Costa Rican Hotels Blog | Your Gateway to a Costa Rican Experience

We had a wonderful stay in your beautiful country, Costa Rica!

1. On October 22, 2008 we arrived at SJO and were promptly picked up by the van (Garden Court Hotel) now called Holiday Inn Express. The property was elegant and everything seemed brand new. Location was perfect, near SJO airport with a Denny’s Restaurant across the street as well as a Chicken Restaurant and Gambling Casino. Rooms were clean, lots of ammenities, fluffy pillows, nice swimming pool and attentive staff. (While at this hotel, did a site inspection of Hampton Inn (next door) and souvenir shop one block away where we watched souvenirs being hand made.

2. Transportation  from Saint Germain was excellent with efficient and knowledgeable drivers.

3. October 23: Hacienda Guachipelin was the most equipped, most varied, and very professional Adventure Travel we had ever witnessed. Featured events were horseback riding, climb up volcano, Canopy swinging through jungle, Sauna, Mud Baths, Hot Springs. Gerald took advantage of the latter three. The meals were great at this “all inclusive.” No telephones in the room, no airconditining and we even witnessed a brief blackout. terrible rocky road entering and exiting the hotel (worst we had ever experienced). Gets our high rating for Adventure Travel.

4. October 25: Flamingo Marina Resort. Most beautiful setting on a mountain overlooking the bay with many sailboats. Impressed with four pools. Excellent air conditioning and staff. Met the gentleman who will be the new Manager of Flamingo Resort. We introduced ourselves as travel agents from the United States and he asked us to critique the property. We did and he was pleased with our list. Excellent restaurant on premises which was closed “off season” but food was served each day at the outdoor  “Monkey Bar.”

5. October 27: Buena Vista Hotel. Set high on a mountain with a breathtaking view of San Jose. Coffee Plantation tour as well as Orange Groves on property. We had met the owner at the Costa Rica Presentation in Ft. Lauderdale when we won this trip. Reaquainted ourselves with the owner who has so much personality and is interesting to speak with. He usually meets all the guests at the hotel at 7:00 a.m. at the free Continental breakfast served each morning. Clean, air conditioned rooms with an excellent menu for evening dining. Layout of hotel is superb. Max and Harlem, both employees, had excellent personalities and enhansed our stay with their knowledgeability of the hotel, its services and the surrounding areas.

6. October 29: Departure. Smooth and efficient. We were very pleased with the itinerary courtesy Pro Imagen. Also, a highlight of the tour was our visit to INBioparque which included a fine lunch. Thank you for your help and direction. These hotels would be our choice when bringing clients to Costa Rica. On behalf of myself, Gerald Bardasch, and my wife, Francine Bardasch, we wish to thank you for making this a memorable working vacation.

The XXII National Science Fair in Costa Rica opens up the possibility for hundreds of elementary and high school students from across the country to expose their ingenious inventions.

The fair, which opened Thursday October 23rd, has gathered over 400 students who have enthusiastically presented projects that focus primarily on ecology, health and safety.  Andres Navas, a veteran in the National Science Fair arena, is a senior year student at the Scientific and Technology High School and has focused his fourth annual project on the safety of turtle nesting.

Navas presented a remote controlled small vehicle that carries a night-vision camera.  This night-vision camera can silently patrol selected beaches in Costa Rica’s where sea turtles instinctively return each year during their nesting season and send information back to the main computer about the turtles’ location.

The use of this vehicle seeks to reduce the environmental impact caused by humans treading the beach during the turtles nesting season thus altering their natural habitat.  The remote controlled vehicle alerts scientists and specialists, through a digital sensor, about the arrival and exact location of the sea turtles.

The technology will allow for specialists located far from the coast, such as in downtown San Jose, to immediately learn about the turtles’ arrival to the beach.

The above is only one example of the many presented by these students who have shown their social consciousness and determination to the preservation of Costa Rica’s natural resources and wildlife.

The fair will conclude Friday, October 24th and the winner or winners will earn a spot in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in the United States next year.

The Costa Rican Association of Professionals in Tourism (ACOPROT) recently gave out its awards to individuals who have exceeded in the tourism industry.  The award acknowledges and promotes actions that contribute to the Costa Rican tourism industry.

Among the winners was the director for the Costa Rican Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR), Gonzalo Vargas.  Vargas has been the president of CANATUR since 2005 and has excelled in his contribution to the Costa Rican tourism industry.

Vargas has focused his work in seeking ways to increase Costa Rica’s competitiveness within the industry so that it may continue to be one of the top preferred destinations among tourists and travelers worldwide.  Vargas stated that the award is a reminder for him to continue with his commitment in promoting Costa Rica’s most important source of income.

The 2008 Virtue Awards were given out Tuesday September 30th as part of the closing acts of the National Tourism Week which also observed the World Tourism Day celebrated on September 27th.

Among other members of the tourism industry also awarded were Luis Carlos Masis who is a board member for CANATUR, James Hamilton who owns the Tilajari Hotel near the Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna, Jackeline Lopez who is the General Manager for Mapache Rent a Car, Jane Lemarie who is the CEO for National Small Hotels Network and Laura Solano who is the Director for the Tourism School of the University of Cartago.