POLICIES & HOUSE RULES

House Rules & Info - Overview 

The main House Rules are to adopt the Pura Vida Ecolodge philosophy & concept we have worked really hard to create. That means respecting nature, the animals and the magical surroundings of the Jungle Villa and its reserve. Please remember that given our location, you will inevitably have some visitors from the surrounding rain forest during your stay. Whether that is Congo monkeys as the sun rises, early morning visits from the surprisingly tame pizotes, toucans as the sun sets or even the odd bullfrog having a splash in the pool - We hope you manage to switch off and enjoy this new Pura Vida Lifestyle ;) 

- Please check entry/travel requirements (both for Costa Rica and your country of residence well before departure). You will find more info in the FAQs section of our website. https://www.puravidaecolodge.com/faqs

- Checkin from 3pm and latest Checkout is 9am (our team will need to enter the property and start cleaning and preparing at 9am) 

- Cancelation & Refunds Policy. Full details on the website (FAQs). But please bear in mind that once the reservation begins (whether booked via vacation rental platform such as Airbnb or directly), any changes, issues or breakages must be requested or reported in writing via email to info@puravidaecolodge.com while guests are still up at Pura Vida Ecolodge. If the guest arrives and decides to leave early, the nights not spent are not refundable. No refund requests or changes will be considered once checked in if guests fail to communicate any potential issues before vacating the property. 

- STRICTLY NO BBQ’s, NO FIRES and NO FIREWORKS - not in the property nor within the Pura Vida Ecolodge grounds please. 

- No parties or fiestas.
- Remembering we are an ecolodge, we kindly ask guests to be mindful when it comes to electricity & water usage and be sure to turn lights & fans 100% off when not at the lodge.
- Please refrain from throwing anything (including toilet paper and all sanitary products) in the WC but instead use the waste-paper bins provided
- Please leave the Huawai dongle (setup as a wifi hotspot) plugged in and fully charged.  The wifi code is 03916232 

- Please be sure to take all rubbish down with you at the end of your stay including general waste (in sealed bags please) at rubbish bin after Tres Rios bridge and recyclables to recycling center (see Rubbish & Recycling for details). 

- If the rains are extended and especially heavy come late afternoon/evening (during wet season May to November), you may be wise to stay up at the lodge as the river in Tres Rios village very occasionally rises so much so that the concrete bridge is temporarily un-passable (This has so far only happened a handful of times in 11 years, but best to be warned and especially prudent). 

- Please don’t leave any food out as bugs & ants will prey on it! Cleaning up after each meal (including floors) will help you keep them off. Please keep all foods in the fridge or covered, especially overnight. 

- Please refrain from putting anything wet or hot on the wood finishes, there are plenty of table- mats. Also, we ask that you please use the chopping boards instead of the polished stone finishes, especially when cutting citric fruits. 

- The pool has a pump on a timer which will ensure the water remains clean & clear throughout your stay as long as guests shower off before using each time. Guests will also need to use the nets provided each day to take jungle leaves & debris out - thank you! 

- Juan Carlos can always be reached via Whatsapp +506 8448-7100, likewise we are always just a message away (via Airbnb & Holiday Lettings for example) or by email: info@puravidaecolodge. com 

- If there are any problems or issues of a more serious or persistent nature (or any challenges with communications for our non-Spanish speaking guests etc), we request that you get in touch via email so that we can best help from afar or via whatsapp if it’s really urgent. All booking change requests, issues or any breakages must be requested or reported in writing via email to info@puravidaecolodge.com while guests are still up at Pura Vida Ecolodge so that we can best accommodate our guests and find the appropriate solutions if necessary.

- For longer stays (10 days or more), we like to arrange a weekly cleaning service which is generally easier if guests are out and about for the morning and is typically pre-arranged for 8am. This service includes a re-stocking of the Pura Vida Pantry, the Organic Coffee Bar and eco-friendly bathroom products etc and is payable to Juan Carlos please at a flat rate of $90. 

- When leaving the property, please ensure you lock all the doors, close all the windows and return all furniture to their original positions. 

We hope you have a wonderful stay and don’t forget there is much more info in the previous pages designed to help you get the most from your Pura Vida Experience... 

Joe, Kika & the rest of the Pura Vida Ecolodge team! 

FRIENDLY DISCLAIMER:

We'd like to take this opportunity to remind guests that being 'off the beaten track' in this hidden corner of Costa Rica does mean that from time to time we can experience a variability of infrastructure (such as internet connection, water pressure and power cuts for example). While largely unavoidable when they do happen, they are generally short-lived, pretty infrequent and shouldn't manage to interfere with your holiday providing you remember where you are, the ecolodge adventure you've chosen to experience and that things will not necessarily be quite the same as perhaps you are used to 'back home'. That said, our housekeeper is always just around the corner and we always have a 'plan B' up our sleeve should the need arise to ensure your trip is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

Likewise, we take this opportunity to remind you that Pura Vida Ecolodge is located right above the jungle canopy and while we have tried to design the lodge to be as sheltered and sealed as possible while embracing the surrounding elements, it’s impossible to safeguard 100% against having the occasional visitor from the jungle. That said, if you follow the welcome pack tips, you should be fine. There is always a broom or some kind of RAID spray at hand if absolutely necessary and the majority of creatures that you may come across are pretty harmless.

While Pura Vida Ecolodge is very private and guests will no doubt have the opportunity to embrace a tranquil jungle lifestyle during their stay, in the interest of giving guests as realistic a picture of our neighbourhood as possible - we’d like to remind you that we are not completely isolated with no neighbours and no potential noise from time to time. Whether it be other construction projects in the area, public road maintenance or even gardening and landscaping of our neighbours, Ticos start their working day at 6 a.m. to escape the heat of the day in summer and the heavy rains in the green season. While we appreciate you have chosen Pura Vida Ecolodge to disconnect and turn off, on the rare occasion that you experience a ‘noisy morning’, can we kindly remind you that we are all guests in Costa Rica, and have to try to adapt to the habits of our hosts and local workforce. Naturally, whenever possible, workers will of course respect the privacy of our guests and will do whatever they can to minimise any noise or inconvenience.

Lastly If the rains are extended and especially heavy come late afternoon/evening (during wet season May-November), you may be wise to stay up at the lodge as the river in Tres Rios village very occasionally rises so much so that the concrete bridge is temporarily un-passable. (This has so far only happened twice in 4 years, but best to be warned and especially prudent).

We thank you in advance for adapting to the Pura Vida Ecolodge environment and for your patience and understanding J

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Please kindly check our social media channels and the FAQ’S Section for up-to-date advice as naturally the situation is quite fluid in the Covid era

CHECKINS/CHECKOUTS

Life on the Pacific coast starts early so we remind guests that latest checkout (unless previously arranged subject to availability) is 9am.  Check-in is normally from 3pm but we strongly advise arriving before sundown (so as to familiarise yourselves with 4WD driving and the orientation of the lodge). That said, we understand a lot of our Jungle Villa guests are indeed on an extended itinerary, often with limited flexibility in terms of transport & internal flights, so we are of course happy to try and work around your timings as much as we can - as long as we know well in advance and again, subject to availability and our future bookings etc.

Concierge Service

Both Kika and Joe, along with our dear friends and housekeepers, Juan Carlos & Ester know the area like the back of their hands and are happy to help advise when it comes to choosing tours, trips and adventures and will even help you explore the local area on foot. They can also offer a laundry service, the Pura Vida Pantry (with all sorts of locally sourced plant-based treats), Welcome & Departure Meals as long as it's arranged with us in advance. They run a very popular 'Pura Vida Boat Adventure' and will happily supply you with all sorts of local treats up at the villa .

When planning your trip, we do recommend to get in touch with us direct at least 14 days before you arrive if interested in any adventures & excursions as some of the attractions available get booked up with limited numbers in high season and likewise there is less availability of some tours in the Green Season.

INTERNET

Pura Vida Ecolodge is equipped with WiFi for internet connection but we also recommend that guests purchase a Costa Rican Kolby SIM card for their mobile/cell. (They even sell them in the arrival hall/luggage collection area at San Jose airport for $5) allowing them to make restaurant & tour reservations, keep in touch with our housekeeper etc without paying expensive roaming fees - with Kolby, you are also likely to have better 'coverage' than with your home network or any other Cost Rica networks such as Movistar and Claro.