Cala Luna Boutique Hotel

My husband and I stayed at Cala Luna for two and a half days after several days in central Costa Rica. The property is serene and lovely. The focus here is wellness. I had hoped to book a spa treatment but we didn’t have time. The restaurant on site has US prices ($$$) but the food is excellent so we felt the quality matched the cost. Many fruits are grown on site or nearby and they make their own yogurt and granola. Pro-tip: the homemade lemonade is a winner! The property is not directly on the beach but there is an access point behind the property with a short walk to the beach. The beach is gorgeous with volcanic rocks visible at low tide. Many people would take blankets and snacks to watch the sun set. The pool on the property is fabulous! We stayed in a deluxe bungalow- beautiful with a comfy bed. There was a little porch with a swing and hammock. One of the three cats that live on site would visit from time to time. We were able to walk to the main intersection of Tamarindo to shop and dine. The staff was very helpful. We had a delicious dinner at Dragonfly one night and went to a local artist market one night thanks to the friendly staff. I would say this is a place for adults looking for a quiet place to unwind and relax but we saw several families and the kids seemed to enjoy being there.

I have nothing negative to say about Cala Luna, it was such a great experience. The property itself is so gorgeous from the rooms, to the restaurant, the pool, and down to the beach. My boyfriend and I spent most of our daytime down at the beach and it was just so peaceful. Our trip was during the “off” season so the beach was usually completely empty and it was so nice to lounge and read a book listening to the waves. Aside from how beautiful the hotel is, the restaurant was just amazing. I am not one for large touristy areas (which is most of Tamarindo) so we spent a lot of time at the hotel itself. The food is downright delicious. I think most of the food is made from their farm and it’s all made from scratch in their kitchen. I cannot express how much my boyfriend and I loved all of the dishes and the drinks. I highly recommend utilizing the complimentary yoga and sound bath they offer. The sound bath was such a unique experience and the yoga was such a great way to start the day. I also would recommend booking the spa! I got the Harmony treatment with Andrea and I wish I could go back again. It was one of the best massages I have had before and the atmosphere Andrea created was so relaxing. Thank you to the hotel for a great couple of days, I cannot recommend this hotel enough for a relaxing vacation. We hope to come back again!

I enjoyed my stay here very much and would stay here again. I like the nature, wildlife and greenery that surrounds this place. Very serene and relaxing until you hear the monkeys, but they’re one of my favorite parts of staying here. The breakfast and food are fresh and always delicious. The staff are friendly and responsive. It’s also convenient to communicate with them via WhatsApp. The only con is the insects and bugs in your room. The spiders are jumpy, so you have to make sure to keep your stuff closed because one jumpy spider did managed to follow me home. There were a lot of mosquitoes so prepare itching cream.

This hotel is very well presented, and should be an ideal stop at the end of a hectic CR holiday with the family, but it falls short on lots of counts ... most of which seem small but add up to make the whole stay very average. We stayed for 5 nights, my husband and I had a suite, which was well appointed and spacious, our kids were in a twin queen room which was much smaller and the bathroom was dated. Both rooms were well serviced in the main, but room service items were left outside the door by room attendants and not collected for days on end attracting ants and the racoons. The pool area is attractive, but left unattended about 90% of the time so getting a drink in the afternoon or evening is a real mission. We did have the free cocktail on the beach some evenings, but it was all pretty dully delivered and no real personality was shown by the staff serving which was a real shame as we found almost all other Costa Ricans to be fabulous company. Reception staff were polite, laid back in the CR way but helpful, that said you did need to ASK for everything, very little information was provided, for example there are no seats on the beach which is accessible from the hotel, it is a public beach so this is understandable, however on asking it transpired that chairs could be bought down on request and would be collected by the hotel staff... this was lovely, but nowhere was it advertised or mentioned at all... it was only an enquiry at Reception that made the offer clear. We also were disappointed in the bar staff, the hotel advertise on their itinerary a "2 for 1" cocktail hour between 6 -7pm, perfect for pre dinner drinks. However it only became clear on the last day that the cocktails included were a limited three, (Sangria, Pina Colada and one other).... we had had to go to the restaurant bar each evening to order the drinks, and waited for them and then carried them over to the pool bar... no one offered to bring them or even to return and take a second order... or clear the drinks. You had to order two of the same cocktail... and only on the very last day did anyone mention that the cocktails we had ordered weren't included on the Happy Hour! When we asked the bar staff about this they just shrugged. They said "ot is not our issue"... and simply walked away. Such a shame as the Pool Bar could have been really great but instead it was left dirty and unkempt with no atmosphere. I did mention this at check out and the receptionist removed the double charge which was kind, but it niggled! The hotel can organise a golf cart for you to do the short run to and from Tamarindo centre, their rates are competitive, but make sure they dont lend you their "spare" cart as it is in very poor repair!! Laundry costs are expensive at this hotel, there is a laundry that will collect and deliver back which is very local Whatsapp Rodney on (506) 8678 6248. Breakfast is fairly good, again no one really helps you figure out how it all works, you need to ask what your table number is, then go to the kitchen hatch and order pancakes or eggs any extras such a bacon are very expensive ($6 for a slice of bacon)... by the quality of both items was good. The buffet was simple, fresh, and varied but limited. The saddest thing about the hotel was the staff who genuinely didn't seem like all the other wonderful Costa Rican hospitality crew we had come across throughout our trip. They were not unpleasant at all, just pretty neutral and not really engaged in the job. We wouldn't stay again at Cala Luna despite the location and rooms.... the lack of effective management to drive a well hosted hotel had too big an impact.

This was the last place we were staying on our tour of CR so we decided to treat ourselves. It’s a nice boutique style hotel in a nice and quiet location on the edge of Tamarindo but it was probably the most disappointing hotel we stayed in. Everything just ok. The reception space had a wow factor and the pool is a good size. Rooms nice but bathrooms need a refurb. Breakfast average and food covered with ants every day and no effort to clear them up. Staff sullen and fairly unhelpful. Only about 12 sun loungers so could never get one.