76 Best Hotels in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

This "boho chic" boutique hotel is charming, close to the beach, and a good value. The simple, modern rooms have built-in platform beds while the suites have freestanding king-size beds, all with comfortable mattresses, high ceilings, large windows, air conditioning, reliable Wi-Fi, and a minifridge. There is an inviting terrace for guests to relax upstairs and an L-shaped pool and enticing restaurant downstairs. The staff is friendly and welcoming.

Spread over verdant grounds just behind relatively pristine Playa Panama, this all-inclusive property has an excellent location with bay views, balmy breezes, and a huge swimming pool. Spacious standard rooms are in one-story buildings with old-fashioned charm: red Spanish tile roof; red-tile floors; high, sloping ceilings; and covered front terraces offering a glimpse of the bay through the mature trees that line the nearby beach. Standard rooms are equipped with amenities you might expect from a bigger luxury hotel, including flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and separate vanities and bathrooms. Suites are bigger, more elegant, and more private, but they are set back a little farther from the beach. A four-story Mediterranean-style addition has six rooms with ocean-view terraces. Master suites have a Jacuzzi in the bathroom, walk-in closets, and wraparound patios. The large pool has a waterfall and swim-up bar, and an elegant, airy restaurant serves pizza, pastas, and other Italian fare as well as local seafood and beef. The hotel also works hard at sustainability, earning four out of five leaves in the national sustainability program.

Barefoot luxury abounds at this hip boutique hotel where an airy courtyard leads to a 45-meter pool lined with beach bungalows and modern rooms. Architect Ronald Zürcher integrated stone, sugarcane, and towering guanacaste trees into the design. Any trees removed during construction were repurposed into bedroom furniture such as tree-stump tables and wood-frame mirrors. Unique L-shaped rooms open into enclosed patios, meaning you’re greeted by a hammock and sunshine on your way to the bedroom. Offering mangrove or garden views, rooms have walk-in closets, minibars, Wi-Fi, touch-screen phones (like internal iPads), and thoughtful touches like dominoes, a deck of cards, and Rubik’s Cubes. Only two corner suites have ocean views, but the five poolside cabanas—equipped with TVs and draped in linen—are just a stone’s throw from the sand. Although popular with young couples, the hotel is still child-friendly with a kids’ club, water sports, beach cruisers, and surf lessons. The casual beachfront restaurant has a sandy floor and a DJ spinning chill-out music, while the more formal restaurant borders the pool and dishes up some of the finest cuisine in the region. If your schedule allows, book a room between September and November, when rates drop by nearly 50%.

This lively hotel-bar-restaurant has been a Nosara fixture for more than 35 years and has a revived chic, modern aesthetic that took it up a notch in 2018. There's a small childrens' pool, a large saltwater pool, and a Jacuzzi for adults. The upscale, cool surfer vibe continues into the spacious and airy rooms, featuring tropical wood furniture and large bathrooms with indoor and outdoor rain showers. The restaurant also serves meals throughout the day, from breakfast onward.

One of the best values in the Rincón area for hair-raising adventure and nature tours, this hotel also gets top billing for its comfortable rooms, excellent restaurant, and friendly service. The 3,706-acre working ranch is famous for its horses—more than 100 of them. Rugged ranch hands swagger around, giving the place a real cowboy flavor. Guachipelín is also famous for its wildlife and the nature trails that wind throughout this vast, partially forested property; they lead to several scenic waterfalls, hot springs, and mud baths. Older rooms are comfortable and homey, with screened windows to let in cool mountain air. Try to get a room between Nos. 32 and 39, all of which have volcano views from their front terrace. The newer rooms (Nos. 32 and up) are larger and very elegantly furnished, arranged around a garden with towering trees and a gaggle of geese. All rooms have air-conditioning, but you rarely need it here. Avoid Rooms 24 to 31, right beside the corral, unless you enjoy the aroma of horses. Rooms 10 to 23 are closest to the pool. Hearty buffet and à la carte meals feature authentic touches, such as hand-rolled breakfast tortillas made on the spot, and beef and dairy products fresh from the hacienda's own herd. The pleasant open-air restaurant has valley views by day, and a marimba band plays softly at dinner. The hotel's spa offers an array of treatments, from mud wraps to massages.

Comfortable and convenient, especially if you're catching an early-morning flight or you need a break from driving before heading south to the beach, this five-story contemporary Hilton has all the mod cons, including Wi-Fi, HDTVs, microwaves, and refrigerators. Best of all are the beds with pressure-adjustable mattresses. There is also a large swimming pool, gym, laundry facilities, and a free business center. Their main restaurant serves an eclectic menu of watermelon gazpacho, tuna tartare with cassava chips, bourbon pork ribs, chicken in mango sauce, and typical casados to remind you that you're in Costa Rica. With all the international flights in and out of Liberia, the hotel can quickly fill its 169 rooms in high season, which means you're likely to hear English and conversations about golf near the bar. The hotel has embraced energy conservation and earned three leaves on the national sustainability scale. There are eight accessible rooms available.

The best bargain in town, this long-established family hotel offers two-bedroom garden villas surrounding a central pool, as well as a two-story annex with 16 spacious rooms. The annex sits in a quiet corner of the large, lush garden; its no-frills rooms have two double beds, small refrigerators, cable TV, and air-conditioning. Two ground-floor rooms are wheelchair accessible. If you're willing to cook for yourself, the pleasantly furnished villas can accommodate up to six. Be prepared for the sound of kids playing in the pool and garden. The walk to the beach is about five minutes, and there are nearby restaurants and a supermarket. The entire property is gated, including an enclosed parking lot, adding an element of security.

With eight ultraspacious, deluxe rooms with two queen beds, and five beautiful bungalows boasting high, sloping cane ceilings, handsome contemporary furniture, and sleek marble bathrooms, there's something for everyone on this chic compound, half a block off one of Tamarindo's main drags. Stone pathways lead to each unit, fronted by a private porch, hammock, table, and chairs.  All accommodations include flat-screen TVs, hair dryers, coffeemakers, and mini-refrigerators. There's a small pool and two pleasant cabanas with natural slate floors that keep you cool on hot days, and the pool bar shakes up some serious martinis. Amiable owner Richard Resnick is usually around to fill you in on the local scene.

After a day on the beach, it's refreshing to retreat to this small hotel buried in a dense, cool garden on a breezy hill overlooking Sámara. There are two swimming pools and a cool whirlpool. Friendly German owners Manfred and Michaela run a tight ship, keeping the garden moisture out of the large, bright rooms housed in the original two-story white-stucco building. A two-story building with its own pool is a little quieter, set in a lush garden traversed by a natural stream. The upper rooms have private balconies. The best room is the separate "honeymoon" cottage. Breakfast (not included) comes with ocean views. The beach is a 5-minute walk through town. Everything considered, this place is a hard-to-beat bargain.

Budget travelers who don't need amenities will love this rustic two-story wooden hotel's affordable price and seafront location, if not its no-frills but adequate A-frame rooms. You won't find much in the way of decor, but you will find hot water, Wi-Fi, and air-conditioning (in most). Be prepared for noise: kids playing, roosters crowing, dogs barking, and motors revving. Ask for one of the two larger rooms above the reception area; they have hardwood floors and TVs, and share a veranda with unobstructed sea views. Budget rooms do not have air-conditioning or TVs, so book accordingly. It's not for everyone, but you can't beat the price for seaside rooms. Breakfast (not included) is served at their beachfront restaurant which specializes in tapas and Asian dishes.

At the eastern edge of the estuary in the Palm Beach Estates gated community, this pleasant hotel (the name means "Happy Happy") has its own landing for ferrying guests and restaurant patrons the 1 km (½ mile) to and from Tamarindo. The hotel forms a 45-degree angle to the curvy pool bordered by a garden. Decorated with native art and pottery, rooms have king-size beds and high ceilings, and open onto a portico with wicker rocking chairs. They don't offer a lot of privacy, but the rooms, painted in brilliant colors, have orthopedic mattresses, cable TVs, coffeemakers, mini-refrigerators, and other upscale amenities. Included in the rate is a made-to-order breakfast ranging from French toast and banana pancakes to eggs Benedict and custom omelets. They can arrange a two-hour boat tour of the estuary, or rentals of nearby houses. The menu at the alfresco Great Waltini's Restaurant & Bar reads like that of a U.S.-style eatery: seafood enchiladas, peel-and-eat shrimp, pork chop, filet mignon, and New York strip steak. They have good fresh seafood specials. Save room for the homemade tres leches dessert or the Philly-style cheesecake. The bar is very popular, especially during U.S. football broadcasts.

Facing the beach, this small, pleasant, well-tended hotel is one of Sámara's best values. The bright, tidy rooms have dark-wood furniture, white walls, and ceramic floors. Eleven of the rooms have air-conditioning and private bath; six lack air-conditioning and share baths, but they also share a common balcony with an ocean view, and sea breezes help to cool them. The premium room is No. 19, with a private balcony overlooking the beach, air-conditioning, and a small fridge. The hotel has a giant cold-water whirlpool shaded by a vine-enlaced tree in a small garden. There's a small, pleasant bar and breakfast area, and a huge mural featuring a quetzal. Limited private parking is available and the beach is just across the road.

Spread across a hill a few blocks from the beach, this hotel has refreshed rooms and villas with ocean, pool, and garden views. True to its name, rooms with a/c are scattered around a lush garden populated with bright-red ginger flowers and faux-stone indigenous sculptures. Teak paneling and furniture, stained-glass pictorial panels, and terraces with hammocks give this hotel style as well as comfort. If you don't mind the climb, ask for an upper room and you'll get a better view. There's no formal breakfast, but coffee, tea, fruit, and cookies are laid out in the reception area each morning. There's also Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.

This laid-back hotel is right on the beach, and, though nothing fancy, it has comfortable rooms and is an excellent option if you're watching your expenses. The palm-shaded, open-air bar and restaurant is often hopping with local expats and visitors exchanging fishing, boating, and real estate stories. Rooms have tropical decor with terra-cotta tiles, bamboo furniture, and large windows. Those on the second floor are nicer, with high, sloping wooden ceilings. Only two rooms (Nos. 211 and 212) have ocean views, but you're likely to spend plenty of your time in one of the many chairs and hammocks overlooking the beach—some are a shell's toss from the surf at high tide. The hotel runs daily snorkeling and sunset cruises on its own handsome 38-foot sailboat. In the restaurant, jumbo shrimp and always-fresh mahimahi are fixtures. Come on Wednesday or Saturday for beach barbecues. Drinks are two-for-one every day during happy hour, 4 to 6 pm.

This eco-conscious hotel in the heart of town has two small swimming pools surrounded by greenery and brilliant bougainvillea, which gives the property a Mediterranean look. The terraces of the back rooms overlook a curvaceous blue pool surrounded by tropical plants; newer rooms with terraces look out onto the other turquoise pool in a grassy space with lounge chairs. The quietest rooms are Nos. 15 to 19, because they don't get any road noise. The rooms have light bamboo furniture, Guatemalan wall hangings, and hand-painted bathroom tiles. The hotel's Italian restaurant is one of the best in town. The main drawback here is noise from the restaurant and the street, which is why roadside rooms should be avoided; ask for a room overlooking the second pool. A small breakfast is included in the room rate and hungrier guests can order more from a menu.

On the outskirts of Flamingo, a short drive from the beach, this Tico-run lodge offers basic accommodations for a fraction of what the town's big hotels charge. Ten simple, attached bungalows have high beamed ceilings, wood furniture, walk-in closets, flat-screen TVs, and spacious bathrooms. Each room has a picture window looking out onto a garden that holds the pool, a thatch shelter, and a cascading fountain. Included in the rate is a typical Costa Rican breakfast served poolside, and there's a small restaurant next door serving lunch and dinner. The lodge is well maintained and comfortable, but the staff speak minimal English, so plan to practice your Spanish.

A birders' and nature-lovers' Valhalla, this magnificent nature lodge on a promontory has amazing views of the forest, river, and coast north of Nosara. The lodge's private nature reserve is directly below, down a steep path that takes you through a forest and an eerily beautiful mangrove swamp, with fantastical stilt roots and snap-crackling sound effects from respiring mollusks. More than 270 bird species have been spotted here, including long-tailed manakins. The trail ends at the river and out to Playa Pelada and surfing waves. The hotel was built with a focus on sustainability, with spacious suites with garden showers and sliding-glass doors leading out to large terraces with either forest, ocean, or river views. The restaurant offers a menu focused on fresh fish and seafood, such as skewered prawns with bacon, and poached fish with a lemon sauce. There is also a romantic cocktail Sunset Bar and a poolside bar overlooking the reserve. The breakfast is delicious, with Costa Rican classics and fresh breads and homemade jams and espresso. Proximity to the adjacent nature reserve, Reserva Biológica, means you'll have plenty of tour options including jungle treks, turtle-and-birdwatching tours, eboat excursions, evening hikes, and more. Rooms are void of TVs but boast strong Internet. 

With a prime location on the beach, this place is perfect for surfers, nature lovers, and sun worshippers with a range of budgets. The name, which means "the turtles," is no accident; this hotel was designed with turtles in mind. Owner-conservationist Louis Wilson made sure that room and restaurant lights don't shine on the beach, because light disorients the turtles. Rooms are spacious, with good beds, stone floors, terraces, balconies, and colorful tile bathrooms. Las Tortugas accommodates all budgets, with options ranging from spacious suites to economical dorm-style rooms in an annex at the back of the grounds, which we don't recommend unless you want to rough it. They also offer an array of apartments up the hill, some with kitchenettes, that rent by the night, week, or month. All of this adds up to the best value in Playa Grande, and one of the best deals on the Pacific coast. The main surf break is just to the south of the hotel, and turtle tours start at the ranger station next door. Rip currents are a danger on the beach here, which is why many guests prefer the pool shaped like a leatherback turtle (the turtle's head is the kiddie pool). A palm-lined entrance and lush gardens slung with hammocks round out the grounds' appeal. The restaurant serves a good selection of fresh seafood and grilled meat dishes; a beach snack bar has Caribbean-style food and tacos.

The rhythmic sounds of the nearby ocean make these affordable octagonal wood bungalows spread across a shady, green mango grove the perfect place to practice yoga or just relax. Hammocks and traditional tico rocking chairs furnish the wraparound decks on each cozy cabin. Ceiling and floor fans, plus screened windows and a high conical roof, help keep them cool. Less attractive, though cheaper ($35–$75), are rooms in the two-story orange-and-blue building by the road. Here you’ll find verandas and rocking chairs facing the sea. Four of the second-floor rooms share baths, for less than half the price. The large, secluded, scenic pool with a waterfall overlooks the ocean. Memorable daily yoga classes ($14) are given in a huge, covered open-air pavilion. One-hour yoga classes are held on Friday at 6:30 (by donation).

Opened in 2022, this beachfront hotel gave Samara the boutique boost it needed with a courtyard setting offering a bit of intimacy, yet close enough to the Costa Rican action. After a day in the surf, the outdoor shower and small pool are a great way to wash away the salt, or you can lounge in the sand on the private day beds. In bustling Samara, the security and parking are a welcomed bonus, as is the large breakfast included in the reasonable room rate. Although basic, most rooms have a/c and Wi-Fi, and even a full kitchen when booking one of the two apartments.

Built around a tropical garden, this pretty collection of bungalows is clean and comfortable, making this laid-back spot a great option for families. There are orthopedic mattresses, air-conditioning, and ceiling fans, with screened windows if you prefer fresh air at night. Some rooms are rather dark, but the patios with hammocks and the lovely pool offer bright alternatives by day. This is one of the few hotels built around a tropical garden; guests are welcome to pick bananas poolside. Their popular bar Monkey La-La has a happy hour from 4 to 6, and live music on Monday and Saturday. 

Pastel-color, round cabinas are sprinkled across sunny lawns strewn with tropical plants at this gorgeous oceanfront place with a huge round pool. Each bungalow has curvy tile bathrooms plus built-in, molded-concrete sofas with soft cushions that can double as extra beds. There's no air-conditioning in three of the rooms, but conical thatch roofs keep the cabinas cool. The larger suite-bungalows do have air-conditioning, as well as a king-size bed and two singles, plus a refrigerators, coffeemaker, and a large wooden deck with hammocks. Ocean tidal pools, swimming holes, and rock reefs provide plenty of opportunities for lazy afternoon exploration. This is great for surfers, with a surf shop and good break right in front of the hotel. The round restaurant serves typical food with a few Continental dishes under a giant thatch roof. Hotel staff can arrange canopy and horseback tours. Surf packages are also available. During rainy season, it is highly recommended to have 4WD to reach this property.

This beachfront hotel has everything: a spectacular beach with a major surf break; a trendy restaurant with ocean views; a round, palm-fringed pool; bungalows and rooms sprinkled throughout a mature garden; twice-daily yoga sessions on the beach; and a full-service spa. And it's smack in the heart of the liveliest section of Santa Teresa, with restaurants and bars within easy walking distance if you ever tire of the fusion food at the romantic, beachfront Shambala. At the entrance you leave the dusty noise of the main road behind and enter a quiet, dark tropical forest. The shaded garden path eventually leads you into brilliant sunlight and a panoramic beach view. When the surf’s up, you’ll see dozens of surfers riding the waves. Lodging runs the gamut of comfort and price—from superior beachfront bungalows to houses equipped with kitchens for families or groups to garden-view cabins and cheaper rooms in a triplex, close to the entrance parking area. All have Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, ceiling fans, terraces or porches, private baths, security boxes, and coffeemakers with complimentary coffee.

An oasis with luxurious rooms, this adults-only boutique hotel just off the main street feels a million miles away from the busy 9-to-5. With an enthusiastic staff, a poolside restaurant, and a beachside garden across the street, it really may be your personal paradise.

In the gated community of Hacienda Pinilla, this luxury resort is centered around a 25,000-square-foot infinity pool that merges with a short stretch of beach in the west, making every sunset a major event. Quiet elegance is the theme at this hacienda-style hotel, with charming traditional touches such as painted oxcarts piled high with towels around the pool and macramé-fringed hammocks draped off the lobby. Rooms are all super-luxurious, with oversize bathtubs, sumptuous sage-and-cream linens, and private terraces with ceiling fans and removable screens. There's free daily yoga, complimentary sunset cocktails,  a 24-hour fitness center; the 18-hole, 72-par Hacienda Pinilla golf course; and an exquisite full-service spa with 19 massage huts. There's also a kids' club for families. The on-site restaurants, including a handsome, ranch-style Costa Rican steak house and a more intimate Asian restaurant, are gorgeous, but the prices are sky-high and the food quality inconsistent. Although the beach in front of the hotel is small and rocky, you can take a short walk over to Playa Avellanas. There's a daily shuttle van to Tamarindo's shops and restaurants ($25), and if you have your own car, you can drive the short distance to Playa Negra and Playa Avellanas for less pricey meals.

Part of a national wildlife refuge, this is the most comfortable and affordable base for bird-watching, crocodile spotting, and nature appreciation on this side of the Río Tempisque. The 1,000-acre property is also a cattle ranch and salt producer, with nearby salt flats and a freshwater lagoon that attract wading birds (and crocodiles that snack on them). You can tour the ranch on horseback ($35) or take a boat tour through the Abangares mangroves ($35, minimum six people) or alongside Palo Verde National Park, with a birding guide ($50, minimum six people). The wood cabins are modest but comfortable, with verandas and big screened windows that let the light and breeze in. Because most of them are duplexes, they don't afford a lot of privacy, so ask for a freestanding one. The rancho restaurant serves buffet-style Italian and Costa Rican meals, including beef raised on the ranch.

With rooms wrapping a lush garden setting—and within walking distance to one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches—you get the best of both worlds at this four-star boutique hotel overlooking Playa Carrillo. Setting the scene are stone fountains and a small shop near reception, followed by garden pathways that lead to two pools, a jacuzzi, spa, and two restaurants. A 1-mile trail leads down to a crescent cove, or you can hop on the free shuttle to the beach. Sun beds, showers, restrooms, food service, and other beach amenities are available exclusively for hotel guests. This family-friendly property boasts a children’s pool, entertainment area, playground, foosball, ping pong, and other games. Among the six categories of rooms are some with kitchenettes and others with private Jacuzzis.

With a prime spot on the beach and a mammoth pool with a swim-up bar to lounge around, this Jimmy Buffet–themed hotel is eager to please. Plus, there are large family and honeymoon suites with kitchenettes. Beds, decor, and televisions were last updated in 2018.

This hidden ecolodge with a kidney-shaped pool is made up of five bungalows themed after Africa, Persia, and Mexico. White-pebble pathways wind among the trees to the units that have concrete floors, stone-wall showers, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, a coffeemaker, and a mini-refrigerator—though the good prices and tasty food at the palapa restaurant hardly make it worth stocking up on snacks. European cuisine is on the menu except on Tuesday, which is sushi night. Included in the rate is an impressive breakfast of fresh fruit, homemade yogurt, local honey, and your choice of tasty dishes like banana pancakes or eggs with rice and beans. Thick jungle terrain blocks the ocean view, but you can still hear the sound of the waves from the Persian rooms. Larger groups can opt for the apartment that sleeps up to six guests. The friendly owners speak German, Dutch, English, and Spanish.

On the hillside above Playa Carrillo, this modern hotel has three categories of rooms, some as large as 807 square feet; despite the name, there are no bungalows nor is the property beachfront. Yet, what it lacks in branding, it makes up for in size and comfort. Even the most basic rooms have two queen beds, hammocks, and balconies with ocean views. Take it up a notch with a spacious suite equipped with a Jacuzzi on the terrace. If you want to spend less time in your room, there’s always the infinity pool, yoga studio, spa, and the beach just a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Two bars and a restaurant shake up strong drinks and serve Costa Rican-fusion cuisine, but both service and prices could use a little ironing out. If you happen to be in Monte Verde, it's worth visiting Nammbú's sister property, El Establo Hotel.