Mau Mar Pool

Mau Mar Boutique Budget Hotel

Posada Jaco Hotel has just acquired Mau Mar. When we first acquired our first boutique hotel, Posada Jaco, early this year (Feb 2012) we recognized pretty quickly that we might want to expand. With 6 spacious suites moderately priced, there were plenty of visitors and inquiries asking if we had anything “cheaper.”  We began thinking how best to expand the hotel to accommodate a wider range of guests looking for a budget hotel.

The idea to expand with dorm style rooms on the property was, we thought, a very do-able thing. There was a new hotel project being built on the corner, next door to Posada Jaco; it had been started but little work had been done since our arrival.  Over time, we learned that what had initially been approved, became an ugly, expensive court battle and the project was closed down.

Getting even the simplest of things done in Costa Rica can often test the most patient person.  Undertaking a construction project would likely incur all sorts of challenges, especially close to the beach and bordering a river. The laws pertaining to development and construction have become more stringent throughout Costa Rica in recent years. And in spite of the fact that Rob has a whole lot of construction background under his belt in various countries, we decided to forgo the idea of expanding.

Mau Mar Hotel: Rooms for Budget Travelers +

We talk with everyone here in Jaco – it’s the best way to learn what’s going on within the community. A business acquaintance who works in Jaco Beach Real Estate, mentioned that a couple of small hotels had recently come on the market – one, he said, was right next door to us!

As soon as we toured the property we knew it would immediately work for our goals. The Mau Mar hotel is in great condition and provides a variety of superior rooms that will help us with overflow when Posada Jaco is booked at capacity. And just as important: to meet the needs of the single or hostel-oriented traveler; the Mau Mar allows for less expensive rooms with dormitory or hostel-like rooms – with several beds to a room.

Come Stay with Us at Jaco Beach!

If you plan on visiting Jaco Beach we hope you will consider staying with us at either Posada Jaco Hotel or Mau Mar Hotel, our new boutique budget hotel. Along with our friendly staff, we as the owners are on-site managing things and available to assist our guests with anything – from recommendations for restaurants, to booking tours and planning activities. We can also arrange a BBQ poolside and enjoy the setting sun.

Check out the new Mau Mar Hotel page on the website – and help us get the word out!  Click one of the Like or Share buttons and leave a comment below…let us know when you’re planning to visit Costa Rica. We look forward to your visit here at Jaco beach.

Margaret & Rob

Posada Jaco + Mau Mar ~ Jaco Beach Boutique Hotels @Jaco Costa Rica

Golfito Duty Free

Shopping in Golfito Costa Rica Border Towns

Recently Posada Jaco expanded and now owns 6 apartments close to the hotel and the beach. This meant that we needed to buy all the furniture, furnishing, air conditioning and kitchen appliances for all the apartments. As we were  worrying  about the cost of all this, a friend told us of the duty-free shopping in Golfito Costa Rica and also how to negotiate the border at Paso Canoas. Other people commented on the difficulty, the fun and the dangers of such a venture.

The first hurdle is getting a TAC (tarjeta de autorizacion de compras), the paper that entitles you to purchase the goods up to the value of $2000 (1,000,000 colones). It doesn’t cost anything and allows you to go to each of approximately 50 shops in the complex. Each shop owner writes the goods you purchased on this and eventually you go through customs with the goods and the TAC. The catch is that you must get the TAC the day before you buy. This means you stay in the area and support the local businesses. It sounded simple!

Shopping in Paso Canoas

After a quick look around the shops to check the prices we headed off to the border. This is a fascinating and busy area, known as Paso Canoas. As well as the normal border post there are 2 main roads with a group of shops between them. One road belongs to Costa Rica and the other to Panama. You enter the shops from the Costa Rican side but in reality you are shopping in Panama where items are up to 50% cheaper. No passport required!

We purchased all the small kitchen equipment, several paintings and 6 televisions as well as many items from the hardware store. The main shopping is at Jerusalem Mall but there were many smaller stores vying for our business. You are allowed to purchase $500 per person and there are supposedly check points on the Costa Rican side. We didn’t see any. Perhaps it was because we shopped for so long that we returned after dark and they were all closed.

We returned to Golfito and began looking for a hotel. This would have been easier in the morning. We eventually found one and then one of the few open restaurants in Golfito. It was off-season but the town is basically dead at night.

Duty Free Shopping In Golfito

The next morning we were standing at the gates of the duty-free shopping zone in Golfito Costa Rica at 8 am. Then began the huge task of buying refrigerators, ovens, fans and air conditioning units for the apartments. Before committing you can go around to the stores and pick out items and receive a written quote and purchase later.

Before long we were approached by an elderly gentleman who asked if he could pay us $20 for the use of the alcohol part of our TAC. It was then that we realized that there was a limit on some items on each TAC. We headed for the appliance stores and were told we could only purchase one refrigerator each but they could solve the problem. Suddenly 4 other people arrived with their TACs and for a small fee were happy to add our items to it.

Eight hours later we had bought 6 refrigerators, 6 ovens, 6 air conditioners and all the linen and curtains needed for the apartments.The elderly gentleman stayed with us and finally he was able to buy his duty free alcohol to sell in other parts of Costa Rica.  We organized transport for the larger items and slowly passed through customs.

Waiting with Purchases

We left Golfito very tired both physically and mentally. Again we were late enough to miss all check points. As a resident you are allowed to shop in Golfito, Costa Rica twice a year but the amount you are allowed to purchase may change during the high season; We were quoted anything from $500 to $2000.

To experience shopping in Golfito Costa Rica you really have to do it yourself. And it helps to know some Spanish. An alternative would to find a trustworthy person to assist you, however, our Spanish is minimal and we felt we did just fine. Go, do…shop in Golfito and determine for yourself if it’s worth it.

Marg & Rob, Owners – Posada Jaco Hotel

Medical Tourism for Moe

Costa Rica is a popular destination for medical tourism…for people. In this case, it was related to our dog. Eight weeks ago our dog, Moe, began his long trip from Australia to live at Posada Jaco. He had a 16 hour journey traveling from Brisbane to Los Angeles and then after a 12 hour stop over he was supposed to catch a plane to San Jose. However, he was off loaded in LA and was forced to spend another 24 hours there; poor dog spent a further 4 hours at San Jose waiting for his papers and when we finally saw him he appeared more confused than happy. However, as soon as Moe’s feet touched the grass, he was a much happier dog.

Two weeks before we left Australia Moe ruptured the ligament in his left knee but our vet said he could not have surgery in Australia as he was about to fly. Two weeks after we got here he ruptured the same ligament in his right knee.

The Surgery

I had heard the veterinary surgery here is not particularly good but I was able to get in contact with Katja Bader who is involved with McKee Jaco Project (an animal rescue organisation which re-homes the stray dogs). She was more than helpful and put us in touch with Dr Morales, a recently retired veterinary professor who performs some surgery in Jaco.

Moe arrived for his consultation and was very excited to meet all the other dogs, but not so excited to be examined by Dr Morales. He confirmed that Moe had indeed ruptured both ligaments and explained how the surgery would be performed.

The next Monday he went for blood tests to check on his general health. I was very impressed that these were ordered as I felt Dr Morales was being very thorough. Moe, however, was not necessarily impressed with the process. Then on Saturday 4 weeks ago Moe had surgery on both knees and was cared for magnificently by Dr Wendy Villalobos and her staff at Clinica Veterinaria in Plaza Boulevard here in Jaco for the next 5 days.

Post Surgery Recovery

Moe is now walking much better and will soon be running along the 2.5 miles of Playa Jaco    (Jaco Beach). Thank you very much to Dr Morales, Dr Wendy Villalobos and Katja Bader.

A Great Place for Medical Recovery Time

Moe is quite oblivious to the concept of medical tourism but it is very popular for humans to come to Costa Rica for surgery. If you’re planning a visit to Costa Rica for medical treatment and wish to spend some recovery time at the beach, Moe will be only to happy to welcome you to Posada Jaco. Contact us to reserve your room.

Jaco Tours Adventure!

Jaco Tours: So Much to See and Do!

Jaco tours in and around the Jaco area are everywhere! Located on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Jaco is a fun-filled beach town with a variety of activities. Although probably the most populated beach town in Costa Rica throughout the year you won’t notice throngs of vacationers because Jacó beach only gets really crowded on certain holidays. These holidays include New Years, Christmas week, Easter week and the Costa Rican Independence Day, September 15th. As one of the closest public beaches to the Central Valley, where half of the country’s population lives, these holidays make Jacó a popular Tico vacation destination.  And the plethora of Jaco tours offers something for everyone.

Not only close to the Central Valley, Jacó is also close to other great destinations for your vacation activities. This strategic location provides for excellent Jaco tours. Pretty much every type of tour Costa Rica has to offer is available from Jacó. Adventure, sports, nature; you name it.

Jacó in this sense is a great base to travel from within Costa Rica. The renowned National Park beach Playa Manuel is an hour south, driving through palm plantations, with other precious beaches on the way. Surf is renowned in this area and Jacó has an excellent wave to learn on; private or group surf lessons can be arranged. Other good surf beaches close by include Esterillos, less than half an hour south, and Hermosa, 10 minutes south for more advanced surfers.

Other water Jaco tours include sports fishing, kayaking, catamaran rides and snorkeling. Ocean kayaking is a great physical activity for singles, couples, groups or families. There are several boating options that make different tours to take you to pristine, inaccessible by land destinations. There is an excellent Catamaran day tour. There are islands that provide colorful snorkeling and private points and coves that make for romantic outings or family fun. Another Jaco tour for water adventure lovers is the whitewater rafting. This is also a day trip, up the mountain in truck and river rafting back to the coast.

The Thrill of a Tour

Adventure toursin Jacó include canopy trams and zip lines, atv routes, horseback riding, and

Sea, Do Tours in Jaco

crocodile safari. The terrain surrounding Jacó with an atv tour can be adventurously appreciated and there are some excellent ocean views. Horseback riding can also take you to these beautiful locations and views allowing you to appreciate more nature and wildlife. Or a sunset beach ride is gentler, even romantic. The crocodile safari takes you to nearby River Tarcoles which is a crocodile natural habitat where you experience up close these giant reptiles.

Other destinations accessible from Jacó are more appreciated with an overnight trip. You can arrange a tour from Jacó to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, Arenal Volcano hot springs as well as the Nicoya Bay and Peninsula. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the best destinations for nature lovers where this lush environment hosts incredible exotic fauna.

Another great destination is Arenal Volcano; its irresistible hot springs are a must; with your stay with Posada Jaco in Jacó everything can be arranged. One of the most adventurous Jacó tours is taking a water taxi to Montezuma beach on the Nicoya Peninsula. By this water route it is only an hour where as by land it’s more than 3 hours including an hour on the ferry. So definitely take advantage of exploring by water the Nicoya Bay and Peninsula and enjoy a day in beautiful Montezuma beach.

The variety of Jaco tours will fit anyone’s desire to observe or partake. With so many activities close by, our hotel is an excellent base for day and overnight trips, Jacó is an excellent vacation choice. Enjoy the pleasures of a beach town; dining, shopping, people watching, surf and activities galore! That’s Jacó…a great place to vacation. Contact us at Posada Jacó Hotel and we’ll get you outfitted with our favorite Jaco tours.

Border Crossings

This is a short guide to give you an idea on what is involved in making border crossings from Costa Rica to Nicaragua and back to Costa Rica.

I chose to go by Bus and used the Tica Bus Company. It pays to book in advance as sometimes the bus gets fully booked out in advance. The bus leaves from San Jose with a stop in Puntarenas.  Be aware that the stop in Puntarenas is actually about 5 Km out of the town at a Petrol Station on the side of the highway. It also pays to get there early as the bus does not wait and can be early (the bus I took arrived at the Puntarenas stop 5 minutes early).

The trip to the border took about 5 hours from San Jose and another 2 hours to Granada which was where I got off. The bus continues to Managua which is the Capital of Nicaragua. Be aware that not all of the Tica buses stop at Granada so if you are going to Granada make sure you are on the afternoon bus not the morning bus.

At the border the bus first stops at the Costa Rica Customs. You will need to get off  the bus and go into the customs office to hand a Declaration form and get your passport stamped. This process takes around forty Minutes. Be aware of the money changers! They will offer good rates of exchange but will try to short change you. My suggestion is leave them alone if you have US Dollars as US Dollars are accepted almost everywhere in Granada and you can change money easily in Granada. When you get back on the bus you will hand your Passport and $15.00 to the Bus Driver who will handle everything at the Nicaragua Customs.

At the Nicaragua customs you will need to collect your luggage and exit out of the bus and present it for inspection by custom officials. This takes around 40 minutes. There is several duty free shops available to shop at with items at ok prices.

Once inspection is finished you board to bus and finish your trip to whatever destination you are going to. The trip back over the border is the same in reverse except for one very important point, the Costa Rica boarder customs will ask if you have a ticket out of the country as this is a requirement to receiving a visa for three months.

I hope this gives you a practical idea of what is involved in border crossings from Costa Rica to Nicaragua and returning. Overall, it was a smooth trip but was sure good to get back to Posada Jaco Hotel.

Pura Vida

Posada Jaco Hotel Playa

In April the green season begins in Costa Rica. This is typically when the rains begin in earnest along the Pacific coast and continues throughout early December. Why is it known as the green season?  Well, simply put, the more regular rainfall makes everything pretty and green. And for this reason we are celebrating our first green season with a few Posada Jaco hotel playa* specials. Read on…

First up: our weekday room discount. Stay with us at Posada Jacó Hotel from Sunday through Thursday at the rate of only $60.00 USD! This is per room with a maximum of up to 4 people! Our little hotel is situated in the middle of Costa Rica’s most popular beach town; we are close to a wide variety of restaurants and all the activities that Jacó has to offer.  Plus, we are almost on the beach! In fact, it is a very short walk along a little paved road to access the expansive playa de Jacó.

Given our location, one might be surprised to learn how quiet your stay with us is at our little hotel. Read some of the reviews on TripAdvisor – it’s mentioned a few times about the peace and quiet of Posada Jacó. Visitors with us have said some nice things about our friendly, helpful service, as well.

Posada Jaco Hotel Playa: Weekend Discounts

Ok, back to our hotel playa* specials. Weekend visitor’s rate for Friday and/or Saturday is

Jaco Beach Surf at Sunset

$80.00 USD per night…again, up to 4 guests per room!  Book an additional night, Thursday or Sunday (for a total of 3 nights)  and we will discount an additional ten percent. These are great prices considering our location and the quality of our hotel rooms; they are suites, really. All rooms include a kitchenette, AC, overhead fans, TV, comfortable beds and Wi-Fi. See our photos page.

The green season is typically less crowded than the rest of the year with the exception of Costa Rica’s Semana Santa, or Holy Week. This is the equivalent to North America’s Easter Week or Spring Break. During this time, all lodging along the coast is at a premium. Thus, our playa hotel* specials do not apply during that particular week.

We look forward to your visit with us at Posada Jacó. Click on our reservations or availabilities buttons top right of the page. Or e-mail, call or stop by – and inquire of our playa hotel* specials rates.  – PJ

Costa Rica Vacations

There is so much to do in Jaco! Where to start? If you check out our adventure tours page, it will give you a good start in getting your feet wet planning for a variety of Costa Rica vacations. Adventure tours include once-in-a-lifetime experiences, such as zip-lines through the jungle tree tops. Or horseback riding along rainforest mountain ridges with views to the Pacific Ocean. Deep sea fishing is a hugely popular activity as is surfing. You couldn’t ask for a better place to learn how to ride a wave – and you’ll get passionate training from a qualified surf instructor.

For those considering a Costa Rica vacation, this little country packs a wallop for diversity. From rainforest jungles, to stunning tropical beaches, the central Pacific coast offers something for everyone. It’s true! If the goal is to kick back and do little more than sift your feet through the sand, gazing upon glorious sunsets while sipping a cold one, Jaco is the perfect place to do just that.

Jaco is a sometimes bustling (during high season) yet laid-back beach town. With the new highway, it is but a short hour and a half drive from San Jose’s International airport. Once popular with mostly surfers, it has grown over the years and includes high-end vacation rental homes and condos as well as mid-priced hotels. For the budget minded, hostels are also plentiful. Both the town and the beaches are clean, safe and friendly.

Sea Kayaking

Dining in the Jaco area serves up everything from fresh fish, Argentinean beef, pizza and tipico comida or local food. You’ll experience a wide range of menus and prices. Many restaurateurs who have made Jaco their home, bring a flavor of their home country to the table thus providing a wide ethical choice of places to enjoy a delicious meal. We’ll be happy to share with you our favorites…just ask!

Costa Rica vacations are ideal in offering something for everyone: honeymooners, families, pals, adventure seekers, bird watchers, hikers and more. The key is to find the perfect place for your vacation needs. We hope you’ll consider Posada Jaco Hotel for your Costa Rica vacation. We will do everything we can to make it a memorable one. Check out guest reviews on Trip Advisor from some of who stayed with us during their Costa Rica vacation.

Posada Jaco Costa Rica

If you are searching for a boutique quality Jaco hotel in Costa Rica, Posada Jaco shines in amenities, service and location. As quoted from a guest, “This place is a gem.”  If you’re looking for a Jaco blog, read on.

Welcome to Posada Jaco blog. With a recently revamp of our website, it was decided to include a blog with a goal to share some of the highlights of this popular, casual beach town located on the central Pacific coast in Costa Rica. The intent is to also invite you, our potential guest, to learn about local Jaco restaurants, area activities, including our Adventure Tours services, and some of the local color. And invite you to stay with us on your next trip.

Affectionately known as PJ’s, Posada Jaco hotel has recently changed ownership. The new owners, hailing from New Zealand, are friendly folks and very hands-on with their new endeavor. The staff of the hotel aims to please taking great pride in their work. The place feels like home away from home…in a tropical setting with as much activity as you wish to experience.

Jaco Costa Rica

Jaco Has it Goin’ On!

Jaco beach has lots going on. There are casinos, a plethora of restaurants, bars and dancing, great shopping, concerts, surfing, classes, adventure…the list goes on. In addition to writing about Jaco with a Jaco blog and all she has to offer for both visiting tourists and Costa Rican resident vacationers, guest bloggers will be invited to post on PJ’s blog. These posts will be informative, funny, travelogues and whatever else shows up that may be of interest to our readers. Contact us if you have a knack for writing* and know something about Jaco or Costa Rica.

*Note to prospective Jaco blog writers: the invitation to guest blog does not indicate, promise or suggest payment, nor reimbursement, in any way nor in-kind by Posada Jaco hotel or its owners. You do get a byline, however, and a possible following of readers. It could happen.

Posada Jaco blog invites their readers to comment, ask questions, make inquiries and share on this blog. Because this is the best way to get to know each other, right? So let’s get the ball rolling by asking a question: Have you visited Jaco? What was your favorite, funny, interesting or memorable experience in Jaco?  Keep it clean, boys and girls; this is a moderated blog and all yucky or spammy stuff will be eliminated.  Who goes first?