Costa Rica Open Voucher: "Wheels & Vouchers FLEX"
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Explore COSTA
RICA at your own pace, on your "own 4 wheels"... |
Our open voucher program “Wheels & Vouchers FLEX“ gives you the freedom and flexibility to individually design your own itinerary, to explore Costa Rica at your own pace and to decide on spot where and for how many nights to stay.
A selection of 194
hotels, located in all regions of Costa Rica, leaves nothing to be desired concerning an absolutely flexible and individual route planning. You will find a great variety of hotels in the most popular areas such as Arenal Volcano, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo, Puerto Viejo de Limón (Caribbean Beaches) and others, but also numerous hotels and lodges in the lesser known areas off the beaten track.
On your arrival day, you will receive a short briefing and complete, informative travel hand out from our English-speaking representative, who will be awaiting you at the International Airport upon arrival, and escort you to the pre-booked hotel in the San Jose area where you will spend your first night. The travel information kit includes a detailed list of all participating hotels with phone numbers and address, road map of Costa Rica, as well as detailed regional maps indicating locations of included hotels.
Last but not least, the Tierra Verde team will also be at your disposal with advice if you need support on the way; apart from being at your disposal during office hours, Tierra Verde maintains a 24/7 emergency service telephone in English language. |
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>>> FROM $ 369 p.p. in TRIPLE
/ $ 459 p.p. in DOUBLE occupancy
for
8 days /7 nights including 4x4 rental car and basic insurance
... >> Rates & Seasons |
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 PROGRAM OVERVIEW |
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DAY 1: Arrival in San José
Welcome to Costa Rica! Upon your arrival at San José International Airport our English-speaking representative will greet you and escort you to your > pre-booked hotel for the first night (your choice of several hotels). At this time you will be provided a short briefing and an informative travel handout, including road map, detailed regional maps indicating locations of included hotels, hotel list with contact information and location/description of how to get there, “open” hotel vouchers as well as general information.
DAY 2: Beginning of your personal itinerary with our Open Voucher Program „Wheels & Vouchers FLEX”
Following breakfast, your 4x4 rental car will be delivered directly to the hotel - then you are free to explore Costa Rica on your own…
During the Trip:
For each of the following nights you will receive a dated hotel voucher (=Open Voucher), which can be used in more than
190
hotels, according to our hotel list. We strongly recommend that you check the availability of rooms at the hotels of your choice in advance, mentioning that you are participating in the Tierra Verde Open Voucher Program (“Wheels & Vouchers FLEX”). However, a definite reservation within the Open Voucher Program is not possible. The mayority of the hotels and lodges included in the Open Voucher hotel list offer rooms of the category “Standard” (unless mentioned otherwise). In case that this category is not available at your preferred hotel, you may be offered a room of a higher category at an extra charge. However, it is your decision whether to accept the surcharge; you are always free to choose another hotel from the list with available rooms, if you do not agree with paying a surcharge for a higher room category at a certain hotel.
LAST DAY / Prior to your return flight
Prior to Check-In for your international departure flight, you will return your vehicle at the airport office of our rental car partner. From here you will be taken to the departure terminal by a shuttle bus. You should choose the hotel for your last overnight in a location not too far from the International Airport San Jose (Alajuela), in order to dispose of sufficient time to reach the airport office for car return, to avoid delays, and to allow you to check in at the airport without any time pressure. |
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| TIP: Combine Open Voucher with Tortuguero |
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Tortuguero is accessible
by boat or plane only - however, this does not make
it impossible to also visit this fascinating National
Park when booking our open voucher self-driving program.
Tortuguero with its innumerous lagoons and canals as
well as tropical vegetation and wildlife is definitely
worth a visit!
Our suggestion: After
the first, pre-booked night in San José, you
will be picked up at your hotel to begin your journey by bus & boat to Tortuguero (> for details & rates please view our tour unit T17
Tortuguero). When returning from Tortuguero, you
will pick up your 4x4 rental car in a restaurant near
Guapiles (this is where you will stop for a typical
lunch which is included in the Tortuguero package).
Then you are on your way to explore Costa Rica on your
own and continue with the open voucher package. The pick-up of the rental car in Guapiles is free
of charge.
There is of course also the possibility to visit Tortuguero
at the end of your stay. |
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| YOUR ADVANTAGES AT A GLANCE |
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Compare carefully: The rental car’s basic insurance, which is mandatory in Costa Rica, is already included in our rates, while this insurance has to be added to the prices of many other tour operators.
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Your personal itinerary is completely flexible and can be individually designed; the decision is yours: decide spontaneously on spot which regions to visit - and for how long to stay in a particular place.
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Very economic rates because of special “Walk-In” tarifs granted by the included hotels.
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Extensive hotel selection of more than 190 hotels & lodges in the 2, 3 and 4-star category, in all regions of Costa Rica.
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Breakfast included in almost all hotels (with very few exceptions as specified in the Hotel List).
- Detailed travel information kit: General information, hotel list with telephone numbers and location/description of how to get there, road map, detailed regional maps indicating locations of included hotels, etc
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Support by the Team of Tierra Verde: 24x7 emergency telephone in English, Spanish and German language.
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| 4x4 RENTAL CAR |
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4x4 Rental Car including basic insurance (mandatory in Costa Rica!) and unlimited mileage.
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smallest available 4x4:
(1-2
Participants): |
recommended for
1-2
PARTICIPANTS: |
recommended for
3
PARTICIPANTS: |
recommended for
4
PARTICIPANTS: |
| Manual |
Suzuki JIMNY (Manual)
or similar
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Daihatsu Bego (Manual)
or similar
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Hyundai Tucson (Manual)
(Suzuki Grand Vitara also available, partly at a surcharge) or similar
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Mitsubishi Montero Sport (Nativa) 4x4 (Manual, limited availability)
or similar
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| Automatic |
(Vehicles with Automatic Transmission available against surcharge, e.g. Daihatsu BEGO or similar) |
Daihatsu Bego (Automatic)
or similar
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Hyundai Tucson (Automatic)
(Suzuki Grand Vitara also available, partly at a surcharge) or similar
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Mitsubishi Montero Sport (Nativa) 4x4 (Automatic)
or similar
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- Manual
- Max. 3 passengers, recommended 1-2
- A/C
- Radio/CD
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- Manual
- Max. 4 passengers, recommended 2-3
- A/C
- Radio/CD
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- Manual
- Max. 4 passengers, recommended 3
- A/C
- Radio/CD
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- Automatic
- Max. 5 passengers, recommended 4
- A/C
- Radio/CD
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Upon confirming a reservation, Tierra Verde will confirm a rental car category. However, please note that a specific model cannot be guaranteed.
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| RATES & SERVICES INCLUDED |
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Valid from 01 December 2009 to 30 November 2010
Offer is NOT valid between:
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23 December 2009 and 05 January 2010 (Christmas/New Years)
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28 March - 04 April 2010 (Semana Santa / Easter Week)
For further restrictions based on hotel terms: please refer to our hotel list.
Rates per person, subject to changes in Costa Rican tax laws.
Rates for additional nights on request - please contact us! - travelplanner@tierra-verde.com
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* Currency Conversion - Important
Information: |
Tierra
Verde is a Tour Operator based in Costa Rica. All our services
will be invoiced in US-Dollars (USD).
While all care has been taken in making available and maintaining
the Currency Conversion Rates displayed on this site, such
conversion rates are estimates only of currency conversions
that may apply to a transaction. These rates are provided for information purposes only without express or implied
warranty. The Currency Conversion Rates should not be relied
upon as actual currency conversion rates that may be applied
to any particular transaction as such rates will frequently
fluctuate over time and vary between various financial providers.
Conversions are based on Interbank Rates provided by OzForex
Pty. Ltd., increased by 2 percent, a conversion rate
commonly used for credit card transactions. |
SERVICES INCLUDED:
8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS
- Open Voucher "Wheels&Vouchers FLEX":
- Upon arrival at San Jose Intl. Airport: Meet and Greet by English-speaking representative and Airport Transfer to your selected city hotel.
- 1 Overnight in San Jose pre-booked incl. breakfast, choose from the 14 hotels listed below.
- 7 days Rental Car 4x4 including basic (mandatory) insurance and unlimited mileage (delivery to your hotel in San Jose, return at the SJO Intl. Airport office)
- 6 overnights „Open Voucher“ at hotels of your choice from the list of more than 190
hotels, including breakfast (with very few exceptions as specified in our hotel list)
- Info-Kit incl. road map, detailed regional maps, hotel vouchers, hotel list with telephone numbers and location, general information.
15
DAYS / 14 NIGHTS - Open Voucher "Wheels&Vouchers
FLEX":
- Upon arrival at San Jose Intl. Airport: Meet and Greet by English-speaking representative and Airport Transfer to your selected city hotel.
- 1 Overnight in San Jose pre-booked incl. breakfast, choose from the 14 hotels listed below.
- 14 days Rental Car 4x4 including basic (mandatory) insurance and unlimited mileage (delivery to your hotel in San Jose, return at the SJO Intl. Airport office)
- 13 overnights „Open Voucher“ at hotels of your choice from the list of more than 190
hotels, including breakfast (with very few exceptions as specified in our hotel list)
- Info-Kit incl. road map, detailed regional maps, hotel vouchers, hotel list with telephone numbers and location, general information.
22
DAYS / 21 NIGHTS - Open Voucher "Wheels&Vouchers
FLEX":
- Upon arrival at San Jose Intl. Airport: Meet and Greet by English-speaking representative and Airport Transfer to your selected city hotel.
- 1 Overnight in San Jose pre-booked incl. breakfast, choose from the 14 hotels listed below.
- 21 days Rental Car 4x4 including basic (mandatory) insurance and unlimited mileage (delivery to your hotel in San Jose, return at the SJO Intl. Airport office)
- 20 overnights „Open Voucher“ at hotels of your choice from the list of more than 190
hotels, including breakfast (with very few exceptions as specified in our hotel list)
- Info-Kit incl. road map, detailed regional maps, hotel vouchers, hotel list with telephone numbers and location, general information.
29
DAYS / 28 NIGHTS - Open Voucher "Wheels&Vouchers
FLEX":
- Upon arrival at San Jose Intl. Airport: Meet and Greet by English-speaking representative and Airport Transfer to your selected city hotel.
- 1 Overnight in San Jose pre-booked incl. breakfast, choose from the 14 hotels listed below.
- 28 days Rental Car 4x4 including basic (mandatory) insurance and unlimited mileage (delivery to your hotel in San Jose, return at the SJO Intl. Airport office)
- 27 overnights „Open Voucher“ at hotels of your choice from the list of more than 190
hotels, including breakfast (with very few exceptions as specified in our hotel list)
- Info-Kit incl. road map, detailed regional maps, hotel vouchers, hotel list with telephone numbers and location, general information.
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| RULES & CONDITIONS |
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WHEELS & VOUCHERS FLEX (Open Voucher) Package:
- Included on your arrival day: Meet & Greet by English speaking representative at the Intl. Airport SJO and transfer to your pre-booked city hotel.
- The first overnight in San Jose will be pre-booked according to your choice of one of 14 hotels (subject to availability).
- The rental car will be delivered on the morning of the second day to the pre-booked city hotel.
- The rental car must be returned in San José (city hotel, city office or airport office). Other drop off locations possible – some free of charge and others at a surcharge: rates upon request. If you decide to return the vehicle in the city office or a city hotel, you will probably need a transfer or taxi to the airport, which is not included in the package.
- Required documents: valid passport and national driver’s license (of your home country), also required for additional drivers. An international credit card (VISA/Master/AMEX) with sufficient funds for the security deposit. No debit cards accepted.
- Additional insurance can be purchased on spot, upon delivery of the rental car - rates and conditions upon request.
- Additional Drivers must be included in the rental car contract upon delivery of the rental car – rates for additional drivers upon request.
- Mobile telephones available for rent by our rental car partners - must be requested explicitly / with anticipation and are subject to availability. An additional security deposit will be required by credit card for the rent of a cell phone. Detailed information and conditions upon request!
- NEW: Navigation Systems (GPS) are available for rent by our rental car partners - must be requested explicitly / with anticipation and are subject to availability. An additional security deposit by credit card will be required. Detailed information and daily fee upon request!
- The terms and conditions that apply for the car rental are those specified by the rental car company.
Hotel Vouchers:
- When checking the availability of rooms at the chosen hotels, you have to introduce yourself explicitly as a participant of the “Tierra Verde Open Voucher Program”.
- The hotel vouchers include the traveler’s name, the date of the overnight as well as the booked room category (SINGLE, DOUBLE or TRIPLE room) and a specific identification number. Expired vouchers are not refundable.
- The availability of rooms in the participating hotels cannot be guaranteed. It is recommended to check availability 24 hours prior to arrival at the hotel.
- Pre-reservations are not possible within the Open Voucher program (exception: the first pre-booked night in the chosen city hotel).
Booking Information:
The following information will be required for making a reservation for the Open Voucher Program:
- Full name of all travelers (should you be traveling with children, please state their age(s) at the travel date)
- Arrival and departure date as well as detailed flight information (airline, flight number, arrival and departure time)
- Number of rooms and room category (e.g. 1 double room and 1 single room)
- Preferred city hotel for the first pre-booked overnight (your choice of several hotels as indicated under Rates & Services included)
- Preferred rental car category and transmission (for example Daihatsu BEGO or similar/manual)
- Please specify with anticipation if you wish to rent a cell phone, GPS or other accessories.
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| FAQ - Frequently asked Questions |
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Do I have an advantage regarding the price, if I decide to book the „Wheels&Vouchers FLEX“ package with Aventuras Tierra Verde?
Yes, you certainly do. We pass on a considerate part of the commission we receive from our rental car partners directly on to you. Therefore, you book the rental car at a much more economic rate compared to booking it directly from the respective rental car company. Furthermore, we have special contracts with special “walk-in” rates with all the hotels and lodges participating in the program. These special rates can only be granted to the clients when they are traveling with our vouchers. Otherwise, they would not be offered to you (or only in very few, unlikely cases and after extensive, tiring negotiation) since the hotels are bound to the published rates for end consumers, which are above the special rates offered in the open voucher program.
Do the hotels that are participating in the Open Voucher program know the agency TIERRA VERDE at all? And will the hotels accept the hotel vouchers - subject to the condition that there is availability?
Yes, of course, based on our contracts with the participating hotels. Tierra Verde, founded in 1995, is an incoming agency in Costa Rica that maintains a professional, but also very friendly relationship with its hotels and providers. We are proud of a very good reputation among our international clients, but also among the hotels and providers all over the country. Apart from that, all the hotels and lodges participating in the program, have agreed within the contract to inform their staff about our programs and the corresponding conditions, and to accept the vouchers if rooms are available. In the very unlikely case that you should experience a different situation at any point during your traveling, please let us know as immediately so that we can take the necessary measures and find a solution.
Does the “Wheels & Vouchers FLEX” (Open Voucher) package include the basic rental car insurance which is mandatory in Costa Rica?
Yes, the basic insurance, which is mandatory in Costa Rica, is already included in our “Wheels&Vouchers” package rates. A lot of our competitors do not include this insurance in their rates; therefore, in many other offers it has to be added to the price. Moreover, our clients have the opportunity to purchase additional insurances when picking up the rental car (optional). Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in additional insurance, and we will be more than happy to send you all the details (conditions, costs etc.).
Why are TIERRA VERDE’S Open Voucher programs offered with a 4x4 rental car?
Costa Rica disposes of a wide network of roads, however it should be taken into account that only a small portion of the 19,000 miles of „road" is asphalt road and in good shape. The roads leading up to Monteverde, for example, are gravel roads with some pot holes, and are not in perfect condition. Not only the roads in remoter areas, but also some parts of more traveled routes (e.g. the Panamerican highway), are partly in bad condition. Therefore, we highly recommended an all-terrain vehicle (4x4), not only because of the four wheel drive, but also because of the higher ground clearance and stability of this type of vehicle.
Which is the rental car partner of TIERRA VERDE that provides the 4x4 vehicle included the Open Voucher program „Wheels & Vouchers FLEX“?
Tierra Verde disposes of contracts with the following, renowned, professional and service-oriented rental car companies: Adobe Rent a Car, Mapache Rent a Car, and SIXT Costa Rica. You will be provided the vehicle by one of these three rental car companies; however, we cannot guarantee which rental car company will be providing the car in each particular case.
   
How old are the rental cars?
Tierra Verde disposes of contracts with the following, renowned, professional and service-oriented rental car companies: Adobe Rent a Car, Mapache Rent a Car, and SIXT Costa Rica. You will be provided the vehicle by one of these three rental car companies; however, we cannot guarantee which rental car company will be providing the car in each particular case.
Can I use my cell phone in Costa Rica?
Yes, at present several phone companies from the US, Canada and Great Britain and many other countries all over the world do have roaming contracts with the local telephone provider ICE. If you have closed a contract with one of the providers mentioned below and if your cell phone has the specifications (bandwidth) specified in the table below, your phone will also work in Costa Rica. Please ask your local provider for further details such as conditions and rates.
Country |
Provider |
Band Width Mhz |
United States |
AT&T Mobility |
GSM 850 |
United States |
AT&T Mobility |
3G 850 / 1900 |
| United States |
Cincinnati Bell Wireless (Cincinnati Bell Wireless – Cincinnati, OH) |
GSM 1900 |
United States |
T-Mobile USA, Inc |
GSM 1900 |
Canada |
Rogers Wireless Inc. |
GSM 850 / 1900 |
Canada |
Microcell Telecommunications Inc (Fido) |
GSM 1900 |
Canada |
Microcell Telecommunications Inc (Fido) |
3G 850 / 2100 |
United Kingdom |
Rogers Wireless Inc. |
GSM 850 / 1900 |
United Kingdom |
T-Mobile (UK) Limited |
GSM 1800 |
United Kingdom |
T-Mobile (UK) Limited |
3G 2100 |
United Kingdom |
Telefonica O2 UK Limited |
GSM 900 / 1800 |
United Kingdom |
Telefonica O2 UK Limited |
3G 2100 |
United Kingdom |
Vodafone Ltd. |
GSM 900 / 1800 |
United Kingdom |
Vodafone Ltd. |
3G 2100 |
Other countries |
> http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/roa_cric.shtml |
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The information given above is as of January 2010 and can change on a daily basis. Therefore, please note that Tierra Verde does not assume liability for the given information.
In order to find out whether your cell phone provider disposes of a contract with the local Costa Rican phone provider ICE please check the following website: http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/roa_cric.shtml
Can I rent a cell phone in Costa Rica?
In case you do not want to take along your cell phone or it does not work in Costa Rica, we will be more than happy to rent you a cell phone offered by our car rental companies together with your rental car. However, please note that a formal reservation for the cell phone needs to be made well in advance (subject to availability). An additional security deposit via credit card will be required. The rental car companies do have different conditions regarding the costs for making and receiving phone calls. Please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to provide you with the respective information.
How do I find my way in Costa Rica? How do I find the chosen hotels?
Upon arrival, our English-speaking representative will pick you up at the airport, take you to your hotel and will be glad to answer all the questions you might have. You will also receive a detailed information package including a road map, and a hotel list including descriptions on how to get there, as well as detailed regional maps where the participating hotels are marked. Furthermore, the package includes general information on driving in Costa Rica as well as the hotel vouchers.
During peak season, will I need to sleep in the car because none of the hotels offered will have rooms available?
Apart from the fact that we would not at all recommend you to sleep in your rental car, it will not be necessary anyway. We have been offering our Open Voucher programs successfully for several years and so far there hasn’t been a single case of this nature. Due to the extensive choice of more than 190 all over the country, the probability of not finding availability in the region you are visiting is very unlikely. However, in the unlikely case this should happen, you can call Tierra Verde 24 hours a day/7 days a week and we will be glad to help and find a solution. |
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PLEASE NOTE:
NOT valid for travel between 23 December 2009 - 5 January
2010
and 28 March - April 2010 (Easter Week / Semana Santa).
For further exceptions please see hotel list.
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