Costa Rican it - Four Seasons Costa Rica

Next up on our site inspection list - the Four Seasons Costa Rica!!! I had been über excited to see this resort for months and it did not disappoint. Once you get past the gated entrance you have a couple of minutes to soak in some beautiful Costa Rican scenery along with the Four Season's amazing golf course as you drive down the windy road to the actual resort. As you walk in the lobby it has a warm, welcoming ambiance thanks to the décor full of dark, natural wood with hints of citrusy colors of orange and yellow. You are greeted with a scented & chilled towel along with a cold welcome beverage.

The grounds are immaculate and the pools were very inviting but I had plenty of work to do so I had to stay focused. There were even pool boys bringing trays of scrumptious lunches out to some ladies at the swim up area along the side of the pool. Not only do they have pool service but beach butler service as well. The beaches were the nicest I had seen yet in Cost Rica. The resort has access to two different beaches.

Unlike most resorts the Four Seasons do not require wristbands for their guests so it allows you to sleep comfortably.

One of the things that left a lasting impression on me was the resorts Kids Club. It was brightly colored, festive and FUN! There were plenty of indoor and outdoor activities that would make even the teenagers jealous. This popular program is available at no additional cost for guests ages 4 to 12. They also offer a teens club for the kiddos over the age of 12.

Next up, the rooms. Each room offers things like in-suite wi-fi ($), CD/DVD players, 100% cotton bathrobes (even have them available in kid size), L'Occitane bathroom amenities, complimentary bottled water, Cafe Britt coffee and a welcome amenity. Another impressive thing was all 155 rooms had spacious screened porches which was the first time I had ever seen that before. The Four Seasons Costa Rica proves yet again that they are indeed a family-welcoming resort by offering complimentary cribs, bottles, high chairs, videos and a large selection of games that can be delivered to your rooms.

The four restaurants have plenty of options even for the pickiest of eaters. We were truly blessed to eat lunch there so I had the fresh catch of the day along with the chef's special ceviche and a side of guacamole. De-li-cious!!!

The resort is just about a 40 minute drive from the Liberia or San Jose airport. While there is plenty to do (or not to do!) at the Four Seasons feel free to adventure out and try some of the amazing activities that are within 20 minutes of the hotel.

- Sport fishing enthusiasts will enjoy catchings things like marlin, sailfish, grouper and exceptionally large tuna. Be sure and take your catchings back to the resort for supper.

- The Witch's Rock Canopy tour guarantees a thrilling experience as guests harness up and slide along a series of zip lines high above treetops and valleys. Be sure and look for wildlife along the tour including exotic birds and howler monkeys.

- The Catamaran Cruise is a more relaxing way to explore the Gulf of Papagayo and conveniently leaves right from the resort. You can snorkel or simply enjoy the sunset on their 47 foot catamaran.

The Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo is absolutely stunning and I'm looking forward to going back with my hubbie and boys.

To see more pictures click play on the slideshow below:

Costa Rican it - the Hilton Papagayo

The alarm went off at 7 am and I quickly got ready so I could enjoy some breakfast at the hotel before our big day of site inspections.

First up ~ The Hilton Papagayo which is an all-inclusive resort with just 202 rooms with 4 different categories. As we stepped off of our shuttle bus we immediately noticed the gorgeous view from the lobby! So naturally I had to get a couple quick pictures. ;)

As the groups manager, Andy, showed us around I noticed the grounds were well kept and beautiful. The resort is built into it's natural surroundings and most of the rooms are in bungalow-like buildings with just 2 rooms per building which make them feel more intimate. Each building had a winding pathway to the front doors that was beautifully landscaped.

The oceanfront rooms were up on a the mountainside and were in bigger buildings. Also in that section the resort has 4 Jr Suites with amazing private plunge pools!

When we were taken down to the beach I couldn't help but to notice that it was bigger and nicer than the Occidental's beach. While I understand that most people do not go to Costa Rica for the beaches it is still important to some.

Andy also showed us their newest restaurant, 'The Grill" which is open for lunch and dinner. While it didn't have air conditioning it did have excuisite palapa roofing and it boasts beautiful views as it overlooked the beach.

They have a gorgeous three-tiered swimming pool with swim up bar and infinity pool.

In the spa section they have special pool-side service and 70 adult-only rooms. It looked ideal for wedding groups so I decided to get to know the wedding planner while there, Mr. Andre.

All in all, this resort ended up being the most impressive all-inclusive for me. It felt Costa Rican and still had the amenities to make an American satisfied.

To see more pictures of the lovely Hilton Papagayo see the slideshow below:

Costa Rican it - Occidental Papagayo

As I stepped off the plane at Liberia's airport a large white butterfly fluttered by my feet and I knew that I was right where God wanted me to be.
The ride over to our host hotel, The Occidental Papagayo, was just a little over 30 minutes. In that 30 minutes I've never in my life seen so much green! The lush grounds and flowered trees were endless all around and had me hypnotized. It was absolutely beautiful and peaceful.

When we walked into the Occidental Papagayo lobby the first thing you notice is the view. It's open to a beautiful scene of the lush mountains and waters of Culebra Bay in the Papagayo Gulf. We were warmly greeted and given our bracelets to let the hotel's staff know we are now part of the all-inclusive experience. The resort has just about 160 rooms in 23 different buildings built into the hillside of the bay so it didn't ever feel crowded.

Posing in the lobby at the Occidental Papagayo

Our rooms were not quite ready so we ate at 'the Buffet' until they were. The rooms are quaint and beautifully done. Terracotta tile and sold wood furniture made it feel earthy. The pretty, sheer cream-colored panels flowing over the sides of the bed and down over the ceiling-to-floor windows gave the room an elegant spin on things. However, the outdated bathtub and boxy television set reminded me that I was not at a 5 star hotel but it didn't bother me in the least. I'm in COSTA RICA!!!

After unpacking I decided to head down to the pool and to check out the beach. Disappointingly there was not a swim-up bar but the guests at this resort doesn't seem to be the type looking for a party atmosphere. The pool was beautiful and had a nice view of the winding staircase up to the lobby.

The small walk down to the beach was not as pretty as the entrance to the lobby. The beach was small and disappointing. Rumor has it that the tides were high so that is why it looked unpleasant. Christian, the young man working the bar hut quickly turned my frown upside down with a fresh, cold Miami Vice. Mmmmm mmm, RUM!!

That night for dinner our travel agent group ate at the D'Oriental Restaurant. This is one of their four restaurants. It was truly delicious. Another thing I will always remember about Costa Rica: the water was like Holy Water - fresh and pure.

After dinner they had a soothing live band performing in the open-air lobby. I noticed bright lights across the room... a disco! I made my way over to take a quick peek. I opened the door to a spacious room filled with loud music, a bar, a dance floor and a pool table. It had been a early morning for this girl so I decided to hike back to my room and save my pool shark skills and dance moves for another night. ;)

Since my long day had started at 3:00 am I definitely slept like a baby. I was looking forward to seeing more of Costa Rica the next day, especially the Four Seasons. :-)

To see more pictures from the Occidental Papagayo check out the Flickr slideshow below: