PREPARE
FOR YOUR ADVENTURE
Cayuga Collection Travel FAQs
TOP FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We’ve updated our booking & cancellation policies for travel until October, 2026.
Payment due dates are as follows:
- Wildlife Season Reservations – 30 days prior to check-in
- High Season Reservations – 60 days prior to check-in
- Holiday Season Reservations – 90 days prior to check-in with 25% confirmation deposit 120 days prior to check-in
After full payment, if a reservation is cancelled or modified before the scheduled arrival, a credit will be issued by the hotel. This credit can be used within one year from the original stay date.
The timelines for cancellation or modifications vary by season:
- More than 30 days before the scheduled arrival during Wildlife Season, a credit will be issued by the hotel.
- More than 60 days before scheduled arrival during High Season, a credit will be issued by the hotel.
- More than 90 days before scheduled arrival during Holiday Season, a credit will be issued by the hotel.
Any changes or cancellations made less than 30 days before the reservation date will incur full charges.
Yes, absolutely! Whatever your dream romantic getaway may entail, you’ll find it at the Cayuga Collection, be that a rainforest adventure, some quality beachfront chill time or a private island escape. Whichever hotel you choose, our team will help you tailor an itinerary of unforgettable intimate moments – think candlelit turndown service, romantic dinners under the stars, exclusive tours just for two and more. Some of our properties are also adults-only. Download our Honeymoon Mini-Guide here.
Yes, our rainforest and beachfront properties are very popular with families. There are numerous activities suitable for all ages, such as jungle exploration and ocean adventures. Many of our properties offer special menus for children, and we provide accommodation options that cater well to your family’s needs. Our hotels and lodges can also help you organize all your local transportation, making trips with young children even more hassle-free. Download our Family Mini-Guide here.
Yes. Our Cayuga Travel team is available to help with any questions you may have about which hotels to combine, how to travel between them, how long to stay at each, and making reservations. Chat with us about your travel plans – we’ll help you put together a fully personalized itinerary to experience the very best of Central America’s Pacific coast: [email protected]
A forecast can tell you when it might rain, but it can’t show you what Wildlife Season actually feels like. Across Costa Rica and Panama, rain is typically warm, brief, and often arrives later in the day, while mornings remain ideal for exploring. More importantly, those tropical showers are what make the forests greener, the rivers fuller, and wildlife more active. This short video explains what to realistically expect before you arrive, so you can travel with confidence rather than assumptions.
Watch: What Is Wildlife Season Really Like? | Costa Rica During the Green Season
PLAN YOUR TRAVEL TO CAYUGA COLLECTION PROPERTIES
There are two distinct seasons in Central America: Dry Season and Wildlife Season. Knowing which one is right for you depends on a few things.
DRY SEASON: DECEMBER – APRIL
- Weather Overview: Glorious, sunny days ranging from 75 to 95 degrees (F) depending on which area in Costa Rica you’re visiting.
- Dry Season Perks: Gorgeous, rain-free days
- Go during Dry Season if…you want to trade your winter parka for a pair of shorts or if you like the buzz of being around other travelers.
WILDLIFE SEASON: MAY – NOVEMBER
Looking for a detailed, month-by-month guide to Wildlife Season? Download our Wildlife Season Guide.
- Wildlife Season Highlights: The rainforest is at its most abundant and green. Rivers are flowing and full of life. And it’s your best time for witnessing one-of-a-kind, wildlife experiences such as:
- Turtles nest their eggs on the beach, and turtle babies make their way towards the ocean…
- Humpback whales migrate from both northern and southern hemispheres to meet in our warm waters …
- Sloths high in the treetops eat fresh leaves and teach their young how to be … sloths!
- Weather Overview: Mornings are consistently warm and sunny. Rain is usually brief, occurring for a few hours primarily in the afternoon and evening. During Wildlife Season, the rain is warm and tends to be short-lived, rarely affecting your activities or tours.
- When Planning Your Trip: Be skeptical about the accuracy of weather apps – with so many micro climates in Costa Rica, accurately predicting the weather is almost impossible!
- Other Wildlife Season Perks: Lower international airfares, discounted room rates and fewer travelers.
- Go during Wildlife Season if… you’re looking to check off all your bucket-list wildlife experiences, you’re looking for excellent value, or if you prefer visiting when there are fewer tourists.
Download our Wildlife Season Guide and see why Wildlife Season is the favourite time of year for Wildlife enthusiasts.
If you’re from Australia, the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada or the United States, you won’t require a special visa, but we do recommend reading the full details and passport document requirements here for Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama.
The dress code at the Cayuga Collection properties is (strictly!) informal – so there’s no need for a dinner jacket. We recommend packing lightweight, breathable clothing to stay comfortable in the tropical climate. For your adventures in nature, bring along hiking boots or sturdy tennis shoes to navigate the terrain safely.
Additionally, consider the following items to enhance your stay:
- Sunscreen: Protect your skin from the sun’s rays with a high SPF sunscreen, especially if you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors.
- Reusable Water Bottle: Stay hydrated while minimizing your environmental impact by bringing a reusable water bottle. It’s essential for exploring and helps in reducing plastic waste.
- Sweater for Monteverde: If your travels take you to our property in Monteverde or similar cooler areas, a light sweater or jacket is advisable. The higher elevation can make the climate noticeably cooler, especially in the evenings or early mornings.
These essentials will help ensure you’re well-prepared for a comfortable and enjoyable experience across the different micro-climates of our properties.
This depends from property to property, although we recommend staying at least 4 nights at each hotel in order to fully soak up the experience.
For our more remote hotels, such as Isla Palenque Resort in Panama, Aguas Claras on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica, and Kura Hotel in Uvita, Costa Rica, consider staying 4-5 nights.
Not sure how many nights to book? Chat with the Cayuga Travel team — they’re happy to advise you: [email protected]
You don’t need any sots or vaccinations to enter Costa Rica, unless you’re coming from South America. However, if you’re traveling to Costa Rica or Nicaragua after visiting countries with Yellow Fever alerts, you must show a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate.
This applies if you’re coming from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Panama, Venezuela, Paraguay, Peru, and all African countries except the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Sao Tome and Principe, and Somalia.
We also suggest talking to your doctor for personal health advice and making sure your routine vaccinations are up to date.
We recommend getting full travel and medical insurance for you and anyone traveling with you, to cover your entire stay in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. As a minimum, this insurance should include:
- Emergency evacuation expenses
- Medical expenses
- Repatriation expenses
- Cancellation or curtailment of trip
- Damage/theft/loss of personal luggage, money and goods
In case of medical emergencies, hospitals expect payment by cash or card, regardless of whether you have travel health insurance of not. If your health insurance does not cover you for medical expenses while you’re abroad, you should consider supplemental insurance. It may also be worth finding out in advance if your insurance plan will make payments directly to providers or if they reimburse you later for any overseas health expenditures.
GENERAL TRAVEL QUESTIONS
For detailed information on traveling to our hotels, we invite you to visit each hotel’s website for specific guidance on reaching these extraordinary destinations:
- Isla Palenque Resort: Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama
- Arenas Del Mar: Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
- Kura Hotel: Uvita, Costa Rica
- Hotel Aguas Claras: Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
- Senda Monteverde Hotel: Monteverde, Costa Rica
- Jicaro Island: Granada, Lake Nicaragua, Nicaragua
- Bolontiku Hotel: Lake Petén Itzá, Guatemala
Our hotels can arrange all in-country transportation for you, including flights and ground transfers.
If you plan to travel between our properties — which we highly recommend! — the team at Cayuga Travel can help you plan your full itinerary. Chat with us for a customized travel plan: [email protected]
We happily accommodate your dietary requirements at all of the Cayuga Collection properties, no matter how remote our hotels may be. Our commitment to providing a delicious culinary experience means that our hotel menus feature a range of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes. Our chefs are always willing to customize meals to meet your specific needs. If you have any questions or concerns, chat with us. We believe that good food is essential for everyone to enjoy!
Yes. In almost all parts of Costa Rica the drinking water is safe. The same goes for when you stay at any of our Cayuga Collection hotels. Our properties have their own water filtration systems – that means you’ll get 100% safe, potable water from the tap and you won’t find any single-use plastic water bottles, nor plastic straws, in sight.
If you don’t speak Spanish, don’t worry! At the Cayuga Collection hotels we speak excellent English. Apart from in the most rural areas, you should have little problem with language barriers — and we’re happy to teach you a bit of Spanish at our hotels as well.
All hotels in the Cayuga Collection are independently owned by individuals who share our deep commitment to sustainability. Cayuga Collection hotels are more than just places to stay. By existing, they play a key role in preserving the natural environment and supporting the local community.
The founders of the Cayuga Collection, Andrea Bonilla and Hans Pfister, both graduated from Cornell University with degrees in Hotel Administration in the 1990s. The Cayuga Collection is named after Cayuga Lake in Ithaca, New York, where the university is located.
Costa Rica is the ultimate tropical getaway. Home to rainforests, cloud forests, active volcanoes, and both Caribbean and Pacific beaches, the opportunities for exploring – or relaxing – are endless. Despite its small size, Costa Rica holds approximately 5% of the world’s biodiversity, making it a dream destination for wildlife lovers too. Sloths, monkeys, scarlet macaws, toucans, quetzals and more are easily spotted in the wild.
Getting around is also hassle-free. Domestic, carbon neutral airlines like Sansa connect all the regions of Costa Rica. The longest internal flight route is under 1 hour. Roads and highways are well-maintained too, and driving between destinations is unlikely to ever take more than 4 hours.
Importantly, Costa Rica is also considered a safe travel destination. We don’t even have a national army!
At the intersection between two oceans and two continents, Panama is a narrow country, but one packed with culture, tropical beaches, Latin spirit, history, nature and wildlife. And making it all the more appealing is the fact that it’s still widely unexplored. With far more to see than just the famous Canal, Panama is an excellent destination for off the beaten path adventure and undisturbed relaxation.
Nicaragua is Central America’s hidden gem, easily reached directly or from Costa Rica. It’s only recently coming into its own as a tourist destination and still feels gloriously undiscovered. If you’re looking for an off the beaten path kind of escape, Nicaragua is a land of sprawling beaches, sleepy surf towns and picturesque colonial cities – Granada, on the banks of Lake Nicaragua, being the oldest on mainland America and one of the prettiest in all of Latin America. When adventure calls, you’ll be able to get your adrenaline fix by boarding down a volcano.
Carbon offsets are voluntary donations that can be made to compensate, or offset, greenhouse gas emissions from transport, electricity use, and other sources. In an effort to promote sustainable development and tourism, the Costa Rican Ministry of Environmental Affairs has created a program in which tourists can compensate the carbon emissions from their international flights by investing in programs that preserve and reforest natural areas within Costa Rica. You can find more information on the program’s website (http://www.fonafifo.go.cr/) or ask us!
The Cayuga Collection of Sustainable Luxury Hotels has been at the forefront of combining sustainable practices with luxury experiences for over 20 years.
Our mission is to bridge the gap between Sustainability and Luxury, aiming to positively impact people’s lives. That’s why, behind the scenes of our luxury hotels and lodges, you’ll find ingenious solutions in our design, building and infrastructure, and even in our day-to-day operations.
Here’s how you can discover more about our commitment to sustainability:
- **Visit our Sustainability Page:** Dive into our sustainability efforts and principles.
- Read our Sustainability Journal, The Cayuga Way: A Journal of Sustainable Luxury: Explore our journey of sustainability through stories and innovations over the last 20 years, captured in a hardcover coffee table book available in all the rooms at our hotels:
- For a digital version, you can download a copy of ‘The Cayuga Way: A Journal of Sustainable Luxury’ here.
- If you’re interested in a physical hardcover copy, please get in touch with us to place a special order: [email protected]
- Join a Back-of-the-House Sustainability Tour: Experience our sustainable practices firsthand by participating in a back-of-the-house tour at any of our hotels and lodges.
There’s no area off-limits, and we’re excited to share with you the steps we’re taking to make a difference. Feel free to ask us any questions – we’re here to provide insights and share our passion for sustainable luxury.
