Encantada Ocean Cottages

This was my second time leading a yoga retreat at Encantada Ocean Cottages! It never disappoints! You can't beat the location... right on a very secluded beach! The food is great, the beds are comfortable, and so many pillows! But the best part is the staff. Most of the same staff was there this year, that we loved last year. They remembered us and made us feel as though we were returning home when we arrived! Special thanks goes to Kyrstin, our retreat coordinator, for making sure everything ran smoothly!

This is a great place that is relaxing and sleepy. The food is great, the people are better. Would come back in a second and likely will next year.

Encantada Beach Cottages was truly one of the most magical places I’ve ever stayed. This quiet boutique hotel feels like a hidden paradise tucked into lush tropical gardens, perfectly positioned right on miles of open, peaceful beach that often felt like it was entirely ours. Waking up to the sunrise over the ocean and ending each day with an unforgettable golden hour sunset was pure bliss.
The food was absolutely incredible — fresh, vibrant, and beautifully prepared — and the staff delivered a level of warmth and service that felt deeply personal. Within just two days, everyone knew my name, which made the entire experience feel even more special and welcoming.
Practicing yoga with the sound of the waves and a soft ocean breeze drifting through was something I’ll never forget. Macaws flew overhead during our stay, sand dollars and colorful seashells dotted the shoreline, and the pool area — surrounded by lush plants and bursts of tropical color — was simply stunning.
I truly cannot say enough good things about the team, the atmosphere, or the experience as a whole. Encantada Beach Cottages is peaceful, beautiful, and deeply rejuvenating — and I already cannot wait to return to this little slice of paradise.

This place is an absolute gem. I came here last year for a retreat and fell in love with the location, the food, the accommodations and the staff. I loved it so much, I came back this year for a retreat and added on 5 more nights to celebrate my 50th birthday. On the last day of the retreat, the retreat guests departed and several hours later, my friends and family arrived.

I really can’t explain the warmth and heart this place emanates. If you need a place to fill up and become the best version of yourself, this is the place.

Encantada is the perfect place for an intimate women’s yoga and wellness Retreat! The food is outstanding, the atmosphere is beautiful, and the staff are thoughtful and attentive. The yoga shala right on the beach is so serene. I’ve hosted a Christ-centered yoga retreat here three years in a row, and the experience has been exceptional every time—so much so that I’m already planning my fourth. It’s an oasis and a little piece of heaven on earth!

Thank you, Encatanda, and the best staff (mis favoritos) for everything!!!!

SO much love for each of you.

I typically do I return to the same place again, but Encantada is special. The location, tranquil atmosphere, rooms, food (!!), and value of the hospitable service, staff, grounds and basically-private, secluded beachfront is a true retreat on the coast. The staff are truly special - remembering me/us from the previous year, and making every detail intentional. A special mention for the food: each meal was unique, so nutrient dense and fresh, and the staff had accommodations / options for anyone who needed it.

Thank you thank you Encantada! A gift. I hope to be back soon.

This was a retreat experience and was definitely a treat the facilities are so tranquil and clean the staff called me by name the entire time, the food was so amazing I would never miss a meal, so many excursions are available if you’d like to see the island I would definitely go back and probably will!

This place is a dream! Located right on the beach, it’s the perfect place to wake up and take a stroll in paradise.
The food is incredible and the staff so nice and accommodating.
Love having retreats here as things are so organized and conveniently located.

Here’s a clean, no-nonsense TripAdvisor-style review you can post as is:

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A Hidden Gem on the Beach

Encantada Ocean Cottages is one of those rare places that gets everything right. Tucked away and peaceful, it’s perfect whether you’re traveling with kids, family, or friends. The property sits right on the beach, so you wake up to the sound of the waves and can start the day with yoga facing the ocean — a simple pleasure that makes the whole stay feel grounded.

The cottages are small, charming, and thoughtfully set up with everything you actually need. There’s a kid-friendly pool, which makes downtime easy, and the whole layout feels safe and relaxed. The on-site restaurant is excellent, serving hearty local dishes, solid wine options, and well-made drinks. The atmosphere throughout the property is warm and friendly without trying too hard.

A place with real character and all the essentials handled well. I’d return without hesitation.

We brought a retreat group to Encantada.....for a beautiful spiritual retreat. And wow. Absolutely perfect. The beds. The staff. The organizational support. Not to mention the view.......I'm in love with the food as well.
Our meeting space was just beside the hammocks overlooking the ocean........our meetings were serenaded by the waves........
Thank you thank you thank you!

This review is long overdue, as our extended family has been fortunate enough to stay at Encantada twice, once in 2018 and again in 2022. Both times, we booked all of the cottages for an entire week, bringing together a group that spanned from young children to travelers in their 70s. The property could not have been more perfect for our group, which ranged in age from young children to travelers in their 70s.
From the moment we arrived, Tiffany, Nome and the entire staff treated us like family. Their warmth, attentiveness, and genuine care created an atmosphere where even the pickiest travelers in our group felt at ease. We loved it so much the first time, that a group of 20+ family members agreed to return 4 years later.

The cottages themselves were comfortable and inviting, blending the charm of a beach vacation in Costa Rica with modern comfort. I love swimming in the warm ocean waves of Costa Rica, but their salt water pool was a gathering spot for the family. The stretch of beach that Encantada calls home is perfectly positioned so that we could witness both the sunrise and sunset casting their glow over the ocean each day. The daily sunsets really captured the pura vida vibe you find in Costa Rica.

Our days were filled with adventure, thanks to thoughtful recommendations and planning. Each morning, there are yoga sessions offered on the property. They also coordinated horseback rides along the countryside, waterfall hikes, mangrove tours, and zip-lining. This hotel suits travelers of all ages. Some of us wanted adventure, others preferred relaxation, and everyone found joy. To return after four years and find the same warmth, beauty, and attention to detail was truly special.

For large groups coming in from out of the country, the location is ideal. It’s less than 2 hours (~75 miles) from the San Jose Airport and they will help you arrange transportation. If you choose to rent a car, the roads between San Jose and Esterillos are easy to navigate.

This is more than a hotel on the beach. It is a restorative place of connection, comfort, and care. Tiffany and Nome have created something extraordinary, and we will always treasure our time here.

We LOVE the Encantada!!! Between their beautiful rooms stocked with the highest quality, organic body wash/shampoo/conditioner, to the lovely restaurant with the most incredible food and great vibe. The pool is wonderful and private. The staff is always so sweet and helpful. Oh and not to mention the yoga out front, overlooking the ocean, is the absolute BEST!! Tiffany just really knows how to do it! We will continue to come back year after year❤️

This place!! It still holds a special place in my heart, the people the owners and the views. Everything about Encantata is amazing, from the food to the drinks. The houses were kept clean and nice and the stay was wonderful. Will go again!!

Perfect place to get away.

An absolute paradise. Beautiful, lush grounds, beach to ourselves, gorgeous cottages, friendly staff and excellent restaurant

We visited Encantada with family three months ago and returned as a couple in July.
This time we stayed in the Ocean Front Villa and our experience was fantastic again.
We live in Costa Rica and go to the beach every few months. We have a couple of places that we visit on the Caribbean side and Encantada is now our go to establishment on the west coast. We are heading to the Caribbean coast in September and have already booked a return visit to Encantada in May of 2026. See you then!!!

Wonderful staff. Very accommodating. Our room was clean and spacious and the staff was friendly and attentive right from the reservation process to the stay.

Beautiful location, friendly staff, and beach front property. The cottage is located in a much quieter town of Parrita, which is 1 hour north of Manuel Antonio NP and Quepos area. We loved how peaceful and away from the big tourists area this place is. There's a restaurant and bar in the property which is a nice option. Breakfast is included which a good plus. The pool is heated and a pretty good size for lap swim. We really liked this hotel but there are two negative factors and that's why i rated it a 3 star. First, there's a strong musty smell in our cabin. It's the type of smell that permeates that whole room and it stuck to our luggage and all our clothing materials even after washing them. I believe the smell is coming from the humidity, rain, and all the moisture from the ocean. It's simply stuck in the old wood structure and no amount of air freshener can cover it. The other issue we had are the dogs in the area. They tend to bark and howl past midnight and can be quite disturbing. i suffer from insomnia and being woken up in the middle of the night pretty much kills my whole sleep cycle. We ended up leaving much earlier than we had booked.

Overall, our cabin was clean but it could use a lot of TLC and maintenance. The fridge in our room was very small, old, and had rusty grate. The furniture were quite old.

After seeing all the reviews & beautiful website I had high hopes for our stay at Encantada. This was our final stop in Costa Rica and sixth hotel and sadly was the worst. I think it has the potential of being an amazing gem however it fell short in many aspects. And I think there is a disconnect between what was presented online and what it is like in real life.

Firstly, although the location is amazing ad peaceful our experience was not as on the first night the neighbours dogs barked & howled the entire night so no sleep! We were in Room 6 which apparently is the worst for this. The hotel know about the issue but don't seem to be able to do much. The second night they started barking but then we had heavy rain so luckily they stopped and the third night there was no barking thankfully however there were very noisy guests in the pool till late - the pool is open 24 hours. So unfortunately our experience was not peaceful.

The breakfast was ok but definitely let down by the coffee, which i found undrinkable - again disappointing for Costa Rica. And the juice is also watered down & not very tasty.

My mother requested a hairdyer and was given one that was very dirty & had packing tape over the electrical wires - needless to say we didn't risk using it!

Positives:
- gorgeous location
- lovely soft sheets
- great activities can be arranged through the hotel

Negatives:
- needs some TLC
- noisy & bothersome dogs
- possibly noisy if other guests aren't mindful as the rooms & pool are very close

This could be an amazing property but I think it is in need of attention.

Hidden Gem!! There are not enough great things I can say about this place. We went for my wife’s birthday and our anniversary and booked a lot of tours all through the hotel, which were some of the most unforgettable experiences ever. The entire staff goes out of their way to make sure your stay is perfect and genuinely get to know you. It’s a small resort so you get a feeling of privacy and since it is on a very uncrowded beach you feel like you’re in your own little paradise. I came during the rainy season but there was very little rain, just a few afternoon showers. Very few tourist during this time. Their poolside cabins are amazing! This is a must stay for Costa Rica.