We did a last minute quick trip to Playa Hermosa Costa Rica and found this hotel online. We have never been to Costa Rica and didn't have a lot of time to plan or stay and didn't want to spend a ton on a resort. This property was a wonderful surprise! Small boutique hotel, that on initial sight doesn't look like much, but the rooms are very clean, spacious and the staff was nice. They do not all speak English. The restaurant is right on the beach and has a nice menu. Many people come from other properties to eat here. prices are very reasonable. The breakfast was one of my favorites! You can't beat the location, for the price. Beds are a bit hard, but clean. We are a family of 4 with 2 adult children. If you are looking for something priced right with more of a "locals" experience than a resort this is the place. Seemed safe as well, we had no problems. We would come back again.

The location of this engaging hotel was wonderful! Right on the beach and for a very decent price! The room was good, the food was good and the service was awesome! It was perfect to unwind just seconds from the bar and on the beach. The beach is a nice one too. There is not much to do in the little town, I was hoping for some souvenir shops, but I was not too disappointed because there were some unique salespeople that came by on the beach and we also had a massage right on the beach, can't beat that...the sound of the waves and the breeze through the coconut trees was terrific as your body is put into relaxation mode! Incredible sunsets as well! We were able to book a short boat tour from the beach also. I would have liked to do the sunset sailboat tour, but you have to have a minimum of people and we were only two. We enjoyed hearing the monkeys early in the morning from our room, could not see them though! All in all, a nice place to stay.

The accommodation is average, but at $75 per night for beachfront, you really can't complain too much. The beach is fairly clean, nice for walking and sunset-watching and the surf is gentle with little current. Certainly there are nicer beaches in Costa Rica, but close to the Liberia International Airport (about forty-five minutes by taxi) you can't do better in this price range. It's a good place to stay for the first few days of your visit while you decide where you want to go next or for your last night in paradise before your fly out. The rooms are okay and the food and drinks are good. The restaurant service was slow at times but since it's right on the beach we didn't mind waiting because we enjoyed the view.

My boyfriend and I visited Costa Rica in late February to early March 2011. We flew in to Liberia and decided (without any hesitation) to start our trip on the coast. We arrived pretty late at night and quickly got a cab from the airport to Hermosa. We arrived at El Velero (with reservations) for check-in and everything went smoothly, We had an upstairs room near the back. We stayed two nights and then went off to explore the country. On our way back, in March, we stayed here for our last night before leaving to come home.

Our room was totally fine, as was the rest of the hotel. No, it's not luxury at all and perhaps the room could use some nicer linens but Hermosa is a pricey area and this hotel is affordable in comparison. And you cannot beat the location. We loved the beach and this hotel is right on it. You can enjoy your yummy breakfast and watch the waves crash. So many people seem to complain of the service but we found it to be completely satisfactory. If you need to be babied and coddled, this is not your place. The management and employees are laid back but will help when needed.

We would wake up very early on our first days there and would always hear the employees already working. There was always someone sweeping or mopping or cleaning the pool. And Playa Hermosa itself is a wonderful beach. It is the main street of the town in many ways and you will see all manner of people walking their dogs, going for a jog or having a swim.

We are planning our February trip right now and nearly went back to Costa Rica just so we could get off the plane and head directly to El Velero to plop down on the beach and have a drink and know that our vacation had truly started.