130 Best Hotels in Costa Rica

You may never want to leave this tranquil oasis of luxury villas hidden behind scrolled white-and-orange walls, where the architecture is Mexican but the style is all Italian. Ocher-washed villas with hammocks and dining tables on their front porches circle an exuberant garden and pool with a cool waterfall. A pool bar, spa, and sauna make it easy to drink, rest, detox, and repeat. Rooms have state-of-the-art kitchens, and you can dine alfresco at a long wooden table on your own tiled terrazza. All the comforts of a luxury home (king-size bed, cable TV, Wi-Fi) are here, just across the street from the beach. A Mediterranean restaurant (closed Tues.) serves meals beneath a Spanish-tile roof by the pool. There is also a five-bedroom, five-bath house for rent next door with its own garden and pool, plus two other large houses to rent in Sámara Rocks, a private complex 1½ km (1 mile) east of Sámara.

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 spacious, teak-furnished rooms at "Twelve Moons" are a couple of miles from the sea and sand, and noise, set amid 5 acres of lawns shaded by tropical trees and luxuriant gardens with a mountainous green backdrop. Rooms have high ceilings, tile floors, local artwork, and private patios facing the lawn, and the large bathrooms have showers, bathtubs, and double sinks. The full-service spa uses the hotel's own homemade beauty products. An open-air restaurant serves creative seafood, meat, vegetarian, and vegan dishes. This property has one of the nicest swimming pools in Jacó, not to mention an amazing staff.

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.

Reminiscent of a ski lodge, this longtime favorite has extremely comfortable and stylish rooms with vaulted ceilings and great views. The bar is positioned around a huge but cozy lobby fireplace, and the outdoor heated pool is a perfect place to unwind after a day of tromping through the reserves. The exceptional El Jardín Restaurant, with its menu of Garden, Ocean, and Land options, uses locally grown vegetables and dairy from the Monteverde milk factory. Rooms are situated along a long corridor, which tends to carry hallway noise; Nos. 201 and 207 have the most privacy. Guests are advised to keep their balcony doors closed, because monkeys have been known to ransack suites.

Combining Costa Rica’s vibrant architecture with modern design, this tranquil property reminiscent of tropical-deco decor, offers spacious rooms and colorful beach bungalows with indoor-outdoor rainfall showers and private gardens. Tucked behind 8-foot walls, each room was designed with privacy and luxury in mind and includes a collection of books, huge flat-screen TVs, and a minibar. The two mosaic swimming pools are sparkling clean and surrounded by waterfalls and mini-palapas for shade. The open-air restaurant specializes in organic cuisine, serving such dishes as grilled fish, tuna tartare, fish tacos, pasta, and salads. Many ingredients (for the food and the natural spa products) are grown on-site.

Though nothing special, these small beachfront rooms and apartments, many with kitchenettes, are a good deal. You have a pick of accommodations: rooms with air-conditioning and kitchenettes, rooms without kitchenettes, and rooms without air-conditioning. Cement-block beds will certainly keep you from rearranging the furniture, but the rooms are clean and tidy. All units have large terraces overlooking a garden and pool area where there's a grill for your use; second-floor rooms have balconies with partial sea views. Larger apartments can fit five to six people. Breakfast is served in the neighboring Koko Gastro Bar. It's just a few steps from the surf, and Jacó's busy main strip is a block away.

This tropical-industrial-inspired hotel offers guests (adults-only) a beachfront location as well as light-filled spacious rooms with private terraces, air conditioning, and comfortable, stylish furnishings. The facilities are modern, clean, and contemporary, while the property's well-maintained landscape allows for close observation of wildlife that often wander by from the nearby reserve. Although there's no pool, the beach is safe for swimming and the beach club has a bar and lounge chairs in the sand. Service is attentive and friendly, and the restaurant serves all three meals, including the free breakfast. Lunch can be served on the beach if desired, and dinner is a set menu with an option of dining on the beach under twinkle lights. Guests also have access to Exôtico Beach Hotel where they can use the pool and receive discounts at the bar and restaurant. Take note that there's no sign on the road for the hotel; this is by design to reinforce the exclusivity of the property. Punta Uva is only a short walk and Arrecife can be reached in 15 minutes.

Surfers are the main clientele in these beachfront rooms with high ceilings, clay-tile floors, and sliding-glass doors that open onto semiprivate balconies and terraces, most of which have good views of Playa Hermosa. Second-floor rooms have better views, as do the two spacious corner suites that sleep six with large balconies and two bedrooms. Request Room 207 or 208, with high ceilings, plenty of space, and unobstructed views. Room 104 opens onto the pool and sand. Creature comforts include minibars, Wi-Fi, coffeemakers, and air-conditioning. You can watch the surfers from a nice little pool surrounded by tropical foliage in back. The consistent waves are great for intermediate-to-advanced surfers, but if you're looking for a beach where you can swim or splash on the shore, this is not the place for you. 

Catering predominantly to kitesurfers, this breezy property on a steep hillside is one of the more affordable lodging options in Bahía Salinas, with suites, bungalows, rooms, and dorms just minutes from the water. It's worth bypassing other room categories and opting for the boat-shaped suite with a private balcony, stone walls, air-conditioning, and garden shower. If you're on a budget, the wooden bungalows are chalet-style and sleep four, with an added bunk bed for the little ones. Standard rooms are boxy and rustic, but suitable if kitesurfing is your main priority. All rooms have ocean views, Wi-Fi, and hot-water showers, and there’s an on-site pizzeria serving wood-oven pizza and Mediterranean food. The all-inclusive packages with meals, lessons, and lodging are a real bargain. Most people come to combine the adrenaline sport with a bit of relaxation, but if you’re not into kitesurfing (or even wind), you may want to stay elsewhere.

Perched high above Alajuela, this hotel's superb staff make up for the somewhat dated, uninspired interior, and it does have the "good view" it is named for, although most rooms overlook the lawns or pool area. Three balcony rooms on the second floor in back have decent views of the Central Valley, but even better are the views of Poás Volcano from the three rooms above the lobby. Mostly, the view is best appreciated from the back lawn. Rooms are fairly standard—carpeted and sparsely decorated, with small baths and TVs. The restaurant behind the lobby serves international dishes and grilled items. The hotel offers numerous Web-only packages.

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.

The hotel's eco-built bungalows, set within wildlife-friendly, indigenous plant gardens, feature private terraces and king-size beds. The 5 bungalows are set far enough apart so each is private; 2 have open-air ceilings while the other 3 have a/c. The tone of the hotel is friendly and easygoing, something the long-time resident owners have created through their dedication to connecting with guests, the local culture, and the natural environment; the owners are a great source for information about the town, the culture, and the surrounding wildlife. Breakfast (included), lunch, and dinner, made with ingredients harvested from the on-site garden, are served in the open-air restaurant. Happy hour is celebrated with the property's signature coco loco drink; the full bar also serves classic cocktails and smoothies. The property has a small yoga shala, where guests can take classes in Afro-Caribbean dance, Muy Thai, yoga, and self-defense, all taught by members of the local community. There's also a saltwater pool and an on-site spa offering massages.

Everything at this luxury resort—designed like an art deco ocean liner incongruously dry-docked in Golfito's American Zone—is first-class, and guests stroll among gleaming hardwoods, polished brass, and stained glass. A magnificent art collection, commissioned for the hotel, lines corridors equipped, gangway style, with white hand railings and portholes. The smallish standard rooms feel a little subterranean, but feature such swanky amenities as fine linens, marble bathrooms, handsome furniture, well-designed closets, lots of mirrors and reading lights, and strong air-conditioning. Upper-level, deluxe state rooms and suites are brighter and more spacious, with large bathtubs and private balconies. The public areas are grand, filled with more art, sculpture, and stylish leather furniture. Across the road from the main hotel lies a self-contained resort, with a magnificent pool, gym, tennis and squash courts, and a spa. Service is polished and friendly throughout the hotel. Included in the room rate is an excellent buffet breakfast, served in the gloriously over-the-top main dining room. 

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.

If you fancy toucan-spotting from your room or the deck of your bungalow, Chachagua will be right up your alley. Each room has a pair of double beds, an outdoor table, and nice showers enclosed in large, reflective windows where birds gather to watch their reflections while you bathe. Only deluxe bungalows have TV and plunge pools, but if you fancy a dip, there's a series of natural spring-fed pools leading to one of the two outdoor restaurants and bar. For complete isolation, request a room facing the rainforest. An open-air restaurant serves an organic menu. The lodge is 3 km (2 miles) up a rough track—4WD is a must in rainy season—on the road headed south from La Fortuna to La Tigra. Do not attempt arriving after dark or during heavy rains since the river crossing becomes impassable and roads are poorly marked.

This family-run hotel and retreat center hidden within dense forest on a picturesque bend in the Sarapiquí River focuses on conservation and sustainability in all aspects of their operations, from renewable energy sources to the use of biodegradable products. Rooms are comfortable, clean, and include ample outdoor areas, both private and shared, where guests can recline in a lounge chair or swing in a hammock while monkeys climb through the trees above. Across the river, the hotel has built a new lodge with spacious, air-conditioned rooms and sunset views. The hotel reception offers extensive information regarding tours in the area and will help with making arrangements.

This comfy Mexican chain with minimalist decor, now a division of Marriott, has an outlet in Costa Rica and a stay here puts you just a few miles from Juan Santamaría airport. Think of it as a Latin American counterpart to Holiday Inn Express. The predominant clientele are business travelers on a moderate budget, but all are welcome, of course. Rooms consist of uniformly tan woods and tiles with splashes of color in the spreads and wall hangings, and floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of light. All rooms contain a desk and work area. Rates include an ample breakfast buffet.

Furnished with a world-class collection of internationally acquired European antiques, the colonial-style villas and "glamping" safari tents look out over the cloud-topped rainforest or across hilly pastures, the furniture and art evoking a bygone era of extravagant import to the tropics. Outfitted with outdoor showers, nine glamping tents are stationed atop jungle-edged platforms which provide plenty of terrace space to accommodate walnut dining tables and viewpoint-oriented hammocks. Each tent is named after an artist or personality who embodies the romanticized persona of a storied world traveler, their personal histories are interwoven into the tent’s decor and design. The hotel offers the same amenities—room service, laundry, daily cleaning, and Wi-Fi—that you would find in a boutique hotel. It also emphasizes high-quality, delicious breakfasts, serving homemade bread, cakes, and marmalade and changing daily. Wellness offerings include yoga classes on a deck in the middle of the jungle, massages, holistic therapies, meditation, and guided walks where the abundant wildlife is on display. There is a recommended 2--3 night minimum in the tents to get the full experience but it is not required.

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.

High on a hillside with spectacular ocean views framed by giant traveler's palm trees, this Austrian-owned hotel is a good base for exploring the area. The elegant Mediterranean-style buildings, painted blue and white, have spacious rooms, and there's plenty of open space for kids to play in, plus fitness trails for grown-ups and a spa to relax in. There's also a 4,300-square-foot swimming pool that commands both mountain and sea views. The birding here is excellent. If you tire of the view (not likely), there are large flat-screen televisions on swivel bases. Breakfast buffets are hearty at the pleasant poolside restaurant, which also serves lunch and candlelit dinners, featuring excellent fish along with some tasty Austrian specialties, including Wiener schnitzel. Service is friendly and polished. There's always a breeze and a feast for the eyes from the restaurant terrace. For budget-minded guests, there are two "adventure cabins" at the edge of the jungle, with ceiling fans but no air-conditioning.

This low-rise hotel was the metro area's original luxury hotel, and it remains popular for its excellent service and close-to-airport location. Just off the busy General Cañas Highway, about halfway between San José and the international airport, the Cariari is surrounded by thick, tropical vegetation that buffers it from traffic noise. Spacious, carpeted guest rooms in back overlook the pool area. The relaxed poolside bar, with cane chairs and colorful tablecloths, and nearby casino, are popular spots. Overall, it feels slightly more low-key and less grandiose than the nearby Marriott.

With one of the most spectacular ocean views on the Costa Ballena, this modern "castle" is a luxury boutique hotel with nine ultrachic guest quarters with private terraces. Along with a million-dollar view of a shimmering infinity pool melding into the ocean from the lounge terrace, there are exquisite design touches everywhere in this modern, honey-colored castle. Three palatial suites have huge contemporary bathrooms, king-size poster beds, and a tasteful smattering of one-of-a-kind side tables, chairs, bibelots, and art. Smaller double rooms sport the same design touches, three with ocean views and one tucked away in the hotel garden. "Spa Suites" 8 and 9 have ocean views, Jacuzzi tubs, and more privacy than the other suites. The restaurant is breezy by day and romantic at night. Keep binoculars handy since the birding in and around the hotel is excellent. Early in the morning and at sunset, pairs of scarlet macaws perform a fly-past.

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 quiet hotel bills itself as a "country hotel," but El Rodeo's proximity to the airport and major business parks draws guests, too. Spacious rooms, most with polished hardwood floors, high ceilings, and narrow balconies, overlook small gardens and rooms in the adjacent building. An open-air lounge on the second floor has a pool table and wicker furniture. The café serves breakfast each morning. Large, wooden El Rodeo Steakhouse Restaurant in front of the hotel is quite popular with Ticos, who pack it on weekends. Decorated with saddles, steer skulls, and other ranching paraphernalia, the restaurant serves an array of grilled meats, from the Argentine churrasco to T-bones, as well as several fish and shrimp dishes.

A charming family tends to guests at this peaceful, bohemian Shangri-La just 10 minutes down the mountain from—and a noticeable few degrees warmer than—Santa Elena. Two fully furnished ojoche-wood cabins with kitchens, skylights, and patios with hammocks are perched on the mountainside of this nearly 30-acre farm. The smaller cabin sleeps two, while the three-story larger cabin sleeps four. Every vantage point in the cabins—the living area, the bed, the desk, the shower, and even the toilet—has stupendous views. The property has horseback riding, a stone-wall pool, and a Finnish sauna. Optional meals are prepared by a neighboring Costa Rican family and can be taken in the main house or brought to your cabin. Although cabins are affordable, be sure to factor in $10 taxi rides to Santa Elena and $15 entrées if you're dining in. If arriving by car, there are no signs for the hotel so look for the yellow painted rocks and sun logo.

Situated next to the Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, a forest of tall trees towers around these modern, cozy accommodations that exhibit photo-friendly tableaux of plush, textured furnishings; outside the rooms, semiprivate, palm frond-concealed terraces gaze upon a fashionable pool, where guests spread out atop shaded daybeds, relaxing to chill beats and the calls of birds. Fourteen air-conditioned and sumptuously furnished—woven rugs, wicker lanterns, and copious pillows—rooms range from standard and deluxe to suites or a two-bedroom villa. The restaurant is immaculate, serving a menu of carefully prepared, generously portioned Costa Rican cuisine under massive straw light fixtures intermingled with luscious ferns in an open-air rancho. The bar pours fine wines or inventive, tropical cocktails that can be enjoyed poolside or with dinner. The service is attentive and professional, and can help with planning tours or activities.

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.