adpal

It is Las Caletas. Sunsets are beautiful and often you see toucans and monkeys. Take binoculars.

tatmtr7

Thankyou once again for your replies. As far as renting a small suv, can you rent once you arrive at Los Suenos? While looking at the hotel website, it did not mention a car rental desk. We were going to book a driver to take us from the San Jose Marriott to Los Suenos or use their shuttle but the timing is not convienent and for a few dollars more we can hire a private car. I have been reading other boards and apparently Jaco can be a challenging place lately.

socrates

call/email the hotel - they will arrange a private car for you...the SJO will also provide this service

flyinghome

Now I have a question

Is Costa Rica a fun place to take a 13 yr old girl and 14 yr old boy along with my wife and I?

Which hotel would be most family friendly?

socrates

it really depends on what they are interested in...Los Suenos has a huge pool but the beach is eh (you wont be laying on it), there's a ton of stuff to do all over the country

Kibison

I lived in San Isidro de Heredia for about five years and still have a place on the Pacific at Tambor.

During my time in CR, I had my two sons and three nieces living with me. They were all teenagers or almost teenagers and their favorite place was Tabacon Springs near Lake Arenal. It has been almost five years since I lived in CR so I do not know if Tabacon still holds the same charm due to the overwhelming influx of Gringos to the country.

The Tabacon Springs Resort had a hotel that was about 1km from the springs but there are a lot of other hotels in the area. Make sure you stay at a hotel in a room that has a "Volcano View". Arenal Volcano at night can be spectacular.

After Tabacon, the kid's next choice was "any beach", although I would avoid Tamarindo since the ocean there has become highly polluted from all the Gringo developments. They actually lost their Blue Eco flag about two months ago and I don't think that has happened anywhere in CR before.

Just be wary in CR. The beauty of the country and hospitality of the Ticos makes tourists incredibly stupid. Don't leave things in your car unattended. Never leave anything on the beach unattended. Be careful of "puncture" thieves who target rental cars. They will puncture your tire at a stop sign and follow you until your tire goes flat. While they are "helping" you, their accomplices are stealing your luggage.

Going to Los Suenos, you will probably stop at the bridge over the Tarcoles River to see the caymans. Be careful, thieves await in the bushes to steal your stuff. I think the Police now have a full time guard at the bridge because the problem is so bad.

Have fun!

jamflyer

Is Los Suenos still part of the Marriott group? Its not showing up as on the Marriott site.

aaupgrade

It's there for me. I checked Jan 20-21, 2009 and it gave me rates. Perhaps it is not available the dates for which you are searching.

tatmtr7

I just checked on the Marriott web site and it does show up there. Perhaps it is not available on the dates you entered. And by the way, we loved it there, the people, the resort, everything but the beach. We walked the beach anyway and it was fun but the flora is unbelievable!

jamflyer

I think its the dates I am looking at 3/21-3/28....

tatmtr7

Yes, I see what you see but it is because the hotel is not available. If you look on the top of the available hotels for that time period you will see a circle that you can check to show all hotels. While we were there the hotel had several large corporate groups so that maybe why it is sold out. Change your dates and you will possible see availablity. Good Luck!

sandyweb33

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/trav...d-golf-resort/

CRHeel94

I generally don't think rain gear is needed unless you're headed to Monteverde in the rainy season. I live in CR and I don't even own a rain coat (but I have about five umbrellas). Bug spray for the beach is highly recommended. Apply liberally and often.

I believe there is a rental option at Los Sueños or at Jaco.

The restaurants by the Marina offer a refreshing change of pace from the hotel fare I actually liked El Galeon, but I haven't been there in a year or so. The Hook Up right on the marina is a casual dining spot with a menu similar to say a Bennigan's or Friday's (appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, etc). Villa Caletas is worth the drive even if it's for the view.

For the person asking about tenns, I would probably recommend Conchal in Guanacaste.

jbatl

Need some advice on the Los Suenos property regarding room type.

I'm spending four nights there on vacation next month. Call me crazy, but right now I have four reservations ...

Res 1 - Deluxe room. No bed type/smoking pref guarantee. $192 ai/nt.

Res 2 - Deluxe Ocean View room. King/Non smoking guaranteed. $261 ai/nt.

Res 3 - Premium Ocean View room. King/Non smoking guaranteed. $311 ai/nt. (includes daily breakfast)

Res 4 - Deluxe room. King/Non smoking guaranteed. Standard hotel award. 95,000 points total stay.

I've booked these at various times over the last few months. I'm Silver, working on a Gold challenge (rev nights at this property could help, but good chance I'll still get it). I also spoke with a MR res agent a few weeks ago who put a note requesting an 'upgrade' in my MR points reservation (I have no experience with this).

So ... which reservation would you use? Which is the best value? I don't want the worst room in the hotel, which I fear I might get on a rewards reservation at the lowest level. What's the difference between Deluxe, Deluxe Ocean View and Premium Ocean View at this property?

All reservations can be canceled with no penalty.

Thanks for your advice!

travelexpert

We were forced to use an extra 5,000 point per night on an award for an "upgrade" to an ocean-view room. Award room was on ground level--and we could BARELY see any ocean. Our two son's room without the "view" overlooked the garden area, which was beautiful.

I suspect ocean view is irrelevant unless you are on the upper floors. And I do not recall the hotel being higher than say six floors.

Sent a letter of complaint to the general manager--and resent it. Still no response.....

Some additonal thoughts.

Overall, the beach is non-existent. And the buffet breakfast was awful. Stale cereal boxes, sparse choices. We had been at the JW Marriott Phuket less than one month prior, which has probably the best buffet breakfast we had ever seen. No question we saw the best and worst of what Marriott has to offer for breakfast in a short period of time.

If you have not been to Cancun, I would say that the Marriott or (better yet) JW Marriott are far better choices.