El Gecko

Juan and Alex took us on the Tortuga Island tour, and we had such a fun day out on the water and beach. We snorkeled, swam, enjoyed a great lunch, and had a few drinks. Highly recommend it!

A great base for visiting Curú, and the rooms are cool for the price. It was a bit humid, but that’s down to the location, not the hotel. The hosts were extremely helpful and nice.

The host was extremely kind and helpful, and I can see how this setup could work well as a hostel. But the room made for a rough night, so I couldn't rate it higher. I’m an avid backpacker and used to sleeping outdoors, yet I’ve never had so many ants crawling on me. They poured through holes in the walls, and the loosely nailed wooden door had so many gaps that bugs could get in easily. The windows had screens, but that didn’t help much with the door and wall openings. It was hot and humid with only a wall fan and no AC. The wooden window opened onto the main hall, had no curtain, and could only be closed from outside. Leaving it open brought in some air, but meant other guests walking by could see into the room. My girlfriend and I chose the open window so we could sleep. A curtain would have helped with the privacy issue. Some rooms also share bathrooms, showers, and kitchenettes. Those details were on the website, so I’m not taking off stars for them. The room itself was the problem. There’s a nicer place about $20 more a night around 30 minutes down the road. I’d keep driving.

We saw plenty of nature here, and the local community was friendly and helpful. The owners run this as a family business, and they were among the nicest people we met during our three weeks in Costa Rica. The owner knows a lot and speaks several languages, while her partner organizes tours. Bring cash, and ask them about tours and nearby beaches.