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The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Santa Cruz

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to Santa Cruz

Are you looking for a hotel for your first trip to Santa Cruz, 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 Santa Cruz, don't worry, we've got you covered. We've analyzed the hotels in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz, 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 Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz for first time visitors.

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

Hacienda Santa Elena

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $254 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Santa Cruz
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Pool
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Location on Map

Located at Via C Veintisiete de Abril, Hacienda Santa Elena has great rooms from $254 (before taxes). It offers a pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and free parking. It has a terrific 9.99 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 13 km from the city center, first time visitors will especially love family rooms, air-conditioning, a 24-hour desk, a microwave, and shuttle services at this relaxing hotel. The service at the restaurant is terrific, and so is the food.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Pool
  • Room service
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
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Hotel Playa Negra

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $108 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
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Location on Map

A great place to stay is Hotel Playa Negra which has nice rooms starting at $108. Offering an outdoor pool, a restaurant, snorkeling, a bar, and hiking, it also has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at Playa Negra, Paraiso. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers child care, a child pool, free parking, a pool table, and horse riding which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 28.1 km from the city center. The swimming pool is fantastic and lots of fun, too. 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
  • Snorkeling
  • Child pool
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Drift Away Lodge Cr

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $112 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Santa Cruz
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
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Location on Map

We found Drift Away Lodge Cr to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $112. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, a pool bar, a restaurant, a bar, and rooms with kitchens, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.00 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at Drift Away Lodge. You'll also find rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, free parking, and laundry facilities which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 27.9 km from the center of town. Don't miss the pool bar which offers drinks and a fun area to unwind. 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
  • Kitchen
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
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Hotel y Restaurante El Marino

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $73 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
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Location on Map

With terrific rooms from $73, Hotel y Restaurante El Marino, at Avenida 9 Contiguo a Bar La Pantalla provides a restaurant, a bar, pet-friendly rooms, free parking, and family rooms. Its terrific guest rating is 8.50 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers air-conditioning, a 24-hour desk, a refrigerator, and private parking. It's located just 0.3 km from the city center, too. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Hotel Diriá Santa Cruz

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $59 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
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Location on Map

Hotel Diriá Santa Cruz has a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, laundry services, a child pool, and free parking. The great rooms here start at $59 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at Calle Central, Frente al Banco Nacional, Santa Cruz, 11, CR. Furthermore, it also offers laundry facilities, family rooms, air-conditioning, a 24-hour desk, and an airport shuttle, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 0.4 km from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. 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
  • Child pool
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
View Prices and Reviews


Also, take a look at the first time trip hotels in nearby destinations: La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Monteverde, Santa Teresa, and Nosara.

For more terrific hotel ideas in La Fortuna, make sure you also see Best Family-Friendly Hotels in La Fortuna, Best Luxury Hotels in La Fortuna, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in La Fortuna, Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in La Fortuna, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in La Fortuna, Best Hotels for One Week in La Fortuna, Best Hotels for One Night in La Fortuna, Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in La Fortuna, or Best Business Hotels in La Fortuna.


How much do hotels for first-time visitors cost in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$121

Travelers to Santa Cruz, 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 5 first time trip hotels, their average price is a very reasonable $121. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Santa Cruz.

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

  • 3-star hotels: $121


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