Top 10 Reasons To Visit Hotel Playa Negra
- You can park under your own beachfront hut, free of white plastic furniture, for $72 a night.
- You can finally learn to surf (the breaks are gentle enough for beginners on long boards).
- Your kids can chase geckos, spot monkeys, follow butterflies, and play in tide pools filled with tropical fish and hermit crabs.
- Lapping waves, chirping crickets, and ribbeting frogs make up the soundtrack.
- It's a magnet for well-traveled, adventurous families who want to chill out as much as find the perfect beach.
- Watermelon is freshly blended into juice for breakfast.
- Perfectly situated hammocks within baby monitor–earshot of your hut.
- Nearby waterfalls and volcanoes make for great day trips.
- Babysitters cost $2 an hour (no, we're not missing a zero).
- There are separate kiddie and adult pools (in case you tire of the ocean).
The Rooms
The open-air bungalows are spare but comfortable. Wood trim offsets utilitarian concrete floors. The rooms do not have bathtubs, but the large showers are conveniently curbless, so getting in or out is easy. Ask for extra towels to prevent slipping. Beds are comfortable, with good sheets and canvas linen bedspreads. Each room has a queen and two twins. Cribs are not available, but you can ask for a room with a twin bed against the wall and extra pillows to barricade a young child.
The Caveats
The rooms don't have televisions, telephones, or minibars (but the kitchen staff is happy to refrigerate or heat whatever you need). And they are not air-conditioned. Ocean breezes and ceiling fans suffice.
The Food
You wouldn't expect this resort to have a destination restaurant, but the hotel's kitchen is a mecca for locals as well as seasoned travelers.
At the hotel, meals can be ordered all day at the main rancho. The cooks will customize dishes to suit your tastes or dietary needs. Healthy staples such as fish, pasta, rice and beans, and smoothies are all delicious. From $1 to $12.
Within walking distance, Casa Playa Negra has terrific ceviche, huevos rancheros, pancakes, and pasta.
In Avellanas, Lola's has tasty ahi tuna sandwiches and great fish. Don't miss the 800-pound pig there. And be sure to meet the owners' daughter, who has been riding waves since she was 5 months old. Tamarindo, a surfing community 45 minutes away, is good for cheap eats and souvenirs.
