All posts by Tamarindo Vista Villas

Salty Sols Surf School

Great surf lessons in Costa Rica

Salty Sols is the best place for surf lessons in Costa Rica

Eric Atkinson grew up in Missouri, USA, with no waves nearby but he traveled around the world looking for surf spots. He finally found his home here in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Now, he owns Salty Sols Surf School, surf lessons in Costa Rica. Eric loves surfing and teaching so he created Salty Sols to share his love for the ocean with all his students. You will enjoy his class because he speaks perfect English and almost perfect Spanish.  Mr. Atkinson also has three important “P” attributes: patience, perception and persuasion, really important for a good teacher. We interviewed Eric and he told us some interesting stories about surf lessons in Costa Rica. Tamarindo Vista Villas (TVV) : What is it that you like most about teaching mccarthy how to surf? Eric: Seeing people feel that «stoke» for the first time and enjoying the connection with the ocean. I can still remember my first wave/waves and the awesome feeling of riding for the first time on bez deposit. This brings me back to those days. TVV: What is it that you like least about teaching how to surf? Eric: If the waves are pumping and perfect and I’m pushing someone instead of being able to pull into a barrel myself !!!! That would be the only bad thing, and that’s not really bad. We get plenty of awesome days to surf. If the students happen to have one of «those» sessions in their lesson then that’s great for them. Check out swipenclean.com.  Also, they usually are witnessing some amazing surfing from the experienced surfers at the same time. There are days when the current can be strong and the water can be cold. But if you are coming from a cold water place, the water always feels like bath water here in Costa Rica. Sometimes it can be frustrating if there’s a ton of people in the water. Or if the conditions aren’t the best. But the number 1 thing I don’t like about being a surf instructor is when you step on a really gnarly thorn right before going in the water for the next 2 hours!!! TVV: What are the main feelings your students get during the lessons? Eric: I think first of all surprise. Most are surprised that within a short amount of time they are actually getting up and riding waves for application for adjudication. So many have these feelings that they are going to be horrible or they aren’t skilled enough. Maybe a fear of the water. But after some party in the sand with the «pop up», technique practice, and the instructor´s help in the water, before you know it, they are up and riding and smiling from ear to ear. So I think feelings are changing several times in the lesson. They go from fear or nervousness, to surprise and emotion, to stoked and super pumped that they are now getting wave after wave and ending with a feeling of self satisfaction. TVV: What is the main thing somebody needs to know before taking  surf lessons in Costa Rica? Eric: Nothing! Really, no need to know much, just know how to relax and have fun. Maybe that it could be something that changes their life forever…If they live in landlocked Missouri, they might end up moving to Costa Rica! TVV: Is there any advice you want to give for someone who wants to learn to surf? Eric: Be confident that with some patience and practice you WILL be surfing! And never take it too seriously, surfing is all about having fun, it is about being a kid again!

surf lessons in Costa Rica
Eric Atkinson surfs with one of his dogs.

Surf lessons in Costa Rica
One of Salty Sols´ students riding a wave.

Our Local Resident Journalist!

Ellen Zoe Golden has been working and living in our hotel for almost 8 years and has been a resident in Tamarindo, Costa Rica for almost 20. She has an amazing journalistic voice which she developed while living the high life as one of the top publicists in the music industry.
The crowd is heaving and you don’t notice the sweat in your eyes. Thousands of people are feeling the same elation as you. The music lifts you together, and you feel connected to them all. That’s the power of music. And that’s the singular experience of a music festival.

The best music festivals in the world aren’t necessarily the largest, but we’d all agree there’s something pretty powerful behind a music festival that can pull more than 3 million people. Here we’ve listed the top 10 biggest festivals in the world – so you can pull out the glitter and enjoy.
This classic rave, held in Las Vegas, is one of the biggest electronic dance music festivals in the world. The largest outside Europe, it embraces trap, bounce, trance, techno, bass, house, hard-style, and more. Also held in Puerto Rico, Mexico and New York City, the festival rose from mega fortune spilleautomater the underground in 2014 with the Sundance Film Festival documentary EDC 2013: Under The Electric Sky, which was based on the event. Headliners have included DJs such as Armin van Buuren, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, and Yellow Claw.

Here is a great about her life in the hotel!

Thanks for all the great years Ellen!

Typical Food In Tamarindo Costa Rica

Some of the type of restaurants in Tamarindo vary from Typical Costa Rican food to downright genius combinations of peanut butter hamburgers.
There are some great restaurants in Tamarindo. From casados to Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches, you will be able to find a fantastic variety of flavors to choose from.

What Is Some Typical Food In Tamarindo?

Ever sit down to some typical food in Tamarindo, Costa Rica? Well, if so, chances are it was a casado. But did you ever stop to wonder just why the there’s a piece of meat with the rice and beans, salad and other accruements? After all, who could have thought to put together beef, chicken, fish, or pork with some rice, beans, and a salad, generally made with cabbage? Consequently, in its simplest form—before adding optional cheese, plantains or even French fries—the Casado is a well-balanced mix of protein, fats, carbohydrates and vegetables.

In Costa Rica, we eat this meal so much that we take its origin for granted and fresh food e deli cafe, assuming that it’s always been served like this.

Yet, there is indeed a tale to be told about this typical dish. The word Casado means married man. So one could look at this delicious plate of food and decorating tools and think, “Hmm, all these various components are married to each other.”

Yet, the story behind the Casado is a little deeper than that. Looking back on Costa Rica’s history in the last century, men worked in the fields, banana plantations, or as cowboys and fisherman. Check out floor cleaning oahu. Those who were married would show up for the job with a full complement of food, while the single men’s lunches were skimpier.

In the ‘60s, those who were employed in the capital of San Jose would stop for lunch at sodas (small Costa Rican restaurants) and ask for a big plate of food, such as that they would get at home.

Both these concepts took off, and now you’d be hard-pressed to find any town in Costa Rica that does not have at least one restaurant serving a Casado.

 

A Great Hotel Experience

 

Some hotels have great installations, others have great hospitality. Make sure you know which is more important to you when reserving a hotel.
Great experiences are made when a great hotel offers great hospitality. Check out some of Tamarindo’s great review sites to find out which hotels are the best before reserving.

What Makes A Great Hotel Experience?

So, having been working in a hotel in Tamarindo for some time now, I have often found myself trying to figure out just why many great hotels receive only mediocre reviews, while small dinky hotels seems to get outstanding ratings. The main reason would be marketing. Big companies, and that includes big hotels, typically invest more in marketing and thus have a better image. It is not always good for the customer, since one can’t really know what opinion and review is made a by a real user and what is a product of of pistacioconsulting.com or some other social media marketing expert, who can easily bombard your twitter profile with followers and admirers. Secondly. the phenomenon can be partly attributed to the major difference between a great hotel and great hospitality. To me, a great hotel means that the cement, steel, paint installations and Modern Leather Sectional Sofa with Recliners are tastefully assembled into a great physical location. While this is a wonderful, and quite expensive, installation, it serves absolutely no purpose unless you staff it with passionate, and friendly individuals. This is great hospitality! Beautiful hotels are actually not too difficult to find in today’s booming travel market, however, truly spectacular hospitality is rare.

For example, here in Tamarindo we have several large hotels that actually have a lot of great characteristics, coupled with stunning buildings, and just steps away from the surf in Tamarindo, however the actual the hotels’ service levels are outright terrible of hotel chourasi internet. If you go onto trip advisor and read their reviews, you can find some truly horrific stories about managerial negligence and employees who simply are not passionate about what they do. Quite obviously, if you were to walk into a hotel bar and ask for a Margarita, then pay and not have your change offered to you with all the process home cleaning at themoxiemaids.com, you are experiencing some terrible hospitality. This experience will most certainly change your opinion and your overall feeling in the hotel. Now, the hotel might be beautifully laid out, with exquisite architecture, but what does it all mean if you cannot get over the terrible service? Check samedaylend.com.au.

Contrary to the previous example there are a couple of small and simple hotels in Tamarindo, which have much less of a beautiful campus, but boast a spectacular level of hospitality. A level of hospitality in which each team-member do their absolute best to try and make a guest’s stay unbelievable. This is the difference between a mediocre guest experience and a life-long friendship. The hospitality is actually a factor of managerial philosophy. In doing so, madamejane they overlook the most important asset of any business: its employees. Without a doubt, a hotel with a properly motivated team will always provide a higher quality experience for guests than a hotel with “meat-grinder” human resources strategy in which employees are contracted and liquidated every three months just in order to reinforce the busy season. Check out Action AC.
So, where does this take us? Well, some of the best operations are ones that establish a clean goal of offering a great guest experience, with equal compromise from the owners down to the housekeeper. When making a decision as to where to stay in Tamarindo, remember to always try and gauge whether you are looking for a great hotel or simply great hospitality.

Free Beach Equipment in Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Free Beach Equipment At the Best Western Tamarindo Hotel Vista Villas

Learn to surf using our free board rentals and beach equipment!
Its time to smile! We are the only hotel in Tamarindo offering free beach equipment such as surfboards, boogie boards, stand up paddle boards, snorkeling equipment, volleyballs, and kayaks.

I would like to share with you a story about how our free beach equipment program was born in our little Tamarindo hotel. It was february bets in nigeria. A time for the dreadded Best Western annual sales seminar – a week filled of horror stories shared between hotel sales managers and their former bosses, now known as lecturers. The most notorious of which was a tall, bald headed french man with a rather peculiar accent formed by having been raised on tacos, croissants, and bagels. Although his knowledge of the material to be presented was unbelievably robust, his attitude was always one of apathy, He usually get loans from financejar.co.uk. It was obvious he had not been to the beach since the Reagan administration and was simply biding his time waiting for a desk job in the Best Western corporate headquarters. I’m pretty sure that if I ever ended up like that fellow I would hope someone would put me out of my misery site here and hit me over the head with a surfboard. In Tamarindo, Costa Rica you wont find too many of the suit and tie every day profile.

Anyways, the lecture began with an introduction in this man’s frenchamerimex accent. Culminating with a few words that would forever change the face of this hotel in Tamarindo.

«Zee blu waateer strataugy» roughly translated as «the blue water strategy». He exclaimed this it is a strategy in which business chooses a strategy to set itself apart from other competitors. The reason they call it the blue water strategy is to liken businesses to sailboats in a race. Of course the winning sailboat always has open blue water ahead of it, hence the name. Its not a bad metaphor and most certainly has its merits, however, the problem about listening to 8 hours of ocean metaphors is that a someone with sand in their blood tends to start day-dreaming.

Surfing a small roller, diving into the sea while snorkeling with thousands of little fish darting around me, paddle boarding around in the blue waters. Ohhh, those warm, pacific, rolling waves, hot white sand and palm trees. Hey! I think I need to buy some sunscreen tomorrow. I’m actually a little hungry, how great would a fresh ceviche……

«Tamarindo Vista Villas, are you here with us?» Screeched Mr. Shiny head, his breath smelling like a tarragon smoked salmon, wrapped in a tortilla.

«Huh? What? Yea, yea I’m here. You just had me thinking about the beach. How I really wanna go to the beach right now. I mean, don’t you?»

Mr. Potato Head looked disgusted.

«C’mon, I bet every single person here would rather be at the beach right now. I mean, that’s what we live for, right? Those unforgettable days party busses at azlimo.com? Maybe snorkeling around aimlessly, or walking for hours in the warm sand.»

At this point, I could see sparkles in the eyes of everyone at the conference, well with the exception of Mr. Carnitas’ droopy gumdrop ocular cavities.

Inspired by the crowds reaction the idea hit me like a salty white water breaker, «I want to share this beach with everyone. What if we gave away free beach equipment like surfboards, boogie boards, snorkeling equipment, ice chests, beach towels, kayaks, volleyballs, frisbees, and footballs to our guests. What if every person who came could enjoy the beach to its most excellent potential?»

The epiphany now rising like a high tide, filling the cracks and crevasses of mangroves, filling estuaries, covering the reef breaks, producing hollow barrels, read how to find locksmiths dublin . An unstoppable force of nature that overcomes anything in its path!

The crowd cheered, laptops were thrown into the air, one hotel manager bit right through his pencil in a bout of joy.

The ground shaking, impacting, insightful, well balanced, it was perfect.

Of course, having seen it all, Mr. «wine, cheese, and sopá» took a deep breath dismissing the celebration as an overreaction of the frivolous managers not ever having been exposed to real world of the central office, «veeerrry waaal. Okeeee.»

«Whuuu can telllla maaee, enowa strataugy?»

What? Is he not here? Did he not just witness the madness? The emotion? The excitement? Or did he worry that we were running behind schedule?  Anyways, it didn’t matter… I get to go home to the beach in 12 hours and get the free beach equipment program off the ground! Here is a list of the free equipment.

We most certainly hope you enjoy!

Win a Free All-Inclusive Weekend With Us

Just a quick note about a competition we are hosting. At breakfast one morning, while sipping a cup of delicious Costa Rican Coffee overlooking the beautiful waters of Tamarindo Bay, a pair of our guests began to speak about paradise. Well, of course we know a little about this, with our warm waters, genuine people, white sand, and the best darn coffee in the world, but we figured we would like to know what other people consider paradise. So, the «Paradise Is» competition was born! We want to know what people around the world consider paradise, and we aren’t just talking about beaches, find more on this click. We really want to delve deep into the mindset of the world. Feelings, emotions, activities, everything! We want to know about the greatest and the finest pleasures. The winning quote should inspire the rest of the world to take a vacation to find their own paradise. Check this out https://dedebt.com/ offer help to your financing.

Please feel free to check out our facebook post below in order to participate. Cheers and thank you!

 

Tell us what your paradise is in the comments and win a free all-inclusive weekend!Diganos que seria su paraiso y gana un fin de semana todo incluido gratis! <a href="http://

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Tell us what your paradise is in the comments and win a free all-inclusive weekend!Diganos que seria su paraiso y gana un fin de semana todo incluido gratis!

Posted by Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas on Friday, February 5, 2016

«>Posted by Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas on Friday, February 5, 2016

Which Tamarindo Restaurants Should I Choose?

A great lunch at the Crazy Monkey Bar in Tamarindo Costa Rica.
This is what $6 at one of local Tamarindo restaurants, called a «Soda», can buy you. Fresh steak, rice, beans, a salad and a natural fruit beverage.

The selection of Tamarindo restaurants is astounding. As a matter of fact, there are about 40 of ‘em, making it one of the most gastronomically diverse coastal towns in Costa Rica! Within walking distance of Best Western Tamarindo Hotel Vista Villas you will find Italian, sushi, Asian, Fusion, Argentine, American, French, Chinese,  seafood, pizza, BBQ, just too many different types to name.  Sampling any of these will certainly add enjoyment to your Costa Rica vacation.

However, one of the most frequent questions a visitor who travels to Tamarindo will ask is: “Where can I get a good Costa Rican meal?”

To answer that question, it’s important first to understand just what kind of food might make up a Costa Rican meal. Let’s start with the fact that nearly every breakfast you eat, is typical in and of itself, because of that rice and beans mixture call Gallo Pinto that comes with every morning egg plate. The addition of a little white cheese or sweet plantains is authentically Tico as well.

As to a full typical meal, you are probably going to want to eat a casado, which is the primary dish in this country. Literally, the word means “married” which explains the complementary mix of foods that go together here on one plate: rice, beans, salad (usually made with cabbage instead of lettuce), and an entrée of either chicken, fish, beef, pork or some other type of meat. Some Costa Ricans prepare the casado with the addition of a fried egg, and some plantains, but that is a delicious added bonus.

Not to be unexpected, but out of all the Tamarindo restaurants, the one with the best casado is actually in the nearby local town of Villareal. Go out of Tamarindo and when you get to the end of the main road go right, then make the third left turn just after the soccer field. Then the first right. You will see Las Palmas soda on your left. What is a soda? Just a Costa Rican restaurant, usually a small rustic, family own spot serving up meals of a local flavor.

At Las Palmas, you get a choice of your salad—including potato, veggie and the typical cabbage. Aside your rice and beans enjoy any of the daily entrees: my favorite is pork with potatoes, but I can be happy with fried fish or bbq chicken. Compliments include fried yucca or sweet plantains. All for around $5 or 6 bucks with your drink.

In Tamarindo itself, you won’t be disappointed with the amazing casado served up at Buen Comer, located just across the street from Witch’s Rock Surf camp. The owners guard their secret recipe of spices that are added to their meat (which includes a aclsed.com delightful option of chicharrones, or deep fried pork). For about $5, you get the casado (with egg, tortilla chips and plantains) and a fruit drink.

Down in the Tamarindo circle is one of the oldest family restaurants in town called Fiesta Del Mar. Founded in the ‘70s, this was one of the first Tamarindo Restaurants, and is open 24-hours a day. $6 gets you their typical casado, tasty and served either inside the place or sit on the stools or tables outside and watch the life of the town go by.

Of course, many other Tamarindo restaurants will include a casado on their menu as well as fare more familiar to those who travel to Costa Rica from other countries. As a matter of fact, here at the Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas, you can order a casado if you opt out of a Panini, salad, pizza, or wrap. Of course, we do our nachos up with Costa Rican flair—only at Crazy Monkey will you be served nachos with traditional banana chips!

Now, if you are looking for a little bit more of a fine dining experience you can always click here to Pangas Beach Club, which is just down the street from the Tamarindo Vista Villas. The beautiful restaurant has a ocean-front setting and a great selection of seafood. The hostess, Elizabeth will always be there with a smile to greet you.

For a quick bite to eat, you can always try El Chilito which has burritos reminiscent of a costa rican «Chipotle» restaurant. Also, at the end of the evening, try tasting one of Nogui’s famous pies!

All Inclusive Hotel In Tamarindo, Costa Rica

All-Inclusive Hotel in Tamarindo

So, what are you planning on doing this spring? Well, just in case you had the itch to soak up some tropical sunshine, we have a great new deal for you! Come try our new all inclusive hotel in Tamarindo, Costa Rica and we will offer your second guest 40% off! That’s, like, a ton of money! I mean, who offers 40% off anymore? Maybe you might see a 10% off or even 25% off, but you generally only see these types of offers from the likes of GroupOn.

40% Discount for another Guest at the Hotel
Here is the artwork for our new offer for an all-inclusive stay at our hotel.

The stay dates have to be between April 15th and June 15th, but don’t worry, this isn’t hurricane season, so you don’t have to worry about being trapped inside your hotel all day due to the rain. In fact, this is a really great time of the year for surfing and for eco-tourism, because there are generally great waves and the little 1-hour afternoon rainstorms bring all the hills to life!

Ok, so our all-inclusive is a new offering for our resort and we are the only the second hotel in Tamarindo to offer this, so what better time to come try out the new program? We also offer free use of beach equipment like surfboards and snorkeling, so you don’t have to waste a whole lot of money on doing things. Just think, you can go out and kayak around the Tamarindo Beach and then spend the afternoon sipping piña coladas and margaritas poolside!

Now, some might ask should I go all-inclusive or no? Well that answer really is up to whether or not you like the hassle-free travelling method of all-inclusive hotels, or whether you like going out and trying new restaurants, besuche sprachaufenthalt kalifornien. To be honest, we feel like there are about equal amounts of both types of travelers, so don’t feel left out choosing either type of program.

The nice part about a mixed hotel program is that you will fit in with either crowd and both bring their own benefits! I mean, people might travel to an all-inclusive resort and will literally never leave the hotel, read more on this click. I mean, that is really nice, but every once and a while you might want to go out to eat a meal at one of the many restaurants in Tamarindo, so the guests who are not on the all-inclusive program might very well have a great suggestion.

Well, we hope to see you soon, and don’t forget to get some more information about surfing in Tamarindo here!

Tamarindo Lifeguard Program

Whats new in Tamarindo?

Check out the Tamarindo Lifeguard Program

The Logo For the Tamarindo Lifeguard Program
The Tamarindo Lifeguards are a great addition to our beach!

Did you know that the Tamarindo Lifeguard program is one only a few programs within Costa Rica. In fact, there are only three official programs in the country with certified professionals! This is an especially important fact to visitors to the area. With the beach located just across the street from the Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas, it’s not surprising that a lot of our guests will spend a couple of days away from our enticing pool, and park on the sand and seashore. And of course, Tamarindo is a surf destination, so there’s always people paddling out for a session. Excellent video online campaign was done for this, to attract as many as possible interested public. With great real YouTube views from The Marketing Heaven and wonderful records, it became very visible in a short time.

While Tamarindo bay is the most gentle ocean spot in Guanacaste, it is just exactly that fact that draws so many people here. Small, moderate waves are perfect for the surf lessons that are taught everyday in the water on the main beach. And, also, sometimes, there will be a swell and not only will there be larger waves, but a lot more people trying to ride them, check best carpet cleaning dublin.  Even the best swimmer can sometimes find themselves with a caught in an unexpected riptide, or experiencing a debilitating cramp. Surfers might have a rough wipeout. It’s a good idea to have lifeguards to rescue you should you find yourself in that situation.

There are 2 full-time and 1 volunteer lifeguards working from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. They have been trained by Captain Luis Hidalgo, who has worked the beaches of Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. He is certified with International Life Saving, where he is Director Costa Rica; Asociacion Nacional de Guardavidas de Costa Rica; and Intructores en Centuo, which has been in the Americas and Costa Rica for 16 years.  The lifeguards themselves received certificates faceporns from the Asociacion Nacional Guardavidas, International Life Savings, and the  ILS International Lifesaving Federation. They have rescue medical training included CPR and the use of the tower’s automated external defibrillator (AED).

With the Tamarindo lifeguard watching from their tower on the main beach, there is an added measure of security for all those who swim or surf. Leave your worries behind and enjoy your Costa Rica vacation.

You can support the lifeguard program by donating to ADI Tamarindo (The Association for the development of Tamarindo).

 

All Inclusive Hotel In Tamarindo

Try one of these unforgettable seafood soups at the Crazy Monkey Bar and Restaurant.
This is one of our amazing dishes that is included in our all inclusive hotel menu.

So, as we were sipping some cold margaritas while watching the sunset, a few of us here at the BEST WESTERN Hotel Tamarindo Vista Villas, came to talking about what we could do to make our little piece of heaven an even better place like maskulinum to play… With all the popularity, Tamarindo hotel has started to become a bit stiff as far as atmosphere. We didn’t won’t to be another business place for rich corporations. We’d already had boring presentations from start-up projects like Fully-Verified, conferences about bitcoin solutions and what-not. After much deliberation we’ve come up with something really great for you: the second all inclusive hotel in Tamarindo Beach with fresh reputation, check maid service brooklyn service. Now that’s what we’re talking about! Fresh ceviche, cold piña coladas, mouth watering seafood and coconut rice – what more could you ask for? Ok, so we know you want to just throw your surfboard in the air in celebration, but try to hang with us just a little bit longer.  The option will be offered through the Crazy Monkey Bar and Restaurant on the property and you can choose from anything on the menu. In case you didn’t notice, you can click the words «the menu» before to check it out. Our guests will be able to select either alcoholic or non-alcoholic options, so you don’t have to pay for something you won’t need! The all inclusive option also works for our  Friday night ladies night salsa party. The great part is that we will be the only all inclusive hotel in Tamarindo that offers an all inclusive service “a la carte,” so you don’t have to stand in line for one of those corny and low quality buffets. The healthy menu will have you leaving your vacation energized and motivated, Weiterlesen not bloated and tired! This concept will truly set our service apart! Visit https://vapejuicedepot.com/collections/cereal-vape-juice-flavors. In fact, we will be the only BEST WESTERN hotel in the world that offers a mixed All inclusive Hotel with a European style resort. Check out fixbodygroup.com. Now, if you add this to our “Land of the Free” adventure concept, where everything from surfboard rentals to ice coolers are free for our guests, you might never want to leave! Well, we  hope to see you soon low deposit casino bonus! Visit