Sign up sight unseen, send the money, sell what you have, pack the rest of it up and fly out on a whim and a prayer....that is exactly the leap of faith that Josh Flores and Marcia Banes took when they left warm, beautiful Savannah, GA for the hot, unpredictable jungle and beaches of Nosara, Costa Rica. After their first visit here last summer they fell in love with our beautiful town and were immediately hooked. So, they went home determined to find a way to move their lives down here and enjoy the Pura Vida lifestyle and all the great things that come with it here. Many of their friends thought they were crazy for making such a drastic life change. However, Josh and Marcia have adventurous souls and knew that there was no way that they could pass up this perfect opportunity to chase down a dream. So, after putting all their eggs in a basket of faith, Josh and Marcia are now the new proprietors of the Refugio del Sol Hotel and El Fenix Restaurant here in Pelada, which they purchased back in October.

They kept the name Refugio del Sol for the hotel part, but have re-named the restaurant and bar side El Fenix. Josh and Marcia chose this name because, “The Phoenix is a bird of prey representing longevity and rebirth, and among some accounts, the Phoenix represents those living in paradise enjoying eternal youth. We chose the name El Fenix for our restaurant, because we truly believe we are living in paradise enjoying our own eternal youth. But mostly, the name El Fenix represents our determination to succeed in life and happiness.”

Josh and Marcia have definitely brought their southern roots and delectable food with them from Savannah as their menu is best described as, Lowcountry Cuisine fused with local Costa Rican ingredients. The food is great and hits close to home for me, since I spent a lot of time in South Carolina.  It’s great to get a little taste of Charleston down here in Costa! Some notable breakfast items include: the Diva Omelet and the Hangover (egg, meat and potato scramble). Some of their tasty lunch/dinner treats are: the Smokey and the Bandit (smoked pork or beef sandwich), The Nooner (fried green tomato BLT), Lowcountry Shrimp ‘n Grits and the newly added Jambalaya. They also do catering and are looking to become Nosara’s prime catering service for local weddings and events. Recently, they catered the famous New Years Eve Party up at the Black Sheep pub as well as the wedding dinner for Ru and Gemma, owners of Innocent Surf School.

Josh and Marcia have hit the ground running since their arrival and have not stopped promoting since! They are full of high energy, mean business and they haven’t missed a beat! They have something going on almost every weekday, whether it is their now, infamous, Pre-Banana Sunset parties on Thursdays with all you can eat bocas and their famous homemade Sangria for 5,000 Colones or their trivia, poker or Wii nights. No matter what I guarantee you will have a blast hanging out with them in their little jungle haven in Pelada. So make sure you stop in and see them right across from Panchos. They are great people that will feed you well, give you a taste of that Southern hospitality, engage in interesting conversations and party with you for as long as you can last!  Menus and flyers are below, but also make sure to visit their website for more information, as well, www.refugiodelsol.net. You can also reach them at: 506-2682-0287 (from Costa Rica) or 912-376-3404 (from the US).

Check out the video tour of this quaint jungle refuge -