Heliconia Island Tours and Activities

I plan on returning. The hotel is nestled in the heart of San Jose, it's a huge property. I chose it for the decor/culture of Costa Rica. I swam in a pristine Olympic sized pool, I saw several iguanas, and I don't know how many bird species and in the ceiling of my room, what I thought was a mouse, was actually a bird nest with new hatchlings, which was a bit disturbing when I was sleeping. I was offered another room, it wasn't as nice, so I declined. Understanding Costa Rica embraces nature and tries not to disturb the natural habitats so they didn't remove the bird family. I adapted, it wasn't too bad. I will say bring/use insect repellent. There are few screens on any windows (in Costa Rica), which is the norm. Each day there were many insects dead in my room, I used spray to avoid bites. They conserve energy so the main building is open, no a/c just fresh air and fans. The building is open, anything may fly or crawl through the lobby or your room if you have your patio door open. The staff was beautiful, professional and so kind. The deep tissue massage was deep. The food was delicious and not expensive. Not sure if free refills were free, one said no, the others gave them to me. Caesar salad, calamari and a entree with ginger ale was $33.67. If you want to be as close to being a local, I suggest the location. Feels like the ambulance just made me want to sit and enjoy each moment. Bring washclothes they only give towels and hand towels. Older charming resort.

Good place close to airport

The spa was incredible and the views are magic. The waterfalls on the property are stunning and I loved hiking the trails for 2 hours through the dense, lush jungle on a very well maintained trail. The staff were so caring, attentive and kind, everyone helped me arrange transportation, meals and activities as a solo traveller.