Planning a trip to Costa Rica and wondering where to stay in Guanacaste? I’ve traveled to Costa Rica regularly for nearly 20 years and frequently return to Guanacaste (my most recent trip to the province was in August 2026). Here are some of my favorite places to stay.
If you’re in a rush, my quick picks are:
- Best for surfers: Olas Verdes ($)
- Best for wildlife & off the beaten path: Rio Perdido ($$)
- Best for weddings & honeymoons: Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort ($$$)
- Best for adventure, an active volcano, & gluten-free dining: Hacienda Guachipelin ($)
- Best unique wellness experiences: Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo ($$$$)
Nightly rates starting at:
| $ | under $250 per night |
| $$ | $250-500 per night |
| $$$ | $500-1,000 per night |
| $$$$ | over $1,000 per night |
Best area of Guanacaste for first-timers
The north-central Pacific coast of Guanacaste is a great choice for first-timers. This area includes the luxury resorts on the Papagayo Peninsula, the car-free beach town of Las Catalinas, and the ever-popular surf town of Tamarindo.
What makes this an ideal place for first-timers in Costa Rica? The proximity to the Liberia Airport keeps drive times to a minimum, and the variety of accommodations, services, and activities means you’ll have options to suit a range of ages, interests, and budgets. This part of the coast also pairs well with a trip inland for hot springs and hiking around Rincón de la Vieja or Arenal Volcano in neighboring Alajuela province.
Best for adventure activites
- Hacienda Guachipelin (45 min. from Liberia Airport): This ranch-style property is an adventure hub for zipline tours, river tubing, rappeling, horseback riding, and more. Thanks to its prime location near the active volcano in Rincón de la Vieja National Park, you can also enjoy the hot springs and observe geothermal activity, including fumaroles and bubbling mud pots, while hiking in the park. Not staying overight and want to fit maximum fun into one day? Book a combo tour that includes adventure activities plus and access to the hot springs.
- Las Catalinas (1 hr from Liberia Airport): A stay in this little beach town gives you access to over 26 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails plus options for paddleboarding and other water sports — without the need to drive to the beach or trail head. As someone who loves to walk and hike everywhere (remember that time I hiked across an entire country?!), the town’s car-free design is one of the many reasons I return and recommend Las Catalinas to fellow travelers.
- Rio Perdido (1.5 hrs from Liberia Airport): Like Las Catalinas, Rio Perdido has miles of trails for biking, hiking and trail running. And like Hacienda Guapichipelin, Rio Perdido offers river tubing, zipline and canyoning tours — but without the larger groups you might find at Hacienda Guapichelin. So if a more intimate outdoor adventure is more your speed, Rio Perdido may be a better fit.
Best for surfers
Olas Verdes (2.5-3 hrs from Liberia Airport): With a surf school and board rentals on site and a private forest trail that leads to Playa Guiones, this small all-suites hotel is perfect for a surf holiday. But you don’t have to catch a single wave to appreciate Olas Verdes; this serene spot — close to Nosara Conservation Association trails, Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, and spas and wellness activities in Nosara — is also a great place to rest and reset.
Best for weddings & honeymoons
Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort (40 min. from Liberia Airport): I love solo travel, but have to admit after a recent stay at Andaz: This place is even better when enjoyed with someone. Spend a day at the private beach club or one of the secluded beaches. Indulge in a volcanic scrub and cacao body wrap at the spa. Take a journey through Latin and Caribbean flavors while listening to live music at Chao Pescao. Or just order room service, and watch the monkeys and other wildlife from your private bay view balcony. (Yes, I enjoyed and can highly recommend alllll of the above.)
Best for unique wellness experiences
Yoga is common at hotels in Guanacaste. But what I’ve really enjoyed on recent visits is the wider variety of wellness experiences. My favorites include:
- Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo (45 min. from Liberia Airport): The wellness menu changes here and it seems like they are always adding interesting options I don’t often find elsewhere. During my stay, I participated in a unexpectedly powerful “inner child meditation.” Current experiences include birth chart readings and a cacao ancestal ritual.
- Rio Perdido (1.5 hrs from Liberia Airport): Where else can you do a guided meditation in a thermal river?! Meditating while fully immersed in Costa Rica’s natural environment — embraced by water warmed naturally by geothermal activity — is an extra special experience.
Best for gluten-free dining
- Hacienda Guachipelin (45 min. from Liberia Airport): This is one of the only certified gluten-free properties in Costa Rica. As a Celiac traveler, it was such a treat to know that everything on the menu — including the fresh empanadas and homemade carrot cake at Rincón del Café! — was gluten-free and safe for me to eat.
- Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort (40 min from Liberia Airport): Although the property is not fully gluten-free, I found that the team here is knowledgeable and helpful with choosing gluten-free dishes. I had plenty of options when I dined at Chao Pescao, a Latin and Caribbean tapas restaurant, during a recent stay, and the team even delivered a surprise gluten-free dessert to my room!
Best off the beaten path
Guanacaste’s beaches are popular, especially from December through April, so if you prefer to avoid the crowds when you come to Guanacaste, consider a quieter inland property. My favorites include:
- Rio Perdido (1.5 hrs from Liberia Airport): Located on a private reserve away from the typical tourist track, Rio Perdido was designed for effortless immersion in nature. The bugalows blend in with the protected forest, the open-air restaurant gives you a view over the treetops, and you’re likely to see more monkeys than people while sitting on your private balcony or wandering the trails. Like birdwatching? You’ll love Rio Perdido. This is where I first saw a turquoise-browed motmot, black-headed trogon, long-tailed manakin, and many other species — all just steps from my door.
- Casa Donna Rosa Bed & Breakfast (1 hr and 45 min. from Liberia Airport): If you’re heading to Arenal area and prefer a cozy B&B in a quiet town along Lake Arenal, rather than a busier hotel in the center of Fortuna, Casa Donna Rosa is a great choice. With the B&B as your home base on the edge of Guanacaste province, you can experince the lake and volcano views on a sunset boat ride or kayak tour (prefer to go it alone? You can rent a stand-up paddleboard or and kayak). Or take a 45-min drive to spot wildlife at the Mistico Hanging Bridges or hike the lava fields at Arenal (can’t decide? Do both and hit the La Fortuna waterfalls and hot springs too on a combo tour).
FAQs
Guanacaste, Costa Rica’s second largest province, is located on the northerwestern side of the country. The province extends along the Pacific Ocean, from the Nicaraguan border in the north to the top of the Nicoya Peninsula in the south. While many travelers know Guanacaste for its beaches, it also stretches inland and even includes an active volcano in Rincón de la Vieja National Park and the town of Nuevo Arenal on the edge of Lake Arenal.
Guanacaste has an international airport called the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport. This is the closest international airport to Guanacaste’s Pacific beaches. It is located in Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste province, and is also referred to as Liberia Airport or Guanacaste Airport.
There is so much to do in Guanacaste! Options include hiking, surfing, snorkeling, birdwatching, ziplining, mountain biking, horseback riding, hot springs, waterfall adventures, yoga, and more. There are also cultural and culinary activities such as coffee tours, pottery lessons with Indigenous artisans, and cooking workshops with local chefs.
