Hotel Gardenia Tamarindo

The rental suites were a good size and had a fridge and stove top, but the photos in the listing are very outdated. The building isn’t white anymore, the interior doesn’t look as advertised, the bedrooms look nothing like the pictures, the bathrooms were gross and dated, and the pillows were flat. There were also ants in the room. Getting the keys was a mess. The instructions said to see reception, but there was no reception or staff on site. We couldn’t call the number provided because of our SIM cards, and they hadn’t given us an email contact. Thankfully, the neighbors reached the hosts for us, but it took about two hours to get the key code. Another guest arrived about an hour after us and had the same problem. When they finally replied, they just resent a weblink we’d completed hours earlier and didn’t apologize for making us wait. It cost us a big part of a beautiful day. You have to fill in a web link to get check-in details, so make sure you have Wi-Fi. It also asks you to attach a passport photo. I’d stay elsewhere if you want check-in to go smoothly.

The place is worth the price, with good Wi-Fi, a TV, a well-equipped attached kitchen, and smooth communication with the manager. The rate caught my eye when I booked, but afterward a lot of strange conditions and recommendations showed up in my inbox. They also charged a $50 deposit, though it was refunded a few days after checkout. Check-in at 4 pm felt late after the heat, a long flight, and the hour-long trip from Liberia airport.

They accepted my Booking.com reservation, then demanded a signed contract and extra details through separate forms before they would give me the gate code. They said not signing would count as me cancelling, with no refund. I went there at 5:30 on the first day to talk to someone, but the gate was shut and nobody was around. I never checked in and still haven't received my money back. The contract had bizarre $1000 charges for blocking cameras without saying where the cameras were, and another $1000 if it “seems like a party occurred.” That wording is vague and sketchy. Find another hotel. This feels like a scam waiting to happen.

The staff and manager left me with a very poor impression. After you book, they ask you to send a copy of your passport, and the security there seems very poor.