Costa Rica Travel Exchange

10/02/2026

Buckle Up! This is a long post. Sometimes I think my page is actually a blog. Sorry about that.

But if you are using AI to plan your trip, this is worth reading.

We have been offering Free Reviews your AI Planned Itineraries. We have reviewed several of them now, and I keep finding the same issues. Almost always, unrealistic timing. From transportation between points to time spent in each destination.

Also simple errors. Not adding a night in San Jose coming or going. Even if you are flying from Europe, it has the guest picking up a car and driving for several hours. There is a lot of this kind of thing.

I just thought I would share what one of our reviews. I left a couple things out. AI recommends areas that are popular with ex-pats. Not that there is anything wrong with this. But ex-pats tend to post a lot about where they are living. AI picks up on these frequent mentions. While the folk living there might love it, these are not locations I would recommend for a family vacation. There was another location that we feel brings up some personal security issues.

I stay away of the above issues when posting publicly. These are issues that folks want to argue about. For me, life is too short. So I left the controversial issues out.

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So here is my lightly edited review of a recent AI itinerary:

Thanks for reaching out. I'm happy to give you a quick review. By the graphic, I'm guessing that this was put together using AI? I disagree with the itinerary, but it is a very cool graphic. What program is this from?

We have worked with many customers in multiple countries The internet has made that quite easy.

But I think you might be our first from ###### That is awesome. We hope to visit your country in the next couple of years. It would be great to have a friend there, that can give us a little advice. Like you, we are independent travelers.

I feel that you are trying to do way too much. Transportation is slow in Costa Rica. Your stays in each destination are going to be very short. You won't have time to enjoy what each place offers. You will essentially see Costa Rica through the windshield. You will also be too tired to enjoy the destinations.

I also don't see first and last nights in San Jose. This is essential, especially flying from Europe. You need a day to adjust. Also, if there is a delayed flight, it will affect the whole itinerary.

Tortuguero is fine. It is isolated from the rest of the East coast. Though the biggest attraction to Tortuguero is the sea turtles that lay their eggs there in August-September. It is still worth visiting. Maybe two nights?

Arenal / La Fortuna. Very worthwhile. Figure three nights here.

Monteverde is an amazing cloudforest. I know it well. We owned a home there for 18 years. This is unique to the rest of your itinerary. It is worth three nights.

Manuel Antonio is busy. But for a reason. It is stunning. Three nights here, as well.

I would go from Manuel Antonio to the Drake's Bay. You can drop off the car, and send three nights at one of the Nature lodges. National Geographic called Corcovado National Park the most biologically place on the planet. I think they are correct.

So here is what I would propose, based on your dates:

9 San Jose
10 Tortuguero
12 Arenal / La Fortuna
15 Monteverde
18 Manual Antonio
21 Drake Bay
24 San Jose
25 Depart

If you have already purchased airfare, then you could add a day anywhere. I don't think you need an extra night in Tortuguero. An extra night at Drake would be expensive. Maybe an extra night in Manuel Antonio? A lot to do there.

I am not sure what your budget is. So I did not recommend hotels. This is something to discuss, along with your lodging requirements.

We can reserve all of this for you, and send you an itemized itinerary. We can handle the payments through any of the popular internet options (PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, credit card, etc.)

You will be traveling during high season. We really need to get started, so that you will have the most choices.

I hope this is all helpful.

Warmest Regards,

Patrick Hewitt
Costa Rica Travel Exchange

10/01/2026

We Love everything about this hotel. From the fabulous restaurant, the view, the infinity pool and the uncrowded beach with it's gentle surf. To use, it is the perfect beach destination.

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!

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