500 Meters South of Villas Caribe Playa Chiquita, Cocles, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca 750036 Costa Rica
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#1 of 8 hotels in Cocles
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2022 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best
Set just a hop and a skip from the golden sands of Playa Chiquita in Puerto Viejo, Aguas Claras is the only five star hotel on Costa Rica’s sunkissed Caribbean Coast. Nuzzled amidst tropical gardens beside the ocean, ours is a sustainable luxury destination where nature, arts and community harmoniously intertwine. The life work of a local Costa Rican artist, Hotel Aguas Claras offers modern, characterful accommodation, with every corner of the boutique resort designed to deliver the Caribbean experience at its very best.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Outdoor pool
Yoga classes
Poolside bar
Beach
Bicycle rental
Airport transportation
Secured parking
Wifi
Pool / beach towels
Shallow end in pool
Yoga room
Breakfast available
Breakfast in the room
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Complimentary welcome drink
Happy hour
Kids' meals
Outdoor dining area
Snack bar
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Bicycles available
Diving
Hiking
Horseback riding
Snorkeling
Water sport equipment rentals
Bicycle tours
Fishing
Walking tours
Board games / puzzles
Car hire
Taxi service
Meeting rooms
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Foot massage
Full body massage
Hand massage
Head massage
Massage
Neck massage
Open-air bath
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Currency exchange
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
Doorperson
First aid kit
Umbrella
24-hour check-in
24-hour front desk
Express check-in / check-out
Private check-in / check-out
Clothes dryer
Laundry service
Ironing service
Shoeshine
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Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Safe
Coffee / tea maker
Minibar
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Seating area
Sofa
Telephone
Wardrobe / closet
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Laptop safe
Private bathrooms
Refrigerator
Hair dryer
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Hotel links
Special Offer:Stay 4 nights, get the 5th night on us!
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500 Meters South of Villas Caribe Playa Chiquita, Cocles, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca 750036 Costa Rica
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Ten of us stayed here from 1/12 - 1/26/23 and I cannot say enough positive things about the hotel, the staff and this beautiful part of Costa Rica. This is my fourth time to Costa Rica and all previous trips have been to more remote locations — Cocos Island and the Osa Peninsula, but this time we had family ranging in age from 23 to 82! My wife and I are huge nature lovers and wanted to be somewhere that we could hike, swim, birdwatch and explore local culture but where those in our family who prefer a poolside cocktail, great meal or a stroll in a fun beach town also had those as options. Puerto Viejo (the town) and Hotel Aguas Claras ended up being an ideal balance for all. The grounds are a veritable nature lover’s dream. Within the property we saw monkeys, green macaws, sloths, butterflies, hummingbirds and tree frogs EVERY day. I am deliberately NOT geeking out here, but could easily list over 100 plant, animal, bird, insect, amphibian and reptile species that we’d normally have to go out of our way to travel for just to see. The hotel itself is lovely and we stayed in Casa Floralia — the only option on property large enough to sleep 10 (in five separate bedrooms, all en suite). The two upstairs rooms were the best of the five and one of the three downstairs was darker and damper than the other two, but all were immaculately clean with the most comfortable beds we have experienced in ANY hotel, let alone one in such a remote setting. The shower in our room was killer with great pressure, ample hot water and the ability to watch nature while showering. One evening we counted 18 (!) Howler Monkey’s within view from our shower!! The pool and beach are lovely with the Caribbean Sea a short two minute walk down the road from the main grounds. There is a bar and restaurant (Da Lime) on the beach also run by the hotel that serves lovely lunches and snacks for those who did not want to go back to the main hotel. The food was excellent. Alexis (Food and Beverage Manager) went out of his way to make certain we were fed well AND that the kitchen met our dietary needs. Two of us keep a Whole Food Plant Based diet (kind of vegan on steroids) with no added oil, salt or sugar and this is usually really hard for most kitchens to deal with. Not only was Alexis and his team up for the challenge, but he actually thanked us for the opportunity to learn and took it upon himself to read the Forks Over Knives website to better educate himself and the staff about this way of eating / preparing food. This is emblematic of the kind of staff you can expect here. Within one day everyone knows your name and shows a genuine interest in helping to make the most of your stay. On the rare occasion that something was less than perfect, merely pointing it out resulted in it being immediately, courteously and thoroughly addressed. Other standouts on the team included William (wait staff), Donald (wait staff), David (insanely talented bartender), Jonny (front office) and Natalie (front office). I am horrible with names and apologize to anyone else on the team I did not specifically mention, but there were literally no one less than fabulous. Food quality was excellent — fresh, local and tasty ingredients all prepared thoughtfully. Pricing was very fair at the main restaurant (given the quality) and while the beach option was equally good, value was a bit less as prices there were higher. We also had the hotel arrange a number of fabulous nature excursions. Do not miss birdwatching or a nature tour with Ariel, a trip to BriBri (an indigenous village), the Jaguar Rescue Center and the nearby nature preserves. I could go on and on, but by now, I think you get the idea. This is truly a gem in every way.…
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Hotel Aguas Claras
Responded 1 week ago
Dear Jason, thank you for taking the time to write this incredibly detailed review. Wow. Not much more to say than thank you! We are sure that this will be very helpful for other travelers that are thinking about visiting Aguas Claras and the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. We loved having you stay with us and hope you come back soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hotel's Favorite
This place has some charming bungalows with air conditioning(needed here in this very humid place!) This hotel is part of the Cayuga collection of small , ecologically responsible dwellings; Wonderful staff----very good food! Nice pool and grounds that are within the larger forest; We were there for my wifes birthday and they helped out a ton to make it a special day-- they set up a massage on the beach in the day and in the eve, we were able to rent out the outdoor spa and have a special private dinner- just the two of us. Luis and Allan were of great help at all times at the front desk; We were able to get an on site cooking class as well---fun and very healing trip!
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Date of stay: May 2021
Location
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Room Tip: There would not seem to be any bad location choices as the bungalows are surrounded by...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
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Hotel Aguas Claras is a lovely spot for those looking to take it easy and enjoy the beach. We stayed in the Pavlova Suites (spelled "Sweets" on the sign), but there are also cottages available as well. The rooms in the Suites are quite soundproof, but if you're a light sleeper, don't stay in the Chiquita Room, as you can still hear loud road noise. Fabulous toiletries like soap and conditioner are provided, but if you don't like showering outside, this may not be the place for you (don't worry, the showers are still VERY private, they're just outside). The small things count, too, from the bath robes to the canteens to the bag specifically for toting things to the beach. The restaurant on-site, Papaya, is pretty nice. Christmas dinner was a tad pricy for the amount and quality of food, but the other options on the menu are very good. For cheaper prices, consider heading into town. The hotel also offers many activities, and working with them was a breeze. Overall, a five star experience.…
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Date of stay: December 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Hotel Aguas Claras
Responded 5 weeks ago
Thanks for your review and spending the holidays with us at Aguas Claras. We are glad that you enjoyed your stay and we appreciate the feedback on the Christmas dinner value. We will make sure that we improve this for future special occasions. Please come back soon. Happy New Year from all of us.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Each room is an individual Caribbean bungalow with its own charm. The resort is built into the jungle and walking through the grounds is amazing. The beach is a short walk where they have a beach club/restaurant. The hotel restaurant is open an has such a cool vibe. Breakfast each morning served by the pool is awesome. There are details which so compliment the stay. The art is special. Overall a great place to stay.
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Date of stay: October 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Hotel Aguas Claras
Responded 14 Nov 2022
Thank you, Susan, for this review and painting such a clear picture of what the Aguas Claras experience is like. Please come back soon. Greetings from sunny Puerto Viejo.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The gardens and the bungalows are truly lovely. But the overall experience was certainly not better that 3 star. The beach club was grubby, staff poorly trained, few amenities, and handful of loutish visitors appropriated all the loungers and played annoying music. Finally got drink service from indifferent personnel. Never got the food ordered which might be just as well because the staff were feeling the BBQ with plastic packaging from the charcoal. Pool area and pool restaurant (the only one on the property) weren't much better. The dinner we were served was both terrible and egregiously overpriced. So many good food options in Puerto Viejo -- this is not one of them. So bungalow was truly amazing, very beautiful, spacious, clean. The rest was pretty bad. Way overpriced.
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Date of stay: September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Hotel Aguas Claras
Responded 9 Oct 2022
Thank you for your review and for bringing those issues during your stay to our attention. We apologize and assure you that we will work very hard on correcting those situations. Our staff typically gets very high scores for their service and friendliness, but something went wrong here. We are happy that you enjoyed the bungalow experience and we will work hard on improving everything related to the restaurant feedback. Thanks again and greetings from sunny Puerto Viejo.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I absolutely LOVED this hotel. Every single detail from welcome beverage to art to comfy beds was wonderful. The environment was relaxing and bohemian but with 5-star service. I wish I could visit every room to look at the unique decor of each one. The beach associated with the hotel was pristine with clear calm waters and even some decent snorkeling just a little ways out. On site, we saw a sloth, a mama and baby bat, agoutis, and howler monkeys….not to mention several birds: green macaws, green parrots, oropendulas, and wood-rails. We couldn’t sleep in with the racket from all these animals but we didn’t mind one bit! We were celebrating my husband’s birthday and the team was awesome at helping with a surprise gift and a truly delightful private beach dinner. Hope to be back some day!…
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Hotel Aguas Claras
Responded 9 Oct 2022
Thank you Sarah for this great review. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the hotel as well as the activities and of course the beach. Greetings from sunny Puerto Viejo. Please come back soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lovely staff & amazing beach, dogs are really nice & the food is exceptional. The shop is really great which is only a five minute walk from the hostel. The room is great, and the air con is very cold.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
We spent a week at Aguas Claras for our honeymoon and it was great! The service was impecable (Steven, Donald, William and Miguel were fantastic servers/bartenders and just all-around great guys!) and the tours the conferiré booked for us were amazing! Every meal we ate, in either restaurant, was delicious and the cocktails were perfectly mixed - I highly recommend the refreshing, homemade pina colada’s! The hotel even provided a nightly homemade dessert hand-delivered delivered to the room, which was a great little treat. The rooms themselves were simple but luxurious and I honestly think we spent more time on the patio than we did in the room itself. Between the comfortable day bed and the constant flow of wildlife to watch, (birds, monkeys, macaws, agoutis, hummingbirds, etc) it was a beautiful spot to sit out and enjoy the day. The cabana/casitas are spread out a bit and with the foliage in between, you feel like you’re in your own little oasis! The shower is spacious and the toiletries provided smell fantastic, and the constant fresh towels are a nice bonus! The hotel offered a complimentary drying service, which was a nice touch, but we never ended up needing it. There were a few parts that were a bit disappointing though. Namely for a 5 Star, luxury resort, we still felt a bit nickle and dimed with a lot of the extra fees, even just for minibar basics. Also, when we were packing for the trip, I asked if the hotel provided all needed beach items, specifically asking about towels, chairs and umbrellas. The hotel confirmed these three things so we didn’t bring out own but when we arrived, we learned that umbrellas are not provided. As a fairly pale couple, I would’ve gladly brought my own beach umbrella has I known. Finally, and a bit nit-picky, but the doors to the cabanas are strangely difficult, needing a key to both enter or exit, and automatically locking immediately after use. Because of this, we ended up leaving the doors open if we were hanging around. It would have been really nice to have some kind of screen door so we could leave the door propped but not have to worry about any “visitors.” Overall though we highly enjoyed our stay!…
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Hotel Aguas Claras
Responded 8 Aug 2022
Thank you Mary Claire for taking the time to write such a detailed review. We really appreciate your constructive feedback. Thanks for all the praise on the staff, food, service, room and amenities. We agree that in the Caribbean, the place to be is the porch. This is where it all happens. We will review your feedback on the minibar charges and the beach amenities as well as the doors and find ways to improve this experience for future guests. Thanks again and we hope to see you again soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We love Aguas Claras, the tasteful design and great service made our stay very pleasant. We were very happy with the quality of the food in general but love the rich breakfast. Congratulations for all the staff that took care of us from Aug 23 to August 27 - you were amazing! -. Esperamos volver muy pronto!
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
The surroundings are magical. I have upmost respect for all the staffs here. Hotel management themselves should put more focus on service as staffs are always there, I hardly came across anyone from upper management. Great place.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Guest Service, Revenue Management at Hotel Aguas Claras
Responded 22 Jul 2022
Thanks for your feedback, Nicole. We are glad to hear that you had a good stay with us. We will make sure that our management team has more presence with guests and is not only active behind the scenes. Please come back soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$356 - US$686 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Aguas Claras Beach Cottages
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of LimonPuerto Viejo de TalamancaCocles
NUMBER OF ROOMS
13
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Claim Your ListingHOTEL AGUAS CLARAS - UPDATED 2023 Reviews & Price Comparison (Cocles, Costa Rica) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Hotel Aguas Claras
Which popular attractions are close to Hotel Aguas Claras?
Nearby attractions include Ceibo Adventure Caribe (1.1 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Hotel Aguas Claras?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free parking, and airport transportation.
Which room amenities are available at Hotel Aguas Claras?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Hotel Aguas Claras?
Guests can enjoy a poolside bar, breakfast, and complimentary tea during their stay.
Is parking available at Hotel Aguas Claras?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Hotel Aguas Claras?
Conveniently located restaurants include Bamboocha, La Nena, and La Pecora Nera.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Hotel Aguas Claras?
Yes, guests have access to an outdoor pool and yoga classes during their stay.
Does Hotel Aguas Claras have airport transportation?
Yes, Hotel Aguas Claras offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are any cleaning services offered at Hotel Aguas Claras?
Yes, laundry service and a clothes dryer are offered to guests.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Hotel Aguas Claras?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.