Where To Stay In Guanacaste Costa Rica
Are you wondering where to stay in Guanacaste? You’ve come to the right article.
Guanacaste is a beautiful sunny province in northwestern Costa Rica, with amazing beach towns and several natural attractions. The capital city of Guanacaste is Liberia, but it’s best to stay outside of the city, as there’s not much to do in the city itself.
This article will cover exactly where to stay, whether you want to relax in a quiet beach town, or be in close proximity to natural attractions and tourist activities.
Here is everything you need to know before booking a stay in Guanacaste.
Where To Stay In Guanacaste
The four main areas to stay by in Guanacaste are the Gulf of Papagayo, Tamarindo, Brasilito/Conchal, and Playa Samara. These areas are all along the coast of Guanacaste, and have numerous hotel options.
If you want to stay by Rincon de la Vieja national park, there are a few great rainforest hotel options, under an hour’s drive from the national park.
The Gulf of Papagayo is the closest to the Liberia airport (30-45 minutes), and has many hotels scattered along the Papagayo peninsula, and the nearby beaches (Playa Hermosa and Playa del Coco).
It’s the most convenient place to stay near the airport, and ideal for those wanting to stay in an all-inclusive resort on the beach.
Tamarindo is a popular bustling beach town, with a downtown strip that runs along the coast. It has a long stretch of sandy beach with warm water, and dozens of activities for tourists.
Brasilito is a small developed beach town next to Playa Conchal, which is considered one of Guanacaste’s most beautiful beaches. It’s a gorgeous beach with a shore made of tiny seashells, and it’s home to the luxurious Westin resort.
If you’re not staying at the resort, you can access Conchal by walking from Brasilito Beach. This is a nice area to stay that’s less crowded than Tamarindo, but keep in mind that there is less restaurant options.
Playa Samara is a family-friendly beach town, located the furthest south on the coast from Liberia. It has a large beach for swimming, with minimal crowds, that’s within walking distance to restaurants and shops.
Here’s details on the four main areas to consider staying at in Guanacaste.
Gulf of Papagayo
- Distance from Liberia airport: 30-45 minutes
- Highlight: Serene area conveniently located near the airport, and many excellent beaches
The Gulf of Papagayo has some of the nicest beachfront resorts in Guanacaste, and is only 30 to 45 minutes from the airport.
It’s near Playa Hermosa and Playa Del Coco, two beautiful beaches with excellent restaurant options.
This is the ideal place to stay if you want to be in an all-inclusive resort on the beach, or be in close proximity to Liberia.
Here are some of the best hotels in the Gulf of Papagayo.
- The Palms At Coco Beach: Hotel with a pool in walking distance to Playa del Coco and restaurants
- Huetares Hotel & Villas: Hotel with a pool in walking distance to Playa Hermosa
- Planet Hollywood Costa Rica: All-inclusive beachfront resort with buffet breakfast, 7 restaurants, and entertainment
- Secrets Papagayo: Adults-only all-inclusive on a private beach with 7 restaurants and a full service spa
Tamarindo
- Distance from Liberia airport: 2 hours
- Highlight: Lively surfing beach town with great selection of restaurants, shops, and activities within walking distance from hotel
Tamarindo is the most touristy and lively surfing beach town with a long stretch of sandy beach.
It has a very walkable downtown area, and a variety of tourist activities available on the beach, from surfing lessons to ATV tours, and horseback riding.
If you want to be within walking distance to restaurants and the beach, it’s the best place to stay.
Here are some of the best hotels in Tamarindo.
- Villas Macondo: Budget hotel with a pool, across the street from Tamarindo
- Diria Beach Resort: Beachfront resort on Tamarindo with free breakfast and swimming pools
- Occidental Tamarindo: All-inclusive beachfront resort on Tamarindo with a buffet style restaurant, swimming pools, and full-service spa
Brasilito and Conchal
- Distance from Liberia airport: 1.5 hours
- Highlight: Quiet beach town next to the beautiful Playa Conchal, with activities like horseback riding and ATV tours available
Conchal is considered one of the best beaches in Guanacaste, and is near the town of Brasilito, which has a downtown area with restaurants.
Playa Conchal is a gorgeous beach that offers activities like horseback riding, ATV tours, and water sports.
You can stay right on Playa Conchal at the Westin, or stay in a hotel in either Brasilito or Conchal.
Additionally, there are a variety of accommodations available in Playa Flamingo and Playa Potrero, both of which are within a 15 minute drive of Brasilito.
Here are some of the best hotels in Brasilito and Conchal.
- Hotel Brasilito: Budget-friendly rustic hotel with a pool on Playa Conchal
- Conchal Hotel & Papaya Restaurant: Budget hotel with a pool and onsite seafood restaurant, just across the street from Playa Conchal
- The Westin Conchal: All-inclusive golf resort & spa with free breakfast and direct beach access
Playa Samara
- Distance from Liberia airport: 2.5 hours
- Highlight: Family-friendly beach town with a variety of tourist activities and good restaurant options.
Samara is the furthest from the airport (2.5 hours), but is an excellent family-friendly beach town. If you’re looking for a more relaxed beach town away from crowds, this is the best place to stay.
It has a long stretch of sandy beach with warm water and gentle waves for swimming.
The beach is dotted with restaurants, and there’s activities like horseback riding, ATV tours, sunset cruises, and more.
Here are some of the best hotels in Playa Samara.
- Hotel Belvedere: Budget hotel with a pool and hot tub, within walking distance to restaurants and the beach.
- Hotel Giada: Budget hotel with a pool and onsite restaurant, just down the street from the beach
Rincón de la Vieja
- Distance from Liberia airport: 2 hours
- Highlight: Near Rincon de la Vieja in the rainforest, with nearby hot springs, waterfalls, and several tourist activities.
If you plan on renting a car, staying near Rincon de la Vieja for one night is a great option to reduce your time driving.
Hacienda Guachipelin is only a 10 minute drive from the park’s main entrance, and they offer complimentary access to the Rio Negro Hot Springs to all guests.
Here are some of the best hotels near Rincon de la Vieja.
- Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin: Hotel with free breakfast, pools, free natural hot springs and mud baths, just 10 minutes from Rincon de la Vieja
- Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin: Cabin-style hotel with free breakfast, pools, just an hour’s drive from Rincon de la Vieja
- Borinquen Thermal Resort: Upscale resort with free breakfast, pools, natural hot springs, and 2 onsite restaurants, just an hour’s drive from Rincon de la Vieja.
My Experience In Guanacaste
I spent a week in Guanacaste, and stayed in Tamarindo, Playa Junquillal, and drove to multiple beaches along the coast.
Tamarindo was a convenient place to stay, with dozens of restaurants and shops within walking distance to the beach.
Junquillal is a less developed beach town 45 minutes south of Tamarindo, that was a nice relaxing place to stay away from crowds. However, I preferred staying in Tamarindo, since it had tons of amazing restaurants and cafes.
From Tamarindo, I drove to Rincon de la Vieja national park, which was around a 3 hour drive. To avoid the long drive, you can join a group tour, or stay in a hotel near Rincon de la Vieja.
There are hotels located just outside of the national park, but if you want to stay on the beach, the Gulf of Papagayo is the next best option.
It’s around a 2 hour drive from Rincon de la Vieja, and near many waterfalls, animal sanctuaries, and natural attractions in Guanacaste.
Guanacaste Map
Guanacaste FAQs
What’s the best place to stay in Guanacaste for families?
Playa Samara and Tamarindo are the best places to stay along the coast for families.
They both have long sandy beaches with restaurants within walking distance to the beach, and activities like horseback riding, ATV tours, and beginner surf lessons.
Tamarindo’s beach is perfect for surfing, whereas Playa Samara has gentle waves that are more suitable for swimming. If you want to relax away from crowds or are traveling with young kids, Playa Samara is the best option.
Other than the beach towns, Rincon de la Vieja is an amazing place to stay in the rainforest that has activities like zip lining, coffee tours, horseback riding, and more.
What is there to do in Guanacaste?
Guanacaste has beautiful beaches, national parks, waterfalls, and dozens of activities for tourists.
On the beaches, you can take surfing lessons, go horseback riding, ride ATVs, and even watch baby turtles hatch during nesting season!
If you rent a car, you can visit nearby waterfalls, animal sanctuaries, or go on a day trip to Rincon de la Vieja national park.
For more ideas on what to do in this region, check out our list of the best things to do in Guanacaste!
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