Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [432]
Sleeping
Puerto Viejo has a little bit of everything. In the village, accommodations off the main drag are quietest.
HOSTELS
Rocking J’s (2750-0657; www.rockingjs.com; camping per person US$4, hammock US$5, dm US$7, d US$20-30, 3-person king ste US$60, apt US$350; ) Puerto Viejo’s grooviest hostel and ‘hammock hotel’ is owned by the charismatic, mischievous ‘J,’ who organizes full-moon toga parties and round-the-table drinking games. If you’re looking for good times, you’ll find them here – along with plenty of new friends. The accommodations are basic. Tight rows of tents, hammocks, snug dorms and private doubles share rickety showers in a concrete structure that is brightened by a veritable explosion of psychedelic mosaics. Save up your pennies and rent out J’s Palace, a pimpin’ three-story apartment that sleeps six and is equipped with private kitchen and retractable roof. Surfboards, snorkels and bikes are available for rent and there is a popular restaurant, @E’s.
Hostel Pagalú (2750-1930; www.pagalu.com; dm US$10, d with/without bathroom US$28/22; ) A brand new hostel on a quiet street, this place offers a break from Puerto Viejo’s party scene. Super clean, airy dorms and half a dozen private doubles are painted white and come with polished-wood accents. Niceties include large lockers, charging stations for MP3 players and reading lamps installed above each bunk. Private doubles are spacious (one is wheelchair-accessible) and there is a shared, open-air kitchen and a quiet lounge with tables and hammocks. In addition, the owners supply spring water on an honor system – so that you can refill your reusable plastic bottles, rather than constantly be buying new ones.
BUDGET
All budget spots have private hot-water bathrooms unless otherwise stated.
Hotel Puerto Viejo (2750-0620; hotelpuertoviejocr.com; dm US$8, r per person with shared bathroom US$10, d US$30; ) No shoes, no shirt, no problem. This dedicated surfer crash pad administered by hardcore wave rider Kurt Van Dyke has a warren of 68 wooden rooms, some of which sleep up to eight. Units are basic, but very clean and come equipped with strong fans and bathrooms that run on recycled rainwater. Onsite, you’ll find an extravagantly large shared kitchen, a chilled-out bar where the talk is all about waves and a surf school (Click here). Credit cards accepted.
Kaya’s Place (2750-0690/0060; www.kayasplace.com; s/d with shared bathroom US$19/27, d with/without ocean views US$40/35, s/d with garden views US$40/50, 2-/5-person apt US$70/85; ) A small US-run inn just west of town has 17 snug, basic rooms and apartments (some of which share cool-water showers). A few units are rather dim, though the ones facing the garden are airy. A 2nd-floor lounge is filled with hammocks and offers prime views of the ocean. Beach cruisers are available for rent; credit cards are accepted.
Monte Sol (2750-0098; www.montesol.net; d US$20-30, d/q bungalows with kitchen US$45/65, 4-person house US$70; ) Set back from the main road, this laidback German-run place east of town has six cabins painted a pleasing mustard yellow. Units are rustic, with tile floors, cubicle bathrooms and mosquito nets – but are clean and have hammocks. A full house with kitchen sleeps up to eight and available for long-term rentals.
Cabinas Larry (2750-0964; d US$24; ) Cheap, tidy, bright and clean. This locally run spot behind a dental office has eight functional, concrete rooms that surround a gravel courtyard. The public deck is stocked with hammocks.
Coconut Grove (2750-0093; d without bathroom US$25, d/tr US$45/55; ) Four efficient wood-beam rooms and one small apartment (sleeping five) make up this basic spot on the east side of town. For an extra US$5 per day, owner Heidi will throw in a breakfast of eggs or German pancakes.
Hotel Pura Vida (2750-0002; www.hotel-puravida.com; s/d/tr without bathroom US$25/30/40, s/d/tr US$32/38/50; ) Though this place has budget prices, the atmosphere and amenities are solidly midrange. Ten breezy, immaculate rooms, clad in polished wood,