Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection, Costa Rica [Master Thread]
Feb 14, 2016, 9:37 am
#31
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Back for our 2nd stay! Checked in last night for 3 nights before moving to the JW later in the week. This time, we got the 3 BR villa as our son and daughter-in-law is with us. $400/night for 3 nights-includes breakfast. A steal. This villa is a compound. Two buildings on its own piece of land. Comes with a golf cart. Pool (3X the size of a plunge pool) gardens, 3 outdoor showers, outdoor living space, indoor, full kitchen. The master BR is in its own building with a second floor observation deck. Wow. We are having a great time.
New development this visit. ALL activities are included in room rate: Monkey tours, horseback riding, bird hikes, zip lining, cooking classes, kayaking. You name it Just should be scheduled in advance so that events don't fill up. That's a great add on IMHO. Applies to every room rate and every room.
Feb 14, 2016, 11:20 am
#32
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Golf too but we don't golf. The rate my wife found is under Marriott rewards if you go looking for it. Enjoy!
Great Macaw viewing today.
https://www.facebook.com/Tker1/video...86373224291950
Great Macaw viewing today.
https://www.facebook.com/Tker1/video...86373224291950
Last edited by Mr. Vker; Feb 14, 2016 at 12:33 pm
Mar 12, 2016, 12:21 am
#33
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 284
New development this visit. ALL activities are included in room rate: Monkey tours, horseback riding, bird hikes, zip lining, cooking classes, kayaking. You name it Just should be scheduled in advance so that events don't fill up. That's a great add on IMHO. Applies to every room rate and every room.
That villa for $400/nt sounds great! I liked the kayaking on the Oro river a lot. The water starts our brown and muddy but the closer you get to the ocean the more it cleans up. Their breakfast was pretty good too. I wish they still included it for point stays.
Mar 13, 2016, 8:47 pm
#34
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 13
Wanted to follow up on the breakfast removed for points. Did they offer a la carte breakfast or was it buffet, and was it expensive? We are staying on points end of March and I have seen mixed reviews on if breakfast was included on points.
Mar 14, 2016, 8:31 am
#35
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New development this visit. ALL activities are included in room rate: Monkey tours, horseback riding, bird hikes, zip lining, cooking classes, kayaking. You name it Just should be scheduled in advance so that events don't fill up. That's a great add on IMHO. Applies to every room rate and every room.
Cheers.
Aug 10, 2016, 4:16 pm
#36
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Oct 6, 2016, 12:22 pm
#38
Join Date: Sep 2008
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We ate here one night, its walking distance, basic Costa Rican food, was fine though, not that cheap either though.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...uanacaste.html
There seems to be another restaurant at the next beach south, about 10-15 min drive along quite a rough road.
https://www.facebook.com/hotelpalmadeorocr/
Last edited by escapefromphl; Oct 6, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Mar 27, 2017, 3:42 pm
#39
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
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Mr. Vker and Da5id, I really appreciate your thorough reports.
How did the JW compare? It's more expensive yet fewer points. I'm thinking of a coastal trip, from Punta Islita to JW to Andaz. Westin sounds boring from comment above.
How did the JW compare? It's more expensive yet fewer points. I'm thinking of a coastal trip, from Punta Islita to JW to Andaz. Westin sounds boring from comment above.
Mar 27, 2017, 4:06 pm
#40
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The JW is a beautiful place. Huge pool. Nice restaurants. But, it could have been anywhere in a tropical climate. The resort is SO huge-further-its on a mega development that contains other housing area etc that-at least I-had no feeling of CR. Versus Punta Islita which was incredibly authentic.
The flip side is, there are great varieties of food, bars etc at the JW that you dont get at PI. The JW is at the end of the development so it is isolated-great sunsets.
One other thing about the JW-they are a major stop for Caravan tours. So MANY tourists seeing the region depending on your timing.
The JW was a nice place for a respite after the heat and grit of the PI jungle-which we loved. If I could only do one, it would be PI. My son mentioned yesterday he'd love to go back. Doing both is a great combo.
The Westin was the JW x 10 regarding not feeling authentic IMHO. It was a standard AI tropic resort.
Mar 27, 2017, 11:00 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: COS
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Stayed at PI in May '16 on points. Full breakfast for two was included as Plat, as were all activities (activities included for all - not just Plat). It is indeed quite isolated, and the nearby town with a couple of restaurants and a little grocery marks all prices up comparable to the hotel (zero doubt that the locals just move a decimal point to the left for their true price) -- probably my single biggest disappointment to be shaken down in such isolation. BRING LOTS OF SNACKS AND ALL OF THE BOOZE YOU THINK YOU MIGHT WANT!!! (Your driver from the airport will be more than accommodating with stops, and even the airport Duty Free will save you money vs. the hotel/nearby town.)
This is one of those properties that is truly, truly dependent upon your travel goals/disposition; if you can chill on down and just listen to the nearby howler monkeys (and hopefully you booked or were upgraded into a villa with a nice patio+plunge pool), you will be in paradise; I can see where those ready to get after the traditional PR experience might be disappointed.
I'm probably not returning (so much of Earth to be explored, so little time), but I treasure the chill time I had there for the better part of a week...
This is one of those properties that is truly, truly dependent upon your travel goals/disposition; if you can chill on down and just listen to the nearby howler monkeys (and hopefully you booked or were upgraded into a villa with a nice patio+plunge pool), you will be in paradise; I can see where those ready to get after the traditional PR experience might be disappointed.
I'm probably not returning (so much of Earth to be explored, so little time), but I treasure the chill time I had there for the better part of a week...
Mar 29, 2017, 9:43 am
#43
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"Platinum Arrival gift: 500 pts or Costa Rican cooking class for 2 or Costa Rican mixology class for 2; free i-net"
Cheers.
Mar 31, 2017, 8:29 am
#44
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As ALL activities are included now, points are all you need! You can sign up for anything. Just need availability-so they only offer points now plus internet.
Mar 31, 2017, 4:01 pm
#45
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I think one needs to be very explicit in arriving at an understanding of what the Plat arrival gift will be - ask for clarity, and ask often! While being checked into our upgraded villa, I was told that our plat gift could optionally be a romantic candle-lit dinner for two, if we were interested (we were), and that electing an option could be deferred (we did). Cooking classes, cocktail mixing, monkey sighting - all of these such activities are now just included as part of any stay (although they will have you sign for everything, the importance of which will next become clear...).
We did the dinner the night before our departure (mentioned our gift selection at the time of booking). We by then knew our server well (he was one of the daytime bartenders at the beach club). He specifically said something about just signing for the record but not to worry about the charge - and by then we'd become accustomed to the routine (my wife did one of the classes, we both did the monkey sighing walk).
The next morning upon checking out, there was a very significant charge for what had been a pretty disappointing meal (not great food and a less than ideal setting). Add to this that we'd left a huge tip because the meal was supposed to have been gratis! Well, it took quite a bit of back-and-forth, but ultimately the charge was removed. Given the totality of the circumstances, I left feeling as though it could not just be chalked up to a long series of misunderstandings, but perhaps it was. In any event, it was ultimately made right (although the whole affair put a pretty big damper on our departure following a pretty amazing stay).