Costa Rica here I come.. again!

This time next week I will be frantically finishing off all my work so I fly out to San Jose, Costa Rica & forget about work for the next 12 days.. that is the theory anyway!!

When I say “fly out” this is said with optimism as we fly Heathrow to Miami with BA. So let’s hope they do not go on strike & affect my flight!! Surely they know I am travelling & will not wish to upset me? !! :]

I have been selling & visiting Costa Rica for nearly 13 years now & I do think I deserve a “proper” holiday there.. This means not moving areas every other day & visiting numerous hotels to look longingly at their gorgeous swimming pools!!

Last year I was technically having a holiday but I moved around too much & still inspected lots of hotels. I think I took 6 domestic flights- all @ ridiculously early times. So this year I will be strict with myself & completely enjoy the hotels I stay with. I have obviously chosen some of my favourite hotels. The order is not perhaps ideal but I am there over high season Easter so cannot complain!! I start with one of the most amazing places to stay- in the world- Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge.

Then to Arenal Volcano- which I missed out last year for the first time ever!! Here I will stay @ the Kioro- my favourite hotel mainly due to the en site hot springs. I used to go to this property & recommend it to clients when it was juts a tented restaurant. At that time the lava flow was directly in from of the property & there was no where better to see & hear it. But the lava flow moved round not long after the hotel was built & now for the first time since 1968 it has been quiet (I don’t want to use the word dormant) for the last few weeks. But nobody worry I will get it sorted out when I am there & lava flow will be restored!! Well I did visit Sri Lanka & the day I left the problems with the Tamil Tigers was resolved..

After sorting out Arenal Volcano we head to Manuel Antonio & the El Parador Hotel. 4 nights in the same hotel – the first time ever on a trip to Costa Rica & I cannot wait!!! The swimming pools at the El Parador are lovely & the views absolutely stunning.. Here my best friend will be the sun lounger!!

Well I hope you do not miss me too much.. you all have Easter & the Royal wedding to occupy you.. maybe I will get up at 4am Costa Rica time to see the wedding- lets just see how I feel & if it is on @ the El Parador Hotel..

Featuring three hotel options in Costa Rica

Following my recent trip to Costa Rica in May we are pleased to feature these three fabulous hotels. Nestled between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica offers a huge diversity, wonderful nature, beautiful hotels etc. I always love going to Costa Rica, the people are just wonderful and so welcoming.

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 Hotel Parador

 I have stayed at this hotel lots of times and I always love it. Hotel Parador resort and spa is located at the end of a Peninsula in the Manuel Antonio area, on the pacific coast of Costa Rica. The 12.4 acre property is surrounded by tropical rain forests with spectacular views of the ocean. The hotel features a large swimming pool with a swim up bar & resident crocodile (not real!), an adult only pool with a cascading waterfall as well as the pool solely for the use of guests staying in the suites. Hotel activities include tennis courts, miniature golf, fitness centre and nature trails. The wonderful spa has a steam room, Jacuzzi and plunge pool. On my last trip I stayed in one of the new suites & highly recommend them. The views are stunning & the rooms ultra comfortable. The hotel have their own YouTube video giving you insight into the fantastic hotel:

If you would like to know more about this hotel option I would be more than happy to discuss itinerary options with you. You can contact me or request a brochure for Costa Rica. 

Nicuesa Lodge

 My visit in May was my first time at Playa Nicuesa and I absolutely loved this lodge. It offers a wonderful combination of nature & beach, the rooms are beautiful, the staff lovely & the food exceptional. Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is a 165-acre private preserve located within the Golfo Dulce on Earth. This area contains Central America’s largest remaining Pacific Coast rainforest. Playa Nicuesa is a road-less paradise for nature lovers The lodge is only accessible via boat & is in an idyllic jungle meets beach setting. The lodge’s five private cabins (three 1-bedroom and two 2-bedroom) and the Mango Guesthouse with four rooms offer privacy and comfort in a natural setting. All cabins and rooms have canopied beds, ceiling fans, private terraces, and private baths with hot water and open-air garden shower. You may be interested in the lodge’s YouTube video showing some of the areas highlights.

Tango Mar Hotel

 I love staying at this hotel as it is so relaxing & quiet. It is directly on a beautiful beach & the food was fantastic. The Tango Mar Hotel is situated in Tambor along the Nicoya Peninsula & is situated directly on a beach generally regarded as the most beautiful beach in Central America. The hotel is a 60 hectares exclusive private beachfront reserve; it offers a 9 hole golf course, 2 swimming pools, tennis courts, restaurant and lots of activities including scuba diving, snorkelling and horse riding- from their own stables. Curu Reserve is only 20 minutes away & a boat trip to Tortuga Island is really nice.

 Read more about the Tango Mar.

We are very pleased to be able to offer these new options to clients and look forward to planning some exciting itineraries – all of our itineraries are tailor-made to your precise requirements. If you are thinking about a trip to Costa Rica or are interested in some Costa Rica itinerary options I would be happy to help. You can contact me or request a brochure.

Discover a new age of sail…

Cruising Costa Rica

We are very excited to have the magnificent Tall ship the Star Clipper sailing along the coast of Costa Rica this winter – it will be an amazing relaxing way to visit Costa Rica and the neighboring countries and within Costa Rica explore national parks not accessible by road.

It was my task to go and check-out the ship, such a hard job!   So, we headed of for a short cruise.  I love sailing so was very excited.  We set sail out of Athens port to the sounds of  ‘Vangelis’ playing and the crew on deck ready to host the sails in the evening breeze, very dreamy.

The ship is very comfortable, I found the cabin spacious and loved the outside space where there are so many place to find a nice stop to sit and enjoy the fresh air. With 2 swimming pools on board and plenty of sun loungers, lots of opportunity to relax. Also there are sailing dinghies and ribs for watersports once at anchor, including waterskiing. I climbed the mast (well up to the first crows nest – that was high enough!) with the safety lines and watchful eyes of the great entertainments team – who later produced a very funny fashion show of the ships clothes in a force 8!

The ship offers a perfect holiday, cruising along beautiful coastlines – while enjoying the relaxing atmosphere through the lunch and dinner, then visiting the different national parks and places of interest each day.  On the shore trips you can relax on the beach or venture further and experience more the amazing countries you visit. 

 I thought this would be a perfect family holiday too, plenty for everyone.

I can’t wait to go again…..

Helen

Explore our selection of Star Clippers cruises

Costa Rica here I come!

My next visit to Costa Rica.

I am planning my holiday / work trip to Costa Rica for May. This time I am going to re-visit Tortuguero as it has been a while since I last went there. I really want to check out Manatus Lodge as it looks beautiful & very comfortable.
Then to Tiskita Lodge for a couple of nights- this is a favourite with my bird watching clients. Next is a stay @ the El Parador to see their fabulous new suites & maybe a few hours to relax- that will be nice!!
Off next to Arenal Volcano, perhaps to check out the new Springs Resort which is creating a lot of attention – so best I check it out.
Then I finish off with the holiday bit- 3 nights @ the Tango Mar. I have not been here for 10 years so am looking forward to seeing the changes – which clients have raved about after their visits. I cannot wait to relax on the gorgeous beach the hotel is on..

My last night will hopefully be spent @ one of my most favourite Hotel- The Xandari Plantation y Spa. A great end to what will be an amazing trip.

This year I am not planning on doing any adventure activities. Last time I did the white water rafting & the zip lines so I really think that once ever 10 years is fine!!.. I will leave these activities to my more adventurous clients!!

Lake Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica

My children are 6 and 8 years and I felt they were old enough to join me and my husband on one of my research trips, combined with a family holiday to Costa Rica. They loved it and a great highlight for them was Arenal Volcano near Lake Arenal, the largest volcano in the world, erupting every day since July 1968.

The local Costa Rican guide had the children in the front of the vehicle so he could explain all about the geology of the Arenal Volcano to them and answer all their millions of questions, what a coup for their next school project.

I am now an adrenaline junkie – sort of!!

As any of my existing clients will already know I LOVE Costa Rica. It is without doubt the most special country I have ever visited or sold. In the 10 years I have been working here and selling Costa Rica I have always had amazing trips there and all our returning clients also come back loving this very special destination.

I try to visit at least every 12 to 18 months and this year I decided to take one of my best friends there for our annual trip away. September and October tend to be the rainiest months but I seem to go in September a lot and I have to say I always have an amazing trip. This trip was no exception.. Now my friend likes adventure I am not so keen. So a compromise was made.. How I ended up white water rafting and flying along a cable 650 metres above the ground I have no idea – it does not sound like much of a compromise to me!!!

First we went to the really stunning Pacuare Lodge. It is a really wonderful jungle lodge and the accommodation is out of this world. BUT the best way to get in and out is to white water raft. Now I have never done anything like this before and the thought of it makes me physically sick but I did it I rafted into the lodge and celebrated with a couple of G and T’s that evening!!! The rapids to leave the lodge are more heavy duty so I opted to take the bumpy 4X4 route out. Justified by saying that I would need to know how both options worked for clients. It was a bumpy uncomfortable ride but if anyone does not feel confident to raft in or out this is also an option and you still get to stay in an amazing location. I have promised to raft out next time I visit, so watch this space for an update next year perhaps!!!

So white water rafting is under my belt, we move on to Arenal Volcano. This is an area I always visit on every inspection trip or holiday. The volcano amazes me and I never tire of it. This is also one of the best areas to do another adventure activity – the Zip wire canopy tour. Now in previous trips I have backed out of doing the zip wires 3 times but this year I said I would do it.. Oh my God it was the scariest thing ever.. you are in a harness and you fly along a wire from one platform to another platform.. now the highest one is 650 metres above the ground and on the longest one I flew through a rain cloud!! An unbelievable experience. I can say I did it but I doubt very much I would do it again.. If I can do it then any of my clients can..

No place like Costa Rica

I have just had another fantastic holiday to Costa Rica. I have been specialising in this amazing country for over 8 years & I can honestly say that I have never sold (in the 20 years I have worked in the travel industry) or travelled to a country as special & wonderful in every way as Costa Rica!

It is only twice the size of Scotland (another country very close to my heart!) but offers an unbelievable amount of diversity. All the scenery is stunning but within a few miles it dramatically changes. Yes there are jungles, volcanoes, cloud forests, wildlife & stunning beaches in other places in the world but how many countries can boast all of them??

Not only is Costa Rica a stunningly beautiful country with an abundance of nature, it is also home to the nicest, friendliest & warmest people, many of whom are now personal friends. A trip to Costa Rica can really re-affirm your faith in mankind, & nowadays we all need some of that!! Tico’s have a real passion for their country which drives them to do whatever they can to ensure that you also fall in love. It truly is not about the money they put themselves out so that visitors have the best experience possible.

Having said this there are areas of Costa Rica that have been allowed to develop for major tourism & I now avoid selling these areas. Why travel so far to experience something that you can have somewhere else in the world? Sounds crazy to me, but each to their own but I prefer to leave those companies selling charter holidays to it. I have faith that Costa Rica will always protect its wildlife areas & therefore mass tourism will not take over all the country.

So at the end of April Sam & I went to Costa Rica for our annual girlie holiday, leaving all the stresses behind us (yes I am married!!). We usually only go away for 1 week but to go to Costa Rica we managed to extend this to 9 nights. So as this was Sam’s 1st time to Costa Rica we needed to get a balance of her seeing some of the diversity but not trying to fit in too much.. So we went to 3 of my most favourite areas & hotels & it was a fantastic trip & felt like we had had 3 very different holidays because each area was very different. The itinerary order was not the best, but hey-ho even we are subject to availability!!

My top 3 areas have to be Arenal Volcano, Manuel Antonio & Corcovado in the Osa Peninsula. I count myself as being extremely lucky to have visited & stayed @ Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge 3 times. I think it is the most special place on earth & the national park has been deemed by the National Geographic Society as ‘biologically the most intense place on Earth’ so I am in good company! Sam & I also stayed here on our trip & it was again fabulous. On the boat trip to Cano Island we saw approx 60 dolphins & the snorkelling was great – I am proud to say that it was the first time I managed to use the sprouty bit to breath, although I did keep forgetting to breath!!

Manuel Antonio is the perfect combination of beach, relaxation, nature & wildlife. We stayed @ the superb El Parador hotel in a Premium room (the Premium Plus rooms have 1 king size bed only – we are friends but not that close!). We had dinner with the sales manager in the hotels La Galeria restaurant, which was wonderful, but there are lots of other restaurants a short taxi ride away. We also tried a local restaurant called El Avion, which was great value.

Every time I go to Costa Rica, whether on a personal holiday or for a work inspection trip I have to go to Arenal Volcano. To me it is the most awe-inspiring sight. When I managed to get my husband to take the long flight to Costa Rica he had heard so much about Arenal Volcano. I was so excited to go back & no doubt bored him to tears about it. When we arrived in the day time & I pointed it out to him he was so unimpressed that I would not speak to him.. Then as it got dark I was sat in my rocking chair on our hotel rooms balcony & called him out to see the orange lava flowing down.. I eventually went to bed whilst he stayed up most of the night filming the lava & continually waking me up to come & see all the activity!!

There are lots of hotels in this area now to suit all budgets, my favourites are Arenal Kioro, Arenal Springs & if you are on self-drive then Lost Iguana. With Sam we were lucky enough to stay @ the Kioro & it was wonderful, made even more so by the massages we had in the spa.

So that is it for another trip to Costa Rica & as always I was a bit emotional to be leaving. But I am sure I will be back, even my husband (he who hates flying & is married to me??!) is quite keen to take the journey again. I suppose in the meantime I will have to live vicariously through my clients & their trips to Costa Rica!

Costa Rica – a very special place

My first visit to Costa Rica had a lot to live up to. Working with, and being friends with Fiona, I constantly heard how wonderful this country was and as soon as we arrived, Costa Rica slowly got under my skin.

Our first stop was the Xandari Plantation in San Jose. A welcome stop after travelling from London with lovely large rooms and a verandah which overlooks the city of San Jose. You immediately get a sense that the Costa Rican people are very proud of their country as both our driver and the hotel manager kept insisting I admire the view from the hotel!

The following day we left for the Osa Pennisula and Corcovado National Park. After a 90 minute boat ride through some stunning countryside, you alight the boat on a sandy beach and take the ‘jungle limo’ (a rather stylish tractor) up the steep hillside to the small collection of bungalows, restaurant and bar that make up Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge.

During the three days there we snorkelled, saw wild dolphins, monkeys, swam in warm seas, walked through virgin jungle and saw the most stunning sunsets accompanied by a rather tasty Margarita!

Our next stop was Manuel Antonio National Park. Here we stayed at El Parador, a lovely hotel with the most stunning views across the Pacific Ocean. The beaches here are what I call ‘movie set beaches’ – green jungle, white sand and clear blue ocean. Beware though, if you leave any food in your bag on the beach whilst you take a swim, the monkey’s will come down from the trees and help themselves!

A highlight of the trip was the Arenal Volcano. This stunning natural phenomenon erupts during the day and nights. We sat in hot volcanic springs whilst the lava and rocks tumbled down the side of the Volcano. It is like having your own personal firework display.

The following day I took a cable lift to the treetop canopy and found the quick way down via zip wire. The most amazing experience as you whizz above the tree canopy at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour – although the wildlife may have been scared as I wasn’t the quietest in my descent!

All in all, a wonderful, memorable trip and a country that certainly lived up to my expectations!

Fiona’s first love

No Artificial Ingredients

My next visit to Costa Rica is only weeks away and I can’t wait to return to this truly amazing country, it remains my first love and every time I leave I experience a genuine sense of sadness, not only for this country but for its warm and generous people. In my opinion there is no other country in the world that offers so much diversity from magnificent rainforests and stunning volcanoes to idyllic palm fringed beaches and hot springs, Costa Rica offers something for everyone.

When visiting Costa Rica you can’t fail to be impressed by the amazing hotels in stunning locations.