From the print edition
Two new hotels, courtesy of the folks at Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., debuted on the Costa Rica hospitality scene in recent weeks: Aloft San José, in Escazú’s Forum II development southwest of San José, and the all-inclusive Westin Resort and Spa, Playa Conchal, between the forests and beaches of northwestern Guanacaste province.
“The Aloft brand is the next generation of hotels,” global brand manager Brian McGuiness said at Aloft’s inauguration on March 29. “And [it] offers a combination of innovative lifestyle options with advanced technology in a social setting loaded with facilities. Aloft San José will represent a change in the style of travelling for executives around the world.”
With 150 loft-style rooms, Aloft San José offers guests a chance to relax and socialize when not doing business. The hotel bar, wxyz, serves cocktails, while a 24-hour open-service bar allows guests to serve themselves at any hour. The hotel lounge, re:mix, hosts local DJs and musicians. Guests more interested in pushing iron than cutting a rug can hit Aloft San José’s 24-hour gym.
Aloft has 55 hotels worldwide, including in Dallas, Abu Dhabi, Brussels and Beijing.
For travelers looking for an all-inclusive vacation escape, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc. also opened the Westin Resort and Spa, Play Conchal, on April 10. The all-inclusive resort is located on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast, 60 kilometers from the Daniel Oduber International Airport in the provincial capital of Liberia.
Besides the usual all-inclusive resort amenities – pools, Jacuzzi and gardens – the resort offers spa treatments, a 24-hour gym, kayaking, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing trips.
“The emphasis by Westin brand to offer its guests options for a healthy lifestyle has generated solid performance in diverse international markets, and has been key in the global growth of the brand,” said Brian Povinelli, Westin brand’s global manager.
