Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante
Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante
35KM al Sur de Dominical, Playa Tortuga 41 Costa Rica
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4.0
#1 of 1 small hotel in Playa TortugaLocation
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Hotel Villas Gaia offers a home base to experience the wild beauty of Costa Rica's southwest Pacific coast. One of the most biologically diverse regions on the earth. Strategic location on the new scenic coastal road. Convenient access to Ballena Marine National Park, Cano Island Biological reserve, Corcovado National Park and the most extensive mangrove ecosystem of Central America. Hotel Villas Gaia is 14 colorful bungalows (casitas) separately nestled in a jungle setting offering privacy and comfort.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Free breakfast
Bicycle rental
Airport transportation
Massage
Baggage storage
Wifi
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Car hire
Currency exchange
Non-smoking hotel
Sun terrace
Laundry service
Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
35KM al Sur de Dominical, Playa Tortuga 41 Costa Rica
Getting there
Car recommended
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.
Grade: 46 out of 100
46
13 Restaurants
within 1 kilometer
3 Attractions
within 1 kilometer
266Reviews9Q+A31Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
Villas Gaia is about 2 hours south of Quepos along the coastal road leading to Palmar Sur. The description they have on their web page is fairly accurate with a couple exceptions. First, I would not describe the food as "gourmet". The food was decent though. We chose the inclusive package, but oddly, this limited us to only a portion of the food on the menu. I would suggest not taking the inclusive package and then choosing what you wanted from the menu. Second, the rooms are not really "nestled in a jungle setting". The main road coastal road is about 50 yards to 150 yards away with a couple of the bungalows actually looking out over the highway (although the road is fairly quiet at night). The rooms up near the pool are the furthest away from the road and also have the best views and best breeze. It should also be noted that several rooms have air conditioning, but we found the fans to be quite sufficient.
If you are heading from Quepos to Drake Bay via Sierpe, this is a decent place to stop. The staff are both friendly and helpful and the bungalows are clean, large and comfortable. The bird watching is also excellent from the bar and pool area (Toucans, Motmots, Kingfishers, Trogans etc...).
I would not recommend this as a base camp to see Corcovado etc, but it is not a bad place to stop on the way to Drake Bay. Certainly if you are this close, you should go down to Drake Bay and stay for 2 or 3 nights. Corcovado really was as wonderful as the guidebooks claimed. From Villas Gaia, one travels by car or taxi about 30 miles to Sierpe, then takes the boat to Drake Bay (a beautiful 1 1/2 hour trip through the Mangroves and out to the Pacific).
We also took part in a sea kayak tour ("caves and waves tour" near Marino Ballenas National Park) which involved some very basic kayaks. The sea was a bit too rough for the caves so the "tour" lasted about an hour - ending with my girlfriend tossed in the waves trying to get back into shore.
Overall, we thought this was a decent stop on the road south. And if you are birding, you might see a few species that might be missed in Corcovado.
If you are heading from Quepos to Drake Bay via Sierpe, this is a decent place to stop. The staff are both friendly and helpful and the bungalows are clean, large and comfortable. The bird watching is also excellent from the bar and pool area (Toucans, Motmots, Kingfishers, Trogans etc...).
I would not recommend this as a base camp to see Corcovado etc, but it is not a bad place to stop on the way to Drake Bay. Certainly if you are this close, you should go down to Drake Bay and stay for 2 or 3 nights. Corcovado really was as wonderful as the guidebooks claimed. From Villas Gaia, one travels by car or taxi about 30 miles to Sierpe, then takes the boat to Drake Bay (a beautiful 1 1/2 hour trip through the Mangroves and out to the Pacific).
We also took part in a sea kayak tour ("caves and waves tour" near Marino Ballenas National Park) which involved some very basic kayaks. The sea was a bit too rough for the caves so the "tour" lasted about an hour - ending with my girlfriend tossed in the waves trying to get back into shore.
Overall, we thought this was a decent stop on the road south. And if you are birding, you might see a few species that might be missed in Corcovado.
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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.
We stayed for 5 days in this hotel in December 2004, and it was our favorite place in all Costa Rica. The owners are incredible nice and interesting people. Our child had an incredible time there, he felt right at home. Rooms are beautifully simple, spacious and clean. You have access to several activities in the area, unspoiled beaches, snorkeling, diving, horseback riding, river falls, bird watching, etc. The area is beautiful. It is easier to have your own car to do all of this. The owners recommended the French-Canadian restaurants, cafes, and bakeries in the area, and we had a memorable French meal in the middle of the jungle for half the price of Paris.
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Date of stay: January 2005
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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.
Can't believe we found this wonderful, reasonably priced hotel online. We loved it! We stayed here over the Christmas holiday season, 2005 for 8 nights. This was our home base. Yes, it's some drive from the airport but it's worth it! We like being in natural habitat with out commercialization. You definitely need a car to stay here and there is so much to see that you want to get out and see this beautiful area of Costa Rica. Each day we did something different--boat ride to Corcavado, cable zipline at Hacienda Baru, drive to Manuel Antonio Park in Quepos, etc. If you are looking for a wild, surfing, touristy experience this is not the place for you--Quepos or Dominical may be your speed. The accommodations were lovely and functional--not fancy. The grounds of the hotel were well maintained with interesting plantings. The pool area overlooks the rainforest and beyond to the Pacific Ocean. Walks through the rainforest to the ocean were a daily event in the early morning with opportunities to see leaf cutter ants, butterflies, birds, monkeys, etc. The food in the restaurant was very good--we miss the breakfasts. The staff at the hotel were very attentive and helpful. Highly recommend this hotel and we are a fussy bunch!
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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.
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We spent two nights there. Bungalow located at the foot of the main road with very heavy traffic with large trucks. Very noisy day and night so impossible to have a peaceful night. You are startled awake many times when these big American trucks downshift to succeed in crossing the hill!!! When we arrive, our pillows are the decorative cushions for the bed (which will have been lying around who knows where), a shower towel for 2 people. Be careful, very slippery floor in the bathroom (no floor mat). No hot water. No WiFi in the room. No listening at reception to collect our complaints. These are issues they need to hear very often.
For breakfast it will be coffee OR orange juice, no fruit. Pancake recipe to review...prefer the omelette. Decent dinner.
The only positive point is the swimming pool and its deckchairs surrounded by lush vegetation but no sea view like a few years ago.
In short, move on.
For breakfast it will be coffee OR orange juice, no fruit. Pancake recipe to review...prefer the omelette. Decent dinner.
The only positive point is the swimming pool and its deckchairs surrounded by lush vegetation but no sea view like a few years ago.
In short, move on.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
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Room Tip: Hôtel à éviter
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.
My wife and I stayed at Villas Gaia for over a week in December 2005, so we really got to know the place. The pros: The property is gorgeous. There is cool landscaping, the casitas are neat and clean (get one with AC), and the food is good. The pool area is on a bluff overlooking the ocean, so you can sip a drink while watching beautiful sunsets. Families of monkeys would swing through the trees every afternoon. The cons: A European couple runs the place. They are all smiles and charm as long as your wallet’s open. As soon as we started eating other places and booking tours outside their affiliates, the mood turned a bit chilly. Speaking of tours, stay away from their pre-arranged tours (the ones in the orange book). We did one of their trips to Corcavado and it was awful. It was overpriced and the guide was busy posing for brochure photos instead of running the tour. Another bummer was that we tried to alter our itinerary for the last few days of our stay so we could check out some volcanoes up north. We would have gladly paid a cancellation fee but they wouldn’t discuss it. They tried to tell us that it was because of our travel agent, but the truth was that they had us over a barrel and they wanted every penny they could get. Villas Gaia is very remote. I e-mailed the hotel several times before our arrival regarding activities and transportation. They failed to mention that you are very limited without a vehicle, so be sure to rent one in advance, preferably a 4X4. The verdict: If you are passing through the Central Pacific Region, Villas Gaia is okay for a night or two, but I wouldn’t stay any longer. My wife and I would never stay there again after getting the run-around when we tried to leave two days early (after dropping a lot of money there). Be sure you have a 4X4, and make sure you are in complete control of your itinerary, not the management. I hope this review helps. Pura Vida!
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Date of stay: December 2005
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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.
I stayed in Villas Gaia with my family for three nights.
I was reluctant to make a reservation there initially as some of the reviews on Trip Advisor were not good. Our travel agency was very positive about the place and recommended it highly.
The place is located at a busy road and especially in the Villas that are at the road it feels like the trucks are driving through your sleeping rooms.
If you decide to stay there, book one of the 4 villas located on the hill close to the pool (Villas no. 9 - 12) but even up there you can hear the road.
The villas are basic and dark. The trail to the beach was unfortunately closed.
The service is of moderate quality and a bit disorganized. The new hire (a friendly guy from Ireland) will hopefully make a difference.
I didn't like the place...my kids loved the two pools though and for this reason we ended up staying the three nights.
I was reluctant to make a reservation there initially as some of the reviews on Trip Advisor were not good. Our travel agency was very positive about the place and recommended it highly.
The place is located at a busy road and especially in the Villas that are at the road it feels like the trucks are driving through your sleeping rooms.
If you decide to stay there, book one of the 4 villas located on the hill close to the pool (Villas no. 9 - 12) but even up there you can hear the road.
The villas are basic and dark. The trail to the beach was unfortunately closed.
The service is of moderate quality and a bit disorganized. The new hire (a friendly guy from Ireland) will hopefully make a difference.
I didn't like the place...my kids loved the two pools though and for this reason we ended up staying the three nights.
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Date of stay: August 2017Trip 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.
Hotel has nice condos. Very friendly staff and a good restaurant. However, the beds are very poor. We were with several people and none of them had a good sleep. That's a pity since the rest of the hotel is good.
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Date of stay: April 2012
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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.
Considering the many lovely accommodations available in a similar price range I don't understand why people stay here. The cabins are dark and depressing, right next to a loud road so you can here the trucks thundering through your bedroom. The pool doesn't look to clean. We had already prebooked an payed for this place, but we ended up leaving and paying double to stay somewhere else because we didn't want to waste our valuable holiday time staying here.
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Date of stay: February 2010Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
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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.
I went to Villas Gaia, for 1 night July 2006. I am a Costa Rican native traveling with my boy friend and two Dutch friends. We made a reservation by a travel agency; we paid $80 for our room and thanks to my brother in law’s connection as the travel agent our foreign friends went for free.
When we got there they didn’t have our reservation even do we had already paid for our room, and we had to call him to talk to the person who was in charge. After the not friendly welcome they showed our rooms and the way to the beach. The four of us went to the beach and had a terrible experience: WE ALMOST DROWNED. After taking a risk to save my Dutch friend and boyfriend, and the manager found out they gave us the information about the beach. Now they give important info!! Also, even do they were for free; we were paying Costa Rican’s!! And they made us feel like they were been nice giving us breakfast even do WE HAD PAID FOR IT!!
I strongly suggest asking for the information as soon as you arrive to this or any other hotel!! And if you have the chance: DON’T STAY AT VILLAS GAIA!!
When we got there they didn’t have our reservation even do we had already paid for our room, and we had to call him to talk to the person who was in charge. After the not friendly welcome they showed our rooms and the way to the beach. The four of us went to the beach and had a terrible experience: WE ALMOST DROWNED. After taking a risk to save my Dutch friend and boyfriend, and the manager found out they gave us the information about the beach. Now they give important info!! Also, even do they were for free; we were paying Costa Rican’s!! And they made us feel like they were been nice giving us breakfast even do WE HAD PAID FOR IT!!
I strongly suggest asking for the information as soon as you arrive to this or any other hotel!! And if you have the chance: DON’T STAY AT VILLAS GAIA!!
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Date of stay: July 2006
Value
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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.
Yes, we knew it was located right at the carretera 34. Yes we knew there were some low ratings due to the noise from the lorries and cars passing all night. And therefore we challenged our tour operator that we'd prefer another place. But I guess, it was a big mistake in the end that we let ourselves being convinced by our Dutch tour operator. A mistake. The management is (as everywhere in Costa Rica) super friendly but this doesn't mask up the many deficiencies in the hotel. (1) don't eat there. The food isn't good. Full stop. I ordered a Cazpacho the first evening and it was as if I was handed a bottle of vinegar. The fries of my kids were completely oversalted. The breakfast is way below average in terms of quality and food offering. (2) it is really loud at night - actually all day. Eventhough we had from the start upgraded to their best villa room #9. (3) the bed covers and bed sheets are super old and have ugly stains (even blood stains on the pillow in our room). The only highlight for our kids: the pool. Would I recommend it?
No.
No.
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Date of stay: August 2017
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.
I agree. You can walk to the beach. But the ocean is very rough. We did see a lot of scarlet macaws in the threes close to the beach. It's nice to go for a walk but not for a swim.
As far as I recall they don't.
I agree with your previous answer. This looks like a question for management to answer. Idk if they would allow you to hang out at the pool without booking a room.
We did not have lunch here either, but the breakfast buffet at the pool was good.
No problem - we were there in January and sat out on the balcony in the evening.
No me parece. Se trata de un lugar rústico dentro de un bosque donde desde luego no hay lujos pero en general el mantenimiento lo encontré adecuado.
Esta es una época muy linda en esa zona del país y en calidad/precio es una buena opción.
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LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasOsa PeninsulaPlaya Tortuga
NUMBER OF ROOMS
14
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Frequently Asked Questions about Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante
Which popular attractions are close to Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante?
Nearby attractions include Stam Café (0.6 km), Ojochal Racquet Club (0.6 km), and Playa Tortuga (0.4 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
What food & drink options are available at Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante?
Conveniently located restaurants include Restaurant Exotica, Citrus, and Heliconia.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante have airport transportation?
Yes, Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
Is Villas Gaia Hotel & Restaurante accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.