66 Best Hotels in Costa Rica

The tranquil and colorful Xandari is a strikingly original inn and spa, tailor-made for honeymooners and romantic getaways. Its bold design is the brainchild of a talented couple—he's an architect, she's an artist. Contemporary pueblo-esque villas along a ridge overlooking Alajuela and San José are spacious, with plenty of windows, colorful paintings, large terraces, and secluded lanais (sunbathing patios). It's the kind of place that makes you want to take pictures of your hotel room. Some villas stand alone and some share a building, but nearly all of them have spectacular views. So does the restaurant, which serves tasty, often organic, low-fat food. A 4-km (3-mile) trail through the hotel's forest reserve winds past five waterfalls. The place is a favorite for that first or last night in Costa Rica, albeit a pricey one.

The carefully groomed grounds of this top-notch, luxury beachfront resort are a riot of tropical foliage and flowers, shaded by massive mango trees. Guests, who are mostly well-heeled, avid anglers, sleep in spacious, air-conditioned, deluxe rooms with ultramodern bathrooms with thick towels and huge showers. Most rooms are in a two-story building shaded by tall trees, but there are also two separate bungalow suites that are larger and have private porches with pool and ocean views. More ocean views can be had in the two huge luxury suites with wraparound glass walls. The style is chic and contemporary: dark-wood furniture softened by earth-tone fabrics in natural textures and beds dressed in top-quality linens. On the property, water elements, from a koi pond and trickling fountains, to the inviting pool with ocean view, provide a cool note in the southern heat. Hammocks strung between trees and lounging areas, both indoors and on shaded beachfront platforms, provide relaxing places to contemplate the Golfo Dulce view. The outdoor lounge has handsome teak furniture with front-row seats for watching sunsets, where guests are treated to s'mores around the firepit. Weary fishers can also relax with a massage after a day of reeling in fish. The upscale restaurant serves bountiful, innovative breakfasts, and lunch and dinner buffets are included. An outdoor kitchen includes a brick pizza oven and a huge grill. Kayaks, bikes, and surfboards are available. The hotel boasts fiber-optic Wi-Fi throughout.

On hillsides sloping down to two pristine, almost-deserted beaches, chic and elegant rooms are decorated with gorgeous natural fabrics and local art and have huge private terraces with comfortable outdoor seating. From the base of the hill, guests are transported by electric golf cart up winding pathways to the carbon-neutral property. Rooms have fully stocked "Tico minibars" with complimentary local snacks and beverages. Bathrooms are spacious, with round, glass-brick shower stalls, and suites have mosaic-tiled hot tubs on their terraces. Amenities include two pools and a spa, free yoga and exercise classes, and the surrounding forest is alive with wildlife. It's not uncommon to be visited by a monkey at your breakfast table. The main restaurant is practically in the trees, and the menu is innovative and ambitious, and includes some popular gluten-free dishes. There's also a more casual daytime restaurant at the lower pool nearest the beach. The hotel offers free activities including tortilla-making classes, nature hikes, Spanish lessons, coffee roasting class, cooking workshops, and sustainability tours.

On 13 acres of private reserve, this boutique hotel is contemporary and very chic, with rooms rendered in slate, hardwood, and rattan with Italian fittings. Elegance abounds with soft hues of cream and white and pampering extras like 500-thread-count Egyptian-cotton bed linens and Turkish robes. Jacuzzi tubs and (shared) rooftop sundecks encourage relaxation, as does the Terra Spa complete with a Vichy shower, mud room, sauna, hair salon, and six treatment rooms. Higher room categories include a complimentary mini-spa treatment with direct booking. Three white buildings house the rooms, which are surprisingly spacious—the smallest is 350 square feet. Wildlife tours of the preserve take place daily at 4 pm, and beach transportation is offered hourly from 8 to 4. The hotel’s La Luna Restaurant has excellent food and sweeping sunset views, earning it a reputation as one of the best restaurants in Manuel Antonio.

It may seem like a contradiction, but Pachira manages to create a feeling of rainforest immersion while also being one of the larger lodges in Tortuguero, as the expansive grounds, modern facilities, and range of tour options are designed to accommodate large groups with access to two restaurants, a spacious outdoor canal-side patio, a turtle-shaped pool, and the most buffets in town. Each almond-wood cabina in the lush, well-manicured gardens contains four guest rooms with high ceilings, king-size beds, and bamboo furniture. Renovated rooms are #89–94. The stunning pool is shaped like a giant sea turtle: the head is a whirlpool tub, the left foot is a wading pool, and the right foot is equipped for swimmers with disabilities. The all-inclusive package includes transport from San José, all meals, three guided tours, and access to 1½ km of private trails through the jungle surrounding the hotel. Spa treatments, a rarity up here, are extra. 

Earth tones and natural details prevail in this Hyatt property created by architect Ronald Zürcher, who utilized indigenous woods, sugarcane, and bamboo in the design of the rooms, each contemporary and bright with ocean views. Golf carts and ride-share bikes transport guests through the 1,400-acre preserve, with a network of paths leading to infinity pools and pod-shape restaurants modeled after local seeds and cocoons. Standard rooms are housed in three-story buildings, and have rain showers, enclosed balconies, and complimentary bonuses such as minibars, Wi-Fi, sun hats, and sandals. The three restaurants infuse Latin flavors, but the tapas bar is your best option for exceptional cocktails. Just past the adult pool is a jungle trail that spills onto Playa Sombrero Oscuro, where you can hop aboard Nimbu Boat for a sail to Casa de Playa for an elevated beach club experience. The new Residence Villas—opened in 2024— have plunge pools, kitchens, and over 1,500 square feet of living space. This hillside property is spread out, so expect to do a fair amount of walking unless you request a golf cart ride.

This is one of the closest properties to the volcano, with rooms boasting hydromassage Jacuzzis, sitting areas, jaw-dropping views, Juliet balconies, and nearly 700 square feet of space. High ceilings, almost too much space, and queen beds that face walls of glass are what set this property apart from competitors; but at night when the curtains are drawn, rooms can be rather dark and stuffy (electricity operates by key card). The beautifully manicured grounds make up for this minor pitfall, with streams, gardens, and thermal springs that cascade from the swimming pool down to the spa. Guests receive complimentary admission to the Titokú Hot Springs, located 6 km (4 miles) south of the hotel and 5 km (3 miles) north of La Fortuna.

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.

Ten cute farmhouses line the road on this hot-springs complex that doubles as a small working coffee plantation. The cottages contain two or three bedrooms and can sleep four to six people. Polished wood reigns in the early-American style here, but you have modern amenities, such as flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, and fully-equipped kitchens. If you don’t feel like cooking yourself, the onsite restaurant serves a mix of Costa Rican and American fare, everything from grilled steaks and chicken to gallo pinto. You’ll have access to the thermal springs on the property too.

The stately Marriott offers comprehensive luxury close to the airport, and, despite being a U.S. chain, has many distinctively Costa Rican touches. Towering over a coffee plantation west of San José, the thick columns, wide arches, and central courtyard are re-creations straight out of the 16th century, and hand-painted tiles and abundant antiques complete the historic appearance. Guest rooms are more contemporary, but they're elegant enough, with hardwood furniture. Some have sliding glass doors that open onto tiny balconies; new rooms have flat-screen TVs. The place is always abuzz with upscale tourists, business travelers, and participants in the many events that take place here.

Location, views, and the all-inclusive price make this the best family deal in Drake Bay, with kid-friendly grounds, lots of flat, open space for romping, plus a refreshing saltwater swimming pool and rocky tidal pools to explore. The neat wooden cabins, which have modern tile bathrooms and hot showers, are lined up camp-style, spread out over landscaped grounds with mature trees, an ornamental fish pond, and fruit trees that attract birds and monkeys. Each building has three attractive rooms that come with firm queen-size beds, supported by wooden bedposts carved in animal shapes. Every room has air-conditioning and screened windows letting in cool ocean breezes. All but one of the cabins are easily accessible on foot or by wheelchair. The "honeymoon" cottage is perched on a ridge overlooking the ocean. Meals are satisfying and delicious, featuring poultry, eggs, and pork from the owners' nearby mountain farm, fresh fish and seafood, creative salads and pastas, and homemade breads and cakes. The bar serves free snacks at sunset, and there is always coffee, tea, and snacks available in the dining room. Laundry service is included—a real plus in this humid climate. Kayaks are at your disposal for exploring the river. Most guests come to see the rainforest, but you can also opt for scuba diving, sportfishing, and dolphin- and whale-watching tours. There are several packages, with the most basic including meals, laundry, tours, and transportation from Drake.

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 well-managed ecolodge in a 35-acre nature preserve bordering Piedras Blancas National Park is run by Austrians who have successfully instilled some sense of Teutonic order in the jungle. The rustic cabins have two tidy rooms (can be rented separately) with tile floors, reading lamps, and airy, private bathrooms with plenty of hot water. The rooms are a little dark, but are brightened by colorful, appliqué curtains and woven-cotton bedspreads made by Guaymí and Boruca artisans. A saltwater swimming pool is cool and refreshing, and fragrant white ginger and ylang-ylang encircle a pond. Another nearby pond has a lookout for bird-watchers and is home to contented, well-fed caimans. Local guides lead visitors along thrilling trails to the waterfalls and deep into primary forest. The dining room, lighted by romantically flickering candles, serves huge portions of wholesome and delicious local food. For families or foursomes, there is a fully equipped Jungle Villa with two bedrooms with forest views.

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.

Set in the rainforest, these marvelous, secluded casitas have elegant furnishings, sizable bathrooms with private garden showers, and terraces that entice you to spend time in nature. There are hot tubs and a massive pool, a gracious dining area and bar, and beautiful grounds with lots of ponds where you may discover exotic rainforest frogs (and possibly the snakes who feed on them).

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. 

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.

These three bedroom Balinese-inspired luxury condo suites boast 2,500 square feet of living space with industrial kitchens, slate floors, granite counters, rich hardwoods, and rattan furnishings. Interior design is tailored yet cozy, with microsuede couches, white duvets, bowl sinks, and floral paintings illuminated with recessed lighting. Three balconies and 2½ bathrooms mean there’s plenty of space for the whole family. Accessed by private elevator, each suite includes Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and ocean views from the living room and dining area. They all sleep six, but those on higher levels cost increasingly more for the view. The pool, restaurant, gym, game room, hiking trails, exclusive beach, and room service make it difficult to leave the comfort of the grounds. In 2022, the property added 10 homes and 2 villas for rent. If you fall in love with the place, you can purchase one of the elegant condos.

Sprawling across 159 acres, this mammoth multimillion-dollar resort is surrounded by 1,100 acres of rainforest with colonial-style buildings and gorgeous views of Herradura Bay. You'll find modern amenities combined with traditional Central American decorative motifs, such as barrel-tile roofing and hand-painted tiles. Rooms here have marble baths, wooden furniture, and tiny balconies. Be sure to get one with an ocean view, or you'll be contemplating condos. An enormous pool with islands and swim-up bars, a Ted Robinson golf course, five restaurants, and various diversions (tennis, pool activities, driving range, etc.) are designed to keep you on-site and entertained. The Sibö Rainforest Spa is one of the best in Central America.

Despite the relative isolation, travelers flock to this rainforest resort largely because each hillside room has a huge picture window and a door opening to an individual balcony with volcano views. Although there is a steep climb to many rooms, they are decorated with locally made art and bamboo-frame beds, and suites have vaulted ceilings, garden showers, and private whirlpools. A few cottages are tucked away on the grounds and make ideal getaways for families, while the spa and two heated pools ensure a relaxing stay. The location, a short drive above Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges, makes this a good bet if you have your own vehicle, but otherwise factor in a $35 taxi ride to La Fortuna and most area attractions.

This is the most stylish of the Tortuguero lodges, at least in the common areas, where the decor exudes an eclectic tropical aesthetic, incorporating rattan and bamboo with bold-patterned couches, ceramic accents, and lush hanging ferns. These design choices do not extend to the rooms, which are basic but solid, especially in the updated units, where the wood finish and ample airflow is comfortable in the evenings. Fourteen of the standard rooms have been updated, and the lodge is in the process of updating the remaining units, set to be completed before the end of 2024. The hotel grounds include a bar, restaurant, ranchos with hammocks, private tables tucked into foliage, and a stunning pool with an adjacent lounge area, presenting a range of spaces and seating to accommodate any mood, whether it’s to socialize, focus, or lounge poolside.

Packages include transportation from San José: when you arrive at the river town of Matina, you're whisked into a launch for a 2½-hour ride to the 15-acre site featuring comfortable (hot water!) solid wood cabinas with private terrace, hammock, and garden views. Meals are taken in the spacious restaurant and are included in the price, along with guided tours of the garden, a Tortuguero National Park canal tour, and a tour of the village. Daily garden tours introduce guests to the resident wildlife, including a flock of oropendulas that have built their elaborate nests in one of the trees. Trips to turtle-heavy beaches cost $40 extra. For a romantic evening, reserve a table on the floating restaurant on the lagoon. The lodge offers a lower cost B&B option that doesn’t include any of the extras. Mawamba is the only jungle lodge within walking distance (about 10 minutes) of town.

Meaning “Blue” in the native Chorotegan language, Nantipa is the epitome of the Blue Zone magic with both luxury and wellness manifesting health, happiness, and longevity. Since its opening in 2019, the string of beachfront-and-garden bungalows have lured those seeking rest and relaxation, along with all the creature comforts; smart TVs, hammocks, Wi-Fi, a/c, minibars, and plunge pools that open onto private terraces are just a few of the perks. Follow the white pebble-strewn pathways past the pool and yoga pavilion to Manzú, the beachfront restaurant specializing in traditional Tico recipes passed down from generations. You can take it up a notch with the two-story villa equipped with an infinity pool, personal chef, fitness instructor, babysitting service, three bedrooms, and kitchen and living space. For the ultimate in tranquility, book a treatment at the NUMU Wellness Center specializing in Blue Wellness experiences that will take you from nature to pampering via surfing, cuisine, massages, and beyond.

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.

These rooms overlooking the misty forests of La Paz Waterfall Gardens seem like something out of The Lord of the Rings, with their curved, clay-stucco walls, hardwood floors, stone fireplaces, four-poster beds made of varnished logs, and grottolike bathrooms with private waterfalls. As if the bathrooms, with two showers, a whirlpool tub, and private tropical garden weren't enough, you can soak in your second whirlpool tub on a porch with a cloud-forest view. Rates are admittedly high here, but being able to explore the Waterfall Gardens before they open and after they close is a perk, and admission is included. The cuisine here is a couple of notches below the accommodations.

Nestled into the mountainside overlooking the Pacific, these private, chic, one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas, treehouses, and suites are the ultimate getaway. The rainforest location and luxurious lodging have lured such guests as Al Gore, Sheryl Crow, and Anderson Cooper. With panoramic ocean views including some of the "whale tail," Ranco Pacifico's restaurant and pool area are sleek, the rooms well appointed, and the service outstanding. The owners have managed to blend eco-friendly practices with an award-winning spa for a truly organic experience. Included in your stay are complementary touches like breakfast, beach shuttle, Wi-Fi, parking, a tote bag, and other hotel swag.

This hotel has a volcano view along with luxury perks like a swim-up bar, five-star cuisine, a swanky lobby, and an impressive spa. Spacious, nicely decorated accommodations come with friendly service, a sense of intimacy, and another big bonus—on-site hot springs. Soothing cream-color walls, white polished floors, and wood furnishings prevail in the decor, with colorful accents scattered about in the form of pillows and wall hangings. Suites have stone accents and private hot tubs. Every room has a balcony with views of the pool and volcano. Three bars and a restaurant with international cuisine round out the offerings here. There's a sundeck on the second floor and plenty of lounge chairs near the three thermal pools.