We enjoyed this property. We were in the newest one with AC. We had no issues with bugs- but there were a lot of big ants. We left the bathroom light on at night hoping to scare them away. The check in staff was very friendly, pool was great and hammocks were very welcoming. I enjoyed the pool table in the dining room. Food was good, drinks a little pricey. They will sell you a bag of ice so buy some local rum and drink in your room! The only thing I would change was that on one night they only offer Argentina bbq in the dining room and no regular menu. So if you don't eat meat you are out of luck. Also, bring a flashlight- at night it's very dark walking to and from the dining room. Hubby wasn't too impressed with the surf out front so we ended driving an hour each day to a "secret spot" but I thought it looked good. Overall the property was safe, hospitable and met our needs. No complaints here. Great sunsets!

Staying at negra was absolutely the perfect move for us. We were looking for something mellow and close to surf. Every morning we woke up to beautiful weather and waves. They have an open-air bar/restaurant that sits on the beach, and is a perfect backdrop for an afternoon drink.
A few suggestion for a future visitor:
--The lighting along the pathways isn't the best, so bring a headlamp.
--Bring some sort of beach umbrella (if that's possible) they do not have a lot of shaded areas.
--Be sure to lay out in the hammocks.
--The road getting to negra is bumpy..so drive slowly.
--We had an older room and it did not have air conditioning, which did not bother us, but if you want it they have newer rooms with AC.

If you are high maintenance and prefer room service and fluff then this is too cool of a spot for you. Private tiki huts with sounds of the ocean, romantic landscaping, and quiet are awaiting you here at Hotel Playa Negra. 50 yards from the beach and a lovely little cafe. Picturesque, tropical, rustic and everything you need for a great nights sleep. Nice breeze & ceiling fan made it quite comfortable without ac. We are anticipating this to be the highlight of our stay...but seriously high maintenance whiners please stay away!! My husband and I loved, loved, loved starting our first trip to Costa Rica here

After reading all the good reviews for this hotel we decided to stay her for two days (jan 29 & 30).
We could not be more disappointed. Bugs and ants everywhere in our room. I can handle bugs but this was real bad. Big ants all over toilet and sink. ore would ome as fast as we would kill them. We found that if we sprayed OFF BUG spray all around the bed we could sleep without getting invaded (I wish we new that the first night).

There was two swimming pools which one had no water. Six wooden lounge chairs around the pool for everyone.

Restaurant was nice and clean but food was way way over priced.

Owners seamed not to have any interest in you unless you were a surfer. Funny thing is surfers came during day then left not staying or spending their money.

Beach was fine but much better everywhere we stayed in Costa Rica.

This place hit its prime 10-15 years ago. Its landscaping is nothing but weeds about a foot high.
Don't believe the pictures!

Bottom line, we would of been much happier staying in Tamarindo.