At the age of 66, that's when life begins!

Author: Jonathan Martin

The band took a short break. Now the strings of the Casal quartet sound again and put all their skills to the test. Guests of the Hotel Cristal Ballena listen to the sounds of the musicians against the impressive backdrop; ocean and mountains surround the phenomenal atmosphere of the four-star hotel.

They are enchanted by the captivating melody of the violin, forgetting time and space and vanishing into an ocean of acoustic pleasure.

Musicians perform their most beautiful pieces against the picturesque night sky to honor a man who accomplished great things here on the other side of the world. A man with visions and the strong woman at his side made him venture into the unknown. Together already at an advanced age, they made their dream of a new beginning in paradise come true.

While others retire at his age and enjoy a night of bowling with friends as the culminating event of the week, he was looking for adventure.

Where others play soccer on the older men's team and prefer to remain calm, he dared to start over. As dynamic retirees, they risked a lot and got what they had dreamed of for their already full life.

It all started in 1992 with a trip to Costa Rica. Notary Waldemar Steiner and his wife Herta Steiner, a writer, visited the Latin American country for the first time. A friend invited them, and despite the simple conditions they found there, they immediately fell in love with this beautiful piece of land, framed by the Pacific and the Atlantic. It quickly became apparent to both of them that this would not be their last visit. On other trips, they explored the country, both now retired, in search of a challenge.

Inspired by motivational speakers, they finally made the decision together to step deeper. They decided against the usual and chose the unusual, blessed the challenge of starting all over again and becoming owners of a conference center in the sunny country of Costa Rica.

They found a suitable location in the south of the Central American country. In 2002 they built the Pura Vida restaurant and the swimming pool. In 2004 their family house followed before the hotel construction began a year later. In 2005 the time had come, and they inaugurated the hotel officially.

"The Hotel and Resort Cristal Ballena has become a beautiful hotel. Our guests feel good and we are pleased with it. Andreas and Angelika, our son and his wife, have lived with us for many years, and we run the hotel together," adds Herta Steiner, the founder, and widow of Waldemar Steiner, who passed away a year ago. The heritage is the shared legacy of a seemingly crazy idea and the couple's lifelong dream come true!

Cheers to the motto of both of them: You have to live a dream!