39 Best Hotels in Costa Rica

This bed-and-breakfast, the best of the in-town lodgings, is a real find, with complimentary use of kayaks, rain boots, kitchen facilities, Wi-Fi, and a full breakfast in a canal-side dining area. Simple but immaculate rooms have tile floors and varnished-wood finishing with vaulted ceilings and skylights in the bathrooms. Request room #14 or #15, both renovated in 2021. Ample breakfasts are served on the covered back patio facing the lodging's own private canal dock. The terrace is also a relaxing place for a coffee break on a rainy afternoon.

Swiss expats Guido and Agi spent their first years in Costa Rica living off the land without running water or electricity, but today their little paradise is a full-fledged farm with cows, horses, chickens, and rustic cabins for overnight guests. Handcrafted by the owners, cozy cabins are extremely tidy, with high beamed ceilings and patios overlooking the Sapoa River, where you can spend a lazy day in a hammock. Screened windows keep the bugs away, and ceramic-tile floors keep temperatures cool. Each room has a safe, a mini-refrigerator, and air-conditioning. Wildlife is abundant here so expect to see monkeys, birds, sloths, bats, and the occasional crocodile. Agi is an exceptional cook, whipping up Swiss-tico fusion favorites with homemade breads and organic produce from the farm. They have their own moringa plantation, a medicinal plant known to prevent some 300 diseases. There is a small library providing a book exchange and board games, making those rainy days a bit more inviting. Sunny days are perfect for rowing down the river, hiking the well-marked network of trails, or horseback riding on the 160-acre property. The owners can also arrange private tours across the border to Nicaragua.

This property embodies the vacation resort vibe, whether it’s lounging poolside or posting up at the wet bar, and the stylish, well-maintained rooms run the gamut from standard wooden cabinas to superior bungalows, all offering air conditioning and private furnished outdoor spaces that overlook tropical gardens where monkeys howl from the treetops and agoutis scurry among the vegetation. Cariblue's finely crafted all-wooden bungalows are spaciously arrayed on the edge of the jungle, across the road from the splendid white-sand beaches of Punta Cocles. Cabinas are linked to the main ranch-style building by paths that meander across a gently sloping lawn shaded by enormous trees. Expansive verandas and beautiful tile mosaics in the bathrooms add an air of refinement; hammocks add relaxation. The recently renovated on-site La Jungla Restaurant serves a buffet-style breakfast and Mediterranean-Caribbean fusion cuisine for lunch and dinner, and on the weekends, hosts live calypso or reggae performances.

Spread across a breezy hill with expansive views above the treetops of the surrounding forest and the sea, the Guacamaya is a real find, with affordable, spacious cabinas surrounding a generous-sized pool, lawn, and tropical plants. The large restaurant shaded by a conical thatched roof serves excellent continental cuisine, including such Swiss specialties as rösti (hash browns with bacon and cheese) and Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (beef medallions and mushrooms in a creamy sauce), various pastas, fresh seafood dishes, and a good salad selection. Meals come with deliciously dense homemade bread. The spacious bungalows with plenty of windows and small terraces are a real deal and the most charming of rooms. Screened windows let in the cooling evening breezes, so you probably won't need the quiet air-conditioners in each room. Well-equipped studios in a two-story building have kitchenettes, big bathrooms, and covered porches; those on the second floor are more spacious and have better views. The modern villa, with a full kitchen and a large covered veranda, is perfect for rental by families. There's also a kids' pool and a playground, as well as tennis and volleyball courts. The place fills up fast with Swiss tour groups, so book early.

This gracious, Québécois-owned lodging set in lush, hibiscus-strewn gardens steps away from Playa Negra has become a Cahuita favorite. The bright, tile-floored standard rooms sparkle and contain refrigerators, coffeemakers, and huge bathrooms, but for not much more money, try to snag one of the three cottages, designated yellow, green, and blue, with lattice-fenced porches. Two of the cottages have two bedrooms and can sleep up to four people; all three have fully equipped kitchens. Monkeys and iguanas scamper around the grounds. Barbecues around the pool round out the social offerings.

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 along a forested mountainside, these wooden cabins feel like tree houses; you'll hear howler monkeys and an array of birdsong from your bed. Steep steps lead to the rustic aeries built on stilts, with screens for walls on three sides, comfortable beds, and balconies hung with hammocks. Once you drag your luggage up the hill, you will be rewarded with great views from the upper cabins. Blankets buffer you against the sometimes cool, breezy nights. Blue Jay's three lower cabins are larger, but lack the arboreal charm of the rest. Four new, larger cabins come equipped with kitchens and air-conditioning. Breakfast is in the open-air restaurant, next to an attractive blue-tile pool. Head to the nearby beach and surf break or climb the mountain trail behind the cabins to look for birds.

Aché has wooden bungalows—three octagonal structures in this case—nestled amid wooded grounds that make the close-by town center seem far away. The buildings come with a rocking chair and porch hammock, and the largest bungalow sleeps four. The Swiss owner accepts euros, dollars, and colones.

Overlooking the harbor, these air-conditioned rooms set in a lush garden are the most comfortable in town, and have the best water views. Rooms vary in size and price, but they all have colorful murals of wildlife and foliage, along with bright, tiled bathrooms, making this affordable place a cut above the rest. Coffeemakers and small refrigerators are another nice touch. A two-story house on the property can accommodate up to six. For a waterfront room, request 1, 2, 10, 15, 17, 18, or 21. Bicycles and kayaks are available to guests, and there's Wi-Fi throughout the property. You can enjoy the sound of the surf from your private terrace or the hammock hut. Cool off by jumping right into the gulf at high tide or take a dip in the plunge pool.

This secluded cluster of self-catering cabins right on the beach, under palm trees swaying in the breeze, is designed for parties of two to four people who want to kick back and enjoy the beach. Artist Susan England is a Zancudo fixture, and she can organize any activity, including river safaris, kayaking tours, and visits to nature preserves. Two idyllic, castaway-island cabins have thatched roofs and hammocks and lots of clever decorating details. The other two are 40-year-old renovated banana-company wood houses moved here from Palmar Norte and painted pastel pink and yellow. It's a rare chance to experience a little bit of Costa Rican history. Many guests return the same time every year, drawn to the fully-equipped kitchens where they can cook with ingredients from the nearby market or veggie truck that passes every few days. There's a discount if you rent for a full week or visit during slow season.

The full range of city services is at your doorstep here, but you're blissfully apart from them at this tranquil bed-and-breakfast at the quiet end of a short road. The name of the property means the "Aunts' House," which is appropriate for this yellow house with a front porch and picket fence. A few old photos of the ladies themselves complete the effect. The pastel-color rooms and furnishings feel slightly aged, but they make up for it in charm, and the large backyard and gardens give the illusion of being far from a major commercial street.

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.

When they need to make a city run, many beach-living expats head straight for this quiet B&B on the outskirts of Escazú, and it's a good example to follow. Rooms make nice use of local hardwoods and traditional South American art, and the main building serves as a gathering place with a large sitting area, comfortable chairs, and a fireplace. The inn is surrounded by gardens, and at night you can see the lights of San José twinkling to the east, though just three of the rooms take advantage of the view. The inn is at the end of a narrow driveway with an unassuming gate, but a sign lets you know you've found the right place.

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.

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.

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.

Facing the beach, this small, pleasant, well-tended hotel is one of Sámara's best values. The bright, tidy rooms have dark-wood furniture, white walls, and ceramic floors. Eleven of the rooms have air-conditioning and private bath; six lack air-conditioning and share baths, but they also share a common balcony with an ocean view, and sea breezes help to cool them. The premium room is No. 19, with a private balcony overlooking the beach, air-conditioning, and a small fridge. The hotel has a giant cold-water whirlpool shaded by a vine-enlaced tree in a small garden. There's a small, pleasant bar and breakfast area, and a huge mural featuring a quetzal. Limited private parking is available and the beach is just across the road.

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. 

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.

The front of this century-old former coffee-plantation house is along a busy street, but close the front door behind you and you'll find an oasis of quiet in the center of the city. On the fringe of Barrio Amón, the hotel has spacious rooms with wood or tile floors and lots of deep, varnished-wood furnishings. Some of the tiled bathrooms have skylights. A bright breakfast room adjoins an interior patio, and if you keep traveling back into the interior of the building, you'll find a small outdoor pool, a rarity in a hotel of this size in the capital. The especially friendly, helpful staff makes this a real find. You'll get a small discount if you pay in cash.

The owners of this multibuilding lodging are committed to maintaining a family atmosphere, and you'll be guaranteed peace and quiet during your stay here. The place literally sprawls: one of the three annexes is almost two blocks away from the main building. (And if you drive by too quickly, you might miss the main building.) Inside are bright and tropical but basic rooms with lots of tile and wood; coffee and tea are brewing all the time in the reception area, and you can use the shared kitchen. You'll be asked to sign a two-page agreement when you register, attesting that you'll keep the noise down and won't bring unregistered guests to your room.

The hardwood rooms and bungalows at this serene lodge may not have air conditioning, but the vaulted, screened ceilings and fans keep the rooms cool in the evenings, the open windows letting in fresh air and the nocturnal sounds of the jungle. Colorful decor brightens the bedrooms, which are clustered together around the house where guests have access to a shared kitchen and dining area where the optional breakfast is served. Fresh fruit is hung around the terrace, attracting a medley of birds for up-close observation. Manicured gardens surround the rooms and bungalows, and the property has access to a trail leading directly onto Playa Grande. Two bungalows tucked away in the gardens offer more privacy, and the least expensive of them is not that much more than the price of the rooms, although the rate does not include breakfast. Perfect for a long-term stay, the bungalows have tiled floors, a dining area, and a fully equipped kitchen; the largest contains two bedrooms and sleeps four. The grounds have a strong, reliable fiberoptic internet connection for remote workers, and the hotel staff are a great resource for finding and booking tours with knowledgeable operators that offer fair rates.

Part of a national wildlife refuge, this is the most comfortable and affordable base for bird-watching, crocodile spotting, and nature appreciation on this side of the Río Tempisque. The 1,000-acre property is also a cattle ranch and salt producer, with nearby salt flats and a freshwater lagoon that attract wading birds (and crocodiles that snack on them). You can tour the ranch on horseback ($35) or take a boat tour through the Abangares mangroves ($35, minimum six people) or alongside Palo Verde National Park, with a birding guide ($50, minimum six people). The wood cabins are modest but comfortable, with verandas and big screened windows that let the light and breeze in. Because most of them are duplexes, they don't afford a lot of privacy, so ask for a freestanding one. The rancho restaurant serves buffet-style Italian and Costa Rican meals, including beef raised on the ranch.

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.

This hidden ecolodge with a kidney-shaped pool is made up of five bungalows themed after Africa, Persia, and Mexico. White-pebble pathways wind among the trees to the units that have concrete floors, stone-wall showers, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, a coffeemaker, and a mini-refrigerator—though the good prices and tasty food at the palapa restaurant hardly make it worth stocking up on snacks. European cuisine is on the menu except on Tuesday, which is sushi night. Included in the rate is an impressive breakfast of fresh fruit, homemade yogurt, local honey, and your choice of tasty dishes like banana pancakes or eggs with rice and beans. Thick jungle terrain blocks the ocean view, but you can still hear the sound of the waves from the Persian rooms. Larger groups can opt for the apartment that sleeps up to six guests. The friendly owners speak German, Dutch, English, and Spanish.

Run by a young German couple who have built a warm rapport with the community, the little lodge blends in with Orosi's pretty, old-town architecture: whitewashed walls are trimmed in blue, ceilings are high, and natural wood is used throughout. Some furnishings, such as the clay lamps in the rooms, were made by local artisans. Common areas are colorful, with paintings and sculpture by local artists. Double beds have two twin-size comforters and bamboo headboards. Second-floor rooms have views of the Orosi Valley and Irazú Volcano. A bright, spacious chalet can sleep up to five. The hip coffee shop serves home-baked cookies and cakes and brews a great cup of coffee, and Latin music usually plays from a 1960s jukebox in the lobby. The hotel is right next door to the town's main thermal swimming pool.

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.