Our visit to the hotel Guanamar was a total success, not only because my husband and I needed a break from work, bit because we found many pleasant surprises; starting by the fact that the drive from San Jose is only 4 hours, and the road is in perfect condition!!

As soon as we arrived we did the hotel inspection; beautiful gardens, great ocean views, nice restaurant, big pool, excellent spot for ceremonies and private Palapa for receptions, so far so good…

The hotel has gone through a renovation and we were happy to walk into our Ocean view room, with a nice big balcony , king size bed, clean and fresh colors, brand new  and best of all ; quiet air conditioning, comfortable space, fridge, TV, safety Box and convenient parking right in front of your room,  it could not  be better!

We finished our night with a cold drink at the Balcony, with the ocean breeze keeping us fresh and happy!

From the 3 different categories of rooms at the hotel, the Ocean view is by far the best one.  The hotel’s reasonable prices allows you to treat yourself!

The whole property talks about comfort more than luxury,  big open spaces, lounge chairs to see the sunset placed at intentional spots,  wood and rattan pieces of furniture that blends perfect with the vegetation  and the beautiful pops of colors giving by the mangos, flowers and birds !!

Every element is there to help you have a relaxing time, without overpowering the landscape.

Friendly local staff informed us about activities available in the area, from the hotel; such of snorkeling, sport fishing, canopy, hiking, or bikes for rent, which was our option for day 2.

After a tasty breakfast and a quick deep in the pool, off we went to Samara with our banana bikes , the ride is about 12 kilometers , but we did most of it along the beach , where palm trees keep us cool and sand offer us a nice ride…

We stopped to see the horses, the birds, and to have an ice cream and coconut water.

In the afternoon we went to take advantage of the happy hours at the many beach front bars and restaurants…  A nice variety of cocktails from Bellini , guaro sour, mango daiquiri , a delicious selection to keep you cool when watching the sunset, or the local surfers.

Carrillo Port is a long peaceful beach, with only a few people during weekends, perfect for a wedding ceremony and relaxation, but Samara is more lively; anything goes there… from food  to music, dogs playing when their owners are laying in the sun, healthy food restaurants, fruit smoothies, beach clothing for sale and much more !

At night time, yummy food will filled your tummy without emptying your pockets and you can enjoy the variety of live music available at those bars and restaurants at the same time.

I can easily picture a layback   couple having their ceremony at the beach and enjoying a bohemian/tropical reception at one of those cozy little beach restaurant, where food is tasty and prices are affordable… bohemian lights,  an eclectic beach look topped with colorful tables and sand on your feet !!

Our short, but successful visit to Samara and Carrillo was very enjoyable and we came back with wonderful ideas for our Destination Wedding clients, particularly excited about Guanamar hotel, the view, their beautiful tropical facilities and very competitive prices, makes this venue   even more appealing!

I can promise you that the area offers enough activities for everybody and the experience is going to be fun for everyone…

Colorful, natural, a fun experience;   I definitely recommend this spot for your Destination Wedding in the West Coast of Costa Rica.