Tiffany S.
This was the best location for our short stay. Restaurant/kitchen was the best food we ate.
Find your place to stay
La Vela Boutique Hotel in Manuel Antonio offers a distinct advantage with its prime location at the base of the hill, providing a short, level walk to Espadilla Beach and Manuel Antonio National Park. Guests can immerse themselves in tropical gardens, enjoy a refreshing pool, and utilize convenient on-site dining options including a tiki bar and pizza restaurant. Complimentary Costa Rican breakfast and free WiFi enhance a stay focused on easy access to local attractions and a relaxed pace, often eliminating the need for taxis. The hotel provides a variety of modern, smoke-free rooms and suites to suit different party sizes and preferences.
In a destination where many hotels climb the hillside, La Vela Boutique Hotel makes a different invitation: walk easily to the beach and Manuel Antonio National Park. Its position at the base of the hill gives you a short, level route to Espadilla Beach, with restaurants, shops and boutiques nearby. That freedom to step out on foot can shape the whole rhythm of a Manuel Antonio stay.
Inside the property, modern rooms sit within tropical gardens. The pool and lounge area have sunbeds and umbrellas, creating a pleasant place to return after a park walk or beach morning. A tiki bar and pizza restaurant let you keep some meals close by; complimentary Costa Rican breakfast gives the day an easy beginning. Free WiFi, parking, a souvenir shop and an information desk handle practical needs.
More than ten nearby restaurants bring seafood, local favorites and international dishes within easy reach. Colorful souvenir shops add another reason to browse the streets between a beach morning and dinner. You can leave those hours pleasantly open, with a walkable neighborhood providing the next small discovery.
Rooms and suites differ in space, outlook and bedding. Standard Rooms provide a compact choice for couples, while Superior Rooms look toward the gardens and Deluxe Rooms toward the pool. Suites add furnished patios, and the larger Master Suite has mountain views. Extra beds are conditional and must be requested where applicable; compare the capacities and extra-bed conditions below. All rooms are smoke-free. Choose La Vela for its walkable setting and garden atmosphere, then compare the room categories for the space your party needs.
Air-conditioned, smoke-free rooms include premium bedding, a mini refrigerator, flat-screen TV, safe, terrace or balcony, espresso maker, desk and complimentary WiFi. Bathrooms have a shower, hairdryer and complimentary toiletries.
The national park gives those beach days a wildlife-rich counterpart, with guided walks offering chances to look for monkeys, sloths and scarlet macaws. Farther afield, canopy ziplining, rafting, canyoning and waterfall rappelling, horseback rides to waterfalls and ATV adventures bring more active possibilities. Surf lessons and sunset catamaran cruises keep the ocean central. A walkable hotel base does not mean the vacation needs to stay in one small neighborhood; it simply gives the quieter hours an easier pace.
Pro tip: Unlike most Manuel Antonio hotels perched on the hillside, La Vela is nestled in the valley, offering a level, short stroll to the beach, national park, over 10 restaurants, as well as shops and boutiques. This prime location often eliminates the need for taxi cabs or the hassle of arranging and waiting for transportation, saving you approximately $24 per day when compared to most hillside hotels with twice-daily trips.
Exclusive promo for PTW clients: 10% discount on the La Vela souvenir shop. At Baldis Fresh Beachfront Restaurant, clients have a 10% meal discount. At Morpho Beach Bar Restaurant; Guests of La Vela who purchase a dinner meal receive (one of) either a bottle of wine, cocktail, or dessert.
Manuel Antonio
Latitude: 9.392225; longitude: -84.148125
Pacific Trade Winds customer ratings and reviews.
Showing reviews 26–50 of 218.
Tiffany S.
This was the best location for our short stay. Restaurant/kitchen was the best food we ate.
Kevin E.
Great hotel and staff. Friendly service and close to everything. Nice rooms and pool was great.
Paul P.
The hotel was beautiful! It was exactly what I wanted. The surroundings were gorgeous and the thieving monkeys were very entertaining.
Tom R.
Great service. Hotel a bit dated. Great location.
Grace T.
The staff was very helpful. we especially enjoyed the morning breakfast gentleman service staff. Love the wildlife on site (the iguanas by the pool was a regular). the location was great. Also enjoyed the nearby beach, and learning how to use the public bus system.
Philip B.
Lovely pool enjoyed.
Barbara W.
Beautiful hotel, absolutely loved it and wonderful staff team.
Steve M.
Anyone going to Manuel Antonio stay here, One block to the beech, One block to the national park, One block or less to many good food places. The bar tender Juan is great, they got great woodfired pizzas also. It is such a relaxed atmosphere here it makes vacations better. Loved the motel, loved the beech, loved the park ,DO NOT GO WITHOUT A GUIDE. The motel offers discounts to a couple restaurants near by. We handed the coupon to one of the places and they gave us all free drinks ( 5) of us and a appetizer. Imperial is the local beer, I think we kept them in business for the couple weeks we were there, good stuff.
The location was great; the gardens were great, and provided added privacy in a small space. It was easy to walk to good restaurants and souvenir shops. Walking distance from the Park allowed us to stay at the beach after the tour for as long as we wanted. The staff helped us get a taxi the one time we left the area.
Heather J.
Wonderful staff at the front desk as well at the bar area and at breakfast! Best Gallo Pinto that we had during our entire Costa Rica trip :) Loved the small size of the hotel; very quiet and fabulous atmosphere. Loved the proximity to the beach and local shops. We all loved the vibe of this hotel!
John P.
The best place we stayed.
Karen B.
Great location for family.
Michael J.
We did like the 2 room setup and having the outdoor kitchenette and patio. Very useful. the location was perfect, short walk to the beach and National Park and some restaurants. Very short drive to some really great restaurants.
Coralee N.
Loved the accommodations and the food was good. We were quite comfortable!
Alexis M.
My favorite hotel of the whole trip! Very clean and spacious - staff was helpful! Lots of iguanas
Alberto R.
This is a lovely small hotel, with beautiful grounds. Were greeted by a large iguana sitting on the sofa outside our room! Location is wonderful - steps away from the entrance to Manuel Antonio park, two minutes walk to the beach and lots of restaurants and shops are close by. Good breakfast to order. They also have a wood-burning pizza oven. The pizzas are really good (I'm from Italy, so I should know!) The hotel recommended renting beach chair/umbrella from Glen Castro (he also gives surf lessons). Glen and his wife, Angelina, also provide beach side service for drinks and food. Would definitely recommend them.
Sydni B.
Hotel was beautiful. Some of the front desk workers were not very welcoming.
Elizabeth H.
Simple breakfast, some bugs, boring walls, just white, only room I did not take photos of to share on social media. Maybe hang up a big colorful picture above the bed in the room.We lost water part of the morning of departure, so it was trickier getting ready on morning of departure. Happy we showered the night before and their public front bathroom still had water. Otherwise a conveniently located place with friendly staff. And although simple, breakfast was fine, and fast, which we did appreciate so we could still make it on our early morning departures.
Carolyn P.
We loved the space and location of this hotel. The staff in the restaurant and bar were wonderful, but the desk staff were fine. They answered our questions but didn't offer much more. One evening our entire downstairs flooded with about 2-3 inches of water and we had to ask for help. They helped US clean it up by bringing extra towels but never checked to see if our things were ok or even apologized. Maybe it happens often? I rated the comfort lower because one of the larger beds was far more comfortable than the other and the flooding was a hassle. But we'd recommend it for the space and location to other families.
Aaron S.
The hotel staff was amazing and very attentive! They went above and beyond to meet our needs and to make our room clean and welcoming! The room itself was spacious and had all the amenities we needed! Overall, amazing experience!
Laura V.
Great location for the beach and the national park. The pool was small but worked for us since they weren't at full capacity. Breakfast was just fine, nothing special. Staff was always kind and attentive. Nothing special about this hotel but it was a great stay with kids so we could be close to everything.
Mark F.
Fabulous accommodation. We never expected to have our own apartment on the holiday and we didn't want to leave. From my birthday bottle of wine to waking up to monkeys on our balcony it was fantastic. The staff were really helpful and friendly and the pool area was like an oasis. The location is perfect for the park and beach.
Valdeva C.
OMG - beds were so comfy. We loved the family suite - it was perfect for us. The balcony was a nice bonus because it overlooked the street which let us people-watch. The proximity of the pool was great. Breakfast was delicious. We loved being able to walk to the beach and around town and felt very safe. Loved this place the most because it felt more embedded with the locals.
Alicia S.
Liked ability to walk to beach, Manuel Antonio National Park & restaurants. We hiked the Park up to CAthedral Point & saw several Capuchin monkeys up close.
Karen E.
YES!
La Vela Boutique Hotel is uniquely situated at the base of the hill in Manuel Antonio, offering a short, level walk to Espadilla Beach and Manuel Antonio National Park, unlike many hillside hotels. This prime location also places over ten restaurants, shops, and boutiques within easy reach.
Guests can enjoy a complimentary Costa Rican breakfast, an on-site tiki bar, and a pizza restaurant. Additionally, more than ten nearby restaurants offer seafood, local favorites, and international dishes within walking distance.
All smoke-free rooms at La Vela Boutique Hotel are air-conditioned and include premium bedding, a mini refrigerator, flat-screen TV, safe, terrace or balcony, espresso maker, desk, and complimentary WiFi. Bathrooms feature a shower, hairdryer, and complimentary toiletries.
Pacific Trade Winds clients receive a 10% discount at the La Vela souvenir shop and a 10% meal discount at Baldis Fresh Beachfront Restaurant. Guests purchasing a dinner meal at Morpho Beach Bar Restaurant receive one complimentary bottle of wine, cocktail, or dessert.
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