La Posada Private Jungle Bungalows

From the street, La Posada has a pleasant yellow facade with a small orange roof that covers the parking area. Guests enter the property past a long counter and wooden bar stools: It's not the most appealing entrance, with recycling bins and a pizza oven on display, and there isn't a proper reception area. From there, things get much better. There's a cozy and quaint breakfast and seating area set with heavy wooden furniture. Tourist information is displayed and there's a flat-screen TV mounted to the wall. It's easy to see the lush garden grounds and backdrop of Manuel Antonio National Park. Bamboo, ferns, flowering bushes, and native plants are all part of the scene. Guests can follow tiled paths to the tiki-themed swimming pool or around the corner to La Villa and some of the guest rooms. Monkeys, sloths, toucans, and a huge variety of birds are often seen on the property.

Guests range from older couples to families to young backpackers, but the overall vibe is fun and friendly and this isn't an over-the-top party scene. Guests tend to chat amongst themselves and the owner and manager go above and beyond to assist with requests and provide information. There's a small and friendly resident dog, Blanquita. Discounts are available for stays of a week or longer. 

For those who want to spend the majority of their vacation near Manuel Antonio National Park and the beach, it's almost impossible to beat the location at La Posada. It's built directly next door to the park entrance, meaning less than a 10-second walk to get there, and three minutes to the public beach via a marked path. The only hotel with a similar location is across the street at Hotel San Bada, but it's a bigger and pricier property. One downside to all that access is that the street in front of the hotel can get crowded with tour busses, packs of tourists, and freelance tour guides. It all dies down when the park closes and nights are peaceful. The street is lined with vendors selling beach gear, trinkets, and T-shirts. There are several soda-style restaurants and outdoor dining just down the street away from the park, about a five-minute walk. Parking is free, but limited, and it can be difficult to navigate the street during the day. Plan on a two-and-a-half hour drive to Juan Santamaria International Airport, on paved and tolled roads. 

This is a smaller property with only eight units available, so it tends to book up. Four bungalows with exterior thatched roofs and furnished terraces face the pool. These don't pick up any street noise and include brightly painted walls and an animal theme. The Parrot Bungalow includes a king bed, brown leather couch, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, coffeemaker, microwave, and small refrigerator. The bathroom has a tiled shower and single sink. A vaulted ceiling makes the bungalows feel large, but the lack of windows except for the sliding glass entrance doors can be a bit claustrophobic. 

The Monkey Room, around the corner from the restaurant area, has a queen bed and a twin, along with the same amenities found in the bungalows. Next door to the Monkey Room is the Posada Room: the only one in the room category with a kitchen. It has a king bed, full refrigerator, sink, microwave, two burners, and all the kitchen gear and hot sauce one would need to cook a meal. For more space and additional full kitchens, the Villa and The Casa sleep up to six. A past guest hand-painted wooden signs that display the room names, a cheery touch. There's an occasional scratch on some of the furniture and bathrooms are pretty basic, but all of the units are clean. 

The Posada and Villa do partially face the street on one side. The hotel provides white noise machines to combat the early morning rumble of tour vans. 

Features at La Posada cater to budget tourists, and include more than the usual for this category. A free breakfast buffet of eggs, cereal, fruit, and more is served each morning. There isn't a true restaurant, and the dining venue is really just set up to serve pizza, sandwiches, and hot dogs throughout the day -- though the hotel serves a free family-style meal for guests three nights a week. A small pool and adjacent whirlpool provide a place to cool off, along with beautiful jungle views. Animal sightings are an everyday occurrence, thanks to neighboring Manuel Antonio National Park. A small rooftop deck is available near the pool, but the area isn't quite finished -- some guests like to sunbathe or read there. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. Other freebies include calls to the United States, beach towels, and boogie boards. Staff can arrange discounted tours and surf lessons.