Hotel Boutique Indalo

Not everyone comes to lively Puerto Viejo to party. For those who wish to escape the action for a bit of quiet and the option of solitude, there's Hotel Indalo. The small Spanish family that owns Indalo built the hotel with the intent of creating an extremely easygoing atmosphere. The quaint side street location favors more of a small cul-de-sac community than a boutique hotel. The premises are quiet with the exception of neighbors and staff walking on the stones of the courtyard and the birds in the trees. A high-rise garden of sorts with colorful flowers, ferns, and palm trees of varying heights serves as a divider between two flat rows of rooms. 

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, the culturally diverse South Caribbean town in Costa Rica's province of Limon, is a go-to destination for backpackers, surfers, and nature enthusiasts. The beach town is bordered by jungle, making it easy to seek out exotic birds, reptiles, sloths, monkeys, and other wildlife. Indalo is located on a quiet road, so there isn't as much shuffling and noise as one would find in a hotel on Puerto Viejo's main avenue, where reggae bars, shops, and a wide variety of restaurants are located. The beach isn't near the property, but Playa Negra, Puerto Viejo beach, and Cocles -- all popular surfer beaches -- are within three kilometers. In addition to visiting the village or the beaches, other easily accessible activities in town include the Jaguar Rescue Center, the Sloth Sanctuary, and a little farther out, the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Reserve and Cahuita National Park.

Rooms at Indalo are spacious and minimalistic, like the barebones warehouses that double as art gallery venues and small party spaces. Aside from bedspreads that vary in color from room to room, the base color is white and stone gray. Stone slats serve as bed frames, side "tables," and shelving units. There are no dressers or closets, but instead three hooks along the wall. While there's no air-conditioning, two oscillating fans keep the airy rooms cool and comfortable. The room lighting is quite unconventional, essentially being bare bulbs hanging from thick ropes that still maneuver with light switches. During the daytime, however, the lights are optional as huge glass windows and a glass door let in ample sunlight when the curtains aren't drawn. Behind the main stone wall is the bathroom area, with a doorless shower stall on one side, a toilet stall on the other, and a colorful chunky mosaic sink area between them, stocked with towels, soap, and shampoo. As is customary in some Central American countries, toilet paper is not to be flushed, but to be thrown in the trash bin. Every room has a patio, complete with two woven fiber chairs and a white wooden table set with an ashtray.

There may not be much to do except relax at Hotel Indalo, but a few features makes the idle time comfortable. Parking and Wi-Fi are free. Indalo is dog friendly -- pets would join the lazy property dog -- and also provides laundry services. A full Mediterranean breakfast of eggs, fruits, toast, jelly, juice, tea, and coffee is available in the mornings for a small fee. Dinner can be arranged on request. Additionally, staff can help arrange various tours for guests.