Loved it
by TripAdvisor Member travelman12
We just came back from 6 nights at Makanda during their "peak season" and we still felt like we had the place to ourselves. In my opinion, this is what sets this hotel apart from the others in the Manuel Antonio area. We visited Si Como No and La Mariposa and both are equally as nice but lack the intimacy that Makanda offers. Our studio was spacious and the view was breathtaking as were the grounds. We saw monkeys almost everyday. The staff is very friendly and the service was excellent.
Thinks it's better than it is
by A TripAdvisor Member
The room was stunning, but a couple of things detracted from our enjoyment. This hotel is so "exclusive" that our personal guide was not allowed onto the premises. This is an uncomfortable and undemocratic rule in an otherwise friendly and egalitarian country - we (British) were astonished. I realise they are trying to make it "special" but we were embarassed to have our guide wait at the gate for us - we had to go out to share a drink with him and plan our next day. The evening meal was very good and the poolside location very romantic. The staff were very friendly and sweet. The breakfasts were really not up to scratch though - delivered to your room in a cool box and not very generous portions. No sense of luxury about that! Especially as you make your own coffee and they charge you for the milk. Why not a proper tray with linen? I loved looking out over the bay from the bed and the privacy was quite good in spite of being open on all sides, but there are a lot of hotels crammed onto that hillside - you are not out on some lonesome promontary. The bathroom was good with flowers everywhere, but the lighting was too low, and frankly, as a woman on holiday by the sea, I need to be able to see to shave my legs! There are too many "luxury" hotels that give no thought to this - men have lovely well-lit mirrors and we girls end up balancing with one foot in the sink! Kind of detracts from the sense of being pampered! We mostly enjoyed our stay but would not choose the hotel again.
A great find
by TripAdvisor Member meredith1722
I almost gave Makanda 5 stars, and the only two reasons I didn't were that it is a probably a little overpriced for what it offers, and they didn't get our breakfast order correct once! We really did love our four nights there, though. Our villa (#10) was secluded and romantic. It was larger than apartments I used to live in! We were lucky enough to be woken up by the spider monkeys each morning- they provided hours of entertainment from our balcony. The staff was accomodating and tried to make our visit as nice as possible. The pool and surrounding area with the view of the ocean were absoloutely beautiful. We ate dinner there 3 nights, and each time, it was delicious- be sure to try the salmon and the stuffed chicken! Though the restaurant staff was sometimes slow, our meal times gave us a chance to appreciate our setting. We will certainly return to this little piece of paradise we found...
I Teared Up When We Left
by TripAdvisor Member MissusScamper
We stayed in Studio 9 from Jan 30 until Feb 6.
Yes there were some bugs in our room, but we were set in the jungle so I was expecting much worse. Howler monkeys woke us up every morning with their screams and it was surreal. Everything from the flower petals design on the bed, breakfast every morning, the friendly & helpful service by everybody who worked there...it was perfect! The sounds of the jungle and the rhythm of the ocean at night while I relaxed on our hammock; so relaxing! The smells in the air were a combination of lilies and gardenias and wild flowers; lovely!
I didn't put on any bug spray because the smell makes me nauseous and I think I only got bit 2ce. Usually I get BIT like crazy in those situations so I guess I was lucky.
There were so many activities to choose from in the area. It would be a shame to go to Quepos and just lie on a beach or by the infinity pool every single day (not that we didn't do our share of that!). We went surfing, ziplining, and whitewater rafting.
I am so happy that we planned our honeymoon at Makanda as it will always be special to us. I hope to spend many anniversaries there! (if we can afford it!).
Beautiful Setting
by TripAdvisor Member marian
My husband and I stayed at Makanda by the Sea Hotel on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica during the first week of January 2006. The hotel is approximately equidistant between the town of Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park. The setting is absolutely spectacular! The rooms are all situated to maximize privacy and all oriented toward the ocean. Each has its own terrace or balcony. The grounds are very lush and attract a wide variety of butterflies and birds. There are also many monkeys on the property. It is quite a show to sit on your terrace and just watch the wildlife!
The staff is incredibly attentive and will cater to your every need and desire. Although I think they are very reluctant to tell you no something can't be done or that there is a delay (I found this to be true of most Costa Ricans that I met). They will arrange any tours for you that you might want to take (e.g., national park, rain forest, etc.). This makes activities away from the hotel very convenient.
The service in the restaurant is excruciatingly slow (I'm not talking about leisurely, gracious dining -- but painfully and tiresomely slow). We ended up going out to eat most nights; fortunately there are many nice options in the vicinity. However, they deliver breakfast to your room each morning. This is a nice touch and a great (and relaxing!) way to start the day.
The rooms are showing a little wear (at least, ours was). But they are fairly large and comfortable, and the view can't be beat! However, they aren't very well lit so at night it is a little hard to see or read in the room.
All in all, it was a great vacation and I wasn't ready to come home at the end of the week.
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