The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Costa Rica

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Costa Rica

Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Are you looking for a hotel for your first trip to Costa Rica? With plenty of activities and sites, this is a great destination for first-time visitors. So if you're deciding where to stay on your first trip to Costa Rica, don't worry, we've got you covered. We've analyzed the hotels in Costa Rica to find out which are the best for first timers based on price, amenities, location, reviews, and guest ratings. In this guide, we'll be showcasing the best hotels for first-time visitors in Costa Rica, taking into consideration all of these important factors. Whether you're traveling solo, with family, or with friends, there's a hotel that caters to every traveler's needs to make the most of your first trip here. So, if you're visiting Costa Rica for the first time, the hotels below will be great options, as many of them have pools, breakfast, and plenty of comforts to help you relax. So, here they are, the best hotels in Costa Rica for first time visitors.

(Prices are listed in U.S. Dollars.)

Parador Nature Resort and Spa

Quepos, Puntarenas
5-star Resort with prices starting at $255 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Costa Rica
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Located at Quepos To Manuel Antonio Road, Parador Nature Resort and Spa has great rooms from $255 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center. It has a terrific 9.30 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only a short distance from the city center, first time visitors will especially love scuba diving, snorkeling, a bar, hiking, and laundry services at this relaxing hotel. Don't forget to spend some time at the terrific pool bar where you can unwind and relax.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Spa
  • Child pool
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Tennis
  • Coffee shop
  • Playground
  • Infinity pool


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Aloft San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica

Quepos, Puntarenas
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $114 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Aloft San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica which has nice rooms starting at $114. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at Forum 2 Business Park. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers laundry services, golf, a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, and city views which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just a short drive from the city center. After a busy day, the heated pool is a nice place to unwind. It's also less than the average price for first time trip hotels, so it's a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Free breakfast
  • Child pool
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel

Tamarindo, Guanacaste
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $321 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Costa Rica
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

We found Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $321. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and scuba diving, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 9.60 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 1 Km South From Tamarindo Downtown. You'll also find snorkeling, a bar, laundry services, a hot tub, and a spa which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just a quick trip from the center of town. Having the delicious restaurant in the hotel is an added bonus.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Spa
  • Child pool
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Tennis
  • Refrigerator


Sheraton San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica

San José, San José Province
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $119 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

With terrific rooms from $119, Sheraton San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica, at Route 27 350 Metros Oeste Multiplaza provides an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center. Its terrific guest rating is 8.60 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers a bar, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and a hot tub. It's located just a short distance from the city center, too. Everyone loves a nice pool, and you won't be disappointed with this one. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave


Funky Monkey Lodge

Santa Teresa, Puntarenas
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $116 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.

Funky Monkey Lodge has a great guest rating of 8.60 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, scuba diving, and snorkeling. The great rooms here start at $116 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at Centro de Santa Teresa. Furthermore, it also offers a bar, hiking, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, and child care, which is nice for first time visitors. Just a short drive from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. It's always nice to have a kitchenette to cook some basic meals or have an easy breakfast. We found the price of this hotel to be a great value because the price is less than average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Kitchen
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator


Adventure Inn

Heredia, Heredia
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $144 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Costa Rica
  • Heated pool

The great guest rating of Adventure Inn is 8.50 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $144, and it's located at 50m East From Los Arcos. We also love the a bar, hiking, laundry services, golf, and pet-friendly rooms which are great for visitors. And since it's just a quick trip from the center of the town, the location is great, too. You'll love relaxing in the hot tub at the end of the day, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Child pool
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Infinity pool


The Sunset Shack

Nosara, Guanacaste
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $135 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

A cool place is The Sunset Shack because it has great rooms that start at $135. It has an outdoor pool, a restaurant, snorkeling, a bar, and hiking, it also earned a great guest rating of 9.40 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at Playa Guiones. Only a short distance from the city center, travelers will especially love laundry services, a game room, a spa, free parking, and horse riding at this convenient hotel.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snorkeling
  • Spa
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


Hotel El Encanto

Cahuita, Limon
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $127 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Costa Rica
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

Hotel El Encanto offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, snorkeling, a bar, and hiking which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $127 (before taxes). It's located at 300 Meters West of Cahuita and has earned a guest rating of 9.30/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers rooms with kitchens, laundry services, a spa, free parking, and horse riding which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just a short drive from the city center. And with the ability to cook your own meals in the kitchen, you can save money and time. It's a great value, too, because it's less than the average price for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snorkeling
  • Kitchen
  • Spa
  • Horse riding
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Encantada Ocean Cottages

Esterillos Este, Puntarenas
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $155 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Located at Entrance to Monterey Del Mar Off Highway 34, Towards Hotel Pelican, Encantada Ocean Cottages has great rooms from $155 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, scuba diving, and snorkeling. It has a terrific 9.30 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find a bar, hiking, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, and child care which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just a quick trip from the center of town. Nothing says relaxation like having room service delivered.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Kitchen
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Private pool
  • Refrigerator


Las Brisas Resort and Villas

Jacó, Puntarenas
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $154 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Costa Rica
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is Las Brisas Resort and Villas which has nice rooms starting at $154. Offering an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a casino, and a restaurant, it also has a great guest rating of 9.30 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at Calle Hermosa, 800m Este de Costanera. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers scuba diving, snorkeling, a bar, hiking, and rooms with kitchens. It's located just a short distance from the city center, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Kitchen
  • Horse riding
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Private pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Infinity pool


For more terrific hotel ideas in Costa Rica, make sure you also see Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Costa Rica, Best Luxury Hotels in Costa Rica, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Costa Rica, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Costa Rica, Best Hotels for One Week in Costa Rica, Best Hotels for One Night in Costa Rica, Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in Costa Rica, Best Adults Only Hotels in Costa Rica, Best Party Hotels in Costa Rica, Best Hotels for Scuba Diving in Costa Rica, Best Business Hotels in Costa Rica, or Best Party Hotels in Costa Rica.


How much do hotels for first-time visitors cost in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$129

Travelers to Costa Rica will have a large number of terrific first time trip accommodation options with a variety of great prices. The price of first time trip hotels here can vary by amenities, dates, and the neighborhood. Based on thorough data from 664 first time trip hotels, their average price is a very reasonable $129. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Costa Rica.

The average prices of our suggested first time trip hotels by star rating:

  • 5-star hotels: $467
  • 4-star hotels: $184
  • 3-star hotels: $111
  • 2-star hotels: $68


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