Alma de Ojochal
A small ocean-view boutique hotel in the hills of Ojochal, with The Bamboo Room restaurant on the property
Alma de Ojochal, in the hills above Ojochal with the river mouth and the Pacific below
Alma is a small boutique hotel on Calle Perezoso, up the mountain behind Ojochal on the Costa Ballena. It was built in 2007 and updated in 2020, with new bathrooms, furniture and air conditioning. To the west you look over the mouth of the Térraba river, Garza Island and the ocean; to the east, the Ojochal mountains. The hotel says it is best for adults and their respectful older children, 10 and up, and we agree: it suits a couple, or two couples, who want a quiet base with a proper restaurant on site.
Why we choose it
- The Bamboo Room. A real restaurant on the property, not a breakfast corner: a chef's menu that changes every evening, live music, and locals driving up for dinner.
- Small by choice. A handful of ocean-view rooms around one pool, so the staff know your name by the second morning.
- The coast on the doorstep. Whale watching, Caño Island snorkelling, kayaking in the mangroves and the Nauyaca falls on horseback, with Ballena National Park right in front.
Rooms and views
Every room has an ocean view. The Ocean View King Suites add a sitting area with chairs and can be set up with a king bed or two queens for four. The Ocean View King and Ocean View Queen rooms each open onto a large veranda over the canopy. All of them have air conditioning, a safe, a coffeemaker and a small refrigerator, and breakfast comes with the stay.
There is also a separate villa with its own pool and kitchen; it is a rental, not a hotel room, so ask us before counting on it.
On the property
The pool has loungers and a cocktail service, and the Bamboo Room seats 80 with the ocean, the mountains and the sunset in view. Each evening is a special chef's menu that handles vegan and other diets, with live music, and it is open to locals as well as guests, which on this coast is a good sign. There is no spa. The whole property can be taken over for a family reunion.
Location and getting there
From the Costanera, pass the Ojochal entrance and a bridge, take the next left, and the hotel is about 1 km up the road. It is 3.5 to 4 hours from Juan Santamaría airport, or about 30 km north of Palmar Norte, so a flight to Palmar Sur shortens the day. We send a driver either way. Check-in is at 2:00 PM. Read more about the Costa Ballena.
Hotels we book in Ojochal
From our own hotel records: stars, themes and amenities. Nothing here is a price.
| Alma de Ojochal | Hotel El Castillo | Hotel Villas Gaia | Hotel Cristal Ballena | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Boutique | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Spa | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Team favourite | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| 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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