Pura Natura Lodge

The rooms are basic and clean, with a beautiful view, and they’re very affordable. There’s a nice grill restaurant next door, and the hostel’s sunset view is amazing. Parking is free and available.

This is my favorite place in Manuel Antonio, with million-dollar views and a rustic but comfortable feel. It’s near the beaches and town. I’ve stayed here several times, both with my family and on my own, and have always enjoyed the local hospitality and nature.

Our family of six had plenty of room in the ocean-facing two-bedroom unit, and the view was amazing. We could see lots of great wildlife. There are good shopping and food options nearby. I enjoyed the stay, though the bathroom could use some repairs, and we were disappointed that most of the windows didn’t have working latches. The area feels safe, but properly latching windows would be nice.

I really liked the hostel’s common area, which is a great place to hang out, and even the shared bathrooms are very clean. The reviews had made me nervous, so I booked a separate room, but knowing how clean the restroom setup was, I would’ve chosen the hostel. The deluxe apartment was clean, though it had a slight odd smell that I only noticed when coming back into the room. The hammock squeaks a lot and is a bit short on material, so I didn’t get much relaxing done on it. There’s also a pool off to the side. Staff responded quickly when I spotted a swarm of wasps outside my room and couldn’t get out. They came by, and the wasps cleared up. My last night, some guys splashed around loudly in the pool until after midnight, so I was pretty tired in the morning. It might help if the patio light switch turned off just the light outside my room instead of the next door exterior light too. There was still a light at the far end, but I felt bad asking to turn the light off so I could sleep.