Bahia del Sol

This beachfront resort has everything you’d expect from a Caribbean-style getaway: a huge swim-up bar, candlelit tables under palm trees, thatched palapa roofs, rooms with ceiling fans and pastel-hued walls, and of course a sandy swimming beach. But it’s the little Costa Rican influences that make this tucked-away hotel special—mainly, the smiles on the family-like staff and their non-jaded, helpful attitudes. Four of the 28 rooms come with Jacuzzis on their private patios, and all come with hammocks, air-conditioning, cable TV, and Wi-Fi. You’re also just a few minutes away from Flamingo Beach and Prieta Beach, and you can meander on foot from the hotel to nearby villages and marketplaces.