Tourism numbers may be down in Costa Rica, but certain locations are still receiving positive reviews.
TripAdvisor.com, the international travel and trip planning Web site, awarded several Costa Rican hotels high praise in its Traveler’s Choice Awards for 2010. Three Costa Rican hotels are considered among the top 10 in their respective categories in TripAdvisor’s world rankings.
The Los Altos de Eros Hotel in Tamarindo, on the northern Pacific, was ranked as the world’s fourth-best “Luxury” hotel, and the Hotel El Silencio del Campo, in the north-central town of La Fortuna near Arenal Volcano, was ranked the sixth-best “Family” hotel in the world. The Casa Bella Rita in Santa Ana, west of San José, came in 10th in the “B&Bs and Inns” category.
When the rankings were whittled down to include only hotels in the region, Costa Rican businesses received top billing in several categories. Among Central and South American destinations, Hotel Silencio del Campo won first place for Family Hotels, Casa Bella Rita came in first in B&Bs and Inns and Los Altos de Eros topped the list for Luxury hotels.
Three other Costa Rican hotels earned second place rankings. Those include Aparthotel Vista Pacífico, in Jacó, in the “Bargain” category, Arenal Nayara Hotel & Gardens in the “Romance” category and Hotel Royal Corin in La Fortuna in the “Relaxation & Spa” category.
Rankings by TripAdvisor are created by the overall scores given by hotel visitors, as well as Web site staff.
In 2009, tourism fell by 8 percent in Costa Rica, down about 167,000 tourists from the peak year of 2008 when more than 2 million tourists visited the country, according to the Costa Rican Tourism Board.
–Adam Williams
