Guest Spotlight: Logan and Dennis Knoch

We won’t say that we’re not emotional people… We’ve been known to get misty eyed at the sight of a baby sloth or get overly sentimental when we see an amazing sunset (which happens often here in Costa Rica). But there’s nothing that gets us right in the feelers quite like our incredible guests. We love them. That’s why we got extremely excited when former guest, Logan, mentioned us in a Twitter conversation saying that she’d love to do an interview for our blog. We immediately replied to Logan and asked if she’d be okay with us e-mailing her a few questions, and lucky for us she promptly obliged. Our questions to Logan were straight-forward and we assumed the answers we’d get would also be straight-forward… However, Logan blew us away with her raw and emotional replies.

Logan and her new hubby, Dennis, visited Costa Rica from Westminster, Maryland in early September. The young couple was here on their honeymoon – which in and of itself makes us feel so honored. We understand the special memories that are made during a couple’s honeymoon, and we are thrilled to hear from Logan that Tulemar didn’t disappoint in making their honeymoon all they imagined and more.

Tulemar: We are SO thrilled that you chose to stay with us for your honeymoon! What made you choose to visit Costa Rica and how did you land on Tulemar?

Logan & Dennis: This was our first visit to Costa Rica. We wanted our honeymoon to be full of adventure, relaxation, and luxury and we knew Costa Rica was known for all three! My husband is not a fan of all-inclusive vacations. I am a very anxious traveler so we took to Trip Advisor for the best reviews on resorts and vacations in Costa Rica, which brought us to Tulemar!

T: What home did you stay in?

L&D: We stayed in the new Bamboo Villas!

T: Who was your concierge? Do you mind telling us a little bit about your experience with having a concierge?

L&D: Our concierge was Chris Madrigal. I can’t say this lightly…He is the absolute best. By the time we left we felt like we were leaving part of our family. He was absolutely amazing. I was sick when we left the USA, and unfortunately grew worse in the first few days of our stay. Chris was amazing and brought a doctor to our villa. Throughout our stay Chris booked our excursions, brought fresh flowers, often gave us champagne and made our experience amazing. He was there around the clock to answer every question, or concern. Although, we never actually had a concern. HE IS SERIOUSLY THE BEST. These words just don’t do him justice. Chris, if you see this please know we’re missing you and if you ever want to visit the States, GIVE US A CALL!

T: What was your favorite part of the trip?

L&D: Oh goodness, my favorite part? My husband and I are staring at each other trying to pick just one thing. We both agree, our villa was simply a dream. We had amazing excursions, amazing times on the Tulemar beach and we were surrounded by natural beauty and wildlife our entire stay. But there is nothing compared to the view from our villa during the Costa Rican sunset. It is unlike anything we have ever seen before. We were always excited to explore and come back to our villa to just relax.

T: What excursions and activities did you do during your stay?

L&D: We did the sloth walk, ‘CAUSE HELLO, who doesn’t love to see sloths?! We also did the catamaran tour! We loved that. While on our tour we saw hump back whales, a mother and her baby. We stopped for snorkeling, swimming, and fun on the water slide. They even provided lunch! And the food is simply AMAZING. That was another great part of our stay. THE FOOD IS SO GOOD EVERYWHERE YOU GO! We also did the ATV tour. We were fortunate enough to be the only two on this tour so we got an intimate experience and learned some about Costa Rican culture. Our tour guide was amazing and we had some messy fun while riding to some gorgeous waterfalls!

T: Can you tell us about some of the animals you saw during your stay? Which siting was your favorite?

L&D: We saw many sloths, monkeys, and aquamarine life! Our absolute favorite were two red macaws. They flew at morning, mid-afternoon and in the evening as the sunset. I think they had a nest in the tree outside our villa. My husband and I kept joking that they were also enjoying their honeymoon. We hear they weren’t spotted too often before we were there! But we kept seeing them flying around us frequently. They were absolutely beautiful. I really miss watching them…

T: What about the surrounding restaurants… Did you get a chance to explore any of them? Where was your favorite place to eat?

L&D: My husband is a total foodie so we explored the local restaurants a lot. We loved the Tule Cafe. We had breakfast there almost every morning and ate there for two evenings! We really enjoyed Agua Azul which is a more local rooftop bar. We went on our last full day and wish we discovered it sooner! We had great two for one burgers after a long morning spent in the National Park! We also loved Z Gastro Bar in the marina. We went twice for dinner. Their fresh fish is nothing like we have in the states and everyone is so kind.

T: If you could give one piece of advice for future guests at Tulemar, what would it be?

L&D: Be prepared for a really hard goodbye. I’m sentimental and my husband always laughs at me, however, I cried leaving. Tulemar is like a home away from home. It is surrounded by luxury and natural beauty. All the staff is extremely helpful and kind. I also recommend a rain jacket! We went during rainy season and life carries on through the rain! So, bring a rain jacket and embrace the Pura Vida life style!

T: Anything else you’d like to add about your stay in Costa Rica?

L&D: Honestly, I was a little worried traveling to Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio is a safe destination full of beauty. You don’t feel worried traveling the streets on your own and everyone is so willing to help you! If you’re considering visiting this beautiful country, I highly recommend doing your research and picking Tulemar and Manuel Antonio. We stayed quite a long time and really wish we could come back again!

Logan and Dennis, THANK YOU for your kind words. It was such a pleasure hosting you at Tulemar. We wish you years of happiness and bliss… and when you’re looking for an anniversary getaway, you know who to call!

Pura Vida,

Tulemar