La Casa de las Flores Hotel

The small eco-friendly hotel -- which opened its doors in 2007 -- is a sunny spot on the block, painted throughout with lively greens, yellows, oranges, and whites. Inside the doors, a small garden rich with greenery is sandwiched by a cozy lobby and breakfast area set with a library and foosball table on one side, then a small pool area on the other. Since there are only 10 rooms here, the facility doesn't get crowded. 

The energy is relaxed and familial; guests cite friendly and attentive service as a high point. The family that runs the hotel speaks English, Spanish, and Italian. La Casa De Las Flores is less surrounded by jungle than some other hotels in the area, but it's still possible to spot wildlife like sloths, iguanas, howler monkeys, toucans, butterflies, and birds in the neighborhood.

Cahuita is naturally a sleepier town than it's neighboring tourist oasis, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (which is 30 minutes away by car), but La Casa De Las Flores is housed in one of the more lively parts of town. It's located on a main street surrounded by restaurants, supermarkets, banks, souvenir shops, pharmacies, and Cahuita Bus Terminal. The entrance to Cahuita National Park, a popular go-to spot for nature and hiking enthusiasts, is a short three-minute drive away. The primary beach here is Playa Negra, which is a three-minute walk away. Parking on-site is free.

La Casa De Las Flores doesn't have a lot bells and whistles in the 10 nearly identical rooms, but all are spacious and clean. Unlike in many other hotels, the rooms aren't categorized by room type, but by names like Rosa, Azalea, and Margarita. Each green-themed room comes with two queen-size orthopedic mattresses set on dark brown minimalist bed frames, a small desk with two chairs, a mini-fridge, an overhead tube-style TV, a coffeemaker, and air-conditioning. Instead of traditional dresser drawers, wooden shelving units are mounted on the walls between the beds and in nooks beside the bathroom. Outside the sliding glass front doors are small patios set with two matching chairs, ashtrays, pots of yellow flowers, and small, foot-shaped doormats. Bathrooms are sizable and clean with stall showers, hairdryers, toilets, and bidets. As an added bonus for environmentalists, shower water is heated by solar panels.

La Casa De Las Flores may not be overflowing with places to explore on the grounds (and there aren't many amenities), but there are a fair share of perks to enjoy here. In addition to standards like free Wi-Fi and parking, there's a free Costa Rican and Western breakfast (eggs, fruit, ham, cheese, rice, and beans) as well as all-day coffee and tea in the lobby. For entertainment purposes, the lobby has a small library and a foosball table. While there is a clean pool and hot tub with a few lounge chairs and an umbrella, they're a bit on the small side and partially overlook the parking lot. Beach and pool towels are provided free of charge. For those who want to do more than just swim at the beach, the family that owns the hotel helps organize area tours such as snorkeling, horseback riding, and rafting. Spa services, like massages and manicures, can be arranged with one phone call.