130 Best Hotels in Costa Rica

The tiled-roof, terra-cotta dwellings and immaculate gardens of this once-abandoned colonial farm have been restored to reflect its Spanish architectural origins, while the hotel’s interiors, art, and overall character incorporate pre-Colombian indigenous history and the modern-day local Tico community. Alongside this exquisite historic hotel are two newly opened glamping tents, fully equipped in function and style, and hidden within the tropical rainforest for a private experience, and a standalone stone cottage whose Moorish-style exterior looks more at home in Morocco than the jungles of Costa Rica. The hotel grounds also include a pool with lounge chairs and a private rancho for dining. The hotel works hard to convey a distinct identity by incorporating the cultures that have played a role in the region's history and daily tours are thoughtful and thorough. The cacao tour shares the chocolate-making process while also telling the story of the indigenous people. Birdwatching tours, which take place on the two miles of trails surrounding the property, are conducted with an experienced nature guide who is skilled in locating many of the 400 species of birds found in Sarapiquí. The service is very personalized—it is not uncommon to interact with the owner and become friendly with the hospitable staff. The restaurant is a focus, serving a menu of decedent Caribbean specialties, and a dinner here is not to be missed.

A longtime favorite for first- and last-night stays, this chain hotel lets you ease into and out of Costa Rica in familiar surroundings. You can't get any closer to the airport: it's just across the highway. (Crossing the busy highway on foot would be impossible, though.) All the U.S.-style amenities for which the chain is known are yours here, including its sumptuous hot breakfasts. Rooms are bright and airy, with the same furnishings you'd find at any outlet of a Hampton Inn back home.

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.

The view from this hotel perched on a hillside above Santa Ana is impressive, but so is the building itself with its blend of colonial and modern style—think archways, hardwoods, and leather. Guest rooms are spacious, with handcrafted furniture and bathrooms with hand-painted tiles; ask for one on the fourth or fifth floor to take advantage of the view. The restaurant, La Luz, has plenty of windows for admiring the distant hills and the pool and gardens below. The eclectic and unusual menu includes rack of lamb with organic coffee sauce and Caribbean-style sea bass with coconut-milk sauce.

Several 1940s-era houses with extensive gardens and lively common areas—visitors swap travel advice here—make up this family-run lodging. Each room is different; some have private gardens or small sitting rooms. The garden rooms are not that much more expensive than the standard ones and are worth the splurge. The complimentary breakfast buffet is an amazing spread of eggs, pastries, tropical fruit, and good Costa Rican coffee served on a marvelous palm-shaded garden patio. And this property is very eco-friendly, a rarity in the heart of the city. It uses solar panels for heating hot water, and it composts and recycles. Luxurious it is not, but this is deservedly one of San José's most popular budget lodgings; reserve well in advance during the high season. To be on the safe side, confirm your reservation 48 hours before you arrive and on the day of your arrival, giving an estimated arrival time. You'll get a small discount if you pay in cash.

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.

You'll find all the standard amenities of a medium-price business-class hotel here, but leisure travelers also enjoy using the Balmoral as their San José base. You're just as likely to hear Japanese spoken in the lobby as you are Spanish and English; the place is quite popular with Asian visitors. The hotel's bright, airy restaurant, El Patio, dishes up Costa Rican specialties amid two floors of greenery. The Balmoral offers many Web-only discounts.

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.

With an excellent restaurant, a lush garden, a pretty infinity pool, and exceptional service, this elegant hotel is a heavenly spot for those who like to indulge themselves. The original 16 rooms have elegant, dark-wood furniture, comfortable beds topped with plush linens, and subtle angelic touches. Other luxuries include coffeemakers, soaking tubs, and spectacular stained-glass windows. Six Jungle Rooms are smaller and darker, but cheaper and very comfortable, with pickled-wood walls, antiqued armoires, and balconies facing the forest or garden. The romantic, high-ceilinged terrace restaurant, aglow in shades of royal blue and gold, has a very sophisticated menu; the tender osso buco is cooked to perfection, and the menu is completely gluten-free. The breakfast is also excellent.

Under the shade of tropical fruit trees, white bungalows of high-quality wood each contain two bright, sparkling rooms with terra-cotta tile floors and front patios that open onto a central swimming pool. Rooms have either a king or two double beds, a private bath with hot water, ceiling fans, air-conditioning, and lagoon views. All are welcome here, though this lodge is best known for bird-watching and fishing tours, equipment, boat rental, and the nearby lake filled with tarpon and bass. The restaurant is organic-focused with a menu heavy on Costa Rican fare; sweet pineapples, juicy mangoes, tart mamones, and other produce from the lodge's orchard end up on your breakfast plate. Due to the long trek to get here—not to mention all the intriguing wildlife—it's recommended guests stay at least two nights.

On a precipitous ridge, this modest wooden lodge is an affordable and comfortable launching pad for a hike up Chirripó, or a pleasant spot to relax and breathe in fresh mountain air and scenery and watch birds. Along with budget rooms with private bath above the restaurant, there are private, comfortable cabins scattered around a pool, all with gorgeous views of the mountains. The lodge's spartan but fresh rooms above the restaurant can accommodate up to four. The lodge is named for a twisted-wood pelican—one of dozens of idiosyncratic sculptures carved out of tree roots that now reside in a rustic museum on the property. The owners are eco-conscious, and they are part of the consortium that can arrange everything for a climb up Chirripó, from park reservations to transportation to porters to lodging. 

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.

From the villas to the farm to the on-site hot springs, kids and adults alike are enthralled by this peaceful property. The lush and lovely well-kept grounds have volcano views and include an agua fria (cold water) pool for splashing around as well as multiple tranquil hot springs to relax. There is a spa, bar, and restaurant. The farm-fresh eggs (you can collect them yourself) make for a hearty and delicious breakfast.

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.

In 2020, a group of Spanish friends purchased this little paradise where beautiful gardens run down to the river; they added a pool, free tai chi classes, and a menu blending Spanish and Costa Rican dishes. Colorful tanagers and three types of toucan feast in the citrus trees on the grounds of this two-story lodge, where comfortable rooms with terra-cotta floors are nicely accented with decorative crafts. Prime activities are horseback jungle treks, boat trips up the Sarapiquí River, and bird-watching—more than 100 species have been spotted here.

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.

The entrance here resembles any other storefront downtown, and you could pass right by without noticing this quiet, family-run gem. Although smack-dab in the middle of Heredia’s central business district, the property extends back 70 meters and provides peace and quiet you’d never expect to find here. Rooms have blindingly white walls and tile floors, which keep things bright—windows face the long, skylighted hallways rather than outdoors. All contain armoires and colorful spreads. A substantial breakfast, served in the upstairs dining room, fortifies you for a day of sightseeing.

Brightly painted stone or wood cabins, all with functional bamboo furnishings and air-conditioning, are scattered around the beachfront garden grounds at this place on the far north end of Playa Grande. The pool is large, clean, and shows off a seaside view, the surrounding patio stocked with lounge chairs and encircled by palms and blooming tropical plants. The grounds are abundant with wildlife like sloths, toucans, and frogs. All cabins have bright furnishings and art posters decorating the walls, and rooms #1 and #4 even come with whirlpool tubs. The owners' interest in Eastern religions is evidenced in the hotel's name (la diosa means "goddess") and there are little touches such as the rounding of corners and cachá-wood rails to "enhance feminine energy." A bridge connects the pool to the beach, and a private trail leads to shaded, sandy-bottomed natural pools that are open to the public but most easily accessed from the hotel’s property. The breakfast costs an additional $6 plus tax.

This small hotel tucked off the road to La Garita is a simple and relaxed place to unwind, with its owners adding welcoming energy and personalized touches to the place. There are six buildings, most divided into two units, arranged around the pool and gardens. The white-wall rooms are simple, but it's a quiet place to sleep. Calling ahead for directions is a good idea, but once you're here, you'll have easy access to nearby restaurants and the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center. The hotel offers occasional online-only specials.

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. 

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.

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.

A few blocks from the beach, this family-focused property boasts three swimming pools, equipped kitchens, and comfortable rooms of varying size and style. Bright, pastel-hued standard rooms have two queen-size beds and most have kitchenettes; top-floor rooms have a small living room with checkered sofas and a double bed; the cozy split-level rooms with kitchenettes and stone walls are reminiscent of European bed-and-breakfasts. The Dutch owner is dedicated to cleanliness and provides lots of amenities, such as poolside grills, a kids' game room, a large open-air reading lounge, and inexpensive tours. If you don't mind the climb, request an upstairs room with a balcony overlooking the pool.

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. 

Simple but spacious rooms are a short walk from the beach and are surrounded by green lawns bordered on two sides by the tall trees of Manuel Antonio National Park. It's worth splurging for Unit 31, a large room with a Jacuzzi. A small blue-tile pool and patio have a pleasant adjacent bar area. Directly behind are private walking trails within the hotel's reserve, and a large, open-air restaurant specializing in seafood dishes, particularly local tuna.

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.