Feedback letters we received about Hotel Arenal Paraiso Costa Rica

Subject: Trip feedback
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2000 20:50:51 -0400
From: Robert Conyne <conynerk@.......>
To: pension@monteverdeinfo.com

Hi Jacques!

Sorry we haven't responded sooner. We have been at our cottage on St.
Joseph Island in Northern Ontario, near Sault Ste. Marie. Canadian, eh!

We had a great time in CR! All of your suggestions and arrangements in
advance for us that you made worked out exceptionally well. We are
grateful. It was a pleasure finally meeting you and your assistance in
getting our vehicle jump-started was a life saver!! Your place worked out
really well for us at Santa Elena...

After we left you, we drove to Fortuna and stayed at the Paraiso. Great
views of the Arenal volcano and it was a gorgeous place, too. We had a
night hike up to the lava field, saw spewing hot rocks, and then went
for a soaking at the hot springs. Wonderful.

White water rafting the next day was thrilling, especially when Lynn
took the biggest rapids on her derriere, ejected from the raft and
bouncing turgidly down the river. No harm done, though, just more
adventure!

Our kids loved every moment of the whole trip. Zip-line Sky Trek canopy tour at
Monteverde was a natural high. All of it was great and, as we
mentioned, your suggestions for how best to spend the little time we had
for our family in CR were fantastic.

Thank you! We would very much like to return sometime and look you up
once again.

Regards,

Bob Conyne and family
Cincinnati, Ohio USA

Subject: Hi from Montreal
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2000 10:23:31 -0400
From: "Grant Millar" <gmillar@.....>
To: <info@monteverdeinfo.com>

Hi,
The kids will be very disappointed to hear they missed an evacuation. They
were hoping one would happen while we were there.

As a Arenal hotel, Paraiso was good. The cabins were nice and clean (as you may
recall we had two, a deluxe and a regular). They had a pool area with three
pools (under construction but usable) and a Jacuzzi. The staff were
friendly and helpful. As a hotel with a view of the volcano, it is a good
choice if it is within your budget. I found for us, because we did not have
a car and did not know the area, the fact it was not more centrally located
in La Fortuna was a drawback, but it was a short & cheap taxi ride. The kids did not mind, as they spent a lot of time playing on the hotel grounds.

In Manuel Antonio (Quepos), Cabinas Espadilla was excellent. I don't know if you've been there before. They are detached cabins arranged around a central 'park' area with a pool and sitting area. The cabin we were in had hot water, a fair sized kitchen equipped with a range, toaster, coffee maker, and other kitchen equipment. There were three bedrooms and a large bathroom with a shower. There was
also a small back outdoor area with a sink and clothesline. The hotel was well situated with a grocery store only a few meters walk down the street (on the main street), and riding stables behind the hotel. From the main street, it was a few hundred meters to the beach. And of course, anywhere on the main street is near the center of town!

I will mail the pictures out early next week.

Salut,
Grant

Subject:  Helpful assistance
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2000 10:18:43 -0500
From: "Lockhart" <lockhart@........com>
To: <mundonet@sol.racsa.co.cr>

Just a short note to thank you for your extremely useful advice during our recent 2 week trip to Costa Rica and Santa Elena in particular.

As you recommended we took the 8:00 a.m. 4x4 Jeep tour to Lake Arenal and boated across where we were picked up on the other side and dropped off at Hotel Arenal Paraiso (Paradise). Although the other guests had not seen the Arenal Volcano for the past 10 days, as if by magic, the clouds lifted and we had a full view of the Volcano 20 minutes after we arrived. After an excellent (and inexpensive) meal at the hotel we were seated in the Tabacon Hot Springs sipping Pina Coladas by 1:00 p.m. The next day we met people who had driven from Santa Elena to Fortuna and they had taken a full day of difficult driving to get to the same spot. The counsel you gave us provided an additional afternoon and evening to relax and enjoy! But the best was yet to come!

We left Tabacon Hot Springs at 6:30, a short and inexpensive taxi ride back to Hotel Arenal Paraiso. From the taxi we could see the eruptions and lava flows running down the sides of the volcano. As you recommended, even though it cost a little more, Hotel Arenal Paraiso was on the perfect viewing side of the Volcano. Certainly that was one of the best decisions we made during our trip (and the actual difference in cost was quite minimal) because we spent the evening watching the spectacle from our "cabina" balcony....and later that night from our bed with the curtains pulled wide open as we slowly drifted off to sleep. In the morning the Volcano was again enveloped by clouds. By the way, everything about Hotel Arenal Paraiso was great, the food, the cleanliness, the pool, and the friendly and competent staff who went out of their way to be helpful.

We had told you that it was important for us to see the volcano and you said it was important that we put the chances, as much as possible, in our favor. We did and it certainly paid off in a big way. One of the travel highlights of our lives....and we have visited many countries over the years.

Thank you again!

Merci beaucoup Jacques. Je suis dans les galettes de Noël, peu de temps pour écrire, mais tes conseils furent grandement appréciés. Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année! - Cécile

Cécile Desrochers
Dale Lockhart

Quebec City, Canada 

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