Costa Rica Hotels
San Jose
Xandari Plantation
Xandari Resort & Spa consists of nineteen spacious villas on a coffee and fruit plantation with superb views overlooking Costa Rica's Central Valley. These beautiful architect and artist designed villas are exquisitely decorated with great attention to detail and comfort, each villa including private view terraces, walled in sun areas, a bar kitchen and original works of art. Set within four kilometres of scenic trails through tropical coffee and fruit orchards with a river and five waterfalls, the area is ideal for hiking. The hotel restaurant incorporates fruits, vegetables and herbs from the plantations gardens into its speciality dishes.
Grano de Oro
An elegant Victorian mansion converted into a beautiful 35-room hotel, the Grano de Oro retains the atmosphere and welcome of a private home. Tucked away in a leafy street in downtown San Jose, the rooms are beautifully decorated, with fountains and tropical plants filling the lobby, terraces and corridors. One sunny terrace has two Jacuzzis and is ideal for sunbathing. The intimate hotel restaurant serves continental cuisine and is considered one of San Jose's finest.
Hotel Alta
One of the best of Costa Rica's small hotels, the Alta combines understated elegance and luxury with stunning views of the surrounding valley and mountains. Located in the area of Alto de las Palomas in the Central Valley, just twenty minutes from San Jose, the hotel offers twenty three rooms and suites with a glass-tiled swimming pool, Jacuzzi, terrace, sauna, gymnasium, massage centre and bar. The hotel restaurant is widely considered to be the best in the country and enjoys wonderful views of the Valle del Sol.
Cano Negro
Natural Lodge Cano Negro Hotel
One of the very few properties located inside a protected area (the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge), this lodge offers three star comfort and excellent food in the midst of pristine wilderness. Ten comfortable and nicely decorated bungalow style rooms adjoin a first class restaurant and bar, swimming pool and Jacuzzi. The hotel is ideally located both for those who want to relax and enjoy the surroundings and abundant wildlife and for those with more active inclinations. The options include fishing, bird watching, mountain biking, horse-riding, taking a photographic safari, bike riding, or trekking.
La Fortuna
Arenal Kioro
The area's only five star property, Arenal Kioro has been constructed on environmental principles to lessen environmental impact while providing an outstanding resort. Brand new in December 2005, this exceptional property is situated in 11 hectares of undulating land and flanked by two glass-clear streams flowing down from the Arenal Volcano National Park. The brightly decorated rooms reflect the vibrant natural environment and provide stunning mountain and volcano views from their private terraces, as well as excellent facilities including a hydro-massage jet streamed tub. With all five star facilities including an international restaurant and bars, spa, beauty salon, games room, tennis court, pool and gym, the Arenal Kioro also offers a private thermal spring for the use of its guests.
Arenal Springs Hotel
This brand new three star property offers spacious colonial style rooms and excellent views of spectacular Arenal Volcano. Two and a half hours from San Jose, the hotel is relaxed and stylishly casual with exposed beams and white walls. The friendly staff provide very good service and there is a new restaurant looking out over the volcano. Four of the twenty rooms are specially designed for the handicapped and each room can accommodate up to five people with private terrace and all facilities plus lush tropical gardens.
Arenal Observatory Lodge
Set high on a ridge facing Costa Rica's most active volcano, the Arenal Observatory Lodge offers the adventurous traveller front row seating for a spectacular natural fireworks display. Arenal Observatory Lodge sits in a private nature reserve in the heart of dense forest, waterfalls and sparkling rivers. Featuring thirty seven rooms in a four-building spread on the property, with five rooms fully equipped for disabled travellers, most rooms have volcano views and all have lush and colourful garden surroundings. There is also a paved, wheelchair-accessible trail that extends 800 metres into the rainforest and provides excellent views of the volcano. The lodge offers daily complimentary walks by resident naturalist guides.
Tabacon Hot Springs Resort & Spa Hotel
World-renowned Tabacon Resort sits in the foothills of Arenal Volcano, with private natural hot springs and thermo mineral water pools which are fed by Arenal Volcano. The luxury resort offers ninety five spacious rooms and eleven junior suites, with furnishings by local artisans, sitting room, private balcony or terrace with views over the luxuriant tropical gardens or Arenal Volcano, plus all amenities. Its famous Iskandria Spa provides luxury treatments and two quality hotel restaurants serve international and Costa Rican cuisine. The main restaurant, Los Tucanes, is located adjacent to the hotel's cascading waterfall pool and swim-up bar, and also serves a delicious complimentary buffet breakfast to guests.
Volcano Lodge Hotel
This is a very good three star hotel that offers excellent views of Arenal Volcano from the terraces of its spacious and comfortable bungalow style rooms. Situated in an area of great natural beauty between La Fortuna de San Carlos and Lake Arenal, the hotel provides a swimming pool and Jacuzzi as well as a pleasant restaurant that serves local and international dishes to a high standard.
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Climate
Costa Rica is a wet tropical country. The dry season runs from late-December to mid-April and this is the most pleasant time to travel here. It is still worthwhile visiting in the wet season though some roads can be impassable. May and mid-October to mid-December should be quieter while still avoiding the peak of the wet season.