Villa Buena Onda

Rooms

Rooms and suites are divided between the hotel's ground- and first-floor.

The six Ocean View Suites have luxurious kingsize beds, which are the focal point to a backdrop of cream and taupe with hints of aquamarine; framed photographs of the local area add a nice touch. Their sliding glass doors let in plenty of natural light (blackout curtains are provided for sleeping), which lead directly to the private terrace or balcony, equipped with chairs, tables and hammocks. Here, enjoy a glass of wine or Costa Rican coffee while looking out over the trees to the coast. The pot plants dotted around make these a lovely space for sundowners. The décor, as in all the rooms, combines understated elegance and modern flair, with rugs, throws and abstract original artwork adding punches of colour. Choose a first-floor room for a balcony or ground-floor room for terrace and direct pool access. One room is wheelchair accessible.

The Oasis Suite is the hotel’s most recently renovated room, and is rather unique with an outdoor shower, private dining area and a private patio overlooking the ocean on the ground floor.

We're yet to see the Master Suite (on the first floor) for ourselves. It's the most spacious suite with high ceilings, open-plan layout and offers breathtaking, unobstructed ocean views - which you can enjoy without leaving the comfort of your bed. French doors open onto a private balcony. Soak in the hot tub with a glass of wine and watch the sun go down.

Bathrooms in all suites are chic and modern, with plenty of space, large rainfall showers, top-notch products from Raw Botanicals, and double sinks on granite countertops. Colourful mosaic splashbacks add a bit of warmth and whimsy, and most of the bathrooms also have incredible ocean views.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• WiFi

Eating

All meals are included, served in the dining room or on the terrace. The food is a mixture of Costa Rican delicacies and international staples, using fresh, local ingredients; menus change weekly and there are always several options for each course (including vegetarian dishes and gluten-free options). The chef may also be able to make dishes to order with advance notice.

Breakfast is served between 6.30 and 10.30am (and can be taken in your suite on request), with a choice of hot and cold options. A typical selection might include Costa Rican flambé pancakes with maple syrup, a tropical fruit salad, omelettes, or a traditional 'Tico' breakfast of gallo pinto, sweet fried plantains and fresh tortillas.

Lunch, from 11.30am to 3pm, offers a selection of appetisers and main courses - perhaps ceviche, fresh soups, fish tacos, mango and coriander salad, and roasted vegetables or tenderloin beef on ciabatta bread. Dinner is served from 6-8pm and has a wider variety of dishes to tempt you. Choose from options such as Caribbean-style seafood soup, a mixed green salad with roasted beetroot and red peppers, seared tuna or fish of the day, pork ribs, grilled chicken breast, and stuffed Portobello mushrooms with mozzarella. Follow this with one of the chef’s delectable dessert offerings, which were a highlight of our meals - creations might include a chocolate brownie with passion fruit sauce, a tropical fruit crumble with vanilla ice cream, or the traditional Costa Rican 'Tres Leches' cake.

Soft drinks with meals are included in the rates, and there’s a list of wines and cocktails for an additional charge. Complimentary afternoon tea and coffee is also served.

If you fancy a change, the restaurants of Playa del Coco are just a short taxi ride (or a longer walk) away. Recommended are Las Olax, Café de Playa and Tiki Coco, all right on the beach. A bit further away in Playa Hermosa (about 20 minutes' drive) is the lovely Roberto’s at La Gaviota Tropical, which does a mix of seafood, meat dishes, sandwiches, salads and local Tico favourites in a great oceanside setting.

Features include:

• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Laze in a hammock or a poolside chaise with a book, alternating with cooling dips and Mai Tais at the swim-up bar
  
• Take a private yoga class on the upstairs deck (the hotel can book a local teacher); downward-facing dog is so much easier with such amazing views
  
• Book yourself relaxing treatment in Villa Buena Onda's Secreto Spa, hidden away for total privacy. Choose from a soothing massage, reflexology, a pedicure or a manicure
  
• If you're feeling energetic, take the shuttle to The Club at Coco Bay - offsite gym facilities with two tennis courts
  
• Grab your towel and sunscreen and take the free shuttle to one of 3 beautiful beaches nearby - Playa del Coco, Playa Hermosa and Ocotal. Or book a tour of some of the area’s hidden beaches, accessible only by boat, and picnic on the sand
  
• Learn the art of Costa Rican food with a free culinary class, (including tortillas and empanadas) or give rum and coffee-tasting a try
  
• Head out on a forest canopy tour and zip-line through the trees
  
• Soak in the thermal waters and steam baths of a nearby natural spa, located at the foot of the Rincón de la Vieja volcano
  
• Head off on a sunset cruise around the Papagayo Gulf
  
• Experience the diverse ecosystem of the El Viejo wetlands with a culture and nature tour, traversing the Tempisque river by boat and touring an old sugar-cane mill. End with an authentic lunch at a sabanero (local cowboy) house
  
• Take on the rapids with a white-water rafting trip through the Colorado river canyon, or book a catamaran and go snorkelling

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cooking classes
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Scuba diving
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing
• Wildlife
• Yoga

Kids

The hotel is aimed at adults, but children 16 and over are welcome and will enjoy local activities such as zip-lining, rafting and riding. Extra beds can be added to most suites on request.

Children under 16 are only accepted when the whole hotel is booked for exclusive use.

Family friendly accommodation:

Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Villa Buena Onda is located above the Pacific coast in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. It's a 5-minute drive / 20-minute walk from the small town of Playa del Coco, and 25 minutes from Liberia’s airport.

By Air:
The nearest airport is Liberia Daniel Oduber (25km away), which is served by international flights. There’s also an international airport in the Costa Rican capital, San José (230km); from there, you can take a connecting flight to Liberia or arrange a transfer.

From the Airport
The hotel can arrange transfers from either of the airports mentioned above, or you can make your own way from Liberia airport by taxi.

By Car:
We don’t recommend hiring a car in Costa Rica - the roads are rough in places, and the hotel’s free shuttle service to nearby beaches means you’re unlikely to need your own vehicle. If you do want to rent a car to explore, we advise booking a 4x4 - click here for our recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent when you confirm a booking through i-escape.com.

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