Pacific Kalokairi — Hotel in Tamarindo

Preface: This review is from a 25 y/o US based, moderately active couple visiting Costa Rica for their first time. My partner found this resort through our Chase travel portal and we wanted to ensure we left a very thorough review to help others understand our stay and what theirs could look like as well.||Location: The resort is roughly an hour and a half from the airport, so make sure you get snacks and drinks at the airport before you leave. The ride to the resort is simple. Slow, but simple. Costa Rica has lots of motorcycles and drivers passing around each other, so if you pick up a car, be mindful of this. When you arrive at the resort, the first thing you will notice is the dirt road that leads up to the main entrance. This road is bumpy and difficult for smaller cars, so if you rent a vehicle, be sure it has 4X4 and get the insurance due to rocks and potholes along the way. The resort is beautifully nestled at the top of a considerable hill, and some drivers will get frustrated about it, but every ride made it up without having any issues. The views are immaculate, with the infinity pool overlooking the scenery and ocean, allowing for wonderful nights swimming or eating at the resort while watching the sunset. ||Rooms: We stayed on the left side of the property in a jungle facing room. From what I understand, all rooms are the same except for the view. Our room was absolutely perfect. It’s a well sized, modern bungalow that is perfectly designed for virtually any style of couple. It’s romantic, comfortable, clean, and well air-conditioned. The cleaning staff is outstanding about knowing when you clean your room and they don’t interrupt if you want to have a relaxing morning or a chill day indoors. When they do clean your room, you have options for new sheets and towels or they ask you to consider reusing them, which we didn’t mind doing. The balcony is spacious and there’s nice chairs for relaxing and enjoying the scenery. We saw monkeys (they howl, so be mindful of this) and lots of cool birds. They provide a safe and we had absolutely no issues feeling safe to leave our stuff out since it was such a small and well staffed resort. ||Staff: The best part of Pacific Kalokairi is by far the staff. Virginia, Carlos, Carmen, the chefs, and cleaning staff, and everyone else who helps maintain the immaculate experience are some of the best people I’ve ever met while on a vacation or even in general. They make you feel like family. They’re always looking to help, they want to get to know you, and they communicate as a team better than most high-functioning organizations could ever dream of. They even remembered my partner’s nut allergy seven days after she told them and made sure not to include any on a desert platter they prepared for us on our last night. It was an excellent touch. They offer a shuttle into downtown and often provide helpful recommendations and share stories of the resort, their lives, and Costa Rica. Every time we left and went to do some activity, they greeted us upon return like family and were inquisitive about our day and our travels. It made us feel right at home. Oh- and there’s a black lab named Charlie that we consider an honorary employee because of how he greets everyone when they arrive and wake up in the morning for breakfast. He’s the sweetest, most gentle boy ever, just make sure to give him a nibble of fruit in the morning to keep him happy. ||Food: The food at the restaurant is absolutely the best food you will find in Tamarindo. It’s extremely well prepared and we didn’t feel that a single dish was off the entire time we were there. They provide a short, revolving menu daily for you to select from for dinner and lunch. They also are not pushy or trying to upsell you in anyway. They simply want you to enjoy your experience. The food is quick and the flavors are immaculate. For breakfast they provide fruit, coffee, toast, and a list of options for you to choose from. It’s all freshly prepared too, nothing pre-made or reheated. Desert is also a nice touch at the end of the night as well. Even when we’d go out to town for dinner, we’d return for the desert. They have a wide variety of beers, wines, and cocktails as well. ||Additional notes/recommendations:|Bring ample sunscreen as it is high up on a mountain and there isn’t a lot of shade by the pool after about 1pm. |When in town, get waters to bring back to the room. They provide water in the fridge that’s refilled daily but it’s about two glasses worth.|Ocean facing rooms get much hotter than others. They turn off the AC after they clean, so there’s a chance you could come back to a hot room after a long day. It doesn’t take more than 10 minutes to cool down, however.|Be nice to the staff and to others. It makes the stay much more enjoyable and worthwhile. Don’t be loud and obnoxious, but ask others where they’re from. We ended up befriending an older couple and had some of the best conversations over dinner.|You may seen tiny little bugs here and there. They are infrequent and harmless. You can only expect so much when being right in the thick of the jungle and nature. It’s not a problem at all and is something you’d see at any resort in Costa Rica. Don’t bring food home and leave it open, however, or you will get ants.|Get the pineapple desert, one of the best things I have ever had.||Summary:|If you are looking for a calm, relaxing, intimate stay while in Tamarindo, this is the place to be. We often found that, after a long day, we just wanted to return back to the resort to be with the people and relax quietly at our leisure. The stay actually felt longer than it was, which is contrary to most vacations that feel like they fly by. My partner and I were able to connect and share so much quality time together that we agreed it was the best trip we’d ever been on. Everything about this place is special, it might be on the pricier side of your options, but if you’re willing to pay a bit more for a significantly better experience, you will not regret it in...

Note: This review was consolidated due to character count limits.

This review comes from a 25-year-old couple from the U.S. visiting Costa Rica for the first time. We booked our stay through the Chase travel portal, and we’re keen to provide a detailed review for future travelers:

Location: The resort is about an hour and a half from the airport. It’s a scenic drive, but be prepared for slow-moving traffic and the occasional motorcycle weaving through vehicles. If you rent a car, a 4X4 is recommended due to the bumpy, rocky dirt road leading to the resort. The road is not ideal for small cars, and you’ll need to have full insurance due to the rough terrain. Once you reach the resort, it’s set on a hill with stunning views of the ocean and surrounding landscape. The infinity pool is a great spot to enjoy the scenery, and the sunsets from here are breathtaking.

Rooms: We stayed in a jungle-facing room on the left side of the property. From what we gathered, all rooms are identical, except for the view. The room is spacious, modern, and designed for comfort, with air-conditioning, a clean, romantic atmosphere, and a balcony with relaxing chairs. We spotted monkeys and tropical birds from the balcony, adding to the charm. The housekeeping staff is excellent, respecting your privacy and providing options for fresh towels and sheets when needed. The resort's small size made us feel safe leaving our belongings in the room, and there’s a safe available for valuables.

Staff: The staff is the heart of Pacific Kalokairi, offering an exceptional level of service. Virginia, Carlos, Carmen, and the entire team made us feel like family. They are always friendly, helpful, and attentive to our needs, even remembering my partner’s nut allergy days after we mentioned it. Their kindness extended to personalized touches, like ensuring our dessert was allergy-friendly on our last night. The resort offers a shuttle into downtown and often shares helpful recommendations, along with interesting stories about Tamarindo. Every time we returned, we were greeted warmly, making us feel right at home. A special mention goes to Charlie, the resort’s black lab, who brings extra joy to the mornings.

Food: The food at the resort is exceptional, offering some of the best meals we had in Tamarindo. The menu changes daily, offering fresh and flavorful dishes for both lunch and dinner, prepared without any pushiness or upselling. Breakfast is equally delightful, with freshly made fruit, coffee, toast, and a variety of options to choose from. Dessert, especially, is a highlight, and we often returned to the resort for it after dining out in town. The resort also has a wide selection of wines, beers, and cocktails.

Additional Tips: Bring plenty of sunscreen, as the resort is high on a hill and there’s little shade by the pool after 1 p.m. Pick up extra water bottles in town, as the daily water refill in the room is minimal. Ocean-facing rooms tend to heat up more than others, and the AC may be turned off after cleaning. However, it cools down quickly. Be kind to the staff and fellow guests. A friendly atmosphere will enhance your stay. Tiny bugs are common in jungle settings but are harmless. Avoid leaving food exposed to prevent ants from entering. Try the pineapple dessert—it’s one of the best treats we’ve had!

Summary: Pacific Kalokairi is the perfect destination for those seeking a tranquil, intimate getaway. We found ourselves eager to return to the resort after each activity, as it felt like home. The experience felt longer than it actually was, allowing us to enjoy quality time together. While the resort may be on the pricier side, the exceptional service, beautiful setting, and attention to detail make it worth every penny. If you’re looking for a relaxing and memorable vacation, this is the...

Reading past reviews assured us we were in for a treat when booking Pacific Kalokairi but yet, the team was still able to surprise us by making this experience better than what we could possibly have imagined! After a long year all my husband and I were looking for was to return to Costa Rica to immerse ourselves in the culture, enjoy the good weather and put the world on pause for 10 days, this hotel and its team provided that and more. The location is perfect, just a few minutes from the beach and all the buzz of restaurants, bars and shops but yet, completely in the middle of the jungle with quiet views of the ocean only interrupted by the beautiful sounds of nature and its birds. We laid by the pool enjoying the perfect temperature weather, drinking delicious cocktails and reading books long awaiting our attention. The rooms are beautiful and spacious tree houses with balconies and comfortable comfy beds that call you in for afternoon naps. Maximum capacity is 16 (8 couples) so, most of the time you feel you have the entire resort just for you. The food is delicious, from the thoughtfully crafted breakfast that is included in the nightly rate to the lunches and dinners created by a chef that has all the experience and none of the attitude, the nicest chef you will ever meet! The rest of the team is equally warm, kind and ready to help with anything you might need. The bonus is Charlie, the in-house dog that will interact with you if you want and leave you alone if you don't, he even bid us farewell the early morning of our departure which we really appreciated. After traveling the world I am convinced I will never find a better luxury experience with such a home feeling, we cannot wait to be back!|(as there are already so many photos available of the property, amenities and overall location, we will share the food, sunsets,...