All inclusive resorts in Costa Rica? Need recommendations!

Vipergrün · 09-30-2008, 04:27 PM

Want to start planning our Spring break vacation.

All inclusive is appealing since we have young kids.

Want a place with great kids activities, golf, surf, scuba.

Anyone have any recommendations for places in Costa Rica?

TIA!!
-b

TimT · 09-30-2008, 04:48 PM

Tamarindo Diria, In Tamarindo..its about 4 hours from San Jose, or 2 hours from Liberia

dafischer · 09-30-2008, 05:46 PM

The Paradisus Playa Conchal, about 1 1/2 hours from the Liberia airport. Excellent place, have been there 3 times.

Jared at Pelican Parts · 06:29 PM

Drive on the offense, and rent something with some ground clearance. Learn to pass. You'll be doing it a lot. Don't speed unless you have to. You'll wish you had a Porsche on some of the canyon roads. On the way over to the Pacific side there's a place called Atenas. http://www.vistaatenas.com/ this was a great bed and breakfast we found trying to find a coffee plantation. Don't be surprised if traffic backs up. Most of the major roads are two lane and kinda sketchy. We saw half of the highway just washed away. Road crews are always working. Lots of one way bridges too (some with wood planking). If stuck, buy coconut water from the ticos who will eventually come by selling plantains and chips. Make sure you have a jack and a good spare. Possibly a shovel if you get adventurous.

All inclusive would probably be in Jaco, but we just passed it. Lots of hotels, etc.. If near there, here are some places you should see ..

crocodiles near Tarcoles, amazing hiking
Parque Manuel Antonio in Quepos
the view at Villa Caletas restaurant (for you and the missus)
tons of zip lines for the kids

On the Carribean side.. Loved Puerto Viejo/Manzanillo.

Vipergrün · 09-30-2008, 06:28 PM

Thanks for the replies, keep 'em coming!

lowyder993s · lowyder993s's Garage

+1 on Tamarindo...tho watch for the drug pushers and prostitutes. Beetle Bar in Jaco if you DO need a hooker

Great surf at Playa Grande, north a mile and a half...(tho it takes 20 min driving over there). Jaco is alot greener than Tam...from Tam you can drive an hour and a half north to Playas del Coco and catch a super panga to Ollies and Withes Rock for surf...HIGHLY RECCOMMENDED!!! Dive boats are also set up there. Jaco has the Los Suenos Resort Marriott. Really pretty, great golf...we took a day trip fishing...landed 6 dorado and C&R 4 sailfish. CR is my favoritist place...great surf, fishing, diving, golf, drinking...and the ticas are some of the prettiest women in the world.
As far as driving...if someone approaches you flashing lites...SLOW DOWN...its either a radar cop just up the road or a bad accident. If you do get pinched for driving too fast...DO NOT pay the man there...you'll pay the mordida (bite)...tell him you want to go to the station...sometimes you can then get away w/o paying. HTH. HAVE FUN!!!!!

Vipergrün · 10-01-2008, 07:29 AM

thanks guys.

Final question, are these kid-friendly places? I have a 6 and 8 year old we'd want to ditch with an onsite kids camp or something. Maybe I'm nuts....

TimT · 10-01-2008, 09:11 AM

Tamarindo is kid friendly, even though there is a rough element in certain parts of town. Three years ago I went there with my whole extended family for a cousins wedding. We had seventy to eighty people at various hotels throughout Tamarindo. Ages from newborn infants to octagenarians.

Everyone had a great time. Zip wires, diving/snorkeling, surfing, some really fine restaurants. Or just laying on the beach.

The roads are really pretty terrible. Four hours from San Jose to Tamarindo would likely take an hour and a half on US roads. Though in country transportation was reasonable. Since our scheduled transportation to Tamarindo didnt show up at the airport, we hired a vanon the spot to transport eight of us from SJ to Tamarindo for $125 US.

Im goint back this February.