Which hotel would you recommend - Si Como No,(Manual Antonio), Hilton Papagayo, Paradisus Playa Conchal?

Question

One Yahoo member had recommended Si Como No and it looks to be a really nice hotel, but in a different area than everyone else suggested. We are in our 50's and love the beach, nature, good food and happy hour.

Answer 1

I loved "Jay Dub's" answer a lot and I read several books on Costa Rica because we are preparing to go on a trip there too. Thanks for all your info. You should place a copy of what you have written on TripAdvisor.com ....

Answer 2

Hey Linda -

I was the one who suggested Si Como No.  As a matter of fact, I stayed at Paradisus Playa Conchal in 2002 which was my first trip to Costa Rica and I absolutely LOVED IT which is why I decided I wanted to be married in Costa Rica.

When we were married at Si Como No, my wife's parents attended and they are in their 50's.  They said it was the trip of their lives.

Being to both regions of the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, I'll try to explain the pros and cons of both.  The North (Papagayo & Playa Conchal) is mostly flat ranch land.  The beaches are beautiful, but I found that doing excursions outside of the resort required alot more traveling time and effort than in Manuel Antonio.  Plus in Playa Conchal, you were really restricted to the resort for Happy Hour and good food.  Having said that, Paradisus had an awesome set up.  5 great restaurants and bars scattered around the resort.  They were resort restaurants and bars though.  I like a more authentic food/drinking experience personally.  I will say that the beach in front of Playa Conchal was arguably the most beautiful beach I've EVER seen.

We actually looked at staying at Playa Conchal for our wedding . . . but it was ALOT more expensive.

The southern Pacific coast is VERY mountainous and uniquely scenic.  I compare it to Maui 50 years ago before it was developed.  Si Como No is built into the side of a mountain overlooking the Pacific . . . probably 500 feet or so above sea level . . . AMAZING VIEWS from EVERY ROOM !!!  And when you're in your room you'll feel like you are actually staying IN the Rain Forest.  Especially when the Howler monkees wake you up at 7 in the morning outside your room.  At Playa Conchal . . . you can only see the Ocean from the Lobby of the resort perched up high on a hill.  Si Como No is ALOT smaller than Paradisus, and the service is impeccable.  Plus in Manuel Antonio . . . theres probably 10 UNBELIEVEABLE bars and restaurants you can walk to outside the resort.  One bar we drank at is perched way up on the tip of a hill and I swear you could see South America from there !!!  

And you have to go to the aiplane bar in Manuel Antonio.  You'll see it on your way to the beach.  Real Quick, during the Reagan Administration, a retired US army general was contracted to supply the Contras in Nicauragua.  He was flying a seaplane off the coast and was shot down.  Well, he survived the crash and that was the event that unlocked the whole IRAN/Contra Arms scandal during the 80's.  Some business man salvalged the plane, and made a bar and restaurant INSIDE the fuselage of the plane !!!  It's AMAZING !!!  Plus you can still see the bullet holes on the plane !!!

The only bad part I can think of about Manuel Antonio . . . is if you fly to San Jose . . . it's a 4 hour bus ride to the resort.  But I loved the drive because you are actually traversing the isthmus of Central America.  We even stopped for half an hour to look at these HUGE alligators under a bridge !!!  The wildlife at Manuel Antonio blew away the wildlife north.  I really didn't see any wildlife at Paradisus except lizards.  We saw TONS of wildlife in Manuel Antonio right inside or resort !!!

Bottom line . . . Manuel Antonio all the way !!!  You'll thank me when you get there.

The downside of Si Como No . . . is that it is not on the beach . . . so you have to take a 5 minute bus ride to the beach . . . but the ride is SOOOO worth is.  Plus that put's you right at the entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park . . . where you can go for a hike and find a private beach for yourself.  AMAZING !!!