Though this is always the busiest season  of the year for the country’s hotels, space can still be found, and getting away for Christmas may be cheaper than usual as recession-hit hotels compete for business.
The Tico Times made a few random inquiries and came up with the following (please note that availability and rates may change quickly this time of year).
About 15 minutes north of downtown San José is Santo Domingo de Heredia’s Hotel Bougainvillea (2240-2822, www.hb.co.cr), a boutique hotel set among 10 acres of landscaped tropical gardens. Up until Dec. 31, guests can take advantage of two packages: a one-night stay in a double room with  buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner included for $75 per person; and two nights’ stay with three meals a day for $135 per person. A free massage for two is also offered as part of this package. A fixed rate of $20 applies for children under 12 staying in the same room as their parents. Prices include taxes.
Situated in the cloud forest, north of the western Central Valley town of San Ramón, the animal-friendly Lands in Love/Tierras Enamoradas Hotel & Resort (2447-9331, www.landsinlove.com) is offering a one-night package for $75 or two nights for $120 per person. The deal runs through Jan. 3 and
includes a canopy tour, a guided tour of the cloud forest, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a cocktail on arrival.
The Central Pacific region is filling up fast, but some space was still left as of late last week, according to Christina Truitt of the region’s chamber of commerce. In Jacó, Morgan’s Cove Resort and Hard Rock Casino (2643-3147, www.morgans-cove.com) is offering a rate of $119 double occupancy,
including tax and breakfast. Copacabana Hotel and Suites (2643-1005, www.copacabanahotel.com) has standard rooms for $119 double, while Canciones del Mar Boutique Hotel (2643-3273, www.cancionesdelmar.com) still has some oceanfront space for $115 double, plus tax. The new Green Hotel (2643-6274, www.hotelgreencr.com) is offering a holiday package until Dec. 30 that includes four nights for the price of three; rates start at $70 single, $90 double and $110 triple, including breakfast and taxes.
Just south of Jacó, in the surfing mecca of Playa Hermosa, Surf Inn Hermosa (2643-7184, surfinnhermosa.com) has a few rooms left for $120 per night, double occupancy, while Terraza del PacÃfico (2643-3222, www.terrazadelpacifico.com) has double rooms for $135 per night, including tax and breakfast.
Farther south, near the Manuel Antonio area, Finca Amanecer (2779-1123, www.fincaamanecer.com/hostel.html), an ecolodge east of Quepos on the RÃo Naranjo, has rooms in a rustic farmhouse starting at $40, including breakfast and taxes.
Up in the northwestern Guanacaste province, the Hotel Nacazcol (2290-1343, www.nacazcol.com), near Playas del Coco and Playa Hermosa, is offering a deal of $75 per person, per night, for bed and breakfast.
The offer runs Dec. 25 until Jan. 3 and requires a minimum four-night stay. A little south in Playa Potrero, the beachfront BahÃa del Sol Hotel (2654-4671, www.bahiadelsolhotel.com) is offering a $79-per-person rate in one of its fully equipped suites, based on a minimum of four and maximum of six sharing. The package includes breakfast and taxes, and children under 14 go free. The deal runs until the end of the year. The hotel  is also hosting a Christmas dinner including several courses and a fire-dance show for $68 per person.
Over on the Caribbean side of the country, Samasati nature and yoga retreat (2756-8015, www.samasati.com), just outside the beach town of Puerto Viejo, as of last week still had space over New Year’s, and is offering a special of $99 per night, double occupancy, including breakfast. A New Year’s dinner is also being offered for $50 per person.
Up in the northern part of the country, Hotel Hacienda Sueño Azul (2253-2020, www.suenoazulresort.com), perched on a mountain ridge above the ArenalValley, is offering a holiday package until Jan. 15.
The deal includes a double room, breakfast, lunch and dinner for $75 per person, including taxes.
Across the northern border in Nicaragua, on the shores of Laguna de Apoyo, guests at Norome Villas (505-2552-8200, www.noromevillas.com) can make use of a group villa that sleeps three while enjoying breakfast and dinner on the lake’s edge and a guided tour of the lake and park, all for $65 per person, including taxes. A minimum of two nights must be reserved in advance.
