Exótico Beach Boutique Hotel
Garden suites and private-pool villas at Playa Grande, about 10 minutes from Puerto Viejo, guests 14 and up
Exótico Beach Boutique Hotel, in the gardens of Playa Grande near Puerto Viejo
Exótico sits in tropical gardens at Playa Grande on the southern Caribbean coast, about 200 metres from the beach and about 10 minutes from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. It is a small boutique hotel for adults and older teenagers, with a minimum age of 14, built around one pool, a jungle bar and an outdoor restaurant. Its sister hotel awā is down the coast at Punta Uva.
Why we choose it
- A quiet beach a few minutes away on foot. The hotel is not on the sand, which keeps it calm, and the staff set up shade and chairs for you on Playa Grande.
- Rooms with their own pools. The Pool Bungalow, the Pool Villa and the two-bedroom Exótico Living each have a private pool, and the Exótico Village suite has an outdoor bathtub and an open-air shower.
- Grown-up calm. Guests are 14 and over, there is no smoking anywhere on the property, and visitors stay in the common areas.
Rooms and views
The Standard Suite and the Deluxe Room look onto the gardens a few steps from the pool and restaurant, each with a private terrace and bath. The Suite has a king-size bed. For more privacy there is the Exótico Village, a suite with an outdoor tub among the plants, the Pool Bungalow with its own pool, the Exótico Living, a fully equipped two-bedroom house with a private pool, and the Pool Villa for up to 4, with a kitchen and two bathrooms. Two villas, Casa Cacao and Casa Arena, stand apart, and Casa Arena is on the beachfront. Every room has air conditioning and a safe, and breakfast comes with the stay.
On the property
Tomate Colorao is the poolside restaurant, Costa Rican cooking served outdoors for lunch and dinner. The Jungle Bar beside the pool does cocktails and drinks all day. There is no spa building; massages happen by the pool or in your suite, and WiFi runs through the property.
Reception arranges the outings: a night hike in the Manzanillo refuge, the Gandoca boat-and-hike day, the 8 km Punta Mona rainforest walk with a boat back, a Bribri chocolate day at Meleruk, kayaking, snorkelling and dolphin trips, and Pacuare rafting.
Location and getting there
Playa Grande is a quiet beach about 10 minutes from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, with the Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge minutes away by car. Fly into San José and we arrange the private transfer and a stop on the way. Check-in is at 3:00 p.m. and check-out at 11:00 a.m. Read more about Puerto Viejo.
Hotels we book in Cocles
From our own hotel records: stars, themes and amenities. Nothing here is a price.
| Exótico Beach Boutique Hotel | Hotel Le Cameleon | Aguas Claras | Hotel Banana Azul | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Boutique | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Spa | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Team favourite | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Check availability | See hotel | See hotel | See hotel |
Where it is
Your Costa Rican driver waits at arrivals and stops whenever you like on the way: fruit stands, a sloth in a tree, a bathroom.
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