Come see Costa Rica as you always imagined; wild, beautiful and unexplored. Be one of the lucky few to scuba dive in the pelagic rich waters of Cano Island or explore one of the last remaining virgin lowland tropical rainforests of Corcovado National Park. Splendidly isolated in the tiny community of Drake Bay, Costa Rica, Jinetes De Osa Hotel is a friendly beachside retreat one hours boat ride down the jungle lined banks of the Sierpe River.
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HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
300 M East of Rio Aguajitas, Drake Bay Costa Rica
Hotel Jinetes de Osa
497 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
About a 15-minute walk from town, my husband and I liked the fairly secluded feeling of Jinetes de Osa. We spent four nights there. As we couldn't book the same room for all four nights, we spent the first three nights in room 13, a garden view standard room, and the last night in room 12, which was a more expensive jungle view superior with a partial ocean view. Both had air conditioning. Be forewarned, the rooms air-conditioned rooms are up 184 stone steps, but that makes them farther away from the restaurant and the path that goes by Jinetes to another hotel farther on, so they're more peaceful. Also, the rooms at the top of the stairs aren't just rooms; each one is a little casita, or small house (minus a kitchen). Pros for standard room 13: 1) separate rooms for the toilet/sink and the shower, 2) a second sink in the main room, 3) plenty of toiletry storage space below both sinks, and 4) two air conditioners, one in the bedroom and one in the main room. Cons: the view from the small porch was of other casitas, but you'll know that when you book if you look at their website. For the superior room 12, the pros are: 1) nice partial view of ocean from the porch. Cons: the toilet, sink and shower are in one long bathroom with one sink and a lack of toiletry storage, and 2) the lights from the gazebo located behind the casita came through the windows into the bedroom, as there were no blinds on the windows. If you're going to spend a lot of time sitting on the porch, go with the more expensive superior room, but if you're not, we found the standard room to be more comfortable.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We really enjoyed our 3 night stay in Drake Bay. It was handy that the ferry from Sierpe drops you right in front of the hotel (be warned it is a wet landing) and staff were there to help us bring our bags up the beach. We had a room up the hillside with the most fantastic view which we enjoyed from our balcony. The room was very big, clean and comfortable. A little old-fashioned but it did have air conditioning and a safe. Only negative was that there were no toiletries in the bathroom which was surprising consider the cost of the room. Breakfast was great with a good choice of options. Location of the hotel is really good. Not far to walk into town (about 20 minutes) and in the other direction there is a well marked trail to a couple of gorgeous beaches (30 minutes). There are a few nice places to eat in town and the restaurant in the hotel is also very good. We booked and paid for 3 excursions in advance and they were all brilliant!! Rolando was our guide for the Corcovado hike and also for the night tour and he was amazing! We learned so much and had so much fun. We also went snorkelling off Cano Island which we really enjoyed.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Most rooms are well up hillside with good views over bay but lots of steps up, and down! Our rooms were spacious and had air conditioning, decent showers and balconies to read and watch the wildlife. Breakfast was OK with delicious warm cinnamon rolls, and supper was fine but relatively pricey. It does get hot though....
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
To begin the hotel doesn't have a pier to disembark, you will touch the rocks, not even the sand. Those rocks are dangerous, since they are very sharp and if you don't step carefully you will end without a finger. The room provided was not bad. It has a nice spot, but no air condition, and the temperature can be sometimes really hot. They have fans but not enough for the heat. The areas around are not nice, smell really bad, like dark waters, sometimes, and the owner presentation not so good. Looks like he is another customer, but he is the owner. My friends had a room with air condition, and they were saying that the room was nice, but is really high in the mountain, and on the last day, the air condition broke. Not everyone can reach this hotel, since they don't have accessibility for people on wheelchairs or any other handicap. The only thing that I can say is very good service is the restaurant, that by the way is not part of the same hotel, they are on the same premises, but not own but the hotel owner. So in general, the service is pretty bad, and much to desire, for the money they ask for the rooms.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled on business
Room Tip:Ocean view rooms and sound
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taking the boat from Sierpe was the beginning of our adventure to Jinites de Osa. The boat dropped us off on the beach right in front of the hotel, very convenient! We were met by staff that assisted other guests with their luggage (we had backpacks so we managed ourselves). The check in was simple and informative. There is a bar and restaurant at this hotel. We had lunch, dinner and breakfast the next day, every meal was great! Friendly bar staff. The restaurant overlooks the beach, very relaxing. We had the superior rooms where, yes, you have to walk 180 steps but it was worth it for us, and people that complain about the walk, don't! You are made well aware that there are 180 steps to walk up. Yes, it may be hard, but that did not disturb us at all. The room was spacious, very clean. Beds need to be improved a bit, average comfort. The bathroom and shower were great. The terrace in front of the room allowed us to sit and watch the birds fly by and we caught the (ending) sunset. There are mosquitos but you're in the jungle so you should expect to wear bug spray. We took the trail from the hotel to the beach, a 20 minute walk, crossed some cool animals, a foot bridge, and was pleasantly surprised by cocolito beach. Very nice, clean, small and the picture image of what we expected.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Pay extra for the superior rooms
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Positives - comfortable beds, good air con. Location is amazing. Staff are extremely friendly and accommodating.
I was slightly disappointed to be put in room 1 (which you have to pass to get to at least 6 other rooms). I was assured there would be privacy but it was loud and not private at all: couldn’t leave the curtains open or enjoy the view without people staring into our room. I made it clear we wanted a private and quiet room but got the opposite.
Our room was staggered and on different levels. The bathroom had a tiny light so you shower in darkness. There was only a thin curtain around the shower. The shower head was a rain full head but secured close to the wall at an angle. I had the shower on for a few minutes to warm up and ended up blooming the bathroom AND bedroom. They replaced the head with another, secured by tape; and promised a whole new unit the following day when we were out on a tour. We never got this and had to use the shower with a knackered head (half the wholes were blocked and water mainly came out of two). I was really disappointed with this as was scared it would fall on me every time I showered.
Overall a great location, lovely restaurant in front of hotel, comfortable bed, air con and nice room. But just some little details and plumbing issues which kind of ruined it for us. Shame they didn’t care
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Everyone at Jinetes: Rolando, Giovanni and Carlos were on top of all the details that keep guests happy. They are very organized with check-ins, getting people to their tours, checking if all is well. We stayed six nights and took most of our meals at the hotel’s restaurant, which was very good. Breakfast was included. We had a standard room with natural ventilation that was right on the oceanfront, and surrounded by the lush jungle palms and plants plus ornamental vegetation. We saw so many birds and wildlife right from the front porch, including a big show by the local white-faced capuchin monkeys. I don’t know if we have ever stayed in such a magical ocean setting. Also, you can jump on the coastal Osa peninsula trail right outside the door. It leads to Cocalita Beach in 25 minutes. Walk further and you come across a number of hidden gem beaches within a two-hour shaded rainforest hike. Tours to Corcovado National Park can be booked through the hotel as well. A short boat ride further south to access the park. Highly recommend! Of course the lodge is also right at the south edge of Drake Bay and a short walk to grocery stops and restaurants in town. Be aware that all of the amazing sights of Osa and Corcovado National Park are because the rainforest is a very humid place. It will be hot and wet ( even without rain) and you have to embrace it! You have a choice of air conditioned rooms at Jinetes, but these are a good climb up the escarpment behind Reception.
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were looking for a vacation away from the crowds in Costa Rica and we couldn't be happier with Jinetes. Our room was clean and spacious. If you're in one of the rooms at the top of the hill the views are great (just be ready to tackle the stairs!). Lots of wildlife around. The hotel provides a water cooler outside so you won't need to bring your own filter. Thank God for the A/C and refrigerator! The staff were all very friendly and helpful. We scheduled most of our tours with the hotel and they were all amazing (Rolando is the man!). The location is a 10-15 walk from town along a dirt road. We thought the price was very fair. The attached restaurant (Claudio's) is also amazing. We highly recommend Jinetes!
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We spent two nights at the Hotel Jinetes de Osa on a rental car tour. The rooms are spread out on the slope above the main building and, depending on the location, there are more than 100 steps to climb each way. Luggage is brought to guests' rooms by quad bike.
Our room was spacious and clean, but because of the heat we were happy about the air conditioning. Two armchairs on the small terrace invited you to linger. The wifi worked well.
The hotel has a small restaurant that offers a variety of good dishes. The lodge also offers various activities such as excursions to Corcovado National Park and snorkeling.
We read a lot about the road that leads to Drake Bay. In mid-March 2024, it was easily navigable with the necessary caution. We managed the approximately 28 kilometers of gravel road with various steep climbs and descents in less than 90 minutes with a few photo stops. There are no rivers to cross anywhere.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is not a luxury hotel, but with the gorgeous views of Drake Bay and the warm welcome and assistance we received from the staff, it was a nice home base for our Drake Bay and Corcovado adventures. My family and I stayed in one of the air conditioned rooms that were up about 150 stairs from the Kalaluna Bistro and main entrance. My more fit family members had no problem with the stairs; I had to take them kind of slowly, but it was not a huge issue. Those with knee problems or other physical limitations should be aware of the stairs when booking. Fortunately, you don’t have to carry your luggage up or down the stairs; the staff drive it up and down by ATV via a “secret” route!
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Downstairs = no air conditioning, more convenience; upstairs = air conditioning & 150 steps
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
So for future, nothing happens at the hotels. The restaurants close by about 10pm. The town holds bonfires on the beach, there are fireworks at midnight and there are 2 discos/clubs that play music into the morning.
Vancouver Island, Canada298 contributions139 helpful votes
They bring the horses to the hotel and you head out. The ride is guided, through town and some back roads that take you to the river. There is a spot to stop and walk into the waterfall. Total time is appropriate 3 hours. You cannot hike on Cano Island. You can swim, dive or snorkel. A guide leads you. There are lovely beaches nearby the hotel. You have approx 20 minute walk through the jungle. You can rent kayaks nearby. There are lots of hikes. The hotel staff can help you with everything. They are great!
There are taxis available at the airport to take you in to Drake Bay. From where the taxi drops you off it is a short hike along the beach to reach the hotel.
There are more places to choose from in the Drake Bay area.
PRICE RANGE
$107 - $220 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
hotel jinetes de osa, jinetes de osa drake bay
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasOsa PeninsulaDrake Bay
NUMBER OF ROOMS
15
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