Mar 15. 2013 Hi Ray, We are back home from the trip to Costa Rica and we would like to thank you for the well planned and well executed travel at this wonderful country. Hotels were good, travels started on time and we are happy with this great time that we spent at Costa Rica. Regards, Tamar and Rafael G. Israel
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Mar 5. 2013 Hi Ray It was a great trip--thanks for making it all work. Special thanks for arranging a shuttle for me, too, when my flight was delayed getting into San Jose. The one thing I should pass along was the pick-up time for Monteverde. Our voucher said we were to be picked up at 7:30 a.m. at our hotel, but we found the driver there just after 7:00 when we were on our way to breakfast. It worked out--they sent someone else to pick us up, but we found out later that we were actually supposed to have been at the park by 7:30. Fortunately the group started with a video, which we missed, but we were able to join the group before the walk started. Just thought I should let you know for the future--that the pickup time should probably have been about 7:00 or so. We got to see LOTS in Costa Rica and found most of the guides to be really knowledgeable. Humberto (at Tortuguero) was fabulous! We loved the way you had the whole trip organized--the right amount of time in each place--and have already recommended you to several folks along the way. Thanks again for addressing all my concerns along the way and for always being helpful. We wish you much success! Mary B.
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Feb 5,2013 Hi Ray I wanted to write and tell you we had a wonderful trip to Costa Rica. I appreciate all your patience with me and assistance and guidance you gave us. Now to find a way to have an income so we can move there! We loved Esparza, best of the areas we visited. We took a bus from San Jose to Puriscal to visit our friends who live there and also drove up to San Ramon while in Esparza. We are totally in love with the Country! Thank you again! Debbie S.
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20 Mar 2012 Hola Ray, We just had a wonderful time on our trip. Machu Picchu was amazing. Buenos Aires was the most beautiful city that we have ever seen. We had a blast!!! Your Argentinean and Peruvian tour companies were great too. They were professional, on time, very organized and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend them. Jamie and I are already planning our next trip J. We would love to go to Colombia. I have attached a few photos. Thank you again for setting this all up. It was worth it. Jill and Jamie
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14 Mar 2012 HI Ray, I just wanted to thank you for arranging the wonderful trip for us to Costa Rica. We had a wonderful time in all the arranged places. The hotels were good too. We really liked the Hacienda La Isla and The Parador hotel in Manuel Antonio. I will definetly recommend you to my friends in future. Jenny M.
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19 Apr 2012 Ray, I wanted to send my feedback on Misa. He is the best tour guide we have ever seen. The entire team on our tour bus for the Rainforest tour on 4/14 had a great time with him. He has excellent knowledge, good communication skills, good sense of humor and an amazing attitude. I wanted to make sure that we share this feedback so that he gets the credit that he deserves. I would be happy to refer your company and him to any of my friends as a tour guide. Regards, Arvind P.
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January 6, 2012 Thank you Ray for all of your help in arranging our tours. Everything you arranged was so fun and interesting. The people and accommodations were wonderful and you did a great job putting together a memorable and exciting time for us! Thank you! Janet We are all one in spirit, regardless of our form
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November 2011 Ray, We made it back safely.... I cannot thank you enough for planning such a great trip for us... I will be sure to give your name to any friends up here who are interested in going to Costa Rica... The only thing that we were not happy with was the Hotel Mango the last night.... Our room was dark and dingy...and the restaurant was only open for breakfast due to remodeling... Maybe after the remodeling is complete, it will be better, but for now, perhaps you should check it out before placing clients there...The staff was great, but the place was not on the same level as the other places we stayed... Thanks again for all you did to make our trip such fun. Laura D
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November 2011 Hi Ray! Thanks for your help with arranging the tours in Costa Rica. Everyone in our party really enjoyed them! I would definitely use your services again in the future. Regards, Jessica
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09/02/2011 dear ray, my daughter and i very much enjoyed our trip to costa rica (la pura vida) the tours you got for us were very interesting and the hotels centrally located with decent facilities. at all times the scheduled pickup and drive to times were timely. thank, d.l.
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07/15/2011 Hi Ray, We have returned home from a really amazing adventure vacation! Thank you so much for all your help and for taking the time to help us customize and book all those activities for us... White river rafting on the Pacuare and Jet Skiing at Manuel Antonio were both experiences that we will never forget! Also, the hotels you RSVP'd for us were excellent. Arenal Paraiso was our favorite. We didn't know what to expect when we got to Costa Rica but all your pre-planning was very well executed. All transportation was on time and we felt very taken care of and very welcomed by the generous hospitality of the locals. Thank you again and PURA VIDA!!! -Frances F.
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1/11/2011 Dear Ray, and Travel Store Team, Kim and I want to thank you strongly for your creative choices for where we would stay, and for how long and in which order. This made our vacation incredibly peaceful and exciting at the same time! Casa Corcovado is a naturalist's dream and so laid back. We had a fairly small group there at the time, and made friends, and got to go into the jungle three times, and do a snorkle trip, and a kayak trip. Their food was the best we had in the country! We finished up with the Arenal and Poas regions over two days and really enjoyed the Sky Trek, Tabacon hot springs, hiking on Arenal, and the The waterfall and peace lodge experience. We enjoyed seeing the locals on the drives, and the drivers were very nice to us. Thanks again, Ray and Team for a job well done. Dan M. and Kim T.
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1/10/2011 Dear Ray and staff, I know this is a couple weeks late, but I just wanted to tell you what an AMAZING time we had during our trip to Costa Rica! Everything went smooth and everywhere we stayed was wonderful and so were the people. You have such a beautiful country, and we were not ready to leave! My mom was so jealous after looking at all of our pictures that we will hopefully be back once I have a break from school. I have already told all of my friends what an incredible travel agent we had, so expect more customers soon! Thanks so much again for everything! Sincerely, Katie J.
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1/03/2011 Hi Ray, I just wanted to let you know we had such a wonderful time in your beautiful country. All the day trips went perfectly, every driver and activity host and hostess were so kind and gracious and happy to show us Costa Rica - they were the best anyone could ever ask for. We learned so much, ate some wonderful food, and made some great photos. If it would help for future referals, I would be happy to leave a comment on your website if you would like me to. Thank you again! K.D.
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1/05/2011 Dear Ray, We just got back from our trip yesterday. A real success, it went well and smoothly. Thank you for your assistance. The Doka-Poaz-Waterfall tour, Costa Verde Hotel in Manuel Antonio and Drake's Bay Wilderness Resort were all excellent choices. I wouldn't have changed anything, except that the drive from Manuel Antonio to Sierpe left too early and left us waiting around in Sierpe for a number of hours. Recognizing that travel is rarely perfect, I only note this for purposes of providing you with feedback. Overall, we are quite positive about the trip. Best regards, Ted
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1/03/2011 Hi Ray/Jaime, We had a really good time in Costa Rica. Its a beautiful country, far beyond our expectations. Thanks for you organization, everything went smoothly. It was great that you could fix the mis-communication and keep the plan for Monteverde tour. My kids loved the canopy tour. We were impressed by the tour operators, very punctual and efficient in conducting the tours. The only bit of snag we had was with the airport pick-up and drop off. The lady was 15 min late when we reached. We did not have cell phone or Costa Rican coins to dial. On departure, she was over half hour late. We had to call the cab, she did arrive after the cab came, but we ended up paying $25 to the cab. Anyway, we plan to visit again some time in future, the parts of the country we did not end up seeing this time. Expect calls from me again or friends of mine who are also now interested in seeing Costa Rica! Regards, ~ A. D.
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11/11/2010 Dear Ray, I would like to thank you for the wonderful and flawless services you have provided us during our first trip to Costa Rica... & I'll note it again truly the best service and recommendation from Costa Rica Travel Store. We had a great stay in Volcano Inn and Grand Costa Rica Hotel. The staffs are friendly and our transportation to and from the airport was punctual all the time. Would highly recommend your company to friends and family, we enjoyed every minute of our tour to Tabacon Hotsprings. Overall, we had wonderful experience and would visit again. Best Regards, Johanne B.
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5/12/2009 Dear Ray, Just spoke to Mr and Mrs DiS., they said Costa Rica was beyond their expectations. They loved the HOTSPRINGS best of all, but each hotel and destination was wonderful. They really enjoyed the sightseeing too! They said the people were just wonderful, all transportation on time and no confusion! Thanks for your help! Kathy, Holiday Travel
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5/06/2009 Ray, I just wanted to write to you to say thank you for all that you organized for my mom and I’s trip to Cuba and Costa Rica!! It was fantastic. To be honest, I was a little nervous about traveling to Cuba with only a few paper printed vouchers, but it all worked out without any problems. Our highlights of the trip, besides the fact that Habana is just superbly incredible and the rain forest is like nothing I have ever seen, for Cuba, was staying in the heart of the city in front of Central Park (although a little run down, Hotel Inglaterra worked out just fine- we spent the first night in the interior but were able to switch to a room with a balcony for the other 3 nights. Although we did grab some drinks from the NH Parque Central hotel rooftop across the way, and I can tell you it is an incredible hotel! Modern and beautifully done. But almost too luxurious- creates a huge contrast from all you see in the city around you), and for Costa Rica, whitewater rafting (so much fun! The guide was fantastic, just like a camp counselor. Totally put my mom at ease- despite being nervous at first, she had a wonderful time. And now I am inspired to plan a rafting trip in Colorado with my husband). Also, the Sueno Azul resort was a pleasant surprise, with all its wildlife and the stream running right next to the resort really made you feel like you were in the heart of the forest. The Hotel Presidente was so luxurious- terrific staff, they even upgraded us to a Jacuzzi room both nights. The canal tour was interesting and relaxing- great group of people and the tour guide had so much character. Although we knew which tour was for which day, and although we had a general idea of where we were going, what we were going to see, we never fully knew what to expect. Not knowing Spanish did not help. But our apprehensions on what might come were always soothed. When it was time to go on a tour or to another place to stay, we were always pleasantly surprised that everything worked out as planned and was very enjoyable. The only comments I would make is that the Vinales tour in Cuba was a bit long and a bit too touristy. A lot of time was spent on the bus, and although it was great to see some of the Cuban countryside in the North, Cubans hitchhiking along the road, and all the political slogans and signs along the roadsides, the places we stopped (Indian cave, local rum factory, small place where a guy rolled cigars, lunch at a restaurant next to the Mural of Prehistoria) were all very touristy and superficial. I understand however that this may be how the Cuban government chooses to run its guided tours. I am also glad we did not spend a night in an all-inclusive on the beach in Varadero. It was a relaxing first day, and it was very interesting to see the contrast between the city and the foreign managed Varadero beach resorts, but it didn’t even feel like we were in Cuba. It was nice to come back to the hub-bub of Habana at night. All in all, I would definitely recommend you and your travel team to anyone considering traveling to Cuba or Costa Rica, although more probably the latter (not sure how many of our friends are adventurous enough to opt for travel to Cuba). Thanks again Ray! -Heather and Sharon
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4/13/2009 Hi Ray, Thanks Ray for organizing this trip for me , it was great.All the tours were well organized and thoroughly loved Costa Rica. Thanks again, Reeba
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4/12/2009 Ray, Having breakfast and prepping to leave Arenal area. The accommodations were PERFECT! We had cabin 403 which was huge...King in master and two doubles. Huge closet for everyone's luggage. One very large bathroom (master) and one smaller bathroom. The wet bar was a BIG hit with the kids yesterday. We zip lined right from the hotel grounds which was so convenient. Yesterday we drove to the national park and walked on the lava field - heard and saw rocks tumbling down the volcano. Thank you again for your assistance. Erin
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3/19/2009 Thank you, Jaime. the ticket arrived to my mailbox And thank you too for all your help. I always check around with different agencies - but I don't know why I bother. You are always the best - in every way!! Saludos Aisling
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1/19/2009 Hi Ray, Thank you so much for planning one of the best vacations ever for me and Ray! Costa Rica is amazingly beautiful! The first day tour of the central valley was wonderful! We loved the Cataratas. What a shame there was an earthquake there. Monte Verde was great, too. I didn't realize we had signed up for Zip lines in the forest. I reluctantly tried the first line (I'm rather scared of heights), but I quickly warmed to it and had a blast. We also got a kick out of the transport driver from Monte Verde to Manuel Antonio. I took your suggestion and told him I was interested in tropical fruits. He took us to a fruit stand in Orotina, then to the main squire where we saw a sloth and a black and white owl. From the fruit stand the most outstanding thing we bought was a sopadilla (Looks like a brown avocado, tastes like a carmelized pear) - Delicious!!!! In particular, I want to thank you for the fruit basket you left for us at the Presidente in San Jose. Everything was wonderful, but I went crazy for the granadillas. On one of the excursions I found a larger version of the granadilla the vendor called a "Colombiano". Amazing! In addition to the great things you left us, I tried a "manzana de agua" or "water apple". I don't think the one I tried was ripe enough, because several natives told me that was there all time favorite fruit. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for arranging such a fantastic trip on such short notice. Cheers!!!, Rod S and Ray G
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9/29/2008 Dear Carolina, We had a wonderful and very informative time at the seminar and I wanted to thank you for assisting us with our hotel plans and changes so efficiently. We will recommend your services to anyone seeking travel assistance on their trips to Costa Rica. Sincerely, Kim S.
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9/19/2008 Ray, Use my referral as often as would be helpful to you. I simply cannot imagine a better experience than the one we had. Take good care of Jill - the waterfall rappel was actually a bit scary but now that it's behind us, we think it was great. I'm not sure I would have let Wesley (our ten year old) do it if I'd seen the waterfall before he went down. Our guide was excellent and I certainly felt like we were in good hands. It was just an awful lot of water coming down on you at one time! We are so very grateful for all you did - and your endless patience on our "indecision" about Arenal. I'm so glad we went - the night we saw the volcano was magical. I really had to hand it to our guide. He took us out during the day in the pouring rain - we were soaked to the skin after the volcano hike, then we went to the Tabacon for the hot springs and dinner. At the end of dinner he came and told us that he thought it was a good night to see the volcano so he loaded us all up at 9:00 pm and drove us all the way back there and then we stayed for about an hour watching it erupt. That was way above and beyond the "duty" of the tourguide. Take good care of Jill. She is one very special lady. Best, Patti
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9/18/2008 Hi Ray, I don't know quite how to thank you for our wonderful trip to Costa Rica. Every part of the trip was absolutely wonderful and full of incredible memories for our family. The tours were great and the service you gave us was outstanding. We even got to watch the volcano erupt our last night in Arenal. My very best friend will be coming to Costa Rica in November and I told her that she must contact you for assistance. They already have accomodations lined up but need those "once in a lifetime" tours that you provided for us. So, please accept this message as a letter of introduction between Jill and Ray. I'm very sure you will enjoy working together. And Ray, if there is ever anything at all we can do to help you, please let me know. Best Regards, Patti McC.
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September 4, 2008 Dear Ray Been back a few days now and have been wanting to say what a fantastic country you have, you are very lucky! And Costa Rican's are great and beautiful people, certainly everyone we met. The tour was excellent, all the transfers worked really well and the hotels were superb. You made our holiday perfect. Thank you so much. My only regret is not having time to go down to Corvocado, but then, we have a good reason to come back soon! Very happy to leave a message on your website saying how great you are!!! Can even send some photos! Best wishes Mark from the U.K.
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Monday, Aug. 20, 2008 Ray; I am now back in the states and back at work. I just wanted to say thank you for your hard work putting our trip together and for putting up with us. We had a wonderful time, for me personally it was the best vacation I have ever taken. We saw so many different things, places and met many friendly people. We all agreed that we would return for another visit sometime. Thank You, Joe S
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Monday, May 19, 2008 6:27 PM Ray; I just wanted to thank you for arranging our trip to Costa Rica. Everything was great, including the weather. We had an amazing honeymoon and appreciate all of your help and suggestions. Thanks again, Tom K..
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Monday, May 19, 2008 6:27 PM Ray; My wife & I recently used the Costa Rican travel service you provide. I don’t often write to praise or to criticize services or products unless it’s something exceptional. I wanted you to know that we could not be more pleased with the service provided to us on our trip. All of the drivers were on time and very courteous. I especially want to tell you about one of the drivers; Marvin Garcia. He picked us up at Hotel Sugar Beach, near Tamarindo, and delivered us to Hotel Villa Romantica in Quepos. He was very courteous, as they all were, but he was also very informative and entertaining. He went to great lengths to ensure our comfort and that all our needs were met. If you are not the person I should be writing, please direct this email to whomever it needs to go to so that he receives the recognition he so richly deserves. I have already recommended your service to other people I know will be traveling to Costa Rica, and provided them with your contact information. Thanks again for your flawless portion of our trip. Sincerely, Charles S..
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04/30/08 Ray, Just a note to say that we had a fabulous time in Costa Rica. All of your arrangements worked like clockwork, everyone was warm, helpful and punctual. Thanks for your efforts in setting up a terrific trip. And the location of our rooms at Paradisus could not have been more convenient! Best, Michael K. PS Now if you could just get that road from Arenal to Monteverde paved, that’d be terrific!
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04/28/08 Hi Ray, Sorry it has taken so long to respond. We had a fantastic time and i really appreciate the service and effort you provided. The transfer provided back to Liberia worked out very well. Costa Rica was fabulous and I hope that some day we will have an opportunity to return. The Travel Store is high on my list and will be recommended to family and friends. Thanks, Bob
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03/24/08 Hello Ray I wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful visit in CR. Of course it was way to short. We enjoyed the wildlife and the people very much. We are in the process of assessing our investment opportunities. Thank you very much for setting up the hotels and the car rental. Linda DeS
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03/14/08 Well we didn't go with a GPS after all, but got only slightly lost a couple of times. Your directions were pretty dang good, BTW. Without them, I'm sure we would have had to have a GPS. I want to say the itinerary you set up was very good, indeed. My wife and I were very pleased. We had a blast zip lining at Arenal. I also learned that driving in CR is an experience like zip lining, except without the fun. Tico's have a laid back culture, until they get behind the wheel. Anyway, thanks for your expert help in setting up a great vacation in CR for my wife and I. Hope to see you again next year. ac
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03/13/08 Maria and I attended the Dillman’s traveling watercolor painting workshop In Costa Rica on Feb.28 to Mar 8, 2008, with Bridget Austin as instructing artist (see Dillmans.com and Bridgetauastin.com). This Central American country lies at approximately 9 degrees latitude and has a moist, tropical environment. It is generally mountainous with numerous volcanoes, some of which are currently active. Many of the more scenic areas are covered with tropical rainforest which grow to great heights in many areas. These forests, interspersed with lakes, rivers and waterfalls are home to a diverse population of plants,birds, animals and reptiles. This workshop was, in our view, an ideal mix of painting as well as sight-seeing and photographic opportunities. The workshop progressed at a continual but relaxed pace. Painting was done mostly during the mornings while the temperature was relatively cool in incredibly beautiful and comfortable settings. Afternoons were spent on localized excursions to scenic locations within short driving ranges of the base hotels. Options were left open for individual interests and activities as well. Following arrival at San Jose we traveled to the Arenal Springs Resort where we stayed for 3 days. The resort is located near the base of the active Arenal Volcano. Minor eruptions could be seen on a daily basis but the area is considered quite safe. Painting was done on the hotel veranda with a view of the colorful grounds and distant volcano. The grounds were well-manicured and contained a wide variety of vegetation including a fantastic assortment of tropical flowers. This stay included a trip to the Peace River Water Fall Gardens and an evening excursion and dinner at the Tabacon Hot Springs, where most of the participants indulged in a dip into the thermal pools. The third day included a trip to Lake Arenal and a hike down (and back up) a narrow valley to see the fantastic La Fortuna Waterfall. The next day, we traveled to Manuel Antonio located along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, which is a very popular tourist destination, with many hotels. Our hotel was interestingly named Hotel California and was located near the Manuel Antonio National Park. As at Arenal, we were in a very scenic setting, and came with a view of the ocean.. The town of Quepos was nearby, where we had lunch and shopping opportunities. One evening we had dinner during sunset at the La Mariposa Hotel restaurant. The view from this hotel is of unparalleled beauty in all of Costa Rica. Painting was accomplished here in a scenic upper-level veranda with a gentle tropical breeze. The hotel grounds had floral gardens with numerous Bougainvillea and Hibiscus. Monkeys could be seen in the surrounding trees and vegetation most mornings. Side trips included a Mangrove estuarine boat cruise to see a wide variety of birds and animals. Painting was also done at two beautiful beaches with large rock outcroppings and boats floating in the offshore. Dennis and Sue Robertson as well as Stephanie Skotterud were as cordial and accommodating throughout this trip as could possibly be expected. They were tireless in there efforts to make this trip as enjoyable for us as they could. The painting group was small enough so that each artist was provided ample individual attention. Most painting sessions were started with a demo by Bridget. She is an excellent demo artist and provided detailed verbal explanation of her painting procedures to maximize our learning curve. We would not hesitate to take another workshop with Bridget and/or the Robertsons and will likely do so as our schedule permits. Bob and Maria Pauken
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2007-11-15 12:05 Nice site which loaded very quickly. The navigation was good and there is more than enough content. Good luck and wish you all the best. Michael
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2007-11-12 5:10 Ray, We got back in one piece....... All the arrangements were done perfectly. Our driver arrived at 4:30 am to take us back to the airport and set a land speed record for Costa Rica. He might have to come to Chicago to teach people on how to drive the Dan Ryan. The hotel was great the food was great the fishing was great but the people in Costa Rica really made the place special. I could see why people from here are looking to retire in Costa Rica. I look forward to passing on your name to some of my friends and clients so they could experience some of the charms, some of course more than others, that we had on vacation. I'm sure we will talk in the future. Joe
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2007-11-09 13:58:06 Great site design made with ease of use in mind. This is a one stop portal for travel to Costa Rica. The site loaded fast and the content is well written and relevant.. Mark
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September 17, 2007 Dear Ray, Other than being robbed, the rest of my trip in Costa Rica was wonderful. We saw amazing things including a humpback whale and her calf on our snorkeling trip. I was most impressed by all our guides and their amazing knowledge of their country and wildlife. If we had hiked through Manuel Antonio alone we NEVER would have seen even a quarter of the animals we saw via our guide. He had eagle eyes! Seeing the independence day celebration on Friday night in Quepos was quite nice too. I took a few pictures of the children with their lanterns - they're so proud. It's refreshing to see a country of people with such pride and respect for their home...quite unlike the US! As for being robbed - it certainly increased the cost of my trip by about $2000, but it was my fault. I knew better than to leave my bag in the car even though we weren't even in a town, just at a roadside cafe. I was just a little off kilter because American Airlines lost my suitcase, so all my valuables that would have been tucked into my large suitcase rather than my little backpack were still in the small bag. The money lost is far less important to me than the vast amount of work I lost off of my computer, but I'll rebuild. Anyhoo, thank you so much for all of your hard work and continued assistance throughout the trip. I will certainly contact you for future visits and recommend you to friends if anyone is planning to take a trip! Have a wonderful week! Margarita |
Thursday, July 19, 2007 11:19AM Fell in Love with Costa Rica Hi Ray. We have returned from the trip you planned for us to Costa Rica. In the brief nine days we were there, you did an amazing job of planning the places we visited of this magnificent country. I wouldn't have changed the activities or the locations. We wrapped up our trip with four dives. Costa Rica isn't known for the best diving, as the visibility isn't as good as many other places. However, what was lacking in visibility (about 45 ft on our dives), the phenomenal marine life more than made up for that. We saw sharks, eels, octupus, manta rays, sea turtles, schools of tuna and sea-bass, colorful fish and more. It definitely surpassed our expectations. And of course the wildlife on land was phenomenal too. The monkeys and sloths were my favorite. Although I also got to be on a first name basis with many iguanas. Thanks for planning a trip that we will always remember. Pura Vida! Michelle M Side note: It doesn't appear that Hotel Karahe is under great management. This could be an absolutely phenomenal place. The view of the water from the villas is breathtaking. However, the mattresses are horrible and the bathrooms are not very clean. We definitely don't need fancy, since we don't spend a lot of time in the room. But these two things are the basics. I hope to go back someday and find that someone wipes off the dust and makes this place the gem it could be. Also, the directions you provided were great. Thanks so much. The road to Hotel Sugar Beach was definitely an adventure. When we were first arriving, I read your directions and the description of the road being "HORRIBLE". When we actually got to the road we laughed in hysterics. We enjoyed it though...just part of the adventure!
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Wednesday, June 20, 2007 The family had a great time through out the entire vacation! We actually added other things as time presented itself. The most memorable event was a non-intended stop at a small shop of a wood carver on the way to Monteverde, he and his family took us in to their home and showed us with pride his garden, and workshop. He even took our sons and showed them how to work on his machines and allowed them to carve a bowl! We enjoyed the hospitality of the people through out the country, even in the large cities. Driving for me was a high point, as I love dirt roads and rally style driving! Thank you greatly for setting up a wonderful vacation and putting up with our incessant questions.
Tad L.
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Wed, 25 Apr 2007 Hello Ray, We just wanted to send you a Thank you. Even though there was a lot of stress and things left to the last minute, in the end it worked out for the best. I'm glad the other caterer did not work out because Robin was absolutely fantastic. The resort was beautiful, the car rental worked out well, the garden court hotel was perfect. I would say that Robin did the most amazing job with the wedding, music, photographer etc. It could not have been better. The only concern we had was with the Marea Brava. They did not seem to have things organized. They had people leaving on the wrong days and not booked in for others. They also put us in different rooms than you had booked us for the wedding night and the rest of the week. I'm not sure if there was a difference but they put us in rooms 4 and 5 instead of 6 and 7 which were 2nd floor and appeared to be bigger than 4 and 5. We were having such a great time that it didn't really matter and we ended up moving back to a condo because the rooms were too small anyway. Just wanted to let you know that they were not the most pleasant to deal with, but the beauty of the resort made up for the service. Thank you again for everything! We couldn't have done it without you! Very much appreciated. Take Care! Tonya and David K.
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Sunday, April 08, 2007 5:08 PM RJ, This is a long overdue THANK YOU Our trip was wonderful everything happened as planned. All of the transfers you arranged occurred without a hitch. You chose a wonderful place to retire. I hope we can call on you again to help us plan our second trip to Costa Rica! Thanks again-
jah
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Tuesday, March 13, 2007 2:39 PM Ray, It was a great trip other than an early bought with food poisoning courtesy of the restaurant at the ferry. (under cooked fish) Other than that everything and everyone was wonderful. Great people, (other than their driving) and spectacular scenery. The 2nd night at La Sabana was better than the first. Much nicer room that wasn’t right over the road. Room 17 to be specific. Outstanding and a great value. That place is a winner Thanks for all your help. Jay D. L.
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February 23, 2007 Dear Ray, We have now returned from our trip to Costa Rica, and I want to tell you that everything went perfectly. All the planning certainly paid off. Each service, hotel, tour that you booked for us was waiting, precisely at the agreed time and place. There were no gaps. That made our trip so pleasant! Thank you for such excellent administration. The wedding on the beach at Tulemar was as lovely as could be, and all went well. We all enjoyed all the hotels (although, I have to say, the Conchal development, so different from Corteza Amarilla and Tulemar, was not really our style, but it certainly was comfortable). The tours were so well done, and we got excellent use out of our rental car. We will certainly recommend your services to any friends planning travel in Costa Rica, and, should we return, we will be in touch. Thank you very much, Liz L.
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February 5, 2007 Hi Ray, We are back from our trip to the Osa Pennisula. What a wonderful and beautiful place! I can't say enough about how smooth everything went. Even with those paper transfers. We had a great trip and will call you again when we plan to go back. Costa Rica is the friendliest place and has everything you can imagine and more. Thank you! Trish and Jake Sharet
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December 12, 2006 Ray, We had a blast! Everything you planned went off without a hitch. Thank you so much for all the changes and additions. We had the larger bus (25 passenger) going back to San Jose and it was a God- send! I might like to use the larger bus on all my adult only trips. How much more is it? I want to talk to you about the Coste Verde sometime. The Scuba shop owners were very complimentary about you and your business. I want to plan another trip for the same time next year, but want to make it 9 nights. We would leave on Thursday, November 29 and return on Saturday, December 8. One night Rincon, 3 nights Tamarindo area, 4 nights Manuel Antonio area, one night San Jose with AM city tour. Let's make sure we have the March 31 - April 8 trip set and then we can work on the 2007 Dec trip. I am going to make a brochure that tells folks what to wear/bring for each of the excursions we do. I will send you a copy if you would like to use it for other clients. Thanks again. I enjoy working with you! Julie
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October 30, 2006 Ray- Thanks for all your help and your quick turn-around getting Jessica added. We are very excited for the trip. Please do not hesitate to use me as a reference/testamonial in the future. Best, Rose Maguire
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August 4, 2006 Hi Ray, I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you again for your insights and help in lining up our trip. Your recommendations were outstanding. I can't count the number of times my boys would turn to me while we on our excursions and exclaim "this is the best vacation ever!" I felt the same way. Everything we did was perfect for my kids: La Paz, rafting, Tabacon, canopy tour, horseback riding. The Arenal Paraiso was outstanding - we had a beautiful view of the volcano and I barely slept at night, watching it erupt with a gorgeous view from the comfort of my bed. Costa Rica is a beautiful country with beautiful people. Thanks for helping us discover our bit of paradise. Who knows... maybe next summer we'll come back to see the Pacific and Manuel Antonio park. If so, you'll be hearing from me. All the best, Alan Gesalman
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August 2, 2006 Mr. Hagist, I never did get back to you - just wanted to extend a hearty thank you for putting together a great trip for us. Everything was very smooth and my wife and I had a very enjoyable vacation. I'm sure we will return, and hope to plan through you again. If anyone I know ever heads down that way, I'll be sure to refer them to you. Thanks again, Larry Kniskern
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July 14, 2006 Ray, I can't thank you too much for the truly great holiday we spent at Playa Tamarindo at the hotel you booked for us this week. The Hotel Luna Llena is truly a gem. The rooms were very comfortable and the staff and owners went "over and above the call of duty" to make our stay pleasant and enjoyable. Lounging by the pool was very relaxing and tranquil. They EVEN have WiFi internet available in the hotel! Next time we book a vacation, we will definitely be giving you a call. Again, many thanks for the great service. Arne and Marilyn Dresslar
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June 1, 2006 Ray, Just wanted to thank you for arranging our transfers and tours while we were in Costa Rica the week of May 6. All the tours were great - we had a wonderful adventure - we were able to do things like the canopy tours and volcano tours that were awesome we will all remember for a long time. I look forward to visiting Costa Rica sometime in the future and will definately contact you when we do. Thanks again for all your help.
Sandra Powell
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May 2, 2006 Ray, I wanted to let you know that we had a fantastic time on our trip. I have to admit that when we landed in San Jose, I was a little concerned that those vouchers that you had e-mailed me may be meaningless. After all, I had not done anything to check the bona fides of the Costa Rica Travel Store and those pieces of typing paper seemed so informal. Well, my fears were for nothing, because I was greeted by name at the airport and our airport transportation and the rest of the trip went without a hitch. The vouchers were unconditionally accepted and we were treated like royalty everywhere we went. I want to particularly commend you for arranging the private van drivers. We had the most thoughtful, most conscientious drivers that anyone could ask for. As you had advised me, the roads in C.R. are not the interstates that we are used to, particularly the road from Monteverde to Montezuma. I would have been very distraught driving over mountainous, shoulderless roads had we not had careful drivers. We did not arrive anywhere quickly, but we arrived safely. Moreover, our drivers, who by and large were not fluent in English, were nevertheless very accommodating. On one of our trips, one of the girls got car sick and the driver stopped to buy her guava to sooth her stomach (and would not accept repayment). After we told another of our drivers how much we enjoyed the local fruits, juices and nuts, he took us to a marvelous fruit stand (in Ocininto?) to purchase tamarind juice and other local fruits, nuts and coconut cookies. As you may recall, we also took advantage of many of the "adventure tours" available (white-water rafting, horseback riding and zip-lines). In each case, the equipment was in good condition and we had excellent, safety conscious guides. If you or Costa Rica Travel Store ever needs a referral, you should feel free to have them contact me. I was really impressed by your knowledge and level of service. Thank you for a wonderful trip. Susan Shanklin
718.625-7204 (home)
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April 20, 2006 Dear Ray, I wanted to thank you for all the wonderful arrangements you made for our recent trip. Your inside information and knowledge of lodging and activities really made the trip unbelievable! Every time I thought the trip couldn't get any better, it did! Arenal Lodge was spectacular and I would go back and stay longer next time. We even saw an eruption our last night. Amazing! El Establo was a beautiful resort though I think their staff was a little tired from being sold out. We went to Santa Elena Reserve as opposed to Monteverde and only saw 3 other couples during our 3 hour hike. Hacienda Guachapelin was an amazing adventure and I definitely would go back there and stay a few nights to be able to savor all there is to do. Also, because you had us go up to the lodge on a Monday when the Park itself was closed at Rincon De La Vieja, it was incredibly quiet and most of our adventures that day were "private" though they had not been booked that way. We love Costa Rica and found it to be beautiful, friendly, affordable and safe. I can't thank you enough for all you did to make sure our trip was awesome, but I will send you a copy of my tv show which is airing this month, and I invited folks to contact you. Just send me a mailing address and your DVD will be on the way. We will definitely come back to Costa Rica and when we do, you'll be the first one we call. Thanks again for everything! Terrie Q. and Skip S.
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April 06, 2006 Good morning Ray, We had a wonderful time in Costa Rica. Thank you for putting together a great itinerary for us. We were able to do everything except the Canopy Tour at Arenal. It was just too windy and rainy for our tastes that day and we figured we could catch it on our next trip. My wife's name is Joleen, so that's not who they are looking for. Do you know when that segment is going to air? Speaking of return trips - I may be coming down in June/July with my son. As our plans firm up, I will give you a call to make our reservations. Thanks, Mike
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April 05, 2006 Ray, The trip went great!!!!! Thank you very much. So I missed you in San Jose but I got your cards and will definitely try to do some repeat business with you and refer you to friends. Thanks again. Donnie C.
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19 March 2006 Hi Ray - Thank you so much for putting together a great itinerary. We hada wonderful trip and look forward to coming back soon. Everything worked out smoothly with no hitches. The only item we didn't do was the zip line tour as it was extremely windy and raining that day - oh well, that gives us something to look forward to doing on the next trip down. Again, thanks for your help and I'll contact you when we're ready to return later this year. Mike
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27 Feb 2006 Ray, We (Me, my wife, daughter and her husband) just returned from our 15 day trip to Costa Rica. We could not have had a better time. We had absolutely no problems with any of the arrangements you made for us. The weather was great as were our accomodations. Every place you recommended turned out to be better than we anticipated. The Corcovado Jungle Lodge is a truly fantastic place. Every thing about it is first class. We saw lots of animals and birds. The lodge staff did every thing in their power to make our stay pleasant. The only place we were a little disappointed with was the Villas Nicolas. This is a place we arranged ourselves. It was not nearly as nice as we expected. We paid for a villa and received two separate rooms not even on the same floor -- one adequate the other not. I certainly would not recommend this place to anyone. It is in need of remodeling and attention to general all around maintenance. We certainly didn't get what we paid for. We paid $275 a night for a so called suite. We should have let you arrange a place for us in this area. Despite this one disappointment we still had a good time in the Manuel Antonio area. Again, thanks for your assistance. Your assistance helped us have a fantastic trip to Costa Rica. We will definitely return in the future. David Brickell
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03 Feb 2006 Dear Ray, Our trip to Sugar-Beach was excellent. All your arrangements worked very well. Thank you for all your help. Best regards, Steve M
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30 Nov 2005 Dear Ray, Thank you very much for the help. I appreciate it very much and I certainly will use you and your company again whenever possible. Also, I will recommend you to my friends. Again, thank you! Gerald W. Colorado
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07 November 2005 Hi Ray The trip came off without a hitch. Thanks for the help. The beach at Samara is beautiful! The hotel is not that great. Getting really old. I think next time we'll go to Flamingo or Tamarindo.(at my age I want people to bring me stuff on the beach) The rent car was great . A brand new Rav 4 (34 kilometers). I was glad I took the extra insurance after I saw the road conditions. By the way they went over the car with a fine tooth comb on return. Thanks again and we'll give you more business in the future Glenn
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