Where to stay in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, where you stay shapes your trip more than in most countries. Roads are slow, so a hotel 30 minutes up a dirt track feels very different from one in town. The best approach is to pick a base in each region, stay at least 2 nights, and choose a hotel that fits how you want to spend your days.

Below, we go region by region, then point to hotels and lodges we've checked on their official websites. We don't publish prices, and nobody pays to be listed. Read how we choose.

The kinds of places you'll find

• Eco lodges: often in or next to private forest reserves, with guided walks included or offered. Many hold Costa Rica's Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST). Some are remote, so check the access road.
• Beach hotels and resorts: from small surf-town hotels to large all-inclusive resorts in Guanacaste and the southern Nicoya Peninsula.
• Boutique hotels: small, design-led places, often on hillsides with ocean views rather than on the sand.
• Yoga and wellness retreats: many take nightly guests as well as retreat groups.
• Bed and breakfasts and vacation homes: good for families and longer stays.

Region by region

Arenal and La Fortuna

Stay in or near La Fortuna for the easiest access to restaurants, tours and hot springs. For quieter nights and views over the lake, look at El Castillo, a small village by Lake Arenal, home to the Butterfly Conservatory. See our Arenal and La Fortuna guide.

Monteverde

Santa Elena is the main town, with most restaurants and tour pickups. Hotel Montaña Monteverde is a practical in-town base with its own patch of forest. If you want to wake up in the forest, Cloud Forest Lodge sits on a 23-hectare private reserve between the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves, about 2 km from town. It's part of the Böëna group of lodges. See our Monteverde guide.

Sarapiquí

A good overnight stop between the Caribbean side and Arenal. La Quinta Sarapiquí Lodge has run since 1993 on a 20-acre property with gardens and riverside forest, and holds the top 5-leaf CST level. The lodge says it's about 2 hours from San José.

Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific

Most hotels line the hilly road between Quepos and the national park. Stay near the park end if you want to walk to the entrance. Parador Nature Resort is a full-service resort on 12 acres of rainforest on the Punta Quepos headland, with 5 pools and CST Elite certification; it's not on the beach, but its sister property on Playa Espadilla is linked by shuttle. The Falls by Lalibela is a smaller hotel with an infinity pool and gardens, about a 10-minute walk from shops and restaurants.

On the way from San José, Rancho Capulín is a bed and breakfast near Tárcoles, about an hour from the airport and about 10 minutes from Carara National Park, which makes it a good first or last night for birders. Closer to Jacó, Clarita's Beach Bar and Resort is a beachfront hotel in town, Surf Inn Hermosa sits right on the surf break at Playa Hermosa, and Hotel Playa Bejuco is a quiet family stop on a long beach between Jacó and Quepos. In Manuel Antonio itself, Hotel Divisamar is a simple option on the main road with a bus stop outside. See our Manuel Antonio guide.

Guanacaste

Tamarindo is the busiest base, with surf schools and restaurants. Playas del Coco, Flamingo and Conchal are alternatives. For a quieter, wellness-focused stay just outside Tamarindo, El Sabanero has air-conditioned bungalows, an infinity pool and yoga. See our Guanacaste guide.

Nicoya Peninsula

Santa Teresa and Mal País suit surfers; Montezuma is smaller and quieter. Horizon Yoga Hotel has wooden cabins and villas on a hillside above Santa Teresa, with a yoga deck, a pool and a vegetarian restaurant. Families wanting everything in one place should look at Barceló Tambor, a beachfront all-inclusive resort with 402 rooms, pools and a kids' club near Tambor's domestic airport. See our Nicoya Peninsula guide.

Osa and the South Pacific

On the Costa Ballena, Dominical, Uvita and Ojochal each have a different feel. El Castillo in Ojochal is a 9-room boutique hotel with a cliffside infinity pool. Danyasa in Dominical has 12 adults-only rooms in upcycled shipping containers, a bamboo yoga studio and the beach about 2 minutes away.

On the Osa Peninsula itself, choose your side. Near Drake Bay, Copa de Arbol is a boat-access beach resort with 3 meals a day included and tours from its own beach. Near Cabo Matapalo, Lapa Rios sits on a private 1,000-acre rainforest reserve close to Corcovado. Near Puerto Jiménez, Blue Osa has 13 rooms, a yoga studio and a private beach about 50 m away. See our Osa Peninsula guide.

The Caribbean coast

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is lively; Cocles, just south, is quieter; Cahuita is smaller still. Geckoes Lodge in Cocles has 4 self-catering houses, each with a private garden and plunge pool. Samasati is a hilltop yoga retreat near Puerto Viejo with Caribbean views, reached by 4x4 shuttle. Farther north, Selva Bananito has 11 cabins on a primary-forest reserve bordering La Amistad International Park, and holds CST certification. People who want to learn permaculture can stay at Finca Tierra, a farm near Cocles whose cabins are now for course and retreat guests. See our Caribbean coast guide.

San José and the Central Valley

Most trips start or end near the capital. In the hills of Escazú, Posada El Quijote is a small bed and breakfast with views over the valley, handy for a first or last night. East of San José, Hotel Casa de Lis is a friendly small hotel in Turrialba, a base for rafting and coffee farms; Costa Rica Journeys has a good overview of Turrialba town. Costa Rica Journeys also has older write-ups of Out of Bounds Hotel in Escazú and of hotels around the Central Valley; check any of these are still taking guests before you book.

Booking tips

• Book early for December to April, especially the end-of-year holidays and Easter week.
• Check the last few kilometres. Ask whether the road is paved and whether you need a 4x4, especially in the rainy season.
• Ask about transfers. Remote lodges often include boat or 4x4 transfers, which saves renting a car.
• Look for CST. Costa Rica's Certification for Sustainable Tourism is a useful sign that a hotel takes its environmental and community impact seriously.
• Stay near the airport on your first night, in Alajuela for SJO. See our airport guide.