Finding accommodation in Costa Rica can be one of the toughest thing about planning a trip. There are all types of options from five star resorts to camping so whatever type of vacation you’re looking for, Costa Rica has it. It’s just finding them and staying within your budget that’s the hard part.
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Accommodation in Costa Rica
In this post, I’m going to outline and give tips for the various types of accommodation in Costa Rica to help you find the perfect one for you. Doesn’t matter if you’re a budget or luxury traveler or traveling solo, coming on your honeymoon or with your family, there are options for everyone.
Costa Rica Hotels
Hotels are your easiest option. You can find hotels everywhere ranging from boutique B&B’s, inns and villas. Many of the international chains are here as well like Marriott and Hilton.

Tips for booking a hotel
- First, look for hotels on the typical hotel search engines like Booking.
- Then, after you find a few you like, check the hotel’s website first. Prices may be cheaper on their site than the booking site and during certain times of year, they may have promos or extra discounts by booking directly.
- Price compare and make sure it’s the final total rate. Sometimes taxes and fees are not included in the hotel direct website and/or Booking.com, sometimes Booking.com is cheaper if you have Genius Level 3.
- Sometimes hotels are cash only. Read the payment section carefully.
- Hotels are more expensive during high season (find out more about high/low season and when is the best time to visit Costa Rica)
Pros for booking hotels
- Many include breakfast and have free parking
- Have tour booking services
- Some of the upscale hotels have a car rental/shuttle service
- Huge selection, easy to book online
Cons for booking hotels
- Can get expensive for longer stays but you can talk to management to see if you can arrange a discounted price
- Many budget hotels don’t provide bathroom amenities
You can read all the reviews we have written on the hotels in Costa Rica we’ve visited. Looking for a hotel by the airport? Check our post about best hotels near SJO airport and best hotels near LIR airport.
Costa Rica All Inclusive Resorts
All inclusive resorts are a popular option for those who don’t want to worry much on their trip. You can find all inclusive resorts in nearly every popular beach or city.
You can also book these on the hotel booking sites as mentioned above and they usually have good promotions during holidays.
Tips for staying at an all inclusive
- Many all inclusives are “in the middle of nowhere” so get good directions if you are renting a car or arrange transportation with the resort before
- You can book tours through the resorts.
- Try to go outside of the resort at some time to explore more of Costa Rica
Check out our list of the best all-inclusive hotels in Costa Rica.
Hostels in Costa Rica
Hostels are ideal for budget or solo travelers to save on accommodation and meet new people. Even if you’re not keen on dorming it with 12 other travelers, most hostels have private rooms.
Some hostels aren’t advertised on hotel booking sites so if you’re flexible, you can walk around town to find the them. Make sure to check websites like HostelWorld in case you aren’t flexible and want to book in advance.
There are two times of the year when it would not be wise to arrive without a reservation: Christmas/New Years and Semana Santa (Easter week). These are the two peak times of the year so places book up weeks in advance and are pretty expensive.
Some hostels organize tours so it’s easy to meet fellow travelers. Another pro is that they are usually in a convenient location such as in the center of town or on the beach. You can read this post here on the best hostels in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Airbnb and Vacation Rentals
We’ve used Airbnb many times and it’s been great. One of my best friends used Airbnb to rent a whole apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, fully furnished kitchen, living room, pool, security, AC and wi-fi for $50 USD a night in Playas del Coco (back in 2013. Now it’s $150-200 a night).
This is a wonderful option for longer stays or bigger parties who don’t want to stay in a hotel. There are quite a few apartment/neighborhood complexes that have vacation rentals for a good price.
You can find all sorts of rentals from a whole apartment/condo or a bedroom in someone’s home. VRBO is another option. Click here to read our post about tips for using Airbnb in Costa Rica.
We love using Airbnb and have stayed at some really great ones in Costa Rica. Read about our Airbnb in Arenal and Monteverde Airbnb experiences.
Tips for booking vacation rental
- Always do your research when using sites like Airbnb. Make sure to email the owner any questions you have and arrange when to pick up keys, check out, etc.
- Make sure to get the owner or manager’s contact information in case you have any emergency or need anything. The manager may not live in the vicinity.
- Get a Costa Rican prepaid SIM card or international data so you can call/email the host in case you have questions.
Pros for vacation rentals
- Homier with kitchen, living room, etc. Great for families
- More space
- Ideal for bigger parties who don’t want to be separated by hotel rooms
- Wallet friendly, you can make agreements with the owner for long term stays
- Usually the owner/manager is a local or someone who has lived there a long time so you can ask them for tips
- Many of them are in a complex or neighborhood so you can make friends
Cons for vacation rentals
- No maid service normally
- Help is not usually readily at hand so you need to arrange pick up, check in, check out, etc. yourself
- Many require a car as they are in local neighborhoods
- You won’t be able to book tours like you would at a hotel (normally). Some hosts do, make sure to ask.
Eco Friendly Lodges
Since Costa Rica focuses heavily on being eco-friendly and using renewable resources, eco-friendly lodges are becoming more common. Costa Rica ranks businesses using a system called CST, or Certification of Sustainable Tourism and they range from 1-5 leaves.
5 leaves means the property is completely self sustaining and use green practices such as recycling oil, generating their own biodiesel and biogas and saving water.
However, these lodges with 5 leaves can get very expensive, depending on their location. Hotel Capitan Suizo in Tamarindo has 5 leaves and starts around $350 a night. Then Bosque de Cabo Rainforest Lodge near Puerto Jimenez is around $400 a night.
Something that may surprise you is that many of the high end hotels have 5 leaves. Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, Arenas del Mar and even the Occidental Langosta has 5 leaves. So even if you’re staying at a very high end hotel or even an all-inclusive, you can have peace of mind that they are self-sustainable and eco-friendly.
Glamping
Glamping is growing slowly in Costa Rica and you can find some glamping resorts in the country. This is luxury camping so you can be close to nature but in luxury and comfort.
We have gone glamping at Manoas, a beautiful resort in Uvita. There is also Chira glamping in Monteverde, La Leona Eco Lodge in Osa Peninsula, Flor y Bambu in Playa Grande, Driftwood Glamping Hotel in Playa Guiones, Faith Glamping Dome in Manzanillo and a few others.
Costa Rica Housesitting Opportunities
Housesitting is becoming more popular in Costa Rica especially with the amount of snowbirds and retired folk who need sitters to look after their homes when they go back up north. There are several websites to find housesits such as Trusted Housesitters.
We found a housesit in March 2015 through Trusted Housesitters in Playas del Coco for a month. Also got to take care of two cute kitties!
For people who plan to stay in Costa Rica for a long period of time, this a good option since it is free accommodation. Tip: it’s easier to find house sits during rainy season (more about Costa Rica’s seasons here).
The logistics of your house sit will be completely up to you and the owner. Some people pay a deposit, some people get paid, some people pay absolutely nothing.
Pros for housesitting
- Free rent or only pay utilities
- Make new friends
- Great way to learn more about the lifestyle and living situation in that area
- Pets! If the owner has pets, you get free pet cuddles
- Sometimes the owner will let you use their car/bikes
Cons for housesitting
- If there are pets, you are responsible for the animals. That’s a big responsibility.
- Restricting if you want to travel since you need to be there to take care of the home, especially if it has plants to water, pets, etc.
- You’re in charge of the home and everything that comes with it including any gardening, maintenance and upkeep. Not quite like a hotel where you aren’t responsible for anything
- Must research, plan and talk to the owners in advance. Some owners post their house sits months in advance, sometimes they post it a couple weeks before
Couchsurfing in Costa Rica
Couchsurfing is also another option in Costa Rica. Though it’s not quite as popular as some other countries, you can go to Couchsurfing.org, make an account and see who has a couch available.
There are a handful of people on Couchsurfing who offer their home for free to travelers and most of these people do it because they want to meet new people. Great option for budget or solo travelers.
Make sure to lay down the ground rules before you go and coordinate schedules so you’re not completely disrupting your host’s life.
Pros for couchsurfing
- Free!
- Meet interesting and like minded people
- You can ask your host for tips and recommendations
- Sometimes your host will take you around to the local spots
- Learn about the culture (if staying with locals)
- You’ll have someone to help you out
Cons for couchsurfing
- Sketchy people are everywhere. Contact the host, read reviews, get to know each other a bit before you confirm
- Hosts are allowed to change their mind whenever (you aren’t paying after all) so confirm everything a few days before
- Not ideal for families or big parties
- Less privacy and can be a bit awkward if in close quarters or yknow… your host is a bit weird
- Are you OK with sleeping on a couch? (hey everyone has different standards)
Alternative Options
There are also some interesting alternative accommodations in Costa Rica like treehouses, bungalows and hammocks. Finca Bella Vista is a popular tree house camping in Osa Peninsula, there is a tree house hotel in Arenal and Samara as well.
Camping is getting more popular, especially overlanding. Rent an outfitted 4×4 from Nomad America, drive around Costa Rica and camp in the rooftop tent. There are a lot of empty beaches on the Guanacaste and Nicoya Peninsula that are popular for overlanders!
For traditional camping, there aren’t many dedicated campsites in Costa Rica but you can use the iOverlander app to find them. We have seen campsites at Pochote beach and lots of people free camping on Playa Montezuma. You can technically free camp at the beach, just know there aren’t facilities or security. Some hostels and hotels offer a camping space on their property which we recommend to do instead.
Which One is Right For You?
Finding accommodation in Costa Rica is easy, it’s about finding the right one for you. In the end, it depends on your needs and wants. For solo travelers, couchsurfing and hostels are the ideal choice. You have more chances to meet other travelers and new people, plus they’re cheaper.
For families, apartment rentals and all inclusives are more appealing. You’ll have more space, more things to do for the whole family and parents will have the comforts of home.
Read more Costa Rica travel tips!
How much it costs to travel in Costa Rica
Tips for saving money traveling in Costa Rica
How to pack for rainy season in Costa Rica
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica. Get 10% off your Airalo eSIM package with our promo code “mytanfeet”
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Sammi says
Hi Leah! I recommend downloading this app called iOverlander as it has a list of the camp sites around Costa Rica. There aren’t a ton of official ones in the coast in Guanacaste, but you can find several on the app for campsites with a bathroom.
Leah says
Flying into Liberia and looking at camping around the coast. I noticed you mentioned Playa Panama, Playa Avallenas, and Playa Dominical. Also the hostel in Tamarindo. Are there any other suggestions you have? Thanks, this blog is incredibly helpful!
Chris says
Hi,
Great blog!
How is the payment handled for hotels in Costa Rica? Is prepayment/deposit a norm there? What about cancellation policy?
Thanks.
Sammi says
It depends on the hotel – you can book through 3rd party websites like Expedia or Hotels.com and depending on their contract with the hotel, you can pay now or pay later which is done online. Usually it’s paid in full beforehand if you go to the hotel’s website. The cancellation policies differ by hotel so I would check with the one you’re booking with.
Sammi says
Hi Lydia, you can find all the posts we’ve written on those places in this section: Costa Rica information. There you can find our tips for must do things, places to eat, etc.
As for finding accommodation, I highly recommend booking it beforehand. That time is the beginning of high season and hotels will start increasing their prices and there will be a lot of tourists, and during high season it’s not very smart to go in without reservations.
Lydia says
Hi guys, very useful blog…thanks!
I’m going to Costa Rica for a couple of weeks mid November to early December. We are a group of 6, going to hire a couple of 4wd and visit a few places, including Marino Ballena NP, Manuel Antonio NP, Quepos, Arenal, Monteverde and Malpais. I’ve done a little research but if you have any tips for ‘must go’ places that we can fit in that would be great!
Also, when we’ve traveled previously we’ve never really booked accommodation in advance as we like the flexibility but I’m wondering if it’s necessary to do that on this occasion seeing as we’ve only got 2 weeks. If you could advise whether we would easily find accommodation as and when or if we would be scrabbling around trying to find a bed for the night it would be much appreciated 🙂
Milena says
Hi Samantha and Yeison. What a great blog you have. It has been really helpful for me and my husband who are traveling to Costa Rica for four months.
We look forward to experiencing what this amazing country seems to offer and to study at UNA.
Does anyone of you or your readers have recommendations for accommodation, apartment finding in Heredia, if we wish to find a condo?
Thanks a lot
yeison says
Hello Milena! I used to live in Heredia and is a nice town, you can check sites like encuetra24.com and look for places to rent in Heredia. Most in the places are nice just stay away from places like Guarari and La Milpa. In the main entrance of the UNA there are always lots of ads with places to rent. Go luck and I hope you enjoy Costa Rica
Deanna R. Jones says
Thanks for the tips! I’ve always wanted to go on a trip to Costa Rica. This is my first time traveling out of state, so I have a lot to learn about how to find accommodations. I really want to stay in a hotel, so it’s helpful to know about how to book a room in a hotel in Costa Rica. The last point about the best time to book a hotel could help me find a better deal on a room. I didn’t know that there are high seasons that make hotel rooms more expensive. I’ll be sure to look into when the high season is for the hotels in the area that I want to visit.
Sammi says
Hi Deanna! Yes the high and low seasons affect hotel prices here so either start looking early or check on the hotel’s website to see if they have any promotions going on. Peak season has the highest prices (Christmas/New Year and Easter week). Glad you found the article helpful!
Deanna R. Jones says
It’s a good thing that you told me that Easter week is also one the peak seasons. I was actually thinking of taking a trip down there for Easter if hotel prices were too expensive during the winter holidays. I’ll be sure to do some more research into the prices that hotels offer there so that I can get a better deal another time. Thanks again!
Sammi says
Hi Deanna, yep Easter week is peak so prices almost double for hotels and it’s the whole week since they celebrate Semana Santa. Best to go a week before or after especially at the beaches since it gets really packed and busy with the locals going on vacation!
Steph of Big World Small Pockets says
Nice roundup guys! I always stayed in hostels / small guesthouses in Costa Rica and found some great deals. You’re right, many are not advertised, but you can generally find them easily enough once you arrive into a town. I always used to walk around a bit to find the cheapest place and then often ask whether there were any discounts available for single travellers! Mostly there were!
yeison says
Hi Steph!
I agree with you one of the best ways to get a deal is by asking once you find a place you like, we always get at least 15% discount. Happy travels!