Hotel Cantarana

Hotels
9.4 (203 reviews)
Palm Beach Estates , Playa Grande , cr

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Children allowed

Facilities

Health or beauty spa nearby
Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Terrace
Luggage storage
Express check-in/check-out
Safety deposit box
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Nice staff
Quiet neighborhood
Cons:
Dirty beach
Unhelpful reception

Categories

Cleanliness
7.56
The beach was dirty and common areas had fake, plastic grass.
Service
9.53
Staff were described as very nice, but reception was unhelpful at times.
Location
10
Quiet neighborhood with a long, walkable beach available.
Room Quality
9.97
Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Amenities
9.52
Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Value for Money
9.55
Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Food and Beverage
9.51
Breakfast was not included as advertised.
Overall Experience
9.56
Standard quality for this hotel tier.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-03-01 23:32

Property Description

Swim, Sun, and Surf:
Hotel Cantarana is a tropical oasis just steps away from Playa Grande Beach. Enjoy a refreshing dip in the swimming pool, soak up the sun on the terrace, and connect with loved ones using the free Wi-Fi.

Diverse Dining and Adventure:
Indulge in a culinary journey at Cantarana's restaurant, offering a blend of international and local flavors. For the adventurous souls, the hotel organizes a myriad of activities from surfing and ATV tours to diving and canopy adventures.

Convenient Location and Comfortable Stay:
Located near Tamarindo Local Airport, this charming hotel offers cozy rooms with all the essential amenities including air conditioning, cable TV, and private balconies with garden views. With easy access to Tamarindo Town Centre and various transportation options, your stay at Hotel Cantarana promises both convenience and comfort.

Book your stay at Hotel Cantarana now and embark on a memorable Costa Rican adventure!

Important information:

In response to Coronavirus (COVID-19), additional safety and sanitation measures are in effect at this property.
Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), this property is taking steps to help protect the safety of guests and staff. Certain services and amenities may be reduced or unavailable as a result.
Please inform Hotel Cantarana in advance of your expected arrival time. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly with the contact details provided in your confirmation.
Please note that the free Continental breakfast is included only in the refundable rates.

Here is important information about after hours check in:

Tuesday-sunday : Check in until 9:30 PM
Monday : Check in until 6:30 PM

After hours check in :

A key box is located on the right hand side of the main gate.
In this key box, you will find the keys of the gate (YELLOW) and your room key.
Open the get and close behind you and read the Registration card that we left for you on the table.
You will find the instruction to find your room and we will meet you for check in in the upstairs restaurant the next morning.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:00 AM
Airport code: LIR

Property Policies

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

  • Parking

    No parking available.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Groups

    No special conditions apply for groups.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children of any age are allowed.
    Children up to and including 4 years old stay for free when using an existing bed.
    You haven't added any cots.
    You haven't added any extra beds.

Location

Guest Reviews

9.4
Based on 203 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.56
Service: 9.53
Location: 10
Room Quality: 9.97
Amenities: 9.52
Value for Money: 9.55
Food and Beverage: 9.51
Overall Experience: 9.56
G
Günesh • extended_group • br
9
2025-10-08 • via Nuitee
C
Casey • partner
4
Pros:

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.

2025-09-27 • via Nuitee
B
bvallejo • family_with_children • it
8
2025-09-17 • via Nuitee
S
Sonata • extended_group • lt
9
2025-09-15 • via Nuitee
I
IAN • couple • au
9
2025-09-12 • via Nuitee
K
Kimberly • partner
8
Pros:

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

2025-09-11 • via Nuitee
G
Granados • family_with_children • cr
10
Pros:

Todo super bueno

2025-08-17 • via Nuitee
V
Violeta • family_with_children • us
10
I love it, we got to see a lot of wildlife, the place was beautiful, quiet, clean, bring your own rite for mosquitoes, y
Pros:

Absolutely beautiful, quiet place, nice pool, restaurant, close to the beach, friendly staff.

Cons:

The road to the place is a bit bumpy, but it is worth it. If you get the room beneath the restaurant it will be a bit of noise in the early morning as people goes up there to eat.

2025-08-16 • via Nuitee
T
Tanvi • extended_group • ch
10
2025-08-15 • via Nuitee
V
Victoria • couple • cr
10
Privacidad y comodidad en el paraíso
Pros:

Es un lugar limpio, cómodo y privado. Un ambiente tranquilo. Es perfecto.!!!

2025-08-11 • via Nuitee
D
Danielle • partner
10
Pros:

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!

2025-08-10 • via Nuitee
K
Krishia • couple • cr
10
2025-07-12 • via Nuitee
T
Tracey
10
Cute and quite area in Playa Grande
Pros:

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.

2025-07-05 • via Nuitee
N
Nadia • solo traveller • ch
9
Superb
2025-06-05 • via Nuitee
W
william
10
Pros:

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

2025-05-29 • via Nuitee
D
Deanna • young couple • us
10
Beautiful grounds and great people.we will return!
Pros:

Beautiful and tropical location with great views of the Arenal volcano. We were just a short drive from all activities including hot springs, hiking and waterfalls! Breakfast was so good and perfect before we took off on our adventures!

Cons:

The only complaint that I can think of is the pool was just a little chilly.

2025-05-01 • via Nuitee
M
Matt • young couple • ca
10
Very happy all around and look forward to staying here again
Pros:

I’ve stayed here here twice about 6-7 years ago. Very relaxing and chill vibes. Staff is great with communicating and helping with knowledge of the area.

Cons:

Can’t think of anything

2025-04-30 • via Nuitee
V
Vishal • partner
8
Pros:

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.

2025-04-22 • via Nuitee
S
sarah
10
Pros:

The best!

2025-04-16 • via Nuitee
K
Kathleen • family with young children • us
8
Spring Break on Marco could not have been better.
Pros:

location, lanai, two channels, pool, hot tub, room for our family.

Cons:

There were two small maintenance and housekeeping issues at the start, but they were remedied quickly and to our satisfaction. It was expensive; very expensive. But it was Spring Break on Marco and the price may have been fair for the size of the house and the time of year. Interesting design: the Primary Bedroom was huge for 2 people. You could easily sleep 5 people in that space.

2025-04-15 • via Nuitee