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The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel

4.0 star property

Photo gallery for The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel

Poolside bar
Restaurant
Reception
Reception
PREMIUM 2 QUEEN BEDS

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Gym
  • Pool
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Room service

Explore the area

Map
Playa Guiones, Nosara
  • Frog Pad
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Playa Pelada
    ‪15 min walk‬
  • Nosara Beach
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Nosara (NOB)
    ‪15 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Standard Double Room

Rainfall showerhead, free toiletries, hair dryer, slippers

Standard Double Room

  • 35 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Double Beds

View all photos for Surf Suite

Surf Suite

Surf Suite

  • 8 sq m
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 Queen Bed and 4 Twin Beds

View all photos for PREMIUM 1 KING BED

PREMIUM 1 KING BED

PREMIUM 1 KING BED

  • 52 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for PREMIUM 2 QUEEN BEDS

PREMIUM 2 QUEEN BEDS

PREMIUM 2 QUEEN BEDS

  • 52.0 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for PREMIUM PLUS 2 QUEEN BEDS

PREMIUM PLUS 2 QUEEN BEDS

PREMIUM PLUS 2 QUEEN BEDS

  • 56 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Standard Room

Standard Room

Standard Room

  • 35 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for PREMIUM PLUS 1 KING BED

PREMIUM PLUS 1 KING BED

PREMIUM PLUS 1 KING BED

  • 56 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

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2 outdoor pools, open 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, pool umbrellas, pool loungers

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About the area

Nosara

When you stay at The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel in Nosara, you'll be by the ocean, just steps from Frog Pad and 15 minutes by foot from Playa Pelada. .This beach hotel is 1.5 mi (2.5 km) from Nosara Spanish Institute and 3.1 mi (5 km) from Nosara Beach.

What's nearby

  • Frog Pad - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Safari Surf School - 12 min walk - 1.1 km
  • Playa Pelada - 15 min walk - 1.3 km
  • Nosara Spanish Institute - 3 min drive - 2.5 km
  • Nosara Beach - 6 min drive - 5.0 km

Getting around

  • Daniel Oduber Intl. Airport (LIR) - 177 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Howler’s Beach Lounge - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪The Restaurant and Bar at The Gilded Iguana - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪La Luna - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Beach Dog Cafe - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Café de Paris - ‬11 min walk

About this property

The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel

Salt air and outdoor pool, near Frog Pad
The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel offers 29 accommodations with minibars and safes. Beds feature Frette Italian sheets and premium bedding. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wired and wireless Internet access.

Bathrooms include rainfall showerheads, slippers, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Business-friendly amenities include desks and phones; local and international calls are complimentary (restrictions may apply). Additionally, rooms include coffee/tea makers and ceiling fans. Housekeeping is offered daily and irons/ironing boards can be requested.

An outdoor pool and a children's pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a fitness center.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

The onsite spa has 2 treatment rooms including rooms for couples and outdoor treatment areas. Services include facials, body wraps, body scrubs, and body treatments. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy and reflexology. The spa is open daily.
Make yourself at home in one of the 29 guestrooms featuring minibars. Complimentary wired and wireless internet access is available. Private bathrooms have rainfall showerheads and complimentary toiletries. Conveniences include safes and desks, as well as phones with free international calls.
Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages, body treatments, and facials. You can take advantage of recreational amenities such as an outdoor pool and a fitness center. Additional amenities at this hotel include complimentary wireless internet access, concierge services, and gift shops/newsstands. Guests can catch a ride to nearby destinations on the area shuttle (surcharge).
Enjoy a meal at the restaurant, or stay in and take advantage of the hotel's room service (during limited hours). Unwind at the end of the day with a drink at the bar/lounge or the poolside bar. A complimentary continental breakfast is served daily from 7:00 AM to 10 AM.
Featured amenities include complimentary wired internet access, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a 24-hour front desk. Planning an event in Nosara? This hotel has 915 square feet (85 square meters) of space consisting of a conference center and meeting rooms. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours), and free self parking is available onsite.
A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning between 7:00 AM and 10 AM.
The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel has a restaurant on site.
Late night fare is available from room service (during limited hours).

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi and wired internet
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi and wired internet

Parking and transport

  • 24-hour return airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Area shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site

Food and drink

  • Free continental breakfast available daily 7:00 AM to 10 AM
  • A bar/lounge
  • A poolside bar
  • A restaurant
  • Snack bar/deli

Things to do

  • Children's pool
  • Ecotours
  • Free bicycle rentals
  • Full-service spa
  • Gym
  • Outdoor pool
  • Surfing/bodyboarding
  • TV in common areas
  • Yoga classes

Family friendly

  • Children's pool
  • Free supervised activities for children
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snack bar/deli
  • Soundproofed rooms

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • Conference centre (915 square foot of space)
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Beach towels
  • Garden
  • Pool loungers
  • Pool umbrellas
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • 2 treatment rooms
  • Aromatherapy
  • Body scrubs
  • Body wraps
  • Couples treatment rooms
  • Facials
  • Massage
  • Outdoor treatment areas
  • Reflexology
  • Spa open daily

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Accessible airport shuttle
  • No lift
  • Stair-free path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Blackout drapes
  • Frette Italian sheets

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Slippers
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Late-night room service
  • Minibar

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Ceiling fan
  • Connecting rooms available
  • Desk
  • Free international calls
  • Free local calls
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Phone
  • Safe
  • Soundproofed rooms

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before noon
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 72 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property

Renovations and closures

This property is closed from October 19 2025 to October 29 2025 (dates subject to change).

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

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

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 75.0 per day
Cribs (infant beds) are available for USD 20.0 per night

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: USD 180.00 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 4)
  • Crib (infant bed) fee: USD 20.0 per night
  • Rollaway bed fee: USD 75.0 per day

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

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; cash is not accepted
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, and a first aid kit

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation

Property is also known as

Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel Nosara
Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel
Gilded Iguana Surf Nosara
Gilded Iguana Surf
The Gilded Iguana Surf
The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel Hotel
The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel Nosara
The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel Hotel Nosara

The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 323 out of 353 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 20 out of 353 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 353 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 6 out of 353 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 353 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

9.6/10

Amenities

9.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Michele, Portland

Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Scott

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

8/10 Good

Alexa

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Pros We had an excellent stay at the Gilded Iguana. Staff were very helpful and helped us book surf lessons and board rentals as well as a turtle hatching tour at Ostinal. Our room was really nice and clean and all the facilities were beautiful. The restaurant was great and had good food and drinks. The breakfast was more than what you would expect for an inclusive breakfast. I will say there was not a lot of vegan options for breakfast but I was able to easily make changes with the serving staff to accommodate this. Cons The street was under construction and it took us forever to find a way to get to the hotel driving around at night with bad road conditions after a long day of travel. It would have been nice if the hotel had messaged us in advance to let us know about the construction and help us with directions. There is not a lot of parking available at the hotel. We ended up having to park on the street which would have been fine except the street is under construction and in the morning large aggregate trucks were driving past which were dropping rocks. Thankfully we didn’t have any damage. We booked this room for our honeymoon and I accidentally booked a room with two double beds. I totally get this was my mistake but I did specify it was our honeymoon and it would have been nice to be moved to a king room. That being said the staff left us a dessert and kind note to congratulate us. Overall would recommend, excellent stay!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Vishal

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chris, Philadelphia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

terry

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Gilded Iguana was a wonderful resort. Staff were friendly and very helpful connecting us with amazing restaurants and experiences in the area. Specifically Coyol Restaurant and Huacas Restaurant provided amazing world class food AND beautiful vistas of both sunsets and the Costa Rican Mountains. A great, relaxing stay
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rhonda Marie, North Hampton

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The room was beautiful. Wonderful bathroom. Great housekeeping and concierge’s service. 5 stars to Francisco and yoga instructor Juliana.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Adam

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

John

Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful location

10/10 Excellent

Danielle Celine

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very kind staff and amazing food!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Timothy

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The perfect place to stay! I’ve been visiting Nosara for year, and will keep coming back to the Guilded Iguana!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lorine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
5 Star property and service. Beautiful and peaceful. Walkable to beach, shops and restaurants Highly recommend
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Katherine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Edna

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Slick Tile.

We had a great stay. Only problem was the slick tile which got wet from the humidity.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christophe

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Jeramie

Liked: Property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. It was a joke being waited on by the restaurant staff. The food was awful and it would take the servers 5-10 mins to talk to you then another 5-10 for a drink when there was no one in the restaurant. I got hives from their soap. I asked to check out early and they blamed Orbitz. Orbitz said they would refund any amount that the hotel would give. I left 3 days early after I was rudely turned away from coffee 5 mins after the “breakfast” was served. Won’t be returning to that hotel, but I did enjoy Nosara.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ian

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Francis Luke

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Eliana

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
This was a perfect place to get away- beautiful grounds, a short romantic walk to the beach. The staff is extremely helpful and satisfied all our needs.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mariah

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rhydian

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

Highly recommended

Outstanding location and setup….the team were all very helpful and organised..faultless and couldn’t recommend highly enough
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Patricia

Liked: Staff & service
Prices for food and beverages are too high
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Patricia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Prices on the menu are too high
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Catherine

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024