Hotel El Castillo

Hotel El Castillo, on the hill above Ojochal

Hotel El Castillo is a small, adults-only boutique hotel on the hillside above Ojochal, on the Southern Pacific coast, built in the style of a Mediterranean fort looking out to sea. It suits couples who want quiet, a pool with a view and the whales and beaches of Ballena close by.

The mood is relaxed with elegant touches, and everything here faces the view: green mountains behind, the Pacific in front, and the sunset straight ahead.

Why we choose it

• The view from every room. The hotel is built high above the coast, so the rooms look out over the Pacific and the mountains, and French doors open onto a veranda to enjoy it.
• Adults only and quiet. With only adults and a small number of rooms, it is a calm place for a honeymoon or an anniversary on the southern coast.
• Close to Ballena. Marino Ballena National Park is right below the hotel, which makes whale watching, the beaches of Uvita and the Osa all easy day trips.

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Rooms and views

The rooms are comfortable and well designed, with good bedding and robes, and their main attraction is the view of the mountains and the ocean. Double French doors open onto a veranda.

The suites add a separate sitting room and a large bathroom. The Garden Room is the most private, with a partial ocean view and the tropical garden in front.

On the property

The infinity pool sits among the gardens with the ocean beyond, and a day there is a day well spent. The restaurant and bar serve Mediterranean cooking, either in the dining room or by the pool, with a communal table for groups. Breakfast brings Costa Rican classics such as gallo pinto alongside banana pancakes, and dinner comes with the sunset.

Between meals, the pool and the views are the reason to stay put.

Location and getting there

El Castillo is above Ojochal, near Uvita and Ballena, with the mountains of the southern zone behind it. From here we can arrange whale and dolphin watching, the Nauyaca waterfalls, Caño Island and Corcovado, horseback riding on the beach, sea kayaking, mangrove tours and sport fishing.

For the quieter days, there is the pool, the gardens and the wildlife that comes through them.

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