How to Pick the Best Airbnb in Costa Rica

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Airbnb is very strong in Costa Rica. In fact, there are some places in the country where it seems like there are more Airbnbs than hotels!

If you have never booked an Airbnb before or it’s your first visit to Costa Rica and you prefer Airbnbs, then read our tips on how to pick the best Airbnb in Costa Rica for your trip.

Airbnb in Costa Rica

First, you need an Airbnb account. It’s free to sign up.

Important Factors to Think About When Choosing an Airbnb

You need to choose a place that will be suitable for your trip so you need to think about these things.

  • Are you renting a car in Costa Rica or taking the shuttle/bus? Do you need to be close to public transportation?
  • Do you want to stay close to town, be on the beach or further away?
  • Are you a solo traveler?
  • How big is your group?
  • What kind of amenities do you need? Are you looking for something off the grid or do you need good Wi-Fi?

These factors are important in narrowing down the right Airbnb for you.

If you’re not renting a car and relying solely on taxis or public transportation, you’ll want a place that’s close to town so you are in walking distance to restaurants, the bank, pharmacies, etc. 

This also applies for solo travelers as most of them want to be around other travelers to meet people, so picking a place close to town is best.

Ready to Book?

Once you’ve found a place you’re interested in and it’s a popular one, I’d book it as soon as possible. Just make sure to check the cancellation policies.

Prepare For Your Trip

Once you’ve confirmed the booking, there is a section where you can introduce yourself to your host. Let them know who you’re coming with, what your plans are and what time you are planning on arriving so they know when to expect you0.

Make sure to read the guest manual as well since they will put house rules and other important information in there.

Arenal Airbnb in Costa Rica
Our Airbnb in Arenal

Respect the rules, respect the check in and check out time and treat the place as if it’s your own.

Tips for Using Airbnb in Costa Rica

  • Tons of Airbnbs are foreign owned. If you want to support local and book with a Costa Rican, you will have to read the host description.
  • Even if the dates on the Airbnb calendar say the place is available and it has instant book, do not believe it. I instant booked before and the hosts wrote back to cancel as they just didn’t update their calendar
  • Most Costa Ricans speak good English, particularly those who work in tourism.
  • Make sure to ask your host if the water is drinkable if you are staying in an apartment/condo.
  • Make sure to communicate with the host what time you are arriving and how to pick up/drop off the keys.
  • Some rentals are managed by a third party property manager and you may have to go to a separate location to pick up keys.
  • Read reviews. Seems like common sense but I like to read reviews to get tips from previous guests. I specifically chose our Airbnb in Arenal because the reviews mentioned that it had a lot of wildlife which was what I was looking for.
  • Shared shuttles and most tour operators do not pick up or drop off at Airbnbs. You will also need to find the closest hotel to your location.
  • I recommend getting a pre-paid sim card or international data plan. This way you will always have access to email and you can call/text your host in case of emergency or if you have any questions.
  • Download the app. This makes getting messages and checking your listing a lot easier.

Our Favorite Airbnbs in Costa Rica

We have used Airbnb pretty much every time we travel around Costa Rica. We’ve stayed in an Airbnb in Monteverde, San Jose, Turrialba, Cartago, Puerto Viejo, Heredia and even hosted travelers in our apartment in Jaco. Our experience at each one has been wonderful.

In fact, we made some very good friends in Monteverde! Our hosts were tour guides in the area and when they found out that we like photographing wildlife, they took us to their friends house to see a white hawk.

In La Fortuna, our host gave us local snacks in the morning and knocked on our door at night to show us a wild sloth walking around!

You can read about our experience with our Arenal Airbnb and our Monteverde Airbnb.

Read more Costa Rica travel tips here!

Getting around Costa Rica

Driving in Costa Rica

Things to know before you visit Costa Rica

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6 responses

  1. Christine

    What was the name of the airbnb you rented in arenal? Looks beautiful 🙂 thanks !

    Reply
    1. Sammi

      Arenal paradise, its a big house so great for families or big parties

      Reply
  2. Geannina Alfaro

    Costa Rica’s water is drinkable everywhere! you don’t need to buy water in bottles:)

    Reply
    1. Sammi

      Pretty much all the cities, the water is drinkable. We’ve been to some places where it wasn’t though, the more rural places.

      Reply
  3. Justin

    Exhaustive guide, and very usable. How secure would you say Costa is in comparison to other places you have AirBnB’d?

    Reply
    1. Sammi

      We’ve had only great experiences with Airbnb in Costa Rica and we have booked with both Costa Ricans and foreigners, both have been excellent.

      Reply
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