Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Camino Las Catalinas, Las Catalinas 50304 Costa Rica
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About
#2 of 2 hotels in Las Catalinas
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Here at Santarena, we appreciate luxury, but prefer places that feel traveled. In a formal sense, Santarena is an homage to the old mansions of the great coastal cities of Havana and Cartagena, a traditional gem where sun-kissed days revolve around blossoming courtyards and lounging on timeless terraces with marveling picturesque archways surrounded by lush greenery and constant views of the sky. Views from our rooftop are incomparable, especially when it is paired with our 35-square-meter pool. Stylish accommodations and inviting public spaces are seamlessly woven with gracious hospitality to make this the ideal home base, captivating guests with an authentic laid-back warmth throughout.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Bar / lounge
Beach
Business Centre with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Spa
Wifi
Rooftop pool
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Room service
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Charming
Location
45Car recommended
Grade: 45 out of 100
92Restaurantswithin 10 km
14Attractionswithin 10 km
Contact
Camino Las Catalinas, Las Catalinas 50304 Costa Rica
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Car HireSee all Las Catalinas car hire
69Reviews2Q+A13Room tips
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Our recent stay at Santarena Hotel in Las Catalina was enjoyable to end our multi-destination trip in Costa Rica. The area has ongoing major construction as they are extensively expanding this pedestrian city, so one must be prepared for lots of heavy machinery and workers around during the day. They begin working each day at 7:00am, which didn’t bother us as we are early risers. The hotel itself has very nice common areas and grounds. The rooms were nicely appointed although a couple things could be addressed to improve the experience. The wood floors seem to be cleaned with soap and water which leave them oddly dull and they feel almost unclean to walk on with barefeet. The wood planks also have about a 1/4 inch gap between each board which make them have sharp edges. Just odd. The bed was mostly comfortable but the feather pillows were not. The bath was quite large with a very nice shower and lots of hot water. We were disappointed there was no coffee maker in the room which is very much appreciated for early risers since coffee isn’t usually available until 7:00am. The weather is hot during January and the area is extremely dry So one should not expect the tropical foliage seen in other areas of Costa Rica. We really enjoyed the trails for hiking which are accessible directly from the beach to the side of the property. Early morning cool temps made this possible but mid or late afternoon was just too hot. The hotel staff were all pleasant and helpful. There were very limited restaurant choices in the pedestrian city, but the Tapas Restaurant and the one named Pots and Bowls were very good! We were told the expansion construction would last at least another 5 yrs, but after that this area will be amazing! Lastly, we wanted to address the driving recommendations we found on the hotel site. There are two routes to get there from Liberia airport, one through Belen which takes you south, around, and then back north. That was a TERRIBLE drive—over two hours of awful traffic with so many slow construction trucks that were impossible to pass because of the hills and curves along the way. Seriously, you’ll be driving at a pace of 2mph much of the drive. I would NOT recommend that route at all! A much better route is to take what is known as The Monkey Trail. There is a low bridge “river” crossing along the way at the Congo Trail point, but don’t be swayed away from using this route. It’s very easy to avoid the water crossing by paying $10 to use a private bridge (Congo Trail bridge) to safely cross and avoid this. They open it at 8am and it closes at 5pm, so this isn’t a solution for night drives. The Monkey Trail route only takes 45-50 minutes from Liberia airport and there is very little traffic. All other parts of the road are very good—as good or better than the route through Belen. And you do not need a 4x4 if you use the pay bridge. The detour around the river is less than 1/4 mile so it’s a no brainer! Hopefully this is helpful to other drivers as we really wish we would have known ahead of our drive there.…
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded yesterday
Dear Diana: Thank you for taking the opportunity to share your experience during your recent stay at Santarena Hotel. As we pride ourselves on delivering a memorable hotel experience during your travels, we have unfortunately fallen short of our goal during your recent stay. Please accept our sincere apology for the inconveniences with the construction & getting to our property. Upholding our commitment to provide a memorable experience with exceptional service, we hope to have an opportunity to better your experience with us whenever your travels bring you back to . Sincerely, Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Love the Hotel and its town Las Catalinas, amazing architecture and styles. Very Fun and Elegant. Views are amazing and lots to do. Outstanding! Will definitely visit soon again. Planning the next trip for a bit longer. :-)
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Date of stay: December 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Great Location
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear Guest: Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience, our staff is thrilled to learn you had a memorable stay. We look forward to welcoming you very soon again in Costa Rica! Stay Light, Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Very comfortable room, but we found it sheltered and inauthentic. We came to Costa Rica to experience nature, but this place is part of a modern development on the beach. Everything is SUPER expensive within the development, expect to pay way over the odds for everything within Las Catalinas. There is construction work going on all day nearby. There’s a valet car parking service, which takes ages to retrieve your car because of all the construction traffic. The staff are stressed, the service at the restaurant is slow. If all you want is beautiful weather and a comfy bed, and you have more money than sense this place is for you. If you’re looking to meet a few locals, experience the culture of Costa Ricaand spot wildlife look elsewhere.
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Date of stay: January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear McCrusty: We sincerely apologies for the inconveniences you had during your stay, appreciate your feedback and comments, we will follow up internally with the valet services improvement on their services and restaurants prompt attention. As Las Catalinas is a growing town, we have a construction disclaimer advising our guest about their operation, truly understand was very disrupted to your family. Once again thank you for your feedback and we hope we can welcoming your family very soon back in Costa Rica. Best regards Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My wife and I decided to dine one night at the Hotel's main restaurant Ponciana. The service was amazing and the food was even better. We had the pleasure of having Oscar wait on us. He was the most pleasant person to engage with and we thoroughly enjoyed his company. The food and drink selection was great. We really enjoyed sitting on the Mediterranean-inspired patio overlooking the water. It was a beautiful dinner. The hotel is amazing and we will definitely stay here. Although we did not have the opportunity to stay at this hotel during this visit, we were thoroughly impressed with the luxurious feel. My wife and I both agreed we would stay at this hotel during our next visit.
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Date of stay: September 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 25 Oct 2022
Dear Gjowl: We appreciate your comments during your recent visit at Ponciana Restaurant, and thank you for the kind words on Oscar, he is truly a star within the team as many others. Please do not hesitate to come back very soon as our guest and extend our hospitality to create more memories of Las Catalinas. Once again thank you very much. Stay Light, Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My wife and I went with friends to Santarena last weekend. We stay in the Ocean View suite #401 for 4 nights. The room is large with tall ceilings, huge windows overlooking ocean and courtyard. Easy access and secluded for an anniversary weekend. Bed was very comfortable, rooms were very quiet. People all over the resort are incredibly friendly. Andrea at front desk (one other guy too but we didn’t get his name unfortunately) were amazing all weekend. Eduardo out front was super. All the bar tenders were friendly and polite. The service is amazing here. A high level of service was expected but this exceeded our expectations. Andrea, Eduardo and the other front desk clerk were all outstanding. The outside of the hotel needs some attention and cleaning as black mold or mildew is spotted on some top floor walls and balconies. There is quite a lot and one would think at this price point that it would not be evident. Outdoor chairs and tables (which are Masaya & Co teak because we have the same) have not been treated or cared for as they should be. Wood railings on balconies and in pool area are in desperate need of pressure washing and sealing. Details like this take away from the overall experience as there is a lot of building going on and some level of regular maintenance needs to be made to a few areas. Had an issue with housekeeping leaving dirty glasses and not refilling water bottles or replacing towels and had to ask a few times for towels and washcloths as we didn’t have any, but this seems more attention to detail. Sentido Norte is an absolute MUST. Go have a drink and see the greatest view in this hemisphere. Drinks are expertly prepared all over the resort. We will be back again.…
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Date of stay: September 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 13 Sep 2022
Dear Guest: On behalf of the Santarena Team, we appreciate your comments and feedback, we truly appreciate your experience shared. We will follow up internally the overall exterior and maintenance, we have a program for deep maintenance and painting in progress during the low season (September & October), we appreciate your point of view, definitely takes away the impression overall. Truly apologies for the inconvenience with housekeeping service, we addressed them with the team. Once again thank you very much and we hope to welcoming you very soon again! Stay Light, Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
Obsessed with this hotel! We stayed recently and were kindly upgraded to a beautiful corner room facing the Pacific Ocean as we were celebrating our honeymoon. The bed was so comfortable with tons of pillows to suit your preference. Room was impeccably clean, and the property decor is done to perfection. The property is centrally located to restaurants and walking distance to the Danta Beach. The rooftop pool was great, never crowded and had beautiful views of Las Catalinas. The lobby bar & restaurant were our go-to numerous times during our stay with great service, and the coffee shop on property was good as well for a morning coffee run or quick grab & go bite. I cannot recommend this hotel enough, we had an absolutely incredible time during our stay here. I think our only complain was no drink service at the rooftop pool, but it's not a long journey to the lobby bar for a cocktail. Eli at the lobby bar was phenomenal, and the lady at the front desk - I can't remember her name - but she was always so kind & helpful, providing excellent customer service.…
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Date of stay: August 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Corner rooms are huge with incredible views of the beach
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 25 Oct 2022
Dear Tatiana: Thank you very much for your feedback, we are amaze you had a wonderful experience. Truly apologies for the inconveniences at the rooftop area, we will definitely follow up internally. We look forward to welcoming you very soon again. Stay Light,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Probably the only formal hotel at Las Catalinas PROS: located at the center and in front of the beach, the hotel and rooms are luxurious and very comfortable... they are much gorgeous than the pictures of the hotel webpage :) we stayed at the Ocean front suite and it was marvelous... two balconies in front of the bay area. it felt like a small condo, rather than a hotel room. Cleanliness and room service impeccable. CONS: the restaurant: the staff might ruin your impression of the hotel, poorly trained they don't even know the menu and get annoyed if you ask LOL, we had one breakfast and one lunch there... and preferred to look for options elsewhere. Breakfast menu was very limited and poorly executed, lunch on the other hand the menu is ok and food was tasty. There are other options outside the hotel - few but better -... look around :) Also, someone had reserved the pool area for dinner, which is small for the size of the hotel... so the staff began removing all furniture 2 hours before pool closing time and moving people's stuff to clean the area... if those are common areas all guests must be able to use them.... Last, las Catalinas is still a construction site, so noise is there even on sundays... so keep this in mind :)…
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Date of stay: August 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 30 Aug 2022
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience during your recent stay at the Santarena Hotel. As we pride ourselves on delivering a memorable hotel experience during your travels, we have unfortunately fallen short of our goal during your recent stay. Please accept our sincere apology for for the inconveniences mentioned. We have shared your feedback with the appropriate hotel team to ensure that this was an isolated issue that is corrected moving forward. Upholding our commitment to provide a memorable experience with exceptional service, we hope to have an opportunity to better your experience with us whenever your travels bring you back to Las Catalinas. Stay Light, Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Best view in town from the rooftop! Beautiful and spacious rooms, gorgeous bar and lobby, food was a 9 of 10 and they offer gluten free pasta and pizza 👏🏻 10 out of 10 in cleanliness. Service at the restaurant was not the best, but overall a great option to stay.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 17 Aug 2022
Dear Alli: We appreciate your feedback and all the lovely memories you collected during your stay, but truly apologies to hear at the same time that our service at the restaurant was not prompt and efficient. We have shared your comments internally to prevent this happening during the service. Hopefully you can visit us very soon again back in Las Catalinas. Stay Light. Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
The place is nice, the restaurants and food is really lovely, we ate at Sentido Norte one night it was amazing(make reservations), place goes dark after 10 with no noise. swimming pool at hotel closes at 6. staff is beyond welcoming, nice, happy and knowledgeable, clearly they hav tried the food and recommend form there, attentive and go out of their way to make you feel welcomed. At night they deliver fresh water and amenities to your room which we loved.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: ask for floor 4 looking to the ocean!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 5 Aug 2022
Dear Angie: Thank you very much for your lovely feedback, we appreciate your time sharing. Our staff always prepare to give more and best service. Looking forward to welcoming you very soon again! Stay Light, Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotel is even more beautiful in person. Staff was very accommodating, friendly and patient with our daughter. All except Oscar from the front desk. He lacks customer service and people skills. Not the person you want to have deal with while on vacation. Such a bad face to represent the hotel. Seriously considering staying somewhere else next time because of our experience with him.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Concierge Santarena, Guest Services / Front Office at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Responded 22 Jul 2022
Dear Mrs. Villegas: Thank you very much for your feedback, upper management will follow internally on this report. Best regards, Concierge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$208 - US$425 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Hotel Santarena at Las Catalinas
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of GuanacasteLas Catalinas
NUMBER OF ROOMS
45
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Claim Your ListingSANTARENA HOTEL AT LAS CATALINAS: UPDATED 2023 Reviews, Price Comparison and 295 Photos (Costa Rica) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas
Which popular attractions are close to Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas?
Nearby attractions include Playa Flamingo (5.0 km), Potrero Beach (3.1 km), and Playa Danta (0.1 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
What food & drink options are available at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas?
Conveniently located restaurants include Sentido Norte Restaurant, a'lo Nico, and Surf Box.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Is Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas located near the city centre?
Yes, it is 0.1 km away from the centre of Las Catalinas.
Does Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business centre, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.
Is Santarena Hotel at Las Catalinas accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access and reduced mobility rooms. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.