Holiday review by Foundly family
Name: Foundly familyDate of trip: 05/08/2018
Number of people: 3
Country: Costa RicaOverall level of Satisfaction
Tribes Overall: "Excellent"
Tribes Service: "Great service from Alex.
Vamoos was particularly useful for reference and document storage."
Guides: "Our representative who met us at San Jose was very helpful and gave us excellent advice on how to manage our luggage for the second half of our holiday when we took an internal flight with luggage restrictions. We used the facility to leave one bag which was then forwarded for us to our final hotel.
All drivers were excellent - friendly and courteous. All transport was spacious, clean and had air con.
All guides for activities at Arenal were excellent and the zip lining company were superb."
Social & Environmental Responsibility: "Excellent"
Accommodation
Fabulous resort hotel! Stunning, spacious room with outdoor shower and hammock and whirlpool bath on our balcony. Spotlessly clean. Excellent and friendly service from all the staff.
Amazing breakfast buffet - full range of food and drink. Omelettes, pancakes and waffles made to order with every type of filling and topping!
Lovely pool - not huge but fine for cooling off. Hot tubs, cabanas and pool bar with very friendly staff. Good selection of smoothies, cocktails and snacks.
Mi Cafecito coffee bar was a great place - wonderful coffee and ice cream.
Special thanks to Alexander who spotted the sloth high in a tree and came to our room to tell us and then took us to see him.
A thirty minute drive from the airport so an excellent choice for a first night. On arrival, we were greeted by Omar who was so friendly and helpful. The fresh fruit welcome drink was a nice touch! Fabulous room with great view of San Jose. Great breakfasts - plenty of choice. Wonderful coffee from the plantation! Lovely pool with hot tub.
We booked onto the coffee plantation tour which was fantastic. Our guide, Ulises, was amazing - so knowledgeable about the many birds, insects, plants and trees which we saw. The coffee tasting session at the end of the tour was really interesting and good fun.
Stunning! Without doubt, the highlight of our trip. It is hard to put into words just how incredibly unique Playa Cativo is.
Frederico met us at the airstrip and the adventure began. His passion is infectious! Approaching the Lodge by boat, you begin to realise that you are arriving somewhere very special. The location is stunning, the staff are exceptional but it is so much more than that. There is a vibe about the place. Everything has been thought of and everyone goes above and beyond to ensure that you have the most amazing and relaxing stay.
Location - ocean meets rainforest. You wake to the sound of the waves and howler monkeys. Scarlet macaws fly above you, iguanas stroll around the garden. There is every kind of bird, insect, animal. You can even spot dolphins close to the shoreline.
The Lodge - beautifully furnished rooms are all open air so the sights and sounds of the ocean and rainforest are always with you. There are no room keys - you don't need them. As Felipe said when he greeted us "Welcome to your home for the next few days". And that's the thing, you feel like you are home.
Food - incredible! Fresh, varied, delicious. I don't think we have ever eaten so healthily on holiday.
Activities - amazing! Whale and dolphin watching boat trip, rainforest trek to the Piedras Blancas reserve, boat and kayaking trip to the mangrove swamps, evening boat trip to see the bioluminescence.
Staff - unbelievable! Passion, enthusiasm, kindness, smiles, laughter.
Our guides Jose and Michael gave us two of the best experiences we have ever had - the whale watching and mangrove trips. Their warmth and their ability to spot wildlife made both trips adventures that we will never forget.
customer rating
5/5 from 244 reviews
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facts and information
Time: GMT -6 hours
Flight time: The flying time is about 12 hours from the UK. There are now direct flights from the UK using British Airways. We work with all the major airlines and can offer flights from the UK or via the USA, Panama or a European hub. With the connection times you are looking at around 15 or 16 hours.
Language: Spanish is the official language. English is widely spoken throughout Costa Rica
Visas: Not required for British travellers. Other nationalities should obtain advice from their embassy.
Health: There are no compulsory vaccinations.
