jamamac

Any recommendations for lodging are appreciated. Have never been to this area but beaches sound beautiful!

shillmac

Jamamac,
There are a couple of places--Flamingo Marina Resort and Flamingo Beach Resort--that I would recommend.

Personally, we have stayed several time at the Flamingo Beach Resort and absolutely love it. It is right on the beach (30 second walk will get you from the hotel gate to the beach). Nice, large pool with swim up bar--very friendly and fun bartenders. Good restaurant. GREAT salon and massage service--$40 and hour gets you a fabulous massage with Carolina.

We stayed there in June for $69 per night--heck of a deal! When are you going? It is probably already booked for Christmas, but September and October should mean low rates.

Just up the dirt road a short walk (5 minutes) is Marie's Restaurant with excellent food, and another 5 minutes further will get you to Flamingo town, which isn't much! There is a bank, a mini market, some real estate offices, a couple of beachwear shops. The internet cafe and dive shop has moved out of town on the highway a short distance. Flamingo Beach is a wonderful long beach great for walking. The water is good swimmable water with nice waves. Some of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen in Costa Rica have been here!

toucan

i personally like Sugar Beach. it is about 15 minutes north of Flamingo, just north of Portrero (sp?). I know Sugar Beach has a website. it is a bit isolated but has a fantastically scenic little cove, great accomodations, nice restaurant, and is still within short driving distance of Flamingo.

shillmac

I agree Sugar Beach is beautiful. We met the owner when staying at Las Orquideas (he also owns that hotel in Alajuela). We drove up to Sugar Beach and looked at the property one morning this past June. We'll probably stay there sometime, but, to be honest, it is quite isolated and it does take several minutes to get in and out on that little dirt road out of Potrero. For quick in and out (for those who want to drive around the area to restaurants, etc) Playa Flamingo is a little more convenient. But yes, Hotel Sugar Beach looked to be very nice. The beach itself was a little rocky, and didn't seem quite as nice (IMO) as Flamingo.

jamamac

I've been to Sugar Beach and I loved it there but wanted to try something different. Does Flamingo Marina Resort have access to the same beach as Flamingo Beach Resort. From the pictures I've seen the beach at Flamingo Marina Resort does'nt look that great

shillmac

You can't beat the beach that is in front of the Flamingo Beach Resort. The cool thing is that there are usually very few people on it! The Flamingo Marina Resort didn't look that great to me, either. It isn't the same beach. Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you a few photos! I have some pretty good ones taken at the hotel and on the beach.

Pumpy

As one leg of our upcoming CR trip, we (family) are looking for a nice beach where the ocean is relatively calm / swim-able & the hotel is close proximity to outdoor activities (animal viewing, hiking, river rafting, etc.). Originally I was looking at Manuel Antonio (MA) area but am now wondering if the Flamingo Beach (FB) might not be a better choice? I'd appreciate input from those that have been to both areas (MA & FB).

Thanks,

shillmac

Hi Pumpy, I'll be the first to admit, Playa Flamingo isn't for everyone. It is quite "Americanized" and I certainly wouldn't want to spend all of my time there! It could easily be called the "gringo gulch of the Pacific coast" and is dedicated to real estate sales for folks with no small amount of money. That said, it is still a beautiful (and long) stretch of beach--as close to "white" sand as you will find anywhere, with the exception of Manuel Antonio. The entire coastal area from Tamarindo to Flamingo and Potrero just happens to be an area we enjoy visiting for a few days each time we go to Costa Rica. Even the little town of Brasilito (in between T & F) we enjoy--it has 2 or 3 really good restaurants! Our fondness for this area is a personal thing --but we think ALL parts of Costa Rica are wonderful!

But as for "things to do", Manuel Antonio would come out on top. For the first time visitor, Arenal and MA are excellent choices. Manuel Antonio has quite a selection of very nice hotels, the park itself is a big draw offering excellent wildlife viewing, and of course, you can do white water rafting there. Don't worry about "choosing wrong"--in Costa Rica, that isn't going to happen!

fides

I stayed at Flamingo marina Beach resort and very much liked it. THen again I am gringo and after my trips from MA and Arenal, I very much appreciated it.
The Flamingo Marina beach resort are more for those scuba diving, sailing, fishing, etc. They have a beach but it's nothing spectacular. If anything, people hiked over to Flamingo Beach resort.
If you were to choose between the two Flamingos, I would suggest what you would rather prefer.
Flamingo Beach- all you have to do is cross the street for the nice beach.
Flaming Marina Beach- Is more of on a hill with a great view. If you've stayed at Sugar Beach you've seen it from across the bay. It's the pink building. You can't go wrong either way.

jamamac

Thanks for all the advice. I know the Flamingo Beach area is very Americanized, but we are looking for a place with a nice beach to relax for a couple of days. Previous to that we are going to Torteguero, Puerto Vieja and then onto Rincon de la Vieja. Getting back to Flamingo, if you can walk from Flamingo Marina Resort to Flamingo Beach Resort beach I would consider this because their rates are a little less. I thought it was a private beach. How far is the walk?

p.s. to Shillmac - would love to see the photos but am reluctant to put my email address over the internet. What can I do about this?

shillmac

jamamac,
I think the only way you can get from the Flamingo Marina Hotel to the beach at Flamingo Beach Resort is to walk through town and to the other side of the little peninsula. Both ends of the beach at Flamingo Beach Resort are rocky headlands. You walk through town (such as it is), then down a dirt road past Marie's Restaurant and past the vehicle entrance to Flamingo Beach Resort until you are in front of the hotel and on the beach. This little dirt road follows the beach, winds through some private property areas, then ends up back on the highway coming from Brasilito. If the difference in expense is not too great, I'd definitely stay at the Flamingo Beach Resort. I think you will be glad.

You can e-mail me at [email protected]

I don't like to give mine out either, but what the heck. . .I've done it before

jamamac

We will have a car. I guess my basic concern is beach access and if this is a private beach.

toucan

I really wouldn't want to stay at the Flamingo Marina Hotel if I wanted to regularly use the Beach in front of the Flamingo Beach Resort. It is too far to walk casually. You could drive but the parking is not all that available at the better part of the beach across from the Beach Resort. The beach is not a private beach though.

fides

Yes Shillmac was right, it was quite probably 15-20 min. walk with terrain through Maries... etc... but keep in mind we only walked it because we didn't want to drive. Also on the way back since Flamingo Marina is on a hill there was that incline. If you wanted to drive it, parking wasn't a problem if you come early in the AM.
You should just stay at Flamingo Beach resort so you can just cross the street on over. It is not a private beach though Flamingo Marina has one but again- not that spectacular.

shillmac

fides, you mention the incline in Flamingo. We should note that it is no ordinary incline, but extremely steep! Wouldn't want to walk it too often. . .

We have driven to the beach in front of the FBR several times when we weren't staying there, and have never had trouble parking at any time of the day. I do remember there were a few more cars at Christmastime--and a few more people. We were there for a week this summer, and very seldom were there more than 1 or 2 cars parked next to the beach. But again, I'd definitely pay a few extra dollars to have the convenience (and location) of the FBR. And the massage therapist.