The Best Hotel In Montezuma, Costa Rica: Amor De Mar Review
Hotel Amor De Mar will check all your boxes – and Montezuma will too.
Look no further because we’ve found it. Hotel Amor De Mar is the total package – the most unique hotel in Montezuma, Costa Rica. This family-run hotel has a little bit of everything, and a sustainable mission we love more than anything. It can be hard to decide where to stay in Costa Rica, but you can’t go wrong with this oasis in the jungle.
Below we share every aspect of our stay at Hotel Amor De Mar, so you know exactly what to expect when you book this eco-friendly accommodation.
A Family Run, Local Business
First up on the long list of reasons we’re infatuated with Amor De Mar: this is a family-run, local business. When you travel, you have the opportunity to support the communities you visit by choosing to stay in locally owned accommodation.
Amor De Mar has been in business for 30 years since the owners stumbled upon the property and decided on a whim to purchase it. It’s easy to see why – this hotel has the most stunning grounds that we stayed on during our entire month traveling across Costa Rica.
You can wake up to watch the sunrise over the ocean, view the entire coastline of Montezuma from a swinging hammock, and take a sunset dip in the natural tide pool. Plus, this hotel is small enough that you’ll be able to experience true peace and quiet during your stay.
Upstairs Loft Sleeping Space
Entrance To Casa Luna
Outdoor Shower At Amor De Mar
Rooms & Villas
Indeed, when we said small we meant it. Hotel Amor De Mar has just 9 rooms and 2 villas situated on the property. Beyond the rooms, the hotel has a quaint restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch daily – offering many traditional Costa Rican dishes and fresh fruit smoothies. While breakfast isn’t included in your stay, it is quite affordable and the views from the dining area are priceless.
Every room in the hotel boasts some sort of ocean view, with the second floor rooms offering the best seascape. The rooms are ideal for free agents (our term for solo travelers), and couples looking for a romantic getaway.
Alternatively, Amor De Mar offers two villas– Casa Luna and Casa Sol–that are perfect to host groups and families. For example, we traveled with a group of six friends and stayed in Casa Luna for nine nights. This villa has three bedrooms on the first floor and an open air bedroom on the second floor for a total of 4 separate sleeping areas. The villa also had a full kitchen, where we cooked many meals during our stay to save money. But the best part about Casa Luna has to be the open-air rain shower! The bathroom in this villa is alive with plants and colorfully decorated to merge the rustic jungle vibe with luxurious amenity.
Hotel Rooms At Amor De Mar
Balcony In Casa Luna
The Price Is Right
Oh, and did we mention that Amor De Mar is actually quite affordable? Casa Luna ranges from $200-300 per night depending on the season – but this becomes considerably cheaper when split between a number of guests. With six of us staying in the villa during the month of December, we were paying approximately $40 per person per night.
One of our best tips to save money when you travel is to go with a group if possible, so you can split the cost of the accommodation. Plus, if you stay in villas like Casa Luna, that offer kitchens (unlike traditional hotel rooms) you will be able to save quite a bit of money on meals. Eating out (and drinking) is one of the quickest ways to drive up the price of a trip. While you want to be sure to enjoy some meals out in Montezuma’s town, there is nothing wrong with cooking in too!
Indoor/Outdoor Bathroom At Casa Luna
Casa Sol and Casa Luna
A True Eco Hotel
Most importantly, Amor De Mar is a business that operates with the planet in mind. You can feel good about booking this hotel, and engaging in a more sustainable form of travel. Below, we’ve listed the eco-friendly practices that are part of Amor De Mar’s mission:
- 100% biodegradable cleaning materials, dish wash and laundry soap to keep the water clean
- Bathrooms are equipped with water saving toilets
- Instant energy saving hot water heaters
- Micro-efficient bacteria in the septic system
- Limit the use of plastics
- Fruits, vegetables, and eggs served in the restaurant are all sources from local organic growers
- Art, mosaics, lamps and furniture made by local artists throughout the hotel
- Supports the local school by contributing to special educational art projects and improving infrastructure
Choosing to stay in small, boutique hotels is one easy way to minimize your environmental impact as a traveler. At Baggage, we are constantly on the lookout for sustainably-minded businesses to share, like Amor De Mar. You deserve accommodation that’s truly something special!
Montezuma Waterfall
Sleep Next To The Waterfalls
As if you needed another reason to stay here, Amor De Mar is ideally located across the street from Montezuma’s most popular attraction. The Montezuma Waterfalls are a series of three separate waterfalls reachable by a hiking path that begins just steps from the front entrance to the hotel.
Since these waterfalls are located right in your front yard, you can easily do the hike earlier in the day before groups of tourists arrive in the afternoon. If you’re lucky, you’ll have the falls almost entirely to yourself in the morning hours. Those who stay in other popular towns like Santa Teresa will have to drive 30+ minutes to reach these stunning waterfalls, while you’ll have daily access to explore as much as you’d like. If you’re interested in hiking the Montezuma Waterfalls, there is no better place to stay.
Natural Tide Pool At Amor De Mar
Sunset Views Of Montezuma
Location Is Everything
Beyond the hotel’s proximity to the waterfalls, Amor De Mar is also centrally located within walking distance to Montezuma’s main town area. It’s a short 10 minute walk along a dirt road to reach the quaint downtown area that boasts a few great restaurants, some small shops, and a grocery store. Additionally, you can find rental companies in town to rent surfboards and ATVs, and to schedule day trips and tours to other islands or attractions like Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve.
If you’re looking to save money while traveling, booking centrally located accommodation is the best way to avoid paying transportation fees. During the 9 days that we spent in Montezuma, we walked everywhere! Because Amor De Mar is in the perfect location, we didn’t need to spend money on ATV or car rentals, which can get quite pricey.
Breakfast At Amor De Mar Restaurant
Amor De Mar Enterance
For More On Montezuma
In truth, the town of Montezuma–where Amor De Mar is located–is much quieter than other beach towns in Costa Rica. But this is one of the best beach towns precisely because it’s a bit more off the beaten path, and far less touristy than some of its neighbors.
Ultimately, if you’re looking to find the perfect blend of travel and vacation, relaxation and exploration, you’re going to be infatuated with Montezuma. Now that you’ve found your hotel in Montezuma, you can begin planning the rest of your stay. Check out our full Montezuma Travel Guide for everything you need to know, from things to do, to where to eat, to how much money we spent during our 9 day stay.
Amor De Mar Restaurant
Shower In Casa Luna
Sunset Drinks In The Tide Pool
Now It’s Your Turn
As stated above, one of our biggest goals in starting this Baggage blog is to elevate businesses like Amor De Mar – that are small-scale, locally-minded, sustainable, AND incredibly deserving of all our love. When you travel, you can choose to positively impact the places you visit with the decisions you make about where to stay and what kinds of activities you participate in. These small choices add up to make a BIG difference in turning the tide of the tourism industry.
We’re breaking up with toxic travel, and you should too.
In conclusion, we fell hard for Hotel Amor De Mar. This is a Can’t Miss hotel in Montezuma – and one of our favorites in all of Costa Rica. If you’re traveling to Montezuma, give Amor De Mar a chance – we’re willing to bet this little hotel will run away with your heart.
