Costa Rica Travel Exchange

09/04/2026

Here is something fun from our website. We are adding our Google reviews to our page. Check them out!

08/28/2026

What's Better than an AI Bot? 35 Years Experience.
We can make it Cheaper, Safer, and Better! Scan the Code!

08/24/2026

IF YOU ARE PLANNING A TRIP WITH AI. YOU REALLY NEED TO READ THIS.

I ran across a very interesting article in Forbes magazine. It discussed the rapid growth of AI travel planning.

We have been offering (at no cost) to review AI planned itineraries for our guests, since the beginning of the year. The issues that have popped up for our customers, closely mirror what the article mentions.

AI is a great tool for INITIAL planning. It can help you "brainstorm" your trip. But you have to be careful to realize that it isn't always accurate.

Forbes cited the following issues:

Pacing: How much time in a destination? How far are you traveling between destinations?

Hallucinations: AI systems sometimes invent attractions, hotels, or restaurants that are entirely fictional or permanently closed.

Outdated Information: Language models struggle with dynamic, real-time data like current pricing, live operating hours, and seasonal closures.

Lack of Local Context: Tools miss subtle geographic hurdles, such as suggesting locations that are too far apart to visit in a single day.

Are the activities suitable for all age levels? Good for the kids? Good for the seniors?

Seasonal variations in price and availability. Or if you should even bother to go into some regions at different times of the year.

They also do something that annoys me personally. An AI chat states everything with absolute certainty. Like an expert, with firsthand knowledge.

There is nothing better than "Boots On The Ground" assistance when planning your Trip of a Lifetime. Do you really want to leave this up to a bot?

Let me know if I can offer more advice!

If you're using AI to plan your vacation, book restaurants and provide travel info, be aware that inaccuracies of artificial intelligence are common, a new study finds.

08/20/2026

Many Folks don't realize that our services are Absolutely Free to the Traveler. Call, Message, or Email us. We can start planning Today!

OUR SERVICES ARE ABSOLUTELY FREE. YOU PAY THE SAME PRICE THAT YOU WOULD PAY IF YOU BOOKED DIRECTLY. NO ONE IS MORE QUALIFIED TO PLAN YOUR TRIP TO COSTA RICA We Have Been Offering Costa Rica As Our Sole Destination Since 1992. Get in touch directly. Call (800) 256-0124. Let’s talk. If for any reaso...

06/11/2026

AI is the next big thing in travel. But it doesn't know the nuances of every destination. Travel is logistics. But it is also personal Our Free Trip Planning is Personal. We can give you the experience you have been dreaming of.

06/02/2026

Love Monteverde. We owned a home there for nearly 20 years.

We eventually sold it. It was the right decision. But I still miss my morning walks.

Magical Place.

05/26/2026

Check our our Consistent Five Star Reviews on Google. Then give us a call!

05/13/2026

I answer a lot of questions in social media for folks looking to travel to Costa Rica..

But I now have one for the long time Costa Rica travel community.

Does anyone remember the Condor Club?

We started offering Costa Rica back in 1992. At that time, there wasn’t a lot going on in Guanacaste.

But we kept hearing about The Condor Club. At the time, this was considered to be the Gold Standard of Costa Rica resort tourism.

But after a few years, newer properties were developed. This resort eventually disappeared from the conversation,

Fast forward a few years, and we were wandering the beaches in Guanacaste. We were seeking out new opportunities for our guests, and doing hotel site inspections.

We realized that we were near the famous Condo Club. So we went to check it out.

The first impression wasn’t at all favorable. There was a very old and beat up Chevy station wagon, just outside the gate. It was standing vertically on its tailgate, leaning on a power pole. Very odd. I wondered why, or how it even got that way.

We went through the gate to look at the rest of the property. We went to hotel reception. It was a newly renovated space, adjoining the restaurant and pool area.

The pool was perfect, and this building had a Million Dollar view of the coast. But there wasn’t a soul around. Anywhere. No employees, no guests, no guards. We called out, no one answered. It was pretty creepy.

There were some brochures on the counter, and I put a couple in my backpack.

We then walked the grounds, and looked at the cabins scattered onsite. These were a different story. They were outdated, and sadly in need of renovation. A look through the windows revealed old faux wood paneling, and there were "R rated" pin ups on the walls. Outdated fixtures and furniture. The doors into the bathroom were half "saloon style" doors. No privacy.

It looked like a brothel. We knew that we weren’t going to recommend this property. Plus, where were the people? We left.

When we looked at the brochure, we realized that the people in the pictures were not tourists.

The pictures of the newly renovated restaurant, showed the dining room packed with obviously local folks. Lots of kids too. They were dressed as if they were going to church. In their best clothes.

My guess is that they invited workman and staff families for lunch, and to take the brochure pics.

I see that there is now something called "Vista Condor Lodge". I looked at their website. It looks different. But it’s been almost 30 years. I checked the reviews. They were averaging four stars. But there were some very poor one star reviews. The rooms were referred to as rustic.

Is this the same place? I'm not looking to trash the place, or recommend it to my clients. It is just a very odd memory, and I'm looking for more updated information. Has anyone stayed there recently?

Thanks everyone!

Call now to connect with business.

05/04/2026

AI is a useful tool. But it can’t give you “(Rain)Boots on the Ground” advice.

We are a FREE service. Why not talk to someone who has been there over times? Nothing to lose, Everything to gain!

Call Pat! (800) 256-0124
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Costa Rica Travel Exchange

05/01/2026