Client Confidential: Costa Rica
I’ve previously shared an overview of Costa Rica, but due to growing interest and inquiries, I wanted to revisit the topic. One of my clients recently returned from their trip and was kind enough to share their experience. I thought their insight could be valuable for future travelers.
Where is Costa Rica
Costa Rica is in Central America sandwiched between Nicaragua (north) and Panama (south).
What is the weather like?
May – November is rainy season, and you should expect an afternoon shower for a few hours most days.
The temperature ranges from 68 – 90 degrees depending on where you are located. Coastal areas tend to be hotter and the areas with higher elevations, cooler. Costa Rica has several microclimates so weather patterns can change often
Costa Rica doesn’t have a hurricane season per se but can have prolonged storms with rainfall and flooding.
What is the best time to travel to Costa Rica?
The most popular times of the year to visit Costa Rica is December – April.
What airport do I fly into?
You have 2 options for airports – Liberia Airport which is closer to the coastal area of Guanacaste and where many resorts are located, and San Jose airport which is in the central part of Costa Rica. All flights from Pittsburgh are connecting and American Airlines is one of the primary airlines that fly to Costa Rica.
Are there all-inclusive resorts there?
Yes, there are both all-inclusive resorts and non-all-inclusive resorts.
Do you need a passport?
Yes, as a United States citizen, you need your passport for entry into Costa Rica. It is best to make a copy of your passport and take it with you everywhere. Your passport expiration date must be valid 6 months after your return date.
Client Feedback:
Resort Overview: The W Hotel is a 5-star Mariott resort, located in the Reserva Conchal which is home to a wildlife refuge, a championship golf course and the beautiful beaches of Playa Conchal. It is located in Guanacaste, the northern Pacific area of Costa Rica. At the W you have the option of a rate that is all-inclusive or not. It does have a sister property, The Westin Resort Reserva Conchal that is an all-inclusive and more family focused. Here is what my client had to say about the resort and Costa Rica in general:
Should I drive?
The western region was very dry and hilly. Paved roads are two lanes and anything goes! Renting a car is an individual choice, based on how much exploring you wish to do. It was more frustrating than hard to navigate, but many back roads are bumpy and must cross water. If you rent a car, get an SUV as sometimes GPS will take you through rough terrain including streams. Be sure to rent something that has lots of ground clearance. If traveling in the rainy season, I caution renting a car. They almost insist that you purchase insurance because sometimes you find yourself in high waters.
We also learned that google maps will show roads in pink if unpaved and they were often crossing a stream. Generally, all excursions include transportation.
Accommodations:
The rooms at the W are true to images on their website—spacious, clean and with a balcony. We were on the ground floor and saw a fair amount of beautiful birds, raccoons and deer. The shower had two rain showerheads with ample space for two. A variety of products were available including hand and face soaps, loofa, lotion and shampoo products. Small kits for nail and sewing emergencies were available.
Restaurants and Bars:
The W’s lobby housed a restaurant, bar, sitting areas and a breathtaking view of the adult pool, terrain and ocean. All three onsite restaurants presented dishes with flare and were prepared to a savory perfection. The breakfast buffet off the lobby had a wide variety of foods including vegan and gluten free options. Local food options were a fun way to try their local cuisine. Our reservations included the breakfast buffet and we did not get tired of the variety over seven days. If one asks, a to-go box is available; we took for light lunches and pool-side; favoring the sweet, delicious fresh fruit! Regarding pricing, we found the prices higher than where we live in North Carolina and our recent Aruba trip. For example, the breakfast buffet was $44 pp, but menu options are also available and one can eat for ~$45 per couple (two omelets, coffee and no fruit). We learned of a pleasant surprise; in the lobby a small sample of free muffins and coffee were available for early risers.
There are three bars each offering the signature drinks at $22 each, but many standard cocktails and some wine were $12-$18. Happy hour has only signature cocktails for 50% off between 5 & 6 pm and were not included in our reservations.
Pools/Beach:
The W has two swimming pools; an inviting upper adult pool that offers music of a reasonable volume, 45-50 padded lounge chairs and free towels. Several cabanas were also available for an additional cost (~$200/day); early reservations may be wise in peak season. A couple days one hour water aerobics led by a dynamic leader(s) was fun. They were skilled at motivating participation with their music, moves, and everyone’s laughter.
The lower-level pool was a long, even four feet depth (with an ocean view) thereby accommodating early lap swimmers or pool-walking. This also functions as the family pool. Again, an ample number of padded chaise lounge chairs, towels, a few free cabanas and a bar are included. The pools had a fair number of people in March but we never had an issue getting a chaise.
Taking a nice short stroll on the beach (or paths) will take you to the Westin which also has several pools, a golf course and five restaurants. It is hard getting it all in over a week, so maybe stay longer!
The closest beach in front of the resort had grainy white sand, was clean and water was deep green and warm (lifeguards not provided). Beachside, the’ locals’ provide lounges, massages, horses for riding and kayaks, although the hotel does not promote these. Many people we spoke with used these services with no complaints or concerns.
The W also has a spa which had services starting at $200.
Service:
Staff was super friendly as was the general public at businesses. All staff strive to and do an unbelievable job learning guests’ names! The W’s staff urge you to ask for anything you need and accommodate special requests/needs; they are all around nice people. There are no options to purchase reasonably priced snacks in the hotel, but learned on day six, that a small store is on the grounds that you can be driven to.
What is there to do there?
There are many walking trails (we didn’t see any snakes) around the resort but it’s easy to get twisted up as there are no signs. You can see howler monkeys throughout the trails which was our highlight! The monkeys make quite a ruckus at 5 AM and late evening which was fun to hear but the lead monkey sounds like a lion roaring and sent chills down my spine! They do not like humans so they are not a risk.
We joined a couple who had a rental car and drove to Diamonte Adventure Park about 30 minutes away. The awesome park included an animal sanctuary self-tour for $42 pp. There we finally saw sloths! Also available at Diamonte were ATV rentals & zip-lining for additional fees.
As mentioned, the W is secluded on the Reserva Conchal, however the hotel has safe excursions you can plan either with your reservations or upon arrival with included transportation. Their website has information about them. My husband and I went inshore fishing out of Flamingo Beach, about 30 min away. We found the captain through one of the hotel employees and found www.fishingbooker.com a helpful site. Trish can help you with any excursions and most provide transportation If you want to attend these, most are 2-3 hour trips each way, so plan the whole day. One activity that many guests raved over was the sunset dinner cruise which included is snorkeling, swimming, kayaking or just relaxing on the catamaran before enjoying the gorgeous sunset.
How far from the airport?
The commute is 1 – 1.5 hours from the Liberia airport. We easily found the transportation Trish setup and beware of marketers looking for tourists at the airport! Roads are paved but the commute is extremely hilly with much pasture-land, thin animals and crazy drivers!
Generally families had modest homes under 600 square feet and we learned that they struggle with affording food and necessities. Healthcare is free and excellent if needed.
Any other comments or recommendations:
At the W, there are three towers and tower 3 is the highest with great views although the other two towers have nice mountainous and sea views on the top floors.
If you are interested in Costa Rica or any other vacation, please give me a call. I’d be happy to help you plan your next vacation.
