Costa Rica Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers

Top Costa Rica hotels

Quepos Hotels: 164 Reviews - 328 Photos
Arenal Hotels: 90 Reviews - 157 Photos
San José Hotels: 524 Reviews - 863 Photos
Fortuna Hotels: 197 Reviews - 496 Photos
Tamarindo Hotels: 146 Reviews - 221 Photos
Puntarenas Hotels: 44 Reviews - 78 Photos
Jacó Hotels: 149 Reviews - 236 Photos
Liberia Hotels: 45 Reviews - 89 Photos
Santa Cruz Hotels: 3 Reviews - 6 Photos
Pavas Hotels: See nearby hotels
Nacascolo Hotels: See nearby hotels
Mal País Hotels: 61 Reviews - 82 Photos
Caldera Hotels: See nearby hotels
Puerto Viejo Hotels: 152 Reviews - 228 Photos
Playa Hermosa Hotels: 14 Reviews - 21 Photos

Costa Rica Tourist Traps

Boarding Passes and Surcharge Receipts

by monica71

Previous Next

Boarding Passes and Surcharge Receipts
by monica71
One of the tours you can not do on your...
by monica71
Tourist Traps
by ZeekLTK
Jewellery made in Costa Rica?
by melosh
Tourist Traps
by easterntrekker

Comments

1 - 0 of 0

Book now for big savings!: Hotels.com Outstanding choice of hotels all over the world at fantastic prices.
Save money, Book now !: Booking.com Excellent choice, Low rates

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Parking in Manuel Antonio Park - The Hustle!

by MsJAG

We drove our rental car into Manuel Antonio Park. We fell into the trap of paying $30 to park after some official looking Tico's sprang out at us about 800 meters before the actual M.A. park gates. We were told for an extra $90 the two of us would get a "private" tour of M.A. park, or we could get a tour as part of a group for $60. We went with the private tour, and a few minutes later "Gama" showed up with his telescope. The parking hustler said that we were lucky because we were getting a tour with Gama - an "official certified park guide". So we parked, and started on a walk of about 200 metres with occasional Tico men breaking out into raucous clapping when they saw Gama walking with us. Having been to the park 10 years before, I was beginning to feel that something wasn't right...and maybe I should have done my research. Long story short, we turned around and walked back, and asked...

Volcanic Hot Springs in Arenal

by eracki

We ended up at Baldi Hot Springs because we got a good deal from the hostel we stayed at. The hot springs are supposed to be hot mineral water pools, but I think they are just nearby rivers that are heated by the highly active volcano. This is very much a tourist trap, and all you will see here are tourists, but it is well worth it. After a day hiking the trails in Arenal Volcano (about 8K) that hot water feels so awesome. There are about 25 pools and if you want you can also opt in for the buffet dinner, which actually was the best food we've had in the country (although that's not saying much). We payed $25 for the whole thing for the whole day. It was a really good deal considering a hot mineral bath anywhere in the use will be about the same or more for about a half an hour.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

by eracki

The main attractions here are the waterfalls. There were 5, but because of the earthquake in february 2009, there are now only two. They also have a zoo-ish place where you can see jaguars, toucans, humming birds, monkeys, parrots, etc... Normally the feline exhibit is an extra charge, but since you can't see all waterfalls they now include the cats for free.I say it's a tourist trap because in this zoo, most of the animals are not indigenous to the area, so why did I come here, although they are really nice. The waterfalls are nice but are nothing compared to South Africa. I'm being a little harsh but at $35 US a person, this place loses most of it's luster. It is a great workout since there is so much walking and climbing.

Don't buy the tourist shop coffee!!

by Sunuwavi

There are a million little tourist shops selling "Real Costa Rican Coffee" pretty much everywhere. Don't buy it!!! You can get the exact same coffee at any local grocery store for half the price. I didn't find that out until after I bought all my coffee to bring home... :(

Colonial Restaurant in Jaco

by costaricakid

Colonial Restaurant on Main St in Jaco. This is the most expensive and over priced restaurant in the region! It is a total tourist trap. The menu prices are sky high, and the food and portions are sub standard to say the least, for what they charge.There are many other dining experiences in Jaco that offer far better food, at a fraction of the cost. Dont let the fancy decor fool you. It is a crime what they charge and a total embarrassment to the tourist industry in Jaco! To make this blatant tourist trap more bearable, don´frequent this estblishment. Caliche´s Wish Bone - Soda Marea Alta, Pacific Bistro, Argentine Steak House, Tsunami Sushi, Lemon Zest, Soda Jaco Tipico.

Research a tour before booking it

by monica71

There are plenty of tour companies that offer a huge variety of tours in the area you are visiting in CR. Before booking a tour, do some research and see if this is something you can do on your own (assuming you have a car that you rented). Most of the times, you will draw the conclusion that you can do the tour on your own, at your own pace, without paying the amount the tour company is charging for it and without being rushed to get from Point A to Point B. You will save lots of money by doing it on your own! Of course, this does not apply to horseback riding tours to the Volcano (you need to know your way around for that!), rafting trips or safari floats, etc.

Taxi Fare

by monica71

If you stay in La Fortuna/Arenal area and if you are flying from La Fortuna Airport, you will need to get a cab to take you to the airport. The problem is that even if you use official taxis, the fare may vary from cab to cab since the cabs have broken meters. Expect to pay anywhere between $15 to $25 for a ride from La Fortuna to the airport. Make sure you agree on the fee before you hop in the cab. We did not fall onto this trap because the guys from Alamo knew that we had an early flight and when we dropped off the car they offered to take us to the airport. They did not want anything for this ride, but we gave the driver $10 for this, as a "Thank You for doing this for us".The same applies if you stay outside the town of La Fortuna and need to get a cab to get into town. Make sure you agree on a fare before you hop in the cab. make sure you agree on a price before getting in the...

Arenal Airport: terminal facilities surcharge

by monica71

We flew SANSA from Arenal to San Jose in order to save time. We had a great experience with SANSA, but I was a little bit caught by surprise when they asked us to pay a "terminal facility surcharge" when we checked in. The fee is $7 per person and you get a receipt for it. I was not aware of this fee (I was sure all the charges were included in the ticket price) and I am not sure if all the internal airports charge the same fee, but if you fly from the La Fortuna Airport, make sure you put some money aside for this fare.

People who approach you on the street....

by Snipernurse

The people who will approach you on the street will all have different and creative ways to try to get your money. They will ask you, "What state are you from? Oh Really?? My cousin lives in (whatever place you told them you live)", the man who offered you directions will ask for money, there will be sob stories, just keep straight faced and tell people you don't need help or can't help them. They will confuse you with their perfect English, just keep moving!

Costa Rica made in China.

by melosh

You have a just had a great vacation and you now want to buy a few souvenirs. Perhaps you were in Monteverde and realized that the prices for knick knacks were almost 3 times the price of the same items in tourist stores near San Jose. On the way down the Pan American highway you stop at a tourist shop. Oh yes, the prices are still high, but at least they are lower than the airport. You find something you really like as a souvenir --here comes the trap-- you buy it. Only later do you realize that it was made in Ecuador, or worst still China, and you paid more than you would have paid for the same imported item in the USA. This trap is not limited to Costa Rica. It just seems more grievous because of the high prices asked for some of these items. For example, I saw some very nice Andean weavings from Peru in a modest but large shop in the San Jose Valley with prices of around $125. This...

Top 3 Hotels in Costa Rica

Hotel AmaTierra Provincia de Puntarenas

222 Opinions

Hotels in Provincia de Puntarenas

Hotel Santo Tomas San José

4 Reviews and 278 Opinions Very friendly an to other d helpful staff. The newer rooms are excellent. good value relative...

Hotels in San José

Show Prices

Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa Provincia de Guanacaste

1 Review and 1205 Opinions I don’t know how many of you have stayed in an all inclusive hotel before... but this resort was so...

Hotels in Provincia de Guanacaste

Show Prices

673 Hotels in Costa Rica