Our favorite spot was the La Mariposa (butterfly) hotel south of Quepos on the pacific Ocean. It sits on a ridge jutting seaward and offers a better view than you could get anywhere else in the area. Above, Sharon sits poolside waiting for me to get her another strawberry dacquiri.
La Mariposa is an excellent hotel with it's own restaurant. The dining was a bit on the expensive side so we usually walked down the road to some of the other great eateries in the area. Good places to dine within walking distance were: Cafe Melagro (breakfast), Pickles (lunch), and Karolas (dinner). Nearby Pickles is a great Tex-Mex restaurant and across the road is an excellent pizza place. All these restaurants, including the one at La Mariposa, are essentially at poolside with an attached bar. Very tropical - very nice!
Getting fed was very easy with bi-lingual waiters taking our orders. Only once at a Soda was there any language problem. They also add another 10% for a tip to each meal. We thought that rather stingy for the level of service we received so we always kicked in a bit more. Where in the US can you go and get great food and drinks for two, and only spend $30? It was easy to be generous!
Our room was number 36 on the upper floor. Originally, as part of our package, we were assigned a room without much view. We asked if we could upgrade and the friendly desk clerk, Alonzo, offered us #36 for an additional $25 per night. Compared to what they normally charge for this room, this was a bargain. The only downside was the trip up the wrought iron steps to the left. I counted 89 steps from the parking lot to our room, 53 steps from the bar at poolside. Considering the view, it was well worth it! When you get there, #31, the room below, will have almost the same great view if #36 is taken.
Copyrighted©2001 Jim Mattson