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Shana By The Beach offers a sophisticated hillside retreat in Manuel Antonio, providing unique jungle trail access to the secluded Playa Biesanz via a five-to-seven-minute downhill walk. Guests can enjoy a refreshing pool, a poolside bar, and a restaurant serving local and international cuisine. Accommodations range from ocean-view rooms to jungle-facing studios, some featuring kitchens or private pools, catering to diverse preferences. The hotel also provides spa treatments and a gym, balancing active outings with tranquil relaxation.
A path through the jungle is part of the pleasure of staying at Shana By The Beach. Walk downhill for five to seven minutes and Playa Biesanz comes into view, bringing the Pacific into a stay shaped by Manuel Antonio’s greenery. Monkeys and sloths are often seen along the trail or near the beach, though the forest sets its own schedule.
The hillside hotel gives you a comfortable counterpoint to that outdoor time. A swim in the pool, a cocktail from the poolside bar and a meal at the restaurant can make an afternoon feel complete without another excursion. Local and international cuisine keep dining varied, and spa treatments add a quieter possibility between more active days. The gym gives you a place to keep a fitness routine during the stay, adding another option between beach and forest outings.
The accommodation lets you decide how much of the holiday to bring into the room itself. A Superior Ocean View room emphasizes the coast, while several other categories face the jungle; some studios add kitchens and living rooms, and selected categories have private pools. Interior rooms provide a different arrangement. Look closely at the category you choose, particularly if a balcony, terrace, cooking space or ocean outlook is part of your idea of the stay. A balcony or terrace invites quieter moments outdoors, with jungle sounds and the coastal breeze bringing the setting closer.
The hotel’s approach to the surrounding environment includes efforts to reduce its ecological footprint and help preserve the natural setting. That setting is also the reason to go out: Manuel Antonio National Park guides can help you look for monkeys, sloths and colorful birds, while canopy tours, ziplining, surfing and snorkeling offer different perspectives on Manuel Antonio. Couples, families and travelers with an active itinerary can alternate those outings with a walk to the beach and leisure time at the hotel. Coastal sunsets give the gentler part of that itinerary their own attraction.
Allow for the downhill trail to Playa Biesanz and the uphill return when considering how much walking suits your party. The jungle route is part of Shana’s appeal, with a different daily rhythm from a level, directly beachfront stay.
Manuel Antonio
Latitude: 9.400416; longitude: -84.164673
Pacific Trade Winds customer ratings and reviews.
Showing reviews 1–25 of 164.
Megan O.Philadelphia, PA, United States
Very happy with this hotel. My only complaint was awkward layout of the two bathrooms, one with a sink and toilet and the other with a shower and sink. I had to go back and forth which felt a little silly. Was very touched by the anniversary wine and decor they set up for us. Free breakfast was great and the “free entertainment” by the local monkeys and iguanas was a delight. A+ spa experience as well.
Erin S.
This hotel was nice. We definitely saw monkeys here. They were all over causing mischief.
Rachael H.
Lovely location, with fabulous beach to walk to , lovely big rooms
Jodi Q.
This hotel was our favorite stay in Costa Rica. The monkeys came out to play daily and put on quite a show for us. We were even upgraded to a private suite with a pool, which made the experience even more special. The view was amazing, with the beach visible in the distance. I also enjoyed a massage during our stay and can’t say enough about the therapist’s professionalism. The staff was very attentive and ensured our stay was comfortable and enjoyable from start to finish.
Justin F.
Another beautiful hotel with great staff. Great pick!
Gerald B.
This staff was awesome! Very attentive and treated us so well. We got the best service from the restaurant manager. Our bartenders were a step above as well.
Linda M.
Loved that we were visited by monkeys and iguanas daily! Beautiful however the walk to the beach was something! Very hilly
Cindy M.
Excellent hotel
Kimberly H.
We liked Shana by the Beach but it didn't compare to Arenal Springs for service, breakfast, or the small details. Staff wasn't rude but simply not as friendly as Arenal Springs. Breakfast was fine but less selection and not the same level of customer service. Our room was large and clean but there were no hooks for towels anywhere in the bathroom. There was also not a fitness center like at Arenal Springs and the pool was smaller.
Deborah D.
Restaurant was like a canteen. Staff were slow
Paul J.
Walking down to the beach was a little more challenging than expected.
Pauline L.
Our standard room was clean, comfortable and quiet but the hill between the restaurant and the room was a bit of a challenge. The hotel does provide a golf cart service if you call them in advance where they will shuttle you from one to the other. The food at the restaurant was very good and the selection was ample for our 4 night stay.
Zoe B.
Had a fab view but room tired, old plumbing, but outside areas beautiful and the beach fsb. Food excellent.
Jo A.
Loved the hotel. The trail down to the beach was very nice with nice wildlife. Breakfast was delicious and entertaining as the monkeys were constantly trying to steal food from people's plates even though the waitstaff tried to keep them out. Our room was very comfortable, and they even decorated one of our beds for our 35th anniversary.
Sandra E.
great hotel, lovely staff,
Julie W.
We would have liked a room with a view, but we really enjoyed walking down to the private beach and the food in the restaruant was excellent
Andi C.
We again appreciated the birthday treats and really appreciated the king bed. The room was very large but very bare. There were no "nice" amenities like robes or slippers. It felt very basic. Our room was on the bottom floor at the far end of a building with no view. The beach was.a beautiful beach, but a public one down a fairly steep path. The breakfast was adequate, but the weakest of all the hotels. The staff was generally helpful. We appreciated the opportunity to get rides from our room up the hill, even though we didn't need to take advantage of that. Jerry had a wonderful massage and appreciated the discount. The pizza for dinner was really good. The pool was fine - nothing special. Oveerall, it was more a 3 or 3.5 star resort. The best aspect was the opportunity to see monkey - we enjoyed that.
Jeff S.
We liked the beach and the hotel. Only downside, because of location hard to walk anywhere. Overall we liked!
Allan C.
Wow. Beautiful views. Great pools. Nice staff. Rooms were very small.
Reena P.
We loved the beach. The hotel def is not a luxury hotel. It’s a good solid hotel in a good location.
Maureen H.
Really enjoyed this hotel
Carl M.
We had the best room in the resort. Room 333 monkeys slough tucans and more monkeys plus beautiful view of the ocean don’t let the steep hill bother you it’s easy down to pools and resturant they are waiting in golf carts to take you back up
Brian T.
Nice hotel. The Monkeys were the best part
Gina S.
Very cool to be out on the balcony watching and listening to monkeys and birds at 5am! I didn't need to be up that early, but loved seeing the jungle come alive for a new day (or go to sleep after an active night). We also enjoyed the easy access to Biesanz Beach.
Susan N.
It was utterly amazing! The staff, the monkeys, the sunsets ! Breathtaking ! Kudos to Michael , Alex, Xavier, Alessandro, Irina, Jalel, Jairo, Jimmy, the security guards , concerns he and sweet housekeeper !!
Guests can reach Playa Biesanz via a five-to-seven-minute downhill walk through a jungle trail from Shana By The Beach. The return journey is uphill, offering a distinct experience from direct beachfront access.
The hotel features a restaurant offering local and international cuisine, a poolside bar for cocktails, spa treatments, and a gym for maintaining fitness routines during the stay.
Shana By The Beach provides a variety of rooms, including Superior Ocean View and jungle-facing categories. Some studios include kitchens and living rooms, while selected categories feature private pools, balconies, or terraces.
Nearby activities include guided tours of Manuel Antonio National Park for wildlife viewing, canopy tours, ziplining, surfing, and snorkeling, complementing forest walks and coastal sunsets.
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