Costa Rica Locations & Hotels

Monteverde Cloud Forest and the Santa Elena Reserve

Monteverde is a lush plateau 4,592 feet above the Guanacaste Plains. The Cloud Forest Reserve is extraordinary, a lush mountain habitat formed by a combination of high humidity and low cloud cover from trade winds. The area receives between three and five metres of rain each year, allowing for lush plant growth: ferns and moss, orchids and magnolia and huge zapote trees. Animal life is also abundant; more than 1200 species of reptiles and amphibians, 400 types of bird and 100 different mammals are found here. Guided tours are available. Downtown Monteverde is a bustling little village. A two day visit to Monteverde is recommended as the road to the area is purposefully left unmade to discourage day visitors.

Fonda Vela Hotel

This hotel is located in a 35-acre farm on the edge of the Cloud Forest, it is one of the nearest hotels to the Santa Elena Reserve. All rooms were designed with nature in mind, with large windows giving the feeling of the forest being right in your room. Both restaurants use the organically grown produce from the hotel grounds and lunches can be ordered to take into the reserves.

El Establo Hotel

El Establo is situated in the heart of Monteverde about 7 kilometres from the Santa Elena Rainforest and four kilometres from the Monteverde Cloud Forest. This is a lovely family hotel, owned by Don Arnoldo and Dona Ruth. The hotel rooms are beautifully designed and some have a view of the ocean and Nicoya on a clear day. They all have TV and air conditioning. This is the only hotel in the area that has a swimming pool, and a water treatment plant and spa. The honeymoon suites have fabulous views and a jacuzzi bath.

Belmar Hotel

This chalet style hotel is ideal for those interested in enjoying nature and a peaceful place amidst the Cloud Forest. Owners and staff here are very helpful and will organise horseback rides and escorted tours should you wish.

El Sapo Dorado Hotel

This hotel is located near the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Santa Elena Rain Forest Reserve and the Sky Walk and canopy tour. It has 30 spacious mountain suites which are scattered on a hill. Each suite is built in wood with its own balcony. The dining room has a splendid view and offers international, vegetarian and typical Tico cuisine.

Trapp Family Lodge

As the name suggests, this hotel is owned by the Trapp Family, who offer Swiss style chalet accommodation. This is the closest hotel to the Monteverde Reserve, with 28 rooms, 10 of which are newly built junior suites. Family rooms are available. All the furniture is made by a local artist, making this a very interesting experience in Monteverde.

Rincon de la Vieja

Rincon de la Vieja National Park is one of Costa Rica's best kept secrets. It has a wide range of natural attractions, including a volcano, mud pools and hot springs, a dry coastal forest and cloud forest and myriad forms of wildlife. You can climb Rincon de la Vieja volcano and peer down into its steaming caldera.

Borinquen Mountain Resort Hotel

Located in the mountains of the Rincon de la Vieja volcano, this hotel boasts several natural hot-spring pools of differing temperatures; a larger, mineral spring-fed lap pool; a natural sauna; and an area for full-body mud baths given with hot volcanic mud recently collected from steaming volcanic mud pots. The whole thing is set on the edge of the rainforest beside gentle creeks, with trails to the mud pots. Hiking and horseback riding are available, and waterfalls are nearby. The hotel has two restaurants, bar, tour desk, laundry service, private stables, canopy tour and a fabulous spa area in the forest.

Tamarindo

Tamarindo is a beautiful beach area offering plenty of activities, including sport fishing, windsurfing, scuba diving, golf, horse riding, jungle boat tours, and snorkelling. The town of Tamarindo has much to offer with several bars, restaurants and a couple of nightclubs, where you can practice the merengue. Most hotels in this area allow you to walk out of your hotel straight onto a lovely beach.

Capitan Suizo Hotel

Located directly on Tamarindo's two mile white sandy beach, this is a very friendly hotel with a popular restaurant. There is a swimming pool surrounded by tropical gardens which guarantees you a very relaxing and enjoyable stay. They also have their own stables and can arrange for guests to play golf at the nearby golf course, or fishing and scuba diving. This is another hotel which is part of the exclusive 'Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica' group.

Jardin del Eden

A small luxury hotel set in the hillside with excellent views. With 34 rooms and two apartments, each have air conditioning, mini-bar, and deposit box, as well as a balcony or terrace with sea views. The hotel has a superb French restaurant which serves some of the best food in the Guanacaste Coast. This beautiful hotel has wonderful ocean views, and is only a three minute walk from the beach and the town of Tamarindo. It also has two pools and an open air jacuzzi.

Hotel y Villa Cala Luna

Located on the most exclusive bay of Tamarindo, this beautiful, refined hotel sits on the white sandy Langosta Beach. As well as offering hotel accommodation they also have two and three bedroom villas each with private swimming pool and full self-catering facilities, whilst also having the hotel restaurant and pool. It is a beautifully designed property, which provides the very best in accommodation.

Hacienda Pinilla

Slightly south of Tamarindo you will find the Hacienda Pinilla. This property stretches 4,500 acres along the Pacific Coast, surrounded by beautiful rolling hills, open ranges and fresh water lakes. It is surrounded by three miles of pristine beach, two rivers and a vast tropical dry forest teeming with birds, monkeys and other wildlife. The luxury hotel is the ideal base for those wishing to play on the immaculate golf course. Each golf hole was designed to conform with the slopes and contours of the natural landscape. This property is in a picturesque setting, with frequent glimpses of exotic wildlife.

Sugar Beach Hotel - north of Tamarindo

is located directly on the beautiful Playa Azucar, just north of Flamingo. The hotel has only 30 rooms spread throughout it's 24 acre property, which is a dry forest shared with monkeys, racoons etc. All rooms are really spacious offering comfort, privacy, large patios, air conditioning, tv & fridge. The open-air restaurant serves superb food.

Flamingo Beach has a very fine white sandy beach and is a popular area for wealthy Costa Ricans, Europeans and North Americans to have luxury holiday / retirement villas. This area offers an excellent standard of accommodation with upmarket services. Playa Flamingo boats the only full-service marina between Acapulco and Panama; and an annual sport fishing derby (usually may to June) which draws marlin hunters from far and wide. This is definitely the place to make camp if you're hooked on game fishing.

South Nicoya Peninsula

This stretch of coastline from the beaches of Playa Grande, where the Giant Sea Turtles go to nest, to the most southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula gives you a great opportunity to get away from the crowds and enjoy miles of stunning beaches, jungle and beautiful waterfalls. The scenery changes dramatically as the hot dry plains give way to hot lowland forests in the south of the peninsula. This area has some excellent properties, which are generally quite isolated.

Punta Islita

This is a fantastic property perched on a hill surrounded by mountains, overlooking the Pacific Coast with magnificent views. It is located on the North West coast of Nicoya Peninsula, just 40 minutes by air from San Jose. The open-air restaurant is excellent and it has its own private beach and multi-tier infinity swimming pool.

Tango Mar Golf and Beach Resort

This hotel is situated in Tambor along the Nicoya Peninsula, directly on a beach regarded as the most beautiful beach in Central America. The hotel is an exclusive private beachfront reserve; it offers a 9-hole golf course, two swimming pools, tennis courts, restaurant and lots of activities including scuba diving, snorkelling and horse riding.

Lagarta Lodge

Set on a peninsula about 40 metres above sea level, the Lagarta Lodge offers magnificent views of the coastline of Ostional, the mountains, the river mouth from Rio Nosara and also the forest which belongs to the Reserva Biologica Nosara. The hotel has 12 bedrooms each with private bathroom, hot water, ceiling fan, and breathtaking views. The beach is only 10 minutes walk away or you can just relax at the swimming pool. You can walk on trails through the mangroves and humid forest observing or taking photographs of nature and the animals. The hotel also provides some activities, such as tours to Ostional (turtle nesting site) and Guaitil (pottery manufacture) and horseback riding or mountain bike rental.

El Villagio

This lodge is nestled on the Garza Beach on the Pacific Coast. This resort could be your own piece of paradise where you can walk along impeccable beaches, relax in tropical gardens or simply relax by the pool. Fishing, water skiing, hiking, horse riding and volleyball are all available. Near the hotel you will be able to surf, scuba dive and kayak. This is a very unique and relaxing place to stay.

Manuel Antonio

Situated on the Pacific Coast this area offers a fabulous combination of beautiful beaches as well as a National Park. Here you can relax on a beautiful beach whilst also being part of nature. The National Park is one of the smallest in Costa Rica and whilst the wildlife are by no means tame they are more used to humans and therefore easily seen. There is a wide range of hotels here, but these are some of our favourites.

The El Parador Hotel

Hidden in a small private world surrounded by beautiful gardens and plenty of space, this is a wonderful boutique resort hotel which offers different room types with some having fabulous views of the Pacific Ocean. El Parador Hotel brings luxury to the jungle. It is built in a Spanish style with antique Spanish furniture. Facilities include a gym, swimming pool, adult only pool, tennis courts, mini golf course, excellent spa and shuttle service to the National Park and beach.

Makanda By The Sea

This hotel is located 1 kilometre from the main road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park. The rooms are individually designed with each studio room or villa being extremely private. It has a magnificent swimming pool and a path leading down through the jungle to a secluded beach. There are only nine rooms which are hidden in the natural jungle and Japanese gardens, making it an ideal place for honeymooners. Breakfast is delivered outside your door in a cool box, inside is fresh fruit, fruit juice, bread, muffins, fresh coffee beans, and jam and butter. In your room there is a small kitchen area with a toaster, coffee maker, and fridge so you can eat at your leisure.

Tulemar Bungalows

These individual bungalows are scattered on a 33 acre private reserve that ends in an idyllic private beach set in a secluded cove which has been awarded the blue flag. Snorkelling equipment and kayaks are available to guests free of charge. There is a bar, snack bar, changing facilities and toilets at the beach along with a main restaurant and swimming pool.

The bungalows have a separate bedroom containing two double beds along with two sofa beds in the lounge. There is a fully equipped kitchen and TV and video. Videos can be rented from reception. The hotel will also collect whatever grocery shopping you may require. Each bungalow has a panoramic view of the forest canopy and coast. Breakfast is served in the bar area, where monkeys, sloths, toucans, scarlet tanagers and green parakeets are normally seen.

La Mansion Inn

A small, romantic hotel situated on the mountainside overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Manuel Antonio National Park. It is situated just minutes away from pristine beaches, sport fishing at Quepos harbour, and the local airport. During your stay, you may see an incredible variety of animals including monkeys, sloths, anteaters, large iguanas and 'pizotes' as well as many bird species. The interior displays a wealth of original paintings by some of Costa Rica's top artists. Water is heated by solar energy. Built as a luxurious private residence, La Mansion Inn is an all-suite hotel and the suites are beautifully appointed with either a king-size bed or two queen size beds and the finest furnishings. The inn offers spacious, yet intimate areas for dining and relaxing. These include a patio with barbecue and an infinity swimming pool with jacuzzi.

Costa Verde Hotel

Nestled in jungle-covered hills, the Costa Verde hotel is a short walk from Costa Rica's most magnificent National Park and beaches. It has stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and has easy access to the abundant wildlife of the jungle. The hotel provides a perfect balance of serenity and adventure. They have their own nature trails and their slogan is 'we get more monkeys than people'. There are two cliff-side pools (one for adults only), sundecks, and spacious rooms with balconies and a restaurant with terrace.

La Mariposa Hotel

This hotel is magnificently perched on an elevation overlooking the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and Manuel Antonio National Park. Apart from its beautiful location the hotel also offers superb accommodation, with a choice of room types, including a wonderful penthouse suite with private jacuzzi. There is a total of 60 rooms and hotel facilities include swimming pools, La Papillon restaurant, Sunset Bar and lounge, beautiful landscaped gardens with walkways and trails, gift shop and free shuttle service to and from the National Park.

Villa Caletas

A long winding road leads to this hotel, nicknamed "the closest thing to heaven". It really is a paradise and one of the most unique, eccentric, exclusive hotels in Costa Rica and therefore is a member of the "Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica" group. It looks like a Victorian mansion and is located 1000 feet above sea level, giving a 360 degree panoramic view of the Gulf of Nicoya and the Pacific Coast. The location of the infinity swimming pool gives the illusion of disappearing into the sky. It has two excellent restaurants, its own amphitheatre and a beautiful private beach.

Xandari by the sea

This is the sister hotel to the San Jose Xandari Plantation and is an equally stunning property, located directly on the beach. All the accommodation comprises private villas which have been designed by the architect owner and decorated by his artist wife. All open out on to a perfect beach view, with terrace and garden area.

Osa Peninsula

One of the truly wild places in Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula juts into the Pacific Coast at the southern tip of the country. Much of the peninsula is protected within the Parque Nacional Corcovado. As it is difficult to get to, this makes it all the more special and a unique place to visit.

Corcovado National Park's Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge

This lodge sits in a 170 acre private reserve bordering Corcovado National Park. It is the closest lodge to this National Park, which is considered, biologically, the most intense place on earth by the National Geographic society. The lodge has been carefully designed in a unique style by an American naturalist with over 20 years of experience. It offers lodging in full co-existence with nature and the environment. Full board and tours included.

Tiskita Lodge

A small 16 room lodge located in the middle of a private 400 acre rainforest reserve, in the remote area of Golfito on the South Pacific coast. Here you will have the opportunity to walk through the jungle and enjoy its fresh pools and beautiful isolated beaches. There are over 285 different bird species, so an ideal place for bird watchers. Tiskita is also an experimental farm for exotic tropical fruits. Several activities are organised from the lodge including horse riding and visits to the small neighbouring town.

Bosque del Cabo Rainforest Lodge.

A lodge located 500 feet above where the Golfo Dulce meets the Pacific Coast, nestled within unspoilt jungle. They have a selection of 10 beautifully designed thatched-roof bungalows and houses. The bungalows are perched atop the cliffs with spectacular ocean views. The private 500 acre forest reserve is home to more than 350 species of birds, monkeys and sloths. The property has its own nature trails and guides.

Lapa Rios

This is an extraordinary hotel lying in the middle of the wilderness. It is set within a 988 acre private reserve sitting on top of a hill overlooking a canopy of trees and a deserted beach. The 14 bungalows were built with already felled tropical hardwoods and are scattered down the hillside.