Costa Dulce ( the sweet coast in Spanish) is a true eco lodge integrated with nature. Much thought and consideration has gone into the location of all of our buildings keeping the jungle undisturbed and vibrant. To preserve the natural beauty of the jungle the entire place has been has been hand built using traditional construction methods. Spread across a jungle hill rising up from the from playa Escameca Grande, Costa Dulce consists of 11 individual Bungalows and Cabins and 1 room, two yoga shalas, a large lounge/common area , wellness centre and a restaurant the Dulce Cocina. Enjoy ocean views from our eco friendly pool or while relaxing in a hammock or sofa from your front porch. Open air design in all of our unique rooms keeps you cool while connecting you with nature. The Dulce Cocina keeps you healthy and happy with delicious family style meals. Delicious is an understatement the food is amazing! Traditional Nicaraguan food blended with yoga inspired healthiness.
I would definitely recommend Costa Ducle for a relaxing week off. My two girl friends and I were here in January and we did the yoga package with 2 added surf lessons to try it out. The surf instructor was patient and made us feel extremely safe. The yoga classes were great, there was a mix of challenging and relaxing classes 2 times a day - some instructors we definitely preferred over others but genuinely enjoyed every class. We would have maybe rather that the night time yoga was before dinner instead of after but that would have been our personal preference… The food was delish, their fish tacos stole the show. Our room had a lovely outdoor shower and hammock - and we got to wake up and fall asleep to the sound of the ocean. The only con with regards to our room was the fact that we had crabs crawling everywhere at night… the beach was stunning, very private. The sunsets were fabulous. The people who worked at the resort were all great. We also celebrated a birthday there which was a lot of fun - cake and salsa dancing under the stars. We had a hard time coming back to reality when we returned home.
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip type: Traveled with friends
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.
If you're considering booking a stay at Costa Dulce don't hesitate, just do it. I've traveled all around the world, and will attest that this is one of the most beautiful, peaceful, relaxing, and special places that exists. Whether you are there to practice some yoga, try surfing, or just take it easy on the beach and opt for other activities, there is something fun and unique for everyone here. Speaking of, there are even extra activities like bonfire nights, a live band (who are amazing!), a temazcal sweat lodge, Cacao ceremonies (Thanks Tara!), sound baths, trips to San Juan del Sur, & more. The rooms are all gorgeous, with fantastic views and comfortable furnishings (I loved the hammocks and outdoor showers). And, let's not forget the food. Like other reviews mentioned, it is fantastic - truly delicious, healthy & amazing; there is always something for every dietary restriction and they really try to make everyone happy (and succeed). Further, it was a wonderful location for a solo traveller as they set it up to take all your meals together and create a very inclusive and open community to connect with other travelers - something I find really lacking in other places when I travel alone. The sunsets were also so magical, each and every night.
On a personal note, I found Costa Dulce to be extremely healing and a place I needed to visit at a certain time in my life, from the people to the location to the ambiance of it, it provides a tranquil space to 'just be' and more importantly a place to be grateful for the moment and world you are living in. Thank you so much to the whole staff for such a wonderful time and experience, and special shout outs to Willie, Lester, Fredy, Tony, Jose, & Diedrys for all their hard work & efforts. As much as I would love to keep this place a secret, I would not hesitate to shout from the rooftops to all my friends & family that this is a must see destination and wonderful ecolodge to visit, I highly recommend it!
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled solo
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 incredibly overdue, but I absolutely loved my stay at Costa Dulce! As many other reviewers have mentioned, this is truly a special place and hidden gem.
In my short and sweet five days, I ended up doing an a la carte itinerary focused on surf lessons with a sprinkle of yoga, a massage and a few activities. Everything was amazing, but I definitely want to shout out the surf program. Freddy, Andres, Anthony and Miguelito were all so kind, patient and extremely helpful. Special shout out to Miguelito, he helped me to relax and with his guidance I was consistently riding waves. His energy is contagious and with his encouragement, I felt so much more confident.
Tl;dr the location is gorgeous, every meal is delicious, the staff is incredible and all good vibes! I left feeling rejuvenated, refreshed, grounded and with an abundance of gratitude. Highly recommend and would love to return!
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Date of stay: July 2024
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Trip type: Traveled solo
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.
I loved my stay at Costa Dulce! I went in January to have a fresh start to the new and as a solo female traveler I can say that the Costa Dulce staff was very responsive leading up to the trip and super helpful while I was there. There's a lot of solo travelers there too. They even matched my flight with another guest traveling so we can share and split the cost of the car ride to Costa Dulce. Also, I only stayed 5 days, so if you're not traveling long, look into paying a la carte for things like the yoga, surfing, spa since you don't need the services for the full week. I was also worried about the heat at not since there's no air conditioner (being sustainably solar powered), it was never an issue. And the weather while I was there was noted as unseasonably warm, I slept very comfortably at night. Also, you can ask for a mosquito net if you're sensitive to bugs bites like me, but do it ahead of time just to make sure you reserve in advance.
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Date of stay: January 2023
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Trip type: Traveled solo
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.
Costa Dulce is an amazing place. The owners and staff are very helpful and go above and beyond to make everything special. The place is very clean and feels incredibly safe. Its a beautiful space and my time there was special.
I have to specifically point out that the surf instructors (Freddie and Will) are amazing. They are very knowledgeable and Kind hearted. Everyone will learn to surf with them and have a great time. Freddie always made sure that we felt safe and caught waves no matter our skill level. He arranged for us to go to the best beach possible for each day and went way above what's required. They are truly amazing.
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Date of stay: February 2022
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The resort is beautiful and the reviews are on point. Sam who is one of the yoga instructors made the trip, her classes were perfection! The food is amazing 90% of the time, but there were a few meals that were not great [Sheppards Pie and Bean soup] and the desserts were ok - very repetitive and previously frozen.
The only complaint I had, which I raised while I was that there, were the unsupervised children running around, screaming and splashing in the main pool. It was not a relaxing vibe, but after 3 days, the owners and also parents of the children [who live on the property] addressed the issue and the kids were not seen for the rest of the trip.
The wifi is pretty touch and go, so if you are looking to relax, this is your spot, but it is NOT good for video calls. Also, there is little to no hot water and it's frequently broken - ie. no running water in your villa. The staff is great though and very quick to fix all issues.
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Date of stay: December 2022
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Room Tip:Â Ask for Nido if you are looking for a private room with a private bathroom on the ocean!
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.
I had a terrible experience at Costa Dulce. My bungalow "Colibri" was a rickety structure at the top of a hill with no overhead fan, just a small occilating fan. In 93 degree weather and hot windy nights, this is simply NOT ADEQUATE. The wind was so sever up there that the structure shook and the doors rattled all night long. I literally slept 2-3 hours a night, period. I was so exhausted near the end of my stay, I was beside myself. When thye finally had the space to move me to another room, which was lovely and HAD A PROPER FAN, I slept well. But they could only move me for one night even though I had two nights left so I had to leave early and pay to updata my airline tickets. Martine, the manager, was obnoxious. He did not even try to make it work. I heard similar complaints with the people I rode with to the airport about services they did not recieve and no refunds issued, just a "credit"....as if they would ever return. The food was great, the beach was lovely, but if you can't rest at night, none of that matters.
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Date of stay: March 2024
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Trip type: Traveled with friends
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.
My son and I spent a month at Costa Dulce. It was a great opportunity since he has online school currently and I can work from anywhere with good internet. The hotel is a series of bungalows spread out across the hillside and each offers privacy and a view of the ocean and jungle. The vibe was laid back, with daily yoga, meditation, surfing, beach walking or just chilling in the hammock. The food is all freshly made with any option you want i.e,. vegan, etc., and prepared by locals, one of whom is a pastry chef. The desserts were yummy! Meals are served at a group table on the deck by the cocina, and the people we met during our stay become friends, which was really nice. It did not feel like a hotel as much as it did a community. We each had a weekly spa treatment as part of our package. We had pedicures, massages, my son got a body scrub, and the therapists were locals who were knowledgeable and good at their craft. The owner, Tyson and his team are working to achieve sustainability through all solar power, using all locally sourced foods, and they have built a itchen/ testing facility where they are working with the local community to develop healthy foods used in the hotel, as well as producing their own soap, cleaning sprays, etc. If you are looking for a chill place to be who you want to be , work/ relax and learn more about yoga and medidation than you ever thought you would (Katja and Paul are wonderful people and excellent and knowledgeable yoga/ bodywork teachers and yogis). you might want to check this place out.
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Date of stay: February 2021
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Response from Costa Dulce, General Manager at Costa Dulce Beach Hotel & Retreat Center
Responded Mar 16, 2021
Thank you so much for your lovely words! We're very happy that you enjoyed your stay with us! It was an absolute pleasure having you and your son here! Thank you for all your wise words, the laughter, the book recommendations, the caring and sharing and positive vibes! :-) Wishing you all the best! Your Costa Dulce Family
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I stayed at Costa Dulce for 1 week between jobs and did the yoga retreat. I did a massage every day and yoga most of the days. It was a beautiful property with incredible staff. Everyone was very accommodating, friendly, and I could tell that guest comfort was top priority for them. I had some issues with bugs in my room (it was rain season) so they had me change rooms a couple times, and they were very understanding and accommodating. The yoga was incredible, and lead by Irene. She was such a calm presence, and I really enjoyed her energy. I also did hypnosis and highly recommend it! The entire time I was at Costa Dulce I had an overwhelming sense of calm, and I recommend it for anyone that's looking to get away, and not have any worries. It was an incredible trip!
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Date of stay: June 2022
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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 came as a family and did the dulce vida package (adults) with our two young teens. This was a spectacular trip, we were safely taken to the resort and loved our accommodations, the food, location which is a bit wild and most importantly the staff. This resort walks the walk and truly gives back to the community and I had many discussions with the staff about how transformative and supportive the resort had been in their lives. We all learned to surf, the instructors were kind, patient and wonderful. I can't recall all the names Miguel, Anthony , Andres and Freddie, the driver Martin and Alphonso , Gabby at the bar. The spa staff, the amazing kitchen staff and Neffi can't wait to see you all again. The yoga and communal atmosphere was also wonderful, met people from all around the world. Tyson the owner deserves a special shout out , in the days we were there many staff members without prompting shared stories of his kindness .
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Date of stay: March 2024
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Trip 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.
We can pick you up from either airport. We offer airport transfers from Managua (MGA) or Liberia (LIR) Costa Rica. 24 hours a day from Managua and you can arrive in Liberia on any flight that gets in before 10pm. And if you are coming through Liberia our drivers help you negotiate the border you are never on your own, making crossing the border easy.
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua1 contribution1 helpful vote
Hola I would recommend that you don't exchange a bunch of money to Cordobas. USD are accepted everywhere and that way you don't get nailed on exorbitant exchange rates. Food packages are available for $35 USD or 1156 Cordobas ( will be slightly different by the time you arrive). You can also do meals a la carte but after trying the food you probably won't want to miss a meal.
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua2 contributions1 helpful vote
Yes the turtle hatchery is right in front of the hotel, you can't miss it. Turtles however are seasonal with most of the arrivals happening between June and December, there are still turtles arriving year round at our beach but less frequently during the rest of the year.
Our turtle hatchery is on the beach directly in front of the hotel (literally a stones though) so you will definitly see the hatchery. Mothers come to lay eggs on their own schedule so there is no guarantee that you will see a mother laying her eggs, though it is the right season so chances are good. It is also very likely that you would see babies, we currently have about 30 nests waiting to hatch and our next one expected to hatch over the weekend. There is also La Flor, a very busy turtle reserve 2 beaches south where thousands of turtles can lay eggs in one night, we offer tours to this beach as well.
There are more places to choose from in the San Juan del Sur area.
LOCATION
NicaraguaRivas DepartmentSan Juan del Sur
NUMBER OF ROOMS
21
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