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Arriving after an international flight or a week of traveling around the mountainous roads of the country, all my family wants to do after finally making it to the Marriott is grab a bite to eat, hit the pool, and buy a souvenir or two. There are two pools, an upper and lower one, and they never seem to be too busy. After all, this is not a resort where one spends a week. There are far more spectacular parts of Costa Rica to explore like Manuel Antonio National Park, Monteverde Cloud Forest, and Arenal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the western hemisphere.
There are also three tennis courts on site and a driving range. The gift shop features T-shirts, chocolate, coffee, stuffed animals, and more. There might also be someone rolling fresh cigars, if dad or mom wants to light up a stogie. Internet is available at the business center, next door to the gift shop, to check your emails.
If you're feeling ambitious, grab a cab and check out the leather goods, oxcarts, and other Costa Rican souvenirs found at Mercado Central. Also worthy of a visit is the National Center of Art and Culture, which houses a performing arts center and the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design. The Museum holds a vast collection of Latin American art, including contemporary Costa Rican works. A good kid-friendly stop is the Gold Museum. Placed beneath the Plaza de la Cultura, this underground venue features more than 2,000 gold objects from pre-Columbian times.
If mom or dad is on a business trip and you want to flee the city, the Marriott can arrange excursions to the coffee plantations outside Heredia (three-hour tour) or a drive through the Central Valley to the massive crater of Poas Volcano (five-hour tour). Most guests at the hotel, however, are simply content to hang out around the pool. If this is your first or last day in the country, that might be the best way to spend your time, unwind, and appreciate Costa Rica's Pura Vida, "the good life."
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