The reviews of this hotel are in general accurate. However one significant annoyance we had was the air conditioner in our room, first floor, was full of mold. The room only had one very small window. The weather was very hot, 97 degrees F and whenever we left the room and shut the door we returned to a very musty, moldy smell. We had to sleep with the door open at night, with the fan going to tolerate the thought of what we were breathing.
The hotel was full and they said they did not have another room. It is a long story why we did not pursue changing rooms on our 2 subsequent days so that is our responsibility. But I did want to mention this. Otherwise I must say that the staff was very kind and helpful and it is a good location. One more thing. After other towns Montezuma struck me as dirty, lots of litter and questionable thoughts about where the sewers empty. I suspect right into the ocean where we were swimming. This may be true in lots of the beach towns in CR. Next time I will try to stay in smaller towns to help minimize my impact. Eco-tourism, the very thing that draws people to this area, is having its negative consequences.
We loved El Sano Banano restaurant, super friendly and helpful staff. Yummy food. Lastly if you are going from Montezuma to San Jose via the ferry be sure to find out about the direct bus. I asked for the best and least expensive way to get to Alajuela And I gave the # I had from the Frommer's book. (I should have called this number myself and I regret I didn't, my bad.) We were told by the tour office in town And the hotel desk that "everybody charges $40." THIS IS NOT TRUE. When we got on the ferry we saw a large a/c tourist bus that left from Cobano (so you have to take a local bus (or taxi) to Cobano which should be easy, @ $2?) to catch this tour bus. The bus from Cobano to San Jose airport or Alajuela cost only $15 plus you do not have to change your luggage from one van, onto the ferry, off the ferry into another van. This is the only time in our 10 day trip when I felt ripped off. I heard from people whose daughter lives in Cobano that the hotels receive a cut for referring their guests. I don't have a problem with that, but to say it is the only way is only partly true.
It is a beautiful country, with very nice residents and we are very glad we went. 90% of the time was perfecto. Enjoy

We stayed 5 nights and enjoyed every minute of Montezuma.

Room: The room was basic - clean, necessities for living, not a lot of excess room. The bathroom has a huge shower with decent water temp and good water pressure. There is a/c and free wi-fi but there wasn't a TV in the room.

Hotel generally: Well cared for. On the 3rd floor there is Direct TV if you want to watch it and hammocks to lounge in. We didn't do any TV watching but I did spend an hour or so in the hammock reading a book. The hotel does have security on duty after dark. A note about rates - if you pay cash you get a better rate. NOTE: There is NOT an ATM machine in Montezuma so bring at least enough cash for 1 night in the hotel.

Staff: Was pleasant and professional. Everyone spoke English.

Location: In guide books this hotel is listed as "beyond the church" which makes it seem remote and quiet. This isn't the case. It is quiet but it is also super conveniently located on a dead end street near the town park. You can get to food, stores, the bus, the bar, and the beach by foot in 2 minutes (no exaggeration).

Overall: Great value if you don't need a fully Western style hotel.

My girlfriend and I arrived at Hotel El Tajalin and were excited by the location...it is on a small hill about a block from the center of town in Montezuma...secluded enough and yet near the action.

Our excitement turned to dismay when we checked in- the desk clerk tried to bill us the cost for a 6 night stay when in fact we were only staying for 4 nights...with the Colones conversion this wasn't the easiest thing to figure out. Once we figured it out, he informed us that if we wanted to use a credit card, there would be a 7% extra charge above our negotiated room rate. This wouldn't be a problem if we knew beforehand (we would have brought more cash) or if the only ATM in town actually worked. For the credit card, they also used a Colones conversion rate that favored them by over 5%.

The advertised "hot water" sort of worked. It got warm for a minute or two and then we had to reset the circut breaker (by the second day I knew where the circut breaker was and would just go out of my room in a towel to reset it). It is also pretty hot and humid outside so you don't necessarily need hot water.

Overall, the hotel was in a great location within the town of Montezuma and if you bring cash (colones) and don't need hot water, it is a good lower cost option.

Very: clean, friendly, safe, quiet, close to the beach. If that weren't enough, the balcony is huge and lined with hammocks and has coffee ready to go right away in the morning. The hardwood floors are beautiful, too.

If you are looking for a resort, this (really Montezuma at all) is not the place for you... it's not a place with frills. But if you are looking for a clean, safe, comfortable place to stay in Montezuma, definitely check it out.