My husband and I stayed at Issimo for our honeymoon. I knew quite a bit about the hotel after reading numerous reviews. But, my husband was in awe. His mouth dropped when we arrived. We stayed in Penthouse#3, which was beautiful. Scott could not stop commenting on the teak furnishings, the amazing stone work and of course, the phenomenal, floor to ceiling view of the Pacific Ocean!! They knew it was our honeymoon and had champagne and strawberries in the room. Our favorite time of day was the morning (yes, the banana pancakes are the way to go) and dining with the monkeys. We both had a massage from Susie, which was one of the best I've ever had. We took the long arduous walk to the beach, but found that it really was worth it. To be honest, I also enjoyed lounging at the pool, hanging with the monkeys and drinking coconut margaritas (which were great!) Watching the pacific ocean set from the privacy of our room was every bit as moving as watching the sun set in Key West. All of the sttaff at Issimo were...well, there really are no words to express how fantastic they were. Here's an example, Edgar and I were talking about tamales and how I really needed to try Costa Rican tamales. Later that evening, he remembered the conversation and made arrangements with the cab driver to stop, and pick us up a few genuine, local Costa Rican tamales. By the end of the week we were sharing photos of our families. I nearly cried when we left and will never forget our special time at Issimo. I believe my husband said it best, "We will return to Manuel Antonio to stay at Issimo."

My wife and I spent three nights with the Green Season Honeymoon package at the Issimo Suites this August. I think it was my favorite stay in Costa Rica!

Where to start? Well, my posting may be biased because when we showed up at the hotel, they informed me that for whatever reason we were being upgraded to from the Jacuzzi suite to the Penthouse Jacuzzi Suite. I danced in the room for thirty minutes before we unpacked because it was so beautiful. The Penthouse Jacuzzi Suite is all about luxury, great TV, beautiful wrap around couch, beautiful HUGE bed etc. A private jacuzzi for two and nice large shower. There was also a private balcony, but probably my favorite part was that one wall is entirely window, looking out northwest over the pacific ocean.

So the room was marvelous, and a great thing about the hotel was that the staff made you feel like royalty. They all know who you are, and everyone from the front desk to the cleaning people are very gentle and kind. Particularly endearing were the waiters in the restaurant - I just appreciated their service so much and loved them. (Give them an extra big tip for me if you decide to go!)

I received a call the first morning from Angel, the man at the front desk, letting me know their were monkeys on the property. I scurried down and got to watch some white-faced monkeys romping around the rails. It was my first encounter and I greatly appreciated it!

We were able to book a number of tours through the hotel and they provided pool or beach towels whenever we needed them. It is a short distance from Manuel Antonio, and about an equal distance from Quepos. From our experience, I would say stay out of Quepos, and spend your time either in the Hotel or any of the establishments on the road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio.

We each enjoyed an hour long massage in the Spa, very relaxing and soothing to the skin. Also, our meals at the restaurant were a delight. It's hard to find a balance between enjoying time at the hotel and enjoying the things in the surrounding area. If for no other reason, I would recommend having dinner in the hotel to get to know the staff, you'll see them more at breakfast and they're a pleasure.

On leaving they even gave us a little gift of chocolates - it was a nice little extra. An example of the kindness of the staff: we had to leave at 5:30 in the morning to get our flight in San Jose on time, I mentioned this in regards to checking out the night before, and they arranged for someone to come in (way) early to prepare us fruit and toast to take in the car. I appreciated it deeply and hope I'll have a chance to return to Issimo Suites.

Issimo has a residence-like feel with some resort amenities, like some spa services (with limited hours) and excellend breakfast and dinner quality food. There was even dancing one night, and the dancers worked hard to get you involved! The customer service was very good and the staff were very pleasant to work with and helpful. Small place, so very private, and the room was clean and nice with a stunning view. Pool isn't as pretty as appeared in the photos, but there were lots of good things about this sweet inn. The town of Quepos, which we came through on our way, is much more quaint than it first appears--the people were very nice to us. We loved the Manuel Antonio area though, and would have spent more time there!

My wife and I enjoyed a lovely week at Issimo for our honeymoon. It is a very small, quiet hotel and made for a perfect getaway. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. When we needed or asked for anything, it was taken care of right away. They really made us feel special and they helped make it a perfect honeymoon. The rooms are spacious and have wonderful views of the ocean and jungle. We loved being in a small hotel where we didn't feel like a number, as opposed to a larger resort. We were on a first name basis with nearly all the staff. And though small, anything we needed was right there. We were able to book all our activities (canopy tour, rafting, etc.) right at the front desk and the tour operators would come pick us up there. The included breakfast is very good, with choices from the traditional gallo pinto to an American breakfast with bacon and eggs. I think the only downside is the pool, which is relatively small. This didn't bother us very much since neither my wife nor I spend too much time sitting by the pool. But something to consider for those that do. Overall, I would highly recommend Issimo Suites.