The quiet, laid back town of Potrero offers tourists an excellent home base in Guanacaste. It’s close to some of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica, it has a welcoming local atmosphere and it is not as busy or crowded as nearby Flamingo or Brasilito.
If you plan to stay in Potrero and are looking for a reasonably priced beach front resort in Potrero, Hotel Bahia del Sol is an excellent option with a lush garden, spacious rooms and local vibe. Check our review out to learn more.
Map
Hotel Bahia del Sol is 42 kilometers (26 miles) and about 1 hour drive from Liberia International Airport.
Our Room
We stayed two nights at Hotel Bahia del Sol in a suite which was more like a small apartment. The suite had a spacious living room, dining area, furnished kitchen, full bathroom and master bedroom.
This suite allows up to 3 guests and the bathroom is not ensuite.
Our kitchen was fully furnished with utensils, toaster, coffee pot, plates and bowls, refrigerator and microwave. Outside, there was a sitting area with a small coffee table and lounge chair.
Thoughts on the Room
When it came to the room, it was very spacious and comfortable. The living room and master bedroom both had air conditioning which was nice.
Although the suite was very big, there were a couple things about it. The lightning is not the best so it’s a bit dark in the living room and bedroom at night and the decoration felt a tad empty. I feel like if they put some more tropical decor, it would really brighten the place up and give it a much more homier feel.
Additionally, our room was the closest one to the parking lot so we could hear everyone talking, driving and going in and out of the lobby so it wasn’t the quietest room on the property. Everyone walks past this particular room too since it is the first one. If you happen to get that room, I recommend asking them to give you a room in the back or upstairs.
Hotel Bahia del Sol also has deluxe superior rooms, family suites with two bedrooms, deluxe rooms with a hot tub and standard rooms.
The Property
Bahia del Sol has an incredibly lush garden right in the middle of their property and it is beautiful. The rooms are built on the perimeter of the garden so you walk through it every morning to get to breakfast and the beach. They put a hammock area right in the middle which was very nice, so you can be feel like you’re relaxing in the jungle.
They also have a small spa, a pool, restaurant and lounge area. The restaurant and lounge area is right next to the beach so we watched a couple of lovely sunsets as we had dinner.
Restaurant
We ate at their restaurant two times for lunch and dinner. We enjoyed some yummy seafood and steak for dinner. I liked that they had an indoor and outdoor dining areas as the indoor section had a more intimate feel.
Although most hotel breakfasts in Costa Rica are buffet style, their a la carte breakfast had plenty of choices.
Thoughts
All in all, we had a nice relaxing time at Bahia del Sol. I walked on Potrero beach which is a lovely, not crowded beach and we enjoyed the hammocks in the garden. Many of the other guests lounged on the chairs, read a book by the pool and just relaxed. It’s definitely a nice hotel in the area for families and couples and they even put on weddings on their property.
Something I really liked about Bahia del Sol was that it wasn’t your typical beach front resort. It’s very mellow, laid back and chill, no loud reggaeton music playing or tvs blasting everywhere. All the guests were there to simply relax and enjoy the beach.
The staff were very friendly and were quick to help, especially when I found an iguana friend in our living room!
Hotel Bahia del Sol is also in an excellent location, being right next to Costa Rica Sailing Center and in walking distances to other restaurants. You can easily visit many other beaches from Potrero like Conchal and do many day trips to Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Tamarindo, Ostional, Gulf of Papagayo, Rio Celeste, Diamante Eco Adventure Park and Llanos de Cortes waterfall.
Some things you can easily do from Potrero is a sunset sailing tour with Panache Sailing, Costa Rica Sailing Center or Lazy Lizard, a snorkeling tour from Flamingo or ATV or horseback riding in Brasilito. Plenty of options to add a day or two of adventure to your vacation!
Prices and Booking
For a mellow beach front resort, prices are very reasonable. In high season, it is $185 for a standard queen and $265 for the suite we were in.
Shelly Colvin says
Sammi
the rooms all look garden view, can you not see the ocean from your room at Bahia del Sol?
We are looking for something with best views/oceanfront, prettiest ocean, white or tan sand, already did the black beaches,some nightlife next to hotel or a hotel with several restaurants and nightlife. we are in our 40’s so do not party anymore but also like it to not be quiet. No need for shows or anything, just bars or activities for the adults. I feel like this may be too quiet for us. The places we are contemplating are Diria Tamarindo (but the condos), Margaritaville, Riu or Occidental if we choose all inclusive, and Bahia del Sol. We will probably take that beach tour and go zipling/or some type of tour like that as well. This site is awesome thanks so much! We have not been to Costa Rica for 15 years and can not wait to go back!
Sammi says
I had a garden view room, I am not sure if the other rooms have ocean view but you can check their website to see if they offer any.
This hotel is pretty quiet and the Potrero area is fairly quiet. I think Margartivaille or Diria would be better if you don’t choose all inclusive.
Katie says
How does the beach here at Potrero compare to the beach at Tamarindo? I’m looking at Bahia del Sol vs a number of different properties in Tamarindo for April 2020. We have two small kids (2yr old and 4yr old). I am very confused about the beach in Tamarindo for swimming safety. I’ve read on your other posts that the water quality is best at the north end, but would it be too rough for swimming, especially with small kids? Thanks!!!
Sammi says
Potrero is very nice and it is not a surfing beach so it’s better for swimming in that sense. There are usually way less people at Potrero beach as well, since Tamarindo is a busy surfing beach so swimming is not super fun since there are waves and surfers everywhere. They’re both long beaches but if you want something quieter and not as busy, Potrero is very nice.
Katie says
Thanks so much!!
Trace says
Hi Katie. I recently got back from touring several spots along the CR coast. I stayed at the Bahia for two days and enjoyed is laid back vibe. I love Tamarindo also as it is much livelier, depending on what you’re looking for. One note about the beach at Potrero is that the sand is darker in color and gets quite hot on the feet. I saw many people running like those lizards trying to get off the sand during the day. I mention this because you said you have children. Keep their sandals or water shoes on and they’ll be ok