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Hotel Buena Vista

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This tranquil countryside hotel is an easy 15 minute drive from San Jose International Airport. Nestled in the mountains with views over the volcanoes Poas, Barva, and Irazu, Hotel Buena Vista features beautifully maintained tropical gardens which shelter over 100 species of bird. There are plenty of laid back nature trails to explore while admiring the native flora and fauna, as well as a solar-heated pool, bar and a restaurant serving international and Costa Rican cuisine made with local, fresh produce. Dine indoors or out on the patio facing the lush gardens. The colonial Spanish style building features eleven guest rooms and one free-standing villa, painted in tasteful creams and golds with Costa Rican decorative features. Rooms feature a king or two queen beds, a hair dryer and ceiling fans rather than air-conditioning.

What our clients say

Most memorable experiences: "Snorkelling off the island at Corcovado seeing the marine wildlife then returning by boat seeing dolphins and turtles in the sea; Kayaking excursion form Tortuga Lodge (extra…
DO, Bedford Apr 2015
So hard to pick out an individually memorable part. If pushed then we would have to select the two river wildlife trips (Tortuguero and Cano Negro) and overall the friendly…
SY, Solihull Jan 2019
Highlights?: Very hard to select 1 or 2 things. However would probably say Travelling to and staying at Tortuga Lodge and the excursions into the Jungle (in 3 days we…
TW, Glasgow Apr 2018
Most memorable experiences: Waterfall rapelling at el remanso, the internal flights on tiny planes, everything was good
SM, Knaresborough Aug 2015
Costa Rica with Journey Latin America is one of the best holidays we have ever had, if not the best.
MD, Southam Jul 2025
Costa Rica is a stunning country: in terms of its people, who are so warm and welcoming; its ethical basis and its phenomenal wildlife. Snorkelling at Cano Island was truly…
JS, Brighton Mar 2019

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Our Expert's Opinion

Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

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Papagaio

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Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Real Latin american experts

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Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.
Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.
Finn Clennett - Travel Expert
Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.
Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.
Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!