hotels ect. in Costa Rica

Where to stay while traveling in Costa Rica

The main point of this page is not to tell you about specific places to stay, but to give you an idea of what is available, how much money you will need to spend to be happy where you are staying, and some sense of when and where you will need to make advance reservations.

Tico homes: Ticos are some of the friendliest people in the world, and spending some time in a home is a way to get an immersion experience in their culture. Perhaps the perfect way to begin traveling in Costa Rica would be to take a one or two week Spanish language course with a homestay. The Language schools arrange for you to stay with and share meals with a family near the classroom. If you had the time, you could learn some Spanish (or brush up on those highschool classes), make friends, and as we mentioned on the Costa Rican cuisine page, eat the best Costa Rica has to offer. Classes are available at all levels and for almost any length of time. Most are quite inexpensive.

Camping: Camping is tough in the rainforest. We have done some, and enjoyed the sights, sounds, smells and experiences that you are only likely to have if you spend the night quietly in the middle of nowhere. We have also always been quite happy to pack the tent away and head for a nice dry bed. There are a few places where it is worth considering camping, but if you plan to stay in a tent for the duration of your travels in Costa Rica you are adventurous enough not to need any advice from this site.

Cabinas: Cabinas are to hotels what sodas are to restaurants. This is where typical Tico families and business people stay. With the exception of a few rundown urban hotels, Cabinas are the least expensive places to stay. They are typically family run businesses with around half a dozen detached or semidetached 'cabins.' Most are simple but clean and safe, and a few are jewels. Prices range widely (from about $US 5 to 35 double in 1999) and a higher price does not necessarily mean a nicer place. Check it out before you check in. A lot of our favorite places are under $US 20 double. You can almost never make (nor need) reservations.

Hotels: There are relatively few North American style hotels in Costa Rica, mostly located in urban centers. Recently, several US chains have popped up and if you want a Comfort Inn, Best Western or Holiday Inn you might find one in your neighborhood. The prices and quality of the chain hotels are the same as they are anywhere else.

Bed and Breakfast: If you would like a smaller more personal place to stay in Costa Rica, you might consider a Bed and Breakfast. As might be expected the personality of each is unique which makes generalizations difficult, but the established bed and breakfast guide has more information. The prices range from about US$40 to US$150 double during high season. You can expect considerable discounts during the green season

Lodges and Ecocamps: Accommodations range from wall tents to opulence in the lodges and ecocamps that cater specifically to foreign tourists who want to get close to the rainforests, cloudforests and volcanos of Costa Rica. If you don't want to camp then by all means you should spend as much time as you can in lodges and ecocamps. They often have private tracts of forest and well maintained trails, qualified guides, excellent libraries of resource books, viewing platforms and feeding stations to draw birds and animals in, and excellent food and lodging. The only problem is the price which usually ranges up from $US 80 single or double in the high season. In the green season you may find discounts of 50% or more. You will need a reservation in the high season! Most can be booked by US, Canadian or European travel agents.

Resorts: The resort is a relatively new phenomenon in Costa Rica, so most of the resorts are cookie cutter copies of resorts you find anywhere else in the world that have been built in the last decade. They offer golf, sailing, windsurfing parasailing, tennis, jetskiis, discotheques, bars and restaurants. Most have a travel desk where you can arrange day excursions for hiking, biking, rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping, deep sea fishing or to visit the local Indian village. Prices are typical for tropical resorts (US$150 to 350 double occupancy per night), and reservations (recommended in the high season) can be made through North American or European travel agents.