Luxury hotels... eh, might be nice and all... but I prefer to "be local" about it, and immerse myself in the local culture.

Granted, it's been many years, but my trip to Costa Rica in the early 90's was mostly in $5 youth hostels -- the big splurge was spending $20 for a night in a "motel" in San Jose city that actually had hot AND cold water faucets in the shower. Otherwise it was a dubious electric heater attached to the shower nozzle that really made me think I was gonna electrocute myself... but that, and a roach or two, and the bucket beside the toilet for waste paper, ...and some other international travelers doing the same thing, made it really, really fun!

But yeah; now, at my age, I'd probably go the luxury route myself...