Hotel Playa Espadilla
If you're looking for a prime location with a reasonable price tag, consider Hotel Playa Espadilla, just steps away from Espadilla Beach and a quick, two-minute walk to the national park entrance. The hotel is also within walking distance of several restaurants and cafés, many overlooking the beach.
The property does a good job of blending into the natural surroundings. It offers a pretty cool vibe with an outdoor pool, private cabanas covered in beach grass, and an open-air restaurant and bar with wooden tables under trees and twinkly lights. The ambience of the outdoor spaces is a true highlight, as you can sit at high-top wooden tables and eat your dinner in the leafy wilderness. The food at the hotel's Puerto Escondido Restaurant is tasty and international, using Costa Rican flavors to mix it up.
Rooms and suites are spacious but straightforward, with simple tile floors, wooden furniture, colorful art, cable TV, air-conditioning, minifridges, and coffee makers. All lodges have wooden accents, and those on the second floor include shared wraparound balconies.
Read kimkim's review of Hotel Playa Espadilla
Igloo Beach Lodge
For a unique option, consider Igloo Beach Lodge with its trendy hipster vibe and igloo-shaped huts. The eco-friendly domes are small and minimalist, but you'll find warm wooden accents and decor on the inside. Because they resemble a tiny home, everything is small: small bathrooms, little storage space, and a slightly cramped feeling. Still, each igloo offers one or two double beds, and all have private bathrooms, an outdoor sitting area, smart TVs, minifridges, air-conditioning, and digital home features.
Igloo Beach Lodge is just a short path away from public access to Playa Espadilla, where the hotel has its own area. The property is also within walking distance of the national park, other beaches, and several cafés and restaurants.
The on-site restaurant, Casa Planta, serves all different foods but steps up with its plant-based menu, so even vegans have a few options. Thanks to the restaurant's beachside service, you can eat at the hotel or on its private beach. Other amenities include a small outdoor pool with loungers and umbrellas, plus live music and other entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights.
Read kimkim's review of Igloo Beach Lodge
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Hotel Villas Lirio
Although you won't get ocean views, Hotel Villas Lirio is a good option for a standard hotel. Set in the rainforest, the entire grounds feel like a dense jungle, especially the two outdoor pool areas that provide a little green oasis. Besides the pools, other amenities include a game room with table tennis, billiards, foosball, and cards, plus a restaurant/bar with daily happy hour.
The property's 33 rooms are simple but offer all the necessities, like air-conditioning, cable TV, minifridges, desks, and shared patios facing the garden. The room has unique wooden accents, including wood-beamed ceilings, darkwood bed frames, and carved wooden mirrors. Enjoy colorful artwork from popular Costa Rican artists to tie it all together. Book a suite for more space and multiple rooms, including a living room, dining room, and kitchen.
Read kimkim's review of Hotel Villas Lirio
Karahe Beach Hotel
Karahe Beach Hotel is one of the few hotels in Manuel Antonio set directly on the beach. The property is a staple, opening in 1980 as one of the first accommodations in the area. You'll find a few room categories here, but keep in mind that Manuel Antonio's central (and busy) road splits the property, so part of the grounds is in the hills and the other on the beach. We recommended skipping standard rooms and upgrading to a hillside villa (if you're OK with crossing the road to the beach) or a superior beachfront room. These have a much better feel with wood and stone decor, plus exceptional ocean views or easy beach access.
The hotel offers a slightly different vibe depending on your room. If you opt for a hillside villa, you'll enjoy a bit of jungle privacy and incredible ocean views. If you'd rather stay beachfront, you can wake up to the sound of the waves and relax on patios or balconies with hammocks or in the property's gardens.
The open-air restaurant, Canto del Mar, and the outdoor pool are both right on the beach. With thatched roofing, they create a relaxed vibe and a great drink spot while watching the sunset. Here, you'll enjoy your daily breakfast or opt for other meals featuring Costa Rican and Peruvian food.
Read kimkim's review of Karahe Beach Hotel
El Faro Beach Hotel
El Faro Beach Hotel is a unique option, as old shipping containers make up the property. Although you'll find basic service here, the property gets the job done for budget-friendly travelers. Rooms are small, narrow, and simple, with stark black and white decor. It doesn't quite match the warm and welcoming vibe of Costa Rica, but all rooms do have excellent ocean views, plus free WiFi, air-conditioning, minifridges, and balconies. Bathrooms are also small, but some come with a nice soaking tub.
Although still within walking distance of the beach, El Faro is up a steep hillside nestled against the national park boundary. Getting down is simple, but trekking back up to the hotel might be tricky for some. As a trade-off, you'll just be a few minutes from the start of the Park Trail, one of the more popular hiking routes in the area.
To add to the views is the open-air restaurant that overlooks the jungle and ocean—a prime spot for sunset happy hour. The restaurant serves international foods with Spanish influences and is where you'll eat your basic and simple complimentary breakfast. Other amenities include two outdoor swimming pools (one infinity pool), a pool bar, and an all-day coffee bar.
Read kimkim's review of El Faro Beach Hotel
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