Si Como No Resort, Spa and Wildlife Refuge

Three hours from the San Jose airport in Costa Rica lies a beautiful romantic resort near Manuel Antonio Beach called Hotel Si Como No Resort and Wildlife Refuge. The words translate to “Yes, why not” and this is the attitude you will find here from the wonderful staff.

Upon entering the beautiful wood lobby, you’ll be greeted with a drink and a warm welcome from your hosts. Check in was quick and easy. Let the room stewards bring your bags to your room – the rooms are situated in the mountains with many steps to maneuver and they are pros at getting your luggage to your room for you.

After you check in, you’ll be met with a magnificent view of the natural forest beneath the resort and the Pacific Ocean. The ground are unbelievably beautiful, with many of the trees and exotic flowers labeled so you’ll know what you are looking at.

Continue on to your room either at the top of the hotel, or one of the luxurious cottages nestled within the mountain, all with spectacular views. We enjoyed cottage 53, a honeymoon suite. Inside was a kitchenette with a sink, mini-bar and the usual assortment of snacks and liquor for purchase. There was also a sofa bed facing one of the three sliding glass doors that give you wonderful views on three sides of your bedroom. On the side was a very comfortable king sized bed. There was a balcony we spent hours on lounge chairs listening to howler monkeys and a huge variety of birds throughout the day and night. There were also a few bats flying at dusk!

The bathroom was beautiful, with a whirlpool tub, separate shower and beautiful wood vanity. There is a hair dryer in the bathroom.

The rooms are air conditioned and there are no t.v.’s! Many of us groaned when we heard that, but the fact of the matter is that no one missed them. Instead of watching t.v.’s, we sat outside and watched birds.

There are two pools on property and a naturally heated whirlpool. Both pools had pool bars and one was strictly for adults. The family pool had a small water slide. A small spa with a wonderful menu of massages and other beauty treatments is on site.

There are two restaurants – Rico Tico and Claro Que Si , a seafood restaurant that also had some awesome steaks. A continental breakfast is included and the price of meals was reasonable. Drinks were a little expensive though – but you can easily take the hotel shuttle to a supermarket in Manuel Antonio and buy the liquor and drinks you’ll need.

There are several restaurants within walking distance if you feel like going off property. One we enjoyed was El Avion. The restaurant is built around an old plane. There is a daily Happy Hour and the meals are reasonably priced. Our meal consisting of two entrees, a drink and a beer cost all of $29 including the tip.

There is no beach access at the resort, but that is not a problem. A shuttle runs almost every hour to and from the beach at Manuel Antonio. You can also do a great nature walk through Manuel Antonio Park – well worth it for the surprise fun with monkeys and raccoons at the end.

Across the street from the resort is Si Como No’s private butterfly and bird farm. You can walk through or have a guide take you in to see many wonderful birds and butterflies, including Toucans and more.

This resort is a member of Greentique Hotels. Costa Rican hotels are heavily into recycling and this particular hotel recycles 82% of it’s garbage and plastic. The hotel and two others owned by Jim Damalas, an ex-pat Californian are CST certified – Certified Sustainable Tourism. These hotels are inspected by the government to ensure they are adhering to strict recycling and reusing standards. Costa Rica is way ahead of the rest of the world in eco- tourism and in their attempt to save the natural beauty of the country.

If you’d like to hear more about this resort, give us a call at 516-608-0568