We provide services by the hour, for transport to a specified destination and on a daily rate basis. Please feel free to discuss with us what you think is best for you. We want to have a firm agreement in place before we start working for you so that both you and we end up feeling that we have both got fair value.
Especially on occasions when we are hired to take someone around in, for example, the San Jose area for a relatively short time, we charge by the hour. The hourly charge includes the services of the driver and the cost of fuel. The driver will be pleased to stay with you, walk around with you in the streets if you wish, attempt to translate you wish to buy something, find locations where specific things that you want are sold and attempt to negotiate better prices for what you want. If you are looking for a particular type restaurant, whether it is a typically Tico restaurant or an expensive European restaurant, we are at your service.
If the provision of services extends over the time when meals are occurring, it is expected that the client will cover the cost of an alcohol-free meal for the driver.
As of August, 2008, we charge $15 an hour for the provision of the driver and the fuel.
A second method of calculation of our charges is for what are called in Costa Rica “transfers” - transport to a specified destination, where the passengers are delivered to there hotel or other drop-off point. If, for example, a group of people wishes to go from San Jose and be dropped off in Tamarindo (which is on the North Pacific Coast) and takes essentially a day of the driver’s time and the group does not require the services of our driver the following day, the driver will have to stay in or around Tamarindo at his own expense and then drive back to San Jose without passengers. For transfers, a fixed rate* is charged. The amount of the charge depends on such things, of course, as the distance that has to be traveled, whether the roads are paid or are dirt roads (of course the dirt roads are much slower to travel on and are much rougher on the vehicle and the driver). Last but not least, the cost of the transfer will be affected by fuel prices.
If you are thinking of using our services for a transfer, please contact us with the information as to when you want to go, how many people will be going, where you want to go and so forth. We will then be able to give you a fixed rate*.
The most popular way of retaining our services is by the day. If we can take you someplace in the morning of the day and return the same day, we will be able to provide to you a fixed rate* on the cost of that day. That rate will include the cost of the driver in the vehicle and a fuel. The precise amount of our daily charge for the driver and vehicle changes, of course, in accordance with a number of factors. However, we will give you a fixed rate* for those services before starting a tour and we will stick with those charges. We do not believe in starting with one price and then demanding more later! Similarly, once we have provided the services, we do not expect our clients will suggest that should pay less !
Just as with all of our other dealings with our clients, we try to make sure that our charges are fair and reasonable and such that they make our clients feel like our contribution to their Costa Rican holiday has been a good one!
In al cases, we are pleased to discuss with you in advance the fees for services, likely additional expenses for driver’s meals and lodging, etc. so that you will have a good idea of what to expect. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
* PLEASE NOTE: if your planned itinerary is such that it will include ordinary meal times for the driver, overnight charges at a hotel for the driver, ferry tickets for the vehicle and the driver, charges at border crossings and so forth, any such additional expenses are to be paid by you as the expenses are incurred. The driver will do his best to find reasonably priced lodging and restaurants - you should definitely NOT expect him to sleep in the microbus.
