Reviews of El Castillo Luxury Boutique Hotel- 4 stars
Puntarenas, OSA, UVITA, 300M SURESTE Y 100N DE ENTRADA P OJOCHAL, 60501 Ojochal, Costa Rica

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Reviewed: 28 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewBy far my favorite place to stay. Outstanding dinner and drinks at the bar. Francisco really made us feel welcome.
We enjoyed having you so much! Please come to visit us all soon.
Reviewed: 14 August 2025 · Stayed in August 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 1 August 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 24 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewBeautiful location, views, pool. Extremely peaceful but in easy reach of Uvita. Food including breakfast was fabulous. Staff could not have been more helpful. Lots of wildlife around.
Very steep drive to reach property - just need to allow some time
Thank you so much, Ruth, for your thoughtful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed our peaceful surroundings and the abundance of wildlife around. We appreciate your note about the steep drive. Thank you for sharing this helpful tip with future guests. We truly value your recommendation and would love to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable stay at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Ruth, for your thoughtful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed our peaceful surroundings and the abundance of wildlife around. We appreciate your note about the steep drive. Thank you for sharing this helpful tip… Show more
Reviewed: 20 July 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewThe staff was very attentive, but what we can’t quit talking about was the food. We have been coming to Costa Rica for 26 years and the food is always underwhelming here. But the food at El Castillo has got to be some of the most flavorful dishes we’ve ever had anywhere in the world! Chef Justin pulled out all the stops!
Thank you so much, Jason, for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that our attentive staff helped make your stay special, but especially that the dining experience stood out so memorably. 🥂🍴 We can’t wait to welcome you back for more unforgettable meals and experiences in our little corner of paradise. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Jason, for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that our attentive staff helped make your stay special, but especially that the dining experience stood out so memorably. 🥂🍴 We can’t wait to welcome you back for … Show more
Reviewed: 24 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewvery good
I was there looking to buy the hotel but it just wasn't a good fit for us. Too fat away from San Jose
Thank you, Hall, for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear you found the comfort and service very good during your stay. We understand that our location in Ojochal may not be the right fit for everyone, especially when looking for proximity to San José, but we’re grateful you gave us the opportunity to host you. We wish you all the best and hope you’ll keep fond memories of your time at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you, Hall, for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear you found the comfort and service very good during your stay. We understand that our location in Ojochal may not be the right fit for everyone, especially when… Show more
Reviewed: 17 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewThe view was awesome. The pool was great. Very relaxing atmosphere. Food was really good, breakfast and dinner. Staff very attentive and making sure you have a great stay.
Car parking was not too roomy.
Thank you so much, Maurits, for your kind review! We’re delighted to know you enjoyed the stunning views and especially the attentive service from our team. We appreciate your note about the parking area. While our location on the hillside provides those breathtaking views, space can sometimes feel limited, and your comment helps us as we continue to improve our guest experience. We’d be honored to welcome you back soon for another relaxing stay at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Maurits, for your kind review! We’re delighted to know you enjoyed the stunning views and especially the attentive service from our team. We appreciate your note about the parking area. While our location on the hillsid… Show more
Reviewed: 9 May 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewThe place is beautiful with a good beach view. The food was delicious. The staff is the greatest asset of this place, the attention we received was exceptional.
Nothing. No complaints.
Thank you so much, Johanna, for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the beautiful views and the exceptional attention from our team. It’s a joy to know everything was perfect during your stay, and we’d love to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable experience at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Johanna, for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the beautiful views and the exceptional attention from our team. It’s a joy to know everything was perfect during your stay, and we’d love to welco… Show more
Reviewed: 19 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 12 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewAuthentic boutique hotel perched high in the hills of Ochojal with breathtaking views over the wild ocean. All staff were terrific and helpful and positive - clearly a well-run operation. Lovely breakfast with abundant delicious fruit accompanied by toucans in the trees of the hotel grounds and resident iguanas. Our room was huge with a lounge area and loved having both balcony windows open to let the breeze flow through when the daytime heat soared. Beautiful pool big enough for lengths and lounging. Glad we chose El Castillo over Hotel 360 nearby which we visited and was soulless and corporate. Clearly a little bit of investment is needed to upgrade fixtures and fittings at El Castillo as some of the furniture and bathrooms are a little dated - but it’s a gem.
Thank you so much, Nick, for your thoughtful review! We’re delighted you enjoyed our authentic boutique style and the abundance of wildlife around the property. Your feedback on the furnishings and bathrooms is very valuable, and we’ll continue making improvements to ensure even greater comfort. We’re so glad you chose El Castillo and would love to welcome you back again soon for another relaxing stay in paradise. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Nick, for your thoughtful review! We’re delighted you enjoyed our authentic boutique style and the abundance of wildlife around the property. Your feedback on the furnishings and bathrooms is very valuable, and we’ll co… Show more
Reviewed: 26 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewAn unbelievable experience: second to none! Fantastic location with an infinity pool. The staff were brilliant especially Francisco
Nothing.
Thank you so much, Michael, for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled that your stay was filled with such memorable moments — especially spotting a sloth right here in the hotel grounds. We’re so glad everything was perfect during your visit, and we’d be honored to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable experience at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Michael, for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled that your stay was filled with such memorable moments — especially spotting a sloth right here in the hotel grounds. We’re so glad everything was perfect during your vis… Show more
Reviewed: 8 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewOcean view room is stunning. Lovely infinity pool with waiter service. Dinner and breakfast superb. Staff lovely. Excellent value for money.
Thank you so much, Jillian, for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you loved your ocean view room and enjoyed relaxing by the infinity pool. It’s also wonderful to know our team’s hospitality made such a positive impression and that you found great value in the overall experience. We’d be honored to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable stay at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Jillian, for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you loved your ocean view room and enjoyed relaxing by the infinity pool. It’s also wonderful to know our team’s hospitality made such a positive impression and… Show more
Reviewed: 8 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 7 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewFantastic view to the ocean and the staff was excellent. In particular, Roxana. Rooms are spacious and clean.
Thank you so much, Michael, for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that your stay with us was the best during your trip to Costa Rica. Roxana will be especially delighted to receive your kind mention — we’ll be sure to share your words with her. We’d be honored to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable stay at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Michael, for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that your stay with us was the best during your trip to Costa Rica. Roxana will be especially delighted to receive your kind mention — we’ll be sure to share yo… Show more
Reviewed: 7 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewThank you so much, Romain, for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed our hotel and the exceptional views that make El Castillo so special. We’d love to welcome you back soon for another memorable experience in paradise. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Romain, for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed our hotel and the exceptional views that make El Castillo so special. We’d love to welcome you back soon for another memorable experience in paradise. … Show more
Reviewed: 27 February 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewViews from infinity pool and the staff
Carl park was a little tight,
Thank you so much, Adrian, for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the breathtaking views from our infinity pool and the delicious food We appreciate your note about the parking area. Your feedback helps us continue improving the guest experience. We’d love to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable stay at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Adrian, for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the breathtaking views from our infinity pool and the delicious food We appreciate your note about the parking area. Your feedback helps us continue i… Show more
Reviewed: 15 February 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewStaff are all so wonderful and friendly.
Music needs to be more relaxing.
Thank you so much, Lori, for your kind review! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your stay and especially appreciated the friendliness and warmth of our staff. We also value your feedback about the music. Creating the perfect relaxing atmosphere is important to us, and your comment helps us improve this detail for future guests. We’d be honored to welcome you back soon for another wonderful experience overlooking the Pacific. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Lori, for your kind review! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your stay and especially appreciated the friendliness and warmth of our staff. We also value your feedback about the music. Creating the perfect relaxin… Show more
Reviewed: 21 January 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewHotel and our room was beautiful. We had clean accomodation and staff was very pleasant.
There was a lots of noise in our room. We heard a lot music and people from hall and reception area.
Thank you so much, Jana, for your kind review! We’re delighted to know you enjoyed the beauty of the hotel and the warm hospitality of our staff. We’re truly sorry to hear that noise from nearby areas disturbed your stay. Your feedback is very valuable, and we’ll be reviewing ways to minimize this to ensure a more peaceful experience for all our guests. We’d love the opportunity to welcome you back soon for an even more relaxing stay in paradise. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Jana, for your kind review! We’re delighted to know you enjoyed the beauty of the hotel and the warm hospitality of our staff. We’re truly sorry to hear that noise from nearby areas disturbed your stay. Your feedback is… Show more
Reviewed: 8 January 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewRoom: is very comfortable with a spacious living room, bedroom and bathroom. This allows you to enjoy the room comfortably, especially for extended stays with lots of luggage. The windows offer a wonderful view of the ocean and the mountains. Every morning, you will be awakened by the singing of birds. You will have the chance to see monkeys moving in the nearby trees. A small terrace allows you to have a private aperitif with a sea view. The bed is super king size, very comfortable! The bathroom has a very comfortable shower and the sink has plenty of space to store products. Resturant: Breakfast is excellent, both in traditional dishes and in more American variations. Dinner was good. The menu was the same for all the week, although we would have preferred some variations during our stay. Staff: is really kind and attentive to the needs of the customers, starting with the General Manager Steven Morera, and continuing with Francisco, Domi, and Roxy. Thank you all for taking care of our needs!
We would have liked a menu with more fish dishes. For example, a dish of fresh shellfish. The fish of the day was always the same, it would be better to have variations based on the fresh fish available.
Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the comfort of your spacious room and the chance to experience the wildlife right from your terrace. We’re also grateful for your thoughtful feedback regarding our dinner menu. We take great pride in our cuisine, and your suggestion for more variety in fresh fish dishes is very valuable. We’ll certainly share this with our culinary team as we continue to refine the dining experience for our guests. We’d love to welcome you back soon for another relaxing and memorable stay at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the comfort of your spacious room and the chance to experience the wildlife right from your terrace. We’re also grateful for your thoughtful feed… Show more
Reviewed: 1 January 2025 · Stayed in December 2024
Verified reviewnestled away property, amazing views, close to popular beaches, incredible staff and food, comfortable oversized king rooms with patio ocean views
Thank you so much, Naomi, for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to know you consider us the best boutique hotel in the area and that you enjoyed our proximity to the beaches. We’d be honored to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable stay at El Castillo. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Naomi, for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to know you consider us the best boutique hotel in the area and that you enjoyed our proximity to the beaches. We’d be honored to welcome you back soon for another unforg… Show more
Reviewed: 27 December 2024 · Stayed in December 2024
Verified reviewStunning location
Lots of deferred maintenance issues. Not a 5 star experience. Exceptionally slow service from the restaurant. Painfully slow!
Thank you, Robert, for taking the time to share your feedback. While we’re delighted you enjoyed the stunning location of our hotel, we’re truly sorry to hear that aspects of your stay did not meet expectations. Your comments about deferred maintenance and the pace of service are very important to us. We are actively working on improvements to ensure our property and dining experience reflect the high standards we set for ourselves and that our guests deserve. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you, Robert, for taking the time to share your feedback. While we’re delighted you enjoyed the stunning location of our hotel, we’re truly sorry to hear that aspects of your stay did not meet expectations. Your comments about deferre… Show more
Reviewed: 24 December 2024 · Stayed in December 2024
Verified reviewReviewed: 14 December 2024 · Stayed in November 2024
Verified reviewIncredible view great swimming pool Good breakfast Very pretty hotel Nice staff
20 $ to go from Pancito cafe to the hotel, far too much expensive for 3 minutes, better to take directly a taxi from the airport to the hotel if you did not rent a car. Great hotel but too much isolated when it is raining and walk along the main road was dangerous and unpleasant Also there is this continuous noise from the Pacific road (from US to Panama) just under the hotel barely masked by background music... Restaurant was ok but the Mexican one in Ojochal was much better, they could have proposed some ceviche ;)
Thank you so much, Isabelle, for your thoughtful feedback! We’re thrilled you enjoyed our pool and breakfast offerings. We’re sorry to hear transportation felt costly and that the nearby road could be a bit disruptive at times. Your suggestions about offering more local dishes, like ceviche, are very helpful and will be shared with our team as we continue to enhance the dining experience. We’d love the opportunity to welcome you back for another stay in our peaceful corner of Costa Rica. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you so much, Isabelle, for your thoughtful feedback! We’re thrilled you enjoyed our pool and breakfast offerings. We’re sorry to hear transportation felt costly and that the nearby road could be a bit disruptive at times. Your sugge… Show more
Reviewed: 26 November 2024 · Stayed in November 2024
Verified reviewBeautiful place
Wifi was poor Menu a little boring
Thank you, Patricia, for your kind words and feedback! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the beauty of our hotel and had a comfortable stay. ✨ We appreciate your comments regarding the WiFi and menu variety. Your feedback is very valuable, and we’re always working on improvements to ensure our guests have an even better experience in the future. We’d love to welcome you back soon for another relaxing stay overlooking the Pacific. — The Hotel El Castillo Team
Thank you, Patricia, for your kind words and feedback! We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the beauty of our hotel and had a comfortable stay. ✨ We appreciate your comments regarding the WiFi and menu variety. Your feedback is very valuab… Show more