Hotel Cantarana

10/10

Exceptional

27 Mar 2026

Zahra

Great boutique hotel with access to beach and fun bistro/cafe.

8/10

Excellent

02 Mar 2026

Daniel

Lovely hotel, the room was nice and the pool area is beautiful! With only five rooms there's always plenty of space by the pool and we often had it to ourselves. Couple of downsides, on the first night the power went out late evening and wasn't restored till the morning, meaning a very warm night with no fan/AC. And secondly the on-site bistro was disappointing with overpriced and not great quality food. Other than that we had a great time and the staff were lovely and very helpful!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2025

Karl

Love the boutique feel of the hotel. Everyone knew our name and it was a wonderful experience. Much preferred over the busy side of tamarindo.

Friends_and_family Friends

4/10

Poor

26 Sep 2025

Casey

A strangely anti Costa Rica vibe. It had a very artificial unneighborly vibe. Gated beach that can only be accessed with a code. Beach was dirty. Entire common area was covered in fake, plastic grass. Very unnatural. It was common for people to not pick up after their dogs. We did not have WiFi and breakfast was not included as advertised. The advertised near by restaurants were closed for the season. Did not encourage sustainable living ( no recycling amongst other things). Reception was unhelpful, unaccommodating and seemed bothered by our very presence.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Sep 2025

Kimberly

A nice place to get some rest and relaxation in a quiet neighborhood. Very nice staff. Long, walkable beach available.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Aug 2025

Danielle

Hotel Cantarana and its staff are truly what made our Costa Rica trip so enjoyable. From before we even checked in, their staff was helpful and responsive regarding check in. After checking in, our room was clean and amenities were amazing! We are already planning for our return to Hotel Cantarana!

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2025

Tracey

Cute and quite area in Playa Grande

Access to the hotel is down a dirt road and through a gate. The area felt very safe and quite with not much traffic. This hotel is part of a sister hotel of maybe 5 rooms that is a short walk away to get to the main office. Staff was very responsive and helpful through WhatsApp. The room was comfortable and what I would expect staying in at a nature preserve. Not luxurious if you are used to staying at a big name hotel. Access to the beach is a short walk across from the office. There is a restaurant and coffee shop at the hotel as well as other restaurants and a small market in the surrounding area that is walkable. There is also a small pool on the property. Expect to get woken up by birds or Howler monkeys in the morning. Various animals can be seen walking around the community such as Spider monkeys, coatis, or crabs. It was raining most afternoons while we were there but we did get the pleasure of a seeing the beautiful sunset at least once during our stay. I also got to see fireflies for my first time and it was amazing. This was a great place to stay if you are looking for a quite area without the hoards of people and shops like in Tamarindo. But if you want to visit Tamarindo you can walk down the beach and take an inexpensive short boat ride to Tamarindo which was much more convenient than trying to drive there.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 May 2025

william

Fantastic little boutique hotel. 3 minute walk to a beautiful surfable beach

8/10

Excellent

22 Apr 2025

Vishal

The property was good. The only problem that i find is that the location is far away from main Tamarindo and the road leading to the property was unpaved.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2025

sarah

The best!

8/10

Excellent

11 Apr 2025

Angela

Beautiful Boutique Hotel with great service.

Overall a great boutique hotel. Beautiful property with great service. The front desk associates were very helpful. The food in the restaurant is great with excellent service.
Unfortunately our AC didn't work and it was 32c in the room. Opening the windows just lead to a bunch of ants flooding the room. It was late when we arrived back to the room and there was nobody was around to inform. The beds are comfortable and the room was very clean.
We would stay here again.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Apr 2025

Ronald

Room was small but clean and had everything we needed. Staff at the hotel was friendly and very helpful. A great alternative to the crazy hustle and bustle of Tamarindo.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Feb 2025

Jimmy

Maybe an older property but it’s clean and quiet

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jan 2025

Myron

This property was a very pleasant experience with staff that couldn’t do enough for you

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2025

Natalie

Love it here

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jan 2025

Paul

Thank you for everything...

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 Dec 2024

Jane

We are non-surfers but chose.this property due to its access to visit turtle nesting beaches (the next town up)
The turtles delivered, the hotel, however, was pretty ordinary.
Nice quality towels, good air con, comfy bed
Bins emptied alternate days, which is not nice when its a septic tank system so you flush nothing youve not consumed
Limited / overpriced menu (compared to other local eateries)
Multiple issues with the room. Some resolved, some not
Glad we came to Playa Grande, quite happily left after 2 nights

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Dec 2024

Luis

Great place. Can't wait to go.back.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Nov 2024

John

very clean. very comfortable bed. excellent people

Business_and_leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

21 Oct 2024

Netanel

Great location, right in front of the beach, peaceful place.
Safe and beutiful closed community!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Sep 2024

Susana

Es la segunda vez que me quedo en Cantarana, y me he quedado también en El Manglar, siempre quiero volver !!! Esta vez me fui sola a la playa (con mi perrita), escogí Playa Grande y Cantarana por el hecho de ser un lugar donde me sentía segura de ir sola :)

Leisure Pet

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2024

Trevlyn

Hotel Cantarana is a uniquely understated boutique hotel full of character and charm. It is amazing in that there is a restaurant and cafe both located directly on the property. Meals at the restaurant are delicious and appealing; a must try is the Casado for dinner and the Super food for breakfast!
The staff at La Cantarana is amiable, polite and welcoming to guests. Manfred, Mario, Angie and Merlin are superb hosts/waitstaff. The music piped through the open air restaurant is soothing and at night the music selection is amazing! Guests sway to the sweet sounds of reggae, pop and instrumental music.
La Cantarana is serene yet you can hear the sounds of the waves of Playa Grande crashing against the shore! Guests are also greeted by the sounds of howler monkeys, lizards and every once in a while a falcon, red crabs or raccoon may be in the nearby vicinity. Also within walking distance is Cafe Azul Mar and The Grateful. From the Grateful one can catch a small privately chartered boat powered by Mauricio to nearby Tamarindo. The trip is $5 US per person and does not disappoint! Mauricio also provides a two hour tour of El Manglar, ( the mangrove) where one can get a closer look at crocodiles, raccoons, monkeys and birds.
Overall, this boutique hotel located only an hour and twenty minutes from Liberia airport by our rented 4x4 deserves a ten! La Cantarana will definitely see us again for another remarkable stay! Pura Vida!

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

21 Jul 2024

Ale

Big disappointment

I booked a room with a queen and a twin bed, and they gave me a room with a king bed. Instead of acknowledging their error, when I showed them the reservation, the receptionist kept wanting to be right by saying there is never any guarantee. She could have easily remedied to the situation by bringing a twin bed to the room, instead she asked for $30 extra to do this. This woman should not be in customer service. Also the road going there is in a very bad condition and you could get stuck easily in the mud.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jun 2024

Khari Lynn

Great location

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2024

Thomas

Great Clean Place to Chill

NIce quant little hotel with 6 rooms total. Half hour drive from Tamarindo, but on basically same beach but seperated by a river. Small but nice pool, 4 minute walk to long and beatiful beach. Small upstairs restaurant was nice and food was good. Great service and communication from staff. Very freindly staff indeed. 2-3 little restaurants and bars nearby within walking distance. Low key quiet area surrounded by many upscale homes. Security guard at gate entering the neighborhood. Good pace to chill, or drive 30 minutes to Tamarindo for more people and dining and activity options. Huge King Bed, rooms come with small kitchen, gas stove, utensils, plates, microwave, refrigerator. Recommend this place for chill style

Self

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2024

Alex

This place is absolutely amazing! It is a very small boutique hotel, and has a private gate that takes you down to the beach. The staff were all extremely helpful and friendly. The pool was kept up beautifully. The food was excellent and the beach is unbelievable! At any given time, I don't think there were more than a dozen people on the beach with us. I cannot recommend enough! If you're thinking of going to Tamarindo, skip it and book here or at their sister Hotel. Playa Grande beats Tamarindo in every way. And this is a great place to stay if you're in Playa Grande.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2024

James

Hotel and staff we very nice. The water did get shut off overnight, not sure why that happened but we know there were rolling black outs while we were there. We were there in off season so pretty much had the place to ourselves. Not being surfers, this really isn't the area for us so we were glad it was off season.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

15 May 2024

Harold

Staff was great especially Gerson and Winkle. The room was okay just a little loud as it was under the restaurant and would like to see a little better pest control and pool cleanliness. Would stay ere again.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2024

Sarah

It's nice and quiet and just a short walk to a beautiful beach. We felt very safe. There were good options for dining out. Everyone was very friendly. We would definitely come back!!

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 May 2024

Erinn

Pleasantly surprised! Loved this property and the customer service was spectacular! Planning to be back again in November for a stay at El Manglar.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

19 Apr 2024

Scott

We enjoyed our stay at Hotel Cantarana. The access to the private beach was amazing and the sunset was spectacular! There are great restaurants at the property and within walking distance. The room was clean and comfortable but the property could use a refresh. Overall was a great stay!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2024

myles

Very peaceful away from Tamarindo but only a short boat ride away from the action

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Mar 2024

paul

The location to Playa grande 8 minute walk
Multiple restaurants in walking distance, which were unique and fantastic.
Ease location to rent surfboards and other beach gear
Staff was fantastic Manfred our bartender was the best
Concierge was very helpful and quick to respond

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Mar 2024

GILLIAN

This hotel exceeded our expectations! It was so nice to have a small kitchen with an espresso maker as well as a coffee/smoothie shop and restaurant on site. The staff was so friendly and accessible at all hours. We were able to rent last minute surfboards and enjoyed the beautiful surf and non-crowded beach that was just a very short walk down a beautiful, shaded path. We will absolutely visit this hotel again!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

03 Mar 2024

Jeff

Small, 5 unit, hotel. Restaurant serves good food and drink and the coffee shop is very good.
The 2nd floor apartments have bar fridge and coffee maker only with main floor units having a small kitchen. Comfortable king beds.
The property could use some attention, tile work on the pool, handrails loose, trim boards missing, but all in all, pretty good shape.
The staff are tremendous. Very helpful and accommodating. Arranged tours, made our stay very pleasant.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Feb 2024

Trisha

My short stay was perfect and the staff are both kind and professional.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

10 Feb 2024

diana

We loved Hotel Cantarana and Playa Grande! A beautiful beach, amazing sunsets, great guided trips, and a comfortable place to stay with helpful, friendly staff that take great care of their place. Can’t wait to come back!!!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2023

SRINATH

Very private property close to private beach, quiet and new rooms. While our stay was short, we really liked hotel and staff.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2023

Cheryl

Excellent service, friendly vibe

Lovely rooms, nice pool area, private access to the beach. The staff was welcoming and very helpful. They do accept pets so you may hear some yapping dogs. They have surfboard and paddle rentals on site and can help you with all of your tours. If you want a very low-key beach vibe this is a place for you.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Dec 2023

katie

The bed was super comfortable and the room was very nice and clean. We loved the pool and it was a short walk to a beautiful beach. The restaurant was also very good. We didn't want to leave!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Nov 2023

Donald

Room was nice and quiet. The beach very nice, warm water. Good for surfing. Restaurants O.K.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

25 Jul 2023

Adrián

Excellent place and service! Just a couple of details that bothered me...
1) for a few hours I had to leave my vehicle not in the corresponding parking lot since the space was occupied by people other than the tenants... a situation that does not seem to me since we are staying and we must have priority.
2) There are few food options near the place, therefore we had to choose to eat at the hotel restaurant! The truth is very delicious but prices a little excessive!
3) The network connection never worked in the room.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

19 Feb 2023

Jennifer

We really enjoyed our stay, very peaceful and access to great surf just a few steps away!

Leisure Friends

2/10

Poor

15 Oct 2022

Carlos

I was ripped off! Hotel was unattended, literally nobody there. No security, no reception, no restaurant, no service of any kind. Opened the gate for us and just let us there. Completely unsafe! Had to leave after the first night.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2022

Sand

This is a lovely small hotel - beside a truly spectacular beach and close to a wildlife diverse and abundant mangrove estuary - we were at the end of our month long trip to costa rica - traveling with my two kids - so we very much enjoyed the pool - perfect!, and the restaurant great food and lovely staff- all hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful - There is also a cafe where we enjoyed morning coffee. We did encounter a few problems and they were dealt with, maybe not efficiently, but to great satisfaction. The check in was a little atypical - as the reception is shared with the next hotel along - but self check in instructions were clear, and we were even attempting to check in early - and all was made very easy for us! A wonderful experience in this beach/jungle paradise!

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

02 Apr 2022

MALCOLM

The food was amazing-- try their breakfast avocado egg toast and grilled tuna salad...OMG!!! Staff was very friendly and helpful. Be mindful property is NOT right on the beach, but it is a short 3 minute walk away. Beach is beautiful and relatively quiet. Also know that the beach closes at 6pm (sunset) to protect the turtles, but if you have transportation, you can easily get to restaurants/bars in Playa Grande (5 min drive) or either town of Tamarindo or Brasilito (20 min in either direction).

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2022

Neil

Loved this little hotel! Spent 9 days here at the beginning and end of our tour around the Nicola Peninsula. Clean and tidy. Low key. Great little restaurant with excellent food and service. The people make the place - Gabriellla and the other staff were friendly and helpful. Short walks to the beach and good consistent surf! If we get back to Playa Grande sometime we will definitely stay here again

Business_and_leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jan 2022

Greta

Hotel Cantarana is a beautiful little gem of a place in Playa Grande, we will for sure be coming back! Our room had a little kitchenette, which was a nice surprise. Very quiet and the staff were all lovely to work with.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

01 May 2021

Verified traveler

Stay away

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2020

Ivette

It was a great experience being in this hotel. The garden and pool are amazing. The restaurant is delicious.
I highly recommend to stay here :)

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Mar 2020

Sam

Wonderful Stay!

Such a quiet, relaxing property. In walking distance to the beach with a few excellent restaurants on the route to and from. Staff was welcoming and accommodating. Food also excellent. I definitely recommend for a couple looking for a rejuvenating escape!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Mar 2020

Verified traveler

Our family stayed at Hotel Cantarana for 2 nights and really enjoyed it. All of the staff members were kind and welcoming. There is a restaurant on-site and three delicious breakfast options were included with the stay. There are not many other food options in the immediate area, so we ate most of our meals at the hotel but did venture over to Tamarindo on the water taxi for lunch and souvenir shopping one of the days. Playa Grande itself is stunning and we enjoyed watching the sunset in the evenings. Many activity options were available through their sister hotel, Hotel El Manglar, which is directly across from the beach access point and less than a 5 minute walk away from Hotel Cantarana. My 7 year old son and his father participated in a group surfing lesson and had an absolute blast. Surf boards were also available to rent.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2020

Margaret

Amazing,clean ,safe. Food and bar great. Staff exceptional!!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

19 Dec 2019

Victor

Secluded Getaway- What are you looking for?

A romantic getaway or surfer heaven a short walk from an amazing soft sandy beach with 9 foot tidal swings and great waves for beginners at one end, experts at the main break that is also super wide with zero rocks even at low tide. A lovely grounds for this property. Private patio's with table and chairs and hammock for each of the 5 rooms. So relaxing a setting. Restaurant on site! Great breakfast menu and options. Staff is great. Rooms with typical tropical flush plumbing (no paper), hot water for showers, ceiling fans and A/C. What they cannot control is that the beach is closed from 6pm to 5am due to it being a protected national park to protect the turtles. Limited places to walk to or from at night. Car is essential. Bumpy dirt road for access. Access to Tamarindo is either 40 minutes by car or a 35 minute journey by foot and only during the stated beach access hours and only with help of a local with a boat to cross the estuary where crocodiles frequent. Thus as a non surfer.. and wanting a night life for me 2 or 3 nights was enough to experience this lovely tropical setting.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2019

Jade H.

Loved this place!

We went there at the end of August and had an amazing time! If you're looking for small, quaint and a more personal experience, then this is the place for you! The staff there was incredibly nice and accommodating. The food was delicious and cooked to order each time! You had private beach access about a 2 min walk away and the beach was beautiful and very clean. Not to many people there, which was exactly what we were looking for! And When we did want to do some shopping, Tamarindo was a short boat ride away or a quick 35-40 min drive. Absolutely will come back here!

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

The staff were so helpful, the restaurant food was delicious.......lovely little hotel!

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Everything is wonderful feel like you’re in the jungle

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

The Hotel Cantarana offers everything you need for a relaxing vacation in Costa Rica. The staff (Michael and Mario) were extremely helpful, welcoming and ready to answer any questions that you may have about the area. We arrived in an airport shuttle ($90 USD) that was arranged through the hotel (call at least 24 hours in advance to reserve) and did not need a car for the rest of the stay. Everything you need is within walking distance; restaurants, the beautiful Pacific Ocean, shopping and excursions in Tamarindo, water tours through the national park and a local convenience market can all be reached by foot. The hotel also offers an onsight restaurant/ bar that serves amazing fresh food and drinks for breakfast (free breakfast with your room), lunch and dinner. We listened to the howler monkeys in the trees every morning while we ate breakfast in the open-air restaurant. I highly recommend this hotel for your relaxing Guanacaste experience.
Note: We felt very isolated when we first arrived but after only an hour of discovering the area, we fell in love with the hotel.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jun 2019

Flavia

excelente

Super perto da praia, bonito, limpo e excelente restaurante. Funcionários muito amaveis.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

This was a great property and the staff was outstanding!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 May 2019

Michael

Fantastic hideaway! The staff made us feel like family, the food was superb, the setting magnificent, and the beach was amazing. The small setting gave a delightful sense of privacy and \"home.\" I am a surfer, and the Playa Grande waves were first class every day of our week's stay (early May). We will be back!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2019

Verified traveler

Great quiet location- beach access was quick and easy- staff helped us with everything we needed.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2019

philip

Great stay

Great place ! Great beach and quiet. The restaurant food was exceptional. Tamarindo 15 minute drive if you want shows or anything else. The beach it self has no amenities, but also has very few people. We stayed 4 days then 4 in tamarindo, we wished we hadn't left. Take an umbrella for shade!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Mar 2019

Pamela

Great little hotel with good restaurant

Great little hotel in Playa Grande. Wonderful staff, great rooms and pool. Restaurant serves three meals a day. Horrible dirt road to get to the hotel. 5 rooms. Hotel has umbrellas and chairs to use at the beach which is accessible through a locked gate and a walk on a trail through the woods to the beach. Water taxi is a long walk but will take you to Tamarindo. Very rural area.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

Liked everything, small property with only 5 rooms, staff was extremely friendly and helpful with local info. Restaurant was excellent.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

Great location. Nice and quiet. Great staff. Would go back for sure!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Feb 2019

Denise

Clean room, near an awesome beach, good food, and great service!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Jan 2019

Imogen

Stunning location and great cocktails!

We spent 3 nights here in January and had a great time. It's a few minutes’ walk from a beautiful quiet beach, with a great restaurant a few doors down and easy access to Tamarindo via the water taxis. Our room was clean and spacious with an outdoor area to sit, and the area around the pool was nice. We tried a number of the cocktails which were all delicious and the managers, restaurant/bar staff were all very friendly. We ate dinner in the restaurant which was tasty and well presented. The only let down for us was on our last morning something happened with the chef and so we were offered toast, fruit and yoghurt for breakfast - which was fine until we saw the people at the next table being served avocado on toast! Nonetheless we'd recommend this hotel.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2019

Jason

Great staff, beautiful and well maintained facility.

8/10

Excellent

16 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

quiet location, had a lovely room and the staff were very friendly

10/10

Exceptional

23 Nov 2018

Richard

Loved the Property and it's location to the beach. Great Staff.

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 Nov 2018

Verified traveler

Positives: Desk staff were very helpful and personable, and the room was comfortable. Food in the restaurant was very good, and the service staff were great as well.
Negatives: Our room had a major ant problem, and housekeeping doesn't refill shampoos/conditioners or soaps. Biggest downside to this hotel though - breakfast and coffee aren't available until 7:30 am which is a real bummer if you'll be leaving the hotel early each day for excursions and activities.

I'd recommend this hotel if you're looking for a quiet place near the beach to relax. We used it as a \"home base\" and were gone off the property for the majority of our stay. I would likely not choose this hotel again for that purpose due to the late breakfast/coffee issue.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Aug 2018

Gerardo,Raquel

Everything good excellent place to vacation good food too great location away from the noise yet close to everything can't wait to come back again, greetings to all the staff Ana,Ada,Jessica and Catarina.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Aug 2018

Verified traveler

Hotel was off the beaten path - Tours were easily booked and came to pick up. Beach was beautiful and empty. Restaurant was excellent. We did not have a bad meal and the staff were very nice to talk to. Would definitely stay again if we come back to playa grande

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2018

Andy

Go here! Really it is a gem!!

Wow wow wow!
We were in Costa Rica for two weeks, and stayed in several places, but Hotel Cantarana was one of our favorites.
- Best food in the whole trip! (and best food in all of Playa Grande too, we tried several places)
- Great staff! (Manager Evelyne was a pleasure to work with, very friendly, and very helpful with all our arrangements.

We were so glad to have found this slice of paradise.
Many folks will chose to stay in the nearby area, Tamarindo. But if you are looking for a comfortable, very enjoyable, less busy place to stay, you must check out Hotel Cantarana.

They are only a moments walk from the beach too, where the surfing is amazing, and the sunsets are even better.

Truly hope we have a chance to get back there.