Reviews of Makanda by The Sea Hotel Adults Only 5 stars
Main Road to Manuel Antonio, 3 Kilometers, 60601 Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
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Reviewed: 1 August 2025 · Stayed in July 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 20 June 2025 · Stayed in June 2025
Verified reviewBeautiful rooms. Clean. Nice pool. Relaxing atmosphere. We got a nice upgrade, which was nice from the concierge.
Staff was a bit robotic especially in the Restaurent. Like abiding by rules instead of making us feel welcome. Some facilities were not working properly. Price is too high versus service.
Dear Othman, Thank you so much for choosing Makanda by the Sea and for taking the time to share your valuable feedback. We are delighted that you enjoyed your upgraded, beautiful room, our relaxing atmosphere, and the pool area. However, we sincerely apologize that some aspects of your stay did not fully meet your expectations. Your comfort and satisfaction are our highest priorities, and we are sorry to hear the service at our restaurant did not feel warm and welcoming. We have addressed this directly with our restaurant team to ensure a more personalized and friendly approach in the future. We are also actively checking the facilities you mentioned to make certain everything functions perfectly for future stays. Your comments are very important and help us improve continuously. We genuinely hope to welcome you back to Manuel Antonio and Makanda soon, where we would love the opportunity to exceed your expectations. Warm regards, Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Othman, Thank you so much for choosing Makanda by the Sea and for taking the time to share your valuable feedback. We are delighted that you enjoyed your upgraded, beautiful room, our relaxing atmosphere, and the pool area. However, … Show more
Reviewed: 13 May 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewFirst of all, it’s gated community. 24 hours guard in the front. Every unit has its own private entrance and private space. And I believe every unit has its own view of the ocean.
Dear Rob, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for choosing Makanda by the Sea. We are truly delighted to hear that you found your experience exceptionally unique and appreciated the thoughtful design, privacy, and breathtaking ocean views from your suite. Your recognition of our gated community and dedicated 24-hour security means a lot to us. We strive to offer a truly personalized, luxurious experience unlike any other, and its rewarding to know that we achieved this during your visit. We'd love to welcome you back soon for another memorable stay in beautiful Manuel Antonio! Warm regards, Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Rob, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for choosing Makanda by the Sea. We are truly delighted to hear that you found your experience exceptionally unique and appreciated the thoughtful design, privacy, and breathtaking … Show more
Reviewed: 2 May 2025 · Stayed in May 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 30 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 30 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewThis was the final and also the most expensive hotel on our six-stop journey through Costa Rica – unfortunately, it ended up being only the second-worst. Four of the six hotels we stayed at offered a significantly better overall experience. The grounds and the room are undoubtedly beautiful, but they do not justify the steep price in any way. Service is decent, but for a 5-star hotel in this price range, it's rather average. The same applies to the food: it's good in terms of taste, but absolutely overpriced. During our trip, we enjoyed much better culinary experiences at far more reasonable prices.
All in all, it's a nice hotel, but the value for money just isn't there. If you're expecting luxury, you'll only get above-average quality at best. There's definitely room for improvement. In the end, it’s a pretty hotel that doesn’t live up to its promises. For the price we paid, we had far better experiences elsewhere on our trip.
Dear Julia, Thank you once again for sharing your feedback about your recent stay at Makanda by the Sea. We truly appreciate your kind words regarding the beauty of our grounds and rooms, and we’re sincerely sorry to hear that some aspects of your experience did not fully meet your expectations, particularly regarding value for money. We always aim to offer a luxurious, memorable stay, accompanied by personalized service and exceptional culinary experiences at Arbol Restaurant. It’s disheartening to learn we fell short of your expectations in this regard. Your comments are genuinely valuable to us, and please rest assured that we continuously strive to enhance the overall experience and exceed our guests' expectations. We warmly invite you to return to our tranquil Shanti Spa, enjoy our state-of-the-art gym facilities, or relax at our serene and exclusive Makanda beach. It would be our pleasure to have the opportunity to welcome you again and ensure a more fulfilling stay. Wishing you all the best on your future journeys, and we hope to see you again at Makanda by the Sea. Warmest regards, Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Julia, Thank you once again for sharing your feedback about your recent stay at Makanda by the Sea. We truly appreciate your kind words regarding the beauty of our grounds and rooms, and we’re sincerely sorry to hear that some aspects… Show more
Reviewed: 21 April 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 18 April 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 12 April 2025 · Stayed in April 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 31 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewWonderful pool and poolside bar. Clean. Comfy beds. Nice outlook. Short walk to a lovely beach. Free sunscreen available at the pool is a nice touch.
Food in the main restaurant in the evening wasn’t to our liking, which was a shame because it had a wonderful position and outlook. We ate outside of the hotel most nights. The welcome needs to be tightened up. Our driver was told to drop us off at the gate, there was no one there to welcome us. We then had to walk to the reception because there was no golf cart. There was also works going on at the entrance so the initial impression wasn’t great tbh and not what I expected of a hotel at this price point. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Room had damage. Communication from front desk was poor. Had to chase timings for pick up for tours. Wasn’t told that the full cost of the tour hadn’t been put on the room and had to pay more on the day, which wasn’t an issue but would’ve been nice to have been told.
Dear Thomas, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback regarding your recent stay with us. We're delighted that you enjoyed our wonderful pool area, comfortable beds, cleanliness, and convenient proximity to the beach. It's great to hear you appreciated the complimentary sunscreen provided by the pool as well. We’re also glad you enjoyed the complimentary room upgrade we provided and that overall, you had happy and enjoyable days with us. However, we sincerely apologize for the aspects that did not fully meet your expectations, such as the arrival experience, communication issues, and your dining experience in our restaurant. Please rest assured we take your feedback seriously and are actively working on improvements to ensure our welcome and communication procedures meet the high standards our guests expect. We would truly love another opportunity to welcome you back and provide an exceptional stay from start to finish. Thank you again for choosing Makanda by the Sea, Thomas. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Warmest regards, The Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Thomas, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback regarding your recent stay with us. We're delighted that you enjoyed our wonderful pool area, comfortable beds, cleanliness, and convenient proximity … Show more
Reviewed: 26 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 6 March 2025 · Stayed in March 2025
Verified reviewThe location, property, amenities and staff was wonderful.
The room had a musty smell. To be expected considering the resort is on a hill side jungle.
Dear Daniel, Thank you very much for sharing your lovely feedback! We're thrilled that you enjoyed our beautiful location, amenities, and the attentive service provided by our staff. We're sorry about the musty smell you noticed in your room; as you mentioned, our hillside jungle setting can sometimes create additional humidity. We've shared your comment with our housekeeping team to ensure extra care is taken in managing room freshness. It was truly a pleasure hosting you, and we would love to welcome you back to Hotel Makanda by the Sea soon! Warmest regards, Hotel Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Daniel, Thank you very much for sharing your lovely feedback! We're thrilled that you enjoyed our beautiful location, amenities, and the attentive service provided by our staff. We're sorry about the musty smell you noticed in… Show more
Reviewed: 23 February 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewThis is our second time staying at Makanda, the hotel itself is breath taking! The hotel staff is so helpful and incredible. The rooms are extremely comfortable and the architecture is lovely! Loved waking up to monkeys outside of our room!
Food and drinks are very expensive for what you get. $300 dinners and leaving still hungry.
Dear Lindsey, Thank you so much for returning to Makanda and sharing your experience! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of our hotel, the comfort of your room, and the charming company of monkeys just outside your window. Our team appreciates your kind words about their helpfulness and warmth. We're genuinely sorry that the dining experience didn't fully meet your expectations. Your feedback about the pricing and portion sizes has been shared with our culinary team, who are already working on adjusting our offerings to ensure our guests feel satisfied and receive great value. It was wonderful to welcome you back, Lindsey, and we sincerely hope to see you again soon for another relaxing escape at Hotel Makanda by the Sea. Warmest regards, Hotel Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Lindsey, Thank you so much for returning to Makanda and sharing your experience! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of our hotel, the comfort of your room, and the charming company of monkeys just outside … Show more
Reviewed: 16 February 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 13 February 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 12 February 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewWe enjoyed everything! Staff was great, kind and really helpful. The room, the hotel itself was gorgeous. We saw more animals in the hotel’s surrounding than in Manuel Antonio. Pool area chic and relaxing.
Dear Giedre, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed everything about your stay, from the kindness of our staff to your beautiful room and our relaxing pool area. It’s fantastic that you experienced so much wildlife right here at the hotel—it's one of the special aspects of staying with us in Manuel Antonio. We truly appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable visit at Hotel Makanda by the Sea! Warm regards, Hotel Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Giedre, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed everything about your stay, from the kindness of our staff to your beautiful room and our relaxing pool area. It’s fantastic that you experie… Show more
Reviewed: 12 February 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 9 February 2025 · Stayed in February 2025
Verified reviewStunning grounds, access to the beach, pool areas and rooms. Creative luxurious bedroom bathroom and common areas. Mostly delightful staff and being taken around by buggy's was helpful given the steep gradients
Reception staff always busy. Watch out for a last-minute mini-bar scam - we settled the bill to then be informed that we taken whiskey (the most expensive!) and a bottle of Evian water, we hadn't touched the minibar. However we'd returned to the room just before check out time and saw the bottles had been removed from the minibar and were left on a glass table which looked strange. We argued and they didn't charge us thankfully
Dear Dena, Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback following your stay at Hotel Makanda by the Sea. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed our stunning grounds, luxurious rooms, convenient buggy service, and the beautiful pool areas and beach access. We sincerely apologize for the confusion and inconvenience regarding the minibar charges at checkout. Please rest assured that this issue has been addressed with our reception and housekeeping teams to ensure clearer communication and accuracy moving forward. Additionally, we're actively reviewing our reception processes to ensure all guests feel attended to, even during busier moments. We genuinely appreciate your valuable insights, Dena, and we'd love the opportunity to welcome you back again soon for an even smoother and more relaxing stay. Warmest regards, Hotel Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Dena, Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback following your stay at Hotel Makanda by the Sea. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed our stunning grounds, luxurious rooms, convenient buggy service, and the beautiful pool a… Show more
Reviewed: 18 January 2025 · Stayed in October 2024
Verified reviewThe staff was very attentive and kind. Food in the restaurant was delicious. The room was extremely comfortable and spacious. Loved all the pools. We enjoyed the beach. The location of the hotel is magical you feel like being up in the tree tops. We observed 3 of the 4 types of monkeys playing around, so fun. We thought the DJ was a fun event.
We visited during the rainy season. Because of the steep decline of the slippery terrain (safety reasons) we had to be transported everywhere. That was a smooth and fantastic service with friendly drivers. We just wished that we could have been more physically active during our stay.
Dear Yvonne, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a lovely stay at Hotel Makanda by the Sea, and that you particularly enjoyed the delicious meals at our restaurant, the comfort and spaciousness of your room, our relaxing pools, and the magical wildlife encounters—especially the playful monkeys! It's great to know that our attentive staff and friendly drivers contributed positively to your experience. We appreciate your understanding about transportation around the property during the rainy season. Your feedback about wanting more opportunities for physical activity is very helpful, and we're currently exploring additional options to enhance guest experiences while prioritizing safety. We’d love to welcome you back soon, perhaps in the dry season, so you can fully explore and enjoy all that Makanda and Manuel Antonio have to offer. Thank you again for choosing us, Yvonne—we look forward to seeing you again! Warm regards, Hotel Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Yvonne, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a lovely stay at Hotel Makanda by the Sea, and that you particularly enjoyed the delicious meals at our restaurant, the comfort and spaciousness … Show more
Reviewed: 17 January 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 15 January 2025 · Stayed in November 2024
Verified reviewLocation and service was oustanding. The view was breathtaking. Perfect spot for a relaxing week
Dear Macarena, Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're delighted you found the location outstanding and enjoyed our breathtaking views. It's wonderful to hear that our service and facilities provided the perfect setting for your relaxing week at Hotel Makanda by the Sea. It was truly our pleasure to have you stay with us, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable getaway in Manuel Antonio soon! Warmest regards, Hotel Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Macarena, Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're delighted you found the location outstanding and enjoyed our breathtaking views. It's wonderful to hear that our service and facilities provided the perfect setting … Show more
Reviewed: 10 January 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 8 January 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewDear Joanne, Thank you so much for your wonderful review of Makanda by the Sea! We're absolutely delighted to hear that everything about your stay was amazing, from our facilities and location to the comfort and cleanliness you experienced. It’s especially rewarding to know our staff contributed positively to your visit. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope you'll choose to return soon for another memorable stay with us! Warm regards, Makanda by the Sea Management
Dear Joanne, Thank you so much for your wonderful review of Makanda by the Sea! We're absolutely delighted to hear that everything about your stay was amazing, from our facilities and location to the comfort and cleanliness you experie… Show more
Reviewed: 2 January 2025 · Stayed in January 2025
Verified reviewReviewed: 14 December 2024 · Stayed in December 2024
Verified reviewThe room was wonderful, the staff helpful and exceptional, and the private beach was incredible, such an unforgettable highlight.
Nothing not to like. Would prefer some traditional dishes on offer, or South American fare.
Dear Mohammad, Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your room, our helpful and exceptional staff, and especially our private beach—indeed an unforgettable highlight! Your suggestion regarding traditional and South American dishes is greatly appreciated; we'll certainly share this with our culinary team to enhance our menu further. We can't wait to welcome you back along with your wife for another memorable stay! Warm regards, Hotel Makanda by the Sea Team
Dear Mohammad, Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your room, our helpful and exceptional staff, and especially our private beach—indeed an unforgettable highlight! Your suggestion regarding tra… Show more