Dolce Uvita

A good-value little hotel with a lovely Italian restaurant attached. The owners are very kind and helpful, and there are pleasant pools and outdoor spots to sit and unwind. Street parking felt safe. I’d recommend it.

The room was comfortable, and the location is great. Fernando is a really nice guy. It’s self-catering, which worked fine for us, though the place feels a bit worn, especially the old, dirty pool furniture. The pool itself is lovely, but it was used for scuba lessons one afternoon and swimming lessons the next. If you want it to yourself, morning is probably best. The Wi-Fi was unreliable while we were there. Still, we had a good visit, and just a couple of small updates could make the place feel much better.

The location was a big plus: about a 10-minute walk to Uvita beach and 15-20 minutes to Chaman beach. There are great bakeries and coffee nearby. Definitely go to PINTO’s coffee house and Fernando’s restaurant. Silvia and Fernando are Italian, and their gelato was so good I could happily eat it every day, even though I’m not much of a sweets person. The small pool is lovely for a dip after the beach, and there’s an outdoor shower to rinse off sand. Poolside lounging with a book was nice too. The chairs need updating, though, and the “hot tub” isn’t heated, it just follows the air temperature. We found that out after coming back from the beach chilly one afternoon. Our room was the weak spot. The air conditioning and fans worked well, but the beds were terribly uncomfortable, like cardboard with almost no padding, and the pillows were just as thin. The towels were fraying and so thin I could nearly see through them. There was no shower curtain, so the bathroom got wet, and the towels weren’t much help drying things up. They provided one bar of soap and very thin toilet paper, which seemed odd and inconsiderate for a stay of almost a week. Bring earplugs. The elderly dog barked at night and woke us several times, and roosters and birds could be heard at all hours. A disco tech of some kind two doors down made our whole room shake from 7 p.m. until who knows when, but that only happened once. Silvia and Fernando were very pleasant hosts. Silvia gave us lots of information about the area and answered questions, plus made good recommendations. They’ve had the place for nine years, and it’s showing its age. A few updates, especially better beds and proper toiletries, would have made our stay much better. We really did love our time there, though. Their little slice of Costa Rica is full of nature and lovely scenery, and we wish them all the best with improvements as nearby hotels and Airbnbs compete.

The owners made sure we were comfortable from the moment we arrived, and their hospitality really stood out. When a small problem came up in our room, they took care of it themselves quickly and efficiently. Their concern for us was genuine and left a great impression. Be sure to eat at the Italian restaurant. It’ll be the best Italian food you ever have!