12 Best Hotels in Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific Coast, Costa Rica

Framing a blue-tiled pool are freestanding cottages with thoughtful and creative touches like luxurious bedding atop artsy bed frames (made from repurposed pallets), colorful throws, polished cement floors, and lofts with twin beds. The oceanfront suite opens onto a private terrace with unobstructed views of the beach. There’s a two-bedroom, two-bath villa with a full kitchen that sleeps five, and an economical room with no view but plenty of character. There are surf lessons and beach toys for kids, and massages and margaritas for mom and dad. Yoga sessions take place at 9 am daily ($15). Horseback riding and other tours can be arranged on-site. Costa Rican specialties are cooked on an open flame and served in a palapa restaurant. Void of TVs and phones, this is the place to unplug, although there is a high-speed Wi-Fi connection.

A peaceful retreat just five minutes outside bustling Jacó, this all-suites hotel is surrounded by lush rainforest and has tastefully decorated rooms with fully equipped kitchens and patios overlooking the pool, mountains, and gardens. Named after Costa Rica’s famous poisonous "blue jeans" frog, the solar-powered property has five rooms on a private second floor, and five rooms on the ground floor that open onto a two-tier swimming pool. Spacious rooms sleep five with two queen-size beds and one twin. An additional six suites are separate from the main building and cater to couples with private Jacuzzis. Although there’s no restaurant, the hotel serves a full Costa Rican breakfast and has an arrangement with local eateries for food delivery. Management can organize a variety of tours and activities, and to soothe your tired muscles, there’s an on-site spa offering massages, wraps, facials, and aromatherapy. Bikes, games, books, and a small store are a bonus for guests. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

On a hillside about 3 km (2 miles) from the beach, these terraced, privately owned Mediterranean-style villas have impressive views and offer one and two bedrooms, kitchens, and (in most) large balconies with hammocks. Villas on the upper levels have ocean views, and those on the lower level overlook the jungle, where you may spot monkeys, iguanas, and an array of birds. Avoid Units 1 and 2, which face a walll, and request No. 6 or 8 for the best views. Narrow walkways wind through this tranquil property's lush grounds to the villas and blue-tile pool. A restaurant by the pool offers breakfast.