It’s no secret that everybody wants to save money and receive a great deal for their vacation. And why wouldn’t you expect a great deal? You work hard for your money and should be rewarded when it comes to vacation time. There seems to be a lot of good deals out there, but how do you know which are the best Costa Rica deals versus the scams and “deals” that are loaded with hidden fees?
In the past, we used to list good deals our company offers on this page. Rather than just posting a few good deals that are only applicable to a small percentage of people, we decided to devote this page to the subject of Costa Rica deals and how to avoid some of the more common pitfalls associated with them. In the end, we believe this article in itself will be of great value to you as you will learn how to avoid scams and hidden fees that can result in paying much more than you ever should have in the first place.
The truth is, if a deal looks too good to be true, it likely is. Bottom line pricing is rarely provided on discount or bargain vacations. If you plan to travel this way, you really need to do your homework or your plans will likely backfire in a big way.
This is by far the most popular scam with hundreds of people being taken advantage of daily. There is a mandatory basic insurance (Collision Damage Waiver insurance) in Costa Rica which nearly all agencies leave out of price. There is also an airport pick up fee when applicable. Some of the rental car agencies will argue that everybody does it such as the big conglomerates like Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, etc.. While this is true about the conglomerates, they are not trying to scam you. They simply are not set up for this as Costa Rica is a small country with unique laws.
Keep in mind; this is not a small deal. The insurance usually costs as much, and in many cases more than the vehicle itself! There are a few reputable companies located here in Costa Rica that do include this in the rate of the rental car or at least warn you about it.
How can you avoid this scam? Take a look at the summary of what is included with your rental vehicle. If it does not say CDW insurance as included, ask the company. If they did not include it in the original price, lace up your shoes and run! You are not dealing with a trustworthy company. As for the conglomerates; they are not set up for the intricacies of Costa Rica tourism, so in the end you are going to pay a lot more than the sticker price.
This is another of the more common “Costa Rica deals”, that really are not. These packages are nearly always riddled with hidden fees. Hundreds of people fall for this every day and do so blindly as these are generally listed on the big conglomerate sites. The truth is airlines will offer you lower prices (once all of the taxes and other fees are accounted for) when reserving flights direct and you will save money by choosing a package through a reputable tour operator that provides comprehensive pricing, without hidden fees, that is located on the ground in Costa Rica.
How do you find the real price of these packages? The first place to start is by reading the fine print of what is (or not) actually included.
The most common mandatory fees that are not included are for flights are: airline fuel surcharges, baggage restrictions and surcharges, seat placement surcharges and airport taxes (never included from Costa Rica as it must be paid in person). In addition, many of these packages are only priced from certain airports such as Miami. You are often responsible to get there first!
With these packages the rate rarely includes taxes (13%) for the hotels or service fees (23% when service taxes are fully applied) for the meals enjoyed at the hotels.
The rental cars almost never include the CDW insurance, extra driver fee, or airports pick up surcharge. When totaled up, these “all inclusive Costa Rica deals” almost always end up costing twice as much as the list price.
When looking at one of these all inclusive packages, one should also consider the fact that all of Costa Rica’s all inclusive resorts are located in northwest Guanacaste, which is the driest area of the country. There is no jungle, little wildlife, no hot springs and few adventure activities. While the photos will undoubtedly show all of the above, these resorts are located 3.5 – 4.5 hours from these attractions. In the end, you are not only usually paying twice the listed "deal" price, but also missing out on the whole reason you are coming to Costa Rica!
There are undoubtedly bargains to be found on group coupon sites when you are looking for a cheap steak at a local steakhouse, spa service, or some other random product in town, but these are not always what they appear to be when looking at a Costa Rica vacation or hotel.
The vacations nearly always have the same hidden fees mentioned above in the all inclusive resort, car and package section. In addition, the packages listed on these sites are nearly always restricted to certain off season travel dates.
Take a close look at the pricing as well and compare it to the real rates listed on the hotel or resorts website for that time of the year. In many cases, you will see that the list regular rate is inflated to the high season pricing, even though the “deal” is only available during the low season.
You should also check out recent reviews on the offering hotel or tour operator. Many companies that use these sites are practically giving their product away. Think about it; if it is a real price and they give 30 – 50% off to the client and then 25 – 30% to the coupon provider (yes, this is what they charge), then what is the company left with other than immediate cash flow and a lot of work. Chances are likely that the company is offering the deal for a reason such as lack of business. Why else would they do it? Checking recent reviews will inform you of the level of service to be expected as well as potential unpleasant surprises.
There are many tour operators and travel agencies in Costa Rica. Some are good, many are not. A lot have pretty proposals, but do not include a comprehensive summary of what is actually included. An implied, but not included tour (very common) can easily cost a family several hundred dollars. Meals can add up very quickly. CDW rental car insurance is almost never included. Taxes are usually not brought up and many companies do not include credit card acceptance fees. The last is a potentially dangerous situation as they are likely either not trusted enough by the local banks to accept credit cards, needing third party assistance, or they are evading taxes. Costa Rica law states that companies must provide the same rate regardless if someone is paying with a credit card or cash. If there is a surcharge (often disguised by stating it is a cash discount), chances are likely that there is something wrong on some level. I don’t know about you, but I personally would never hand over cash to someone that is already likely breaking the law.
A good company that is located here on the ground will save you both time and money. They know the best deals and will help you to integrate the appropriate deals into your personalized itinerary. These companies provide the vast majority of advertising for the hotels, tours and transportation companies and therefore receive the lowest prices. Such companies find flights for clients regularly and will show you how to find the best deals to combine with your personalized vacation.
A reputable company will have a solid history and plenty of reviews. They should be certified by the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT), Costa Rica National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Compare prices, but do so with caution. There is a long check list of items to compare, which you can read in this article about comparison shopping for Costa Rica vacations.
Please feel free to contact us for your personalized Costa Rica vacation with real, measurable value. While we may not always be the cheapest at initial list price, we will always provide outstanding value and never charge hidden fees. We will apply years of local knowledge, no-nonsense policies and a comprehensive list of what is included in your vacation. We will help you to find the best flights. In the end you will save time and money. We also invite you to compare what we provide with our competitors. We want for you to be aware of the value you are receiving. For more information, use the sliding form on the right or give us a call toll free direct to Costa Rica, 1-866-853-9426.
Unsure of what to do? Let us make you a free custom trip plan!