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Costa Rica Hilton-Affiliated Hotels Warn Customers About Reservation Scam

Three Hilton-affiliated hotels in San José are warning customers about a fraud scheme in which scammers are posing as hotel employees to sell event services and request payments through unofficial channels. The situation has been reported at the Gran Hotel Costa Rica, Curio Collection by Hilton in downtown San José, the Hilton Garden Inn San José La Sabana, and the Hilton San José La Sabana, all properties administered by CLS Hospitality Group. The company said the scheme involves people pretending to work for the hotels and contacting potential clients interested in organizing weddings, quinceañeras, and corporate events. The scammers are allegedly presenting themselves as sales executives in order to arrange fraudulent reservations and collect money outside the hotels’ official payment systems. The company said it is following up on the case to prevent additional incidents and protect both clients and the tourism sector. The warning is especially pertinent for people pla...
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Costa Rica Uses WWII-Era Ship to Support Marine Patrols

A former U.S. military vessel built during World War II is now anchored in Costa Rica’s South Pacific, where it has taken on a very different mission: helping protect marine life from illegal fishing. The MODOC, a 1944 vessel originally built for the United States Navy at Levingston Shipyard in Orange, Texas, is now used as a floating operations center by Earthrace Conservation. The organization purchased the former Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ship in 2019 and converted it into a conservation vessel for patrols, surveillance and support work in protected areas. Today, the ship remains based in the waters of southern Costa Rica, supporting marine and land-based operations with the National System of Conservation Areas, known as SINAC, and Costa Rican authorities. Its crew assists with patrols in areas such as Isla del Caño, Corcovado, Santa Rosa and waters around the Osa Peninsula, where illegal fishing, poaching and illegal mining have put pressure on protected ecosystems. At the cent...
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Current Postdoc and Academic Vacancies at Rutgers University

Last Updated on April 29, 2026 by Scholar Idea Discover Postdoc and Academic Vacancies at Rutgers University. Explore research opportunities, application guidelines, and academic career. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, stands as a powerhouse of global research and academic innovation. As a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), it consistently ... Read more
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An Expats Perspective on Living with Earthquakes in Costa Rica

A friend who lives in New York City was all over social media in the wake of the 4.8 earthquake that hit the east coast of the US on Thursday. The sensation of the earth moving, and the building he was in swaying was a first for him. All I could think was, ‘Welcome to the club’. According to the University of Costa Rica’s page on seismic history, there have been 31 quakes of 5.0 or better here since 1990. And countless smaller tremors. Ovsicori , the organization that keeps tabs on volcanic and seismic activity, records all the tremors throughout Costa Rica. Their website features a map that shows all recorded movements over the past 15 days. It is mind-boggling (or maybe earth-shattering would be the better adjective) to look at this map and see the underground activity. We easily average a dozen tremors daily, mostly concentrated in the Central Valley and Central Pacific regions, but with all provinces well represented. When it comes to the sensation of the earth moving beneath y...
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Postdoctoral Jobs at University of Florida | Research Vacancies

Last Updated on April 28, 2026 by Scholar Idea Explore Postdoctoral Jobs at University of Florida. Fully funded research roles in AI, Medicine, Agriculture, and Veterinary Sciences. The University of Florida (UF) stands as a premier center for higher education and groundbreaking research, consistently ranked among the elite public universities in the United States. Located ... Read more The post Postdoctoral Jobs at University of Florida | Research Vacancies appeared first on Scholar Idea .
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Strong Colón and Higher Port Fees Squeeze Costa Rica’s Exporters

Costa Rican exporters are absorbing hits from three directions at once: rising port fees on the Caribbean coast, a colón that has strengthened to historic levels, and a 10% U.S. tariff that has complicated access to the country’s most important export market. Each pressure alone would be manageable. Together, they are testing the viability of export operations up and down the value chain. Earlier this month, the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (ARESEP) approved a sweeping update to the tariff schedule for JAPDEVA, the state authority that oversees the Atlantic-side ports of Moín and Limón. JAPDEVA had originally sought increases of between 13% and 167% across 19 port services. After a public comment period in March, during which business chambers registered strong opposition, the regulator approved a more moderate, though still significant, restructuring. ARESEP estimates that JAPDEVA’s overall revenues could rise by roughly 27% under the new schedule. The increases ...
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Indie Drama “Hope/Esperanza” Filming in Costa Rica Through End of May

Cameras are rolling across Costa Rica on Hope/Esperanza, an indie romantic drama from Oscar-winning producer Mark Johnson, with principal photography set to continue at locations throughout the country until the end of May. The production began shooting on April 13 and will run for five weeks, employing more than 200 Costa Rican cast and crew members. Filming is taking place across multiple regions, including the communities of Pacayas and Bagaces, where local businesses are seeing a boost in transportation, lodging, food service, and logistics work tied to the shoot. Johnson, whose credits include Rain Man, The Holdovers, and the Breaking Bad universe, is producing the film alongside Costa Rican producer Esteban Quesada Vizcaíno. Mexico City-based Alejandra Cardenas serves as executive producer, with Sarah Quintero and Jessica Mollo co-producing. The film marks a tonal departure for Johnson, best known for prestige television and awards-circuit dramas through his two-decade collabora...
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