By Joan Gonzalez
The 25-guest room boutique hotel in Manuel Antonio awarded its fifth star by the ICT, Costa Rica Tourist Board and honored with Trip Advisor’s 2009 Travelers choice Awards – Best for Romance and Best Luxury Hotel plus an award for, “Pure Decadence.”
How long has it been since you planned a vacation for clients and they came back ecstatic about the personal attention, friendliness of staff and perfect accommodations? If you can’t remember that happening recently, for their next trip suggest they stay at, “La Mansion Inn” near Quepos on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, with an incredible view of the ocean. Every aspect of this resort is unique with a new wing on the way and as Mr. Harry Bodaan, owner and developer of this beautiful, boutique Inn says, “Come as a guest and leave as a friend.” He also admitted that it has been a, “long and hard road.”
Coming very soon is a new East Wing, adding four more deluxe rooms, two honeymoon suites and an open air Sky Lounge with a 360-degree view. This friendly and luxurious resort is around a 4-hour drive (108 miles) from San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital but only 35 minutes by air on SANSA, a 12 passenger regional carrier whose pilots must qualify two times a year in simulators in the US It is an affiliate of TACA with DISTANCIA frequent flyer miles included. Flights are usually on a comfortable 12-passenger CESSNA Grand Caravan 208-B aircraft.
The airline’s office and departure gate is near the main entrance/exit at San Jose’s International airport, no more than a 10 or 15- minute walk. Tell your clients to turn left when they exit the terminal and follow the signs. It’s next to the fire department. Whether they can get by with using the international airport’s cart for their luggage is unknown but probably not untried; however, it’s a good idea to recommend traveling light with a roll-on bag or two. For larger groups a 45-passenger ATR is available.
A Unique Inn
La Mansion Inn is truly a unique, luxurious place to stay in Manuel Antonio with incredible views, looking out over Pacific Ocean coves and forest greenery. It sits majestically on a mountain top and access to rooms is via a curving staircase.
There are no elevators and for safety reasons, children must be 12 or older to stay there. A complimentary shuttle bus runs regularly to the beach and downtown, although many guests enjoy walking down the winding, scenic road then catching the shuttle back up.
The Bat Cave
An unusual, one of a kind feature of the Inn is the “bat cave.” It is an actual cave inside the hotel that is home, of course, to bats! The tiny entrance to the cave is off the Inn’s winding stairway and even if you’re very, very short, you’ll still have to duck to enter. Bats were first to claim the cave as their home and were never asked to leave, so the “bat cave” is now La Mansion’s dimly lit bar. Not to worry, bats are shy creatures that nap during the day and fly out to search for food as night descends.
Manuel Antonio
They are also small creatures and not known to be man-eaters. However, it was a little scary when the lights went out for a few minutes. And, as if the cave isn’t eerie enough, a “fog machine” creates a little more atmospheric fog. Most of these quite out-of-the-ordinary touches were dreamed up by owner and manager, Harry Bodaan, originally from Holland and formerly with the Press Club in Washington, D.C. An extremely active man, he is also very involved with the Ft. Lauderdale “Sister Cities” program and various charitable organizations in Costa Rica. Hotel employees are also encouraged to be involved in various organizations and are an enthusiastic, pleasant and friendly group.
Good Eating Meals at La Mansion are excellent, creative and bountiful. One tasty breakfast dish is a tortilla stuffed with eggs, sweet peppers and onions, topped with refried beans and cheese sauce with toast points and home-fried potatoes. The hearty breakfast is complimentary, cooked to order and served either inside the small dining room where even tables and chairs are hand carved or outside on the terrace where large sun umbrellas provide shade.
Diners never need never worry about eating alone because there’s always a curious iguana around, chirping birds hoping someone will accidentally drop a few crumbs and of course, someone always does. And there are a few frogs around. Lunch can either be inside on the terrace or around the pool that has its own little covered kitchen. The “Jacques Cousteau” restaurant is an interesting and charming place for dinner, featuring steaks, lobster, tuna, mahi mahi and other seafood cooked right in the dining room. The room has a large aquarium where tiny fish entertain guests.
There’s also a great sun deck, a Spa and facilities outside if you would like a free 20-minute massage in the sunshine. (There’s a small cost for longer massages). And, there’s a great work-out room, pool table and free wireless internet access. Most rooms have balconies and views are truly awesome.
It’s a real temptation to just sit on your balcony and observe nature, but then you would miss the beautiful, wide and seemingly endless beach and the temperature perfect Pacific Ocean cove all in or near the national park, rightly called, “The Jewel of the South Pacific.” And, after checking in at the Inn it’s a good idea to ask for an hour and a half bus orientation tour of the whole area.
Other Activities
Just down the mountain other great activities and experiences await, including sunset sails, rafting, diving, sports fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, horseback riding, ATV Tours, jungle tours and a truly enjoyable catamaran trip on board the Planet Dolphin.
There’s also time for swimming (life jackets provided) and a delicious lunch on board. At present there are no golf courses nearby, but it’s on the horizon. The nearest is an hour away.
This area of Costa Rica is also proving inviting for people from other countries, especially the United States and Europe for retirement or to start a business, like a friend of Mr. Bodaan, Mr. Gary L. Haynes of R.E.A.D. (Real Estate Acquisition & Development) who is now living and working totally in the area handling fully deeded residences and rental units.
Add to all of the above a pleasant, efficient and genuinely friendly hotel staff, rains usually come during the night and the ingredients are all there for a perfect vacation. And, a new east wing will soon be finished. Costa Rica and especially Quepos and the Manuel Antonio area, really is a Very Special Place.
Courtesy of Travel World News Online **
