Great Hostel Stays in Costa Rica

COSTA RICA  is a small country filled with spectacular outdoor adventure activities, and is a great place for all ages to enjoy the rain forest experience of colorful tropical birds, monkeys, and age old trees hundreds of years old with buttresses 3 meters in width.    So, if you happen to be on a budget, one of the many hostels in Costa Rica might be just for you.   Prices range from $10 per night per person for dorm rooms  on up to slightly higher  prices for private rooms.  But still prices will be less than a hotel.  All of the major tourist destinations have one or more hostels to choose from.

Why choose a hostel stay?  Many reasons:  If you want to experience Costa Rica and are on a budget, this is a great way.  You can make new friends  because the hostel experience is more personal.  You have options of a private room with private baths or  less expensive dorm rooms with shared baths.  You might say–“well hostels are noisy and I have trouble sleeping at night.”  I have a  remedy for that . I use a small electric fan fan as a noise blocker machine which I set next to my bed. It makes a soft humming noise which blocks out all the background noise, and additionally it provides a breeze if I am in a not climate.

I want to tell you about a web site that can help you with finding hostels in Costa Rica as well as OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.  These people do a lot of research on the hostels before they list them on their site.  They have a lot of Costa Rica Hostels listed  so you have a lot of options to explore at www.french.hostelworld.com

I am going to write about just a few hostels in Costa Rica so you can get an idea.   But do check out the above web site because their listings of hostels in Costa Rica are a lot more extensive and you can finds many more options there.  Very important–If  connecting  to WI FI  is important to you then  read the web site of each hostel  to determine if  this is offered.

The Arenal Backpacker Resort in La Fortuna, Costa Rica  is a great place to stay if you are budget minded.   GREAT LOCATION!  Great view of the mighty Arenal  which is only  four miles away. It has a lot of amenities offered by larger hotels  (pool, restaurant, tour desk) but at budget prices.  Located conveniently in the small town of La Fortuna, the gateway to the Arenal Volcano National park, you can walk to restaurants, the bus stops, the grocery store, and everything else in town.   You get out of the public bus and you are right there, within walking distance of it all.   You have a variety of sleeping options to choose from at the hostel.   You can get a private room with 2 queen beds with orthopedic mattresses and a private bath which will cost you a little more than a dorm sleeping arrangement.  Or, you can also choose the new concept of elevated tents located outside on the hostel’s grounds.

The very tasty restaurant serves typical Costa Rica food plus you can purchase a hearty breakfast complete with fresh local tropical fruits for a reasonable price.   A tour desk is set up to help you purchase any tour you would choose in the area from  zip lines to horseback riding, to hot springs, to river rafting, to tours of organic farms, to Cano Negro Wildlife reserve.   The view of Arenal Volcano  on a clear day is spectacular.  You are only 5 miles from base of the volcano.  It’s a great place to meet new friends and practice a little Spanish.  I recommend it!

Heading for Monteverde, Costa Rica and are looking for budget lodging at a good value.  Well, Mariposa Bed and Breakfast offers just that.  Conventiently located 1.5 km from the entrance to the Monteverde Cloud Forest reserve in a beautiful forest setting, this little hotel is great for the budget minded traveler.   You will get a full Costa Rican breakfast with the price of the room.  Yes, tropical fresh fruit, homemade tortillas, and farm grown eggs. The rooms are comfortable with hot water showers. Mariposa B&B is owned by a family from Monteverde and they take pride is their establishment.  They will take time to tell you about all the attractions in the area and put you in contact with the tour operators and local guides.  You can reach them at 2 645 5013  (local call inside Costa Rica)

Check out Backpackers Manuel Antonio for comfortable affordable lodging. It is conveniently  located in the small town of Quepos (waking distance from the public bus stop) just 4 miles from entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park.  It is walking distance  to restaurants, grocery stores, etc.  Also, there is a bus which leaves Quepos every  hour to take you to the Manuel Antonio Beaches and entrance to the park and  costs only around one dollar. Backpackers Manuel Antonio has its own swimming pool, WI FI, and you have the choice of private room with hot bath or a dorm room with shared bath.  Its a great place to meet fellow travelers. And as I said the location is very good.