Landing at the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica can be a shock to the system when you are arriving from Canada in the dead of winter.
Arriving in Costa Rica at 10:00 PM you might think that there would be a light breeze or a coolness to the air, but the heat & humidity hits you hard and you’re quickly reminded that denim jeans & a light sweater are no match for the 30 degree heat (a whopping 60 degree difference from our port of embarkment in Edmonton, Alberta).
Liberia is the capitol of Guanacaste province & is known as the white city or la cuidad blanca due to its whitewashed buildings. From the airport, the closest beach destination worth a visit is beautiful Playa Panama and the roads are both winding & dark at this time of night. With the majority of flights from Canada landing around 10:00 PM it is also rather difficult to arrange a rental car on arrival … so we proceed directly to the Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport.
While there is nothing particularly Costa Rican about the Hilton Garden Inn (except of course that it is in Costa Rica) the Hilton Garden Inn offers a complimentary airport shuttle available every 15-20 minutes and a beautiful courtyard pool making it the perfect transit hotel for the beginning or end of your adventure.
While locating the shuttle was no problem (you can find it just outside of the exit doors to your left) we were hassled quite a bit by local taxi drivers offering “special deals” … none of which were any sort of deal at all. Don’t be fooled - the Hilton Garden Inn is a mere 5 minutes from the airport (if that).
Our room at the Hilton was as you would expect from a popular chain. Clean & spacious with your standard hotel amenities and, of course, a courtyard pool open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Our plan for the day after our arrival was to pick up our rental car from Adobe Rental Car and then wait one additional night for our final travel companion to arrive, so we ended up relaxing at the Hilton Garden Inn for not just one, but two nights. This gave us plenty of time to use the room, explore the grounds, try the food & lounge by the pool.
While the pro’s to staying at the Hilton Garden Inn are obvious; complimentary airport shuttle, proximity to the airport & newer, cleaner rooms, the biggest con to the Hilton Garden Inn is, of course, the price.
Nothing too absurd, but the price per night for a room at the Hilton Garden Inn is often nearly double the price of hotels located directly in the city of Liberia (just a 15 minute drive from the airport). You can check prices & dates for your stay here at the Hilton Garden Inn, but if the Hilton is outside of your budget, the next best option (in our experience) is the Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino located just as you enter Liberia & a mere $20 (maximum) taxi ride from the airport.
If you are a nervous traveler or enjoy a little extra comfort then the Hilton Garden Inn is certainly worth the upgrade, but the Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino, while not offering an airport shuttle service, also has clean but standard rooms with a courtyard pool & restaurant.
So, whether you choose in favor of budget or convenience, both the Best Western & Hilton Garden Inn have been TL Travel approved for one or two nights on arrival or departure from Costa Rica. If you have stayed at either one, feel free to leave a comment & let us know your thoughts and experiences there!
Planning a trip to Costa Rica but aren’t sure where to start? Get in touch at reservations@tltravel.ca & start planning your next getaway today!