I’ve written so much in the past about why Costa Rica is different. Why it is not a good candidate for the Hotel + Flight deal that is so prevalent in the tourist offerings out there these days. In fact, Google has pretty much allowed the search results for Costa Rica vacations and similar terms to be overtaken by “the Walmarts” of the travel industry offering such deals.
And many times that offered hotel is one of our few all inclusive resorts, most of which are located up in the Northwest corner of the country, or the Guanacaste coastal region.
Now, if you are a Costa Rica bound vacationer who knows exactly what he or she wants, and staying in one place, eating the same food everyday and sitting on the beach is your idea of a Costa Rica vacation, then the all inclusive might be just right for you. And Costa Rica can deliver.
1. A Fixed Location…
All inclusive resorts are located primarily in Guanacaste. That is the flattest and driest part of the country and is more amenable to constructing these behemoth resorts. You will NOT find them in places like Arenal, Monteverde or Manuel Antonio. There is an exception for eco-lodges in locales like the remote Osa region, but that’s purely out of necessity, not design. In those remote jungle areas there are simply no other options for dining.
Now, is there anything wrong with visiting Guanacaste? For heaven’s sake no. It has some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Costa Rica. But I do believe that if you really want to experience Costa Rica, it’s a mistake to spend your entire vacation there in one all inclusive resort.
2. Boutiques are Better…
All inclusive resorts are big and expensive. They tend to be quite nice (4-star and above) and, of course, all the meals and drinks are included. But there are many small boutique hotels in Costa Rica. These aren’t the large swanky resorts with all the on-site amenities that try to encourage you never to leave the property. The small boutiques help make Costa Rica the special and sustainable destination that it is. And if you’re spending all your money on an all inclusive resort, you’ll miss the experience of these very special places.
3. Food Boredom…
Costa Rica has great food. And in all the top tourist destinations, there are many restaurants offering local and international cuisine. Part of the fun and adventure of a Costa Rica vacation is to get out and experience that ambiance. But you won’t do that if you’ve already paid a hefty chunk of change for three buffet meals per day, and pretty much the same every day, at your all inclusive resort.
4. Bang for Your Buck…
I mentioned above about the pricey-ness of the all inclusive resort. But is it really worth it? And what are you paying for, really? The swanky-ness, the on-site amenities, or the buffet-style binge food? Yes all of the above and you can do better price and experience-wise by staying at two or more of the charming little boutiques mentioned above and eating offsite at the many delicious local dining options. You’ll also be doing the local communities a bigger favor in the process.
5. Sustainability…
And that last point brings me to this one. All inclusive resorts are almost as a rule NON-sustainable. They are built with high density in mind…that is, how can we cram as many rooms as possible onto a given property. To do that you have to do a lot of destruction to that property, which once was a tropical jungle teeming with bio-diversity. And those tropical jungles, teeming with bio-diversity are what make Costa Rica the special place that it is. So, all inclusive resorts tend to defeat the purpose of all that…catch my drift?
And I also mentioned above that all-inclusives are geared toward having you never leave the property. That may by good for them, but not so good for your overall experience of Costa Rica, nor the businesses in the communities in which they are located.
So, there you have it, 5 reasons to say NO to the Costa Rica all inclusive resort.
Of course, you can call me for the alternatives!
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