Sophia May
Where To Stay In Jaco Costa Rica – Jaco Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Costa Rica due to its great surfing waves, lively nightlife and proximity to San Jose. This Jaco accommodation guide takes families with young children into account.
Jaco Beach (pronounced hacoh) is located approximately 90 kilometers southeast of San Jose Airport in the Puntarenas Province of Costa Rica. Jaco is a very developed beach town with a busy central strip.
Where To Stay In Jaco Costa Rica
The white sand beach itself is a gentle c-turn about 4km long. At the southern end of the beach there is a wonderful view that covers the entire beach. Jaco is one of the most popular surfing beaches in Costa Rica.
Where To Stay In Costa Rica
Due to its proximity to the capital, Jaco Beach is very popular on Costa Rican vacations. Route 27 from San Jose to Jaco is a smooth four-lane road that is easy to navigate.
On the way to Jaco Beach, you will pass the famous “Crocodile Bridge” over the Tarcols River and the Carrara National Park.
Jaco is known for its parties – all-night bars and discos, it’s not uncommon to see prostitutes (prostitution is legal in Costa Rica) and there’s a very thriving drug scene.
Also, it is not unusual to see schoolchildren walking through the city on their way to school. Jaco has a busy weekend market, a good shopping center, many restaurants and daily services in a Catholic church. Jaco is one of everything.
Hotel Mar De Luz Jaco 3* (costa Rica)
That’s why a visit to Jaco remains one of our top stops every time we visit Costa Rica. The southern part of the beach is quiet, well stocked with grocery stores, and has our favorite apartment (Paloma Blanca).
Jaco Beach is easily accessible from the San Jose airport by car, public transportation, bus, even taxi and Uber. It is located about an hour south of Puntarenas on the Costanera Highway and about two hours north of Manuel Antonio National Park.
Using Waze or Google Maps, it’s easy to find out how to get to Jaco Beach – it’s one of those places you can’t miss. If you fly into Juan Santamaria International Airport in the afternoon or even at night, you can start your trip to Manuel Antonio with a quick stopover in Jaco before heading south.
Another great thing about Jaco Beach is all the nearby activities. You can go ziplining, hiking in the national park, horseback riding, hiking, and ATV tours.
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Surf lessons are plentiful and you can take a day trip to the famous Crocodile River Cruise. Sport fishing is popular in the area, and if you squint, there’s almost always a flock of scarlet macaws flying by.
Still trying to decide which beach to visit? Check out our 20 best beaches on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica!
For our family, we usually want to be at the beach – I don’t want to pack up the kids and beach stuff and go to the beach and then realize we forgot something. Also, I like to run from the beach to my room for a beer.
To that end, look at the location of the property on the map when looking at vacation rentals in Jaco. Many locations feature stunning ocean views, and you’re in a tower two or more miles from the beach. Just double check.
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Our family loves having a pool nearby. The waves in Jaco can be very strong and the girls love to swim in the pool. When the sun is strong, it’s nice to have a pool umbrella to sit under and enjoy the warm weather.
And finally, we love having a kitchen. We don’t like to spend our beach and activities sitting in restaurants, and frankly, the service in Costa Rica is slow. So we like to go grocery shopping for easy meals and lots of drinks that we can keep in the fridge.
This is my TOP PICK Jaco with the kids and we love this place. Each condo is individually owned, but you can find vacation rentals at Vacasa and Lost Beach Vacations.
Each room has air conditioning, a fully equipped kitchen and a terrace with pool and ocean views. There are three swimming pools and a children’s pool, as well as a barbecue hut that you can reserve.
The Blue Marlin Hotel
You literally walk on the beach and this part of the beach is not crowded with surfers and rocks.
Most restaurants in Jaco deliver to this apartment and all entrances are guarded to prevent guests and others from entering. We almost always order pizza from Rioasis when we stay here.
Choose a unit with a direct ocean view – the sunsets are divine. There is a local horse riding tour that brings their horses every morning and afternoon and a surf school that sets up shop in the area. Mirador de Jaco is only 3 minutes away.
Expect to pay between $75 and $200 a night, depending on the size of your apartment and whether it’s high or low season.
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This hotel is located at the southern end of the beach and its lush tropical grounds are beautiful. The whole place has a 50’s seaside feel to me and everyone who lives there seems genuinely happy when I walk by.
On the beach there is a lounge where guests can relax in umbrella chairs and waiters bring drinks. The hotel restaurant looks very nice with a good selection of seafood. Rooms have either ocean or rainforest views, and the pool is right on the beach.
This child-friendly hotel boasts friendly and efficient service that exceeds expectations. We haven’t stayed here yet because I’m addicted to La Paloma Blanca, but it’s my top choice for our next stay.
Celina is a Colombian-owned chain of hostels and hotels with locations in Monteverde, La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio and San Jose. They offer private rooms, Wi-Fi, and shared workspaces, and prices are usually low.
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Jaco’s property is right on the beach, with a great pool and shared kitchen. They even have two roller rooms – it would be fun to have two of them and keep parents and teenagers close.
Selina hotels usually accommodate 20 people, but offer family rooms and very reasonable rates. The location is great and there are plenty of places to hang out outside the room. I think this is a great place for families with teenagers.
This hotel is within walking distance of downtown Jaco. There are several types of rooms, including those with private or shared bathrooms. If you’re traveling on a budget, you’ll love the room rates here.
This oceanfront hotel costs about $100 a night and includes breakfast. Despite the low price, it feels like a luxury boutique hotel by the ocean.
Ocean Beach Jaco From $92. Jacó Hotel Deals & Reviews
The rooms and apartments are located around the turquoise swimming pool that runs through the property. There are 8-10 apartments – 2-3 bedrooms.
The apartments have a kitchen, a children’s pool, and the hotel is located on the beach. It’s about a 7-minute drive north of Jaco in Playa Hermosa, so keep that in mind when booking.
There is a free bus to the area and it can be nice to be outside the hustle and bustle of Jaco. We haven’t stayed here yet, but the hotel is popular with tourists leaving San Jose for the weekend.
The Punta Leona complex is located 15 minutes south of Jaco. Punta Leona is a long-standing private beach club for Costa Ricans and also has a great hotel with access to two of the country’s most beautiful beaches, Playa Mantas and Playa Blanca.
Apartotel Flamboyant, Jacó
Punta Leona room rentals offer buffet meals with traditional Costa Rican cuisine, and there is a grocery store next to the beach that sells frozen drinks, beer and snacks. There is also an all-inclusive option with à la carte meals.
There is an à la carte restaurant on site and the beach is very easy – just a short walk from the pool to the beach. The rooms are a bit of a walk. The property is located in the middle of a rainforest and has extensive tropical gardens.
Nature lovers will love the hiking trails, large swimming pools, tennis courts, butterfly garden, and they can arrange literally any excursion. Small children play in the hotel playground. Rooms are simple but clean, with mini-fridges, coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs, satellite channels, and free Wi-Fi throughout the property.
The pool area and outdoor restaurant are a few minutes’ walk from the hotel rooms. Free parking is available
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