Where to Stay in Guanacaste, Costa Rica: Best Areas & Hotels
October 26, 2026 - By: Reagan Flippo
I've been to Guanacaste twice now, and one of those trips was for my own wedding. We got married at a villa in Hacienda Pinilla with our wedding party and immediate family there for the whole week, then stayed on for our honeymoon at the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo and Rio Perdido.
Truthfully, we picked Costa Rica because we wanted somewhere we could afford, and we wanted to give our family and friends an excuse to visit a place they'd never been. Our guests ended up spread across budget hotels, boutique hotels and private rentals, so between all of us I got a really good feel for the options.
If you're trying to figure out where to stay in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, it really depends on what kind of trip you want. So I'm breaking it down by area, with where we stayed, where our guests stayed, what they loved and what they didn't.
My top Hotel Picks
Where to Stay in Guanacaste, Costa Rica: Pick Your Area First
Guanacaste is spread out, so the area you pick matters more than the hotel. Most people fly into Liberia (LIR) and drive from there. If you want restaurants, bars and nightlife you can walk to, stay in Tamarindo. If you want a quieter base with great surf and room for a group, look at Hacienda Pinilla. And if you want a resort where everything is taken care of, it's Playa Conchal or Peninsula Papagayo.
Best Hotels in Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Tamarindo is where I tell any client to stay if they want to be close to the action. You can walk to the bars, restaurants and shops, and it's where a bunch of our guests took surf lessons. It's also where our bachelor and bachelorette nights accidentally merged. The girls ran into the guys at a bar that turned into a karaoke bar that night, because our group took over the aux cord and the stage. We stayed all night, and I made total strangers come up and sing with me. They did it, because I was the bride lol.
One food tip: hit the food truck area. There are so many options, and the pizza was phenomenal. I also didn't eat a single meal on this trip without ordering ceviche.
1. Wyndham Tamarindo // Best Budget Hotel
The Wyndham sits up on a hill about half a mile from the center of town. Our guests who stayed here didn't have a single complaint. They were honestly surprised by the view for a budget-friendly hotel, and they loved the infinity pool. It's not really walkable to town, but there's a free shuttle down to downtown and the hotel's beach club.
2. Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas // Best Boutique Stay
Our guests loved that Cala Luna feels like its own little world, but you can walk right out and be close to the rest of town. If you want a quieter, more private stay without giving up the location, this is the one.
3. Hotel Tamarindo Diria // Best Location
If location is everything to you, the Diria is right next to everything and steps from the beach. I'll be honest, though: our guests said the rooms were a little outdated. If you plan to be out exploring all day and just need a place to sleep, it's a great pick.
4. Private Rentals
Some of our guests rented homes, and I highly recommend it, especially for families and groups. You can find some incredible properties for amazing prices. Here are a few of my favorites:
Hacienda Pinilla: Best Place for a Costa Rica Destination Wedding
Hacienda Pinilla is a private community a short drive from Tamarindo, and it's where we got married. If you want to be close to the action but not in the heart of a party town, this is a great place to stay. Villa guests get access to the community's golf course and beach club, and the JW Marriott Guanacaste is here too if you'd rather do a hotel.
The beaches are rougher than in Tamarindo because this is home to one of the best surf breaks in the area. On the morning of our wedding, my husband went out with his groomsmen. Both of his friends got up on their boards after just a few tries, and he caught a bunch of waves pretty easily. Then, on his way out, he cut himself on the rocks. On our wedding day. So go for it, but watch the rocks!
It's harder for little kids to swim here, but Playa Avellanas is close by and much calmer. Have lunch at Lola's while you're there. Get the ceviche, grab a drink and enjoy the view. It's very relaxed and one of my favorite spots in the area.
Villa Noches // Where We Got Married
We got married at Villa Noches, and having our wedding party and immediate family together all week was everything. The team made it absolutely seamless for us. There are lots of other luxurious villas in the community if you need more space for a group.
Other Villas // I’d recommend
Best Resorts in Playa Conchal, Costa Rica
Playa Conchal is about 30 minutes from Tamarindo, and a lot of our guests extended their trip here after the wedding. I haven't stayed at these two myself, but they're where I send clients who want a resort:
• The Westin Reserva Conchal, an all-inclusive resort https://trips.foratravel.com/reagan-flippo/book
• W Costa Rica – Reserva Conchal, in the same area https://trips.foratravel.com/reagan-flippo/book
Best Luxury Resorts in Costa Rica: Peninsula Papagayo
Peninsula Papagayo is a private, gated community about 45 minutes from the Liberia airport. It's made up of private villas and three five-star resorts: the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, Nekajui (a Ritz-Carlton Reserve), and the Four Seasons. Guests at all three get access to the new Papagayo Park, which has a water park, basketball and tennis courts, a skate park, yoga, art classes and more.
1. Andaz Peninsula Papagayo // Where We Honeymooned (and Best Luxury Pick)
The second we walked in, everything was taken care of. They handed us cold towels and coconut drinks, and since we showed up about four hours before check-in, they drove us by golf cart to lunch. While we ate, they rushed to get our room ready, then picked us up and took us straight to it.
We had a king room with an ocean view, and even the shower looked out at the ocean. There was a little outdoor seating area where I tried really hard to get the monkeys to come hang out with me. They preferred the breakfast area.
I expected the pools to be full of kids, since the Andaz has one of the best-ranked kids' clubs in the area, but they weren't. There's an adults-only pool and a family pool, so it works for couples and families.
The food (I have opinions):
• Chao Pescao – We went twice, it was that good. My favorites were the empanadas, the ceviche and the skirt steak, and the drinks were very, very good.
• Meso – Lunch only, at the Casa de Playa beach club. You take a boat or the free shuttle to get there. This was probably our second-favorite meal of the whole trip. Get the spanakopita rolls.
• Perla – The sushi bar inside Ostra. Sit at the bar! They gave us free bites to try, and it was such a fun experience.
• Gaio – This is where breakfast is served. Because I booked through my travel advisor portal, our stay included complimentary breakfast thanks to my agency’s hotel partnerships! The buffet was incredible, with SO much food and different main dishes every day. It was such a great perk to have included in our stay! Lunch here was our least favorite meal (the pasta was better than the pizza), but we still enjoyed it.
Do the jet ski tour. It's a guided tour, not a free-for-all. They took us around the peninsula, where we saw Witch's Rock from a distance, stopped at a private beach by the Ritz for a short hike to amazing views, explored some caves and found a totally empty beach. Then we went up a river and saw an alligator and monkeys. Private Jet Ski Tour in the Gulf of Papagayo
We stayed three nights and wish we'd stayed at least five. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
► Book it (and ask me about perks like included breakfast): https://trips.foratravel.com/reagan-flippo/book
2. Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve and 3. Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo
We didn't stay at these two, but they share the same peninsula and Papagayo Park. They're great options if you want ultra-luxury in the same area. https://trips.foratravel.com/reagan-flippo/book
Rio Perdido: A Luxury Wellness Retreat in Costa Rica
Rio Perdido Hotel & Thermal River is the one place on this list I'll be really honest about: it's for a certain type of person. If you love yoga, meditation, spas and mountain biking but still want luxury, you'll love it. It was relaxing, but I personally wanted just a little more adventure, so I probably wouldn't go back.
We got a free upgrade for two nights, so we stayed in two different rooms. The upgraded room was dark and very romantic, with outdoor showers, but it got a little eerie when it rained (and this was the only place we got rain on either trip). Then we moved to a smaller room with a hammock. It had a lot of ants, but we actually liked that room better.
The thermal river was way warmer than we expected and so relaxing. The ziplining here goes through the canyons, which felt totally different from the one we did near Tamarindo. We also went white water rafting on the Tenorio River, and the guides were amazing and hilarious. There's just one restaurant on property, but they change the menu every night, so we never got bored.
Next Time: Where to Stay in La Fortuna
If you're adding a few days inland, La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano are only a few hours away. Some of our friends extended their trip after our wedding and stayed at Nayara Tented Camp. It's on my bucket list, and it's where I'd stay on my next trip. Just know you'll want a 4x4 for that drive. https://trips.foratravel.com/reagan-flippo/book
FAQ: Where to Stay in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Do I need a car in Costa Rica?
I recommend renting one, and I tell my clients to get a 4x4. We accidentally didn't, and we were fine, but we would have needed it if we'd gone to La Fortuna or if it had rained really hard. The good news is that the roads here aren't nearly as scary as the stories you hear about driving around San José.
Is it okay to visit Costa Rica in rainy season?
Yes! I've been twice, both times in June and July, and we never had rain in the Tamarindo area. Guanacaste is one of the drier regions in Costa Rica. The only rain we got was at Rio Perdido, and June and early July are much cheaper, so I'd still go.
Where should I stay for a destination wedding in Costa Rica?
The villas in Hacienda Pinilla. We got married at Villa Noches, hosted our wedding party and immediate family all week, and it was seamless. Tamarindo is close by for guests who want hotels at different budgets and a little nightlife.
Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
If I had to sum up where to stay in Guanacaste, Costa Rica: pick Tamarindo for the action, Hacienda Pinilla for a group or a wedding, and the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo if you want to be completely taken care of. I'd go back to all three in a heartbeat. If you want help planning your trip (and getting perks like the free breakfast we had at the Andaz), reach out to me at Flippo Travel. reagan.flippo@fora.travel
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