Guidebooks & Travel Site Comments
Gorgeous hotel and the staff are even better!” — dnw913, Salt Lake City, Utah — Ok, this place got great reviews before we left and now I understand why! more
Loved it, everything we expected and more!!” — LifeMoments, Kelowna, Canada — We really needed to getaway to relax and rejuvenate and the Banana Azul website was so well done that we knew what to expect but we got so much more. This is a magical place, the genuine care given to every guest from the owners, manager, staff and four legged friends is much more than customer service and… more
Perfect Place with Lots to Do” — Reedmolly, Denver, Colorado — Everything about this small hotel is wonderful. Staff is very helpful, attentive and care about your enjoyment. The grounds are beautiful with many beautiful plants and birds. The food is excellent and very reasonable. Lots of interesting people stay here. Right on the beach. You can walk to town or ride a bike. more
This is the type of place that makes you want to never leave” — EHMM, St Louis, Missouri — Everything was so wonderful, we cannot wait to come back! more
CNN GO – July 2011
10 resorts for every type of traveler
Best budget resort: Hotel Banana Azul, Costa Rica
At Hotel Banana Azul, rooms go for as little as US$64 a night but come with balconies, hammocks, views of the ocean, and, in some cases, outdoor baths as well. There’s no air conditioning in rooms, but with a perennial sea breeze wafting through, there’s hardly any need for it.
The 14-room resort, which was built using local hardwood, has its own free-form swimming pool and a Jacuzzi that can fit eight people. Guests regularly rave about the friendly staff and the black sand beach just next to the property.
Travel+Leisure Magazine – March 2010
World’s Best Affordable Beach Resorts! The Hotel Banana Azul, a 14-room retreat on a black-sand strand, embodies the areaÂ’s laid-back feeling. Bright wood-paneled rooms feature such tropical touches as dangling bromeliad plants and locally made easy chairs. (For $139 a night, upgrade to the Howler Suite, an airy corner room with an outdoor soaking tub and ocean views.) Hammocks are strung under coconut palms – an ideal spot for piña coladas.
Lonely Planet Costa Rica – 9th Edition – Published Oct 2008
Lonely Planet Pick for Puerto Viejo! Lost in the jungle at the far end of Playa Negra this wonderfully wild hotel is right on the cusp of a dramatic black-sand beach and sloth-filled rain forest. Each wood-paneled room has a hammock-swinging balcony looking onto the Caribbean only meters away. At night the isolated location means guests are serenaded by howler monkeys, macaws, and crashing surf.
Frommers Costa Rica 2009
Highly Recommended
FIND Special Finds — Only Places that insiders know about
Located on the northern end of Playa Negra on the north end of town, this newer hotel is earning fast friends and hearty praise. Rooms abound in varnished hardwoods, Inside they are quite simple, with minimal furnishings and amenities, and an overhead or floor fan. Most are on the second floor of the main lodge building, and open onto a broad veranda with ocean views. The end-unit Howler Monkey suite is the best room here. The garden bath suites are larger units, with satellite TVs and a large open-air bathtub in their private garden—hence the name. Filling breakfasts are served in the common lounge area, and drinks are available throughout the day. An almost private section of beach sits just in front of the hotel, and stretches for miles north, all the way to Cahuita National Park. No children 15 and under are permitted.
Condé Nast Traveler – Apr 2009, Mar 2009 and Sept 2007
Recommended several times in this luxury market travel magazine and even recommended by their editors in an appearance on the Today Show!
Budget-Friendly Beach Getaways to Suit Everybody in Your Group (Apr 2009). Recommended by Condé Nast’s Wendy Perrin.
Beach: Water, Water, Everywhere (Mar 2009): “Tucked just inside the jungle abutting a striking black sand beach, Hotel Banana Azul offers simple accommodations a mile north of hippie-chic Puerto Viejo. Each of the 12 guest rooms has a sea view, a queen bed, and hardwood floors and walls. Nearby Cahuita National Park is great for snorkeling, while surfers head south for some of the best breaks on the coast.”
The Coast of Utopia (Sept 2007): One of only 3 places recommended in Puerto Viejo.
USA Today – Costa Rica’s Caribbean Vibe – Dec 2008
Whimsically designed open-air hotel, where the beach breezes, along with the friendly bar and $10 dinners, keep the place full.
Caribizine: Pure Tranquilo on the Black Beach
A large sigh of satisfaction, ahhhhhh”, is the first thing that comes to mind upon entering the pristine grounds of the Banana Azul hotel. This beautifully landscaped and extremely aesthetically pleasing property was modeled after the owners personal motto of keep it simple. The welcoming entrance flows nicely into the dining and bar area with a sparkling koi and turtle pond guiding the path. It is impossible to miss the glimmer of the pool and jacuzzi from the corner of your eye, as the black sands of Playa Negra call from a short distance ahead. The breathtaking beauty that surrounds Banana Azul, will prove to be just the beginning of your unforgettable stay.
Travel Experta: Adorable and a Must Stay in Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo is probably one of the cutest places to visit on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Its vegetation, tropical jungle, laid-back culture, gorgeous beaches, great surf and peacefulness is making this area a popular hot spot. Amongst the jungle lodges and small hotels, Banana Azul Hotel outshines them all.
Magic! Just got home (10 minutes ago) Hate it! I’d go back any day if it weren’t for the job here and all. Just loved Banana Azul and the crew! Miss u guys badly!”
We had such a great time!!! I just wanted to thank Colin, Roberto, Agustin, and the rest of the great staff at Banana Azul. My friends and I are in awe of your wonderful hotel, food & most of all hospitality!! We hope to visit you again!
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