Topic Wiki

List of TR's:
Fan Of Dan, BrooklynCPA, momo Part 1, momo Part 2, lechaim2life, eliteflyer, Pbaruch, Rcarentals (Guanacaste)

Bringing food/meat through the airports:
  • San Jose Airport SJO - customs are known to be ruthless here with meat. There are many stories in the forums and online of people having all their meats or kosher travel meals seized at customs.
  • Liberia LIR - Recent experiences were that LIR customs didn't check anyone at all.
The general advice which is the only method that seems to consistently work, is bringing in specifically USDA certified products. For example most hotdogs will have an actual USDA certification printed on the hotdog packet. Some companies like Teva, Agri in various supermarkets and most manufacturers have the USDA certification and approval number printed on the label. This is rarely the case for supermarkets who repackage and butcher things themselves and do not have a USDA-certified processing room.
There have been reports of stickers like the USDA organic stickers regularly used to label meats in supermarkets working as well if they look like THIS
In the most ideal world, your food has a clear description of: The product, the nutrition, and a USDA label on the manufacturer packaging.

In a worst case, food can be airshipped to anywhere for a fee - for example from one of the SJO kosher suppliers to Liberia for example the JW Marriott for around $400.

Kosher Food/ Restaurants:
  • SKCR/Super Kosher has takeout under the local Chabad rabbi.
  • The Israeli restaurant in Jaco may not be acceptable for many.  It is my understanding that while they get some meat/chicken from Chabad, they have no hashgacha.
  • Supermarket Automercado has pas yisroel bagels in the freezer per the Chabad rabbi in tamarindo - may or may not be tamarindo specific.
  • Walmart is 6 minutes from Liberia airport, and has tons of American, kosher products and snacks.

Synagogue:

Things to Do:

West side/Liberia

Hotels:
The JW Marriott Guanacaste has amazing suites. If you book there, it's worth speaking to the reservations department before or after to see if you can negotiate an upgrade for a small fee. They offered off the base room, an upgrade of $175 a night for a suite, or $200 for a suite with ocean view, and plunge pool.

Getting Around:
A 4 Wheel drive here is mandatory. Not just because the humidity and rain create muddy and slippery roads, but mainly because the potholes here, are really huge and bad, and your car needs clearance to drive... The roads in costa rica are absolutely terribly maintained. they are completely manageable with a SUV - but expect a ton of bumps and thousands of potholes - almost the entire country is made up of 2 lane roads including highways. All overtaking is done in the direction of opposing traffic. cars here are seriously used and abused - so when you pick up your car.. it's worth going for one with as low mileage as possible.


Notes:

ALL CAR COMPANIES CHARGE MANDATORY LIABILITY INSURANCE. This seems to be one of the biggest complaints from tourists who don't know and consider this a tourist trap - like Israel.
CDW here often REQUIRES the letter - more than Israel.. so have that prepared.


Author Topic: Costa Rica Master Thread  (Read 177352 times)

Offline Buruch

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #400 on: February 27, 2019, 01:09:30 AM »
Can I call anyone to get better availability at andaz papgayo? I can't find availability, and I hear they play games...

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #401 on: May 23, 2019, 11:26:48 AM »
Just booked Jetblue from JFK-LIR round trip from July 28-Aug 1. Plan is to arrive in LIR around 2 pm and head to Arenal. Going to spend two night in Arenal and then drive back to Guanacaste Tuesday late afternoon. Will stay in Guanacaste Tuesday night and Wednesday night and flying out 2 pm on Thursday. Still researching hotels but it seems like Andaz is the best option for Guanacaste and in Arenal I’m down to deciding between Nayara, Tabacon, and The Springs. Any input or tips is appreciated!
I will likely order food from SJO to Arenal, which is over $200 delivery fee. If anyone will be in the area at that time and wants to do a joint order, please PM me

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #402 on: May 23, 2019, 12:05:06 PM »
I also see a lot of people stressing over phone service. I honestly don't recall what I did the last time I went to Costa Rica, but I just called Verizon and was told that for $10/day I can use "travelpass" which gives me access to unlimited talk, text, and data while in Costa Rica. No need to deal with any SIM cards or anything like that

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #403 on: May 24, 2019, 10:47:54 AM »
Just booked Jetblue from JFK-LIR round trip from July 28-Aug 1. Plan is to arrive in LIR around 2 pm and head to Arenal. Going to spend two night in Arenal and then drive back to Guanacaste Tuesday late afternoon. Will stay in Guanacaste Tuesday night and Wednesday night and flying out 2 pm on Thursday. Still researching hotels but it seems like Andaz is the best option for Guanacaste and in Arenal I’m down to deciding between Nayara, Tabacon, and The Springs. Any input or tips is appreciated!
I will likely order food from SJO to Arenal, which is over $200 delivery fee. If anyone will be in the area at that time and wants to do a joint order, please PM me
Does anyone have any knowledge of hotels in Arenal? So far I have only seen mention of people staying at Nayara. Is that my best option?

Offline Aryehs

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #404 on: May 25, 2019, 03:10:05 PM »
We stayed at the Tabacon (not so nice) and at the Nayara Springs (out of this world). For Kosher catered take-out, contact Fraida at +506-6051-8181. She is great and incredibly sweet.

Offline shnoz

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #405 on: May 25, 2019, 09:56:59 PM »
I stayed at Nayara as well, fully agree with the above, absolutely incredible experience.

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #406 on: May 25, 2019, 11:35:26 PM »
Is it worth the extra few hundred a night to stay at Nayara Springs vs Nayara Casita Deluxe Room or not that much of a diff? I'm showing $388/night vs $620/night.

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #407 on: May 25, 2019, 11:36:37 PM »
We stayed at the Tabacon (not so nice) and at the Nayara Springs (out of this world). For Kosher catered take-out, contact Fraida at +506-6051-8181. She is great and incredibly sweet.
Who is Fraida? In that area? I was planning on ordering delivery from San Jose but if there is someone reliable that is local it would be great to not pay a $200 delivery fee

Offline shnoz

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #408 on: May 25, 2019, 11:40:57 PM »
Is it worth the extra few hundred a night to stay at Nayara Springs vs Nayara Casita Deluxe Room or not that much of a diff? I'm showing $388/night vs $620/night.
Can't speak to the fact of what your willing to spend, but different animal.. No private pool, room is half the size.

Offline Cw3323

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #409 on: May 28, 2019, 01:47:25 AM »
Does anyone have any knowledge of hotels in Arenal? So far I have only seen mention of people staying at Nayara. Is that my best option?
I did the Royal Corin. Was decent.

Offline jbr100

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #410 on: May 29, 2019, 09:11:03 AM »
Does anyone have any knowledge of hotels in Arenal? So far I have only seen mention of people staying at Nayara. Is that my best option?
We stayed at the Springs Resort and Spa and it was really, really nice.

Offline Dan

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #411 on: July 01, 2019, 04:14:57 PM »
What's with Zika these days?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline zagguru

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #412 on: August 18, 2019, 01:19:33 PM »
Anyone stay at Marriott's Hotel Punta Islita - Autograph Collection?

Offline zagguru

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #413 on: August 20, 2019, 09:25:57 PM »
Anyone stay at Marriott's Hotel Punta Islita - Autograph Collection?

Anyone?

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #414 on: August 22, 2019, 09:44:27 PM »
Is it worth the extra few hundred a night to stay at Nayara Springs vs Nayara Casita Deluxe Room or not that much of a diff? I'm showing $388/night vs $620/night.
Update - stayed two nights at Nayara Springs and two nights at Andaz Papagayo. Both hotels were amazing.

Offline wonderlust

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #415 on: August 24, 2019, 11:28:50 PM »
Hey, was in Costa Rica in 2012 and thinking of going back for a quick 3/4night trip next week. Want to know the following:
1- last time I went toin Manuel Antonio, mote verde and arenail. Would prob do Arenal again but debating guanacaste instead of manual Antonio. How do they compare? Is there a lot to do in guanacaste?
2- would love to check out the easter part of the country. Anything going on in Limon? Any itinerary for that part of the Country?
3- I see everyone stays at andaz in guanacaste area, how does it stack up against the jw or planet Hollywood?
4- in Arenal I stayed at tobocoan and loved the hot springs but didn’t care much for the hotel. Anyone stay at the royal coran? Are the springs as beautiful and vast as the tobocan?
5- anyone know what time the restaurant closes? I remember it being a royal pain getting there from airport, are there any good  delivery options ?

Offline Jm1248

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #416 on: August 25, 2019, 08:04:17 AM »
Hey, was in Costa Rica in 2012 and thinking of going back for a quick 3/4night trip next week. Want to know the following:
1- last time I went toin Manuel Antonio, mote verde and arenail. Would prob do Arenal again but debating guanacaste instead of manual Antonio. How do they compare? Is there a lot to do in guanacaste?
2- would love to check out the easter part of the country. Anything going on in Limon? Any itinerary for that part of the Country?
3- I see everyone stays at andaz in guanacaste area, how does it stack up against the jw or planet Hollywood?
4- in Arenal I stayed at tobocoan and loved the hot springs but didn’t care much for the hotel. Anyone stay at the royal coran? Are the springs as beautiful and vast as the tobocan?
5- anyone know what time the restaurant closes? I remember it being a royal pain getting there from airport, are there any good  delivery options ?
I ordered food from SKCR and had an excellent experience. They timed the delivery exactly as I arrived at my hotel and were in communication via WhatsApp from beginning to end. I even purchased a toaster oven from them to heat the food, which they delivered and toiveled the tray before sending!

Offline SSLPhD

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #417 on: August 25, 2019, 10:33:51 AM »
2- would love to check out the easter part of the country. Anything going on in Limon? Any itinerary for that part of the Country?
The following, from the State Department website, led me to choose other parts of the country.

"Central neighborhood in Limon

Violent crime, such as armed robbery and assault, is common. Local police lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents."
44/50, 46/63

Offline wonderlust

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #418 on: August 25, 2019, 11:56:54 AM »
The following, from the State Department website, led me to choose other parts of the country.

"Central neighborhood in Limon

Violent crime, such as armed robbery and assault, is common. Local police lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents."

Lol got it. What about the northeast or southwest (below Manuel ) anything of note there? Aside for in Manuel region, are there any other places (like gunancaste) that has night mangrove tours?

Offline wonderlust

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Re: Costa Rica Master Thread
« Reply #419 on: August 26, 2019, 01:15:36 AM »
Has anyone been in Arenail or Guanacaste in September? What has been your experience with the weather?
Cahuita & Puerto Veijo in the Southeast are both supposed to be dry during September, has anyone been there?