Filled with rainforests, amazing coastlines, and adorable sloths, Costa Rica is on many of our bucket lists. Back in 2022, my friend and I headed on a long-planned trip to Costa Rica on a budget.
While I love budget-friendly accommodation, I fear my 12-person dorm days are behind me. Instead, we instigated a rule for this trip: if the price of a private hostel room was less than $5 per night difference, we’d opt for the private over a four-person dorm.
So, along the way, we stayed in five different destinations, plus returning to San Jose for a night before flying back. Out of those five hostels and inns, two of them were private rooms and three were four-bed dorms. Let’s dive in and find out where we stayed in Costa Rica, and whether it was worth it.
San Jose: TripOn Open House (Temporarily Closed)
After a long couple of days traveling from the UK via France (including some train strikes to the airport), we arrived late at night at TripOn Open House in the capital, San Jose. We opted to purchase a shared shuttle directly from the hostel which was a great idea given how tired we were, our baggage, and how tired we were.
In our tired state, we weren’t super enthused about TripOn initially. It could do with a lick of paint and some upgrades – the ladder to the top bunk felt very perilous. However, after some sleep and some complimentary breakfast and coffee, it seemed a lot better.
TripOn is located in the Barrio Escalante neighbourhood of San Jose, which I’d definitely recommend. There are plenty of independent restaurants, bars, and cafes on your doorstep, as well as some great co-working spots. you can also find a ton of supermarkets if you want to keep prices down.
We actually booked this again for the last night of our trip, and coincidentally were in the exact same beds. It’s closed at the moment, I’m hoping for renovations, but it’s cheap, and has everything you need just for a pre or post-flight sleep.
Worth It? Yes, but only for odd nights, rather than an extended stay.
La Fortuna: La Choza Inn Hostel
For our stay in La Fortuna, we opted for a private room in the La Choza Inn Hostel. The selling point here was the daily free trips to the hot springs. While it’s a little bit of an adventure through a fence, the free shuttle there and back is a nice touch.
The private rooms here are huge with two double beds and have excellent air conditioning. I say this as we went on an intrepid hike in 90% humidity by accident and lying on the cold tiled floor with the air-con blasting was a particular highlight.
If you measure hostels by their breakfasts, La Choza Inn Hostel is for you. Each day, they have freshly cooked local tico breakfasts and a huge range of fresh fruit and coffee. You can also book a ton of tours from the main office, including the taxi-boat-taxi to Monteverde.
Location-wise, it’s perfect for La Fortuna town where you can get cocktails and cheap eats. It’s a couple of hours walk uphill to the La Fortuna waterfall, but you can get a taxi or shuttle up there for fairly cheap.
Worth it? 100% and I have recommended this place to everyone.
Monteverde: Camino Verde Hostel & B&B
Heading across to the home of the Cloud Forest, we stayed in Santa Elena in Monteverde. Honestly, we were hooked on Camino Verde Hostel & B&B because of their sweeping deck with panoramic views. Unfortunately, we went in June and there was dense fog and cloud across the valley for most of our stay.
Here, we stayed in a private room which was small, to say the least. It was single bunkbeds and had the feel of a small boat cabin or sleeper train. It also didn’t have any windows, only a sort-of window onto the corridor outside.
The breakfast was a good mix of hot and continental food, and there was complimentary coffee available on the deck all day, which was a welcome way to end a day. We also had an early start on one of the days and organised a packed breakfast, which was a nice touch, especially considering how tour-centric this town is.
In terms of location, it’s pretty good. You can be in town quickly and there is a great taco place around the corner. In the summer months, just be aware of the bug swarms, as we didn’t know about them and left the hostel into a horror movie.
Worth It? The room isn’t great, but if you’re just crashing, it’s fine. The deck on a clear day is the selling point.
Manuel Antonio: Planet B Hostel
On the Pacific Coast, we stayed at a bohemian-style hostel called Planet B. Here, we stayed in a four-bed female dorm with another pair of friends who were on their gap year vibe but were completely lovely.
One of the things to know about the Manuel Antonio hostels is that very few are in the town of Manuel Antonio by the national park. Most are along the main road between Quepos, where you get the bus, and Manuel Antonio. This road is around 4km long in total and there are buses that go along it pretty frequently.
Planet B is slightly closer to the Quepos end and is around 1.7km to Manuel Antonio. It’s around a 30-minute walk or a four-minute drive. There are a few bars and restaurants along this road, including El Avion which has the best views and great cocktails.
The hostel itself is super laidback with hammocks on the lawn, a yoga area, bright murals, vegan smoothie bowl breakfasts, and rescue pups running around. They run free trips on various days to different local spots and you can participate as little or as much as you like.
The room was fairly typical with two bunk beds and an ensuite. However, the wall of the ensuite doesn’t go all the way to the ceiling for ventilation purposes, which can feel weird if you’re in the shower and someone is in the top bunk closest.
Worth it? It’s a friendly vibe which would be great for solo travellers and there are plenty of cool social or relaxation spaces around the property. Could do with some variety in the breakfasts.
Uvita: Luminosa Uvita
Finally, we headed down the Pacific Coast to Uvita. Known for its whale watching, we were a little early in the season but wanted to give it a go. First off, I’d say that Luminosa Uvita was a little hard to find and it seems like you’re wandering down a random dirt road, surrounded by fields.
The hostel itself is pretty small – there are only four rooms total in the whole place, so we stayed in an 8-bed dorm that had four other girls in it and the bathroom is on the other side of the main reception area.
I got bitten so badly in this room by mosquitos, so bring plenty of bug spray and if you have a net, set it up. This hostel does have jungle vibes to it which is part of its charm, but the downside can be the little friends you end up making.
As this place is predominantly a surf hostel, it’s only a 10-minute walk to the beach and the national park, which is a huge bonus. There’s a small shop around the corner as well, but the main strip of restaurants and bars is just in front of the beach. There is a bar onsite which is great and a hammock-filled deck which is a relaxing place to stay.
Worth it? Probably my least favourite hostel on the trip. It is super cheap and has a remote traveler feel to it so it might be good if you’re staying for a while.
