Welcome to: Costa Rica. Guest Information Book. Bougainvillea 9203 Reserva Conchal

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1 Welcome to: Costa Rica Guest Information Book Bougainvillea 9203 Reserva Conchal

2 Welcome! Thank you for making our condo part of your Costa Rican Holiday. We are pleased to share our little piece of paradise with you. We have prepared this with important information on the property, the resort and the area, as well as suggestions on dining, tours and other exciting things to make you stay wonderful. Please note that this is a work in progress, and you can help. If you discover something wonderful, or not, please let us know so that we may share it with others and make staying here better and better all the time. David and Bernie Weiss Important Information Condo Phone: In Costa Rica From USA Rental Office: In Costa Rica From USA rentals@reservaconchal.com concierge@reservaconchal.com Property Manager: In Costa Rica Mobile David and Bernie: Phone (973) david@playaconchalcondo.com Please Note: Costa Rica is continually developing and all the names and companies mentioned here are subject to change without notice.

3 About this Document You may have received this by or downloaded it from our web site. At the condo you will find a 3 ring binder with this document, as well as other helpful information. We try to keep this information as up to date as possible. Since we don t get to the condo as often as we would like and things can change quickly, we rely on you to help us make these pages as accurate and informative as possible. We would greatly appreciate your help. If you can, please print out this document (color if possible), and bring it with you to the condo. If it is dated later than the one that is in the binder, please replace it. If you find any information that is inaccurate, have reviews of restaurants, tours or other activities that you want to share, please send them to us by fax or . Getting Additional Help Tripadvisor.com is a wonderful resource for additional information on Playa Conchal, Costa Rica in general or anywhere your future travel plans take you. We are active there providing assistance and have been designated as the Local Expert for Playa Conchal. You can go directly to the Playa Conchal forum of tripadvisor.com. If you like something or don t, make sure to post reviews. Our vendor friends live or die by these reviews.

4 Planning Liberia or San Jose The condo is located about 45 minutes from the airport in Liberia (LIR) and to 5½ hours from San Jose (SJO). If you haven t booked your air yet, take a serious look at Liberia. There are more flights to there every year. If you are coming from San Jose, or another part of Costa Rica, We recommend you fly to Liberia or Tamarindo, or hire a professional driver. The road from San Jose is long and mountainous and there are lots of slow trucks. Car, Taxi or Driver If you arrive in at the Liberia Airport, you can choose to rent a car, pre-arrange private transfers, or hire a taxi on the spot. Liberia is served by many major car rental companies. You can book via the Internet, through your travel agent, or by phone at the same 800 numbers as in the US. All rental companies are off airport. You will be met when you clear Customs. If you rent a car, you are required to carry your passport with you. As an alternative, you can bring a photocopy of the first two pages of your passport(s) and have the arrivals immigration officer stamp the copy. For private taxi, The cost should be $75-80 each way for up to 6 passengers.. We recommend: Ecotrans US#: Tel.: +(506) Skype: ecotranscr info@ecotranscostarica.com Liberia Airport Taxis PH Guanacaste Viajes USA PHONE NUMBER: COSTA RICA: Planning Activities There is so much to see and do in Costa Rica. We hope you get to explore this fabulous country. Tours: Tours are on-site at the resort and have a wide variety of tours available year-round. You can book these trips when you get there or in advance. Call or stop by at their office at the shopping zone of the resort. Swiss Travel localeswp@swisstravelcr.com There are also many independent tour operators that you can contract directly. Several of them have set up shop on the beach at Playa Conchal. As you leave

5 the resort for the beach, they are right there. They provide a smaller, more intimate experience. Ask to see government issued tour operator credentials. We have used these guys ourselves. We have used Aaron and Erik. These are cash businesses and Dollars are gladly accepted. If you want to charge it, go with Swiss Travel through the resort. The concierge can also arrange tours with smaller providers that they have vetted. Other tour companies on the web: Some tour Ideas: Horseback Riding ATV Tours Canopy/Rainforest Tours Deep Sea Fishing Scuba Diving Crafts & Shopping Nature River Float Volcano White/smooth water Rafting The tour that we recommend most is the Combo Buena Vista Hot Springs / Canopy Tour and Water Slide. This all day tour combines includes a canopy tour or skywalk, an exciting water slide, typical Costa Rican lunch, horseback ride and visit to a natural hot springs, complete with sweat lodge and volcanic mud treatment. This was probably the most fun day we had ourselves in Costa Rica. If your only time in Costa Rica is at Playa Conchal, this is a great way to experience more than the resort. We also recommend a visit to Arenal Volcano, but check the weather prior to committing, as we have had trips there that were clouded out. It s a very long trip to do in a day though, and the best viewing is at night. This is a VERY long day tour from the resort, and you might want to consider staying overnight to get the best viewing. White water rafting is also an exciting tour. The photo on the front cover is David, Bernie and our oldest, Joel on the Florida section of the Rio Reventazón. There are also plenty of smooth water trips. Nature lovers should not miss the nesting leatherback turtles (baulas). Nights October through February in nearby Playa Grande. This is a protected marine park and admittance is only with an authorized guide or ranger. Birdwatching and other wildlife is outstanding at Palo Verde National Park. Tours are available. In addition to birds you may see several types of monkeys and crocodiles from the safety of the boat.

6 If you are into scuba, check out Yup that s me. Many are from Costa Rica. I dive with Aquacenter and Pacific Coast Divers both out of Flamingo You can also arrange diving from a shack near the pool at the resort. I never tried them. Billfishing is very big in this part of Costa Rica. Many sportfishing charters are available in Flamingo and Tamarindo. My buddy moved his boat to the Four Seasons, so I don t have a recommendation. Surfing is very big in Tamarindo. You can take lessons and rent boards. Point Break: Safari Surf School: info@safarisurfschool.com and Pura Mar Surf School David s Insider Tip: You may want to make tour reservations in advance of your arrival in Costa Rica. I generally suggest against this, except for the busiest weeks of the year (Christmas, New Years, and Easter). You never know what the weather will be like on any given day, who in your group isn t up for it, or what other opportunities will present themselves. About half of the Costa Rican economy is dedicated to exchanging your dollars for a wonderful experience. There will almost always be someone willing to take yours.

7 Arrival At Liberia: Driving Directions After you land in Liberia, make a right (or left from some of the car rental providers) away from the city, toward Filadelfia. Follow Route 21 past Filadelfia toward Belen. At Belen, make a right onto Route 155 toward Huacas. In Huacas, make a right toward Brasalito / Playa Conchal. The resort will be on your left. The trip should be about min. Drive carefully. Seatbelt and speed laws are strictly enforced. The road conditions are pretty good for Costa Rica. David s Insider Tip: Even if you do not have a data plan, you can still use your phone or tablet GPS to navigate. You can download google maps ahead of time or whenever you are on WiFi and then keep your roaming data off.

8 From San Jose, and other points: Please consult your hotel, tour operator or car rental company for the best directions. Local road conditions can change. Check In When you arrive, go to the rentals office. The guard at the gate will direct you. They will welcome you and guide you through the check-in procedure and help you establish an account with the resort so that you can charge for meals (all inclusive or a la carte), golf, shopping, etc. The office is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is an electronic hotel-style keycard door lock. You will get that at the rental office when you check in. There are also wristbands to identify you as authorized renters and allow access and towel service at the beach club. To find the condo on your own: Once you get through the main security gate, make the first right to the condos. At the traffic circle make a left. Our building is the last one ILAN ILAN The condo is marked 9203 on the door. It is the right hand unit, just a few steps down from the street.

9 Rental Team Phone: from the USA They or someone on their staff will guide you throught the check-in and out procedures, and be available for any questions you have. The rental office is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Olber Suarez concierge@reservaconchal.com is the Chief Concierge. You can contact him (506) He can handle any special requests you might have; transportation, tours, pre-stocking the condo with groceries, helping with dinner reservations, etc. Omar Sancho is the on-site property manager. He has an office at the condos, in the center of the complex. From the traffic circle at the entrance to the condos; walk down the stairs to the pool/office. Andres will handle anything that comes up with the condo, stuffed toilets, questions about the appliances, maid service, etc.

10 The Condo Phone: The phone in the condo will make free local calls. It is not connected to the resort system so dial the full 7 digit number for the hotel. Some US cell phone services (GSM) work at the resort. Service is better in the resort proper than at the condos. The phone number at the condo is To call it from the US, dial There is an answering machine. The outgoing message is pretty generic, so please don t change it. Long distance calls are blocked, but there are instructions for how to make international calls with your credit card. Electricity: The electrical service is the same as the US 120VAC, 60Hz With standard outlets. No adaptors are required. Power outages are rare, but do occur sometimes in Costa Rica. The circuit breaker panel is located in the laundry room. Entertainment: There are three TVs. One in the living room, and one in the Master and Twin Bedrooms. All are hooked up to cable, with a mix of English and Spanish programming. There is also a stereo with CD changer, and a DVD player in the living room. There are some DVDs for you to enjoy. Internet: The condo has WiFi. If it is secured, the security code is printed on the router, which is inside or on top of the entertainment unit. There is also WiFi at the Beach Club, ask any of the staff for the security code. We use Skype for low cost calls to anywhere in the world, or free PC-to-PC video calls to other Skype users. Trash: Please place your trash in the bin located across the street. There is separation for recyclables. Maid Service: Daily maid service is included. What to bring: The condo is furnished completely for your kitchen and dining needs. All linens are included. As this is not a hotel, you should bring your own soaps, shampoo, conditioner, etc. There is a hairdryer and iron/board. We leave a nice starter amount of the basic consumables for the condo; dishwashing liquid, paper towels, napkins, laundry soap, toilet paper, etc. Please replace anything you use, so the next guest will have some too. Anything else left over at the end of your rental is cleaned out by the maids as a tip. Sometimes the cleaning products too, so be prepared to purchase some. The resort market has some items and more are available in Brasalito and Flamingo.

11 The Resort Beach Club: As our guests, you have access to the Reserva Conchal Beach Club. The club has several pools, plus excellent restaurant facilities, gym and complete spa. Feel free to make full use of it. You can set up an account when you check in and charge all your expenses. All Inclusive: The Westin Playa Conchal Resort offers an all-inclusive package that provides all you food and beverages. You can opt in or out of this plan on a day by day basis. During peak weeks, when the hotel is at maximum capacity, the plan may not be offered. The cost is $99 per day per adult for Breakfast and Lunch, or $135 to include Dinner and Clubbing. Children are less. Resort Access: Whether or not you get the all-inclusive, you still have access to the grounds of the Westin resort. You will need a wristband that you obtain from the resort front desk. Not all renters have this option. The Rental Office can help you get this set up. Transportation: Shuttles roam the resort to take you from one place to another. They come to the condos every half hour or sooner. You can call the rental office ( ) to arrange a pickup, or ask the staff at the beach club. Golf: Reserva Conchal is a great resort course. Try to get out early to beat the heat in the dry season, and the afternoon rains in the green season. They have great rental clubs and everything you need in the pro shop. Be warned, howler monkeys can make a lot of noise, just when you are about to swing. As of this writing, the Pro Shop was being moved from the Hotel Lobby area to the Beach Club area. This will make it a lot easier to grab lunch right after your round. Medical: There is a small medical facility next to the Mitra dining hall. Open 24 hours. Full time residents at the condos say good things about the doctor there. Other medical contacts are listed below. Shopping: There is a central shopping area with a convenience store, crafts, jewelry, gifts, internet café, etc. The office for TAM tours is there too. ATM: The hotel lobby has an ATM that dispenses both US Dollars and Costa Rican Colones. Use of local currency at shops and restaurants will help you avoid getting a poor exchange.

12 Guanacaste Our little piece of Paradise. See the area map for relative locations of the places recommended in this guide Liberia This is the biggest town in the area and the provincial capital of Guanacaste. Make a left from the airport to head into town. We sometimes shop at Super Compro in the shopping center on the road from the airport just as you get to route #1. There are other, smaller Super Compros in The towns of Belin and Huacas along your route. The biggest Americanist supermarket is on the road to Tamarindo. You might want to get your biggest purchases there. A good place to have lunch near the airport is la Choza de Laurel, just after the rental car lots on the way to Liberia. The Panderia Alemannia (German Bakery) on the way toward the condo, but near the airport is another great place to stop for a bite and pick up some wonderful baked goods. There are also several upscale souvenir shops as you leave or return to the airport. If you fly in late and need a place to stay, try the Best Western El Sitio or Hilton Garden Inn Belen You will be passing through on the way. There is a Super Compro there, just before the turn to Playa Conchal.

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14 Brasilito This is the closest town to the resort. You can walk there along the beach (turn right). From the resort entrance, make a left (North). There is an ATM just outside the resort. It dispenses both US dollars and Costa Rican Colones. (when its working) Dining: Tiki s: At the end of town, at the corner as you turn right toward Flamingo. Expat owned with more touristic flavor Papaya: Located in the Conchal Hotel, is our must visit on every trip. Upscale and wonderfully crafted local fare Camaron Dorado: Just across the street from Tiki s They don t call it the Golden Shrimp for nothing. The Spot: In the Hotel Brasilito. French expat owned. Great for breakfast or anytime you want something different. El Forno: Good pizza & pasta. Closest to resort. Closed Mondays. Left out of resort, 1/8 mile on right also good for takeout. Shopping: A nice local market, Super Lopez, is located on the right side of the road, next to the El Forno Restaurant. Small but well stocked and takes Visa. Also beer, wine and liquor. There is also a pharmacy and some other stores in the same shopping area. Huacas This is the last town you reach before you get to the resort and the way back to reach Tamarindo and Playa Grande. Dining: Soda El Guanacaste: Our local soda recommendation. Good Clean Cheap. Punta Tranquillo: Another local place, but a little more for dinner than a soda. Shopping: Super Compro: Small local Supermarket. There are also several clothing and gift shops. Here. Plus my dentist.

15 Flamingo Perched on a peninsula with a commanding view, Flamingo is full of hotels with nice restaurants and night clubs. Continue North through Brasilito. About 15 min. drive. Dining: Vista Mar: A new development high up with a spectacular view. The bar has a swim up infinity pool and the sunset from here is spectacular. Marie s: Rotiserie chicken, fresh fish and the best pancakes. Make a left just after the 1 lane bridge, as you are about to go up the big hill into Flamingo. Angelinas: Upscale dining. In the same plaza, up the stairs from Marie s. One of our must visit spots. Soda Pleamar: Just as the road bends left toward Flamingo. Our favorite soda. Right on the beach, under palapas with the best ceviche around. Shopping: Super Masai. A little bigger and more modern than Super Lopez in Brazilito. This is the place we go to re-supply when a trip to Tamarindo is too much. Tamarindo about 25 minutes from the resort, this is a funky surfer/tourist town with a unique flavor. Lots of interesting restaurants and shops to explore. Drive back to Huacas, then make a right. Dining: Dragonfly A great place and our must visit on every trip. Expat US owners blend local and international cuisine. Asian/Fusion-y. They also have a new place FireFly, but we haven t sampled it yet. Reservations recommended, especially in the high season. Lazy Wave The chef at this wonderful restaurant specializes in Pacific Rim, Thai, Japanese and Indian cooking. The menu change daily, fresh fish every day plus nice chicken and beef dishes. Stella - Don t pass this one up! Mark and Wendy, the owners, pride themselves on having the best Crème Brule in town. (I think it might be the only!) Fresh fish, pasta, beef and chicken are also included on the menu as well as great pizza. Dinner only. Pasatiempo Hotel and Restaurant Some of the best beef in Tamarindo! Also try the Coconut Nuggets, fresh fish, rolled in coconut and deep-fried. A wide variety of items on the menu. Sports bar with giant screen. Lunch and dinner. Live music and open mic every Tuesday night.

16 Pachanga s One of the best restaurants in Tamarindo. Across from Pasatiempo, this is a great place to get a gourmet entrée and one of the best deserts in town. Our favorite is the chocolate soufflé topped with ice cream! Nougis/Sunrise Grill Located on the circle and directly in front of the ocean. Nougis is the place for a great meal and PIE! Banana Cream, Coconut Cream, Chocolate and Lemon. Also try their quiche, great sandwiches and salads. The place for breakfast! Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Coconuts Located across the street from Witches Rock Surf Camp. Katherine, the owner and your hostess, is there every night to greet you. She s stocks a full bar and serves up some of the finest fish and meat in town. Leave a little room for her new all chocolate dessert topped with chocolate ice cream! Lunch and dinner six days a week! El Cocodrilo.- This new continental restaurant is located almost across the street from the Best Western-Tamarindo Vista Villas Hotel at the end of town. You won t find food like this anywhere else in town, nice set up, beautiful bar and gourmet food. If you want something different you have to go. Close on Sundays. Shopping: There are plenty of shops, some with nice local art in Tamarindo. Explore the main street. See the map for locations. AutoMercado (AM): This is the biggest and most modern supermarket in the area, and the one we visit once at the start of our trip to stock up for the week. Its before you get to Tamarindo proper. Farmacia Pharmacy Across from the Hotel el Milagro. Iguana Surf If you need to rent surfboards or boogie boards, this is the place to go. They also do surf lessons, snorkel, estuary, and kayak tours. The small restaurant inside is where you find Gils place and Gecko s two of the classics in town, and the gift shop has some truly unique items. Tamarindo Adventours In this two story surfshop you can find a large selection on surfboard, clothes, also rent a motorcycle or a bicycle. The only shop in town that offers ATV tours.

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18 Other Information Reaching us: If you have any questions, or problems, we want to know about it. Here is our contact information: Phone: Emergencies: Resort Doctor There is a medical office adjacent to the beach club and is affiliated with the private Hospital Metropolitano in San Jose. They can treat locally typical issues and have access to air and ground transportation to San Jose if necessary. Pacific Emergencies - Dr. Jorge Carlos Calvo Lon Ambulance service at Huacas , cell , beep Dental DDS Alan Alvarado Calvo COSTA DENTAL, CR Huacas (506) I have used him and will continue to do so

19 Northern Guanacaste Area Map

20 Departure When you leave: Maid service upon your departure is included in your rental. Here is what you need to do prior to your departure: Set up the dishwasher or wash all the plates, cups, pots, ect. Put all trash in plastic garbage bags. Turn off all lights, set thermostat to 85 degrees F Close and lock all windows and doors Return the keys and check out at the Rental Office Have a safe journey home. Come back soon. Final Note We really appreciate feedback from our guests. We are always trying to make the experience better. If you have any suggestions or comments, please share them with us. We are especially interested if you found any new restaurant, tour, or any other service we should recommend to our future guests. You can either us directly, or post them on our guestbook, accessible from our VRBO or Homeaway page. David and Bernie Weiss +1 (973) david@playaconchalcondo.com