Canadian couple Luke Shantz and Steph Sitt decided to make a bold move and relocate to Costa Rica without ever setting foot in the country. They moved to the coastal town of Jacó, Puntarenas, where they’re set to renovate an old building into a luxury boutique hotel. Their journey will be showcased in the new HGTV series Betting on Paradise, which will premiere on Tuesday, January 7.
The six episodes follow the lives of Luke, Steph, and their young daughters as they adjust to life in Costa Rica and transform the property into a dreamy hotel. “We’ve gambled everything on this hotel, and we’re all in. We don’t have anything to fall back on at this point,” mentioned Luke.
With friends and investors providing financial support, Luke will make use of his construction expertise and extensive experience in trades, while Steph leverages her upscale hospitality background. The two will collaborate to address significant structural challenges, frustrating delays, and surprising budget hikes to realize Hotel Amavi before the peak tourist season.
“We need to open as soon as possible because, right now, we’re just in the red,” Steph said. The opening episode will show Luke and Steph as they tour the property and discover all the work that needs to be done. To begin the challenging renovation journey, they will enlist a local contractor to assist Luke in understanding construction complexities in an unfamiliar country, along with a designer to bring Steph’s vision of an elegant tropical sanctuary with an eclectic bohemian aesthetic to life.
Upon receiving disconcerting news that many of the hotel’s guest rooms are irreparable, the pair will also face the onset of the country’s rainy season as they rethink the arrangement and design of the areas. The hotel is set to feature nine guest rooms, including a honeymoon suite and two casita suites, a lobby, a pool with an outdoor bar, and a giant exterior mural.
As the show unravels, the story will highlight the challenges of moving to a new country while balancing family life and immersing themselves in the Costa Rican lifestyle. The family will showcase their hiking, surfing, and ATV-riding adventures in one of the most biodiverse countries on earth.
