Independent, Ballena hotels

"Such helpful staff, both at front desk and at the restaurant! "

"Everything about our stay at Tropical Beach was excellent. We arrived late due to a delayed flight and they made arrangements for us to park and receive our key after hours. The room was spotless and had everything we needed. The staff was friendly and helpful and went out of their way to help us with anything we needed. The pool was a nice respite from the heat and humidity and the restaurant on site was delicious. All that and it was affordable, comfortable, and, yes, they have hot water (I know this is an issue at some other places). We truly enjoyed our stay. "

"My husband and I came here on our honeymoon mid June. This place is wonderful. It feels so incredibly private and peaceful. In fact, we hardly even saw other guests while there. The villas are lovely and the views are phenomenal. The villas have a kitchen which is fully stocked (plates, silverware, pots, etc) as well as complimentary drinks inside the fridge each day. The outdoor shower and tub are great. The staff are lovely. They take the time to get to know you and your names. They are very kind. The food was great. If you haven’t figured it out from other reviews, you absolutely need to have a 4x4 vehicle to get here! I will admit the drive up was kinda scary sometimes, but it gets better after you do it a few times. There are pretty steep dirt roads to get here. And have good brakes on the car for the way down! A few tips: -bring bug spray, there are lots of insects everywhere. -bring earplugs if you need to sleep in quiet. The wildlife can be loud at night! -there are shades over the windows in your villa, but they don’t really block light. The sun rises very early and it gets very bright. Bring a sleep mask if that’s something you need! -we shopped at the BM Supermercado right in Uvita, it was very convenient. We saw toucans and other amazing birds right from the hotel. You truly are in the jungle here, it’s amazing! I would definitely recommend staying here. Out of all the exploring we did while in CR, Uvita was definitely the best place to be!"

"Good location. Nice property. Good communication. Rooms are clean. "

"The 24/7 front counter is a great feature, the pool is nice, the suite upstairs had all we needed in the kitchen, and hot water with good pressure in the shower. The fridge came in handy for leftovers from our favorite restaurant just a few minutes up the street. We met friendly travelers and had a fantastic visit."

"Had a free weekend with the girlies during our month-long study abroad trip, and we could not have made a better choice than Tiki Villas!! The hotel staff, the view, the pool and spa services—absolutely no complaints from any of us. From the get go, we were treated so kindly; Nancy upgraded our hotel room when we arrived so we’d have more space, and the room was lovely. We had an indoor AND outdoor shower, and a balcony with a view of the ocean. It’s genuinely the nicest place I’ve ever stayed. The restaurant staff were also so kind and patient considering we’re a group of girls who are fairly new to speaking Spanish, and they always met us halfway (or more) with communication! The food and drinks were always amazing. They gave me a bag of dry rice when my phone got soaked at Parque Nacional Marino Ballena, and I was so grateful. They went out of their way to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and did not need anything. I definitely hope to return one day and stay for much longer. Two days was not enough. Tiki Villas has definitely been solidified as one of my best experiences in Costa Rica, and I genuinely don’t know how anywhere else I go will be able to top this place!"

"Experience of feeling like you are in the middle of a jungle when you are are not…😉 Staff was excellent and very accommodating. Shout out to Manuel who helped my husband find several species of frogs."

"Property was beautiful. Room was private and very nice. Staff was amazing. Meals were wonderful. We will definitely return. "

"Ok so I literally never leave hotel reviews but that changed after staying at Kura! First, I must inform you that it’s a trek to get there driving wise (have them come pick you up) but once you get there OMG! The ambiance is insane and they undoubtedly have the best view in Uvita! Hands down! It doesn’t even matter which room you get. If you are lucky enough to get the room with the shower with the view of the ocean I promise you, you won’t want to leave! We didn’t either! The food was amazing! And the service was A1! This resort is the definition of a 5 star resort! I would highly recommend! The pool was amazing and the red lights in the room really set the mood! Overall me and my fiance agreed that this was the best resort we’ve ever stayed at and we’ve been to other 5 star resorts in the Almafi coast as well! You won’t be disappointed!"