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.
