Montezuma
This older atrium-style guesthouse is on the church square, tucked away from the action (and the noise) but close to the beach. The 15 rooms in this small…
Must-see hotels in Costa Rica
Mal País & Santa Teresa
Set on a stunning slice of rocky coastline is this humble family-run campground where a pebble beach rolls on to a rock reef that becomes tide pools…
The Road to Chirripó
About 1km west of the Interamericana, a cluster of 15 wooden cabins, warmed by electric heaters, overlook the forest-cloaked valley. Four kilometers of…
The Road to Chirripó
Just 70m below the trailhead, these no-nonsense digs are a longtime mecca for hikers heading to/from Chirripó. Budget-friendly rooms are fine for a…
Nosara Area
This charmer is pretty much as close as you can get to the beach in Nosara, and that's what you are paying for. The rooms aren't fancy and some have funky…
Quepos to Uvita
From the turnoff into town, a right turn will bring you to this property about 800m from the village. There's a handful of luxury suites, but the polished…
Liberia
On the outskirts of Liberia, this charming stay offers light-filled and comfortable rooms, firm beds, and enormous, traditional breakfasts. Furnishings…
Caribbean Coast
Top-of-the-line spot on 20 hectares of jungle, with swimming pool, Jacuzzi, English-speaking guides, and both river and ocean boats. Meals, beverages,…
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
A quaint collection of mustard-yellow structures around a little pool, with standard rooms featuring private balconies overlooking a lush tropical garden…
Southern Costa Rica & Península de Osa
This orange, hard-to-miss facility offers 19 dated rooms outfitted with tiled floors, wood furniture and thick towels. The bar, with its huge dome ceiling…
Northwestern Costa Rica
This onsite lodging at Adventure Park is a pleasant place with a tranquil mountain setting that’s perfect for getting a little fresh air. Comfortable…
Monteverde & Santa Elena
This humble, homey B&B in Santa Elena is a family-run place that makes all guests feel warm and welcome. Rooms are rustic but comfortable, with stained…
Sarapiquí Valley
This big hotel is smack dab in the middle of town (turn left out of the bus terminal), with a popular restaurant and an inviting pool. The rooms are…
Monteverde & Santa Elena
This colorful hovel comes with super-friendly management, a nice shared kitchen and excellent hammock swings. An actual sloth lives in the trees across…
Cabinas y Restaurante Heliconias
Northwestern Costa Rica
Set along the river, this leafy property has 12 freestanding cabins with high, beamed ceilings, rustic wood furnishings and ceiling fans. Located about…
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Right in town, amid a flourishing tropical garden, brightly painted concrete cabinas – some with air-con – come with vibrant walls, wooden furniture and…
Península de Nicoya
Located right in the center of Nicoya, this is a perfectly pleasant place to spend the night. With colorful paint jobs (a few could use some touching up)…
Northwestern Costa Rica
With lovely wall murals and a breezy restaurant at the top of the hill in town, this is a great place for a beer in the evenings. Fan-cooled rooms are…
Quepos to Uvita
While the location in the center of town is super-convenient, it's also noisy, and this hotel could use a considerable upgrade for these prices. Rooms…
Central Pacific Coast
An unremarkable but budget-friendly all-inclusive hotel in Punta Leona. All drinks and meals are included in your stay and there's a big family-friendly…
Caribbean Coast
Opposite the Catholic church at the southern end of town, friendly local Anna runs this clapboard house – bright yellow with green trim – with eight tidy…
Arenal & Northern Lowlands
Wrapping around a gravel parking lot, set just off the main plaza, these cute and comfortable cabinas are blessed with mosaic-tile patios decorated with…
Puerto Jiménez
On the edge of town, these budget digs are squeaky clean and relatively quiet. Rooms share clean bathrooms and a brightly tiled kitchen (available for a…
Puerto Jiménez
While this family-run backpackers provides little more than a bed in a fan-cooled or air conditioned room for the night, the Corner is kept admirably…
Monteverde & Santa Elena
Smack dab in the middle of Santa Elena, this family-run hotel has friendly service, huge wooden rooms and a generous breakfast. The floors are squeaky and…
The Road to Chirripó
This cluster of simple riverside cabinas has a homespun feel. Frills are few, but the cabins are clean, comfortable and stocked with piles of blankets…
Northwestern Costa Rica
Set on a working finca (farm), this is a pleasant, family-run place. Leopauldina keeps 16 spotless and simple rooms with beamed ceilings and a wide common…
Arenal & Northern Lowlands
Coming into town from the southeast, you’ll cross a river and come across this attractive two-story stucco building facing a pleasant courtyard and a…
Península de Nicoya
This attractive whitewashed hotel has a handful of attractive rooms facing a sweet courtyard. Presiding over it all is a magnificent guanacaste, Costa…
The Road to Chirripó
This sharp motor court is decked with blooming hedges and climbing vines outside – indeed a welcome sight to the road-weary traveler. Inside, functional…
Montezuma
About 3km north of Montezuma on the road to Cóbano, this 16-hectare ranch is adjacent to the Reserva Absoluta Nicolás Wessberg. The lodge has 12 simple…
Northwestern Costa Rica
This professionally run hotel has a collection of decent tiled rooms with wooden beds, air-con, television and hot water. It’s off the main drag, quiet…
Liberia
This place is clean, has super service and is close to the bus station. All rooms have shared bathrooms; some have air-con. There’s a communal outdoor…
Quepos to Uvita
Hacienda Barú Lodge consists of six fan-cooled, two-bedroom cabins located 350m from Barú beach. Accommodations have kitchenettes with coffee makers, but…
Quepos
The Hotel Kamuk is all Costa Rican – from the bones of its historic building to the colonial decorative elements. Some rooms are tiny and not all pass the…
Sarapiquí Valley
On the road to the pier, behind Banco Nacional, this place is quiet and cheap. The 22 rooms are simple but spotless, with shiny tiles, wooden furnishings…
Playa Sámara
On a rough dirt road near the language school, this fun, friendly hostel guarantees a good time, with a fresh, youthful vibe. It's got wooden rooms and…
Central Pacific Coast
Blink and you may miss the tidy B&B Costanera – so look carefully for the yellow buildings, as it's a great deal in this neighborhood. Five rooms of…
Puerto Jiménez
Here are some shiny new cabinas on the edge of town. The rooms are spartan, with cinder block walls and tile floors, but sheets are crisp and clean and…
The Road to Chirripó
Let's put it bluntly: if you're traveling through town, weary and cash poor, this is the cheapest choice. The centrally located hotel is a two-minute…
