Tamarindo: A Tale of Two Lodgings
Tamarindo has pros and cons but in the end it’s an easy place to be.
Tamarindo wasn’t on our destination list at first, but friends had recently visited and raved about it, so we decided to give it a shot. At the time we were staying at Nayara - near Arenal - spending all of our hard earned money, so a 3.5 hour drive was a small price to pay to get more mileage out of our vacation savings. (If you want to read more about that trip you can check it out here)
When traveling to new destinations, choice of lodging can make or break the trip. In Tamarindo, we chose poorly, but luckily got a second chance to make things right. This is our story.
Lodging #1: Hotel Diria
THE GOOD - You cannot beat this location. Diria is beachfront and its bar and restaurant are both open-air, looking out towards the beach. Order Pina coladas with extra rum shots and enjoy the people watching.
There is also an adults-only pool just across the street which is a bit tucked away. Clientele there was 65+ and I wasn’t mad about it. Those folks were living their best lives. We sidled up to the swim up bar for spritzes, which were excellent. There were also shady cabanas and lounge chairs. The pool music did include some Christmas tunes which seemed unseasonable since it was February.
Don’t trust a hotel that does this…are we on a Caribbean cruise in 1995!?!
THE BAD - There are two buildings to choose from when selecting your room. One building has ground level rooms that are noisy during the day because there is a club next-door and people are outside on the lawn right in front of your room. The other building has three levels and although during the day you’re set back a bit from the hustle and bustle of the beach and the pool, and there are lovely views of the beach and the sunset, at night, you can hear every car and truck drive by on the main road. Not so peaceful. Plus the rooms are dated.
The service is….frazzled. Breakfast was included in our room rate and it was a hot mess of an experience. There were maybe two servers for about 30 tables. Coffee and water are self-serve if you can even find any mugs/glasses. The coffee is trash, so if you’re going to have breakfast at the hotel, do yourself a favor and walk over to Nordico or Breaking Bread and treat yourself to a good coffee. You deserve it.
We waited ages for our food, and when it finally arrived it was actually surprisingly good. We got a big fresh fruit plate and the traditional breakfast option. So I leave the choice to you. Breakfast was good, but not recommended when there are so many better options. Lunch was equally stressful for the two servers now covering 50+ tables. We ordered wings and nachos. Nachos were pretty good. Wings were ok. I wouldn’t come back for lunch again.
THE UGLY - The towel ticket that must be exchanged for the use of a pool towel. This is the tackiest element of the whole stay. For $300 / night I think we can manage to take care of a pool towel without the threat of a $20 fine.
Beachfront at Diria: I hope you like the sound of bird whistles because you will hear them non-stop every day, all day from the guys hawking them on the beach, on the sidewalks, everywhere. And speaking of hawking, do you want to buy pottery at the beach? Then Tamarindo is definitely the place for you. We overheard a guy and his wife arguing over buying more pottery. “Just buy the bowl Monica…I don’t care which one….You already have three of these in the room…..Just buy the bowl or let this guy move on to people who are actually buying things….” Spare yourself and choose a beach that is quieter.
After a few days at Diria we moved to an Airbnb and our quality of life improved exponentially.
Lodging #2: Airbnb - Casa Miel
This is more like it, I could work remote like this any day.
When we were staying at Diria it felt like Tamarindo was designed for people who love Carnival Cruises but want a “local experience”. At the Airbnb it felt more like we were in a hippy beach town. Either way Tamarindo is a bit gritty, but in a safe way.
The Airbnb was perfect. We had a deck to watch the sunset and the monkeys swinging in the trees, or to sit and eat or play cards. There was a hammock, a grill, and our own pool. Very modern. The kitchen had limited utensils though so don’t plan on cooking Thanksgiving dinner there. Also, the bugs outside were like hotdog-sized grasshoppers so keep your eyes peeled. We didn’t see any live ones but the carcasses in the yard served as a warning.
Our Airbnb was in a new development about 500 feet straight up the hill away from the beach and the Jardin Tamarindo Food Truck Park. Very quiet and peaceful. There is a grocery store a short drive away (you could easily walk but we didn’t want to carry groceries all the way back). The grocery store is clean and well-stocked. There is also an ATM there if you need one.
Ok, but most importantly - where to eat!
BREAKFASTS
I dunno if it’s copyright infringement but I loved the logo at Breaking Bread.
Nordico - Iced coffees from here are excellent. This coffee shop looks like a great place to get some work done or to have breakfast out on the terrace. We should have bought coffee from here.
Breaking Bread - Iced coffee here is wonderful. They also have a wide variety of freshly baked breads and treats. Could be great for breakfast or lunch.
LUNCHES
Jardin Tamarindo Food Truck Park - Very cool concept, nice vibe, but the experience depends very much on whether you choose wisely about what to eat. A little pricey for a food truck park and I think we didn’t order correctly so it’s meh. I would try it again though because they had great local beers and the other food truck options might be way better options.
El Mercadito - Despite all the local breweries in this beautiful country, we could only find Coronas or Heinekens here. But we did have a great tuna poke bowl from Ohana Poke so that made up for it.
DINNERS
For dinner, or a pre-dinner snack, head straight to El Be for sangria and octopus. Both are excellent. We grabbed a table in the sand and watched the sunset. Highly recommend. A live band played in the background, and it’s clear they don’t know what they’re singing. Kind of like when I sing along to La Bamba. Then some fire dancers showed up, so that was unexpected and entertaining.
Great margs at Little Lucha.
Tacos from Little Lucha!!! We ended up here twice during our stay. It’s amazing. Margaritas are excellent; Pineapple and jalapeño was definitely my favorite. Tacos were stellar. Chips and guac and salsa…ugh…it’s all delightful. Plus the owner is very friendly.
Patagonia is delicious and eventful. Some local dogs and a small array of cats wander around the open air patio. A stray dog actually threw up at the table next to us but we were enjoying our meal and each other’s company so much that we hardly noticed. We ordered empanadas, steaks with freshly made chimmichurri and gigantic glasses of sangria and it was exceptional. You’re probably wondering how we didn’t throw up in front of the table next to us after eating all of that food…
La Baula. The place is very cool. If you have kids this will be their paradise. Massive play area with lots of picnic tables. Or for the childfree, there is the main room with tables overlooking that mayhem, which is where we opted to sit. We got two pizzas to split. I recommend the Balau special. Finished it off with some limoncello. Delightful. Side note - You can also order the pizzas to go.
Antichi Sapori. Tucked down a side alleyway (underneath Nordico basically) and owned by a proper Italian who is clearly very passionate about his restaurant and Italian cuisine. We ordered caprese, pesto pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and almonds, and a fruitti di mare. The food was solid and the wine pours were heavy. No complaints on either. It’s cash only, but luckily there’s an ATM not too far away. For dessert we tried the cannoli but the filling was closer to pudding. Meh. Limoncello is surprisingly not as good as the one at La Baula. Go figure.
Green Papaya. I REALLY wanted to sit outside on the swings for dinner but they were full so we sat inside, which was also nice, just not as fun. Next time I’ll wait for a swing. Tuna tacos, quesadilla and margaritas - All very, very good.
MISCELLANEOUS
Beachfront massages are legit and cheap. Get one. Lounge chairs are on the grass and lightly shaded.
Chris went on a dive trip with Pacific Coast Dive Center one morning. It was a small group split 50/50 between scuba divers and snorkelers. His review: “Both dives were great - low difficulty and good visibility. I wish the coral was a little healthier but you can’t argue with multiple manta, shark, and octopus sightings.”
I don’t usually get spa treatments while I’m on vacation, but feet took a beating during my three weeks in Costa Rica and needed some TLC. If you find yourself in the same situation, definitely get yourself to Coco’s.
If you are looking for fresh fish or a solid Italian deli check out Walter's Fish and Cheeses - a 10 minute walk west of town. This was the only place my research turned up in town that possibly had fresh fish for sale, but if that’s what you are after you need to plan ahead (and maybe even call ahead), and be flexible. It seems the days they have fresh seafood in are very inconsistent. We strike out multiple times and are left wanting.
THE LOGISTICS
Travel Date | February 2021
Flights | AMS >
Lodging |
Hotel Diria
Airbnb Casa Miel
Transportation | Budget Rental Car
Pro Tips |
Visit the ATM. You will need cash here.
Costa Rica has a reputation for roads bad enough to require 4WD, but Tamarindo has no such problems, or the drive there for that matter. There are some side roads in town that are a little rocky but you can still traverse them in an ordinary car no problem.
Unlike other parts of Costa Rica, in Tamarindo USD very much feels like the default currency. You may get change in Colones but USD is taken everywhere. As an aside credit cards are also taken at a majority of places we went to.
A popular option for tooling around town is to rent a street legal golf cart. There are multiple places in town to rent them and if you are staying a little more to the outskirts, or just want to be able to shoot about in style, it’s a unique option.
Tamarindo is a little jungle-y but it’s definitely more of a beach vibe. If you want proper jungle you need to go the other direction from Liberia to the area around the Arenal volcano or Monteverde area - both about 2.5hrs from either airport or 3.5 hours from Tamarindo.
If you want to go check out Playa Grande beach to the north to escape the crowds or find some more advanced surfing you can pay a local with a boat a few dollars to take you across the Tamarindo river which separates the two beaches and save yourself the 30 minute drive going up and around.
#195Postcards
