel de Montaña Monteverde is not the fanciest or most expensive place in the area, but it's hard to top its unobstructed view of rolling hills, wispy clouds, and the distant gulf. There's also a similarly great view from the wall-of-glass restaurant and the cozy bar with an outdoor balcony area.
Besides that, rooms here are indestinguished except for two standout factors: giant soaking tubs and a minibar with prices that actually make you want to use it. We had two beers and a soda and the damage was under $6.
Related Stories:
· Hotels in Costa Rica [HotelChatter]
