When we booked this hotel we expected "rustic". But it was just plain dirty and run down. The open air dining and reception area looks impressive, but the bungalows are terrible. The first room we were led to had an unmade bed - the clerk told us she let her " best friend" stay there, and she forgot to make it again (big red flag). In the second room we were taken to, we decided to pull back the sheets to make sure they were clean - sure enough, there were hairs (guess what kind) and dirt covering it. Disgusting! Not entirely sure what kind of business they are operating... The rooms have screens on the windows (no glass, certainly no AC) and curtains that don't fully cover the windows. There were huge bugs in the bathroom. The "safety deposit box" was a filthy little box in the floor (someone had put kleenex in the bottom).

The east coast is not the most scenic part of CR - I would suggest skipping it. Great surf, but a long way to drive, lousy roads, and very limited lodging options.

Just thinking about our stay there in September '07 brings tears to my eyes!! It is not that close to Puerto Viejo but is close to some very nice restaurants and a couple of little general stores. No pool, no TV, but the most incredible jungle setting. The bungalows are far apart and separated by lots of trees and foliage so you feel there is no one else around. A beautiful forest walk takes you to the perfect beach - fairly gentle waves compared to other beaches we visited in the area.

The staff was great, and the service was good. The restaurant had a limited menu but it was a close walk to other good places to eat. The complimentary breakfast was the best, even though it was the same every day.

We never figured out how to get hot water from the shower but since the weather was hot we really didn't care.

My girlfriend and I stayed at shawandha while vacationing in Puerto Viejo. We chose to stay there based on previous reviews here on tripadvisor as well as various travel guides. After a long taxi ride to get there we felt like we had stepped into paradise. The grounds can only be described as beautiful, the location is a 2 minute walk from a secluded pristine beach and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. It is one of the more expensive hotels in the area but if you feel like treating yourself this is definitely the place to stay.

My husband and I loved our stay at Shawandha Lodge! The bungalows were perfectly placed within a jungle-like forest. The heliconia, ginger flowers, banana plants, and even pineapple plants, were abundant. Our bungalow, or cabina, was great, the windows were all mesh so the breeze would gently flow into the room. The ceiling was peaked, the bed was great, and the huge bathroom were all great. Our cabina was the first one, closest to the restaurant, which wasn´t a problem. We were up early both days to explore the area. Breakfast was GIGANTIC!! We were given our own pot of coffee and the breakfast started out with a huge plate of cantalope, bananas, pineapple, papaya, watermellow, and passionfruit. This was followed by toast with probably the best blackberry jam we´ve ever had (the orange marmelade was good too, but I could have eaten the whole jar of jam if I wasn´t careful!) then we had our choice of eggs (fried or scrambled), and yes we skipped lunch both days!! We were so glad we didn´t stay IN Puerto Viejo. We spent the late afternoon and early evening lounging on our porch and sitting in our hammock. However, the birds, the insects and the monkeys tend to be a little noisy at night, so if you´re a light sleeper, consider ear plugs and an eye mask if the sun bothers you!! They really help!!

Playa Chicquita and Playa Cocles were MUCH better. We went into town on the first day, but then moved to Playa Cocles. We also went to the Butterfly Farm in Punta Uva, we would recommend skiping it, no tour guide, not a ton of butterflies.

As for dinner, La Pecora Nera (The Black Sheep) is the place to go. About 1 km back towards Puerto Viejo lies this restaurant about 200 meters inland, there is a prominent sign on the road just turn inward and you´ll end up in the parking lot. This utterly fabulous Italian Restaurant was so wonderful, we ate there two nights in a row!! The food was decadent, the portions supreme, and the afterdinner night-cap ended out night perfectly. My eggplant-goat cheese ravioli were probably the best ravioli I ever ate (even compared to Italy) and my husband´s spaghetti bolognese was divine (and I don´t appreciate meat!!). We brought our own bottle of wine the second night and were pleased to find that there was no corkage fee! La Pecora Nera is the place to eat!!