Hi Lily!
Back to work, boo! But I wanted to give you an overview of our trip!
The organization of our trip to Costa Rica couldn’t have been better planned! You did an amazing job and making this a worry-free trip for us. I know we weren’t the easiest of clients but any fears we had before leaving for Costa Rica vanished once we arrived. Our first driver explained all the vouchers and we could tell all the plans had been well thought out. He also spoke perfect English and we learned a lot about Costa Rica, its government, its history, weather, etc. The Park Hotel was clean and nice, and actually had the best food of the entire trip!
The highlight of the trip was definitely staying at the Springs Resort and Spa in Arenal. I know that was a change from the original plans, but we’re so glad we made that change. The accommodations were outstanding. The hot springs were amazing (including the fun waterslide between the springs), the grounds were gorgeous, and the Club Rio they had on the property was beyond compare. We went horseback riding the first night and the horses were so lively and fun to ride. We also toured their sanctuary and the animals were outgoing and interactive. We didn’t have time to white water raft so we definitely want to do that the next time we go back (and we plan on having you help us book our next trip)! The EcoGlide company you found for our family so we could all go ziplining was the BEST! The views were awesome and the lines were very long and high! Awesome experience, and very well organized.
I was probably most nervous about taking the small plane to Manuel Antonio but it worked out well. We arrived safely and avoided a whole day of travel. Overall, I’m glad we saw two areas of Costa Rica. I think I might have switched the trip to do Manuel Antonio first, then Arenal last, only because the Springs was our favorite part. But the tour through the rainforest was so great. I thought at first it might be kind of a boring excursion but it definitely wasn’t. We loved seeing all the wild monkeys, sloths, deer, crabs, butterflies, macaws and toucans. The time at the beach at the end was the only time we made it to the ocean so we’re glad it was part of the tour. The water was warm and beautiful.
The Parador Resort was well maintained and clean, and it had great views. My only negative feedback was that its pools were not great for kids. It had two pools for families, both side by side, and both of them were really deep. Over 5 ft deep for both. I felt like I couldn’t take my eyes off of them while they were swimming because they were having to cling to the sides of the pools. It also didn’t have any water slides or pool features kids would like. Luckily we noticed the Zip Coaster down the road and took a taxi there, and that was a huge highlight of the trip! The boys went three times, they were having so much fun.
We did arrive at the San Jose airport pretty early. The drive from Manuel Antonio only took about 2 hrs 45 minutes. We waited for 3.5 hours to board the plane. But I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Overall, 5 star vacation! Thank you so much for coordinating it. We can’t wait to bring our whole family next time!
Breeanna Gordon
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