Hotel Banana Azul

We loved this hotel about 1 mile north of the center of Puerto Viejo. The grounds were beautiful and quiet with a nice private beach. The service staff were very nice and attentive to us. We had an ocean view room on the second floor with a nice private deck. We knew going into this that our room did not have an air conditioner, but made do with the ceiling fan and another floor fan that had been provided. We stayed four nights and enjoyed the daily included breakfast along with dinner two nights including ginger soy tuna and a delicious sea bass. We will be happy to stay here again the next time we visit the Caribbean coast.

We were there for four nights at the beginning of February. It's a lovely place. As many reviewers point out some rooms have AC some don't. We were in one of the cabins. No AC and it was not a problem. Mosquitoes and bats were nowhere to be found during our stay . The room and cleanliness were just fine. Location is perfect right opposite your own private stretch of beach. The people are wonderful, kind and attentive. Really couldn't hope for any more. Breakfast is excellent. All meals were quite good, comparable in quality to anything else in the area.

As a special bonus during a rainy day after running out of things to read, we started reading the one star reviews for this hotel. They are quite funny in themselves. However, the manager/owner is a unique voice in this genre: no nonsense, firm but compassionate and quite droll. Bravo.

Overall lovely experience. We were sad to leave this wonderful hotel that’s right on the beach! Food was yummy, service was kind and attentive, and our room was perfect. Everything you could ask for in a Costa Rican beach hotel ☺☀🌼🌊

Outstanding! My review is long overdue as we stayed in the Kinkaju Cabina from 11/4/23 - 11/11/23. We liked that the cabina was separate from the main resort area and enjoyed the short walk. The grounds/garden were incredible. Although the pool was refreshing, we only used it once because we preferred floating in the ocean. There was zero boat traffic, just pure bliss and seclusion. Some of our favorite things were the fresh coconut water and welcome cocktails upon arrival, the early morning coffee available steps from the beach, the included breakfast, the patio hammocks, the daily cleaning, and of course the happy hour drinks. Excellent value and great location near town. Dreaming of our next visit!

Super clean rooms and such a relaxing place. We enjoyed the free breakfast and the beach was pristine! The best part were the friendly dogs (Hi Brownie!) that welcomed us each day. We’re looking forward to our next stay here!

Had a great stay at one of the villas. From the moment we walked in the service from the hotel was superb, and the location is amazing. Lots of wildlife and a beautiful beach. Jordan was phenomenal giving us a tour of the grounds, booking us taxis, and helping us with lots of questions. The service at the restaurant was another story. Servers standing around while multiple customers were frustrated trying to flag service. We were ignored for a solid 30 mins while trying to order dessert until the bartender came out. He was awesome and was hustling. The rest of the servers not so much. 5 stars because Jordan made up for the service at the restaurant. Food was good.

Amazing rooms (we stayed in the Red Frog Suite) and friendly staff. You can walk right from the bar to the beach and enjoy the local plants and animals. Would definitely visit again.

Nice hotel. Very warm and friendly staff. Beachfront is very small. Hotel room floors were not clean. Food was excellent.

Amazing hotel with amazing staff! The beach & pool was incredible:
Stayed for a week in the tropical room.
A lovely atmosphere. Stunning beach. In a private location with a supermarket and your site.
The food was AMAZING! Whoever is cooking - your food is best we’ve tried in the whole of Costa Rica! Amazing!
Thank you for a wonderful stay!

Our week at HBA was, overall, lovely. The property, both hotel & grounds, is kept in immaculate condition & we were treated to sloth sightings on the grounds daily. Once the groundskeepers knew we were interested, they gladly pointed out sloths & iguanas on the grounds. We awoke every morning to the songs of an amazing array of birds & could occasionally hear a troop of howler monkeys going at it. We stayed in the Dolphin Room, whose only drawback was being on the west end & more exposed to afternoon sun. Having used translucent (polycarbonate?) roofing over the bathroom and a portion of the bedroom created a pronounced greenhouse effect making the room sweltering hot during most of the day. 🥵 Next visit, we will aim for the Howler Suite on the opposite (east) end, with afternoon shade & a direct view of the Caribbean Sea. 👍

Just stayed here for a week in one of their villas. Only positive things to say about this place. The villa was comfortable, spacious, and private. I enjoyed the private plunge pool for cooling off in the evenings. Breakfasts were included and fantastic. We also ate dinner here a couple times and both times it was excellent. Whomever is doing the cooking really knows what they’re doing with flavors and technique. They also offer pool and beach drink/lunch menu and fantastic service to go along with it. Grounds are gorgeous- saw many birds and morpho butterflies on site. There’s even a mini super right there for anything else you might need. We loved the location, outside of the busier Puerto Viejo area but not very far. There are so many beautiful beaches, wonderful restaurants, and other attractions in the area.

This charming hotel is a hidden oasis for nature enthusiasts seeking simplicity and a deep connection with the surrounding environment. Set amidst lush greenery and tranquil landscapes, it offers a refreshing retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. The accommodations may lack luxury, but they make up for it with their rustic charm and a strong emphasis on sustainability. Wake up to the melodious songs of birds, explore nearby hiking trails, and unwind in the peaceful ambiance. If you value a back-to-nature experience without the frills, this hotel is the perfect choice to immerse yourself in the beauty of the natural world.

Out of any hotel in Puerto Viejo, I recommend this one! The service was amazing and the staff was so kind. The pictures do not do it justice for how beautiful it is. It is the perfect little resort-type getaway! And use Caribe tours for adventures. They work alongside Hotel banana azul at great prices :)

Great food. Full bar. Outstanding view! One of our most frequented places.

We loved our stay. The staff was really friendly and welcoming. The food was amazing. We were able to get shuttles right outside the entrance. The beach club area had chairs and beach front access. It’s a bit outside of Puerto Viejo but it felt safe and without the noise of town. Would recommend.

Loved this place! The staff was very friendly and welcoming and the location is gorgeous. The free breakfast was good, loved getting fresh fruit and fruit juice every morning! Perfect place for a relaxing and tranquil getaway! Can’t say enough good things about this place!

Visited with a friend. Had no issues with the hotel, but we did have a little emergency for which Banana Azul was extremely helpful to us. The service was good, the breakfast and meals tasted fresh. At night, we heard the sounds of nature. We were able to walk down to the private access beach and enjoy great tasting mocktails from their beach club. Would stay again and recommend to others staying in Puerto Viejo.

Loved loved this place. Will definitely go back. We went for our honeymoon. Got our own private condo, very reasonably priced. High quality restaurant on site, beach and access to tourist company. Made it very easy to travel in Costa Rica

Best place to relax, the beach is so beautiful. Everyone here is so nice and helpful. We wish we booked our whole trip here. We are leaving today and will definitely miss this place.
We had the beach front apartment. The location is perfect, you hear the ocean from your room.

Service was amazing! Naomi...wow! Give her a raise!! We did not have reservations driving into town. They had the tree house apartment available for our group of four. Boy, I'm glad we booked it. The kitchen and common area are Open aired, the two bedrooms have screens which you can open or close. No AC but you do not need it. The beds are so comfortable. The water was rough here so we drove about 20 minutes down to punta UVA! We relaxed on the beach there all day and had a great time. I recommend you stay and the tree house apartment. very clean, comfortable not a lot of noise from the restaurant as some of the other places are directly above. Manfred was great as well!! Love to see people working that love their job!! Thank you for the birthday surprise when we got back tonight! I love wine and chocolate!!!!