More about Hotel La Mariposa
La Mariposa hotel, in Manuel...
by maritza
La Mariposa hotel, in Manuel Antonio beach
from may to nov 2000:
suites 125
deluxe 95
standard 85 small,charming, elegant, romantic hotel with the BEST OCEAN view in the area, it has the best sunsets in the ENTIRE country! Love the area - fun things to do like white water rafting, sea kayaking, horseback riding to the waterfalls, sunset cruise, canopy tour, nature walk in the national park, deep sea fishing, and more. Or you can choose to read a book next to the pool and enjoy the sun with nature around you.
go to Manuel Antonio Beach
by maritza
the sunsets at La Mariposa hotel, Manuel Antonio Beach. I would enjoy my pina cola, louge next to the pool, and watch the sunset - it can not get more relaxing than that!
I NOW BOOK RESERVATIONS FOR THE HOTEL CALL ME 800-416-2747
Stay away from La Mariposa
by A TripAdvisor Member
I love Costa Rica and I go there all the time with my girlfriend. Each and every time I go there I have a great time. The exception was my last trip there, when I went to Manuel Antonio.
I stayed at La Mariposa hotel and I had the worst experience of any hotel in Costa Rica. The reception made a mistake with our reservation taking down the wrong dates. They refused to let us stay for our last night and kicked us out, even though we offered to pay extra (?). Then they charged us for an extra night anyways and we still had to drive all the way to Jaqo to find a hotel for one night.
Apart from all that, the staff consisted of the rudest Costa Ricans I ever met. We truly felt unwelcome there and generally had a dreadful stay.
Stay Away
by TripAdvisor Member DavidG1124
The view is incredible but that is the only thing that is remotely nice about this hotel. Staff treats guests more like dogs in a kennel than guests on holiday. Manuel Antonio was the last stop on our trip to Costa Rica and I had arranged for a room with a view. When we arrived at the Hotel La Mariposa, we were informed that we wouldn't have the room we requested due to plumbing issues. Rather than being accomadating, Mariposa staff treated us as if the leaking pipes were our fault. Instead Mariposa gives us a "10% discount" and puts us in a room that overlooked the power generator and trash. The mildew on the floor was so present that the bellhop slipped when placing our bags in the room. We asked for another room and the mildew was also a problem. When asked why they couldn't upgrade us to another room, the manager explained that they don't upgrade to rooms that cost more money even if rooms are out of service due to maintence issues.
Instead we stayed next door at El Villas de Parque which also had nice views. The staff there told me that at least 5-6 times a week, El Villas gets walk ins who have a bad experience at Hotel La Mariposa.
So much more authentic
by A TripAdvisor Member
This is a great place to stay in Manuel Antonio!!! The breakfast is great, and you can request it as room service for one person (they bring more than enough for two) and save $. The staff is awesome if you treat them with respect and let them be of service to you. My fiance (since our Costa Rica trip) and I had an older Junior Suite with a jacuzzi and hammock on our patio which was totally private. The room was so charming, and was cleaned every day, so that other than our personal stuff, it was like walking into a new room every day. We went during the green (rainy) season, and still got to do the national park tour, white water rafting, Valmy horse tour (we happened to be the only people signed up, so it was very private, and I love the toucan), and a canopy tour. There was so much else we wanted to do, but we ran out of time! Prices are much better during the green season, and it's not as hot. There is usually a one to two hour rain shower every late afternoon, which is a great excuse to go back to the room and nap or whatever else.....Everyone at the hotel knew our names by the second day, and were so accomodating whenever we gave them the chance. We visited two other luxury hotels that are right next to La Mariposa to see if we would like those. They were both nice but were not as personal or authentic as our hotel (and the food was more expensive and not as good). Also, the view could never compare (La Mariposa is at the top of the mountain). Loved this hotel, and will stay here when we go back.
Understated old world luxury
by TripAdvisor Member ricardoanddinah
Let me start by saying that if one is looking for Ritz-Carlton scale grandeur and luxury, that this IS NOT the place for them.
La Mariposa is probably the oldest of the "luxury" hotels in Manuel Antonio and I do agree with other writers that the hotel rooms are a bit dated. Nevertheless, the hotel posesses an extremely appealing sense of old-world elegance and intimacy without any sort of pretense. It has a very boutique feeling to it. The rooms are comfortable and very spacious with nice, heavy wooden furniture and talavera tiled floors. The bathrooms had beautiful Spanish tiles throughout.
The main pool area is quiet, simple and gracious...a rectangular pool lined with colorful tiles surrounded by comfortable lawn chairs with flowering bougainvillea hanging from the arbor above and ocean views beyond. There is also and infinity-edge pool with swim-up bar on the other side of the hotel..this pool has gorgeous views overlooking the Isla Damas beach area.
The breakfast is buffet style and delicious and the views from the largely open-air dining room are truly the best in all of Manuel Antonio.
Again, the rooms and amenities (sheets, towels, etc.) could use some updating but to say that the hotel is not worth $150-200 per night is incorrect. We found the service efficient (if a bit curt), the food good, the front desk personnel always helpful, the rooms more than comfortable enough and the views TO DIE FOR!
My wife and I visited some of the other hotel properties for a cocktail or a meal. Parador was just a huge hotel on the bluffs with good NOT great views..it reminded us a bit of a Las Vegas hotel...big, gaudy. Makanda, although very private and exquisite, had a cold (dead?) feeling to it.
Again, La Mariposa could use some updating but the energy and spirit of the hotel as well as the views are truly priceless in a world gone crazy for grand scale Nouveau luxury.
I loved this hotel!!
by TripAdvisor Member MDmank420
I wanted to make sure I wrote a great review here when I got back. This hotel definitely deserves it!!
The people that worked there were so friendly and they were there to help whenever you needed. I felt like I was friends with everyone by the time I left.
I went there with my boyfriend and we stayed in a junior suite with a jacuzzi. Definitely worth it for the extra couple of bucks. The rooms were simple and very clean. The view from our room was outstanding. I have heard from others that the views are the best from La Mariposa. Anytime we saw someone at the bar from another hotel, they verified it.
What a great hotel!!
I know I'll be going back to the area and I am certain that I will be staying at La Mariposa.
Great View, Good Service, so-so Rooms
by A TripAdvisor Member
We stayed in two adjoining double rooms. One of the rooms had a bad odor coming from the shower drain. We had to cover it with a towel and place something heavy over it. This took care of the problem and we lived with the minor inconvenience. The rooms were not up to the standard of “best hotel” quoted in another review. The property has the potential to be first class but really is in need of a total room/bed/furniture upgrade. The main hotel/reception/restaurant and pool areas were fine. The view of the harbor is spectacular. The restaurant serves outstanding food, although it is pricey by Costa Rica standards $50-60 PP without wine. The chef does a fantastic job with his main courses and appetizers. The escargot was as good as the best I’ve ever had. The wine list does not have a good quality to price value and you are much better off ordering by the glass than the bottle. We ate there two evenings and had excellent food each time. I recommend it highly if you want to take a break from the rather dismal Costa Rican cuisine. Try the El Avion Restaurant just down the main road. You can’t miss it, just look for the plane! Good food and drinks, great view and reasonably priced. For breakfast and lunch go to the Café Milargo just across the street on the main road. A five minute max walk from the hotel. Simply the BEST coffee you will ever have in your life. They roast their own beans in Quepos. If you like coffee, buy as many bags as you can or want to carry and bring them home with you! We wake up every morning to this wonderful tasting brew, a lasting memory from our trip. The Milagro has great food and it’s reasonably priced. They’ll even pack you a lunch to take to Manuel Antonio Park. For a nice beach, go into the park itself and take a short 10 minute walk to the second beach. It’s a beautiful white sand beach where monkeys and iguanas greet you. Keep your backpack tightly closed or your lunch will end up 40 feet off the ground!
