Hey y'all! Today, I have an announcement, and while we're on the subject of Costa Rica, I wanted to share the names of some really wonderful hotels we stayed in during my month abroad there. First, the announcement: I am now an ambassador for the brand "Pura Vida". Pura Vida is a wonderful company that began in Costa Rica employing artisans, and has now become very popular and well-known. I would say they are most famous for their bracelets, which are colorful, durable, and, above all, meaningful. Many of the bracelets support a certain cause, such as breast cancer, sea turtles, save the rainforest, and mental health awareness (these are just four examples; they have something for everyone!). I bought my first Pura Vida bracelet in Costa Rica on my first trip there my freshman year and I have been obsessed with them and their mission ever since. Please visit their website, https://www.puravidabracelets.com/ , and use my code, ALLISONKOONTZ20, at your checkout to receive 20% off your purchase!
Pictured above: Me at the first stop on our hotel tour, Hotel Los Lagos (see below for more details) wearing two bracelets on my left wrist. I wear at least one bracelet every day!
Hotel Number One: Hotel Los Lagos
The hotel is located among many other hotels/resorts in the famous Volcan Arenal region, a spot perfect for adventurous people. This hotel is actually more of a resort, with so many activities to do for all different interests. My personal favorite was free (we love that). It was the millions of pools that the resort had. The pools were split into two different kinds, cold and hot, and both were natural water from the hotsprings under the volcano. In the photo above, I am being showered with one of the many neat water features in one of the sets of warm pools. There were waterfalls like the one above, jets, and lounge chairs in the pools. There were a ton of water slides in all of them, so the kids can have fun too! As for fun for the adults, there was a lovely swim-up bar with a lot of seating so everyone can hang out.
In addition to the pools, there was an incredible spa (I got a treatment with a coffee scrub- WOW), horseback riding on the resort, zip-lining also on the resort, and a "hike" to an overlook of the volcano. One of my friends and I did the full hike instead of taking the resort bus most of the way up and we almost died, so I suggest the bus. Also, the viewpoint was rather underwhelming because the clouds had covered the top of the volcano by the time we got up there, so we did not see anything.
Benefits: There are many options for rooms/houses, so if you are honeymooning, solo, or family reunion, there's an option for you here; there is a cool mini zoo here as well, with a crocodile, butterfly farm, and a spot with tiny frogs; the food is to die for!
Overall, the stay at this hotel was incredible and we had an amazing time!
Pictured above: The first picture shows a bridge leading to a little island into the main volcano-heated pool (in the bottom left-hand side you can see in-pool bar stools near the bar) and the second picture shows me with the volcano behind me!
Hotel Number Two: Marriott Los Sueños
This hotel is absolutely stunning (but you will pay for it!). This spot is near Jaco beach, a famous beach area (although not close enough to walk to; this is kind of in the middle of nowhere). While this is not a cheap option, it is worth at least one night during your travels. The breakfast buffet- OMG. And by the pool, no less. The pool, you ask? Well. The pool is the most wonderful pool I have ever been in. It is ginormous and there are iguanas running around it constantly which adds a little surprise to your day. The beach is lovely to look at and to walk (but this area is also a marina, so the water is quite dirty). The room we were in was quaint and had a hammock on the balcony. And, best of all, there was a sushi bar. IN THE LOBBY. Sushi has never been so accessible (and expensive, but worth it). This resort did not have as many activities as the others we stayed at, but it did have some classes like fitness, language, and dancing (although we did not participate in any).
Benefits: Feel like a QUEEN (or king) in this hotel; swim for a whole day and not be in the same place twice; sushi- in. the. lobby.
Overall: A luxury experience for those who need a day to truly relax with no worries.
Pictured above: The hotel from the far end of the pool (you can see this isn't even the whole hotel) and the incredible pool (which is all one giant, connected pool) with the ocean in the background.
Hotel Number Three: Punta Leona Hotel
This hotel is in the Puntarenas area of Costa Rica, which is very built around the beaches. This hotel is, actually, located very near two beaches, both of which were lovely to swim in (the one required a short hotel bus ride and was the better of the two to swim in). This hotel, similarly to Hotel Los Lagos, is more like a resort and has many different living options. This hotel is also deep in a guarded and fenced area, so walking around the very expansive grounds is safe. This hotel has the two beaches, two pools, many classes, and mini golf, to name a few activities! There are also a few off-resort activities that are optional, like kayaking or hiking, and a spa on the resort. We did a bird-watching tour that was actually very cool!
The beach that is further from the resort, Playa Blanca (or White Beach), has shockingly white sand, as the name suggests, and beautiful clear water that is ideal to splash around in. There is also a little restaurant and bar area here, so you can spend all of the time you would like to here. The other beach, the one right on the edge of the resort, is home to the single most stunning sunsets I have ever seen in my entire life.
Benefits: Many room options; two accessible beaches; the most vivid sunsets in the world
Overall: I would go back here in a second, if only to see the sunset here one more time!
Pictured above: The top three and bottom middle photo are all of the sunsets on this one beach, and the two on the left and right bottom corners are of Playa Blanca, the beach that requires a short bus ride to get to.
Hotel Number Four: Hotel San Bada
This hotel is famous for being the closest hotel to the entrance to the world famous Manuel Antonio National Park (and for being the brightest yellow known to man). It literally is a two minute walk from your room to the entrance of the park. How perfect is that? There were two pools here and two restaurants, one on the main level of each and one of each on the roof. Also on the roof, a SUSHI BAR! How lucky is that? At this hotel, there is another spa (there are many, many spas in Costa Rica, treat yourself to at least one of them).
The main draw of this hotel is, of course, the park. In the park, you can swim in some truly beautiful water, see an insane amount of animals (we saw two kinds of monkeys, crabs, two sloths, and so many pretty birds, to name a few), and hike until you cannot hike any more! But then you can crawl back into your very close hotel, take the elevator to the top floor, and order some sushi and a glass of wine while relaxing in the pool. Does that not sound ideal?And a short walk from the hotel in the opposite direction of the park is the beach, so you can go lounge there for an afternoon, eat at one of the restaurants on the beach, and buy some souvenirs.
Benefits: Right next to the entrance of the national park; close to the beach; sushi bar on the roof.
Overall: Truly the perfect location for the best of all worlds, nature, the spa, the bar, anything you could imagine.
Pictured above: A shot of the hotel (very bright), a shot of me climbing on some large rocks found on the public beach (not the beach in the park), and a shot of a monkey (two, actually, there is a baby monkey on his/her mom's back) in the park.
Costa Rica is the traveler's dream; there is something for literally everyone there! Here are some ideas of places to stay to get you started. If you have any questions about these hotels or any of these places in general, let me know! Feel free to like or share this post, and please use my code, ALLISONKOONTZ20, on your next Pura Vida purchase!
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