Hotel near airport with a different atmosphere

Xandari Resort & Spa is located in Alajuela. The drive from Juan Santamaria International Airport to the hotel is only 20minutes.

We visited the property to see how Family Friendly it is and we encountered a colorful well-maintained 24 villa hotel with:

• 3 amazing poolsbeautiful gardens
• 3 miles of trails on a private reserve with 5 waterfalls
• you can decide on site to plant a tree or do a guided tour at the organic farm or a guided bird-watching walk along the trails
• and finally a restaurant with healthy Farm to Table meal options

This 5 characteristics plus its great location with amazing views of the Central Valley makes Xandari Resort and Spa a great starting or ending point for a  Family Adventure around the country.

Tapanti National Park

Costa Rica in 1970 created the network of national parks. This network is administered by SINAC since 1994. This government department is in charge of the maintenance, organization and strategic planning of all the protected areas of the territory. 
Right now the country has 28 national parks and various biological reserves. The most famous ones are: 

• Poas Volcano National Park
• Irazu Volcano National Park
• Tortuguero National Park
• Arenal Volcano National Park
• Manuel Antonio National Park
• Corcovado National Park
• Monteverde private reserves

Most of them are included on classic itineraries around the country. Most of them are family friendly. But we visited a unique off the beaten path National Park which we loved. As a multi-generation family we did a great one day tour from San Jose.

Very early we depart from San Jose towards Cartago. We visited the Irazu Volcano National Park to see the marvelous crater. Then we drove through the different agricultural fields towards Orosi Valley. Here is where we visited the new and amazing National Park called Tapanti. Here visitors have access to various trails which are catalogue on three difficulty levels. Walk around the park, see rainforest, wildlife, waterfalls and the amazing river of Orosi. 

Then we head to Ujarras Ruins and finished in the Basilica of Cartago.

An amazing cultural, natural, and historic journey for all ages.

Peace Park

Costa Rica is a very safe and democratic country. We are very proud of it. With no army since 1948.

Due to this important element the United Nations created in 1980 the University for Peace in our country.
The mission of the University for Peace is: “to provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace with the aim of promoting among all human beings the spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, to stimulate cooperation among peoples and to help lessen obstacles and threats to world peace and progress, in keeping with the noble aspirations proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations.

To support and help the cause we have designed a One Day Tour which includes the visit of the Park of the University grounds. This amazing institution has a very nice Park where you can do a guided walk on a Dry Forest.

And then we include a historical and cultural tour we call the Real Costa Rica which teaches everything about the famous Cimarrona and Mascarada Tradition. Lunch is a home made meal at a wood old fashion kitchen.
the United Nations.”

Let us show you the Real Costa Rica experience where real local TICOS, its traditions, food and forest teach you what is all about!!!!



Costa Rica for Multi Generations

 There is nothing like a travel adventure to glue generations together and make the family bond stronger.

Multi-generational family travel is a fast-growing trend, though not without its challenges. Families on a quest for a unique destination that is both fun and easy for all ages.

That is why we went to challenge Sarapiqui. With our one year old son and our 89 year old great grand father and mother. And we did it. We were able to combine the experience for all of us.

While the young adults had a blast on the canopy tour the younger children and older adults had a nap on the rainforest. Then we had a splendid lunch together with a river view. And finalize our family experience on a Safari River Float Tour.

Our great grandmother said = " This is one thing I had not done in my life. I am so happy. Its a check on the list."

And my 4 year old daughter said = " wow can we paddle some more!!!!"


This is how we check the countries services to guarantee our guests the best experience. We check them ourselves as family.

That is why we are Costa Rica Family Experts.

Let us help you with your upcoming multi-generational family vacation.

Costa Rica the 2017 destination for families

Today 1st of January 2017 we want to give all our readers, friends, colleagues... positive, happy and prosperous wishes for this year that starts.

Secondly we want to recommend you visit the wide variety of National Parks available in the country. From volcanoes, cloud forest, dry forest, mangrove, rainforest, jungles to amazing beaches and protected ocean areas.

A couple of weeks ago we visited Manuel Antonio National Park with the family. And we believe its a great location for families. This amazing park has tons of wildlife and amazing white sanded beaches with clear calm waters for the small ones.

During the guided walk you will learn and see Costa Rica's biodiversity. And when you arrive to the beach, just to lay-back and enjoy you will also be part of this amazing atmosphere full of energy.

But do be advice. Do not take any kind of food into the Park. Animals don't need human food. Let try together to find the balance. Thank you for helping us.

This area is also amazing because of the wide variety of types of accommodation and activities available.

Last month

Last month was a very busy month for us.

First we participated on the Family Travel Association Summit in Tucson, USA.
                 This was a very interesting experience because we were able to hear and see that there are more of us motivating families to travel and create magical bonding memories.
In Costa Rica we want to inspire families to discover nature, meet people, do things that they have not done before, spend quality time together, expose them to our culture, and empower all!!!!

And then we did the Family Travel Advisor

Forum in Cancun where we taught travel agents that Costa Rica is a great family destination where we have pre-selected suppliers. Because we have seen that there are a lot of companies that say Family Travel. But you check the services and suppliers they are offering and they are giving the same to a Honeymoon, couple, or group. So we did our homework. With a very selective check-list which you have seen on this Blog. We checked hotels. And now we actually

know which ones are ready, which ones would like to be and which ones are not. After this work we thought about clients and realized that we could classify most of the families that come to Costa Rica in four, so we created special packages for them. This packages can be selected alone, combined or we can create unique tailor made family itineraries.
1/  Peace Seekers
2/ Social
3/ Nature Explorers
4/ Adventurous
All of them have special features which you can see on our 2016-2017 Catalog.

Let us show you how Costa Rica can be memorable and magical with outstanding service where parents can enjoy themselves, kids don't want to leave and the family bond more each day!

This blog, our facebook, web page, youtube and GAME are all innovative and useful tools we have for all of you.

Hotel Barcelo Langosta Beach - a real paradise for children and parents between activities and relaxation !

The hotel is located just 10 minutes away from the airport and 1.2 kilometers from Tamarindo down town. Close to restaurants, pharmacies, tour operators, etc.This 5-stars, all inclusive and beach front resort has to offer all kind of fun activities for gown-ups and kids.





Some facilities of the hotel are: 

- Open-air swimming pool: from 7am to 9pm. Beach access king of pool

- Ambient temperature swimming pool for children.
- Ambient temperature swimming pool for adults.
- Hot tub

- Play Ground
- Open-air children's animation: from 10am to 1pm.
- Evening shows for children: from 8:30pm to 9pm.

- Night Shows for the family: From 9:30p.m. To 10:30p.m.

- Discotheque
- Aerobics and dance classes in the main swimming pool with the animation team.
-Water games.

I loved how the staff were so kind and lovely with the children, making activities were children of all ages could participate: the colored, play bingo, made some beach games and more. They even had a kid's party with games, balloons and cake.

The hotel offers babysitting service under previous request, this way, if parents wanted enjoy a Spa treatment or a romantic dinner, they knew their kids were safe and taking care off. 

  

About the beach, the hotel is located next to a mangrove, where the ocean and river meet. So when the tide is low, small natural pools are made where

children can play, for me was a very safe way to enjoy of the sea.

Being close to Tamarindo, one of the perfect surfing spots in Guanacaste, the hotel also offer kayaks, surfing boards and buggy boards that the older kids or adults can use .

The restaurant and snack bar offer a good variety of healthy and enjoyable food for kids and grown-ups as well. 

 

We had a great time and the most important is that my little girl had so much to do and enjoyed her first beach vacations !!