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Reviews of Hotel El Bambu 3 stars

Frente de la plaza deportes Puerto viejo, 41001 Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

#14 of 20 hotels in Sarapiquí

Guests' Choice

Review score

Based on 59 hotel reviews

8.4

Score breakdown

  • Cleanliness

    8.8

  • Comfort

    8.7

  • Location

    8.7

  • Facilities

    8.3

  • Staff

    9.1

  • Value for money

    8.4

  • Free WiFi

    8.9

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Showing 1 – 25

  • Reviewed: 22 May 2025

    8.0
    Enjoyable stay. Great breakfast, comfortable and clean room
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights

    Great stop on my Costa Rica adventure

    Stayed in May 2025

  • Reviewed: 10 May 2025

    9.0
    Lovely hotel with a great view from the balcony
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    It is an older hotel, but almost everything works ;) the reason why I give a 9 instead of 10 is because the swing of the airconditioning was broken in our room.

    Nice hotel. Lovely pool. Room is big enough, everything is clean, great view from the balcony and comfy beds. Just make sure that you have a room at the back of the hotel ;)

    Stayed in May 2025

  • Reviewed: 3 May 2025

    8.0
    Nice affordable hotel in the center of town. Would stay here again
    • Leisure trip
    • People with friends
    • Superior Queen Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Centrally Located .

    Stayed in April 2025

  • Reviewed: 24 February 2025

    7.0
    Good
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    very noisy in the nights

    Stayed in February 2025

  • Reviewed: 14 January 2025

    7.0
    Good
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 3 nights

    The rooms felt a bit dated. The floor boards creaked and had gaps in them open to the elements. The fixtures in the bathroom seemed very old though they were all clean.

    Great staff. Nice location - just off the street but still the rooms faced the forest. The restaurant onsite was great for breakfast and other meals. The guest service booked some excellent tours for us.

    Stayed in December 2024

  • Reviewed: 18 November 2024

    7.0
    Not sure
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    There is a problem with AC. The outside part of our neighbours AC was extremely loud. We could hear even when we moved three rooms away. So if your neighbour has an AC on don't expect to enjoy the balcony.

    Amazing birds on the property. We saw owls, manikins and more

    Stayed in November 2024

  • Reviewed: 8 November 2024

    7.0
    Friendly and helpful staff, and a good base for excursions around Sarapiqui.
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights

    The whole hotel is a little run down, and they seem to be addressing this with renovation works. Also the location is in the middle of busy Sarapiqui town.

    The staff were friendly and helpful, particularly Steven at reception, who helped us organise two fantastatic excursions - white water rafting with Green Rivers, and a guided tour of the Selva Biological Nature Reserve/ Research Centre. The restaurant offered typical local cuisine as well, which we enjoyed. The room was large, with a balcony.

    Stayed in November 2024

  • Reviewed: 4 November 2024

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 2 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    No fridge or water dispenser in the room

    Staff was nice

    Stayed in November 2024

  • Reviewed: 2 August 2024

    9.0
    Great stay for 1 night, good location for tours.
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Back of pool area a little smelly. Didn’t feel safe walking outside hotel, after 8.

    Large property connected by walkways. Jungle behind.Feels like hotels in Europe, with noticeboards for tours. Buffet style breakfasts, bar area and pool and souvenir shop. Could watch birds around pool area. Parking available. Friendly staff. Pool towels provided.

    Stayed in August 2024

  • Reviewed: 11 May 2024

    9.0
    Superb
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The quality of breakfast could be improved (the orange juice I got was not a real one, for instance). The noise from the street can be a bit annoying, at night.

    This hotel was a lovely surprise. Booked because it's close (literally a few metres) from the bus station, it turned out to be a very comfortable and quiet place, surrounded by a small jungle. There's also a big restaurant, open all day and offering a good choice. The staff, both at the reception and at the restaurant, were very kind.

    Stayed in May 2024

  • Reviewed: 2 May 2024

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    Nothing

    Very close to bus terminal, but also very quiet rooms in the forest.

    Stayed in April 2024

  • Reviewed: 5 March 2024

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    The town doesn’t have a lot going for it. Hotel is the highpoint! Better to stay in lodges outside rown, but the hotel is very good for a night stay.

    Huge room, safe parking, good restaurant.

    Stayed in February 2024

  • Reviewed: 16 February 2024

    7.0
    Good
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    The noise in the rooms from the neighbours.

    Very nice location, but the rooms are very noisy, you can hear every step of your neighbors…

    Stayed in February 2024

  • Reviewed: 1 February 2024

    8.0
    Convenient for La Selva. Great swimming pool. Big Rooms.
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night

    Not much. Was a bit worried when we saw it from the street but there was nothing to worry about.

    Convenience to La Selva Biological Station. Helpful staff. Buffet Breakfast. Nice swimmingpool and big rooms.

    Stayed in January 2024

  • Reviewed: 12 January 2024

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Superior Queen Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Staff,

    Stayed in December 2023

  • Reviewed: 11 October 2023

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Queen Room
    • Stayed 3 nights
    • Submitted via mobile

    It was a comfortable, huge room with a nice full bathroom and hot water. The restaurant was handy and the murals beautiful, and I enjoyed the pool. The Air conditioning I enjoyed too much as it was almost too hot to go outside. The grounds were beautiful and the long bamboo walkways were special. So much work went into this place years back.

    Stayed in October 2023

  • Reviewed: 28 August 2023

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • Couple
    • Standard Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Seriously cannot think of anything

    Absolutely beautiful location. You can see and hear animals from inside your room. We also spotted some monkeys in the trees from the walkway to the rooms

    Stayed in August 2023

  • Reviewed: 27 August 2023

    9.0
    Jungle lodge in the middle of town
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Rooms are a bit dingy due to poor lighting.and jingle canopy outside

    Central location & yet you're in a jungle lodge. Friendly staff. Onsite restaurant is very good and probably the best in town.

    Stayed in August 2023

  • Reviewed: 3 June 2023

    9.0
    A beautiful hotel nessled in the jungle but centered in town.
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    nothing

    Beautiful property located right in the center of town. The incredible thing is you have no clue you are in town. The rooms are nestled back in the jungle. We woke up to sounds of the jungle and nature. Just marvelous! The rooms are recently renovated and the property is well into a beautiful renovation. The staff is amazing and hard working to accommodate guests. The parking lot is secure and has security all night long. I can’t say enough good about the hotel. The attached restaurant was delicious as well. Shout out to the front desk staff. Thank you so much for returning my son’s computer game. He left it in the check-in area when we left to go to our room. Our hostess returned the game before we noticed it missing. The loss of this device would have been traumatic. The value you get at this hotel is phenomenal. It is a must stay in this area.

    Stayed in May 2023

  • Reviewed: 9 March 2023

    9.0
    Fun covered walkways through the jungle. Conveniently right in center of town, but not too touristy
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 4 nights

    Only thing better would have been if we remembered to go to the free breakfast!

    Our favorite part of Hotel Bambu was definitely the elevated covered walkways that we walked on to get to our room… it was such a fun way to get to our room, passing through rainforest basically…. There was a cacao tree, lots of heliconias, and other new-to-us plants and animals visible easily just during this walk to our room. We even saw a poison dart frog on the ground from our balcony. And we saw leaf cutter ants in the parking lot. The pool was great for our kids— and not many other people were using the pool at all. Everything felt safe and friendly. We somehow forgot that breakfast was included, but that was a happy discovery. The restaurant is pretty good, and friendly. We loved being in Puerto Viejo because it wasn’t too touristy— it felt more just like a place where people live, but not overrun with tourists. We enjoyed that, in contrast to the other places we visited (Arenal, Monteverde, etc). Hotel Bambu was perfect location right in the center of town, so we could walk out onto the sidewalks and explore the shops, go to local panaderias for treats, etc… without needing to drive anywhere. To get to the guided hikes/ bird walks/ etc in that area we visited La Selva biological station (bird walk), Selva Verde (great night hike) and Tirimbina (we went there for a chocolate tour and also just exploring the forest). We really loved Hotel Bambu and would probably stay there again. Oh also, the parking is good— in a lot behind the hotel, so don’t have to stress about street parking in town. And the air conditioning is great— much needed!

    Stayed in February 2023

  • Reviewed: 16 February 2023

    8.0
    Very good
    • Leisure trip
    • Family with young children
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Bathrooms and bed were in need of updating.

    Cool rooms in the jungle. Great pool. Yummy breakfast/restaurant

    Stayed in February 2023

  • Reviewed: 13 February 2023

    8.0
    A little forest oasis in the main town
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Superior Queen Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    There is a fair amount of sound transfer between rooms, but people were quiet before 10pm. The large soaking tub is a nice concept but there is no plug (as is typical) and no grab bars to hold onto to get in and out for shower. Tub is a little slippery. I always appreciate a reading chair in a room and there is actually room for a small couch in this one. I addressed a couple of minor repair comments with front desk. There are less expensive rooms at the front of the building overlooking the road or pool. These would be more noisy, though ear plugs may help.

    The location is central in Sarapiqui but the property goes deep into forest, so rather than just traffic, there are birds and howler monkeys to hear. There is lots of room in the suite and a comfortable balcony looking into the forest. Water is hot and AC as well as a fan. Fan is sufficient for sleeping. The attached restaurant is handy and closes at 9 or 10 p.m. Included breakfast was good. Available before 7 a.m., but larger buffet from 7-9 a.m.. Pool area had both sun and shade areas as well as a change room.

    Stayed in February 2023

  • Reviewed: 6 January 2023

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • People with friends
    • Superior Double Room
    • Stayed 1 night
    • Submitted via mobile

    Smell of damp in the room

    The hotel is really beautiful, looks like you are in the middle of the jungle and the pool is also really great!

    Stayed in January 2023

  • Reviewed: 8 December 2022

    9.0
    Superb
    • Leisure trip
    • Solo traveller
    • Superior Queen Room
    • Stayed 2 nights

    Great place. Private balcony for the superior double rooms, facing a patch of jungle. Stephanie at reception was amazing. She booked me a next day rafting trip, and was super helpful!

    Stayed in December 2022

Showing 1 – 25

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