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The Grateful Hotel

3.0 star property
Adventure awaits at Conchal Beach with bodyboarding and snorkeling, while nearby Las Baulas National Marine Park and Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course beckon

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The Grateful Hotel, near Las Baulas National Marine Park, offers boating, snorkeling, and bodyboarding on-site. Guests relax by the outdoor pool with sun loungers, access WiFi in their rooms, and visit the gift shop. The concierge helps plan local adventures.

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast included
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
  • Air conditioning

Room options

View all photos for Standard Single Room

Standard Single Room | In-room safe, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

Standard Single Room

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(6 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
LED TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
Private bathroom
Coffee/tea maker
Champagne service
Free bottled water
Cable channels
  • Garden view
  • 19 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

About the neighborhood

Located in Palm Beach Estates, a neighborhood in Cabo Velas, The Grateful Hotel is in a rural area and near the beach. Reserva Conchal Golf Course and Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Las Baulas National Marine Park and Conchal Beach. Playa Brasilito and Flamingo Beach are two other places to visit that come recommended. Explore all the area has to offer with horse riding and hiking/biking trails. Visit our Playa Grande travel guide
Map
Palm Beach Estates, Cabo Velas, Guanacaste, 50309

What's nearby

  • Traveling can be like a roller coaster of emotions... and then there’s that moment the roller coaster ride is over for the day. #adventure #surfing #sunset
    Grande Beach
    8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • There is excellent bird and wildlife watching in the park. The nearby Tamarindo Wildlife Refuge, a salt water mangrove estuary, is thick with black-bellied whistling ducks, roseate spoonbills, yellow-crowned night herons, kingfishers and crocodiles. Howler monkeys, raccoons and coatimundis are also frequently spotted.
    Las Baulas National Marine Park
    5 min drive - 2.5 km
  • This is the view away from the water. There's something magical about standing on an empty beach, surrounded by the majesty of nature on all sides. #LifeatExpedia
    Ventanas Beach
    10 min drive - 5.2 km
  • This was the most interesting beaches I've been to. It may look like sand, but it's actually little bits of shells. Your feet may hurt, so definitely bring flip flops to this one. Don't let the shells steer you away - they are actually beautiful. This beach is popular among locals. #LifeAtExpedia
    Conchal Beach
    52 min drive - 16.3 km
  • Reserva Conchal Golf Course
    58 min drive - 18.8 km

Getting around

  • Tamarindo (TNO)
    37 min drive

Restaurants

  • Restaurante Brisa Mar
    30 min drive
  • Rural
    26 min drive
  • Medusa Bar
    31 min drive
  • Nari
    30 min drive
  • Tamaonda
    30 min drive

About this property

The Grateful Hotel

Hotel near Las Baulas National Marine Park
Located close to Hacienda Pinilla Golf Course and Conchal Beach, The Grateful Hotel provides free cooked-to-order breakfast, a bar, and a restaurant. Active travelers can enjoy canoeing, surfing/body boarding, and ziplining at this hotel. Enjoy onsite activities like snorkeling, fishing, and sailing. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
You'll also enjoy the following perks during your stay:
  • An outdoor pool along with sun loungers
  • Free self parking
  • Surf lessons, a bodyboard on site, and a 24-hour front desk
  • Tour/ticket assistance, a front-desk safe, and luggage storage
Room features
All guestrooms at The Grateful Hotel have thoughtful touches such as free international calls and air conditioning, in addition to amenities like free WiFi and safes.
More amenities include:
  • Bathrooms with showers and free toiletries
  • 40-inch LED TVs with cable channels
  • A personal chef, coffee/tea makers, and daily housekeeping

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free uncovered self parking on site
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking and van parking available

Food and drink

  • Free cooked-to-order breakfast available daily 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
  • A bar/lounge
  • A restaurant
  • Coffee and tea in common areas
  • Couples/private dining
  • Private picnics

Things to do

  • Boat
  • Boat tours
  • Bodyboard
  • Canoeing
  • Ecotours
  • Fishing
  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Horseback riding/rentals
  • Outdoor pool
  • Sailing
  • Scuba diving
  • Snorkeling
  • Surf lessons
  • TV in common areas
  • Ziplining

Family friendly

  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Guidebooks
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk
  • Vending machine
  • Water dispenser

Guest services

  • Change of towels on request
  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Proposal/romance packages
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • Computer station

Outdoors

  • Pool loungers

Spa

  • In-room massages

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • No elevator
  • Valet for wheelchair-equipped vehicles
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible concierge desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible lounge
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
  • Wheelchair-accessible van parking

More

  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Private bathroom
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 40-inch LED TV with cable channels

Food and drink

  • Champagne service
  • Chef service
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Free bottled water
  • Restaurant dining guides

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Free international calls
  • Free local calls
  • Free long-distance calls
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone
  • Safe

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 7:00 AM; Check-in end time: 11:30 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
If you are planning to arrive after 11:30 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Renovations and closures

This property is closed from August 16 2025 to June 30 2027 (dates subject to change).

Access methods

Staffed front desk, key retrieval

Pets

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Deposit: USD 5 per accommodation, per stay

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Pool access available from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM

Property is also known as

The Grateful
The Grateful Hotel
The Grateful Hotel Hotel
The Grateful (Dead Themed)
The Grateful Hotel Cabo Velas
The Grateful (former Bula Bula)
The Grateful Hotel Hotel Cabo Velas

Frequently asked questions

Does The Grateful Hotel have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool. Pool access is from 8:00 AM–10:00 PM.

Is The Grateful Hotel pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at The Grateful Hotel ?

Check-in start time: 7:00 AM; Check-in end time: 11:30 PM.

What time is check-out at The Grateful Hotel ?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Grateful Hotel located?

Located in Palm Beach Estates, this hotel is 1.7 mi (2.7 km) from Las Baulas National Marine Park and within 12 mi (20 km) of Conchal Beach and Playa Brasilito. Reserva Conchal Golf Course and Flamingo Beach are also within 16 mi (25 km).

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Reviews

The Grateful Hotel Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

9.2

Cleanliness

8.2

Amenities

9.4

Staff & service

9.0

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 38 out of 50 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 50 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 50 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 50 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 50 reviews

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Maria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great place to enjoy peaceful days, music at night and the playa grande beach is waling distance. Clayton was awesome!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nikki

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

I’d stay here again😍

Such a cool, easy going vibe! Food here is amazing
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

tova

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fun place, stayed during the off season so was quiet. Good food and bar. Great pool. Close walk to the beach.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

CRAIG

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Grateful Hotel - a deadhead experience.

Amazing boutique hotel with a bar & grill. Live music. Phil the owner and his wife are lovely people.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

ara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Good Vibes, mudslides & palm beach

Great stay! Amazing people &Vibe. Food,drink's, and service are amazing too!!! Go you will be stoked.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kirk

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff is fantastic! Great music playing, creating good vibes. Genuine, friendly people working here, great food and drinks, minutes from the beach.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Atmosphere and food are excellent. Location is close to nice beach and you can take a water taxi to Tamarindo. The rooms are ok but the mattresses definitely need replacing as well as the fridge.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lloyd

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Rioms were clean and comfortable but the staff was exceptional! We will definitely be back.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

chunling

Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The service was great. Staff was very friendly and helpful. the condition of the room was old. it;s located in a very good location and very close to water.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Milagros Giannina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
They are very nice People kind and Sweet lovely good experience and happy
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Timothy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Unique setting and location. A nice change of pace from the resort community. Thank you.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Hollis

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed here 3 nights & really enjoyed it. The rooms are basic but nice & clean. Staff is great, the food is amazing, & nice to have live music at night. We saw tons of wildlife in the area including a Python snake, an armadillo, & a baby turtle on the beach. Playa Grande beach is under 10 min walking distance & one of the nicest beaches I've had the pleasure to enjoy. We would absolutely recommend the Grateful Hotel & area to all visiting Costa Rica.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Keven

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Perfect Ending to our trip!

We initially booked the Grateful Hotel for one night but ended up extending our stay to two nights because we loved it so much! The staff was incredibly welcoming and went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed—they were genuinely some of the most helpful people we’ve encountered. The atmosphere was fantastic, with fun and friendly people, great food and drinks, and an overall lively vibe, especially at the pool and bar. The location is also a major plus—just a short walk to a beautiful beach and a few quaint spots to grab a bite to eat. While the hotel isn’t fancy, it was clean and absolutely perfect for what we were looking for. If you’re after a laid-back, fun, and welcoming place to stay, the Grateful Hotel is a great choice. Highly recommended!
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Shane Marcell

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room was clean with everything in working order. Staff was top notch, friendly and accommodating. The only thing that i would say i didnt care for would be the owner, Phil lingering around every evening. He was none of the forementioned.
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cheryl

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

A Trippin’ Gem

If you’re into live music, especially the Grateful Dead this is a hotel for you. If you’re not it’s still a wonderful place to enjoy the beauty of Playa Grande. It sits right on the estuary and there’s tons of wildlife and a short walk to the beach. The hotel rooms are clean and comfortable. The pool is fun. In the evenings it can get lively, but as an early bird I had no trouble sleeping. The owner and staff are friendly and helpful. I would come back in a minute.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Blättler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Grateful Hotel = Pura Vida

10/10 Excellent

Tommy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Found this gem of a hotel while looking to supplement a in-between hotels day and now I wish I booked it for longer
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Yolima Andrea

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The hotel is so cute and is isolated so you get real sleep. Everyone was so friendly and authentically nice. The food is fantastic and the entire staff makes you feel at home, everything in the hotel is intended for your relaxation
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

MATTHEW

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Grateful to have found the place !

Denise and Phil are wonderful hosts; real chill environment; great burger; music top notch!!!!!!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great relaxed ambience. Staff are super kind. Truck on down y’all.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Unique and location
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The music
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

6/10 Okay

Kevin

The showers in the rooms are in bad condition, spray all over or very clogged and no pressure. They need to changed out.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

4/10 Poor

Paul

Disliked: Staff & service
Travelers beware! Don’t be fooled by the location! We were looking for a last minute stay near downtown Tamarindo. This hotel on Expedia is located .89 miles from Tamarindo Beach. HOWEVER, it is NOT even close. After we booked and plugged in the hotel into Waze, it was a 40 minute drive because there is a body of water separating the hotel from Tamarindo. Unless you plan to swim to downtown, it is misleading!!!!!! We were really looking forward to staying at this property, I’m sure it’s lovely but after driving for hours from the San Jose area at night there was no way we were driving another 40 unanticipated minutes. I cancelled FIVE mi after reserving and Expedia said they “tried” to contact the hotel numerous times but wasn’t able to get my money back. MONEY GRAB - also beware!!!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

2/10 Terrible

Jasvinder

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Terrible location and bad roads leading to property. The road for last 1 mile has so many pot holes. Location is on a very bad side. Its about 1.4 mile from main area that is happening but that drive is a 45 min by car. Beach is about 10 min walk and on back of hotel there is tiny water area that offers water taxi. Rooms are ok at best. One person in staff was nice. I requested a refund for 2nd night and was told will be ok. I checked out and even though I was told would be ok by request was later denied. There is no front desk or staff on site at this tiny so called hotel. They outsourced to a German lady Sarah who does not pick up whats app calls. Expedia tried so many times to call her. She communicates via messages with hotel bar staff and said ok for me to leave. Dont book and pick rather other side of beach with much better hotels.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024