My wife and I stayed at Makanda by the Sea for our belated honeymoon back in April 2012. The hotel is laid out nicely with very private cabinas scattered in the jungle. They have a very nice infinity pool overlooking jungle and ocean. The food was good. The service was a little casual and the staff, while helpful, was not very courteous and at times hard to locate... They have a 'private' beach that's about a 15 minute walk, but don't be fooled, its VERY steep... I would definitely recommend this hotel to a friend, but I do think its a little expensive! Overall, I enjoyed my stay. I especially liked that they deliver the delicious breakfast to your room... That is a nice touch.

We just returned from a four night jungle and beach adventure near Manuel Antonio National Park in Costa Rica!! We did not think we could top our last adventure but WE DID!! Central America has become our new destination of choice because of the non stop and or excellent connections from Orlando Florida. We have health issues and have a tighter budget now and sometimes really enjoy those creature comforts in the hot jungle. This beautiful boutique hotel has the most amazing jungle and beach views. the villas are large and fully equipped with everything you could possibly need. The concierge fellows were fabulous with their suggestions and took my personal requests to heart. You can enjoy extreme sports like zip lining and sport fishing to wonderful quiet jungle hikes in the park, horseback riding beach or jungle forest or just a slow boat tour into the mangroves for peace and animal viewing!! All of these activities are at your door step!! The transportation across Costa Rica is much improves from years ago and there are some reasonable local airfares to get you to all corners. Makanda was the perfect getaway and the staff exceptional. Thank you to all of you and especially Leo, Darwin and Randall the most famous margarita maker south of any border!! ALl the best LIddy and Mitch C. Tampa, florida

My wife and I just got back from our trip to CR and stayed 4 nights at Makanda. We stayed in Studio #3 which was smaller than the villas, but still a nice sized room with an amazing view. Makanda is a great balance of both tropical rainforest and air conditioning. There are a few luxury hotels in the area and I wouldn't classify Makanda as luxurious but an eco-boutique. We went to eat at some of the other nice hotels to get a feel for a possible return trip and found places like Gaia and Arenas Del Mar to be much nicer but for different reasons. A couple of dislikes about Makanda would include the pool and restaurant area. It comes off as a few canopy tents put together with faded purple and green curtains from circa 1996. Even on the hotel website the hotel comes off that way, but thought maybe it was just the lack of updating their website. Several things about the hotel could use an update. While still keeping that Costa Rican charm, this is a strong reason that I booked this hotel over the more modernized luxury hotels. We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast every morning from the comfort of our own room. Another plus is that you rarely run in to other guests giving you the feeling of the upmost privacy. Overall, the staff was great and extremely helpful. If you're looking for 5 star luxury stay somewhere else, but if you're looking for a balance of tropical rainforest with private villas and A/C, stay at Makanda.

We LOVED our stay here!! We just came home and miss Makanda already!!
We stayed in room #10 and had wildlife galore! Randall at the Sunspot restaurant is someone you will treasure like family. He really has a great heart and goes up of his way to make sure you are happy.
It is quiet and peaceful at night and the views are just spectacular. We plan to come back in February. I cannot say enough. Breakfast included in your room each day....heavenly.
Thank you Makanda!!