Hotels in Costa Rica for an October-November trip

From our trip to COSTA RICA in October-November ’05, we highly recommend the following:

• Hotel Espadilla (Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica; phone 506 777 2135 or, from the U.S., 888/538.8832 or visit www.espadilla.com), with 16 rooms, is a 3-minute walk from Playa Espadilla Beach and five minutes from Manuel Antonio National Park. Jungles surround the property. We viewed monkeys, birds and iguanas right outside our second-floor room and from the deck.

Including a hearty, made-to-order breakfast, the price for a double was $75 plus 16% tax (all hotel prices in Costa Rica are subject to 16% tax). Our room was large, with cable TV, air-conditioning, hair dryer and safe-deposit box. There was a pool.

During our visit, the private biological reserve and trails were still closed due to damage from the September hurricane, but at another time they would be inviting.

• Arco Iris Lodge (Santa Elena de Monteverde, Costa Rica; phone 506 645 5067 or visit www. arcoirislodge.com) is located halfway between the Santa Elena and Monteverde Cloud Forest reserves and 1½ blocks from the center of town.

The hillside landscape is filled with fruit trees and flowers, and the 12 cabins have wood wall paneling and ceilings. Including breakfast buffet, the price was $50-$75.

• Morpas restaurant, next to the police station, had great food, including vegetarian choices. Meals cost less than $20 for two.

• From town, you can take the SkyTrek and SkyWalk excursions (phone 506 645 5238 or visit www.skywalk.co.cr) to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. After breaking an ankle climbing over some rocks earlier in the trip, I was the first ever in the history of the park to see a part of the SkyWalk from a wheelchair. Our tour operator arranged it after checking with other hotels, hospitals and the Red Cross.

While we couldn’t do it all, I was grateful for not missing the suspension bridges (one was 990 feet long) and seeing above the canopy. The owner even supplied two guides, one to push the wheelchair and one to describe what we were seeing. And we could watch the brave souls on the cable zip lines zipping from tower to tower. Some lines are more than half a mile long.

SkyTrek and SkyWalk comprise the oldest and largest skytrek company in Costa Rica. They offer a secure system of trails and zip lines with mesh-covered metal platforms and steel rails that prevent falling and sliding. I felt very secure.

• Aventuras Tierra Verde (phone 506 249 2354 or visit www.adventure-

costarica.com) arranged the trip and handled the wheelchair arrangements for my SkyWalk outing. After my accident, they immediately called the rest of our hotels to arrange accommodations nearest to the reception area. I cannot say enough about “Sussy” at Aventuras Tierra Verde. For two years the company has been an excellent tour operator seeing to our every need.

• Our final stop was Pura Vida Hotel (Alajuela, Costa Rica; phone/fax +506 430 2630 or visit www.puravidahotel), less than four miles from the San José International Airport. I arranged for it myself after reading a recommendation in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Berni, the owner, suggested I take a book or two in Spanish to help with the literacy program in the village school. I thought Costa Rica had a 97% literacy rate, so after I asked questions it was explained that “literacy” means children have gone to school from the ages of five to 13 but aren’t necessarily in the habit of reading because they have no books. The government supplies teachers but not books. Parents must purchase them and they are very expensive.

I wanted to help and ended up shipping 346 pounds of Spanish books. We delivered them to the school when I was there. It was very rewarding!

Pura Vida itself is a small hotel overlooking the Tuetal Sur Valley. A former coffee plantation, it has rooms in the guest house plus individual casitas. On a clear day, one can see Poás Volcano a short distance away. All rooms or cottages are different, priced at $80-$104, which includes breakfast and free airport pickup. I find it’s easier to go to Google and put in the name of the hotel, finding many choices.

Costa Rica surely has something for everyone and we’ll again go back. I’ll answer any questions; e-mail me c/o ITN.

EVENYL ROEMMICH

Stockton, CA