Hotel Magic Mountain

I recently stayed six nights at Hotel Magic Mountain in La Fortuna, Costa Rica at the foot of the Arenal Volcano.

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Our room

Our bathroom

The view from our balcony

A rare clear shot of the volcano. The top is usually covered by clouds.

We couldn't have been happier with our stay at Hotel Magic Mountain. I highly recommend it! The location was perfect, the employees were probably the friendliest and most helpful I've ever experienced at a hotel, and our room was comfortable. It was really everything we could have asked for. 

Our reservation included breakfast and we enjoyed it very much, and the only other meal we ate there was dinner our first night. We thought it was slightly over priced, but it was very good and the service was exceptional. 

We flew into San Jose and rented a car to drive to La Fortuna. It was a three hour drive on very small, winding roads. Definitely spend the money on GPS. We would have been lost (literally) without it. There is a small airport in La Fortuna, and if I return to Costa Rica I would spend a little bit more to fly there from San Jose. The hotel is close to a wide range of activities, but the distance from San Jose is a bit of a drawback if you're driving.

Tip: Don't miss the flambed pineapple dessert at Delicatessen, a wonderful little restaurant next door to the hotel. We thought the pineapple in Costa Rica was the best we had ever tasted, and this dessert was to die for. We made the mistake of sharing the first time we tried it, so we went back again to get our own. The food there was great too.

#HotelMagicMountain #LaFortuna #CostaRica 

Fitzpatrick Castle

For our last two nights in Ireland, we stayed at Fitzpatrick Castle on the east coast just south of Dublin.

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A word of caution to those wanting an authentic castle feel: you won't get it here. Of the four castles we stayed in, it was the least authentic. It's very nice and updated to feel like a regular hotel, but other than the original portion of the outside (if you can overlook the bright colors), it doesn't really feel like a castle.  

Our room - those beds were very comfortable!

Our bathroom

The receptionist was very friendly and helpful (and talkative!). She told us about a walk up Killiney Hill behind the castle overlooking the Irish Sea that we absolutely loved. 

Despite the less-than-authentic castle feel, we enjoyed our stay at Fitzpatrick very much. The location of the castle is great with the train nearby taking you a quick 20 minutes into Dublin, and the neighboring towns of Greystones and Bray are very charming and fun to explore.

We ate dinner in the Dungeon Grill and it was delicious. Breakfast was pricey, but also very good and included both hot and cold items. 

The front desk staff were very helpful in telling us exactly how to get to the airport on our last morning and printing detailed directions for us. 

Tip: If you visit Fitzpatrick Castle, don't forget your swimsuit! We weren't aware that they have a pool and wished we could have enjoyed the hot tub after a long day of site seeing in Dublin.

#FitzpatrickCastle #Ireland

Kinnitty Castle

We spent two nights at Kinnitty Castle. It's located right in the middle of Ireland near the Slieve Bloom mountains.

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I was traveling with my brother, and as we drove up to the castle our first night, he said "we're not leaving here alive." It did look pretty spooky at night.

Our bed was small - especially for a brother and sister - but adequate. This was definitely the most authentic of the castles we stayed in, and it was my brother's favorite.

Our bathroom

Slieve Bloom was the name of our room, named for the nearby mountains.

The hallway outside our room

Now stick with me on this. We did some exploring our first night there, and along with a dungeon below the castle and some eery old pictures in deserted rooms, we also found a room near ours that didn't have a name outside the door like the others. We wondered what it was, so my brother looked through the keyhole and said it was empty, but there was a faint glow in the fireplace as if a fire hadn't quite burned out yet. I looked through the hole too, but just as I did, the door moved as if someone had pushed against it from the other side and I couldn't see anything. The person working at the front desk told us no one was staying in that room, but she told us stories of the ghost that reportedly lives there.

Don't believe that Kinnitty Castle is haunted? Look at this shadow on our bathroom wall:

Whether or not you believe the ghost stories, there's no doubt Kinnitty Castle is a fun experience. While there are lights and running water, you won't find many other conveniences (no internet, elevators, etc). The only meal we ate there was breakfast, and it was fine. Nothing too impressive, but good enough.

If you're looking for a modern hotel with lots of amenities, this castle probably isn't for you, but I recommend it for the overall experience.

#KinnittyCastle #Ireland