Hotel La Amistad - Hostel

We never stayed here, but cancelled our booking after a disgraceful experience. I’m sharing this as a warning for anyone thinking of booking well ahead or through an online platform. The front desk staff seemed genuinely sympathetic, despite the poor organization from management. We booked through booking.com with free cancellation until a couple of days before arrival. Our card was only meant to guarantee the booking, but they charged the accommodation a month in advance, during the free-cancellation period. The quoted price was in USD, but they charged us in colones at a very poor exchange rate, making it more expensive than quoted. When we said we wanted to cancel under the free-cancellation terms, they could only offer a refund through PayPal. We don’t use PayPal, and accepting would have exposed us to another bad conversion rate. They said there was no other way to refund us. Although their messages were pleasant, they didn’t seem to cooperate with booking.com. Frustrated, we suggested collecting the refund in USD when we arrived in La Fortuna. They agreed, and it seemed settled. We gave them notice twice about when we’d come, including a week ahead, but they didn’t have enough USD and offered colones at a bad rate again. We returned the next day, but the dollars still weren’t there. We had to wait while they went to the bank to get the money. All the back-and-forth and waiting wasted a lot of our time.

The rooms were comfortable enough for a backpacker, though this isn’t a fancy hotel. Cris, Tashana, and the rest of the team were friendly and helpful. The kitchen works, but could be organized better.

The staff were lovely, and for a good price there was air conditioning and a hot shower. But the hostel didn’t feel very clean or social. I think the kitchen and bathrooms especially need a proper cleaning.

Such a good atmosphere, and the hotel was clean and comfortable. Milton deserves a special mention for being so welcoming and helpful the whole time. He’s the best! I’d definitely come back.