We stayed for 3 nights (we planed on less but we loved the place), we took the cheaper rooms that don't have a tv or safe and no private balcony since we didn't need al that, the room was right by the pool (which is clean, big and the reason we stayed) and was 46$ instead of 53 (we paid in cash so we got a 10% discount). What they didn't tell us and we found out only in the evening is that the cheap rooms don't have hot water! Even though that's not what they say in they're site. The guy at reception (who also lives there) offered to give us our money back but we didn't want to look fir another place so late so we just asked to shower in a different room and he actually offered to give us that room for the cheaper price (bigger room with a safe and balcony and hot water) but it was on the second floor so we prefered to stay in our room and shower in the other and he agreed, we did that fir the rest of the stay, it was like having two room and I don't know any hotel that would agree to that, That was really nice of them!!

I stayed at Hotel Zullymar for two nights. The location of the hotel is great: Just 100m to the beach...shops, bars, restaurants and travel-agencies within walking distance. At night there is quite a bit of noise from traffic and discos. But I brought good earplugs, so I was fine. The hotel exterior and the pool area are in excellent shape. I had a room on the 2nd floor with a balcony facing the pool. It was spaceous but had a youth-hostel feel to it. The furniture (or lack thereof) was very basic. The sheets and towels were worn and torn. The fridge was old, rusty and noisy. Bathroom was cleaned but the plumbing seemed somewhat improvised. WiFi was only available outside on the balcony or by the pool, not in the room. TV and A/C workrd fine. But still...for a nightly rate of 60$ I would have expected more.

I travelled to Tamarindo with a friend in February 2011 and stayed here for 6 nights. We booked online, simply by email and they answered within a few hours and didn't even ask for our credit card number, which we thought was great.

We checked-in around 6pm and it was quick and efficient. There isn't always someone at the front desk so when you require something, it can be a little hard to get (also no phone in the rooms). We never asked the front desk for anything other than a few fresh towels and to add more days to our initial booking. Every day tours we took was booked by an Agency down the street. In Tamarindo, everything is very accessible and tourist-friendly and so the lack of support from the hotel didn't bother us at all.

The hotel is very secured. There is a security guard there at all time, a guard-dog and a gate that is shut every night after dark. After stumbling back homwe from bars, the guard was always there to open the gate and let us in ourselves. When we tried to bring back home some friends from other hotels, they wouldn't allow it... so I was under the impression that they are VERY strict with the security. There's a BUDGET car renting office attached to the hotel so during the day, you will see people go in and out of the office but we never had any issues with this and were in the room directly beside the budget office.

Our room had a patio door facing the pool with two chairs and a table (needed to pay a little extra for this), a double bed and two single bed. A full-sized fridge, a tv with cable, AC and a full bathroom with shower. There was also a safe in the room, but never asked for the combination - didn't use it. There isn't any phone or hairdryer to be used though We did find it a little annoying that they would only give us ONE key (although we were two in the room) and that both doors would only open from inside AND out with the key... so if my friend left and locked the door, I was stuck inside, unable to go out! Kinda...ridiculous...and dangerous!

The pool is kept very clean and it's nice surrounding. Wireless internet access is free but only available near the pool. We (room 106) had access from our patio... but not from inside the room. Ask for a room facing the pool if you want to have access from your balcony. The beach is directly accross the street and the hotel is located at the "main" intersection in Tamarindo. The maid knocked on our door for room service every day - we asked her to clean every second-day and she always did a great job.

Noise can be a little bit of a problem here... we could hear the music from the clubs almost every night (except when we were out at the clubs ourselves!) but this is to be expected in a party-town like Tamarindo. It was more of a buzzing sound than real hard music that would keep you awake for hours.

I heard and read in many books that this hotel used to be a budget hotel but has been upping their prices in the past fiew years. We paid 60$/night for two people - met three guys in the room next to us (exact same room) that were paying 85$/night... so I guess they charge differently depending on how many people is staying in the room.

Overall, I would recommend this hotel is you don't expect any "extra special treatments" that some hotel give. It is basic, yet has all the basic amendities you will require and the location is excellent and very secured.

I'll start off by saying that my partner and I dislike resorts, which is how we ended up here. So, if youre looking for fanciness, pool bars and being pampered to death, then disregard this hotel and go down the street.

After arriving in Tamarindo in the off-season by public transport ($20 from San Jose to Tamarindo!!), we scooted our way to the Zullymar, which was rather pleasant, and had an awesome location (seriously, right across the street is the Pacific), and a great price to boot! The staff gave us a key, and we noticed each door was beautifully hand-carved wood of various animals and just so gorgeous (ours had an elephant). The room was equipped with AC, a mini-fridge, a TV (only used when sunburnt), shower and 3 beds and a balcony. We had some other guests stay with us in our hotel room as well, but if Ants don't bug you then you're fine. Although there was a computer in the lobby with free internet, the man that worked recommended some nice restaurants, and places that had WIFI. Our favourite cafe was across the street from the Zullymar, an italian woman runs it, and it was fantastic. More bizarre is that she recognized us after three years of not being there! Very friendly woman.
This hotel is within walking distance to everything in town, and I loved every moment of the week that we spent here and can't wait to go back <3 :)

A word of advice to anyone travelling to Tamarindo:
There were a lot of Taxi-vultures here in unmarked cars (Sketchy anywhere in the world, right?), who would charge tourists $15 USD just to cross the street because they didnt know where the ocean was...so, don't get a taxi UNLESS IT SAYS TAXI. Common sense, right?