130 Best Hotels in Costa Rica

A largely American clientele looking for all the downtown hubbub enjoys the medium-price business-class accommodations here. The presidente referred to here is John F. Kennedy, who walked by during his 1963 visit as the hotel was under construction. Each of the comfortable rooms has one double and one single bed. The rooftop terrace, Azotea Calle 7, serves as a calm oasis and a great place to stop by for a drink. The Presidente has spearheaded efforts to encourage other San José lodgings to follow its lead in reducing their environmental footprint—not bad for a hotel located smack-dab in the center of the city.

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.

This country inn a few miles outside of Turrialba offers peace and quiet, a rural feel, and friendly owners and staff. The gardens and pool are terrific places to kick back and relax after a day of sightseeing. Each room comes with private terrace, mini-refrigerator, hardwood floors, and two queen-size beds. The two superior rooms are brighter than the standard ones and a better bet when available. One room is fully wheelchair accessible.

You'd never expect to find such a quiet, homey oasis smack-dab in the middle of a suburban business neighborhood, but here it is. The hotel's buildings date from 2008, but they are constructed in the style of typical 19th-century Costa Rican coffee-plantation houses. The structures surround a garden courtyard where breakfast is served. Standard rooms and suites are bright and cheery, with tiled floors and king- or queen-size beds, and the suites have kitchenettes with refrigerators and microwaves for not much more money. Breakfast is not included in the suite price however. Santa Ana is warm enough that you'll appreciate the pool and air-conditioning here, too. Special rates are available for long-term stays.

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.

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.

This small bay-side hotel overlooking the beach and almost hidden behind flowering hedges is the most comfortable and reasonably priced place to stay in the village of Drake. There are economic rooms—all featuring a/c and private baths with hot showers—that open onto an elevated, shared terrace with bay views and breezes. But there's a price for those views: 185 steps to climb. All the rooms have tiled floors. Guests get to leave their artistic signatures on painted driftwood mobiles that decorate the open-air restaurant where breakfast (included) and day-long meals are served. The on-site diving operation is well run, so the lodge is often filled with groups of divers swapping diving tales around the bar.

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.

Papito's raised cabins extend back into the property's wooded grounds and are furnished with whimsical, bright, tropical-blue-and-zebra-stripe prints. Breakfast, with an extra cost of $8, is served at the table on your own porch, which also has a hammock or swing chair. Pamper yourself at the small on-site spa. You'll get a small discount on the room rate if you pay in cash, and you can find a lot of online-only specials, too.

Nicely decorated cottages are scattered around 25 acres on Arenal's northeast shore at the point where the volcano begins to disappear from sight, but the lake views (and the sunsets) remain as spectacular as ever. Split-level cottages are extremely cozy, with sunken living rooms and dining areas separated from two bedrooms on the top level. Bathrooms feature fine details such as Italian tiles and ceilings made from almond wood. Every cottage has two rooms, Wi-Fi, satellite TV, a safe, and king-size beds. A three-bedroom villa is available for extended stays. An infinity pool and enormous Jacuzzi overlook emerald valleys where sheep and cows graze by day. The on-site bistro specializes in European cuisine. As befits such a secluded place, bird-watching opportunities abound.

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.

This 18-acre private reserve contains 16 cozy cabins with fully equipped kitchens in which you can prepare meals with produce from the hotel’s hydroponic vegetable garden. Accommodating from two to six people, cabins vary in size and amenities—best are the superior cabins with fireplaces, wraparound patios, satellite TVs, outdoor grills, and stained-glass windows. Family cabins have three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and living rooms. This eco-friendly property operates on solar power and has a water-treatment system, a recycling center, and a workshop where fallen trees are repurposed for furniture and building materials. The playground and hiking trails frequented by monkeys make this a popular spot for families.

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.

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.

It might come as a surprise to find such attractive and comfortable rooms, with nice appointments and high ceilings, in so remote a place, but the lack of pretense and laid-back atmosphere fit right into the surroundings on the east side of the reserve. The lodge has a variety of meal options; most guests opt for taking all meals here, since there are few other restaurants in town. Two- and three-day packages are available for anglers and nonanglers alike. Bird-watching and boat tours of the wetlands are the most popular activities. If you want to catch a glimpse of monkeys, request a far-end room facing the forest. A snazzy pool makes the perfect escape from the heat here.

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. 

Less than a five-minute saunter to the sea, this Spanish colonial adults-only hotel has clean, modern rooms that surround a pool. There's a beer garden and restaurant, yoga classes, and activities like movie night, so there are plenty of opportunities to make friends. The rooms are a bit bare-bones, but there is good Wi-Fi and air conditioning.

A paradise for resplendent quetzals, this rustic but comfortable lodge is amid cloud-enshrouded mountains and valleys with 16 km (10 miles) of hiking and birding trails through ancient oak forests dripping with moss and epiphytes. Cozy bungalows, each set in splendid isolation, have picture windows and modern bathrooms and some have hot tubs and king-size beds, dehumidifiers, and TVs. Nighttime temperatures drop into the 40s at this high altitude (about 8,700 feet) and you'll be happy for the electric heaters and hot-water showers. The main lodge has a large fireplace and an observation gallery abuzz with brilliant hummingbirds that aren't the least bit fazed by onlookers. Meals are simple but hearty, and an espresso machine guarantees excellent coffee. A bird-photography shelter is equipped with battery-charging stations and natural backdrops and feeders to attract photogenic birds ($10).

Seven pristine and comfortably furnished houses—three are one bedroom and four have two bedrooms—each named for a tropical fruit, are located within lush, manicured gardens immersed in the jungle outside of Cahuita. The peaceful and luxurious ocean-blue pool and surrounding patio are a phenomenal setting in which to spend an afternoon. The high-ceilinged rooms have wood or tile floors and all have furnished terraces and kitchens. A brand-new lounge space with hammocks is equipped with an honesty bar so guests can help themselves at any time of day or night. Guests are free to use the pétanque terrain and the outdoor grill, and every second Sunday the hotel hosts a community barbecue, welcoming guests and neighbors. A recently added breakfast area doubles as a place to socialize or work; breakfast is an extra $12. A morning yoga class can be arranged in the new peaceful shala for $10. The older bungalows are in the midst of an upgrade, and one of the newer bungalows has its own private plunge pool next to a comfortable wooden terrace. The hotel is farther from Cahuita center but the beach is only 15 minutes away by car.

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.

In one of the most beautiful mountain settings imaginable, this yoga-centric riverside lodge, reminiscent of a Himalayan temple, is pure pleasure, from the lush flower gardens to the sophisticated room design to the open-air yoga studio within sound of the rushing river. The two-story lodge has six double rooms with two single beds each and modern bathrooms; five suites and casitas offer more privacy and self-catering facilities. Breakfast is included and dinner is by reservation. You can order a packed lunch or be on your own for lunch. You can soak in the swimming pool and hot tub or cool off in a natural river pool.

Tranquil, comfortable, and nicely priced, this small hotel and spa a short walk from the beach is consistently the best deal in Malpaís. Red-tile-roof bungalows here are simple yet tasteful, with high wooden ceilings, large bathrooms, lots of windows, front terraces, Wi-Fi, and air-conditioning. Some bungalows, arranged in a semicircle around the large amoeba-shape pool and gardens, have views of the sea and the jungle. Two smaller rooms are a bargain, or there's a kitchen-equipped studio that sleeps four. The reasonably priced Italian restaurant in front of the property is open for breakfast and dinner and serves more than two-dozen types of pizza (you can also design your own) plus tapas. There are also fresh fish dishes with a selection of sauces, and tasty pasta offerings such as farfalle with fish and shrimp curry sauce. There's a pleasant yoga deck and best of all, the hotel fronts a paved road, so there are no clouds of dust to contend with, and you can actually hear birds singing.

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.

In downtown La Fortuna, this inn has clean, bright rooms linked by a long veranda lined with benches and potted plants, and added perks like a large pool and in-room Wi-Fi. The poolside breakfast is the perfect way to fuel up before a hike, and there is even a second pool just for the little ones. The secure parking, TVs, air-conditioning, and prime location make this a great budget option. Unobstructed views of the volcano can be had from the second-floor patio.

If quiet and cool is what you are seeking, these comfortable, tastefully decorated rooms above the popular restaurant of the same name are air-conditioned and soundproofed—and they are a bargain. Since 1989, Sano Banano has been the go-to community spot in Montezuma, ever since they offered movie night long before Internet came to town. Modern bathrooms, gorgeous jungle murals on the walls, colorful bedspreads on firm beds, and breakfast in the restaurant are included. The only drawback is that most of the rooms have no windows, and some of those that do don't open. The central location and affordable rates make this the perfect hotel for travelers that want to spend time exploring. For some views and fresh air, you can walk 10 minutes along the beach to sister hotel Ylang Ylang Beach Resort, and use the beach resort’s pool and lounge on their hammocks.

Within the Centro Neotrópico Sarapiquís, an environmental educational center and garden, you can stay the night inside indigenous-inspired circular palenque (huts) with thatched roofs. The eco-friendly buildings reflect the center's commitment to sustainability, and for a fee guests have access to a botanical garden, forest preserve, and other facilities and nature-themed activities. Rooms are well sized and decorated with pre-Columbian-style art and wrought-iron furniture. Air-conditioning is an option here for an extra cost.

Even if you’ve had your fill of flights to Costa Rica, this boutique hotel housed inside a refurbished airplane is one experience you’ll be bragging about for years. Modern and sleek, the stark-white main cabin has two queen beds with a bathroom that would make designer Philippe Starck proud. The retired Allegro aircraft features a private terrace with access to Ricar2 Restaurant and a large swimming pool. Perks like Wi-Fi, TV, and a/c will make you feel right at home. The bad news is that your “hotel” is parked beside the busy road near Dominical. The good news is that epic waves are just five minutes away.