48 Best Hotels in Costa Rica

The rooms vary in size and amenities, but the intimate atmosphere and hospitable staff make you feel as if you're staying with a friend rather than at a hotel. The comfy, open living-room area extends to a balcony lined with a wooden counter and stools with views of the mango-shape pool below and a tranquil cove framed by the rain forest. More expensive rooms have semiprivate balconies, and those on the top floor can connect for families. Monkey-attracting mango trees surround the building, and a steep 20-minute trail leads to a secluded beach. Every Tuesday there is live music at sunset in the restaurant.

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.

On the quiet southern end of Jacó beach, this property is clean and comfortable and just far enough from town to offer a peaceful night of sleep. Although it has a beachfront location, the poor layout means most rooms face a hallway or parking lot, with only a few on the second floor catching a glimpse of the water. Fortunately the ocean views from the pool and restaurant compensate for the architectural blunder. Rooms lack character but have everything you need for a pleasant stay, including flat-screen TVs, strong air-conditioning, coffeemakers, Wi-Fi, and nice showers. Simple meals at the tiki bar are served under a thatched roof and range from red snapper and stuffed chicken to pasta and burritos. Surfboards and bikes are available for rent, and waves break right out front. Request Room 23 or 15 for the most space and best location, or if you're on a budget, one of the discounted rooms without a view. Day passes are available to nonguests for $30.

The name says it all at this property with artfully crafted studios and apartments tucked into the lush hillside of Manuel Antonio. Natural light floods the vibrant rooms boasting balconies and large windows overlooking the rainforest and tile pool. Each is cheerfully decorated and equipped with modern perks like smart TVs, high-speed Wi-Fi, and even full kitchens in the larger rooms. A complimentary Costa Rican breakfast is served creekside, or you can hold out for lunch at the Sloth Snack Bar for burgers, wraps, salads, and ceviches. Guests have access to amenities at their sister property, Los Altos, just up the hill.

Along with one of the best sunset views along the coast, this comfortable ecolodge on a high cliff bordering Ballena Marine National Park has spacious, airy cabins and a forest trail to a pristine beach. Wood-and-stone cabins, spaced out along a garden path that descends from the open-air main lodge, have huge bathrooms with spacious showers. Trails wend through dense primary forest down to the wide sweep of almost-deserted Playa Arco and to a private, natural swimming pond. Electric car owners can charge up for the night at the hotel's electric charging stations. Breakfasts are hearty, served in the hotel's contemporary restaurant Aracari, which is also open to nonguests. Along with contemplating nature, you can nurture your inner self at the huge, otherworldly yoga platform or pamper your outer self with a massage. For more space with a view, request a suite or deluxe room.

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.

The private, air-conditioned villas at this modern, adults-only getaway boast thoughtfully designed and impeccably clean interiors and vegetation-encased terraces that create an atmosphere of tranquility and exclusivity best suited to spending relaxed moments with your travel companions. The hotel is new—only two years old—and the owners hail from Argentina, decorating the rooms with the art and furnishings they have collected from their travels. The spotless pool is tranquil, with plenty of room for guests to spread out. An exceptional breakfast is included but there is no restaurant; there are kitchens in the two cottages. Playa Negra beach is only a short walk from the property.

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.

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.

Bordered by the Ostional-Nosara Wildlife Refuge, a private path through native jungle gets you to the beach at this welcoming hotel, which has a surf school and organic restaurant on-site. Mindful of every detail, from the beautiful mosaics done by local artists that adorn the exterior to the kitchenettes in rooms and free laundry service, the Olas Verdes and its staff make you feel right at home. At this small Costa Rican hotel, you can chose from poolside rooms, beach apartments, or luxury suites that can sleep up to four guests. Regardless of the category, rooms are spacious with day beds, coffee makers, mini-refrigerators, and refillable canteens. 

With some of the best service in Manuel Antonio and updated rooms, Shana by the Beach is a lovely option with jungle- or ocean-view balconies in every room. The pool area, with happy hour from 3 to 6, makes up for the fact that it's a 10-minute hike to Playa Biesanz. Everything—walls, furniture, paintwork—is blindingly white, in striking contrast to the lush greens of the hillside grounds, and the service is some of the best in Manuel Antonio. Bathrooms are spacious and modern with massage shower jets, and rooms have sleek touches like oversize tufted headboards, glass desks, and white flat-screen TVs. All have balconies with jungle or partial ocean views. The restaurant highlights Mediterranean dishes. Families or large groups can request the three attaching rooms. In low season, rates are often half price.

This sustainable resort sits atop one of the most idyllic hillsides in Manuel Antonio. Scattered through the rainforest in nine buildings, rooms are decorated in earth tones to complement the surrounding nature; spacious deluxe rooms have sea views and private balconies, smaller "superior" rooms have less impressive ocean views, and standard rooms face the jungle. Great lengths have been taken to be eco-friendly, and it's also quite family-friendly, with a separate kids' pool, complete with waterslide, and an in-house movie theater. There is often live music on weekends (except September and October) at Claro Que Sí restaurant (open 2–10 pm), which specializes in Caribbean-style seafood, and the Rico Tico grill, which serves lighter fare. A free shuttle makes scheduled trips to the beach, about 3 km (2 miles) away.

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.

Centered on the scenic sweep of placid Bahía Tambor with its warm, shallow water, intimate Tambor Tropical offers "beds with a view" in spacious suites, along with sportfishing, a turtle hatchery, horseback riding, bird-watching, and just lolling in a hammock by the pretty, blue-tile pool. Attractive two-story houses, with up-and-down suites equipped with kitchens, are entirely built and furnished with varnished, tropical hardwoods: floors, ceilings, walls, and even toilet seats. Large front windows provide panoramas of the sea and surrounding gardens—slightly pricier second-floor rooms have the best views—and platform beds really do enable sunrise views. All rooms have air-conditioning. Carefully prepared meals are served poolside or in the thatch-covered dining room during the rainy months. Paddleboards and kayaks get you out onto the water, and bird-watchers can comb nearby trails with a guide, in search of about 250 species. The spacious reception area also serves as an art gallery for local artisans.

This sustainability-focused lodging complex set within a large swath of undeveloped rainforest contains six spacious and wildly different houses, all at ground level and each creatively conceived to incorporate the surrounding nature and upcycled materials. The newest option, The School Bus, is a house ingeniously built out of an old yellow school bus. The largest is the spectacular Beach Suite, with three bedrooms and domed, sky-lighted bathrooms, and there's the marvelous open-air two-story Tree House. The Beach, Crystal, and Garden Houses are slightly more modest, but, here, that term is relative. Prices skew higher here than other Puerto Viejo lodgings, but the ample size of the houses allows you to split the space among a group, making the per-person price not so alarming. The hotel also has been awarded five leaves (the highest rating) from Costa Rica Tourism Board’s Certification of Sustainable Tourism Program.

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.

One of the best lodging deals on this coast, these seven, no-frills villas are in a sublime, lofty setting, with a large swimming pool and a huge terrace overlooking a million-dollar view of the Pacific. Sleeping up to five guests, the villas have either one or two bedrooms, equipped kitchens, a private terrace with hammocks and rocking chairs, and large bathrooms. Ceiling fans augment the cool ocean breezes, and there are air-conditioners in each of the bedrooms. Light lunches are available by the pool, along with à la carte dinners. A nonprofit animal sanctuary on the property houses rescued wildlife; guided tours of the refuge ($33) are given by 24-hour advance reservation at 9 and 11 am, and 1 pm daily except Monday.