Jump to: Room choices | Hotel description | Map | Amenities | Reviews
Adjacent to Manuel Antonio National Park, within a 12-acre sanctuary poised 200 meters above the Pacific Ocean, the adult-only Hotel Makanda by the Sea captures the magical spirit of Costa Rica. Open-air and well-appointed villas and studios are sculpted harmoniously into the natural environment, and boast spectacular views of the 60-mile coastline. In this unspoiled wonderland, you can savor fresh seafood, drift in the stunning infinity pool, or watch local wildlife including monkeys and sloths as they wind their way through the rainforest.
Hotel Makanda by the Sea
Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Nearest Airport: SJO
Great experience. The place is outstanding. The room we had village 2 was all you could dream of. The staff is more than friendly and they clesrly understand what exceptional service is. The food and drinks were great. We stayed a week and did not go out since everything we wanted was right there. We saw sloughs, many monkeys, aboutis and numerous birds. Construction noise on the premises was an issue near the pool but once we notified the staff, the construction noise stopped. Marie-José and James
mariejos_l246 - Bolton-Est, Canada
TLDR; Do not book this hotel as it has cockroaches, is unspeakingly overprized and customer service is the worst. I would deem that for any of the problems listed is not appropriate for any hotel. It is especially embarassing for a 5 Star hotel. And a brutal no-go if you are charging these prices. Full review: Judging from the other reviews the management of Makanda does not seem to willingly react on constructive criticism, so I will write my review "Makanda-Style". - shards bring luck: Enjoy broken mirrors where you can cut yourselves - Play Looping Louie with the toilet brush as it is so broken you can't use it for the intended usecase - enjoy digital detoxing: WiFi won't be working half the time you are here - time to get wet with our broken umbrellas - want to see how shower outlets are not mounted? Check us out! Also enjoy the outlet spraying through all the bathroom except the shower itself! - Hmmn delicious: Find yourselves some old coffee and juice stains on the glass table from some time ago - Feel the cold of an antarctic breeze of the a/c as you can't tune it! Be ready to get sick with us at it is directly over your bed! - Get up hungry from our included breakfast. Anything additional will start from 25$ without taxes - we just love our profit. So good to start the day! - watching wildife directly in your hotel room: Cockroaches in the toilet and shower! What a sensation! Of course we wouldn't be the Makanda if we wouldn't react properly on the issues mentioned at checkout. First we ignore it completely and then we will offer a 20% off on the next stay in our terribly bad hotel :D We make sure our guests are unsatisfied with the stay. Welcome to Makanda! Actually the personell was really friendly and so the Makanda would have deserved a two star review, but as the Makanda ghosted us, it seems like the want to proove a point. So I will make on of my own by sticking to a one-star review.
Trek56281643475
Hotel experience was simply divine. The property is uniquely situated in the middle of the most picturesque mountain Forrest overlooking the waters. The room is romantic and serene. Monkeys, sloths, and birds fly around you in harmony. Spa is immaculate. Staff is incredible. Byron’s service makes you feel at home. 10 out of 10
Gil G
I can not say enough about Makanda. The property is stunning and very private The staff is incredibly kind and helpful. The food was delicious , a truly talented chef. And the drinks were yummy as well. The rooms are beautifully decorated and well appointed. Love seeing the all the wildlife around the property.
T W
3 star hotel with good food. Had the villa honeymoon suite and had several problems. Pools are not heated and freezing in the cold season. Pretty much useless A/C couldnt keep up the room cool and it was very muggy and hot. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, forget it. Constant welding and construction that starts at 8 am. Significantly Overpriced for what you get. Definitely “instagram vs reality”. Staff liked to bribe you for reviews.
427jdc
Read more reviews or write a review
© 2025 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved
My husband and I stayed here and it was absolutely amazing. Often the pictures on the website are an exaggeration of what you get, but that was definitely not the case here. In fact, the pictures really do not do it justice. Breakfast was served in the room a la carte each day and we could sit out on the balcony and just enjoy the privacy and clean air. It was wonderful!
The staff was very helpful, and the resort felt very private,
with few people staying there. We felt like royalty the entire time.
-H. Robertson
My wife and I stayed at Makanda and frankly, we fell in love with the place. Its very laid back and beautiful. The suites are huge and lovely. At the end of every day, we'd float around in the swimming pool with a drink in one hand, watching the sun set, with a troop of Howler monkeys in the trees over our heads. Talk about romantic! The area had enough to keep us busy (we did a guided tour of Manuel Antonio Park, a zip line tour and a mangrove boat tour) and there are several top restaurants nearby, including the one at the hotel, which is outside, near the pool. I recommend Makanda by the Sea very highly.
-K. Perlman