From its lush rainforests and white-sand beaches to the modern capitol of San Jose, the wealth of diversity offered by Costa Rica was richly on display during my recent sojourn to this Central American standout.
My week-long journey began in Liberia, and below are some highlights of the adventure, hosted by the Costa Rica Convention Bureau.
Glorious Guanacaste
After landing in Liberia, I met up with the rest of my group and was off to the 182-room Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. The property features 9,589 square feet of meeting space for up to 275. We were able to explore the resort’s El Armadillo event pavilion and dining facilities—all were top-notch and more than ready for North American groups.
The 406-room Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal is another Guanacaste meetings staple, with 8,450 square feet of space. The Guanacaste Ballroom can hold up to 500 people theater-style.
Central Pacific Excursions
Next up, we hopped aboard a bus with our tour guide, Juvenal Acuna Sanchez of Catais Tours, and made the trek to the Central Pacific rainforest.
We were able to stay at two amazing incentives properties in the region—Parador Resort & Spa and Villa Caletas Hotel—the first provided extraordinary jungle views and easy access to Manuel de Antonio National Park, while the latter was a boutique palace of sorts with lavish rooms and event space.
While exploring Manuel Antonio’s rainforest and white-sand beaches we spotted wildlife that included sloths and white-faced capuchin monkeys, along with an array of interesting birds.
San Jose Sights
For the final days of the trip, we stayed at Real Intercontinental San Jose Costa Rica. The hotel offers 372 rooms and a new 15,750-square-foot convention center with a capacity that tops 2,000. San Jose played host to the Expotur tourism conference, showcasing Costa Rica’s range of properties and other tourism offerings.
The journey concluded with a fantastic off-site dinner stop at St. Moritz Restaurante Mirador, a Mediterranean dining venue that provides spectacular views of the San Jose skyline.
It was all “pura vida”—loosely translated as ”life is good!”—as many a Costa Rican might exclaim!
CONNECT
Costa Rica Convention Bureau
+506.2221.3753; +506.2256.4216
