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Costa Rica’s diverse shoreline is punctuated with hotels and resorts for every kind of travel style. If you don’t need all the activities of a full-blown resort and its attendant amenities, consider a simple beach hotel that offers comfort—and location, location, location.
These seven top choices will not break the bank, and they’ll give you access to the best Costa Rica beach experience possible.
Casa Conde is both a value proposition and a base for adventure in nature. A boutique hotel set in 22 acres of tropical dry forest, the resort offers quiet relaxation and a host of adventure options on its pristine beach in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Choose from horseback riding, snorkeling, kayaking, sailing and other activities.
This small, adults-only luxury hotel is just two miles from the village of Uvita and five miles from Marino Ballena National Park, set in the jungle with views of the ocean. Designed as a “minimalist paradise” by young Costa Rican couple Martin Wells and Alejandra Umaña, the concept is eco-luxury meets contemporary Zen retreat. The food program is centered around organic, locally sourced produce.
In Ojochal, Costa Rica, on the country’s southwest coast, this boutique hotel is an affordable beach oasis. The adults-only property is built on a 58-acre rainforest reserve within a trail network at 1,000 feet and near a secluded beach. The hotel’s name, of course, refers to the panoramic views from every corner of the property. Villa-style accommodations have a contemporary design aesthetic, and all have indoor rain showers and Simmons Beautyrest Recharge mattresses.
Situated on the Nicoya Peninsula, in a beautiful tropical jungle overlooking the world-famous Playa Santa Teresa, Florablanca is a good base for surfing, hiking, horseback riding and zip-lining, as well as an unusually good spot for local dining. Accommodations are affordable private villas for any size family or party traveling together.
This high-quality all-inclusive hotel—with round-the-clock 24-hour service available—is set on Guanacaste’s Mata Palo Beach, a happening spot with windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling and kayaking. The hotel is also an ideal base for diving and fishing expedition, as well as a host of nearby eco-tours on land. The hotel also has a gym, table tennis, volleyball and a tennis court as well as an on-property spa.
Tucked in a lush hillside above Playa Biesanz in Manuel Antonio, Shana by the Beach is a laid-back, quiet, no-frills place that offers excellent service and amenities at affordable prices, as well as a fun pool that caters to both kids and adults. There is direct beach access by way of the hotel’s new private nature trail. Travel tip: This is a great beach for young kids because it’s protected from the winds that cause high surf—it’s often as calm as a lake.
One of the best truly budget beach hotels in all of Costa Rica, Villa Amarilla is set right on Playa Tamarindo in Guanacaste, and its rooms are bright, airy and modern, all decorated with local art. Breakfast is included in the room rate, and surfboard rentals are available on the beach—as is an oceanfront massage.
