Calle Principal 1000, Tamarindo, Costa Rica | (888) 616-5829
Some rooms have mountain and ocean views from the covered terraces
The hilltop pool has ocean views
Two-bedroom suites are good for families and friends traveling together
The Crazy Monkey Bar is a lively spot for cocktail specials
and pizza
Breakfast is included in the room rate
Free Wi-Fi
Free parking
Friday night party at the pool is loud, and may cause noise until
2:00 am
The rooms are small, drab, and in need of updating
Some of the bathrooms are tiny with little room between the
sink and toilet
Most rooms lack closets and desks
The beach is across the street and requires walking down
lots of steep stairs
The pool offers little shaded area
The pool is often noisy and crowded with screaming kids
A 33-room budget-oriented hotel in need of updating, the
Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas is one of the first hotels visitors to
Tamarindo notice as they make their way to town.
Perched on a rocky hill, across the street from Tamarindo Beach and the estuary that separates Tamarindo from Playa Grande, the hotel is popular with surfers, families, and partygoers, who flock to the hotel's Crazy Monkey Bar for its famous Friday night poolside dance party. Rooms are small and a bit dreary, although some have airy terraces and ocean views. The pool is frequently crowded with yelling kids, so those seeking a quieter, more relaxing atmosphere may want to consider other comparably priced hotels in Tamarindo such as the more intimate Hotel Arco Iris.
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.
Scene
A small, budget hotel with a hilltop pool and restaurant that's appealing to families and those who like to party
Built into a hillside off the busy road that leads to
Tamarindo, the Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas is one of the oldest hotels
in town, and it certainly shows its age. The property is tired and dreary, with dusty gravel drives, pathways with cracked cement, and a disorganized pool that lacks shade and sufficient lounge chairs. Guests check in at the tiny reception
hut, just inside the gate before driving to the top of the property to find
their room. The hotel's location, across the street from Tamarindo Beach, makes
it popular with surfers, who come for the low rates and the chance to fit four
people in the Junior Suites. Families also favor the hotel for its pool with a waterfall, swim-up bar, and adjacent restaurant, which churns out pizzas and drink specials from lunch
through dinner, keeping the pool area busy and somewhat chaotic. On Friday
nights, the hotel's Crazy Monkey Bar hosts Ladies Night, a popular weekly event
for locals and tourists alike. The evening includes salsa dancing, live music,
and poolside partying before wrapping up around 2:00 a.m., and guests are
warned by management to expect noise and to pack appropriately (earplugs).While late-night partying is part of the lifestyle in
Tamarindo, those seeking tranquility are able to find some respite
at the hotel. The grounds are lush with flowering plants and trees (many which
are marked with identifying signs) and the ocean-view rooms away from the pool have lovely
views of the hilly surroundings and the sea from covered terraces.
Location
On a rocky hill, a few feet off the busy road that leads to downtown Tamarindo and across the street from Tamarindo Beach and the estuary that separates Tamarindo from Playa Grande
The hotel is spread across a rocky incline across the street
from Tamarindo Beach. There's a surf shop and a car rental shop adjacent to the
hotel's entrance and a few restaurants, such as the upscale Panga's Beach Club and the
casual Eat at Joe's, within a five-minute walk. The Liberia Airport is about
a one-hour drive away while the larger airport in San Jose is close to a four-hour drive.- 10-minute walk to Tamarindo Beach
Rooms
Basic rooms and suites with rustic wood furniture, flat-screen TVs, dull decor, and semi-private terraces
The Best Western has 33 rooms, suites, and villas spread throughout the hilly
property. Standard Rooms feature one queen or one queen and one twin bed with
views of either the hillside or ocean. Junior Two-Bedroom Suites consist of two
separate rooms, separated by an open half-wall (that can be shuttered for
privacy) with a queen bed in one room and two singles in the second room. The
hotel also offers small villas with one queen bed and a separate living area
with a sofa bed and kitchenette. Most of the rooms are small, designed more as crash pads than places to spend time. Gray or beige ceramic tile or linoleum
floors, simple wood furnishings, and eggshell-painted walls with little artwork combine to create a dull, uninviting atmosphere. Modern amenities include wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers,
and mini-refrigerators. While there is plenty of storage, it comes in the form of open étagère type units rather than traditional closets with doors. Hangers dangle from a simple pole, and shelves are stocked with extra blankets and safes. In some rooms additional shelving/storage
is built in to the headboards. The beds feature rustic, thick wood frames and are finished with
basic white sheets, green bedskirts, and thin accent throws. Terra-cotta-colored neck-roll pillows and matching window treatments complete the decor. Bathrooms vary in size, and some are tiny, featuring wood vanities with white raised-bowl sinks, walk-in showers, wall-mounted hairdryers, and poor ventilation.One of the standout features included in some of the rooms are the semi-private covered terraces. Fronted by neatly trimmed flowering hedgerows and offering views of the mountains and ocean, they offer wide benches and small tables with two chairs, ideal perches for watching birds in the morning while sipping a cup of Costa Rican coffee or taking in the evening sunsets.
Features
A casual restaurant, a popular bar, and a pool with a waterfall and swim-up bar
Mention the Crazy Monkey Bar to just about anyone in Tamarindo and you are sure to hear an opinion about the destination's famous Ladies Night. Every Friday night from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., the poolside bar at Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas throws a serious party, complete with a DJ, a multi-piece salsa band, fire dancers, dancing, and drink specials. When not in party mode, the bar and its adjacent Secret Spot restaurant churn out frozen drinks, buckets of beer, and pizzas for guests and visitors. Those in need of a cocktail can simply swim up to the bar and place their drink order, while those seeking more substance prefer to settle in under the shade of the palapa roof at the rustic, plastic-tablecloth-covered tables. The restaurant is open to the public for lunch and dinner, but in the morning it serves its guests a buffet-style breakfast with fresh fruit, pancakes, and plenty of Costa Rican coffee.
