Relaxation at its Best!

Costa Rica is known for its ecotourism and nature adventures. Since I am more of a spa and sit by the pool type of girl, I was hoping to see another side of this beautiful country during my visit. I chose the Pacific Coast because I heard about the small beach communities and yoga properties throughout the Guanacaste Province. I ended up choosing a small boutique hotel called the Harmony Hotel.

The property is set within the natural landscape of Nosara, a small beach community a few hours drive from the Liberia Airport. It is the perfect escape from the daily grind of city life. The hotel focuses on sustainable tourism and environmental practices and works to make guests more aware of the environmental impacts of travel. They offer a daily sustainability tour where guests can see the inner workings of the property to support their environmental initiatives. They recycle, have a salt water pool rather than chlorine, and use organic products and food throughout the property. If that wasn’t enough, they also sponsor beach clean-ups and allow guests to off-set their stay by donating to a tree planting organization.

But this doesn’t even begin to cover the stay at the property. I had one of the most restful nights in months my first night at the hotel. The bed linens are super comfy and even though there is no television, the bed instantly makes you relax and fall asleep. It is also the perfect place to catch up on your “me” time with a good book on your own personal patio. Rest on the hammock and read that latest novel you never have the time to read.

Still not relaxed? Why not get a massage at the Healing Centre. Once again the property provides the best in services. Using natural products the masseuse will work away every tension imaginable with their signature spa. Once it is over you should be ready to take on the rest of the vacation. The Healing Centre is also the place to get centered with daily yoga. It is also a great place to interact with members of the Nosara community. Harmony Hotel offers the only spanish language yoga in the city, allowing locals and guests to interact.

Of course you must be hungry by now. The restaurant on the property will keep you well fed and truly satisfied all day long. From the juice bar with its cold food and natural smoothies and juices, to the fish dishes, sandwiches and breakfast items in the main restaurant. Even dessert provides mouth watering choices. There is a bar on the property so you can also mix the wonderful drinks with the cocktail of your choice. The Tamarind Fizz, a mix of ginger, lime, sugar and tamarind was a staple throughout my entire stay. With the open lobby area and free wi-fi you also can enjoy the refreshing juice drink while chatting and emailing your very jealous friends back home.

For a day at the beach it is just a short walk steps from the hotel. With beautiful sunshine this beach is a great place for surfing and sunning. Another way to relax in this beautiful area.

Needless to say I ended my few days at this lovely hotel rejuvenated and very relaxed. Sad to go home I was energized from my time to face my life back home. But I will definitely return to this oasis of tranquility near the sea.

Harmony Hotel
www.harmonynosara.com

Life without baggage…

So you want to plan a quick weekend getaway for a change of scenery. Not having a lot of time or money you want to get the most bang for your buck. Years ago your biggest dilemma would have been to find the cheapest airline ticket on multiple travel search engines. But today airlines have taken an a la carte approach to what is included in your flight price and this can make what appears to be a steal for an airline ticket, actually a rip off. With an increase in baggage fees and lack of in-flight meals, it seems as though very little is included in an airline ticket outside of taxes.

When Spirit Airlines decided recently to add a charge for carry-on baggage they claimed that it was to give passengers a better value for their flight and to cut down on time at the gates. They also said charging only for what services a passenger uses will in the end save them money over other airlines base fares. Is it true?

I did a quick comparison of three airlines for a 2 night getaway from LaGuardia airport in New York over the Memorial Day weekend. I looked for flights that left on the morning of May 28th and returned May 30rd in the late afternoon or evening. I used the price selection option on the airline websites so that I could choose the least expensive option and not get any additional fees. For this length of trip, I would probably carry-on my bag but I also looked at the cost if I checked my bag. In the past, carrying my bag on would allow me to avoid the fee that most of the airlines are now charging for checked bags and assure my bags would be with me when I arrived. The airlines of choice for this little experiment*: Read more

Up for a little adventure?

Not every girls getaway consists of nonstop shopping, manicures/pedicures, and spa days. Some women prefer to get their adrenaline pumping and push their limits. From rock climbing, rafting and hiking, a getaway can be a nonstop endurance challenge. South Africa has become an adventure seekers paradise. With safaris, shark diving and the worlds longest, fastest, and highest zip line. See video from a couple of friends who decided to give this zip line a try during their trip to Sun City.

For more information on the zip line visit www.zip2000.co.za

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