Playa Negra Guesthouse

Agree with some of the other reviews here: why this property got such good reviews is beyond me. The rooms are basic, dark and have bugs. There is nothing really special here. Would not recommend. The hosts seem to be mad at their guests. There are nice animals to see around the property though.

My family just completed our fourth stay at Playa Negra Guesthouse. We first came here when our kids were young and they still love coming to PNG as adults. The hosts, Marise and Pierre, are lovely and consistently go above and beyond to make your stay extra special. Over the years Marise has arranged zip-lining, white water rafting, hikes in the Cahuita National Park, snorkeling, transpo to/from San Jose, transpo to/from the Cahuita bus terminal, etc. for us. She works with trusted local operators who they know, having owned PNG for many years. You pay the tour operator, taxi service, etc. directly. It’s always a reasonable price. PNG is not earning any commission - they are simply being helpful. All that being said, we now stay at PNG for the tranquility of it and not the excursions. The grounds are a jungle paradise with geckos, sloths, poison dart frogs, birds and more galore. The pool is gorgeous and there’s a well-stocked honor bar that also includes soft drinks, water, juice, etc. The rooms and bungalows are spacious and clean. Just across the street is the Caribbean beach. PNG is a short walk into town where there are plenty of dining options, shops, a large supermarket, and the Cahuita National Park. There are also great dining options within steps of PNG. We highly recommend Playa Negra Guesthouse and can’t wait to return again.

Cahuita was our first main stop in our Costa Rica itinerary, and this accommodation was delightful. In contrast to some of the brash hotels we stayed in at other locations in Costa Rica - the Playa Negra Guesthouse cottage really blended in with the beautiful tropical Caribbean environment, but also had the necessary comforts of clean serviced accommodation, pool, and attractive grounds. We ate our meals on our cottage's private terrace, and the kitchen had the basic essentials needed. Our accommodation had ceiling fans rather than AC and this kept us adequately cool. Lovely to be so up close to see and hear wildlife, and just across the road from beach. Short stroll into the main part of Cahuita. The guesthouse complex was quite secure including car parking.

This is a lovely small guest house right next to Playa Negra beach in Cahuita and a perfect base for exploring the South Caribbean coast- only a 20-25 minute drive to puerto viejo and nearby beaches, Cocles and Punta Uva- but much more chill. The hosts are very friendly and helpful and full of enthusiasm for the wildlife in their garden and all around. Perfect for families with kids with a nice pool to relax and lots of grounds to explore with birds, agoutis, sloths, and amazing tree frogs.

After spending two weeks on a full on tour of Costa Rica we decided a six night break in Cahuita was just what we needed - we were so right. The Playa Negra guesthouse is the perfect place to relax and unwind. The setting is just beautiful, lovely garden, wonderful staff and a much needed pool after a walk in the heat. We had the smallest room (wished I had booked a larger one) but it was absolutely fine - cleaned every day and we had our own little private patio - just the thing for a glass of wine and a beer at the end of an exhausting day reading! Staff were really lovely and helpful. Honesty fridge was useful. Meet some lovely people. You literally just had to walk across the road to the beach. Plenty of eating/drinking places in Cahuita its self - we could walk there in 10/15 mins. Regga Bar is about 2 mins walk good for a beer and their sandwiches were really good.

Marise and Pierre have been the innkeepers at Playa Negra for 15 years, since moving from Quebec, Canada to follow their Costa Rican dream. They epitomize customer service, warmth, friendliness and are always available to help with ideas for exploring and/or things to see/do. We've been to Playa Negra on 3 separate occasions and plan to return in the future. The guesthouse has three stand along cottages ... the "Blue", "Yellow" and "Green" cottages. The green cottage is a studio complete with full kitchen, dining area and sleeping area. It has a large bathroom. There is also a very private, covered patio/lanai that we used as the "living room" for watching Netflix on the computer in the evening before bed. We have stayed in this cottage on two of our three stays. The yellow and blue cottages have two bedrooms each and are otherwise fully equipped like the green cottage. We've not seen the inside of either cottage but have no doubt they are well kept inside. The guesthouse also have 5 rooms in the main building. They vary in size but are sufficiently large to be comfortable for two people. Each has a bar fridge and microwave oven along with their own private bathrooms. The rooms are quiet (as are the cottages). We have stayed in two of the rooms and found them to be more than sufficient for our needs. Common areas, other than the grounds, include the pool with is located centrally. It is always clean and surrounded by comfortable lounging chairs. Beside the pool is an "honour bar" ... the sort where you serve yourself from the variety of drinks in the fridge, record them on the log and they will be charged to your room. This is a very trusting system that seems to work well. If you're there for a more extended duration, talk to Marise when you're running out of clean underwear or other clothing. Give her your laundry in the morning and the staff will have it back to you cleaned, dried and folded by late afternoon. Pierre is an expert on the flora a fauna of the area. If you're really lucky, you might get to go walking in the Cahuita National Forest with Pierre. You'll be treated to sights of animals, reptiles and plants that Pierre will gladly spot and explain to you. If you haven't noticed, we are very fond of Playa Negra Guesthouse, Marise and Pierre. They are a lovely couple who aim to please. We highly recommend this property. You won't be disappointed if you go there.