Our stay in Manuel Antonio couldn't have been more perfect! This boutique hotel is gated and small. You feel as though you are amongst the few elite that are allowed to enjoy such beauty and service.
Our villa was sitting above lush jungle, with a perfect view of the Pacific. The entire front of the villa was glass, with large sliding doors to let the sounds and fragrances in. As we relaxed in our hammock, we truly forgot everything and became one with nature! The villa offered us everything we could want for a romantic anniversary. Privacy, comfort, kitchen, amazing views and AMAZING VIEWS! WOW!
We awoke each morning to the brilliance of the ocean glistening directly in front of us, and watched each evening as the sky changed colors with the setting of the sun. Our canopied, king bed was romance personified. Housekeeping ensured that we had a special animal on our bed to greet us when we returned each day. Flower petals were spread over the bed and used to give our creatures character. Lovely touch. Thank you Makanda Housekeeping for your time in giving our stay just one more perfect touch.
The kitchen was open and airy, with pacific blue tile and wood. It all blended naturally to the vista around us. The only requirement for cooking a great meal, was the food, but with the great food offered at the restaurant or by room service, we found no need to spend anytime cooking. The step-down living room was large enough to entertain several new friends in comfort. The furnishings were just enough and nicely laid out. The colors of the room were in keeping with the splendid hues laid out before us.
We really liked the two entrances to the villa. The first opens into a private small garden, with a landing leading to another door to the room itself. We were able to remove our shoes and leave the umbrella there without bringing them inside or leaving them to the elements outside.
The restaurant is set by the pool and very romantic. The draped area offers you, both shelter from the occasional rain shower and intimacy for that special dinner. Our chef was Randall and he was extremely accommodating. Thanks Randall, for your special drink you prepared just for me! Delicious!!! Great food and great company was the theme of our meals at Makanda.
The infinity pool transitioned to jungle without any disruption. It is set down a hillside, and surrounded by tropical flora a fauna. Birds, geckos and butterflies seem to love the property as much as we did, as there was always some show that these beautiful creatures were putting on for us.
Everyone at Makanda by the Sea became like a friend to us during our stay. We were treated warmly and with great respect.
For anyone considering this property, please don't hesitate. It is a special place and will remain in your memory long after you have returned back to the real world!
Gracias Amigos at Makanda by the Sea...

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.