I am trying to decide between these three hotels: Cala Luna (in a standard room, not a 2-bedroom villa), Capitan Suizo (standard room with A/C), and El Diria (in a sunset ocean deluxe room). All are priced approximately the same--$175 per night for high season.

I prefer the location of the Diria since it is in town and it will be easy to walk to other hotels/restaurants for dining. I can't tell how far outside town Capitan and Cala Luna are--does anyone know if it is walkable? I think these two hotels may be more upscale(although a lot smaller), but I am concerned about proximity to town without a car. A taxi is an option if the cost is not prohibitive.

Comments?

Of the three you mention, I like Capitan Suizo the most. It is an easy 15-20 minutes walk from there to the center of town, so you can walk to any restaurant you want to try (take a flashlight with you and walk along the beach, as the road tends to be very dusty). Cala Luna is about 5-10 minutes further away. Keep in mind that Cala Luna is not directly on the beach. I think the Diria may get noisy because it is so close to the main road and Tamarindo got so busy now!

Hi there, er... fluffnfold,
My husband and I were married in Tamarindo last October at Cala Luna. It is a gorgeous hotel, but a little further from the action than Suizo. We've heard great things about Suizo, though no one from our group stayed there. Lots of kids running around, so don't know if that's a plus or minus for you. My aunt, uncle and their two active teens stayed at Diria and loved it, but I thought it looked a little "rustic." If you want to be spoiled, go Cala Luna. If you want to be in the center of it all and don't mind kids, Suizo is great.
Have fun!

Amy is right about Capitan Suizo being very popular with families. There were lots of kids there every time we stayed there. I would say, close to half of the guests were families with children. Don't know about Cala Luna or Diria in that respect.

Hi There, We stopped for a drink at the Diria. It is really nice but would not be my choice because it was busy with kids and lots of people. The setting is great but it depends on what you want. Suizo was the same way-lots of kids.Cala is off the beaten track but would be more relaxing.Tamarindo is a small town, you can walk anywhere. We stayed a tHotel Pasatiempo right up the road from the beach . Small bungalows with a nice pool,bar and resteraunt. We paid $75.00 a night in March! We loved it because we spend little time in the room. He has 2 new bungalows that were really cute. A bit more money but still cheap. I sure didn't mind walking 5 minutes to beach. Good Luck to you
Sandy-Owners name is Ron, from the states and is a great, fun guy who will help you with anything!
Love to hear from you!

We stayed at Capitan Suizo, which was a good choice. A bit more rustic than Cala Luna (where we ate dinner one night). My husband prefered Capitan Suizo, while I liked the elegance of Cala Luna (he thought it looked manufactured, while CS looked more real and authentic). Capitan Suizo has lots of howler monkeys near their pool, which is pricless, in my opinion. Both pools are beautiful. CS is also on the beach, while CL is not (plus it's farther from town by another 5 minutes). The Diria is right in the center of town, and much busier than the other two. It is also directly on the beach. Much more of a traditional hotel like we are used to in the US. The Diria website makes it look a lot bigger and nicer than I thought it really was. Plus, the rooms across the street from the beach (this may be where the new sunset suites are) are rather far from the rest of the hotel. Just my opinion--I could be wrong!

Do the villas at Cala Luna have a view of the ocean? Their web site doesn't mention it (the site says the restaurant has a view of the POOL). Thanks for clarification on this.

Does anyone know if Capitan Suizo always has lots of kids there? Or is it mainly during school vacation times? Or do people bring their toddlers there year around?
I like to use the pools in the afternoons at resorts, and sometimes it's impossible when the kids take over the pool.

No, Cala Luna does not have an ocean view. It is probably 50 yards removed from the beach, located behind some large homes which front onto the beach.
Carol L

I stayed at capitan suizo in jan
I thought it was a wonderful hotel .I saw a few children but it was definitley
not alot .Maybe it was the time of year I was there but only a few families with children.