Costa Rica Resort Change

[tchrrx]

We received a letter that says our final resort has been changed. We will now be staying at El Mangroove. I looked it up online, and it is supposed to be opening in early 2014. It sounds like it's going to be a great resort.

 

[tufbuf]

We received a letter that says our final resort has been changed. We will now be staying at El Mangroove. I looked it up online, and it is supposed to be opening in early 2014. It sounds like it's going to be a great resort.

Awesome!! So they do take heed of comments! Many of us disliked the last hotel.

 

[Gonecruisin]

Just checked out it's website. It looks lovely. So glad they made the change as the Villa was the least favorite of all the hotels we stayed at by a long shot! Pls come back and let us know what you thought about El Mangroove.

 

[tchrrx]

Just checked out it's website. It looks lovely. So glad they made the change as the Villa was the least favorite of all the hotels we stayed at by a long shot! Pls come back and let us know what you thought about El Mangroove.

I will definitely give you all an update, but it is still quite a ways off. The website does look great! We're already going down a day early, and now we are considering adding a day to the end also.

 

[Gonecruisin]

I added a day on both ends of the trip and was really glad I did. Glad I got to enjoy the beautiful Marriott and relax by the pool on Day One and then rest after our adventure while everyone else was rushing to the airport. Do It!!

 

[tracyz]

I realized as I was reviewing our reservation last night that I purchased air fare for the wrong date, so now we'll be staying an extra night at El Mangroove. I guess if there's one time that purchasing the wrong airfare would be not so bad, this is it!

 

[sayhello]

I realized as I was reviewing our reservation last night that I purchased air fare for the wrong date, so now we'll be staying an extra night at El Mangroove. I guess if there's one time that purchasing the wrong airfare would be not so bad, this is it!

I sure hope ABD has availability!

Sayhello

 

[tracyz]

I booked a room on my own for that last night. Way cheaper than ABD would charge for the post-night.

 

[tchrrx]

I booked a room on my own for that last night. Way cheaper than ABD would charge for the post-night.

Will ABD cover transportation to the airport when you do it that way, or will you have to arrange your own transportation?

 

[sayhello]

Will ABD cover transportation to the airport when you do it that way, or will you have to arrange your own transportation?

ABD's policy is that you only get the transfers if you book the extra day(s) through them.

Sayhello

 

[tracyz]

That's true, but it's been my experience that ABD's cost for an extra night far outweighs the cost of booking a room at the same hotel and arranging for your transportation yourself. ABD charges for convenience and usually I'm willing to pay it, but not when the disparity is so large (it always is, and I will admit I'm saying this without having yet inquired about the add-on price of the new resort, but I did ask about the old one and we were talking a couple hundred dollars which has been my experience in previous ABDs as well), and it's so easy to just take care of yourself on that piece.

 

[Bobo912]

That's true, but it's been my experience that ABD's cost for an extra night far outweighs the cost of booking a room at the same hotel and arranging for your transportation yourself. ABD charges for convenience and usually I'm willing to pay it, but not when the disparity is so large (it always is, and I will admit I'm saying this without having yet inquired about the add-on price of the new resort, but I did ask about the old one and we were talking a couple hundred dollars which has been my experience in previous ABDs as well), and it's so easy to just take care of yourself on that piece.

I agree. I'm never going to pay ABD's inflated price for a room again. For one thing, I already paid for the airport transfer when I paid for the trip and if it's one day earlier, I don't see why I should have to pay for it again and then some. I paid double the regular room rate for our pre-day in Lima and then our driver didn't show up at the airport, so I ended up having to take a taxi anyway. I was reimbursed for it, but I was told that is not typical and they acted like they were doing me a big favor. I can travel with Tauck and they will pay for my pre-night hotel room (as a return guest) and provide the transfer. ABD could take a lesson from them in that area.

 

[sayhello]

That's true, but it's been my experience that ABD's cost for an extra night far outweighs the cost of booking a room at the same hotel and arranging for your transportation yourself. ABD charges for convenience and usually I'm willing to pay it, but not when the disparity is so large (it always is, and I will admit I'm saying this without having yet inquired about the add-on price of the new resort, but I did ask about the old one and we were talking a couple hundred dollars which has been my experience in previous ABDs as well), and it's so easy to just take care of yourself on that piece.

On occasion it's been worth it to pay ABD's extra price (it was worth it for Greece). But usually it's way overpriced. For Scotland, they want $799 a night for extra pre- and post- nights at the Balmoral! Which is $300 more than if I booked the room myself (although, honestly, there's no way I'm paying $499 a night for a pre- or post night anyways). There's no way a taxi to the airport is going to cost me $300.

Sayhello