Vista Ballena Hotel
Jardines del Morete 17 Km. Sur de Playa Dominical, Uvita de Osa 1 Puntarenas, Uvita 60504 Costa Rica
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About
#6 of 28 B&Bs / Inns in Uvita
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Vista Ballena hotel, perched in the hills of Costa Rica's wild southern coast, is more than a tropical resort. Here, in the world's most ecologically diverse setting, you will discover nature's hidden treasures and sustenance for the soul. Our 20 room hotel is set high among the mountainous jungles of Costa Ballena. Enjoy exquisite views of the “Whale’s Tail” sandbar as it extends into the warm ocean waters and witness humpback whales cresting as they pass. Surrounded by lush rainforest and pristine coral-lined beaches, Vista Ballena is a place of solace and discovery in an otherwise untouched land. Paradise after all, is not just a destination, it is what stirs inside us when we set our eyes on the sublime wonders and wisdom of the natural world.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Yoga classes
Free breakfast
Beach
Hiking
Children's television networks
Secured parking
Wifi
Pool / beach towels
Infinity pool
Pool with view
Adult pool
Outdoor pool
Yoga room
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Kids' meals
Wine / champagne
Poolside bar
Horseback riding
Snorkelling
Evening entertainment
Fishing
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids pool
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Airport transportation
Shuttle bus service
Car hire
Taxi service
Couples massage
Foot massage
Full body massage
Massage
Neck massage
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
Clothes dryer
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Room service
Minibar
Cable / satellite TV
Flatscreen TV
Hair dryer
Bottled water
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Room types
Mountain view
Ocean view
Landmark view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Mountain View
Great View
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Contact
Jardines del Morete 17 Km. Sur de Playa Dominical, Uvita de Osa 1 Puntarenas, Uvita 60504 Costa Rica
Getting there
Car HireSee all Uvita car hire
254Reviews5Q+A33Room tips
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We stayed at the hotel for 3 nights and had a wonderful experience. All the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful and went out of their way to make our stay memorable. The hotel was clean and comfortable with incredible views of the area. The breakfast was better than the average included breakfast. The dinners were excellent. We will definitely stay there again the next time we are in Uvita. We highly recommend the Vista Ballena. It is an excellent value.
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: If you can, stay in one of the upper rooms ,closer to the restaurant and pool.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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We went here for the sunset view and decided to have dinner and drinks. The view was amazing however the food was subpar. The piña coladas were delicious. We had bruschetta as an appetizer and it tasted weird. We discovered they put olives on it. It made it treats fishy. I wish they would have indicated that on the menu. As our main meal, I had mahi-mahi and my wife had steak. Our meals came with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The mahi-mahi was good, the steak was tough and the mashed potatoes and vegetables tasted fishy for both of us. I would recommend this place for sunset and drinks only.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip 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.
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Eduardo was providing the best service at the resort. He demonstrated the food and allowed us to enjoy our time here and introduced us to the chief. I recommend booking this spot when you stay with the Marquis hotel!
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Loved this place. The views are truly amazing. Sunsets every night at the Infinity pool. Staff were amazing. Very kind and attentive. Great suggestion on Costa Rican rum. Food was fantastic. We spent a lot of time on the property just relaxing, eating, and drinking. The rooms are a little outdated, but you aren't staying here to hang out in the rooms. The driveway is long and steep. We arrived at night so the drive up the mountain was a little sketchy, but much better during the day. Our little rental Nissan did just fine without need for 4wd. Loved this place and would stay here again.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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If you want a real Costa Rica jungle stay with nothing but nature (and of course your cell phone) this is the place.There are restauranys nearby, The breakfast at this stay was special with at your table (no mater where it was).
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Vista Ballena Hotel, Otros at Vista Ballena Hotel
Responded 19 Aug 2022
Hello, Thank you for visit us! It was a pleasure to help you and make your days off comfortable. We hope to see you again in the near future. Best regards. Vista Ballena Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The view near the pool is awesome! We had a great view from our room as well and saw toucans in the tree right outside the balcony. When we lost power due to a storm that also knocked a tree across the road preventing us from leaving, the staff really proved to be wonderful. If you have to be stuck somewhere, this is a great place to be stuck. Our waiter Jason became our poolside tour guide- finding us red eyed frogs, stick bugs, toucans, honey bees, etc. and telling us about them. He also made great conversation and definitely made our stay more fun. We loved the food there- the chef was on point. Estaban made great drinks. Michelle was so calm, sweet, and helpful even bringing us candles to take to our room when the power was out. What a great place!
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Date of stay: June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from Vista Ballena Hotel, Otros at Vista Ballena Hotel
Responded 12 Jul 2022
Thank you very much for your comments! We are happy to know you had a great time with us, it is always a pleasure to do our very best for our clients. We hope to see you again in the near future. Best regards. Hotel Vista Ballena
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Book for the view, nothing else. Rooms are quite a walk and the bathroom is very very dirty and outdated. The shower curtains were full of mold and when turning on the shower there was water everywhere in your room. The bar is awesome they make great margaritas, but for this money you would expect more of the room.
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip 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.
Helpful
Response from Vista Ballena Hotel, Otros at Vista Ballena Hotel
Responded 19 Aug 2022
Hello, Thank you for visit us! We hope to see you again in the near future. Best regards. Hotel Vista Ballena
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed at Hotel Vista Ballena for 4 nights and really enjoyed our time here. The room was clean and comfortable, the staff was friendly and accommodating and very helpful, especially with transportation. It was a little difficult to find taxis in Uvita, so anytime we needed transportation we messaged the hotel on WhatsApp and they called a taxi for us right away! They provided great recommendations. The food was good, drinks were delicious, and the view from the restaurant and pool area is just unbelievable. Every evening when we returned our room had been cleaned and tidied. The internet worked pretty well for us, we were even able to stream shows and sports in the evening. It was a little inconsistent, so I probably wouldn’t rely on it if I needed to work or Zoom or anything like that, but it worked well for our purposes. We stayed in a Deluxe room just below the pool area, with a balcony that overlooked the ocean. There are definitely quite a few stairs to get there, which was fine for us as we are young, active and able-bodied, but could be difficult for anyone with mobility issues. It was slightly strenuous bringing our suitcases down the first day and up the last, but other than that it was totally fine and even with suitcases it wasn’t bad. It looked like there were some rooms further down from ours, so that would be more stairs and probably more difficult. The first morning we were here we slept in and missed breakfast by 20 minutes, and they were kind enough to serve us anyways which was very appreciated. The hotel is at the top of a hill, which makes the views incredible, but you do need a taxi to get to and from so it’s not the most walkable location. If you’re used to staying in the Ritz Carlton, the rooms might not be up to your standards, but we had a lovely time and would absolutely come back.…
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip 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.
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The pool, bar and restaurant are clean and neat. The Service in these areas is the best. The hospitality staff is pretty remarkable. Food is fine with the restaurant agile to modify for your diet and flavor profile. The rooms are a different story. We had a half meter squared mold growing on our ceiling. The lights are few and low power - had to use a cell phone flashlight to read. Worst of all, the internet does not reach inside the room. Guests were standing outside tier doors accessing it. If you really need Internet for any period of time, you have to use it in the common areas. Front desk is very curt and unwelcoming. Reported smokers in the pool area with no action taken on their part.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip: Standard Rooms require a hike up a path and several flights of stairs to get to the Common Areas.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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The facilities inside the hotel are not great - I stayed in the "second habitation"(second building w/rooms)and to go to the restaurant/pool/reception I had to climb long staircases (it looked like the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, Braga). Despite the beautiful view from the room, you can see that the facilities are old. The breakfast was not spectacular either. It has a great pool with a wonderful view. The staff is also very friendly and helpful. Not worth the price we paid.
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Date of stay: July 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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PRICE RANGE
US$127 - US$182 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
whales & dolphins ecolodge hotel uvita, whales and dolphins ecolodge
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Hotel Whales and Dolphins
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasUvita
NUMBER OF ROOMS
18
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Claim Your ListingVISTA BALLENA HOTEL: UPDATED 2023 Reviews, Price Comparison and 310 Photos (Costa Rica/Uvita) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Vista Ballena Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Vista Ballena Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Rancho La Merced National Wildlife Refuge (1.7 km), Uvita Waterfall (1.7 km), and Uvita Beach (4.0 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Vista Ballena Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
Which room amenities are available at Vista Ballena Hotel?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Vista Ballena Hotel?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Vista Ballena Hotel?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Vista Ballena Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Bagel Time Bakery, Bar Restaurant Los Laureles, and Pizza Time.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Vista Ballena Hotel?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and yoga classes during their stay.
Does Vista Ballena Hotel have an airport shuttle?
Yes, Vista Ballena Hotel offers an airport shuttle for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Does Vista Ballena Hotel have airport transportation?
Yes, Vista Ballena Hotel offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are any cleaning services offered at Vista Ballena Hotel?
Yes, laundry service and a clothes dryer are offered to guests.
Are pets allowed at Vista Ballena Hotel?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.