« Back to the Guide to Tamarindo
We first came to Tamarindo in 2011, and on that very first trip we lived in a little bungalow hotel for almost three months. We’ve been coming back part time ever since (our kids have even gone to school here). So when friends ask us where to stay in Tamarindo, this page is the answer we actually give them.
The short version: Tamarindo is small. Almost anywhere in town puts you a few minutes’ walk from the beach. The real decisions are how close you want to be to the noise of the main strip, and whether you want to be in town at all or out at one of the quieter beaches nearby.
Our own bias, so you can adjust for it: we like the “local” kind of place, a little off the beaten path. Nothing outlandish, we just prefer the edge of town to the middle of it. It’s quieter and more peaceful, and you’re still only a few minutes on foot from the heart of everything.
Our first pick for families
Casa Colorado
Full disclosure: this one’s ours. Casa Colorado is our family’s house on the quiet south end of Tamarindo, and we rent it out when we’re not there. If you’re bringing kids, it’s where we’d want you to stay.
- Sleeps 12, including a separate casita with its own entrance
- A private pool with a waterfall and a rope swing
- A 4- to 5-minute walk to the beach
Our Picks: Where We’d Stay in Tamarindo
A quick note: some of the hotel links below are Hotels.com affiliate links. If you book through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We’ve only listed places we know ourselves or have heard about firsthand from friends we trust.
Casa Colorado
Full disclosure: this is our family’s own house, and we rent it out when we’re not there. It’s on the south end of Tamarindo, a 4- to 5-minute walk to the beach. It sleeps 12 (a separate casita with its own entrance sleeps 3 of them), and the private pool has a waterfall and a rope swing. The yard is walled, but the pool isn’t fenced, so little ones need eyes on them.
Hotel Luna Llena
We have a special place in our hearts for the Luna Llena, because we lived there for almost three months the very first time we came to Costa Rica. It’s a quirky little hotel on the south side of town, built around a great little pool, and the staff are welcoming. The bungalows have a kitchen, which is handy with kids. It’s about a 3-minute walk to the beach, and we’d be shocked if you didn’t see howler monkeys a few times while you’re there. Breakfast is served in the hotel’s cafeteria, so ask whether it’s included in your rate.
Capitán Suizo Beachfront Boutique Hotel
Capitán Suizo is right on the sand at the far southern end of Tamarindo beach, and it’s a very nice hotel. It works great for families but it’s also a popular honeymoon spot. It’s very peaceful because there isn’t much foot traffic other than guests, and the restaurant sits on the beach. Be sure to look for their resident howler monkeys while you’re there!
Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort
If you’re after more of a “resort” feel (think Hawaii), the Diria is the one to look at. It’s right in the center of town and right on the beach, with several pools and a restaurant our kids have always enjoyed. It’s a big place (more than 240 rooms) and the hotel describes itself as family friendly. One heads up: one of its pools is in an adults-only section, so check which pool comes with the room you book.
Wyndham Tamarindo
The Wyndham is a beautiful hotel up in the hills overlooking Tamarindo. The grounds are lovely and the views can’t be beaten. Just know that it’s a long walk to the beach (and a hike back up the hill), so you’ll lean on the hotel’s shuttle into town, which runs on a schedule (ask the front desk for the current times). The hotel also says its guests get access to the Langosta Beach Club.
The Breeze Tamarindo
The Breeze is a small collection of villas on a single property, about 150 meters from the beach (around a 2-minute walk). We haven’t stayed there ourselves, but a number of our friends have, and every single one of them has loved it. It’s a nice middle ground if you want your own space and a kitchen without renting a whole house.
Tamarindo Backpackers Hostel
We haven’t stayed at Tamarindo Backpackers, but we’ve heard great things and we’re good friends with the owner, who has done great work on the property. It’s right across the street from our house, on a very peaceful dirt road about a 4-minute walk from the beach. Good to know for families on a budget: besides dorms, it has private rooms that sleep up to five with their own bathroom, and there’s a surf school on site.
La Botella de Leche Hostel
La Botella de Leche is a nice property just outside the main part of town, yet an easy walk to anything in Tamarindo. It has a pool and a shared kitchen. You can book a private room as well as a bed in a shared one. We haven’t stayed there ourselves, but everyone we know who has spent time there has said great things.
Renting a Condo
Tamarindo has a lot of condo buildings, from the main strip to the quieter streets toward Langosta. Before you book, check how many minutes on foot the beach really is. Also ask whether the unit faces the main road (that’s where the late-night noise is) and whether every bedroom has air conditioning.
Casa Colorado sleeps 12, and the casita has its own entrance, so the grandparents (or the other family) get some privacy. It’s our own house, a 4- to 5-minute walk from the beach.
More Places Families Book
We haven’t stayed at these, but they’re open, well reviewed and set up for families. Ratings checked October 2026.
Occidental Tamarindo
The only all-inclusive in the Tamarindo area, right on Playa Langosta about 2 km from town. It runs a kids club for ages 2 to 11, and one of its two pools has a children’s area. We haven’t stayed here ourselves.
Cala Luna
A boutique hotel with direct access to Langosta Beach at the south end of Tamarindo Bay. Its two- and three-bedroom villas each come with a private pool. We haven’t stayed here ourselves.
Peninsula Langosta
A gated condo complex about a block from Playa Langosta, with two pools and 24-hour security. Units are individually owned, mostly two bedrooms with full kitchens, so check the specific unit before booking. We haven’t stayed here ourselves.
The Coast Beachfront Hotel
A small hotel on the sand at the quieter south end of Tamarindo Beach. Rooms have kitchenettes and there is a pool, which makes cooking a few family meals easy. We haven’t stayed here ourselves.
Ten North
A small, family-run hotel a block from the beach. It rents one- and two-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes around a pool, with breakfast included. We haven’t stayed here ourselves.
Sunrise Condos
A gated condo resort across the road from the north end of Tamarindo Beach, built around a large shared pool. Units have full kitchens and washer and dryer, and each is rented by its own owner. We haven’t stayed here ourselves.
Villas Macondo
A budget pick 4 minutes on foot from the beach, with a pool and kitchen use. Booking sites list family rooms and cribs, though some reviews call the rooms dated. We haven’t stayed here ourselves.
JW Marriott Guanacaste
A big beachfront resort inside the gated Hacienda Pinilla, about 26 minutes by car from Tamarindo. It has a kids club and a playground beside a very large infinity pool. We haven’t stayed here ourselves.
Map of Places to Stay
Our picks in teal, the others in purple, and Casa Colorado in red. Tap “Where is it?” on any card for a closer look.
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Tap a pin for the name and a link.
If you want a private pool, room for everyone and the beach a few minutes away, our house is a good place to start.
Tips for families staying in Tamarindo
You can walk almost everywhere
If you stay anywhere in Tamarindo town, you can walk to the beach and to dinner, and you really don’t need a car day to day. Langosta is a short ride away. The beaches farther out (see the table above) are a different story, so plan on a car or a driver there. For getting here from the airport, see our shuttle service page.
Every beach is public
Beaches in Costa Rica are public, so “beachfront” buys you convenience and a view, not a private beach. A place that’s a 3 or 4-minute walk from the sand gets you most of the way there, often for a lot less money.
Check the tides
The beach changes a lot with the tide. Low tide gives you a wide beach and tide pools, and it’s the time to walk south toward Langosta along the sand. Stay out of the river mouths and the estuary (crocodiles), and watch for rip currents, especially toward Langosta.
Think about noise
The main strip in the center is where the late-night noise is, and on weekends it goes late. If sleep matters (and with kids it usually does), stay on the south end, in Langosta, or ask for a room away from the street.
Book early for the holidays
The dry season, roughly December through April, is the busy season. Christmas through New Year’s and Semana Santa (the week before Easter) are the busiest of all, because Costa Rican families head to the beach too. If your dates fall in either of those, book as early as you can.
Once you’ve picked a place, our guide to dining in Tamarindo covers where to eat, and if you’re dreaming about staying a whole season, read about going to school in Tamarindo.
Where to Stay by Area
Here’s how the areas families usually choose between stack up. Drive times are Google Maps estimates from the center of Tamarindo (checked October 2026), and they stretch when the road is busy.
| Area | Distance from Tamarindo town | What it’s like | Best for | Need a car? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamarindo center and north end | You’re in it | The main strip. Busiest, with the most places to eat and shop | Walking everywhere, first visits | No |
| South end of Tamarindo | A few minutes’ walk to the center | Quieter streets, still close to the beach | Families who want walkable but calmer | No |
| Playa Langosta | About 1.3 km, roughly 4 minutes by car | Residential and quiet, with boutique hotels and condos | Couples and families who want peace | Helpful, not essential |
| Playa Grande | A 5-minute boat ride across the estuary, or about 30 minutes (16.5 km) by road | National park beach, surf and turtles, few services | Surfers and nature lovers | Yes, or use the boat |
| Hacienda Pinilla | About 26 minutes (15 km) | Large gated resort community with golf and a beach club | Families who want a resort bubble | Yes |
| Playa Avellanas | About 30 minutes (17 km) | Surf beach south of Hacienda Pinilla | Surf-first trips | Yes |
| Playa Flamingo and Playa Conchal | About 35 to 40 minutes (22 km) | A separate beach area to the north with its own resorts | A different base, not a Tamarindo stay | Yes |
Tamarindo town: the center and north end
This is the main strip, where most of the restaurants and surf shops are, and where most first-time visitors end up. You can walk to everything and you won’t need a car. Up at the north end the beach runs into the Tamarindo estuary, which is where the little boats cross over to Playa Grande. The tradeoff is noise. The main strip stays loud late into the night, especially on weekends, so if you’re light sleepers (or have little ones going down at 7), ask for a room away from the street.
The south end of Tamarindo
Head south from the center toward Langosta and things calm down quickly. The streets are quieter and a lot of them are dirt roads. You’re still only a few minutes’ walk from the beach and from town. This is where we’ve always ended up, from our first stay at the Luna Llena to our own house today. Capitán Suizo sits right at the far southern end of the beach.
Playa Langosta
Langosta is the next beach south of Tamarindo, about 1.3 km by road. It’s more residential and noticeably quieter, with boutique hotels and rental homes rather than a town center. There are only a handful of places to eat, so plan on heading into Tamarindo for most meals and for groceries. At low tide a lot of people walk between the two along the sand. Take care in the water here, as Langosta has reefs and strong currents.
Playa Grande
Playa Grande is just across the estuary from the north end of Tamarindo and is part of Las Baulas National Marine Park. Leatherback turtles nest there roughly from October through March, and nighttime turtle viewing is done with a guide. The quickest way over is one of the small boats that cross the estuary (about five minutes). By road it’s a roundabout drive of about 30 minutes. It’s quiet and has few services, and surfers love it. One firm rule: don’t swim or wade in the estuary, because crocodiles live there.
Hacienda Pinilla
Hacienda Pinilla is a gated community of more than 4,500 acres south of Tamarindo, about 26 minutes by car. It has a golf course and a beach club, and the JW Marriott Guanacaste sits inside it. It suits families who want a self-contained resort feel. You’ll want a car for anything in Tamarindo itself.
Playa Avellanas
Avellanas is a surf beach just south of Hacienda Pinilla, about 30 minutes from Tamarindo. If your family’s trip is built around surfing and you don’t mind driving into town, it’s worth a look. If you want to walk to dinner, it isn’t the place.
Playa Flamingo and Playa Conchal
These are north of Tamarindo, about 35 to 40 minutes away, and they really work as a separate base rather than a Tamarindo stay. Playa Conchal is named for its sand, which is made of tiny crushed shells (bring water shoes). The Westin and the W sit at Reserva Conchal, and public beach access is through the town of Brasilito. Flamingo has the marina where a lot of the catamaran trips leave from. Both make a good day trip from Tamarindo.
FAQ
What is the best area to stay in Tamarindo for families?
For most families we’d pick the south end of Tamarindo town. You can still walk to the beach and to restaurants, but it’s much quieter at night than the main strip. If you want even more quiet and don’t mind a short ride into town, look at Playa Langosta.
Is it better to stay in Tamarindo or Playa Langosta?
Stay in Tamarindo if you want to walk to everything. Stay in Langosta if you want peace and quiet and are happy to head into Tamarindo, about 1.3 km away, for most meals and groceries.
Do you need a car if you stay in Tamarindo?
Not if you stay in town. Tamarindo is small enough to walk. You will want a car or a driver if you stay at one of the beaches farther out, like Hacienda Pinilla or Playa Grande.
How do you get from Tamarindo to Playa Grande?
The fastest way is one of the small boats that cross the estuary at the north end of Tamarindo beach, which takes about five minutes. By road it’s a roundabout drive of about 30 minutes. Don’t swim or wade across the estuary, because crocodiles live there.
Is Tamarindo noisy at night?
The main strip in the center can be loud late at night, especially on weekends. The south end of town and Playa Langosta are much quieter.
When should you book a place to stay in Tamarindo?
Book as early as you can for Christmas through New Year’s and for Semana Santa, the week before Easter. Those are the busiest weeks of the dry season, which runs roughly December through April.
Last checked October 2026. Every place on this page was confirmed open and taking bookings when we checked. If something has changed, let us know and we’ll fix it.