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A beautifully appointed boutique guest house located on the beach. All rooms have ocean views. Only the Sol y Mar Suite is ocean front. Full breakfast included
Hotel El Velero, 20m Norte, Playa Hermosa 50503 Costa Rica
La Gaviota Tropical
4.9 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This is the second time my wife and I have had the privilege of staying at La Gaviota Tropical (my original review follows and is still on point). You will not be disappointed with your experience here, especially if you like small, intimate places that can afford to pay you the attention you deserve. Roberto, Bette and the team understand hospitality. From the rooms, the service, and the location, La Gaviota and its accompanying restaurant, Roberto's, offer an unparalleled vacation. Do not hesitate to book! Stephen
In short, a ten! Accommodations: All 5 rooms are gorgeous. The pics are accurate. Highly recommend previewing the videos for each room available on their site. A key for any place is a comfortable sleep; we had a comfortable bed with quiet ductless a/c and all the in-room amenities you could want. Service: Impeccable. Every single worker was pleasant, inviting, helpful. They seem to really enjoy their jobs. They are a well-oiled machine who get the hospitality thing. The housekeeping was especially first rate. Every day they would do up the rooms as if it was your first day. Location: This is a perfect 'fly and flop' as we call it. You are right on a fantastic beach which is sandy right out into the water. You are only about a half hour from the airport (LIR) so it's possible to have a drink in your hand within an hour of landing (which they indulged by having a welcome beverage for us). They will even arrange transportation for you. Restaurant: Roberto's is their popular in-house restaurant on the first floor with outdoor seating facing the beach and the fantastic sunsets. For a beach restaurant the food is stellar and the waiters are on point. Accommodations come with a full complimentary breakfast which held us all day until dinner. This brings much added value to your stay as a vacation rental would subject you to the local grocers which we found limited and very pricey. Conclusion: We could not have picked a better place to stay for our first trip to Costa Rica. We've grown tired of the all-inclusive, mega-resort experience and now prefer small boutique hotel experiences like La Gaviota where the staff really care. Sure there's a little more work in piecemealing your vacation but our trip came out just as good if not better than a package. We want to personally thank Robert and his entire crew, not to mention Bette, the owner for an excellent stay. We've already booked for next year.
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Date of stay: January 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Roberto will be happy to arrange a transfer from the airport for you.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very late on this review, but wanted to make sure they get the credit they deserve. This was our first time to Costa Rica, so we are unsure on what area to stay. But Playa Hermosa was a perfect base for us to explore and La Gaviota was a perfect boutique hotel for us to relax. The small hotel is located right on the beach, the rooms are enormous and well maintained and nearly all have a balcony and view of the sea. It has a decent size rooftop infinity pool, with breathtaking views of the bay especially at sunset. Breakfast is included, with an expansive menu and plenty of food to keep you going through lunch. It's a full restaurant so they also have great lunch and dinner options, including probably the best whole fried snapper I've ever had. It is not all inclusive (we are generally not fans), but as long as your staying there they will keep a running tab of your food and drinks to square up at the end. It was nice way to just enjoy the atmosphere and not keep digging in your wallet. Of course tips are welcome and we'd like to thank Robert for taking great care of us. The hotel also provides beach chairs, kayaks and will arrange other excursions. They set up a sunset cruise of the bay to an isolated beach. Complete with drinks, snacks and a dolphin escort as the sun set. With it's location in the middle of the beach, it's within walking distance to all the other bars and restaurants. We really enjoyed aquasport, la casa de marisco and of course pescado loco. The latter being right across the street just a perfect tropical bar with great staff, drinks and food. If you have a car they have a huge, secure lot. So no need to worry. We can't wait to go back, wake up to the sounds of the howler monkeys and birds and head down for one of the great breakfasts.
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Date of stay: November 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 17 Oct 2022
We are so glad you enjoyed your visit and the amenities we offer at La Gaviota Tropical. We hope you will come back to visit again. Thank you for the detailed review. We appreciate the time you took to write. Pura Vida!
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The staff were super friendly and accommodating, Anton, Blue, Luis and everyone at La Gaviota were so friendly and amazing. The entire place was sparkling clean (which is difficult with guests coming off the beach constantly) we stayed there because my husband wanted to fish and they can set you up with a boat last minute if that is your thing. The food at Roberto’s was excellent and fresh - some favorites were the mixed ceviche, fish tacos, the warm tomato soup and all the breakfasts, The chef expertly prepared the fish my husband caught. We stayed in the Sol y Mar suite which had a beautiful patio with plenty of seating. A large modern bathroom and an extra 1/2 bath. The best place to watch the sunset is from the pool deck at the top of the building. I would definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a bit of casual luxury in an authentic Costa Rican beach town setting.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 24 Oct 2024
We are so happy you enjoyed your visit at LGT. Thank you for mentioning the staff and the cleanliness of our building. We hope you will come back and create more memories.
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Seven of us stayed at La Gaviota Tropical last month and pretty much took over the place (we were in 4 of the 5 rooms). We had a fantastic time! My husband and I were in the Sol y Mar room, which had an enormous balcony overlooking the beach and Pacific Ocean. We congregated there most evenings to watch the sunset (and it was beautiful every time).
Breakfast at Roberto’s was included in the price and it was always delicious and plentiful. I’d say the only negative to the menu was that they did not serve hot tea. And that was certainly not a big deal. I’m pretty sure, between all of us, we ordered every dish on the menu and I never heard a complaint (other than there was too much to eat).
One day, we set up a snorkeling/sunset trip on the hotel’s boat. Drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) were freely available, as were 2 different types of nachos (which were fantastic). Equipment was also provided. First, we were taken to a relatively private beach and took a short, quick hike up to the top of the hill where we could see the Pacific for miles! Then we walked to a cave where the waves rush in. It was pretty cool, but not if you’re claustrophobic. After that, we motored over to Monkey Island (it looks like a monkey’s head; there are no monkeys) to snorkel. We saw all sorts of fish, although not as big as we’ve seen on reefs in other parts of the world. Finally, we stopped off at another beach to search for shells. As the sun set, we cracked open a bottle champagne to celebrate.
On our last evening, Roberto set up dinner next to the rooftop pool. It was fantastic! The food was delicious and the timing was impeccable. We never felt rushed. Unfortunately, after dinner we had to return to our rooms to pack for the trip home.
The employees were wonderful and very accommodating the whole time we were there. I would highly recommend La Gaviota Tropical if you ever plan to visit Playa Hermosa.
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Date of stay: April 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 18 Jul 2024
We are so happy you enjoyed your visit with us. It is interesting that the two categories which usually get a 5 star were 4 for you, cleanliness and location. Hope you visit again.
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you are looking for a special boutique hotel, directly on the beach with fabulous sunsets, look no further! Each unit in this 5 unit hotel has its own unique theme. I stayed in the Pajaro room (bird room) and there are other themes such as rainforest, beach, sun, and cowboy room. Roberto’s open air restaurant is located right on the beach. Featuring local seafood, ( they just brought in the lobsters the day we dined). The local cooks do a great job and the food is prepared with freshly sourced ingredients. There is free entertainment 2 times a week. Be sure you book well in advance. The infinity rooftop pool offers a wonderful sunset experience for its guests.
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 1 week ago
Love this! You have included many of the things that make staying at LGT special. We enjoyed hosting you here and hopefully you will come back to make more memories with us.
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Our family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids ages 4 & 6) absolutely LOVED our stay here. The location near LIR and right on a stunning beach w/ mellow waters that are good for kids / newer swimmers was really awesome. The breakfast and food at Roberto's is excellent (my kids loved the pancakes, and I loved the healthy quinoa bowl). My son also loved the botanical garden across the way, and my daughter loved the kitty cats on site. Lastly the staff was so friendly -- when one of the maintenance people learned my son was hoping to spot a monkey he kept going out to check and eventually did help my son spot his first monkey in Costa Rica - so sweet of him. We spent 2 nights and thoroughly enjoyed -- great spot to start or end a trip near LIR!
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Date of stay: August 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â We stayed in La Playa suite with kind bed and futon which worked well for 2 adults, 2 young kids.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 26 Aug 2024
I am smiling after reading your review. We think we have a terrific staff and it is nice for you to highlight a special thing they may do for a guest. We have adopted quite a few cats over the years. We make sure they are neutered and well fed. Some become really affectionate pets.
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We loved this place! A perfect location to enjoy the beauty of the beach surrounding Playa Hermosa. We were welcomed by Rodolfo at check in, and he took such great care of us throughout our entire stay at the hotel. Roberto's restaurant was great, and we enjoyed the complementary breakfast there each morning before adventuring out for the day, or just lounging on the beach sipping on daquiris and pina coladas from the bar! We stayed in the spacious Sol y Mar and the view from the large, private balcony was spectacular. The room was clean, comfortable, and well-stocked with a nice bathroom and big double shower. Each day we saw and heard monkeys in the mango trees, or elsewhere around the area, and we enjoyed great dinners at various beach front restaurants all within easy walking distance from the hotel.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 26 Aug 2024
Thank you for writing this nice and I think accurate review. Rodolfo will enjoy receiving the compliments. Thank you for recognizing the work of our staff. We hope you will come back again.
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We had a wonderful experience in the Sol y Mar room for 5 nights in August. What a gem of a hotel! The room is beautiful, with a huge full bathroom and another ½ bath. Enjoyed morning coffee every day on the outside terrace - It’s hard to leave with the amazing view of the Pacific Ocean. Roberto’s restaurant served us a variety of delicious, reasonably priced meals. We came with a list of additional restaurants to try in Playa Hermosa and Coco but we wound up eating all but one dinner at Roberto’s (we went to Ginger’s one night, very good). Restaurant staff are friendly and super accommodating. We had two mornings of early tours and they prepared our breakfasts early, before the restaurant actually opened. (Scrumptious full breakfast is included)
Our family of three (couple+ teenage son) found this a perfect spot as a base for exploring Guanacaste. We had two full days of tours, then came back for an afternoon swim in the ocean and dip in the roof top pool. The beach is literally steps away, very clean and wasn’t crowded when we visited. The grounds are beautiful, with wildlife all around. We took photos every night of the amazing sunset. An added bonus – this sliver of paradise is only 30 minutes from Liberia Airport! We hope to stay at La Gaviota Tropical again – Pura Vida!
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Date of stay: August 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â Sol y Mar is magnificent!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 6 Sept 2022
I am so glad you enjoyed your time at La Gaviota Tropical and your meals at Roberto’s. I sure hope you will enjoy those memories and come back to see us again.
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My husband and I stayed two nights in El Bosque Lluvioso which is a spacious, clean room on the 2nd floor. There is a small balcony in this room with a limited view of the ocean. There is a small fridge, AC, a ceiling fan, and a comfortable king size bed. There is an elevator available in the building.
The location of this cute little hotel is amazing - right on the beach and only 30 minutes from the airport! The beach area is quiet and perfect for swimming. We enjoyed watching the sunset from the rooftop pool area. They have towels and beach chairs available to use.
The breakfast is included and you can order anything off of the menu at Roberto's. The food was amazing! We also paid to eat dinner one night which was equally amazing.
The staff was welcoming and helpful. They gave us a welcome drink upon arrival and were always available to answer questions. We will definitely be back!
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 9 Feb 2023
Your review says we have accomplished our mission. Thank you for including so many details. I m glad you appreciated our efforts. The ultimate goal is for you to leave with good memories and want to come back to see us again. Pura Vida!
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Incredibly warm friendly service with crashing ocean waves and exotic bird sounds on this impeccably clean, refreshing oceanside boutique hotel. A spectacular view from the rooftop pool , great restaurant with bar that sits beachside. The clientele came from up and down the beach and I met others from various parts of the world. Friendly, relaxing, refreshing. The staff was professional with a warm touch that made me feel like a long lost cherished member of the family.
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Date of stay: June 2022
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Bette Grove, Owner at La Gaviota Tropical
Responded 6 Sept 2022
I am happy when I know you enjoyed your time at La Gaviota Tropical. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Hope to see you again. Pura vida!
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Happy to relate our experience.
We found the roof-top pool area to be clean including the chairs which we used. We find this comment surprising as our impression of this property was that it was quite well maintained. It is our understanding that the owner is onsite.
Hola thank you
Our Policies:
The La Gaviota Tropical is an exclusive property where every guest reservation is both important and special to us. Please remember that you will only receive a reservation confirmation after we receive your credit card information.
If your travel plans change and you must cancel your reservation, please call us at least 7 (seven) days prior to your arrival date to cancel your reservation. In the unlikely event that you must cancel with less than seven (7) days notice, but more than 72 hours in advance of your arrival we will refund 50% of your deposit. Should you need to cancel your reservation less than 72 hours prior to your arrival; shorten your stay or check out early, please understand that we must ask you to take responsibility for your entire reservation. If we can rebook your room(s), a full or partial refund will be made.
A 30 day cancellation notice is required during Christmas December 16 to January 2 and Easter week.
Check in is 2 p.m. If arriving after 8:30 PM, please call to make arrangements.
Check out is 12 noon. Should you require a later check out there will be an additional charge of US$20 for the first hour past noon, $50 for the second hour, and 100% of the room rate after 3 hours. Please see Management for special arrangements.
This is a no smoking building. $100 US will be added to your bill if this is not respected to cover cleaning costs to remove smoke odors from fabrics.
Rates are based per room, double occupancy, per night. There is a $25 charge for each extra person in the room over 7 years of age.
Rates are plus 13% sales tax. Percentages may change according to Costa Rican law.
All rates are in US dollars
Breakfast is served starting at 8:00 am; coffee is generally available. Breakfast not included for the Gardens House
All reservations must be made in writing by email or internet specifying services required.
All reservations require a written confirmation from La Gaviota Tropical to be considered confirmed.
All reservations must contain at a minimum client name, address, credit card number and expiration date, phone number, email address, and passport number or ID number,.
A guest must be 18 years old or over to book a room.
High season is from January 2 to August 1. Green season is from August 1 to December 15. Holiday season is from December 16 to January 1. Holiday season also includes Holy Week/Easter Week.
During Holiday season, a minimum stay of 4 nights is required
No pets
Guests are responsible for personal items, the room key and items in the room; including bedding that may need to be replaced because of permanent damage.
There are more places to choose from in the Playa Hermosa area.
PRICE RANGE
RMÂ 927 - RMÂ 1,078 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of GuanacastePlaya Hermosa
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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