Karen_A

My fiance and I are looking at a Costa Rican honeymoon. The travel outfit we are looking at has booked us to spend some time in Tamarindo. They have us staying at Sueno del Mar Hotel (apparently a B and B). Has anyone stayed there before? We will also be visiting Arenal Volcano, doing a canopy tour and some horseback riding as well as spending some time on the beaches near by.

As someone who has never been to Costa Rica can you offer advice about these choices and/or other ideas for the Tamarindo area?

Thanks!

tsteffens5

We just came this past Sun.I'm not familiar with your B and B. The horseback riding in either location will be fabulous. The Arenal area is beautiful.We stayed at the Tabacon Hot Springs Resort and loved it.The canopy tour was wonderful as well.It didn't seem like you could go wrong with any of the tours they all were wonderful much to our surprise.

citydock2000

When are you planning on going? We just spent some time in Tamarindo on our honeymoon - got back a few days ago - and it was my least favorite part of the trip. The beach was DIRTY (algae bloom, dog poop and unleashed dogs everywhere, skulking constructions workers washing their clothes out on the beach) it rained every day (it was the rainy season, which is, well, very rainy...some days pretty much all day) and it just didn't really have a whole lot to recommend it. It wasn't awful, just not great or particularly memorable. Good surfing, some tours leave from there... would recommend a less dusty/muddy place with less crime. We stayed at the Capital Suizo... it was nice enough.

guanacaste

tamarindo tends to be a love it or loathe it kind of town.
it is expensive, when it rains heavy it can feel like a swamp, but it does have great restaurants and sunsets and is cosmopolitan.
i'd chose manuel antonio for a honeymoon stay at the costa verde:

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/manuel...ome/index.html


you'll like la fortuna/arenal, nice people and lots to do, definitely see the waterfall!

http://costa-rica.typepad.com/la_for...ome/index.html

shillmac

Karen, we've always rather enjoyed Tamarindo, but to be honest, don't usually stay overnight there, just visit for the day. Although we HAVE spent a few nights at different times at Pasatiempo.

That said, Sueno del Mar Hotel has been HIGHLY recommended on this board. Do a search and you'll likely come up with something. It's one of the places I would like to stay sometime when we're in the area and looking to splurge. I'd stay there in a heartbeat. From everything I've heard, it's a gorgeous little place, very well run, and I think you'd like it.

If I'm not mistaken, the people who own it also own Flor Blanca, a VERY upscale hotel in Malpais---which, by the way, is a terrific place to visit. Very quiet, laid back little surf town. Tamarindo is a very bustling, growing surf town with a lot of nightlife. Everyone should experience it once!

Actually, I believe Sueno del Mar is actually on Playa Langosta, a very short walk from Tamarindo proper.

Enjoy!

guanacaste

tamarindo is fun if overpriced, stay at villas macondo- quiet but 3 mins walk to centre:

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/tamarindo/home/index.html

Ally1

Sueno is a very cute little place. I did not stay there as they were booked, but I was able to get a tour of the honeymoon 'suite' and it was nice. Not 'richy' nice, but cute and private with windows over-looking the beach. If you are not looking for a Four Seasons experience, then you should like it. If you are, then their 'sister' hotel, Flor Blanca, as Shillmac has mentioned, is supposed to be fabulous! As for Tamarindo itself, it's too crowded for my taste, but the Sueno Del Mar is at one end of town so will be more quiet. Oh and I should also mention the breakfast at the Sueno are reported to be the best!

Dyer

We visited Sueno del Mar (walked from our lovely beach hotel, Hotel Capitan Suizo) and I would stay there - hear the breakfasts are great. A 20 minute walk to Tamarindo by beach, nice walk. Our young adult children and we 50 yr. olds liked Tamarindo. We did one tour away from the town; plus a snorkel excursion; an estuary boat ride, boogie boarded; the kids surfed and we loved the restaraunts. Go to www.visittamarindo.com Have fun

kaudrey

We loved El Jardin del Eden which sits up on the hill. Beautiful, Japanese-inspired rooms, gorgeous pool area and fabulous restaurant. You have to walk down the hill to the beach and town, but we thought the walk was worth it.

BLYVAIL

We rented a house thru Sueno del Mar 2 years ago. Because we booked thru SDM, we were able to use their services and have breakfast there. The units are cute - thatched roofs, open air showers. I don't believe they have a/c though, which we used at the house. The breakfasts were wonderful, cute pool. The innkeeper was very helpful booking kayaking, fishing & surfing trips. Its about a 5-10 minute walk into town, very close to Capitan Suiza. They had a website - google it.

igemini48

To all honeymooners> stay at cala luna villa as we are now..aldo leaving tomorrow after 9 days. Villa ia superb with private pool, very secliuded, complete privacy- best money spent. If can stay at Arenals over night - do it, hot springs are fabulouse..a must see and be at...anyway, will be home tomorrow and come on line again, ask if any questions.
Regards.
Marina.

igemini48

Hello to everyone.
We greatly appreciate all of you for input. We end up going to travel agent who has been in CR for a few times and she suggested to rent a villa with a privet pool in Cala Luna Tamarindo.
So now we are back from our honeymoon and here how it went.
Cala Luna villa was the best part of our honeymoon - pool was fabulous, villa is huge with everything in the kitchen up to espresso machine and smoothie maker. Well, I love my own sunny side up and I don't think that making breakfast for my husband is a chore, especially he usually does the dishes:0yes I'm that lucky and he is the greatest, but this time he did not have to because of cleaning service. Anyway, place is very cute, they have a restaurant as well, so we have an option to order a room service as well. We took couple of trips
1. Boat trip with deep water fishing- but did not catch a thing , my hubby was upset, he likes fishing, and we sis snorkeling as well
2.Sunset boat cruise
3. of course Arenal volcano and Hot Springs.
We enjoyed it very much.
We ate @ Captain Suizo -very nice -food and service and @ the Stella's -both recommended here on Fodors. Stella has free shuttle,they picked us up to restaurant and back home which was very nice because at that evening it was pouring...Well that was about it.
Couple weeks before the honeymoon I injured my foot-not a very big deal but we had to slow down a notch -usually we are like a grass hoppers.
Anyway, thanks again for all you suggestions. We will be back to CR. So much things left unseen.
Happy traveling.
Marina.