Hotel Vista de Olas

We came on a day pass, $30 per person, which can go toward food and drinks. The place was quiet and lovely, and the staff were pleasant. But we pointed directly to the single-shot drinks on the left side of the menu and were charged for doubles. When we brought it up with the bartender afterward, he said the bill couldn’t be changed because we’d already had the drinks. We’d chosen the single shots on purpose, so the overcharge wasn’t our fault. The burrito was also bland, small, and not worth 7900 colones. You can get the same kind of thing at The Bakery in the center, and it’s delicious. I wouldn’t recommend a visit.

We spent 10 hours here on a $30 day pass, which can be used toward food and drinks, so it was easy to get our money’s worth. The pool is beautiful and has the best view. The food was decent, and all the staff were lovely and attentive. The view and amenities are hard to beat. Highly recommend!

The pool was amazing, with a perfect temperature, and the location has a great view. The Costa Rican woman serving everyone was working incredibly hard to make sure people were comfortable. Kudos to her. The day was soured by an unpleasant interaction with an older person, who I think was the owner, with long hair and a beard. We ordered food from him, then after 35 minutes asked how much longer it might take because we still had to drive in the dark. We weren’t trying to rush them, just wanted to know whether it would be ready soon or take more time. He lectured me that 20 orders were ahead of ours and they couldn’t make ours before the others, which we obviously hadn’t expected. His manner felt patronizing. I kept saying it wasn’t a complaint and that I was fine waiting, but then he asked where I was from and said that in this country it’s “Pura Vida,” and things don’t work the way I’m used to. We didn’t feel welcome after that.

The view is lovely, but you can’t really enjoy a drink here. The bar is stretched too thin, wine is served in colored Plastik cups, and the restaurant wait is 1.5-2 hours. The food wasn’t good either: the tuna was fried until dry, and the burger was not very nice. The staff seemed stressed. I can’t recommend spending your money here.