Jaco Beach Hotel Accommodations: Villas Lapas

Location: North of Playa Jaco beach
Phone: 506-637-0232
Fax: 637-0227
Room Information: 55 units
Rates: $97 double. Rates lower in the off season, higher during peak weeks
Credit Cards: AE, MC, V
Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; small pool; 2 Jacuzzis; laundry service

Located on a lush piece of property along the Río Tarcolitos and bordering Carara National Park, Villa Lapas is a good choice if you're looking to combine a bit of Costa Rica eco-adventure and bird-watching with some beach time.

The rooms here are spacious, with two double beds, cool red-clay tile floors, air-conditioning, ceiling fans, and a shady veranda with wooden benches for taking in the scenery. The hotel's nicest feature is its massive, open-air restaurant and deck, which overlook the river and where buffet-style meals are served. Villa Lapas has 217 hectares (536 acres) of land with excellent trails, a series of suspended bridges crossing the river, and its own canopy tour. The newest addition here is a small re-creation of a typical Costa Rican rural village of times gone by.

This riverside attraction also features three massive gift shops, an atmospheric old-style Costa Rican bar, and a small chapel. You'll see the signs for Villa Lapas on the left, just after passing Carara National Park. This Costa Rica hotel is about 15 to 20 minutes from the beaches of Jaco, Hermosa, and Herradura.

Hotel facilities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; small pool; 2 Jacuzzis; laundry service

Visit Manuel Antonio National Park, only 1 hour South on the Central Pacific Coast. Here you can enjoy Costa Rica bird watching and Costa Rica's wildlife. Or spend a day in Quepos, next to Manuel Antonio, famous for its world class sportfishing. Have a wonderful vacation in Costa Rica.

Contact: sales@explorecostarica.com