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Costa Rican Luxury Hotels Receive Million Dollar Investments, Demonstrate Strength of the Costa Rica Tourism Industry

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According to the Costa Rica Minister of Tourism, Allan Flores, million dollar investments in Costa Rica luxury hotel developments are a clear indication that the country’s tourism industry is going from strength to strength.

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Flores is optimistic about the new hotel developments, which coincide with Costa Rica’s increase in tourism arrival figures. In 2010, 2.09 million tourists arrived compared to 2.08 million tourists that arrived in 2008. The year with the highest recorded tourism arrival figures for Costa Rica was 2008.

As tourist arrivals increase, the availability of Costa Rica luxury hotels is essential. As the country’s tourism industry continues to expand, investors are on the look out for prime locations for future hotel developments. Many top Costa Rica hotels enjoy exclusive beach front locations in some the world’s most popular vacation destinations along the Pacific Coast.

La Cruz and the Gulf of Papagayo in Guanacaste Costa Rica, and the region of Sardinal Puntarenas, will be the locations of three large luxury hotel projects valued at a total of $300 million.

Of the Guanacaste hotels, the five star rated Dreams Las Mareas Resort & Spa will be located in La Cruz, with an extension of 1500 hectares and an initial total investment of $125 million.  This Costa Rica luxury resort will have a total of 400 rooms, spa, meeting rooms, six restaurants, crèche, children’s and teenagers’ clubs, as well as expansive swimming pools surrounded by tropical vegetation.

Alejandro Zozaya, President of the International hotel chain AMResorts, confirmed to La Nacion that the resort will

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open between 2013 and 2014.  Zozaya explained that the decision to invest in Costa Rica was not necessarily because of the current condition of the tourism industry in the country, but because of its great potential.

He said that the resort will be different to the large hotel chains already located in Costa Rica’s AMResorts, and they are specifically targeting the North American luxury tourism market, citing luxury hotels located in the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico as their main competitors. “The main competitive advantages that Dreams Las Mareas has are the beauty of the location, with blue waters and white sand much like the Caribbean Islands but also with tropical vegetation, mountain views and the exotic locations as well as its proximity to Santa Rosa National Park,” Zozaya explained.

“Combine this with the local population, their customs and their creativity, it is an enormously enriching experience for our visitors. Additionally this is a project of very high quality completely integrated with nature. This project feels, breathes and lives Costa Rica.”

Another project underway in Guanacaste Costa Rica is the five-star Paradisus Papagayo Bay, which will open its doors in July of 2013. The hotel will have 381 rooms, five restaurants, five bars and a spa. The initial investment for the project is estimated at $170 million.

Paradisus Papagayo Bay will be run by the Spanish hotel chain Sol Meia, which was the previous administrator of Hotel Paradisus Playa Conchal, as of April 2011. Investors claim that its opening will place Paradisus Papagayo amongst the best luxury beachfront hotels in Costa Rica.

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Furthermore, Central America’s first Hotel Pure will be located in the region of Sardinal, Puntarenas. The five star luxury hotel will be located on a 145 hectare property and will be comprised of rooms, condominiums and luxury villas. There will also be a ranch, several swimming pools, restaurants serving international cuisine, and an 18 hole golf course.

All three projects are currently being reviewed for their environmental impact and are pending the relevant permissions. Their approval will position them amongst the top Costa Rica luxury hotels.

These projects join others including the $6 million Studio Hotel located in Santa Ana which will open in June as well as the newly inaugurated $20 million Holiday Inn in Escazu.

Of the new Arenal Hotels, Costa Rica, Cataratas de Fuego (Fire Falls) will open its doors in November this year. Cataratas del Fuego is  $2 million fifty room complex, located on a 3.5 hectare property with four swimming pools and a 500 person capacity events room as well as a traditional Costa Rican restaurant.