We returned from a 8 day trip to Costa Rica last weekend. The trip was pleasant in most part, but for one big problem. We stayed for two nights in Manuel Antonio beach. One of our primary requirements was to stay very close to the beach.
We consulted the Frommer’s guide to Costa Rica. The book mentioned that most good hotels were not close to the beach, but were up in the hill at least 1.5 – 2 kms away from the beach. Since we did not rent a rental car, we thought it would be wise to stay near the beach. Unlike other areas in Costa Rica, cabs take a while to reach Manuel Antonio. They have to come from Quepos, which is a 15 minute drive. So staying near the village, national park entrance is advised.
It went on to recommend, Verde Mar, which was right on the beach and supposedly a good deal for the money. We booked a double room for nearly $100 a night. Now remember that this is Costa Rica and $100 is supposedly a good amount of money to shell out. The other hotels we stayed throughout the country were plenty good for the $100 per night level. [More on that later].
We got more than what we bargained for. The hotel room was bug infested. We saw as much wild life inside the room as we did outside. Cockroaches, spiders, mini crabs – you name it. I was totally stressed out trying to keep my 1 year old safe from the bugs.
It totally ruined my experience. Yes, it is closer to the beach, you can walk to the beach, but it comes with a huge price. Also this is the closest hotel to the village area where there are restaurants, bakery, shopping and internet. This is also the 1st hotel as you walk out of the national park and since this is on the beach, you can walk along the beach from the NP to here. That is an advantage. May be if you can choose a room in 2nd 3rd level, that might be bug free, no guarantees though. But the ground floor one we stayed had some.
When we told the front desk about the bugs – it was dismissed with a shrug – “It is the season now for insects, you know”.
If you are headed to Manuel Antonio, avoid Verde Mar. You would be better served by one of the better hotels up the hills.
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1. Pingback by Void Pointer » Blog Archive » How safe is Costa Rica to travel with your family?
11/Jul/2007 at 3:59 pm
[...] Hotel Verde Mar, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica – SUCKS [...]
2. Pingback by Void Pointer » Blog Archive » The beaches of Manuel Antonio
17/Jul/2007 at 9:29 pm
[...] And kids had fun
. Our experience with Manuel Antonio was a bit jarred because of the hotel we stayed. In spite of it, we had a blast [...]
3. Comment by Do not stay at the Best Western, Jaco,Costa Rica
4/Jun/2008 at 8:26 am
That place is a dump . It should not be allowed to continue business as a Best Western Property.It is absolutely, totally, substandard in quality in every area. I can go on and on listing all the discrepancies,but I dont have the time. please take my advice. Don’t go there.You will be very dissapointed.
4. Comment by Richard Yeh
1/Jan/2009 at 9:59 pm
This is the worst hotel we have stayed. My wife booked this hotel when she planned the trip. The hotel misrepresented itself with beautiful pictures of the beaches etc.
I was shocked when we got to our room. The windows are covered with steel bars as if this hotel is not safe from vandalism. To be worse, the room was horrible. The kitchen was small and full of dirty looking kitchenware. The room was so small and settings were so ugly, suddenly I thought I was paying $120 for a sh** place in a third world country. This is completely different from the nice pictures presented in their website. The swimming pool was so small and dirty. To be worse, when we stepped out this hotel’s back door, we saw campers (from the national park) and parking lots that were only 10 feet from hotel’s yard, and the beach was so crowded.
Then the worst came. We came back from the dinner and my fingers were hit by the fan (from the ceiling because it was so low and positioned right on top of the bedside) while I was changing my T-shirt without any warning signs. This time was so bad that two of my fingers were cut open. As my wife was scrambling to find something to stop my finger bleeding, the security guard showed up at our door, since the fan hit my finger so hard that it almost caused a short circuit for the whole hotel!
Although my wife had already paid for two nights, we felt so bad to stay in the hotel and we started to find another hotel in the area. Finally we found another hotel the next morning and we decided to move.
With little hope to get money back, we spoke to the manager of the hotel and see if we can get refund for the second night. Basically we said the hotel was in such a substandard condition that it was not safe to stay and we have to change hotel.
The manager was very rude and told us there was no way we can get our money back. She said she was very sorry about the injury but this is Costa Rica, so this is different from America and they won’t refund the money. Then I asked if we can talk to the owner of the hotel. She said that she can’t tell me who the owner was but all she can tell me is that the owner is a Canadian. I was shocked to see her nasty bitchy altitude – “oh we are in Costa Rica so there is nothing you can do”. I was so angry at that point. So the owner is a Canadian, if this hotel is in Canada or U.S. that she can be sued for allowing unsafe living environment and causing personal injury. Just because she operates a hotel in Costa Rica doesn’t mean that she can get away from safe building codes and operating unsafe environment.
So we left with nothing settled. I am still very angry about this incident. one thing I am certain, we will never stay at this terrible hotel again.
5. Pingback by Void Pointer » Blog Archive » A comment to the Hotel Verde Mar Post
1/Jan/2009 at 10:47 pm
[...] Yet posted a comment to the Hotel Verde Mar Post. It deserves a post on its own. This is the worst hotel we have stayed. My wife booked this hotel [...]