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Review From The Tico Times
Pato
Loco Inn Offers a Quirky Getaway on the Northern Pacific Coast
Maybe it's a lazy Guanacaste
afternoon and you fancy resting your bones after a stimulating day
of world-class scuba diving.
You peel off your clothes, slip
into your suit and plunge into the hidden backyard pool at Pato Loco
Inn.
As the sun begins to set, howler
monkeys start to stir in nearby trees, giving your tiny, secret
sun-drenched world a savage tropical touch. An iguana wiggles out
into the sun to soak up it’s dying heat.
If you’re headed to Playas del
Coco, on the Pacific coast of the northwestern province of
Guanacaste, for unrivaled scuba diving, succulent seafood, or a surf
trip to the revered Witch’s Rock, you might want to book a night at
Pato Loco.
Just a five-minute waddle from the
beach, this popular spot with the locals is now owned by a couple of
U.S. expats who are spicing up the place with their own flavor.
Mary Ramona Cox, 45, is an artist
who has covered the walls of the place with her nature-inspired
paintings. Her 74-year-old mother, Mary Kirigin, is a retired radio
personality with a charismatically raspy voice, who doesn’t seem 74
at all. She’s a ball of energy and hospitality. The Utah suburbanite
first came to Costa Rica about 5 years ago, when she had a “total
epiphany”.
“I was on vacation here about 12
hours before I knew I wanted to live with such people of peace,”
Kirigin said, squinting through her glasses.
The two scoured the land for a
place to set up a business before stumbling upon this hotel, once
owned by a Roman couple whose knack for great cuisine is still
carried on in the hotel’s restaurant.
The mom-amd-daughter hospitality
is warm here, and so is the lasagna, among other mouthwatering
dishes. From Greek moussaka to Hungarian paprika to North American
meatloaf, every night offers up a different international special at
Pato Loco’s restaurant, for just $8 including soup or salad. The
place is a favorite among area Tico’s and expats, who come here for
the fine dining, afternoon Scrabble and good company.
The 13-year-old inn even has a
little history.
The hotel’s name was handed down
from the former owner, who was dubbed pato loco, Spanish for
“crazy duck,” by baseball buddies who were poking fun of the way he
used to waddle up to the plate to take his turn at bat.
The duck theme is a quaint touch
to the quirky place, complete with duck lamps and even a billiards
lounge dubbed the “Duck’s Butt,” the hotels latest addition,
installed by the new owners.
Pool contests are one of many
events the place puts on. From German night with a Deutsch
chef to wedding celebrations, live music and Sunday Bible studies,
the place serves as an unofficial community center.
So, come dip in the quiet pool
surrounded by garden, or have a beer in the Duck’s Butt and be
reminded by a Ben Franklin quote posted up in the backyard that
“beer is proof God loves us.”
Either way, as nearby mega-resorts
and other developments promise to change the face of Playas del Coco
fast, Pato Loco is a place to tap into a peculiar mix of local
flavor and imported eccentricity. Get it while it lasts.
Rates, Getting
There, Info
Pato Loco offers four rooms, three
with a queen and a twin and one with just a queen. High-season rates
for a double are $58 without air conditioning and $69 with air
conditioning, tax included. Amenities include private bathrooms with
hot water, cable TV, wireless internet access, and continental
breakfast (included in rate with minimum four-night stay). Tours in
the area can be arranged.
Two, one-bedroom apartments with
living room, bar, kitchen and patio area are also available; rates
range from $650-840 a month, depending upon length of stay.
Buses leave San Jose directly to
Playas del Coco three times a day (8 a.m., 2 and 4 p.m., about $5)
from the Pulmiton bus station at Ca. 24, Av. 5/7, near the Coca-Cola
station. Or you can take a bus to Liberia from the same station
(hourly departures), and then take a bus from Liberia to Playas del
Coco. The hotel is on the left as you enter Playas del Coco on the
main road, about half a kilometer from the beach.
For information, call 2670-0145,
e-mail
patoloco@racsa.co.cr
or visit
www.costa-rica-beach-hotel-patoloco.com
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