Flight

Flights to San Jose (SJO)

Most guests will fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in San José, Costa Rica, which is the closest international airport to Puerto Viejo. (**Double-check that you’re not booking San José, California — Hannah has made this mistake before, and Joe was less than thrilled.**) To take advantage of the complimentary group transportation we’re providing to Puerto Viejo, guests should plan to arrive in San José on Tuesday, October 6 or Wednesday, October 7, in order to join one of the two scheduled shuttles (details below). Please note, as of 2/15/26 there are no nonstop flights from Chicago to San José posted during our wedding weekend dates, so travel will likely require a connection.

Travel Note

First night in Alajuela

We recommend booking your pre-caribe night in Alajuela rather than San José. It's just minutes from the airport (SJO), so you can skip the long taxi ride after a travel day, and you'll wake up in an easier location for the shuttle to the Caribbean coast. Heading out from Alajuela means you bypass San José's morning traffic entirely and shave a solid chunk off the trip. The town itself is also more relaxed — tree-lined streets, a pretty central park, and great little sodas for your first taste of Costa Rican food. The Marriott (https://maps.app.goo.gl/tKoQ75NX4BeXtF7z7) is about a 25 minute walk from central Alajuela. There are also plenty of cheap hotels and AirBNBs in central Alajuela for your first night's stay.

Travel Note

Travel from San José to Puerto Viejo

There are several ways to travel from San José to Puerto Viejo. Below are the most common options, including the complimentary group transportation we will be providing. ___________________ ~ Option 1: Complimentary Group Transportation (Recommended) ~ We will be offering complimentary group transportation on the following days: • Wednesday, October 7 at 2:30 PM This shuttle will arrive in Puerto Viejo on Wednesday evening, the night before wedding events begin. • Thursday, October 8 at 10:30 AM This shuttle will arrive in Puerto Viejo Thursday afternoon, in time for the 6:30 PM Welcome Party. Exact pickup location for the shuttle is TBD and will be shared in upcoming months. _____________ ~ Option 2: Rental Car ~ If you prefer to travel on your own schedule, rental cars are available at SJO Airport. Costa Rica is a beautiful country to drive through, with fruit stands, local sodas to grab lunch, and scenic waterfall stops along the way. ______________ ~ Option 3: Domestic Flight (SANSA Airlines) ~ SANSA Airlines operates short small plane domestic flights from San José (SJO) to Limón (LIO) (~40 minutes). From Limón, Puerto Viejo is approximately a ~1 hour drive by taxi or hotel-arranged transfer. Most hotels in Puerto Viejo would be happy to help coordinate transportation. _______________ ~ Option 4: Third-Party Bus and Private Cars ~ If you are traveling on a different schedule or prefer to make your own arrangements, the following ground transportation options can be booked independently: - Caribe Shuttle and Interbus both offer daily shared shuttles between San José and Puerto Viejo for about ~$60/person. More information and bookings can be found at https://www.caribeshuttle.com/ and https://www.interbusonline.com - RideCR offers private, door-to-door transportation in a private vehicle. Picks up directly from your San José hotel and drops off at your Puerto Viejo hotel for approximately ~$340 per vehicle (for up to 6 guests)

Travel Note

Returning to San Jose After the Wedding

We will offer group transportation back to San José on Sunday, October 11, departing early in the morning at approximately 6:00 AM, to support guests catching midday and afternoon flights out of SJO. If you plan to take this shuttle, please ensure your departure flight from SJO is no earlier than 1:30–2:00 PM on Sunday, given the drive time. We may add a later Sunday shuttle if there are enough guests flying out on Monday who would prefer to spend an extra afternoon in Puerto Viejo before heading back to SJO. TBD. For guests who can’t get enough of the Pura Vida life and are extending their stay in Puerto Viejo, return transportation later in the week can be arranged independently via Caribe Shuttle, private transfer, or rental car options in Limón. The concierge at Namu Garden Hotel and Spa (or your respective hotel) will be happy to assist with arrangements.

Hotel

Namu Garden Hotel & Spa

We’ve reserved a wedding room block at Namú Garden Hotel & Spa, a boutique hotel in the heart of Puerto Viejo, and would love for as many guests as possible to stay onsite with us. Namú will serve as the central hub for the wedding weekend — including casual pool hangs and (most importantly) lots of bags. We’ve secured group rates held at 2025 pricing, which include daily breakfast. Room inventory is very limited (21 rooms total), so we encourage guests to book early if they’d like to stay at the property. ~ Wedding Room Block Dates: October 7-11, 2026 ~ Guests may book any portion of these dates, and additional nights before or after the wedding are also available at the same group rate, subject to availability. The wedding will take place on Friday 10/9, with optional wedding events on Thursday 10/8 and Saturday afternoon 10/10. Approximate nightly room rates (per room, incl. all taxes and a fabulous breakfast) • Master Room (King): ~$211 • Master Superior (Queen + Single): ~$223 • Casa (2 Queen bedrooms + 1 shared bathroom) $272 • Bungalow with private pool (King): ~$297 To reserve a room, please contact the hotel directly and indicate that you are part of the “Hannah & Joe Wedding Group” 📧 Email: reservations@namuhotelpuertoviejo.com 📱 WhatsApp: +506 8978 1035 If Namú reaches capacity or if you prefer to stay elsewhere, there are several great boutique hotel and AirBnB options within walking distance. A great option is Umami Hotel, which is lovely and is just a 7-minute walk from Namu. See more details below!

Hotel

Umami Hotel

For guests who would like to stay offsite, or are unable to secure a room at Namu Garden Hotel & Spa, we highly recommend Umami Hotel, just a 7 minute walk from Namu and a 5 minute walk to the ocean. Umami is lovely and they have a great outdoor pool and complimentary breakfast. Guests staying at Umami are welcome to come and go at Namu Garden Hotel & Spa throughout the weekend! *Please note, Umami is adults only.