Has anyone spent anytime at Playa Junquillal? I'm thinking of spending my beach time there next winter and it's hard to find any info about the place. Would the Guacamaya Lodge be a good place to stay? Is it easy to get around to other nearby restaurants w/o a car?
Any comments would be appreciated.

Joe, My husband and I have spent time there. At one time we were considering purchasing a home at Tierra Pacifica. The town is very small but if you have a rental car, you can get to quite a few different locations in an hour or less. Here is the website for Tierra Pacifica if you want info on the area. It has lots of pictures so it may help with your decision.

www.tierrapacifica.com

If you're looking for a quiet destination then this is the place to go. We stayed at the Iguana Lodge. It was OK but I probably would not stay there again. There was no hot water in our room and it was never fixed for us.

I adore Junquillal, but there is really no "there" there - and that's why I like it. One tiny little grocery store. A very few, very low-key lodges (2-3 rooms each maybe), even fewew tiny erstwhile restaurants that may or may not be open, depending on how many people are in the area today. One long dusty road along a neat little beach. Nada mas. Strung out. Long walks to get anywhere, even to the one tiny store. Do you need a car there? 99 out of 100 people would say "yes". I say that you do not, but expect to walk - a lot!

Thanks Mixter and raderbarbarian for your responses. Quiet, small and low-key is just what I'm looking for. I don't mind walking a bit to get to a restaurant or bar as long as it's not a serious hike.
I was hoping to forego the rental car for this period as I just want to relax at the beach.
If either of you can tell me anything about the Guacamaya Lodge and/or any other preferred place to stay I would welcome your opinion.

Hey Joe:
My husband and I have eaten quite a few meals at Guacamaya Lodge but have never stayed there. It is situated atop a small hill and wouldn't be much of a challenge to get from there to the beach, other restaurants, or the forementioned grocery store.

It looks like a bland, clean, well run small hotel. The owners are from Switzerland, brother and sister, I believe.

The Junquillal beaches have rough surf, so for sissies such as myself, ocean swimming hasn't happened. There are several good restaurants, owned mostly by Europeans.

Over the past few years, some development has taken place, but the area remains pretty quiet. In tems of renting a car, if you stay within the town you'll be fine. I imagine you could either hire a taxi or go with a tour to see other, nearby sights.

Carol

Guacamaya is quite nice, but I like Hisbiscus best of all - and it is quite close - staggering distance actually - from the one and only bar at Junquillal Hotel (not that the hotel has existed for several years, but the bar still works - sometimes).

http://www.hotelhibiscus.net/

It is also just down the road a piece from Tatanka Hotel, which is another good option and has a casual Italian restaurant with spectacular pizza offerings.

The only problem I have with Guacamaya really is that "small hill," but is IS nicely set back from the main road.

Thanks Carol and raderbarbarian for the comments...............
I can't seem to get any of those hotels to respond to my e-mails.
My husband is now concerned about 'that hill' at Guacamaya as he has a lung condition. Is it that bad? The rooms at Tatanka look very tired from what I can see online and there is not much to tell about Hibiscus. Has anyone seen the rooms at Villa Serena?
I've been to almost all the beach communities up and down that coast but Junquillal will be a new one for me so I'll appreciate any info on the lay of the land.

Here is some info on Playa Junquillal from the Tierra Pacifica Website:

Listed below are a few of our favorite nearby accommodations in Playa Junquillal (There is a more extensive list in our 20 page brochure.)-Tierra Pacifica will soon have its own BED AND BREAKFAST “CASA MARINA” open and ready to provide wonderful, on-site accommodations.

GUACAMAYA LODGE: Casual atmosphere, pool, volleyball court, beautiful ocean and mountain-view RESTAURANT and BAR. Cabina’s, two-bedroom villa, and new kitchenette efficiencies are available.

LAS BRISAS DEL MAR: Gated condominium complex with rentals available.-

HACIENDA PINILLA: Large-scale resort community offering 18-hole golf course and rental opportunities. -

HOTEL VILLA SERENA: The website does not do justice to the beautifully landscaped gardens and quaint cabins with ocean views of Playa Junquillal. Fine dining RESTAURANT on-site with a world class chef from Rhode Island and a beautiful ocean-view.

BERNARDOS AT HOTEL JUNQUILLAL: Favorite spot for surfers to stay and watch the break, Bernardos offers casual food with an ocean-front seat.

IGUANAZUL HOTEL & RESTAURANT: Casual atmosphere, outdoor dining with a view

And Iguanazul is the hotel where I stayed, not the Iguana. HTH

Ah, "lay of the land" at Junquillal. Hmmmm. Picture it. A long beach and the Pacific Ocean on the west, a jungle and a mangrove on the east. In the middle a long, dusty road. Sparsely strung out along the road in "junquillal".

Village, you ask? Where's the "village"? The "village" was back there 4 kilometers at Paraiso. THAT was the "village." THIS is "Junquillal." Bienvenidos!

So WHAT is strung out along that long dusty road? Well, not much. Two and a half blocks from Guacamaya is the Mini Super Junquillal (the one and only, teeny-tiny grocery store). 150 meters (that's about a block and a half) further down the dusty road is the Caribbean Grill (which has never been open when I have visited Junquillal). Another 100 meters and there is La Puesta del Sol, a good and very expensive Italian restaurant (advance reservations required). Walk another half a block and there is Bar Bernardo at the now defunct Hotel Junquillal, a great place for lunch and the last of the commercial establishments in Junquillal. The long dusty road dead-ends a few dusty meters further.

That's it. There is no more "lay of the land" at Junquillal. What's between those 3-4 commercial establishments. A stable. A real estate office (natch). Nada mas.