Hotel Makanda by the Sea

We stayed at Hotel Makanda by The Sea for our honeymoon and overall had a really great experience. The setting is honestly what makes this place so special. The property is beautiful and feels really tucked into the jungle, and we saw wildlife right on-site — monkeys, sloths, and more. It made the whole trip feel very “Costa Rica” without even needing to leave the hotel. The restaurant and bar staff were probably the highlight for us. They were incredibly kind and attentive and really went out of their way to make us feel celebrated the whole time we were there. We also loved the food — dinners were consistently really good. Breakfast was included since we booked directly, and that ended up being such a nice perk. Every morning we had fresh fruit and juices, plus anything we wanted from the menu, and it was all really well done. They also surprised us with champagne and dessert for our honeymoon, which we weren’t expecting and really appreciated. If I had one small note, it would be the front desk communication. Everyone was nice when we interacted with them, but at times we found ourselves wishing they were a bit more proactive or quicker to respond. That said, we’d still absolutely recommend staying here, especially for a special occasion. It’s a really unique and memorable place.

We had an amazing experience at Makanda by the Sea, and would definitely stay there again. Everything about the resort was exceptional ... most notably the grounds (make sure you take the time to walk down to the beach - go early when it's not too hot and you'll have the place to yourself), our room (we had an amazing 2-bedroom suite), the food (definitely try the restaurant for dinner), and most notable was the service! I would like to especially thank Byron, who came and found us on the pool deck once he spotted 3 different sloths, and drove us around the resort to point them out to us ... and Elias, who concocted some amazing cocktails for us including a mango mocktail for our teenage daughter that doesn't drink made with fresh mango that we retrieved from the kitchen.

Roger and Yoel provided us with an outstanding poolside experience from the moment we arrived. The food and drinks were delicious, and the relaxing atmosphere at the pool can’t be beat.

Spent the day by the pool. Really special setting. Excellent food and drinks. Exceptional staff that answered all our questions and covered every detail that made our experience exceptional. A special shout out to Roger and Yoel who were very professional and made the whole experience so relaxing and special, Thank you!

A truly unique and modern hotel. We had a beautiful patio to watch gorgeous sunsets. And in the early mornings we saw monkeys having breakfast. Every detail is covered - even down to the crocs for the pool. The service was exceptional. The staff learned our names immediately and went above and beyond. Braydon was always there to offer a golf cart ride to the beach or another part of the property. If we needed a meal before the kitchen was officially open - Allen made it happen. The rooms are funky and fun. We really enjoyed our time here and wish we could have stayed longer.