Costa Rica is also experienced through the places where you sleep: waking up facing the forest, a terrace turned toward the volcano, a garden where hummingbirds come and go, a beach where the light fades slowly. Since 2014, our team has traveled the country to choose lodges with soul, sincere hospitality and a real relationship with their surroundings. Here are 17 places we often recommend, spread across the country, from eco-lodges to boutique hotels.
An eco-lodge is a place to stay that blends into nature, limits its impact (energy, water, waste), often protects a piece of forest and works with local people. Costa Rica has an official certification, the CST (Certificado para la Sostenibilidad Turística), which assesses these practices. Beyond labels, we look at the welcome, the food, the setting and how well each place fits your itinerary.
Set in a tropical garden, a few minutes from Cahuita. In the morning, you walk through the national park between forest and sea; in the afternoon, you enjoy the beach, then the calm of the lodge, to the sound of birdsong.
Why we love it: an intimate atmosphere, nature all around, the Caribbean pace of life.
A stop in rural Costa Rica: plantations, trails and farm life reveal a quieter side of the country. You discover tropical crops and the wildlife of the area.
Why we love it: the immersion in the countryside and the warmth of its hosts.
In the north of the country, far from the main tourist routes, this lodge sits on a river surrounded by forest. At sunrise, toucans, macaws and lowland birds follow one another.
Why we love it: the silence, the remoteness and the birds, including the great green macaw.
Tropical gardens and a view of the volcano when the clouds lift. A peaceful base after a day of waterfalls, hot springs and hanging bridges.
Why we love it: the volcano view and the location, close to the area’s sights.
In a region of marshes, lagoons and rivers that few visitors explore. Boat trips let you watch waterbirds, caimans, iguanas and monkeys.
Why we love it: Costa Rica off the beaten path, and the wildlife watching.
Surrounded by greenery, near Tenorio Volcano National Park. After the hike to the Río Celeste and its turquoise waterfall, you come back to the calm of the forest.
Why we love it: the surrounding nature and peaceful evenings.
Guanacaste at its most rural: plains, horses, dry heat, a volcano and waterfalls. A simple, well-kept place with a warm welcome.
Why we love it: the soul of Guanacaste and its wide-open spaces.
Near a bay with golden sand and fairly calm water, popular with families. A serene setting for a few beach days between two nature stops.
Why we love it: the beach, the family atmosphere, the relaxation.
Facing the Gulf of Nicoya and its islands, a peaceful place to enjoy the changing light and the sunsets.
Why we love it: the view over the gulf and the calm.
As close as it gets to the forest-lined beaches, the monkeys and the sloths. A convenient base for both the sea and the national park, which is closed on Tuesdays.
Why we love it: the location, for every kind of traveler.
On the edge of a still-wild region, between the Pacific and Corcovado. A base for forest outings and trips to Caño Island.
Why we love it: the end-of-the-world feeling and the nature all around.
In the cool highlands of the Dota valley, in the middle of the mountain forest, where people come to see the resplendent quetzal, especially from February to May.
Why we love it: the cool air, the birds, the mountain atmosphere.
In a southern region few travelers know, a more local and quieter stop.
Why we love it: discovering a Costa Rica that is still off the radar.
In the cloud forest, among mist, moss and hanging bridges, a warm guesthouse.
Why we love it: the personal welcome and the location for visiting the reserves.
Between the canals and the Caribbean beach, in a tropical garden. You arrive by boat, and canal tours leave from the lodge.
Why we love it: the immersion in the world of Tortuguero.
In the highlands near Poás Volcano, between pastures and forest, where the cooler air and the morning mist are a change from the tropical regions.
Why we love it: the serenity, close to the airport and San José.
A comfortable, practical place in the city for the first or last night of your trip.
Why we love it: the location and comfort, for an easy arrival or departure.
Each place is suggested according to:
As a guide, plan on USD 100 to 125 per night in a lodge and USD 100 to 250 in a boutique hotel. We also know simpler places, and more upscale ones.
Yes: most offer well-kept rooms, a private bathroom and good food. Some, in the forest, have no air conditioning but are naturally ventilated.
That is what we do most often, depending on the regions and your wishes.
Yes, they are part of our tailor-made trips and our self-drive tours. Let’s talk about your trip.
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