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What day of the week do reservations start? Any day you want, no rules about that because it's ridiculous to make people start their vacations on a specific day of the week. A one week reservation means staying 7 nights, ie. arrive on Saturday, leave the next Saturday. What is the minimum stay? Advance reservations for Christmas & winter have a 1 week/7 night minimum unless reservation is made after December 1 for Christmas reservations or within 30 days of the check-in date for winter reservations. If shorter gaps are created in between two other reservations you can reserve them at any time (in other words, two week-long reservations with say, 4 nights in between, can be booked during Summer or Christmas even if it's far in advance). How do I make a reservation? The whole reservation process consists only of opening an attachment to an email (Word or .pdf), printing it out, signing it, then faxing or mailing it back to me. A 25% reservation deposit holds the reservation and can be paid either by check or visa/mc. Balance is due 30 days prior to arrival (60 days prior for Christmas reservations). For last minute reservations this process is freeform. What Payment Methods are available to me? I accept Visa, Mastercard, and any type of check. No corporate or non-US credit cards unless you want to pay the 2% surcharge. What are the benefits of renting a house vs. a hotel room or B&B? A house provides a livable space with all the amenities needed for cooking and entertaining family and friends, yet provides more privacy. You have to make your own breakfast, but the kitchens are stocked with non-perishable goods as well as all the pots/pans/appliances you'll need. You also get to escape the hotel environment and location, while being able to walk or bike to town. What airport do I fly into for Costa Rica? San Jose International, SJO, located 4-5 hours by car from the Caribbean Coast. From there you can rent a car ($300-500/week), take the public bus ($2.50/person each way, plus taxi fare to the bus station), or arrange for a van transfer from Leo who runs the Costa Verde B&B in San Jose, which is where we recommend staying in the capital due to it's prime, quiet location and the many services that Leo provides. You may expand your shuttle by adding a some stops at the rainforest, waterfalls, etc.
Transportation? We offer a 5% discount
off of Adobe
RentACar rates, which are usually the same or lower than their competition
anyway, and they have the best service bar none. They'll bring your car to
the front of the terminal so you can skip waiting in line at the airport car
rental desks, or meet you at your hotel or B&B. They accept credit
cards and they
don't charge your card until you pick up the car. At that point they make
an imprint of the card and reserve $1000 extra on the card which just means that
for the rental time it counts against your limit but doesn't get charged.
Insurance and unlimited mileage are included - cars must stay inside Costa Rica.
When should I visit Costa Rica for Fishing, Snorkeling, Relaxing? Weather patterns are much less predictable in recent years. Usually mid December to mid January starts the better weather, which runs thru May. The best windows are Feb-mid May, and especially Sept and Oct when it is also usually warm and dry and essentially deserted. Other times of the year are more commonly rainy all day, and wind makes for poor visibility while snorkeling. Please note: In the refuge (,i.e. from 10KM north of Manzanillo to the Panama border), there is no spearfishing. How do I find the house? I will email you directions to your house. There is a map link for each house on the Costa Rica Connection page, so you can print that map and bring it with you. Once you arrive in Manzanillo, you stop in at Maxi's Bar and have a beer while our caretaker comes to meet you. To get to the house, you must first cross a small creek which is shin deep at most unless it's been raining, in which case you may have to use a small boat but that is rare. How do I check-in, and at what time? 4 pm is our check in time, but if nobody is checking out on your arrival day then you are welcome to arrive earlier. You will be emailing and/or calling Dolfi, our caretaker, to coordinate. How do I check-out? Just collect your belongins, pick up the house and lock the door. We'll come in a take care of all the cleaning and laundry and as long as there is no excessive cleaning or damage, your damage deposit will be released. Usually a damage deposit is not charged unless necessary and most people elect to provide a credit card number which I reserve the right to charge but hardly ever do. Check-out is officially at 11 AM. What is the Pet policy? Traveling with pets in Costa Rica just is not a good idea, and their presence inside the wildlife refuge just detracts from how much wildlife you will actually see. What should I
carry for currency? I
travel with US $20s and usually get the bank rate no matter where I use them.
The best way is to get cash from the ATMs. There is an ATM in Puerto Viejo, 13km away, but not in Manzanillo.
I use a Cirrus card from my local bank and from the ScotiaBank machines you can
choose to receive funds in US dollars or local currency! The transaction
fees were minimal, and for the security of not carrying cash it is worth a lot.
Check with your bank for fees specific to your card. I am NOT talking
about sticking your visa card into an ATM, which is really a cash advance and
expensive to you. Passports? The Costa Rican government changes the passport rules at times, so it is best to check with your airline for current requirements (especially for small children). Currently the law says you should carry your passport with you at all times.
Phone cards:
One way is to buy a phone card at the
ATEC office (Talamanca tourism office), main street mid-way through Puerto Viejo
-- no markup on them. 3000 c (450c per USD in Jan 05) card gives you about 21
minutes to the US. In Manzanillo you can get one at the grocery store near
Maxi's but there is a 500 c markup on the 3000 c card. Gas Stations: The last official gas station is about an hour before Manzanillo. Look for a large Y intersection leading west (to the right) and a police checkpoint that you must pass thru to get to it (may need passports or have to wait at the checkpoint while the car goes to get gas). Beyond this point gas will be sold from gas cans at inflated prices. What should I do about Malaria or health risks? Consult your doctor or local health department. The Center for Disease Control web site is http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/mamerica_carib/costa_rica.html#4 How did the Costa Rica properties evolve from Montana? The owner of the two houses in Costa Rica lives in Bozeman and is a long-time friend of mine. Since he is in Costa Rica much of the year I take care of the business end of things which needs to be done from the States. I am not a travel agent or travel guide resource for Costa Rica. I will gladly tell you everything you need to know once you have done the research to decide that you are seriously interested in going to Manzanillo on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. My Costa Rica page has links to good travel resource web pages and lists great guide books, so that's the place to start. A few hours spent with your nose buried in a travel guide book will answer your basic questions about the country and tell you if it's the right place for you. Then read my entire Costa Rica page before calling me for booking information. Want to add a suggestion to the FAQ list? Email here. BACK TO THE COSTA RICA PAGE
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