Welcome to the Costa Rican Trails recommended hotels and resorts section!

We proudly feature only accommodations that we have stayed in and that we believe to be the best in their area. Also, in selecting a hotel, resort or lodge, we always look for value, character, and good friendly, "pura vida" service! Please feel free to leave your impressions concerning your lodging on our comments page.

In this hotels section, we strive to offer you a varied selection of quaint city hotels, bed and breakfasts, luxurious golf resorts, mountain retreats, boutique getaway hotels, all inclusive beach hotel / resorts, and jungle lodges that we consider in some way unique and out of the ordinary.

For your convenience, please find our selected accommodations divided into the 5 major regions commonly used to classify hotel locations. Additionally, the hotels in each region are further divided into town areas, or zones, that we consider easier for the traveler and vacationer to recognize and navigate.

If you have never been to Costa Rica before, you might want to identify the section of the country that best suits your interests by reading a brief description of the hotel regions below.

Central Valley
Most people that vacation in Costa Rica enter at the San Jose International Airport in the Central Valley. There you will find luxurious hotels and golf resorts, boutique bed and breakfasts, and getaway mountain spas retreats. The weather here is like an eternal spring.

Central valley areas: Alajuela / Poas, Irazu Volcano / Turrialba, SanGerardo de Dota, San José
 

North Pacífic
This region consists primarily of the Guanacaste and Papagayo beach area on the Nicoya Peninsula, and beach hotels down through Mal Pais Beach and Tambor Bay. If you're looking for a beach hotel, or an all inclusive four or five star luxurious beach resort with sunny weather most of the year, you'll find it here. Good surfing beaches and affordable cabinas and bungalows make this a popular vacation destination for surfers!

North Pacific Areas: Flamingo / Conchal Beach, Liberia Airport, Mal Pais / Santa Teresa, Montezuma, Nosara / Samara, Punta Islita, Rincon de la Vieja, Tamarindo, Tambor
 

Central Pacific
You may have heard about Manuel Antonio National Park and Beach, and you will find them here! Accommodations in Manuel Antonio include Pacific Ocean view villas and hotels. Jaco Beach is well known to surfers and has beachfront hotels and cabinas.

Central Pacific Areas: Esterillos, Jaco Beach, Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas.

South Pacífic
Playa Dominical Beach is another surfer's paradise, with moderatly priced hotels and beach cabinas. There are 4 star accommodations now in this area, so the traveler looking for luxury lodging by the Pacific Ocean can find it. The Osa Peninsula is the last undeveloped, jungle area in Costa Rica, and you'll find everything from beach cabinas to luxurious and ecological nature lodges.

South Pacific Areas: Dominical, Osa Peninsula, Golfo Dulce / Corcovado

Caribbean
If you're looking for jungle nature lodges and miles of unspoiled beaches, turtle nesting and birdwatching, then your eco-traveler questions are answered here. You will find that most of the jungle accommodations in the Tortuguero Caribbean Region have meals included in their price because they are so remote. Puerto Viejo is home to "Salsa Brava," a powerful surf break that attracts surfers from around world. You can stay in beach cabinas or jungle lodges for moderate prices in Cahuita, where there is a National Park.

Caribbean Areas:  Bananito, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Tortuguero

Northern Region
If you're looking for the active Arenal Volcano, this is where you will want to go! Also, add into the mix the Monteverde Cloud Forest, where you can stay in mountain chalets and lodges. If you like white water rafting, then Sarapiqui is waiting for the adventurous eco-traveler!

Nothern Region Areas: Arenal Volcano, Boca Tapada, Monteverde / Cloud Forest, San Ramon, Sarapiqui, Tenorio Volcano / Rio Celeste.