Hidden Jungle Beach House — Hotel in Cahuita

I spent 11 days in this amazing jungle escape. First of all, the hostess, Amy, is one of the kindest souls you will meet. She is helpful, accomodating, friendly, and makes you feel like you belong right from the get go. She keeps this place as clean as an open air house can be, and is constantly available to help with any needs. She also has free roaming chickens, and sells their eggs- which are absolutely amazing....I bought 9. Bathrooms, showers, and kitchen are shared...giving it a hostel feel where you can become friends with the other house guests (I got to know every person who stayed here pretty well, and we all hung out frequently), so I highly recommend it for solo travelers and solo digital nomads.

Location is perfect. Close enough to town to walk or bike easily, but far enough away you won't be kept up by the traffic or tourists. Less than a 3 min walk from a gorgeous black sand beach, with perfect water. I love it here and would absolutely recommend it.

However, with that said... it is not for everyone. If you can't handle bugs or animals, this is not for you. If you want a high end hotel with AC and four sound proof walls... do not even consider this place. If domestic dogs, chickens, or a cat bother you, stay away.

Think of it as a chicken coop for people. The windows are screened, but it doesn't mean much as there are holes and gaps in every corner, roof, and floorboard. The walls are single sheets of plywood, so you are very aware of all the noises. It's set in the jungle, so there are bugs...everywhere. You will be bitten. Buy bug spray at the local supermercado and use your hanging bug net around your bed at night. I slept without bugs just fine.

If you don't like camping, you won't like it here, and I recommend just finding something else.

If you like amazing people, a ginger cat who loves to sleep and cuddle with guests, dogs who welcome you, warm showers, working wifi, the sound of the jungle putting you to sleep while ocean breezes and the thunder of the surf vibrate through your body... you will love it here. I have, and would...

We stayed a week at Amy's place in Puerto Viejo. It was easy to find and was a perfect spot to discover the area. Make sure you buy some food before you arrive then you can immediatly start cooking your meal once you arrived. There is 1 option to go out within 2 minutes walking otherwise you must enter the village where it is not recommended to walk at night. ||We loved the big kitchen, it was well equiped and you have plenty of storage options. The place is kept very clean (toilets, showers, dining areas.) You can see that she is improving her place every day and that she loves beeing a host.||If we could make a "wish / suggestion" for improvment, it was to have some more cosy areas outside to be when the hotel is full and you don't wanna go out to the village or the beaches. I think once that would be in place the place can be rated 5 star(even though we're backpackers) ||||We can highly recommend to rent some bikes and have a tour to Manzanillo or Cahuita... You can easily access to the most popular beaches by bike within 10 minutes. Playa Negra is just in front of the house, 2 minutes walking distance... And for fruit lovers there is a perfect small market on the right side entering Puerto Viejo!!! ||We deffinitly had a great time there, we have allready recommended the place to many people and if your about to make a decision to go...

A delayed review but better late than never. I wasn’t sure what to expect before my first stay here in 2023. Could I survive without AC? What’s it really like to live in an open-air jungle house? I took the leap with a one-week stay—and ended up loving it so much that I stayed for three. Since then, I’ve returned multiple times, always extending my stay. Honestly, I wish I never had to leave.

Gingi the Jungle Cat will be your best friend if you offer her a little bowl of milk in the morning. The chickens will adore you if you spoil them with rice cakes. And the dogs? You’ll fall in love. There’s Guapo (a fitting name, as it means “handsome” in Spanish), Zenith (with his adorable snaggletooth), and the effortlessly cool and calm Coffee (just don't get between him and a split coconut).

It’s just a quick 1–2 minute walk to the stunning black sand beach of Playa Negra. Every morning, I bring a fresh cup of French press coffee from the house and settle in at the free-use tables. A few minutes more, and you’re in town, where you’ll find plenty of great places to eat and drink. If you want to explore further, rent a bike in town. And whatever you do, don’t skip Café Gustitos. It’s super affordable—perfect for someone like me who can’t cook. I missed it on my first few trips, but now it’s...