Cristal Ballena Boutique Hotel & Spa

Hotels
9 (240 reviews)
Uvita, Costa Ballena , Uvita , cr

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Business center
Family rooms
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Beautiful views
Clean facilities
Good amenities
Cons:
High food prices
Noise from air conditioning
Distance from beach

Categories

Cleanliness
8.89
Guests generally found the hotel clean and well-maintained.
Service
9.86
Staff were consistently described as friendly and attentive.
Location
9.4
Beautiful views and accessible to nature, but some mention of distance from the beach.
Room Quality
8.35
Rooms were spacious and clean, but some complaints about noise and air conditioning.
Amenities
8.88
Good facilities and beautiful gardens, but some minor issues with refurbishment.
Value for Money
8.84
Generally good value, but some food prices considered high.
Food and Beverage
8.39
Good restaurant options, but some high prices mentioned.
Overall Experience
9.36
Guests have expressed strong loyalty and enjoyment of their stay.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-06 05:00

Property Description

Luxurious Mediterranean-Style Suites
Surrounded by lush tropical gardens, Cristal Ballena Hotel Resort & Spa offers spacious suites with ocean views, four-poster beds, and balconies. Each suite is equipped with modern amenities including satellite TV, a minibar, and a coffee maker for a comfortable stay.

Relaxing Spa and Outdoor Pool
Guests can unwind at the on-site spa or take a refreshing dip in the outdoor pool while enjoying the serene surroundings of Costa Ballena. The private rainforest hiking trail provides a tranquil escape for nature enthusiasts looking to explore the area.

Gourmet Dining with Ocean Views
Indulge in Costa Rican and international cuisine at the poolside Pura Vida bar-restaurant, offering stunning ocean views. Start your day with a delicious buffet breakfast featuring home-baked bread and fresh fruit, setting the tone for a memorable stay.

Experience luxury and relaxation at Cristal Ballena Hotel Resort & Spa. Book now for an unforgettable getaway!

Important information:

Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM

Location

Guest Reviews

9
Based on 240 reviews
Cleanliness: 8.89
Service: 9.86
Location: 9.4
Room Quality: 8.35
Amenities: 8.88
Value for Money: 8.84
Food and Beverage: 8.39
Overall Experience: 9.36
B
Beatrice • couple • fr
10
Un séjour trés agréable à Uvita
Pros:

La qualité de l’emplacement, des équipements et la beauté du parc avec tous ses oiseaux magnifiques

Cons:

Rien

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee
M
Melvin • couple • cr
10
2026-08-16 • via Nuitee
L
Lyran • extended_group • it
9
Beautiful property
Pros:

Great pool area, staff was friendly. The room was big and spacious, property is beautiful in the middle of the rainforest with lots of bird activity, monkey next to our room.

Cons:

The shower in the room was really terrible and must be fixed and upgraded. Water pressure was bad, the shower head was terrible and the shower is dysfunctional with water going everywhere since there is no glass to stop it. Breakfast offering can be improved and was quite limited. Offer guests some other eggs options, make some waffles or French Toast. Offer more fruit types, more bread types.

2026-08-13 • via Nuitee
L
Luis Ruiz • extended_group • cr
10
Great hotel
Pros:

Beautiful place, wonderful staff... everything great!!!!

2026-08-12 • via Nuitee
R
Rene • couple • nl
9
2026-08-03 • via Nuitee
R
Rosibel • family_with_children • cr
9
2026-08-03 • via Nuitee
B
BERVAS • couple • fr
10
Parfait
Pros:

Nous avons passé un super séjour
Le personnel est très aimable

Cons:

Rien

2026-07-24 • via Nuitee
M
Maximilian • family_with_children • de
8
2026-07-24 • via Nuitee
A
Anja • solo_traveller • nl
7
Cons:

Geen ontvangst bij aankomst laat in de avond receptie gesloten en restaurant ook. Locatie was donker en we gingen ervan uit dat we konden eten in het restaurant wat op de website staat.

2026-07-21 • via Nuitee
T
teddy • family_with_children • fr
8
Malgre quelques imperfections, hôtel recommandable et tres bon rapport qualité prix
Pros:

Vue top, rapidite d'intervention, calme, decoration, ambiance, taille de la chambre

Cons:

pas de savon dans distributeur, une fenetre qui ne fermait pas à notre arrivée, une douche non completement nettoyee, repas pas execptionnel et petit déjeuner léger

2026-07-19 • via Nuitee
S
StaciaLittlefield • solo_traveller • us
10
Pros:

Beautiful property with a nice walking trail also. Food and service were excellent. So relaxing. The pool area was awesome. Great location also. The Toucans were also fun to watch on the property. Close to Marino Ballena Park (whales tail) which was very nice to visit.

2026-07-09 • via Nuitee
D
Diego • solo_traveller • us
9
Pros:

Amazing views
The staff is simply the best, kind, helpful, always happy
Excellent food
Pool
Animals
Pristine landscaping, you are in the middle of the jungle with all the comfort

Cons:

Breakfast could be improved. We were
close to the low season so it’s possible they had less variety.
Restaurant is a bit pricey and given the location it’s the only thing nearby

2026-06-24 • via Nuitee
F
Felicity • couple • ie
10
A truly wonderful hotel
Pros:

Gorgeous location, with stunning views and a really magnificent swimming pool. The staff was exceptionally friendly and welcoming, and the whole property was really beautiful, with many thoughtful design touches and lovely pieces of art. The room was spacious and comfortable, with plenty of amenities.

2026-06-16 • via Nuitee
H
Herbert • couple • ch
9
Entspannende Zeit im Uvita
Pros:

Eine wunderschöne Anlage mitten in der Natur. Der grosszügige Swimmingpool und der Wanderpark: wirklich sehr sehr schön. Das Restaurant ist auch sehr schön direkt vor dem Pool mit Aussicht über den Wald zum Meer.

Cons:

Wenn man kann ganz ehrlich sein soll, sind die Preise im Verhältnis zu den anderen Hotels in Costa Rica sehr sehr hoch. Getränke Speisen und so weiter entsprechen sogar über dem europäischen Niveau aber qualitativ alles sehr gut.

2026-06-12 • via Nuitee
E
Eliyahu • couple • il
8
Good hotel with beautiful surroundings and view near Uvita
Pros:

The location, including the ocean view and the forest trail in the property. It is 10m drive from Uvita. So you need a car.
The staff were very helpful. They also helped us with diving tour setup and preparing lunch boxes for the tour.

Cons:

1. WIFI is weak and unstable. This is very problematic as also the cellular reception there is poor. For travelers this is very important.
2. The breakfast was ok. Not big variety and it starts only from 7:00 while morning tours start before 7:00. On the other hand, they prepare lunch box for the early birds.
3. The last night we had multiple power issues which I assume are not related to the hotel but still not convenient to spend half of the last evening in the dark w/o internet when you need to pack and prepare to next day.

2026-05-26 • via Nuitee
T
thierry • couple • fr
10
2026-05-22 • via Nuitee
L
Linda • couple • us
10
2026-05-03 • via Nuitee
H
Holding LINARUN • extended_group • fr
10
Top
Pros:

Le personnel, la piscine, le calme enfin j’ai adoré

Cons:

Rien

2026-05-01 • via Nuitee
R
Randy Bast • solo_traveller • us
9
2026-04-21 • via Nuitee
J
Juliette • family_with_children • fr
8
Un lieu magnifique mais
Pros:

La piscine, le cadre splendide, la tranquillité, l’entretien de la propriété, la propreté, wifi rapide.

Cons:

Les lits sont un peu durs, j’ai eu mal au dos. Notre chambre soi disant familiale petite pour deux adultes et un enfant et nous étions enclavés au rez de chaussée avec la climatisation comme vue sur la terrasse. Dommage, j’aurais aimé être en haut, l’hôtel était quasiment vide en plus ils auraient pu nous faire cette gentillesse. Le petit déjeuner n’avait rien d’exceptionnel, voire complètement banal par rapport à d’autres endroits: le gallo Pinto réchauffé sec, pas de choix, quelques morceaux de bacon, toujours les mêmes fruits les sempiternels ananas et pastèque (alors que j’allais dans un commerce à côté m’acheter de superbes mangues, granadilla ou fruits de la passion), il y a des restaurants magnifiques à Uvita on sent que le petit déjeuner était à l’économie. On attend à plus raffiné dans un endroit de ce type. Trop fonctionnel. Dîner idem mangé une seule fois assez cher pour la proposition pas terrible. Douche un peu vieillotte. Mobilier joli mais basique.

2026-04-21 • via Nuitee