In-House Services
We offer freshly prepared lunch and dinner. Please make meal requests at least one day in advance. Check with the staff for meal options and let them know of any dietary restrictions.
Please let us know if you are interested in a deep-tissue massage. We work with a local professional masseuse and will coordinate with her as needed. We require massage requests be given at least 48 hours in advance. The cost is $60 per hour.
We offer laundry service, which includes washing, drying and folding. The cost is $10 per kilo. Minimum cost per load is $20. Inquire with staff with anticipation. Twenty-four hour turn-around.
If you require transportation, we will be happy to arrange that for you with a local taxi service. Just let our staff know. Uber is also an option in Costa Rica. For those who are comfortable with local bus service, there is a bus stop at the main road very close to us.
If you have valuables that you would like to keep secure, we are happy to place them in our safe.
Travel Information
For up-to-date passport and visa requirements, look at the Costa Rica Embassy Website. It’s a good idea to make a copy of your passport to use as you travel within Costa Rica. You can keep the original in a secure location, and show the copy to anyone requesting to see it. This just minimizes the risk of losing it or having it stolen.
This is a list of suggested items to pack for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Lightweight clothing
- Swimsuits
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Insect repellent
- Reusable water bottle
- Hiking shoes
- Rain jacket
- Binoculars
- Charger for electronics (120v)
- Essentials like passport, travel insurance, and medications
You can use dollars at most places, but you don’t get the best exchange rate. Another option is to exchange dollars for colones at a bank. Be sure to have your passport with you.
You may also withdraw money in the form of colones from your home-country bank account using your debit card. There are ATMs in town where you may do this. You may also use your debit card or credit card at gas stations, supermarkets, larger hotels and many tourist attractions.
The currency in Costa Rica is called colones. The exchange rate these days is roughly 535 colones per dollar. ($1 = 535 colones, $10 = 5,350 colones, etc). Avoid exchanging money at the airport. While it may be convenient, you get quite a low exchange rate. We highly recommend going to a bank here in town, or in any town. Do remember to have your passport with you.
Be sure any bills that you bring are not damaged or torn, as they may not be accepted, not even by banks. Most businesses do not accept bills over $20. Larger hotels normally do however, as do we at Casa Amanecer.
Upon request.
Please phone or email us to schedule an airport pickup:
- Include the carrier, flight number, arrival time and departing city of your flight.
- Also include how many are traveling.
- Make a payment* though Paypal, using info@casa-amanecer as the recipient.
- We will send you a confirmation email.
Cost is $90 for up to four people, $180 for five to 12 people.
Once you exit the airport, just look for a Casa Amanecer representative holding a sign with your name on it.
If you do not see anyone holding your sign, use the public phones to the right as you exit the building. You can call us collect (see Call Us Collect tab).
It’s about a one hour trip to Casa Amanenecer.
Find us on Waze or Google Maps. Just punch in “Casa Amanecer Bed and Breakfast, Chaparral”. Double check that the destination is located in San Ramon, Alajuela.
Visit our Contact page for a map and more info.
Our GPS coordinates: N 10 06.708 W 84 27.246
Driving directions:
- From San José airport (SJO), drive north on the Panamerican Hwy (#1) to San Ramon.
- In roughly 45 minutes you will see signs for the San Ramón turn-off. Turn RIGHT at Plaza Occidente.
- Continue straight to a traffic light (gas station on the right) drive straight though town, passing behind the big, gray cathedral on the left. Be careful to stop at any “alto” signs.
- When you come to a “T”, turn LEFT, then RIGHT at the traffic light.
- Continue on this road, the route to Arenal. You will pass another traffic light with a gas station on the left, then another gas station on the right before you begin to ascend a hill with a couple of speed bumps. At the top, you’ll see a BEIGE AND BROWN CHURCH (Iglesia de San Juan).
- At the church, you will make a RIGHT at the “Y”, then descend to another speed bump.
- Proceed until you reach an intersection with a stop sign. There will be “Bar Oriente” on the far left and a soccer field just beyond.
- Continue straight. The road will curve about 90 degrees to the left soon, then descend and curve left fairly abruptly, then it will curve to the right and ascend again.
- When you reach the top of the hill, you will see our sign on the right indicating our entrance just beyond on the LEFT, just as you begin descending. It is an asphalt road, about 60 meters long with a concrete retaining wall to the left of the road. Be careful because the entrance is in a curve in the road.
- Go all the way to the end to the big wooden gate and ring the bell on the right. You won’t miss us. We have a big stone retaining wall and a sign on the gate.
Upon leaving Costa Rica, you will need to pay a departure tax of $29 per person at the airport before checking luggage. Check and see if your airline has included this tax in your airfare. If it has not, as you enter the airport, turn right, go all the way to the end and go to the counter on the right. They accept dollars, colones and credit cards.
Policies & Cancellations
Smoking is NOT permitted in rooms or on the premises.
No deposit is required. However, credit card information is needed during online booking process. (Please contact us if this is not an option for you.) Forms of payment: US dollars, colones, payment apps, or credit card.
If a booking is cancelled less than two days before arrival then a charge equal to 50% of the stay will be made. In the event of a no show or booking reduction (after arrival date) the full cost of the booking will be charged. For groups of six people or more, a cancellation made 30 days or less prior to arrival will be charged full rate.
Check-in is at 3:00 PM. Check-out is at 11:00 AM.
Breakfast is served between 8:00 and 9:00 each morning. If you would like an earlier breakfast, please let us know. Coffee and tea can be found on the veranda at 7:00 am. Please help yourself!
