Real Intercontinental Costa Rica Hotel to Be Remodeled

The Poma Hotel Group is planning to pony up $25 million to enhance the Real Intercontinental Costa Rica Hotel, in the west side of San Jose, the Central American nation´s capital.

The number of rooms at the five-star facility will now jump from 261 to 361, plus additional services, a new fitness center, a gym and more restaurants.

“The beginning of the refurbishment works is scheduled for next week,” said Ramon Diago, general manager of the Real Fernando Poma Group.

For his part, Alberto Lopez, chairman of the National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR), praised the initiative as a move that comes to pass at a time when the local hotel sector has been voicing concerns about the low level of foreign investment in the country.

According to CANATUR, Costa Rica needs to build 1,800 hotel rooms every year in order to meet the ever-growing inflow of foreign visitors that travel to the country annually, a figure that climbed a whopping 20 percent in 2004.