Puntarenas Hotels and Accommodation

(Puntarenas, Costa Rica)

Not so long ago, Puntarenas, on Costa Rica's Pacific coastline, was a popular destination for domestic tourism, but these days Costa Ricans have moved on to pastures new, such as Guanacaste.

For travellers from outside the country, the city has a good choice of budget lodging. However, for luxury accommodation, perhaps the best option is to rent a self-catering villa set outside Puntarenas, within the rainforest or on a gated resort community with all facilities. These are not cheap, but provide a good alternative to mainstream hotels and feature both security and good service.

Where to Stay

A few larger hotels are found in Puntarenas city, along with plenty of mid-range options at very reasonable rates. The in-town budget offerings include inns, hostel accommodation and guest houses, with B&Bs, lodges, cabins and suchlike easily available in the surrounding countryside. Reliable choices include the Grand Hotel Imperial on the Paseo de los Turistas, and the Costa Rica Yacht Club, located around 3 km / 2 miles to the east of downtown Puntarenas, within the suburb of Cocal.

More expensive, but set amid glorious scenery, are the eco-lodges, specialising in providing an all-round experience of the incredible diversity of the region. These make a good base camp for explorations into the pristine rainforests, the mountains and the nearby seaside towns with their surfing beaches.

Due to its usefulness as a transit point, there are many one- or two-day budget accommodation choices here, as well as longer-stay options at budget level. Puntarenas is easy to navigate, with its 60 streets running from north to south and only five from east to west, making finding short-term hotels and similar lodging straightforward. Upscale accommodation in Puntarenas city is best represented by the all-inclusive DoubleTree Puntarenas, a Hilton group hotel offering organised activities, themed dinners, nightly live shows and a casino.

Another option aimed at adventure tourists is the Hotel Vista Golfo, which organises treetop canopy tours to remote waterfalls and forest locations, together with horseback riding and other energetic activities. The small but welcoming Alamar Hotel offers a family environment, while the Cabinas Madeliene Puntarenas has self-catering cabins and apartments for rent close to the beach. The Cabinas San Isidro may only have ten rooms, but facilities include a pool, restaurant and bar.