Book Costa Rica Vacation NOW!

If you are interested in vacationing in Costa Rica over Christmas or New Year, be forewarned, prime locations are selling out fast. There are only a few brand new properties available this year.

I just checked out a room at The Four Seasons, sold out!

I also just checked out a room at the Paradisus Playa Conchal hotel over New Year, sold out!

Pool view junior suites are available at the open-by-Christmas Marriott hotel at Hacienda Pinilla, $1,499 a night for a junior suite overlooking the pool.

Or, two bedroom/two bath condos overlooking the pool are available at The Oaks Tamarindo, $1,800 for six nights, open since Easter.

ELECTRICITY COSTS: A REPORT FROM THE OAKS TAMARINDO, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA

I have been reviewing our typical unit owner´s electricity costs at The Oaks, noting that a typical bill during July for a fully occupied unit was $67 CAN for the month. When I asked our on-site concierge, Ana Lorena, for an explanation, she sent me our local electric company´s rates.

Rates are divided into two seasons, "dry" and "not dry". Because 80% of Costa Rica´s electricity is generated by hydroelectric power, rates are 25% higher during the "dry" season from January through June. For an average user of 625 kWh per month, the July low season rates cost $67.75 CAN. VOILA! During the "dry" season from January through June, rates are 25% higher, which would result in an electric bill of $84 per month. So how does this compare with where you live? Here is information from ENMAX for July.

Calgary's Regulated Default Electricity Rate for July 2008

For Immediate Release

Calgary

26 Jun 2008

The default electricity rate for Calgary will rise to 11.99 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), effective July 1, 2008. Consumers who have chosen a fixed price energy plan will not be affected by this price change.As a result, the electricity bill for a typical Calgary household (using 625 kWh per month) will increase by 15.5 per cent compared with the previous month to $112.31.
Hmmmmm.