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The Pacific coast of Costa Rica seen from a small-plane flight.

Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, seen from a small-plane flight. Traveler Judy Calvert

Pierre and Michael were a pleasure to work with, very empathetic and engaged. My trip started out for my husband and I, but I ended up going solo and any necessary changes were seamlessly handled. We had a couple of minor issues while I was in country, but the beauty of having a WOW Lister was that I wasn’t stressed at all as I knew they would handle it for me—which they did! Unfortunately, I brought the rain with me, during a time of year when the weather should have been great, so it did limit some of my wildlife viewing. My recommendation to anyone going who really wants all the sloths, birds and frogs is to do as many tours as you can so you have more opportunities. The Sloth Institute daily property tour at Tulemar for a $25pp donation is so worth it—Sarah found all the sloths including moms with babies BUT it’s all about timing as to whether they are awake, moving and showing you their faces—so doing it again may be worth it the next day.

I had small-plane transfers (12 pax) and vehicle transfers, and all was incredibly smooth and easy and professional. To be able to crisscross the country, see both Caribbean and Pacific and have lovely properties (with yummy welcome amenities) and experiences is entirely due to Pierre. At Tabacon in La Fortuna, the Himalayan Salt Scrub Rock massage is a MUST and all the thermal spas are so great. El Silencio in the mountains gave me an amazing hummingbird experience. Arenas del Mar provided such easy access to walk down to the main Manuel Antonio beach—absolutely stunning. The food was extremely good everywhere I went. I’m torn about reviewing Golfito and the Playa Nicuesa Rain Forest Lodge—it wasn’t for me—turned out to be more rustic than I am now comfortable with, and on my own. BUT, I can certainly see how in better weather they would have the birds and frog viewings I was craving—I did manage to see about 6 huge red macaws in the tree by my cabin! Icing on the cake was Pierre himself picking me up at 6am to take me to the airport in San Jose for my departure—service!

We had a great experience working with Pierre Gedeon and his team on our vacation to Costa Rica (February 18 to 25, 2024). We came to the trip-planning process fairly late, so we realized things were filling up fast and we had to move quickly to nail down hotels and logistics. Pierre was also mindful of the time crunch and acted quickly to put together some itinerary options and he conveyed urgency without adding stress. The hotel selections he made synced with what we were looking for and we were really impressed by the logistics he put together. All the car transfers worked seamlessly so we didn’t have to stress about getting from one place to the next, so that was definitely a piece of added value that Pierre provided.

We went to Manuel Antonio, which is awesome, but super crowded, so any travelers who don’t like crowds might want to skip that area or plan to visit the famous national park early in the day before it fills up. We also went to the Osa Peninsula, which was awesome, and comparatively uncrowded, so folks looking to avoid crowds should definitely consider visiting that region. It takes a little longer to get to, but is worth it. The natural beauty and remoteness of the Osa Peninsula is pretty special. Pierre and his team reached out during the trip to make sure we were doing ok, which was a nice touch, and they were open and responsive to making adjustments along the way. I’d use Pierre’s services again in the future (for Costa Rica or some of the other locales where he works, including Panama) and would recommend him to friends and family.

My husband and I had a fabulous 25th anniversary trip to Panama planned by Pierre and his team. We started out with one night staying in the old city in Panama City. At Pierre’s suggestion, we stayed at the American Trade Hotel. It was fabulous. It was like a throwback in time but with all the modern luxuries. And the location was perfect for exploring the old city and going out to eat. Pierre arranged a dinner reservation at a nearby restaurant that could accommodate all of my husband’s dietary restrictions. To our surprise they seated us at a secluded table on a balcony overlooking a plaza.

The next day was on to Isla Palenque. Absolute paradise. Pierre arranged all of the travel from the car to the airport to the pickup at the airport in David and the boat ride then to Paradise. I never would have found this hotel on my own. I have never been to such a fabulous hotel. It is on a private island. 400 acres. Eight casitas and one villa. There are nearly 50 staff members for less than 20 guests. The water was 85°. The sand was soft as silk. The restaurant was excellent and very accommodating to our dietary restrictions. We went snorkeling, sea kayaking, paddle boarding and dolphin watching. We still had plenty of time to do nothing on the private beach. I really cannot recommend this place and Pierre’s company enough.

On the final day we had about 8 hours in Panama City before our evening flight back to the States. Pierre arranged a private guide of the canal and the city. That was also fabulous.

Pierre and his team organized a great trip to Panama for us — 2 sixty-plus-year-olds who were looking for some cultural moments as well as some serious relaxation. We started in Panama City and with Pierre’s guidance organized our vacation dates around a fascinating partial transit tour of the Panama Canal, which is only available a few days each week. We also enjoyed our visit to the Embera indigenous village, especially the boat ride to the waterfalls. I was worried that this might be exploitative, but the tours are run by the Embera themselves. Lunch of fish and plantains in a palm leaf was delicious. Our city tour the next day was hindered by the fact that it was a national holiday, but Pierre’s team came through and organized a hike to the top of Ancon Hill for great views over the city and a visit to the fish market, with lunch. Our hotel — La Compania — in the old city was amazing and Pierre wisely booked us a courtyard room to avoid the street noise. We loved being in the old city with its restaurants, bars and ambiance.

We then enjoyed the relaxation part of the trip, 6 nights at amazing Isla Palenque. This very small resort where everybody knows your name was everything we wanted: peaceful, beautiful, great food and drinks. When we felt the urge to move a bit we went hiking in the rain forest, kayaking and did an island-hopping trip with snorkeling and lunch on a deserted beach that was wonderful. What a great place!

We had our WOW Moment on the last day and Pierre surprised us with a trip to Boquete and the mountains. We enjoyed our visit to the local farm and coffee plantation and it was interesting to see this other side of Panama. I would say that the Boquete Flower and Coffee Festival was a bit of a disappointment, although not Pierre’s fault. I’m sure it is more lively at night and on weekends. The flower displays themselves were not as extensive or interesting as I’d hoped. Howvever, overall our trip to Boquete was a success.

Thanks to Pierre and his team for a great trip to Panama!

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