A very active but enjoyable vacation!
Costa Rica | Dec 6 - Dec 17, 2023

G
Greg T.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Dec 27, 2023

A very active but enjoyable vacation! The excursions gave us plenty to do during the day and the overall logistics of the trip ran fairly smoothly. Just a couple of hiccups on the start times for the first 2 excursions but flawless for the rest of the trip!

Hotel Reviews
Gran Hotel Costa Rica
San José

A good location. The hotel itself was okay, the food was okay. The AC was appreciated!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Arco Iris Lodge
Santa Elena

Loved the location and value for this hotel. The area was extremely quiet...an oasis literally in the middle of town. The room was very large and could easily have accommodated 3 more guests. The breakfast was VERY good and we LOVED the coffee!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Could not be more convenient!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Loved all the details...including items to help clean your boots after hiking in the cloud forest!
Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs
La Fortuna

The grounds are amazing! We saw so many beautiful birds from the comfort of our deck! It had a fabulous view of the volcano and the mineral springs were very nice! The 24/7 coffee in the lobby was not 24/7. The food was pretty good for breakfast but only adequate for dinner. Contrary to advertising, there was NOT a lunch option. The staff was friendly. Coffee was not very good for a country known for amazing coffee....probably the worst coffee we had in a hotel during our stay. The hotel is fairly far from the town, but we considered that a positive. A taxi is needed if you wish to visit the town.

Authenticity & Character
amazing gardens
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room was very tired and in desperate need of updating. The room was very quiet though!
Aguila de Osa Rainforest & Marine Adventure Lodge
Drake

An absolutely wonderful hotel! The views were incredible, the food was AMAZING and the staff was extremely helpful!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Karahé Beach Hotel
Manuel Antonio

Adequate hotel. The AC worked well. Beach front is a relative term....you could "kind of see" the beach if you squinted. The room was very dark but reasonably clean. The food was adequate.

Authenticity & Character
Not much character. LIGHT in the room would be amazing )
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike
Manuel Antonio

The guide was new and not experienced. One other guest pretty much monopolized the whole hike. They needed to book a birdwatching tour since they were only interested in that. The guide ignored the needs of the other guests. She was nice and tried to be helpful but it was by far, the weakest of our tours.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Canyoning in the Lost Canyon
Canyoning in the Lost Canyon
Arenal/La Fortuna

Very good guides who were patient and very helpful! We really enjoyed our first experience rappelling!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sunset Birdwatching Tour
Sunset Birdwatching Tour
Drake Bay

We had a late start to the excursion, but after that it was very good. We saw many nice birds in a short amount of time

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Whale & Dolphin Tour
Whale & Dolphin Tour
Drake Bay

This was the most amazing thing EVER! I have been a certified scuba diver since 1976 and I have NEVER experienced anything like this basic snorkeling experience. We literally ended up in a huge bait ball of sardines while hundreds of dolphins and a 35 foot Bryde's Whale feed very close to us! This was not the guide's intent, but the bait ball moved towards us for protection from the feeding frenzy.....truly a National Geographic experience of a lifetime!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Loved having a marine biologist on the boat!
Transport
Treetopia: Tram,  Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges
Treetopia: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges
Monteverde

This was VERY fun! The runs were awesome, long and had amazing views! Even in the rain it was SO worth it!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Corcovado Sunrise Tour
Corcovado Sunrise Tour
Costa Rica

LOVED the animals and the guide was outstanding! The park is WELL worth the effort and expense to view! The boat ride is about an hour from Drake Bay

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike
Monteverde

The weather severely impacted this tour. It was raining very hard.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River
Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River
Costa Rica

We really enjoyed the experience. The 3 1/2 hour drive each way was tedious, but the rafting was amazing!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Gustavo Camperos