Cheapest month to stay with an average 36% drop in price.
Most expensive month to stay with an average 50% rise in price.
Average Sun - Thu price over the last 2 weeks.
Average Fri & Sat price over the last 2 weeks.
When to book a hotel in Costa Rica
Price per night / 3-star hotel. Prices are not fixed and may vary with time.
Average nightly price per month
Average nightly price
Top tips for finding the perfect Costa Rica hotel
San José is by far the largest and most populous city in Costa Rica and also the main business centre of this smallish Central American country between Nicaragua and Panama. It makes for a great place to base yourself due to its location pretty much dead-centre in the country.
To experience the authentic Afro-Caribbean facets of Costa Rica, you can stay in the smaller city of Puerto Limón (or simply Limón in local parlance). Here you'll encounter the traditional Costa Rican language, a mixture of Spanish and Limonese Creole. For your stay, you could book a room at the picturesque Hotel Playa Bonita.
In the coastal regions of Costa Rica, you'll find its most popular holiday resorts. The town of Jacó is a good example. It's hugely popular with sun-worshippers, surfers and everyone who loves a beach holiday. Hotel Villa Caletas is the ideal place to stay to take advantage of everything on offer.
The small beach town of Dominical is a backpacker's paradise, with plenty of cheap accommodation, a casual vibe and an abundance of open-air restaurants that offer good value for money. It's pretty rustic, so expect to awaken to the calls of howler monkeys and toucans. Casa del Toucan is an inexpensive place to stay in the town.
If aquatic sports and activities are your preference, head for the town of Tamarindo. It's the main surfing spot in Costa Rica with the biggest waves and also offers diving and snorkelling, horse riding and ziplining. Book a room at the Hotel Villa Amarilla for a stay right on the beachfront.
If you’re looking for a cheap hotel in Costa Rica, you should consider visiting during the low season. You'll find cheaper accommodations in Costa Rica in October and July.
Hotel room prices vary depending on many factors but you’ll most likely find the best hotel deals in Costa Rica if you stay on a Thursday. The opposite is true for, Friday, which is usually the most expensive day.
Book at least 26 days before your stay begins to get the best price for your Costa Rica accommodation.
The cheapest 3-star hotel room in Costa Rica found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks was $149, while the most expensive was $153.
How long should you stay? KAYAK users usually book their accommodation in Costa Rica for 5 days.
FAQs when booking a hotel in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a country full of national parks, most of which are made up of the lush tropical rainforests that characterise the region. Monteverde Cloud Forest is known for its birdlife, and Tortuguero National Park is a turtle haven. The brightest jewel is Corcovado National Park, one of the most biologically dense forests in the world. It's located on the Osa Peninsula, and the nearest town is Puerto Jiménez, where you can stay at Iguana Lodge & Spa Beach Resort.
The nightlife and party capital of Costa Rica has always been the coastal resort of Jacó. It has a wealth of bars, nightclubs, live music and entertainment venues, as well as plenty of accommodation options for tourists. One of the best situated is Croc's Resort and Casino, right in the middle of the action. The capital city of San José comes a close second in the party stakes, and here, the Hotel Colonial makes a good choice.
Costa Rica has developed a growing reputation for being an ideal destination for family trips. One of the finest places to spend your holiday is the Blue River Resort & Hot Springs in the northern town of Liberia. It's about 3 miles from the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park, with a commanding view of the nearby dormant volcano. The resort has a full range of children's facilities, including a child care and babysitting service.
Hotels are safe environments for travellers as long as they properly implement sanitary measures in response to coronavirus (COVID-19). However, we recommend getting in touch with the local authorities regarding safety procedures for hotels in Costa Rica.
Based on KAYAK hotel searches, the most popular destination is Tamarindo (48% of total searches to Costa Rica). The next most popular destinations are El Jobo (24%) and San José (14%). Searches for hotels in Tambor (14%) are also popular.
Based on KAYAK hotel searches, the most popular region to stay in Costa Rica is Guanacaste. San José Province and Puntarenas are also very popular.
KAYAK users have found double rooms in Costa Rica for as cheap as $15 (San José) in the last 3 days. The average price is $289.
In the last 72 hours, users have found Costa Rica hotels for tonight for as low as $31 (San José). Users have also found 3-star hotels from $31 (San José) and 4-star+ hotels from $37 (Sámara).
Where to stay in Costa Rica?
Our map will help you find the perfect place to stay in Costa Rica by showing you the exact location of each hotel.