Message: Planning on spending 5 nights in MA - wondering if that is enough or whether should spend a bit longer (going there after 5 nights Drake Bay).

Looking at Mono Azul which had a couple of good reviews on Trip Advisor. Anyone been there? looks good on the website but this isn't always a good indication!

Looking for clean and comfortable with character and friendly staff, and preferably pool.

My neices just returned and loved the hotel . said the staff and owners were super , and the grounds etc. were great . Faith

Also we stayed at the El Parador and loved it. The pool is amazing and the hotel is wonderful. I think people have mixed reviews on this site though b/c they think it's not as environmentally friendly as some of the other hotels. Regardless, we thought it was great. If you stay there, my only advice is to ask where your room is b/c we counted about 150 steps to our room as it was way up on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Absolutely breathtaking if you don't mind the exercise! Other rooms are accessible via elevator or on ground level.

oops just realized my other post didn't post. We stayed in MA for 5 days and it was plenty of time. Def. need a nice pool b/c the ocean/beach is not that great.

While Costa Rican beaches are definitely not in the same vein as Anguilla , T.Caicos , Cayman Islands etc., they are in their own right spectacular . We swam for quite literally hours at the beaches inside the M.A. national park , as well as at Beisanz Beach , with a 6 and 8 yr. old . Definitely the public beach can be very rough for swimming .... (also has riptides )

Hi! I thought Mono Azul sounded really neat too. We are going the first week in April but ended up making a reservation at Costa Verde because I think it has easier beach access. If we stay there an extra day we might check them out.

Does anyone know if Beisanz Beach has a public access point. I thought it would be fun to check out but I don't know if I can get there without staying in a hotel that backs up to it. We will have a five year old with us. Thanks! Holly

Beisanz is not accessed through a hotel . Just take the side road that leads to Parador , Makanda , Mango Moon etc. Follow this road to almost the end and by a raised metal garbage rack you will wriggle through some posts , walk past a little farm ( chickens , dogs , cows and all ) down a rocky little path and voila ! Costa Verde is where we stayed and loved it , mind you, I do not think you will be walking to the beach from here either . It is NOT on the beach . It does not matter , just hop on the bus , so easy .