Places To Stay In Playa Hermosa Costa Rica – Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica, is a picturesque and beautiful area in the province of Guanacaste. It’s a great place to stay on your visit to Costa Rica, because it’s the perfect base for many different day trips and it’s a bit quieter than other nearby places. Playa Hermosa is also a great day trip, if you are coming from elsewhere – we visited 4 beaches on this trip, and Playa Hermosa was my favorite! Whether you’re staying in Playa Hermosa or just passing through, this guide has everything you need to know: Playa Hermosa restaurants, activities, wildlife, and day trips from Playa Hermosa.
On my first visit to Costa Rica, I stayed in Manuel Antonio. The National Park, the beaches and the towns in the area were beautiful. I decided to revisit Costa Rica because it is a beautiful, safe and affordable destination coming from Canada. This time, I stayed in Playa Hermosa, a completely different part of the country that gives access to all the new parks, day trips, and experiences.
Places To Stay In Playa Hermosa Costa Rica
Playa Hermosa is a 35 minute drive from Liberia and 25 minutes from the Liberia airport. This is where most visitors staying in Playa Hermosa fly. If you are staying in Playa Hermosa, you will become familiar with an intersection in Liberia that has McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and KFC. Head west out of Liberia if you want to reach Playa Hermosa.
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There are no street signs in Costa Rica, so these directions to Playa Hermosa from the Liberia airport are very descriptive. If you go by car, ask for a GPS.
The best time to visit Playa Hermosa is during the dry season, from January to March. The sun every day makes for great weather for the beach and day trip! It can get very windy this time of year which helps keep it from getting too hot. But do not be fooled! The sun is shining and you always need sunscreen, even when there is a nice breeze.
If you come between September and December, you have a better chance of seeing sea turtles, and the waterfalls will be bigger because of all the rain, but you may also get areas washed out, making driving unpleasant.
Getting around in Playa Hermosa is easy, because you can walk everywhere. This area is relatively small and it takes less than 30 minutes to walk from one end of the beach to the other (which is also the length of the city area). If you want to go anywhere else, you’ll need to rent a car or arrange guided tours from Playa Hermosa.
Hotel El Velero Gallery
I highly recommend renting a car for Playa Hermosa, because you’ll definitely want to drive to nearby towns and take day trips if you stay here. However, driving in Costa Rica is complicated, so be careful where you go and arrange tours and transfers for the more difficult routes.
Playa Hermosa is a very affordable area, because it is slightly less popular and smaller than other main tourist areas. The average cost of lodging is around $200/night for 2 people.
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Villas Sol Hotel and Beach Resort: We loved the resort we stayed at in Playa Hermosa, Villa Sol Hotel + Beach Resort! This complex is an all inclusive and has 2 pools and access to the beach directly from the complex. There is even a shuttle within the complex, from the beach to the hotel and villas. Meals and drinks are included in your stay. Villas Sol books well in advance, so here are some other options if it’s not available. There is a free shuttle from the airport or free parking if you rent your own car.
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Club and Hotel Condovac: has a spa, infinity pool, jacuzzi and transportation to the beach through Villa Sols. Breakfast is available as an add-on when you book, and there is a restaurant on site. Club y Hotel Condovac is very family friendly and includes tennis courts, basketball courts, pool tables and beautiful patios.
La Gaviota Tropical – For a more boutique experience, check out La Gaviota. We ate at their restaurant and had a change to walk around the hotel, and it’s beautiful. This property is facing the sea and is ideal for couples.
Hotel el Velero: This is a great budget option, located right on the beach. Hotel el Velero has an excellent restaurant, free Wi-Fi, and activities such as fishing, snorkeling, and diving available on site. It is also one of the highest rated properties in the area!
Costa Rica isn’t famous for its food, but at least based on my experience in Playa Hermosa restaurants, it should be. This is definitely the place for you if you are a seafood lover or want to try traditional Costa Rican cuisine.
Top Hotels In Playa Hermosa
It was difficult to find the best restaurants in Playa Hermosa! Most of what came up in my searches were restaurants that were actually in the nearby town of Coco. These are restaurants in Playa Hermosa, not in nearby towns. You can walk to any of these places from the beach, or from any hotel or resort in Playa Hermosa.
Our resort included breakfast, but all of these restaurants offer breakfast and if lunch and dinner are any indication, breakfast will be fine!
There are great things to do in and around Playa Hermosa. It is a great base to explore many different landscapes in Costa Rica. Playa Hermosa itself is a small area, so these activities also cover some nearby towns. Everything on this list within 30 minutes or less!
One of the best surprises in Playa Hermosa was the chance to see wildlife! When you are planning a trip to Costa Rica, you will mostly find that you can see wildlife in the National Parks. It turns out that there is a lot of wildlife in Playa Hermosa too! When in the area, keep an eye out for the following animals:
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Remember to never feed wildlife, and don’t chase/follow them if you’re trying to escape. The animals of Playa Hermosa are very used to people. It didn’t seem to bother any iguanas as I stopped and knelt down to take their photos from a safe distance, and the magpies are more than happy to steal sugar from your table, so you’ll be close enough!
This was my favorite day trip from Playa Hermosa. Llanos de Cortez (pictured above) is a beautiful waterfall (considered a must-see by Lonely Planet) that is less than an hour’s drive from Playa Hermosa. Take a picnic and your bathing suit, and enjoy an afternoon swimming under the waterfall. There is a hike up the side of the waterfall if you want a view from above.
Admission is $7 per person, and the last leg of the trip is a dirt road that’s a bit bumpy. We read that there was a parking fee of a few dollars, but we were not charged for this. Take a little extra money with you, just in case! Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. m. to 4 p.m. m. It gets very crowded on the weekends, so go on weekdays if possible. 1-2 hours before closing is a good time to go, as the waterfall will be in the shade at that time and most people will leave, rather than arrive, at that time.
The Tenorio Volcano National Park is a great place to go hiking, and the way up is paved! It is about a 2.5 hour drive from Playa Hermosa. This park is home to the Río Celeste, a beautiful waterfall that you will reach during your hike. The trail also features hanging bridges, natural hot springs, and hopefully monkeys! Swimming is prohibited in the park itself, but many people swim at the public entrance.
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Go early, because the National Park limits the number of people on the trail to 400 at a time. Park hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. m. to 4:00 p.m. m. and must enter before 2:00 p.m. m. The walk is 6 km (3.7 miles) round trip and takes approximately 3 hours. This is not a difficult hike so if you are not a regular hiker this is a good option!
The entrance to the Tenorio Volcano National Park costs $12 USD for adults and parking costs 1000 colones / 2-3 $ USD.
Monteverde is one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. It is a cloud forest, high in the mountains southeast of Playa Hermosa. It is home to the infamous Monteverde Suspension Bridge, a beautiful waterfall, and an incredible vantage point from where you can see the continental divide.
The hiking trails in Monteverde take many twists and turns, and vary in difficulty. You can hike all day, or for less than an hour, and choose between easy, flat trails or challenging, higher elevation trails. Admission to Monteverde is $22 per adult and there is no parking charge. If you drive yourself, park in
