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Hotel El Tajalin – reviews, photos

Frente al parque infantil, Montezuma, Costa Rica
Hotel amenities
Hotel El Tajalin
Ranked #11 of 16 hotels in Montezuma
4.0 of 5 stars 23 Reviews
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23 reviews from our community

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New York City, New York
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
“home in montezuma”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 February 2011

if i wasn't planning a long term sabbatical for my next visit to this amazing town, i would absolutely be staying here again! our room was on the third floor which made the lounge almost for our own personal use as there are not many rooms, so it is never crowded. the room was extrememly spacious, had a safe, and small fridge, with a huge shower in the bathroom, and a table with chairs. the 'closet area' was also large and had strong shelving to keep our luggage safe from critters! maid service is done daily and provides new towels, etc, the usual. the staff was SO SO nice, informative, helpful, and kind. always service with a smile.

the location is perfect, a walk across the park or down the street to the L shaped main center of montezuma, yet still quiet at night (as chico's can play their music pretty loud!) to get a good nights sleep. many reviews listed here had AC problems, or hot water problems, we did not at all. wifi worked great as well. and not sure where the other reviewer found that rhino beetle but we did not see one single bug in/around/at the hotel or our room the entire 9 days we were there. in costa rica, i consider us very very lucky!

we did not rent a car but parking is safe and easy just out front - and for anyone who needs to know we walked everywhere without a problem. didn't need a car except for our day trip to santa teresa and hike in cabo blanco park. EVERY other montezuma (waterfalls, playa grande, playa las manchas, ylang ylang resort, playa los cedros altho very far, playa de los artistas restaurant, any many more!) is walkable - including el chorro the waterfall but we took a horseride since the hike is about 2 hours.

the hotel can arrange tours, trips, and airport transfers for you if you need them to, (we didn't know that and booked in advance with zuma tours who were probably more expensive but great as well ). if u need a cab they will probably call johnny and he's great! or ask them to bc he was so nice and reasonably priced ($12 to cabo blanco park - which was about a 30 min ride).

if the staff reads these, thank u for everything and we hope u enjoyed the imperial! :)
we would absolutely reccomend this hotel to anyone looking for a pleasant stay in montezuma.

  • Stayed January 2011, travelled with friends
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
San Antonio, Texas
Senior Contributor
35 reviews 35 reviews
Reviews in 26 cities Reviews in 26 cities
40 helpful votes 40 helpful votes
“Decent place to stay”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 February 2011

We moved to this hotel after one night in another hotel which was so noisy because it was Saturday night and that hotel has walls that were half screened and is right on the road. Hotel El Tajalin is also on the same road, but with a wall along the back of the hotel, and complete walls in the rooms, the noise was not nearly as bad.
Pros of this hotel: air conditioning in the rooms; ceiling fans also in every room; location is in the center of town; nice 3rd floor terrace with TV, wi-fi, hammocks, tables and chairs; good shower; comfortable beds; quiet; very helpful staff
Cons of this hotel: breakfast not included, some rooms are located near coffee station where people gather early, bathroom (and supplies) are very basic, wi-fi doesn't work well in the rooms towards the back
This hotel is a good value for the price, the staff was very helpful (moving us to another room when we requested), and we had a good place to park our car along the street right in front of the hotel .
The rooms are basic hotel rooms without much character, but having a/c during the dry, hot, dusty season and being able to sleep at night without fearing a car was going to crash into our room was very appreciated.

  • Stayed January 2011, travelled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Hotel Tajalin, Manager at Hotel El Tajalin, responded to this review
3 November 2011
Thanks for your review. As new hotel managers, we are dedicated to resolving any issues that have bothered previous guests.

We just installed a second router in the back of the hotel to enhance the wifi service throughout. There should be a good connection everywhere at this point.

We're also adding some character to the rooms with little touches here and there. I'm sure our current guests have already noticed a bit more color with plants, tapestries and more lounging areas throughout the common areas. We've added more chairs, tables and closets to several of the rooms and are soon to decorate with some new wall hangings as well.

Again, thanks for your suggestions. They've already made a difference. :)
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
UK
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
“Large rooms and lovely chill-out balcony”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 August 2010

My wife and I checked in to El Tajalin and the air conditioning didn't work in the first room. They moved us to a larger room for the same price, so we were happy.

The location is great, what with Montezuma being so small you can walk everywhere.

The only problem was that there was a lot of rubbish (mostly plastic bottles) on the beach so we left Montezuma early.

The staff, particularly the younger chap on reception, were helpful.

  • Stayed August 2010, travelled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Cambridge, MA
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
“Fine, but nothing exciting.”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 May 2010

This place was decent- it was clean, quiet, and the owner was relatively friendly and helpful. The AC didn't work that great and the room was rather plain, but we stayed on the 3rd floor which was nice because I think it is the only room on the floor so it has a lot of privacy (but no view). Also there was a fridge in the room which really came in handy for storing cold water and breakfast food. The location was good if you want to be right in town without the noise of staying above/next to any of the bars. I think I would have preferred the similarly priced Hotel Lucy or Los Mangos which are about a 5 minute walk from town but right on the water.

  • Stayed April 2010, travelled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Seattle, WA
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Tajalin is one of my favorite hotels in Costa Rica”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 November 2009
1
person found this review helpful

I have been to Costa Rica 11 times since 1989. I still try out other vacation destinations but every time I go to Mexico, Hawaii, Florida......ect, I always think, "wow, I could have gone to Costa Rica and had a better time!"

I first came across Tajalin back in 2001. I keep coming back. I love Montezuma. Costa Rica was a different country when I first started vacationing there. Manuel Antonio and Jaco were still small resort areas. Now, I don't want to go there for more than a day or two.

El Tajalin is a refreshing hotel from the past. They have a courteous and helpful staff that speak English. It has the charm that this country used to have before the increase of American tourism. I have stayed there 4 times and I cannot wait to return. The rooms are very clean, comfortable and affordable. The rooms I have stayed in have air conditioning, balcony's, safes and refrigerators. It is located a few yards from Chicos Bar and Luz De Mono as well as all of the eateries and shops in this small town. It is quiet in the evening and the beach is a short walk away.

During my 2nd stay there, I lost the key to my rental car. The owner arranged for the rental car company to fly a spare key from San Jose to nearby Tambor and then bussed them to Tajalin. They have also arranged numerous travel adventures for my friends and I including fishing trips, canopy zip-line tours and ATV rentals. All I do is ask and they will take care of my needs.

If you are a high maintenence traveler or a wild party person, this might not be the place to stay. If you are an experienced traveler and want a quality place to truly enjoy this very special town, you will be glad that you stayed at Tajalin. I have sent many friends there and they all have been very happy with my recommendation.

Clean, safe and courteous. I have taken many of my friends and my (then 12 year old son). We are all fans!

  • Liked — Couteous Clean Safe Affordable Friendly Comfortable
  • Disliked — Can't think of many reasons to not like it here.
  • Stayed December 2006, travelled with friends
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Check-in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Business service (e.g., internet access)
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Additional Information about Hotel El Tajalin

Frente al parque infantil, Montezuma, Costa Rica
Price range (per night):* INR1,667 - 5,002

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