In the sun-kissed beach town of Jaco, nestled in the province of Puntarenas, Luke Shantz and Stephanie Sitt , two expats from Toronto recently turned their dreams into reality by creating a boutique hotel in the southern part of the town. Their journey started three years ago, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when they decided to seek significant life changes by moving to Costa Rica. In their opinion, this country was always the obvious destination: “ We always thought Costa Rica checked all of our boxes: it is safe, it is sustainable, it has nature, good schools and good healthcare ”.
Just like many expatriates, coming to Costa Rica completely transformed their lives, starting with their environment and their work life balance. Stephanie explains, “ It is amazing. We get to spend more time with our kids, we get to be in nature all the time and live by the sun, get up early and go to bed early.
Before, we were both working a full-time job. I would come back home at 6 or 7pm, and the kids would go to bed at 8. I didn’t see them much ”.
Opting for Jaco as their hometown, despite its mixed reputation, was also a right decision according to them. In terms of amenities, the couple expresses satisfaction, as they are able to choose between plenty of restaurants, places to party and multiple schools for their children. They also admit to appreciating the town’s affordability, central location within the country, and its proximity to the capital, San José, as well.