2009 December

Hotel Buena Vista

12/28/2009 By CostaRica1.com Leave a Comment

Hotel Buena Vista is a Spanish Colonial style resort with two stories. The hotel was completed in 1995. There are 10 rooms, 4 jr. suites, and 1 jr. suite with private sundeck on the 2nd floor. The 1st floor has 10 rooms. Rooms have 2 queen size beds, color TV, private bath, individual hot water heater, and are carpeted. Rooms on the 2nd floor have balconies. The hotel is the sole one in the area to enjoy a 360 degree, panoramic view which affords vistas of the Poás, Barva and lrazú volcanoes as well as the central valley, and the city of San Jose. The hotel is very accessible to the international airport and the Poás Volcano and may be reached in 10-15 minutes by simply taking the exit in front of the airport to Alajuela and proceeding 5.6 miles on the same road. There are signs along the way. The hotel is at an altitude of 4185 feet and because of the altitude, enjoys an ideal climate. The daily range of temperature is 80-62 degrees. There is a fine dining restaurant that serves international cuisine at reasonable prices, bar, swimming pool, laundry, and gift shop. Guests desiring transportation are met at the airport and escorted to the hotel. Transportation is also provided courtesy of the hotel for departing guests. Luggage storage is available for those wishing to leave baggage while traveling to other points. A fine tropical breakfast is included in the room price. The hotel was constructed and is operated by the owners themselves. The goal of the hotel is to make guests comfortable in a foreign environment and to have them feel at home in the hotel. Many guests have been heard to exclaim, “lt’s nice to be back home.” The hotel has two vans and provides tours to different point of interest such as the Poás Volcano, Sarchí, Lankaster Gardens, La Paz waterfall, Arenal Volcano, etc.

Visit Hotel Buena Vista’s website at www.HotelBuenaVistaCR.com

Tips on Planning a Holiday in Costa Rica

12/28/2009 By CostaRica1.com Leave a Comment

You’re in for a big treat, if you’ve got plans to visit Costa Rica. Costa Rica has a lot to offer and is thought of as one of the most beautiful vacation destinations in the world. There are a couple of things you should know when planning a vacation to Costa Rica. Remember these suggestions in order to maximize your travels in Costa Rica.

Step 1:
Be aware that Costa Rica is not cheap to visit.
Vacations in Costa Rica tend to cost more money. This gorgeous destination offers tropical scenery at a price. It is important to budget a little more if you are going to Costa Rica for your vacation than it would be for other travel plans. Take my word for it you will feel you are getting your money’s worth.

Step 2:
Think about where you want to begin. As their first and main destination in Costa Rica, most people select the capital of San Jose. You can spend days checking out all of the city’s places of interest. However, if you do not have a large budget, maybe you should think about flying into another airport in Costa Rica such as the new Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport located near Liberia. It will still be possible to experience how pretty Costa Rica is but it will not cost as much.

Step 3:
Choose where to stay. Tourists are warmly welcomed when they go to Costa Rica. You will have your choice of almost any kind of lodging. A lot of your vacation planning is taken care of if you decide to stay at a resort. There are various accommodation choices for Costa Rica trips. Realise you will probably be staying at an independently-owned hotel in Costa Rica, as there are not a lot of big hotel chains there. Opt for hotels with gorgeous rainforest scenery, or lively locations like a room downtown where the night life beckons. Some of the other choices include campgrounds, ecocamps, cabinas, and tico homes, and bed and breakfasts. First, think where you’d like to stay, then choose lodgings.

Step 4:
Select the places you would like to go. You may not be interested in countryside traveling while you are in Costa Rica if you are going to be staying at a resort. However, if you have not purchased a vacation package, then you’ll want to think about a variety of places to go to. The National Park, the Nature Reserve, the rainforests, and the beaches all come highly recommended as tourist attractions in Costa Rica. Having the water nearby, it is possible to get in a bit of sailboarding or beach walks. There are horseback riding and great mountain bike trails in the scenic rainforest. So consider doing some camping, hiking, or bird watching while you’re there too. Costa Rica attractions are all about the natural world.

Step 5:
Choose the dates that you will be traveling. Costa Rica is pretty every day of the year, but there are some seasons that are better than others. If you visit when it is summer (or as it is known, the green season which is May through November) you will lay out less money. However, it is liable to be somewhat rainy. Keep in mind that if you are planning a vacation to Costa Rica, the driest season is the high season. Because of the ideal conditions, beware the prices and numbers of people are more substantial. There are disadvantages and advantages to both seasons. Understand that the timing of your trip to Cost Rica will affect your entire experience there.

Step 6:
Are you going alone or with people? A travel website or agent can give you the choice of going to Costa Rica as part of a discounted or group rate. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, this could be a good option for you. But, if you feel like wandering and traveling wherever you want, maybe you should make plans to visit Costa Rica by yourself.

Step 7:
Know the best places to eat. The local fare is part of the allure of Costa Rica. Ensure that you leave a little bit of time in your Costa Rica plans to enjoy the local food, with so many wonderful flavors to enjoy. Costa Rican food cooked at home is definitely better than food from a restaurant. When you need to dine out, make sure to choose some traditional menu items such as tamales, gallo pinto and ensalada palmito. Experiment with something different by visiting a soda, a combination of a grocery store and family-run restaurant. You can get a good tasting and inexpensive meal here. Tipicos, resorts or hotels, fast food are your other Costa Rica dining options. (McDonalds does in fact have outlets in Costa Rica also). Just as tasty as at any large chain, food is often quite cheap at smaller establishments.

Step 8:
Keep your transportation needs in mind. To get around Costa Rica is not always that easy. Remember to leave time to get to your destination as well as organize transportation when you are planning a trip to Costa Rica. You can also hitch a ride on a farm cart, rent a car or bike, take the bus, or hire a taxi. Remember that it will take longer to get around in Costa Rica because there are no highways. Have some patience and keep in mind that you are on vacation. Close your eyes and relax on your Costa Rica trip.

Tiffany Provost writes about travel planning and other traveling tips for HowToDoThings.com.

Filed Under: Costa Rica Travel

Where to Go in Costa Rica

12/27/2009 By CostaRica1.com Leave a Comment

To are planning your vacation it is good to know a little about the area so you can select what suits your fancy. The locals refer to by themselves as Ticos and they’re warm and welcoming wherever you visit in Costa Rica. My friend and I plan to visit all areas of Costa Rica but you may must consider what to put in your itinerary providing you have only a week. The next is a list of the various regions and what they could offer in the way of entertainment. Pick and choose whatever combination you like.

San Jose

Most museums and art galleries in Costa Rica are found in San Jose. The central step in San Jose is noisy and crowed as the capital of any city are. The airport is located beyond San Jose and you could enters Costa Rica via San Jose anyway, why not check it out while some individuals are visiting. I have learned that you step of the curb carefully in Europe or get run over. Pedestrians do not have the correct of method San Jose either so watch yourself to cross the street.

The Northwest

Arenal and Monteverde are situated in the Northwest. Arenal is the Volcano in the field and it is a game of wait-and-see getting the opportunity to view the cone of the volcano spew hot lava. Arenal is one of the only active volcanoes on the planet that could be safely viewed by tourists without the threat of bodily harm. I reside in the Pacific Northwest, also in the shadow of Mount Rainier so volcanoes don’t bother me.

The road to Monteverde runs from the small town of Santa Elena to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve with hotels, nightclubs and restaurants. This area is commonly very dense with tourists. Originally settled by Quakers this area now has a thriving eclectic artist community. Quakers are, in addition reported to be great cheese makers in this area. I simply love cheese and Quakers are cool too so I gotta plan to visit the cheese farm. Although this is one of the busiest this region offers many day trips and interesting things to do.

Nicoya Peninsula

While the Costa Rican government would certainly welcome the revenue from more tourists, for the time being the beach locations of Nicoya remain somewhat of a secret. Beaches are still relatively deserted. If golf is your thing the course at Playa Conchal is renowned. This would be the vacation for you providing you have aquatic events in mind. There is snorkeling, swimming, diving, surfing, fishing, and even kayaking. The drive from Carrillo to Mal Pas by 4-wheel drive is simply amazing. The field is in addition surfer heaven. Riding is in addition offered by the majority of the hotels.

Quepos & the Central Pacific

The field is known for seashores and aquatic events. There’s an abundance of quiet seashores to select from while you do see surfers frequently the beach locations are not crowded and it is easy to relax. Along their Pacific Coast Highway there’s a vast array of lodging anywhere from the seedy to the luxurious and between. The field is a wonderland for any beach lover with diving, fishing, golf, and horse riding, kayaking and even surfing. I wish to try the Titi Canopy tours. A canopy tour is like a ski lift going from tree to tree such as the monkeys. If you are afraid of heights this is not for you!

Osa Peninsula & Golfo Dulce

The field is more remote, although the’re several luxury hotels. Drake Bay has whale-watching tours and you may from time to time spot dolphins playing around your boat. Corcovado National Park offers tours that are teaming with wildlife to see and take photos of. In Golfo Dulce the are 2 botanical gardens, Casa Orquideas Botanical Garden and Wilson Botanical Garden.

South Caribbean

Miles of banana plantations might be found here. Some believe these to be the most beautiful beach locations in the land, however, it’s much more humid. The culture here is more Caribbean in it’s inhabitants. The usual water sports could be found here.

Ethan Eddy has been writing articles online for nearly 3 years now. Not only does this author specialize in weight loss,fitness and diet, you can also check out his latest website on toddler bed rails and wireless dog fence

Filed Under: Where To Go

Buying Real Estate and Moving to Costa Rica – Considerations

12/27/2009 By CostaRica1.com Leave a Comment

Strategy for Buying Real Estate in Costa Rica

When we’d settled on Costa Rica the destination we planned to retire to the first thing we did was set a strategy to find a piece of property that met our requirements in terms of size, location and budget. We were pretty savvy shoppers having bought and sold close to a dozen properties in the states so we thought we knew what we were doing. We first looked for foreclosed property in Costa Rica. We quickly realized there wasn’t much in the way of foreclosed homes in Costa Rica since most homes have no mortgage, with most being purchased in the past for cash. The mortgage market in Costa Rica is still in it’s infancy. Typically you can’t get a mortgage on land, only developer financing. In this type of financing, the developer holds the note. Mortgages for finished homes or construction mortgages typically require large down payments in Costa Rica. Banks in Costa Rica want a minimum of 20% of the value of the mortgage as collateral. Fortunately you can typically pledge land you own as collateral for a construction loan which is what many owners in our developments end up doing.

Finding a realtor

You do not need to be licensed to sell real estate in Costa Rica. As a result, nearly everyone will pretend to be a realtor if they think they can participate in a sale and make a commission. There is also no national MLS system in Costa Rica. Listing and commission agreements are not standardized. Realtors are not acting as a “buyers” agent or a “sellers” agent. Most are simply hoping to make a commission. Without a standard system of commissions and referral fees, realtors are reluctant to share their listings with other realtors. That means that most realtors will only show you their own listings in Costa Rica

Finding a Project

Many real estate developers in Costa Rica are very new to the industry. What they soon learn is that development in Costa Rica is highly regulated. Getting permits to subdivide, build roads, install water lines or electric is a challenge. Costa Rica boasts staunch conservation. In recent years the government has created new hurdles to slow the growth by foreign development companies with projects aimed at North Americans and Europeans. Verify the experience of any developer you are considering. See what they have accomplished, not what they say they plan on doing. Visit their projects. Ask about fees, CC&As, and deed restrictions. Some developers require you build in a certain amount of time. Others require that you use their construction services even though they may have little or no experience. Also find out the type of development and titling they are doing. Are they selling agricultural parcels with limited use and value? Are they selling “Parcel Minima” parcels with very limited infrastructure and few requirements for the developer to bring electric, water or roads to the lots. Is the project gated? Gated projects often allow a developer to provide little in the way of infrastructure and services inside the gate. There are no municipal standards applied once inside the gate. Find out what services will be provided and when, before purchasing. Buy what you see, not what they tell you is coming. Be wary of brochures full of artist’s renditions of what a development is going to look like. Paragon Properties is a prime example.

Determining Value – Appraisals

In the US, we are used to having an appraisal done on property as part of the purchase process. Appraisals are rare in Costa Rica since mortgages on properties are less frequent but are becoming more common. Most appraisals are ordered by the bank holding the mortgage. Don’t expect to have an appraisal done or even find an appraiser in Costa Rica. Be your own judge. Educate yourself. Kristina and I took a complete set of courses offered by the Appraisal Institute costing thousands of dollars to learn how to do appraisals. Kristina worked for an appraiser to gain additional experience. Appraisals have three parts; comps which are comparisons to similar property in the vicinity with similar characteristics, income approach which is looking at the income that a property would provide from rentals or lease agreements and cost of construction which looks at the cost of the raw land and any improvement on it based on current construction costs. All appraisals in the states consist of all three methods unless specifically stated to the contrary.

Property Values Past and Present

A few years back nearly every project in Costa Rica was selling like hot cakes. Prices were spiraling up with no end in sight. In the central valley in places like Escazu and Santa Ana, condo prices were approaching $1200 per square meter and some were topping $2000. Builders of quality single family homes were in short supply and the waiting list for construction was growing. Most major hotel chains and a slew of developers pounced on Costa Rica to build condos knowing that 78 million baby boomers were already looking at options. Guanacaste and especially the area around the Liberia International Airport in Costa Rica boomed with high rise and low rise development. Areas like Jaco, once considered a lowly surfing town, sprouted up high rise projects overnight. Nine condo projects were started in Jaco at the same time by builders like Sonesta and Daystar. The “crane” become a common sight, and I am not talking about the bird. Even as far south as Manuel Antonio, high rise projects were breaking ground.

The Shake Out

Then came the slow down as the world economy contracted. Some projects have been abandoned while others have slowed way down. Prices have fallen in these types of projects and also in large developments of single family homes that were built out of speculation. Many of these builders must continue to sell some inventory to stave off bankruptcy. Banks once flush with money were now pulling back load commitments.

Many buyers were stuck with a project that was partially completed. Some developers went bankrupt leaving the owners fully responsible to compete infrastructure. The market lost value in many areas, especially those in Guanacaste and the central Pacific area around Jaco. The southern Pacific area faired the best. The three story height restriction (from Dominical south to Panama) has kept developers of high rise projects away. The limited accessibility kept large projects out of the region and inventory of finished homes remained low. Prices have fallen a bit on raw land without ocean views but ocean view parcels have continued to creep up in price.

Southern Options

There is a two tiered pricing system in Costa Rica, that of Tico style homes and North American style homes in expat communities. Most North Americans don’t do well in Tico style homes or in a Tico neighborhood though some old hippies and such may do so. Housing aimed at Expats offers a variety of choices. High rise buildings with secure parking, upscale residential neighborhoods, large communities like Los Suenos golf residences (expensive) or small projects like the ones dotting the coast from Jaco to Quepos. Further south, these types of developments are harder to find.

Pacific Lots

Our Pacific Lots project is by far the largest and oldest in Costa Rica but we are a single family residential development. Since we only built custom homes, we never had unsold inventory to glut the market. Our developments spread out in the hills overlooking the ocean above the village of Ojochal below us. The neighboring town of Uvita, just to our north, has become a large commercial center in the past few years. Most in our town prefer to have this commercial development nearby and not right in town. We build North American style homes, have no time limit and you are welcome to hire any other builder if you don’t want to use us. See our website for details…

This article written by Stephen Linder, of Pacific Lots of Costa Rica, a premier community for North Americans who have relocated, retired or changed thier life style by moving here.

For more information about Pacific Lots of Costa Rica, our developments & luxury custom homes, our property tours and our community visit our website at http://www.PacificLots.com

Filed Under: Costa Rica Real Estate

Medical Care in Costa Rica

12/27/2009 By CostaRica1.com Leave a Comment

Medical Care in Costa Rica – World Accredited Facilities, Board Certified Doctors, 65% Cheaper Costs

Every year, more than 25,000 people, mostly Americans, hop a jet or cruise ship and travel south for medical care in Costa Rica. Why are more and more folks taking vacations to that country that also include medical tourism? Because they are finding that medical care in Costa Rica is now on par with the best hospitals in the States but at a fraction of the cost.

Only the world’s finest hospitals receive Joint Commission International Accreditation and three Costa Rica hospitals are so certified and accredited, providing assurance that they meet the highest international benchmarks for hospitals and patient care. Those hospitals are Cima, Clinical Biblica, and La Catolica Hospital, all in or very near to San Jose. The patient care and delivery of service is top drawer, often delivered by Board Certified physicians.

It is no secret that American health care is the costliest in the world—by a long shot. And, for the nearly 50 million Americans without health insurance, there is insult added to injury because hospitals charge uninsured patients much more for services than folks having good insurance. This is where medical care in this little Latin America country comes in for thousands of suffering American tourists. Why? Because they can save up to 65% in Costa Rica for the identical services they would receive in the United States.

Not convinced? Here is an example: for patients without health insurance, total knee replacement surgery in the U.S. can cost $35,000 or more. Clinica Biblica charges less than $12,000.

Internationally accredited medical hospitals and board certified doctors—many who have studied and trained in the United States and at world renowned universities-charge about $3,200 for breast augmentation. Lasik eye surgery that can run up to $5,000 in the States is less than $2,000.

For more and more women wanting plastic surgery, Costa Rica is the answer. Instead of paying $10,000 for a facelift, they hop a plane, pay $3,000 or less, recuperate in a tropical paradise on vacation, and go home with money in their pocket.

In addition to the three JCI accredited hospitals, there are three clinics accredited by the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Facilities. They are UNIBE (Universidad de Iberoamerica) which offers ambulatory and surgical care; Sonrisa Por Todo (Smiles for Everybody) providing dental care; and Pino Plastic Surgery Clinic.

Quality dental care is so affordable in this Central American country that more than a third of all its medical tourists now come for dental surgery or dental implants. Implants costing up to $3,000 in the United States are between $500-$750 in this tropical paradise. Periodontal surgery that is at least $2,500 in America is about $400.

With American medical and dental expenses heading into the stratosphere, tens of thousands of patients are being lost each year and Costa Rica is gladly providing the same quality of care and treatment. Unlike Mexico, it is safe to bring a family to this country. Unlike Thailand or India, you will be just a short flight away from home.

So, if you need medical or dental care but cannot afford American prices, my advice is simply this: take a rel=nofollow [http://www.costa-rica-vacations-blog.com]Costa Rica vacation!

About the writer: Vic Krumm lives in sunny Costa Rica. Visit his acclaimed website about Costa Rica Vacations and see why [http://www.costarica-discover-it.com/medical-tourism.html]Costa Rica Medical Tourism is world-famous.

Filed Under: Health Care

Rental Properties in Costa Rica

12/27/2009 By CostaRica1.com Leave a Comment

Costa Rica, the Rich Coast is known for its amazing beauty and rich green nature. This incredible state of the Latin America is chosen by the tourists for its lengthy areas of fresh beaches, sparkling water, blue and plain skies, bright green mountains, enjoyable atmosphere, evergreen forests which is residence for thousands of creatures and plants and a number of attractive stuff you can ever imagine. It is a perfect place for you to spend your vacations with your family or friends. The active atmosphere reflects the Caribbean culture and the breath-taking actions make this state comfortable and interesting to dwell. Not only the elders feel relaxed and lively, but even the kids enjoy their vacations in Costa Rica. Once any tourist sees this gorgeous state, gives a second thought of residing here. Whether you accommodate a hotel or rent a house, your stay is ought to be pleasant and fun-filled. Rental possessions in Costa Rica is commonly preferred by most of the tourists as it is affordable and you can enjoy all the richness and comforts without spending greatly. Due to the rise in the real estate sector, most of the giant investors are looking out for profitable investment opportunities in this bio-diverse tropical country.

If you are looking for rental possessions in Costa Rica, you should consider some points that help you obtain the most excellent property that will make your living relaxed and wonderful:

- Check the property that you will be accommodating on rental basis. You can do this by studying the most-modern pictures of the property. See the interior and the exterior images of the property carefully. These will present you a rough suggestion concerning the property that you will be hiring to reside peacefully in this lovely state of Latin America.

- Make a list of things you need in your rented apartment, like number of bedrooms, washrooms, home furnishings, spacious kitchen, lawns, patio furniture etc. This manner you will know if you and your family can derive pleasure from their living in this awesome state.

- The other major factor to be considered while renting a residential property in Costa Rica is to check if there is easy and quick accessibility to market. The chartered possession should be near the market so as to fulfill your day to day necessities, hotels and restaurants should be close-by to your chartered residence; laundry services, maids, transport facilities etc. should be easily obtainable from the place where you stay.

- You should ask the neighboring people about the locality where you will be spending your vacation. The area in which you will be living for your vacations in Costa Rica must be protected and secured. The neighborhood people will inform you about the safety in nearby area of your rental apartment.

Therefore, these few tips will definitely help you to find a wonderful rental property that will make your living truly comfortable and excellent one. The excitement and thrill of living in this interesting country is worth experiencing once a life time. You will enjoy your living in chartered assets in Costa Rica as these are quite affordable too.

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Filed Under: Rentals