Costa Rica Travel Posts

Ten Most Overrated Hotels on Tripadvisor in Costa Rica

By George Ellard ⋅ February 8, 2011 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

10. Flamingo Beach Resort – All Inclusive Plan

If this hotel did not offer a so called all inclusive plan, it would not find itself on this list. Unfortunately for them they do, and well…here they are. This resort is located in front of one the the country’s most beautiful beaches. When we stayed there, and opted for all-inclusive, we were truly sorry to see that this meant three small portions of food a day, to be eaten at a time decided by our resort, and not our stomachs. Our rooms was decent at best, and the service was definitely sub par. We just got the feeling that this resort does as little as possible at everything that they do.

9. Hotel Presidente

Located downtown San Jose, Hotel Presidente seems like the posh hotel of the capital. However, when staying in San Jose Costa Rica, you quickly realize that behind the glamor is something a little sketchy. Hotel Presidente, because of its location, is where most men with money who wish to take advantage of the legality of prostitution stay at. The ladies of the night can be seen everywhere. To the hotel’s credit, they do have a dress code for the prostitutes, unlike the Del Rey, and do not allow them to solicit inside the hotel, however, this is still not a top choice if I am traveling with my significant other or family.

8. Arenal Paraiso – La Fortuna

We can’t lie, the value is definitely good if you stay at Arenal Paraiso. The reason this hotel earned the eight spot is that this property does a terrible job reaching its potential. Arenal Paraiso sits on Hot Springs, and does a limited job exploiting them. Murky pools are all that are offered, that look neither natural, nor clean. The massive grounds with poor cart service makes you feel stranded at times.

Ocotal Resort is a highly praised Sport Fishing Resort. Unfortunately, when we inspected this hotel, we were hugely disappointed by the location, quality of the infrastructure, and the beach really let us down. This hotel does a great job with the website, and have a tremendous photographer, as this property definitely does not live up to the hype.

6. Monteverde Lodge – Monteverde

Monteverde Lodge may be one of the most well known hotels in all of Costa Rica. It is without a doubt the most famous hotel in Monteverde. This is due to the lodge being one of the first Eco Lodges in the country. Their history seems to be their biggest asset, as the hotel itself has very little to offer. Simple rooms, no pool area, no views, driving distance from the Monteverde Reserve, as well as higher prices make this a poor choice of hotels if you are staying in Monteverde.

5. Hotel Mimos – Manuel Antonio

Hotel Mimos is a mystery to us as to how anyone would want to stay here. Manuel Antonio has countless hotels perched on the hillside with unforgettable views of the Pacific Ocean. Others are located short walking distance from one of the most beautiful National Parks in Costa Rica. However, Hotel Mimos offers neither as it is located on the wrong side of the road. Their pool is sunk in the forest, and their tacky casino is the main attraction. You would be better to choose a different hotel when traveling to Manuel Antonio.

4. Hotel Captain Suizo – Tamarindo

One of the top rated hotels in Tamarindo, Hotel Captain Suizo holds the forth spot due to the vast amount of hotels that offer a better experience in close vicinity. The beach is why most people come to Tamarindo, and Captain Suizo offers almost no views of the beach, is located on a dusty secondary road, and is a poor location if one is not traveling with a car. The grounds are well kept, and the rooms beautifully decorated, but this serves only as a distraction to their shortcomings.

3. Intercontinental – Escazu

The Intercontinental is one of few five star hotels in Costa Rica. So how could this hotel reach the third spot on our list of most over-rated hotels in Costa Rica? Firstly, we consider this hotel nothing more than a glamorous business hotel. In addition, the location is only remarkable for those travelers that decide to venture to one of the most beautiful countries in the World in order to take in a good shopping destination- it is located next to the huge Multiplaza shopping center.

2. Paradisus Conchal – Guanacaste

As we consider value a major indicator of a hotel being considered overrated, this Mega All Inclusive Resort earns the second spot mostly due to their over the top prices. Playa Conchal is roughly triple the price of any other all-inclusive hotels that we consider their equal, such as Hilton Puntarenas, Barcelo Tambor or Papagayo Allegro.

1. Tabacon Hot Springs – La Fortuna

At the top of our list is the famous Tabacon hotel located in Arenal. Tabacon tops our list because it is the hotel that is most in demand in Arenal, and is in our opinion not even a top ten option. They are grossly overpriced, their rooms offer NO views of the volcano (which should be a must for anyone traveling to Costa Rica), and they make it nearly impossible for friends who are not staying at the hotel to visit you. The entrance fee for non visitors is $80 USD, and outrageous price for Costa Rica. The newly built Springs Resort and Spa, or even Baldi Hot Springs offer a much better value than Tabacon.