Aguas Claras is the only place I have stayed when visiting the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The cottages are very quaint with kitchenettes and they come with all the necessary utensils. Coffee makers, stoves, pans, etc, etc. It is a short walk to the beach, roughly 200meters down a path that routes through the jungle. When on the beach during the week I have walked miles with only seeing a couple other people. The cottages do have ceiling fans in the bedrooms but there is no A/C. The cottages are all done in bright colors and our favorite is the Red Cottage which I have attached a photo of. It is a 2 bedroom cottage that have locking doors and an open kitchen and living room floor plan. There are no TV's or phones in the rooms, but the registration center does have them if you can't live with out them. There is also a nice restuarant on the property that is open for breakfast or lunch. I don't think they are open for dinners but not really sure since we mainly cook in the cottage or go out to a restuarant for dinner. It is located just south of the town of Puerto Viejo which offers plenty of night life and shopping. Most mornings you can hear the howler monkeys and I have seen a toucan one morning also.

Stayed for 5 days and had a fabulous time. Good restaurants near by, but limited night life. That was ok, because we were tired from snorkeling all day. Make sure you go on a guided tour of the nature preserve...monkeys, iguanas, beautiful, birds, unbelievable!

Aguas Claras felt like our home in the Caribbean even though we only stayed for four nights. The cottages are very private and surrounded by dense jungle vegetation, and the design features make for a very unique and comfortable experience.

The interior has been designed specifically for the site and climate. We didn't miss having A/C at all and enjoyed the tropical air with breeze from the ceiling fan. At night we heard insects and frogs with birds and howler monkeys starting up around dawn. The cooking facilities are very good and a great way to enjoy some private meals and save some money (There are several grocery stores within walking distance).

The location worked really well for us. We walked to the beach at least once day. The property isn't strictly on the beach but a nice beach can be accessed by a short path next to a neighboring hotel. There is a reef right offshore and there are some shallow calm areas for wading. We arrived by bus from San Jose and found it very useful to rent a bike to get around. There are several good restaurants in Playa Chiquita within a mile down the main road. Walking the road is fine during the day but be advised that it gets really dark around 6PM. We biked with headlamps or used taxis to get home.

My boyfriend and I had the most wonderful experience at Aguas Claras! The cottages were very clean and full of charm. The cottages are located about three miles out of town, which is great for those looking for a little more privacy. For those looking for more of a party scene, I would recommend staying closer to town. The cottages are set right in the jungle and about a minute walk to the beach. We loved waking up every morning and having breakfast out on the porch and even had a howler monkey join us one day! The staff at Aguas Claras could not have been more accomodating. There was even a mix up about how many nights we were suppose to be there and so they moved us into a bigger place for the last night for only $5 more dollars than we were paying to be in the smaller place. While the beach in front of the property is not great for swimming due to coral, we were able to find a better spot only a short walk up the shore. For anyone staying here, renting bikes is a great way to get around. I can not say enough wonderful things about Aguas Claras and the staff. Thanks for a great time!!