Pros

  • Close to Liberia’s airport as well as several restaurants
  • Two swimming pools with loungers and a small hot tub
  • Tidy rooms have coffeemakers and free Wi-Fi
  • Breezy restaurant serves lunch and dinner
  • Big, well-equipped fitness center with a great range of equipment
  • Free breakfast buffet with cooked dishes
  • Attached casino is a plus for guests who enjoy gambling
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout and free self-parking
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Cons

  • Few attractions within walking distance
  • Restaurant food is mediocre
  • Run-of-the-mill decor throughout
  • Rooms can pick up some noise from the casino
  • Fitness center hours can be irregular
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Bottom Line

Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino is an unfussy, three-pearl property located a 10-minute drive from Liberia’s airport. The hotel’s 52 rooms are generic but large and clean, featuring flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and coffeemakers. The property offers two pleasant outdoor pools and a roomy fitness center, plus a decent breakfast buffet is included in the rate. The location is handy for travelers en route to and from the airport, and there are a few dining options within walking distance. However, most of the attractions that draw visitors to Guanacaste are over an hour’s drive away. The nearby Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport is a more polished and contemporary alternative, but rates are significantly steeper. 

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Amenities

  • Casino
  • Cribs
  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi
  • Kids Club
  • Pool
  • Spa

Oyster Hotel Review

Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino

Scene

Modest, low-key hotel catering to in-and-out guests

A prominent sign makes the Best Western El Sitio easy to spot from the Pan-American highway, an important feature considering the squat hotel itself is anything but eye-catching. Inside, El Sitio is decked out head-to-toe in lifeless shades of beige. There are a few wall murals here and there, but they’re too tame to make much of an impact. Glimpses of sunlight and greenery add some character to the hotel’s open-air corridors, but for the most part, El Sitio delivers the kind of forgettable comfort most travelers expect from an airport hotel.

Guests are a mix of Western tourists and Costa Rican families. Most Westerners are just passing through, stopping here for one night before heading home or continuing onward to the province’s beaches and national parks. Locals tend to stick around for a few days, with many taking advantage of the hotel’s low rates to enjoy affordable weekend getaways from San Jose.     

See More Scene

Location

On the outskirts of Liberia, a 10-minute drive from the province’s main airport

Best Western El Sitio is located along the Pan-American highway, a short drive from Liberia’s airport. It’s five minutes by foot to Liberia’s Plaza Santa Rosa shopping center, which includes a grocery store, a restaurant, and a bank, among other shops. More dining options, ranging from McDonalds to local fare, can be reached in a farther 10- to 15-minute walk into the city, which means guests aren’t limited to dining at the hotel’s on-site restaurant. 

The hotel is around an hour’s drive south of Rincon de la Vieja National Park, and the surf mecca of Tamarindo can be reached in an additional 85-minute drive south. Easy access to dining and the airport make this hotel a convenient place for a one-night stay at the beginning or end of a trip, but there aren’t enough attractions in the area to merit longer stays.

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Rooms

Clean, chain-like rooms include flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi

Guest rooms at Best Western El Sitio are neat and bland, with minimal artwork and white-tiled flooring. Deep mustard-colored walls and brown bed runners make the rooms look quite dark overall. All rooms include air-conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Wall-mounted flat-screen TVs hang over long, dark wood desks. Basic coffeemakers are also standard, along with pairs of mugs and drinking glasses. 

Beige-tiled bathrooms are equally uninspiring, offering step-down showers with simple white shower curtains and pump dispensers of soap. Hairdryers are attached to the wall, over circular sinks with limited counter space. Bathrooms also offer wooden closets, which hold personal safes and clothes hangers. Guests with rooms close to the casino sometimes complain of noise at night.   

See More Rooms

Features

Two attractive swimming pools, free breakfast served at an open-air restaurant, and a compact casino

The hotel’s star feature is its two swimming pools, the larger of which has a landscaped centerpiece of towering palm trees. The second, smaller pool is tucked off to the side, overlooked by leafy trees. Greenery fringes the tiled concrete deck surrounding the pools, which is dotted with canvas loungers that have built-in shades. There are also a handful of palapas available for guests seeking additional shelter from the sun, along with a stand-alone hot tub.

Rancho El Sitio Bar and Restaurant is found toward the back of the pool area, set under a thatched roof. This no-frills restaurant is furnished with wooden tables and chairs, and a pastoral mural decorates its only wall. Free breakfast, which is included in the room rate, is served here. It’s the standard breakfast buffet spread you’ll encounter throughout Costa Rica, which includes rice and beans, tortillas, scrambled eggs, along with fruits and cereal. The restaurant also serves a nondescript menu of local and international fare for lunch and dinner.

The hotel has a surprisingly large fitness center with relatively modern cardio and weight machines. The downside is that it’s opening hours are limited, plus it shares the same flat color palette as the guest rooms. 

The grounds include two outdoor tennis courts and a soccer field. It also offers an unassuming little playground with slides and swings, among other equipment. Adults can play in the tiny casino attached to the hotel, which has mainly slot machines, along with a few table games. The hotel also has a small, independently owned spa as well as a meeting room, but we weren’t able to see either during our visit. Two computer stations are available for guests in the lobby, and free Wi-Fi is offered throughout. There’s a free parking lot at the front of the property.

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Things You Should Know About Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino

Also Known As

  • BEST WESTERN El Sitio Hotel & Casino

Address

175 Mts, next to Plaza Santa Rosa , Liberia, Province of Guanacaste 13450, Costa Rica

Website

Oyster Hotel Review

Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino

Scene

Modest, low-key hotel catering to in-and-out guests

A prominent sign makes the Best Western El Sitio easy to spot from the Pan-American highway, an important feature considering the squat hotel itself is anything but eye-catching. Inside, El Sitio is decked out head-to-toe in lifeless shades of beige. There are a few wall murals here and there, but they’re too tame to make much of an impact. Glimpses of sunlight and greenery add some character to the hotel’s open-air corridors, but for the most part, El Sitio delivers the kind of forgettable comfort most travelers expect from an airport hotel.

Guests are a mix of Western tourists and Costa Rican families. Most Westerners are just passing through, stopping here for one night before heading home or continuing onward to the province’s beaches and national parks. Locals tend to stick around for a few days, with many taking advantage of the hotel’s low rates to enjoy affordable weekend getaways from San Jose.     

See More Scene

Location

On the outskirts of Liberia, a 10-minute drive from the province’s main airport

Best Western El Sitio is located along the Pan-American highway, a short drive from Liberia’s airport. It’s five minutes by foot to Liberia’s Plaza Santa Rosa shopping center, which includes a grocery store, a restaurant, and a bank, among other shops. More dining options, ranging from McDonalds to local fare, can be reached in a farther 10- to 15-minute walk into the city, which means guests aren’t limited to dining at the hotel’s on-site restaurant. 

The hotel is around an hour’s drive south of Rincon de la Vieja National Park, and the surf mecca of Tamarindo can be reached in an additional 85-minute drive south. Easy access to dining and the airport make this hotel a convenient place for a one-night stay at the beginning or end of a trip, but there aren’t enough attractions in the area to merit longer stays.

See More Location

Rooms

Clean, chain-like rooms include flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi

Guest rooms at Best Western El Sitio are neat and bland, with minimal artwork and white-tiled flooring. Deep mustard-colored walls and brown bed runners make the rooms look quite dark overall. All rooms include air-conditioning and free Wi-Fi. Wall-mounted flat-screen TVs hang over long, dark wood desks. Basic coffeemakers are also standard, along with pairs of mugs and drinking glasses. 

Beige-tiled bathrooms are equally uninspiring, offering step-down showers with simple white shower curtains and pump dispensers of soap. Hairdryers are attached to the wall, over circular sinks with limited counter space. Bathrooms also offer wooden closets, which hold personal safes and clothes hangers. Guests with rooms close to the casino sometimes complain of noise at night.   

See More Rooms

Features

Two attractive swimming pools, free breakfast served at an open-air restaurant, and a compact casino

The hotel’s star feature is its two swimming pools, the larger of which has a landscaped centerpiece of towering palm trees. The second, smaller pool is tucked off to the side, overlooked by leafy trees. Greenery fringes the tiled concrete deck surrounding the pools, which is dotted with canvas loungers that have built-in shades. There are also a handful of palapas available for guests seeking additional shelter from the sun, along with a stand-alone hot tub.

Rancho El Sitio Bar and Restaurant is found toward the back of the pool area, set under a thatched roof. This no-frills restaurant is furnished with wooden tables and chairs, and a pastoral mural decorates its only wall. Free breakfast, which is included in the room rate, is served here. It’s the standard breakfast buffet spread you’ll encounter throughout Costa Rica, which includes rice and beans, tortillas, scrambled eggs, along with fruits and cereal. The restaurant also serves a nondescript menu of local and international fare for lunch and dinner.

The hotel has a surprisingly large fitness center with relatively modern cardio and weight machines. The downside is that it’s opening hours are limited, plus it shares the same flat color palette as the guest rooms. 

The grounds include two outdoor tennis courts and a soccer field. It also offers an unassuming little playground with slides and swings, among other equipment. Adults can play in the tiny casino attached to the hotel, which has mainly slot machines, along with a few table games. The hotel also has a small, independently owned spa as well as a meeting room, but we weren’t able to see either during our visit. Two computer stations are available for guests in the lobby, and free Wi-Fi is offered throughout. There’s a free parking lot at the front of the property.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Basic Television

  • Beauty / Hair Salon

  • Business Center

  • Cabanas

  • Cable

  • Casino

  • Cribs

  • Fitness Center

  • Free Breakfast

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Kids Club

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Rental Car Service Desk Onsite

  • Room Service

  • Spa

  • Swim-Up Bar

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.