53 Best Hotels in Costa Rica

The owners of this multibuilding lodging are committed to maintaining a family atmosphere, and you'll be guaranteed peace and quiet during your stay here. The place literally sprawls: one of the three annexes is almost two blocks away from the main building. (And if you drive by too quickly, you might miss the main building.) Inside are bright and tropical but basic rooms with lots of tile and wood; coffee and tea are brewing all the time in the reception area, and you can use the shared kitchen. You'll be asked to sign a two-page agreement when you register, attesting that you'll keep the noise down and won't bring unregistered guests to your room.

The hardwood rooms and bungalows at this serene lodge may not have air conditioning, but the vaulted, screened ceilings and fans keep the rooms cool in the evenings, the open windows letting in fresh air and the nocturnal sounds of the jungle. Colorful decor brightens the bedrooms, which are clustered together around the house where guests have access to a shared kitchen and dining area where the optional breakfast is served. Fresh fruit is hung around the terrace, attracting a medley of birds for up-close observation. Manicured gardens surround the rooms and bungalows, and the property has access to a trail leading directly onto Playa Grande. Two bungalows tucked away in the gardens offer more privacy, and the least expensive of them is not that much more than the price of the rooms, although the rate does not include breakfast. Perfect for a long-term stay, the bungalows have tiled floors, a dining area, and a fully equipped kitchen; the largest contains two bedrooms and sleeps four. The grounds have a strong, reliable fiberoptic internet connection for remote workers, and the hotel staff are a great resource for finding and booking tours with knowledgeable operators that offer fair rates.

Four octagonal wood bungalows are scattered around the secluded wooded property, with its wonderfully cool surroundings (no air-conditioning is needed). Half of each structure is given over to the room itself with screen door, large windows, ceiling fan, and bright bathrooms with basin sinks. A comfy porch with a hammock for relaxing takes up the other half. In the center of it all sits a pleasant thatch-roof lounge area, and the sounds of monkeys, toucans, and iguanas can be heard throughout the property.

This sophisticated lodging offers dark-wood queen or king rooms in units scattered around a coffee plantation. Junior suites are the best value; they’re more spacious than standard rooms and come with a kitchenette, but don't cost much more. The ample master suites are more expansive still and come with a fireplace. Although affiliated with the restaurant of the same name, the hotel is secluded from the weekend dining crowds.

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.

White silk curtains, black onyx flooring, and classical music welcome you to the reception area of this boutique hotel, where rooms have ocean views, white tile floors, balconies, and a mixed bag of styles. Beyond the reception area, a staircase leads to a long corridor of deluxe rooms. If possible, opt for one of the impressive suites with Jacuzzi tubs. A bridge crosses from the main building, over a small pool to the Sky Lounge with a 360-degree view of the rain forest and ocean. There's also a restaurant specializing in bistro cuisine. The owner is the former CEO of the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., so don’t be surprised to see a few VIPs lounging by the pool.

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.

If you’re looking for some “Guess where we stayed!” bragging rights following your return from Costa Rica, this lodging option 82 feet high in a tree provides them. There’s some choreography required to get to such a place. A 30-minute hike into the forest—you’ll be met and accompanied—takes you to the site of a níspero (medlar) tree. Strap on a secure harness, helmet, and cables and hoist yourself to a platform 70 feet above the ground. (The construction has nailed nothing to the tree.) With bed, chairs, shower, sink, and toilet, this is your surprisingly comfy wall-less “room.” Room service hoists up three meals a day. Carefully consider if you're up for the adventure; if you are, it can be great fun.

Run by a young German couple who have built a warm rapport with the community, the little lodge blends in with Orosi's pretty, old-town architecture: whitewashed walls are trimmed in blue, ceilings are high, and natural wood is used throughout. Some furnishings, such as the clay lamps in the rooms, were made by local artisans. Common areas are colorful, with paintings and sculpture by local artists. Double beds have two twin-size comforters and bamboo headboards. Second-floor rooms have views of the Orosi Valley and Irazú Volcano. A bright, spacious chalet can sleep up to five. The hip coffee shop serves home-baked cookies and cakes and brews a great cup of coffee, and Latin music usually plays from a 1960s jukebox in the lobby. The hotel is right next door to the town's main thermal swimming pool.

Though still within sight of the Puerto Viejo–Manzanillo road, this French-owned place delivers a get-away-from-it-all nature experience within the confines of the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge at a fraction of the cost of other Costa Rican eco-lodges. It's so cool and shady here that the ceiling fans were never installed, as no one ever needed them. Cozy wood cabins are simply furnished with two beds and mosquito netting and have colorful spreads and drapes. The houses here can be rented by the week or month too. Personal touches, such as breakfast brought to the porch of your cabin, are standard. The bungalows are joined by a kitchen and are ideal for renting by a group or family. The folks here frequently offer last-minute online-only packages. Rates include free use of bikes, subject to availability.

Perched on a hill in Escazú's Bello Horizonte neighborhood, with a great view of the city, this B&B strikes the right balance between a small inn and a tasteful private residence. The quiet, homey place draws low-key, mature travelers. The best view is from the sundeck, just off a spacious living room with a couch, a fireplace, and lots of modern art. The apartments and the two "deluxe" rooms have comparable views. Smaller "standard" rooms overlook the surrounding gardens, and aren't nearly as nice. All units have air-conditioning, though you'll likely not need it up here. The staff are extremely helpful. It's a bit hard to find, so you may want to take a taxi or call for directions.

Extremely well-informed, helpful owners and proximity to the airport (15 minutes) make this a good place to begin and end a trip, and thanks to its location on a ridge north of town, several of its rooms have views of Poás Volcano. All of them offer tranquility and abundant birdsong. The two rooms in the main house have the best views, but casitas (little houses) scattered around the large garden offer more privacy. These bright and cheery bungalows have small terraces with chairs where guests, typically well traveled, lounge. Continental breakfasts and delicious dinners (by reservation) are served on a covered terrace behind the house. Ask about their books-for-schools program.

The most comfortable way to experience the birds and wildlife of the Tempisque wetlands is to roost at this eco-boutique hotel, a luxurious version of a traditional hacienda, set in a private reserve directly across from Palo Verde National Park. Rooms and suites in the handsome, modern ranch are startlingly modern, combining a stark, Mondrian palette of red, black, and cream with an interesting mix of contemporary furniture, antiques, local collectibles, and large-scale wildlife paintings. You can take a guided tour along earthen dikes through a spectacular wetland, teeming with raptors and aquatic birds, along with crocodiles, wild boar, and deer (included with the price of the room). Beds and linens are top drawer, and bathrooms are spacious and sleek, with vessel sinks and rainforest shower heads. All rooms have air-conditioning and huge picture windows with screens, and most have private decks. There's a large deck with a curvaceous pool featuring a mosaic of a jabirú, the red-necked stork that serious birders hope to see here. Staff are a little shy but very accommodating. Meals, included in the rate along with the wetlands tour, aim at sophistication but aren't quite there yet. The feast for your eyes is the main event here; be sure to bring binoculars and cameras.

One of the few hotels right on the beach, this small inn has lofty, breezy bungalows with air-conditioned bedrooms perfect for folks who love the open air and looking down on the beach action. Guests climb up wood stairs to the separate "tree house" cabins, each set on tree-trunk pillars with hammocks slung between at ground level, plus a table and two beach chairs and a barbecue grill set out on small patches of grass. Each cabina has a kitchenette, ceiling fan, and unscreened wall-size window to let in as much sea air as possible. Mosquito nets over the beds protect from any unwanted visitors at night. Two ground-floor cabinas by the pool and Jacuzzi have air-conditioning. There's a bar by the pool and breakfast is served at nearby tables shaded by a thatched roof. There's safe parking for six cars.

This simple family-run lodge with cozy rooms on the outskirts of Cuajiniquil provides the closest accommodations to both Playa Bahía Junquillal and Santa Rosa National Park, making it a good option for nature lovers and anyone who wants to stray from the vacationing crowds. The owner is a former fisherman who switched to tourism, converting his family home into a bed-and-breakfast. The rooms have varnished hardwood walls and ceilings, plenty of windows, and small bathrooms—rooms 5 and 6 are the nicest, because they overlook the garden. The lodge is reminiscent of a mountain cabin with spotless rooms, each with a/c and Wi-Fi but void of phones and TVs. A typical Costa Rican breakfast is served in back, and lunch and dinner are available at the adjacent seafood restaurant. Manuel can arrange an array of tours with local guides that include a hike through the Murcielago sector of Santa Rosa National Park, a boat tour of a mangrove estuary, and whale-watching (August to February). The area's closest grocery store is conveniently next door to the lodge.

Situated on 3 acres with private nature trails, these completely updated casita duplexes with large windows, separate bedrooms, porches, and luxe linens are lovely, but it's the top-notch service that sets Senda apart. The parklike setting is made even better by views of the Gulf of Nicoya at the top of the property. Check out their complimentary cooking and yoga classes. The property is wheelchair accessible.

The name of this beachfront bed-and-breakfast means "Dream of the Sea," and the front gate opens into a dreamy world of intimate gardens, patios, and hand-painted tiles. The downstairs rooms are a little dark but full of interesting, often amusing folk art, and have Balinese showers that open to the sky. The only drawback is that they are lined up along the main corridor, so there isn’t a lot of privacy. If privacy is paramount, opt for the breezy honeymoon suite upstairs, a sensuous lair with rich red fabrics, rugs, hanging glass lamps, and an ocean view. There are also two large casitas with kitchenettes and loft bedrooms. A lavish, multicourse breakfast is served on the patio next to a tiny garden pool. Nonguests can come for breakfast ($15), by reservation. Or you can take your morning coffee on the beach, with chairs and hammocks amid the trees and driftwood—it's also the perfect spot for sunsets. At low tide a large snorkeling pool forms in the rocks that surround the beach, but the swimming area is a 10-minute walk to the south.

Located 25 km (15½ miles) northeast of La Cruz, this remote eco-estate is made up of four hillside bungalows with stunning volcano views and a backdrop of Lake Nicaragua. Built on stilts, each wooden bungalow on this working organic farm has a private balcony where early risers are greeted by hummingbirds, toucans, and monkeys. Owners Adrien and Fahimeh make you feel like part of the family. Rattan furnishings decorate spacious rooms, complete with wooden showers, quality linens, and organic soaps. All bungalows have either two or three bedrooms and can accommodate between five and seven people. Guests are welcome to experience life on the farm during one of their workshops, ranging from milking cows to tilling fields. Despite the bumpy road, half the fun is getting here since the owners will gladly transport guests in a 4WD vehicle, on horseback, or in an oxcart from La Cruz free of charge. A variety of unique tours and activities are offered including archery, night hikes, a hike to waterfalls, and more. Considering the remote location and delicious food, it's a good idea to request the full-board option, with breakfast, lunch, a three-course dinner, and half-day activity with a nature guide for $99 per person per day.

Whether whiling away the mornings on the porch amid the toucans, trekking to the river, or spotting nocturnal creatures on night hikes, nature lovers will be enthralled with the stilted cabins of this 10-acre property in the trees. With nice beds and air-conditioning, the basic cabanas, elevated on stilts, are level with the forest canopy, where you get a bird's eye view of the, well, birds, and Costa Rica's other plentiful flora and fauna. The property is quite a drive from the sights, but they're a relative bargain and friendly staff are a nice bonus. There's a minimum two-night stay.

Dramatically positioned on a hill overlooking the valley east of Turrialba, this Costa Rican–owned rustic wood lodge is a good budget option. An open-sided restaurant occupies the ground floor, above which are large rooms with multiple beds, suitable for groups. Ask for one on the west side—they have balconies with dazzling views of Turrialba and, if there are no clouds, Volcán Irazú in the distance. High-ceilinged cabins in the garden have more privacy, with sliding-glass screen doors that open onto forest or garden. There's also a fascinating orchid garden with hundreds of plants hanging from every available tree limb. The restaurant serves a small selection of authentic Costa Rican and international dishes and is famous for its homemade macadamia fudge. There is a pretty trail through the property to a waterfall.

The friendly Villa San Ignacio, with its classy Spanish-style architecture, proves that affordable does not have to equal generic. Deluxe rooms have terra-cotta tile floors and Guatemalan fabrics; those on the garden side are quieter, and worth the extra $20. A sumptuous breakfast buffet is served on the patio. The restaurant's eclectic selection ranges from straightforward Costa Rican cuisine to fun presentations like ceviche served in a half coconut, which have to be seen (and tasted) to be fully appreciated.  San Ignacio offers frequent web-only discounts.