Outdoor pool, sun loungers
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Reviews of Hotel Banana Azul - Adults Only

3.5 out of 5
Hotel Banana Azul - Adults Only
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Cahuita, Limon

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 237 out of 339 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 72 out of 339 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 22 out of 339 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 339 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 339 reviews" "

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Melinda

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We were genuinely sad we only had one night to stay at Banana Azul! Check in was quick and efficient and friendly. The fresh coconut was a lovely treat. The Howler Suite was charming and the view magical. The food in the restaurant was delicious. I highly recommend Banana Azul if you want an authentic Costa Rica experience that’s right on the Playa Negra beach. I’ll definitely be returning.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

maritza

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a beautiful hotel. Beautiful wood, restaurant and bar and the lush jungle landscape is just beautiful. Loved the pool also. The standout about this place though is the staff for sure. Young crew, very good manners and helpful. Be sure to tip them, they deserve it. We’ll return one day! We stayed in the Brisas cabin and it was awesome. Note that most rooms do not have air conditioning so if you require air conditioning make sure you book a room with them that has it. Love Banana Azul! The shuttle service and your booking counter just outside their entrance was so helpful. We use Caribe Shuttle to get there from San Jose.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shannon

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved everything about this place! Food was great, room was lovely, beds were comfy, staff was so kind and accommodating. Highly recommend
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christina

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We absolutely loved how nice, quiet, and chill this place was. The staff was more than happy to help us with whatever we needed. The views were amazing, the food was fresh, and our room was lovely.
Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Patricia

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our stay at Banana Azul was wonderful. The staff is very friendly and helpful and the breakfast was very nice. We loved the beautiful gardens and especially the seating at the beach where the onshore breeze was so comfortable and the view was so lovely.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I can't say enough good things about this place, and the people who take the time and effort to take care of us. Service and grounds amazing. The one thing you will need to get use to is the fact there isn't any AC on the premises. Looking forward to staying here again. :)
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jane

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous. We had the Treehouse Suite. I wish we could have stayed there forever.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Debbie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful property great value
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

morris

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Liliya

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location, steps from the beach! We loved the place, but the second room was extremely small, which made it uncomfortable. The breakfast was excellent with a different menu every day. I would like to extend a special thank you to Jordan, who provided outstanding service and recommendations.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Patricia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good time
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Deanna

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was our first trip to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. We've been coming to Costa Rica for over 20 years. We loved it and the hotel and staff were wonferful. The hotel's restaurant had great menu options with breakfast included. Be sure to confirm if your room has AC. Not all rooms do. Black sand beach. We'd definitely stay here again..
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Banana Azul Beach resort
This laid back beach resort is ideal for 'get away from it all' holiday makers. The fabulous black sand beach is just at the end of the well maintained gardens. and it stretches for miles. The room we stayed in was slightly small. (as was the pool) - but Air con worked great and we needed it. Shower was powerful. I'd go for the larger suite next time. Try the tenderloin steak - one of the best I've had. Cocktails to die for. - and service was excellent.
Sunrise at the end of the garden ....
part of the tropical gardens around the hotel.
great beach views
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dennis, Evansville

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Unique setting, like living in the jungle, but on the beach with amenities
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

6/10 Okay

victor, lewisville

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice and quite beach access property. Be warned of rooms with NO air conditioning. This important and relevant information should have been clearly disclosed during the booking process. Unfortunately, it was not disclosed or available from Expedia booking site.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A little piece of heaven...
The staff was so welcoming and helpful. Look forward to coming back again.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

4/10 Poor

Jennifer

Travelled with family
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The property was dated and had many rooms that don’t have air conditioning. They initially put us in room on the property on the outside of the resort and it felt dilapidated and dirty, with multiple keys for entry and safety. (Gate key, door key) The area was unsafe and unkept without air conditioning. We begged to be moved and they said because we didn’t book direction from their site, we were not a priority. The second day we got moved to the central area of the facility, but still not air conditioning, with windows open, we needed to sleep under a bug net. Overall, the food was good, but very limited hours of service for different meals. There was no à la carte or in room service. (For example, I asked for chips or a piece of toast and they couldn’t accommodate.) Also, neither of the rooms had televisions, which we really didn’t mind, but some visitors might find that to be a problem. Definitely do your homework on this property and do not stay here unless you book directly from their website and you can choose your specific room. Make sure you get one with air-conditioning because it’s very hot and humid in Costa Rica.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Ayanna, Cypress

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful stay. Friendly staff.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

6/10 Okay

Derek

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
First, we have visited Banana Azul multiple times and enjoyed our previous stays. This visit we stayed 5-nights in Villa 1 and were very disappointed in the room. The downstairs and porch ceiling fans did not work and after reporting the issue multiple times, no one arrived to ever take a look. This made the downstairs unusable because of the heat. The exterior door is a security issue and does not lock properly to the outside world. Staff said they would "grease the door" but no one arrive to repair. There is a extreme heat source radiating from the kitchen floor that is hot to the touch and foul smells from the kitchen sink. Again, we reported the issues with no response. If you're looking to cook, look elsewhere. There is an electric stove but zero pans or cooking tools in the villa. Our neighbor in the next villa stepped on a deck plank that broke through and was injured in the fall; he was offered a bottle of wine for the injury. There were also balls of hair around the outdoor shower. The property has changed since our last visit and we won't be retuning.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Daniel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Slice of Paradise
Incredible stay, the staff are amazing and the hotel is wonderful. Food is excellent as well and more affordable then many of the local restaurants (and just as tasty). We had an ocean view room, and it was amazing that we were a short 10 second walk from the beach!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I appreciated the staff here! Very accommodating and treated us like family! Will be back!
Stayed 9 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Chris

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Right next to a very nice beach, I would go back anytime
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jesica

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Easy, peasy and lemon squeezy
Beautiful location with amazingly friendly staff. We felt at home and well taken care of. The apartment was clean and well supplied. The staff answered any and all questions we had. The drinks and meals were delicious. Highly recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Charlene

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I loved this property..oceanfront, comfortable clean, cabana, grounds were well kept, well landscaped, beautiful flowers, trees, fauna, staff was courteous, professional and well trained, this was the best place I stayed so far in Costa Rica
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

6/10 Okay

Laura

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disappointing
I booked this hotel to relax by the pool for a couple of days before heading back to San Jose. Whilst I was there, the restaurant and pool were closed by the ministry of Health due to a licensing issue. They gave us some food and beverage credit, but this rather defeated the point when I couldn't use the pool or restaurant. Also there were very load works going on outside my bedroom, which also caused vibrations in my room - these started from 06:30. Not the experience I was going for.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mukhtar, Brooklyn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great management! Thanks
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Francisco, Cartago

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sandra

Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

6/10 Okay

Sallye F

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place but not prepared for no AC
Beautiful place but I wasn’t expecting no AC. Had to leave the doors open and sleep under mosquito netting. Ran out of hot water pretty quickly and the roof leaked onto the bed during the night. Great food and nice palapas on the beach. Water had huge waves and a strong current.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

JORGE

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lindo hotel bien conservado buena atención , playa y hotel tranquilos, comida deliciosa.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

angela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice place. Cute rooms with friendly staff

10/10 Excellent

Claudia

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely beautiful hotel on gorgeous grounds. Black sand beach steps away. Staff super friendly. Welcome drinks were tasty. Only drawback is its a bit far from the main town...tuk tuk 3000 col.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Sheila

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay
If you are looking to stay in a hotel with a cabin feel, this is the place. The hotel is right on the beach which is an added bonus. The room was clean, and the service was great. Close to town and a store across the street. Highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022

8/10 Good

CYRIL

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, well maintained property. Breakfast was great … coffee, fruit, juice, water all self serve and then your choice of a hot offering. The 6 dinner meals we had were more on the mediocre side. Hamburger and fries was the best! We took the budget offering of a Kabina. It was just decent. The .8 of a km road in off the highway was brutal. Overall, I would stay here again as we were right on the ocean. But, just as likely I would try somewhere else.

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely gorgeous property and staff were wonderful
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

karen

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our stay at Banana Azul was wonderful! We loved our room and the dining options were great. They had great options for day trips and transportation to the towns around the resort. We felt very safe and it was a tranquil several days. Playa Negra is steps from the hotel and the waters of the Caribbean just can’t be beat!! We will definitely be including Costa Rica, and Hotel Banana Azul in our travel plans again!!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

SILVIA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Exquisite luxury Oasis in Puerto Viejo
Amazing luxury accommodations 👏 Impressive upscale lush surrounding. The rooms are very inviting, ample and with amenities. And it is soooo clean. Great view of the ocean. Everything is first class, from the visual to the towels, sheets, bed, shower. Everything works, which in Puerto Viejo is a miracle. I know, I have been here numerous trips. Close to downtown Puerto Viejo. The restaurant food is so delicious, we did not want to go any place else. The supermarket across the street has the same high standard with reasonable prices. One can order take out there of sandwiches. They have a cozy bar on the beach as well as lounge chairs and a massage tent. Great for a massage with the sound of the ocean and the ocean breeze. I highly recommend this Oasis. It is an incredible experience in Puerto Viejo 👏
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Osvaldo

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Reservations on Aug 9, 2022
We are happy you enjoyed your stay!

10/10 Excellent

Donald, Portland

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved everything. The quaintness, the quiet, the privacy, the beach, the service ... literally everything! Banana Azul made our vacation so easy we can't wait to visit again.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Reservations on Jul 18, 2022
Thank you for the wonderful commentrs, it was our pleasure assiting you, we hope to see you back in the near future!

8/10 Good

Tiffany

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jocelyn

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property is gorgeous and is right on the beach (which is also gorgeous!). Be aware that not all rooms offer air conditioning, but the description of each room type very clearly says whether or not their is air con. It is easy to walk into the town, and you can take a tuk tuk back. The excursions offered by the hotel are really good as well. It was one of the best massages that I've ever had! The bartender was exceptional and the food delicious. I would absolutely return, without question.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2022
Response from Reservations on Aug 9, 2022
Thank you for the review!

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Travelled with family, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Far enough away, yet close enough to do stuff.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2022
Response from Roger Sans - General Manager. on Jun 3, 2022
Thank you for your review, we appreciate it. Pura vida!

10/10 Excellent

Juan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to stay, in front of the beach , quiet with amazing gardens
Stayed 1 night in May 2022
Response from Roger Sans - General Manager. on Jun 3, 2022
Thank you for your review, we appreciate it. Pura vida!

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2022
Response from Roger Sans - General Manager. on Apr 6, 2022
Thank you for your review.

2/10 Terrible

Forrest

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
If you are expecting to stay at a nice property this is not the place for you. Your room will be covered in bugs, as it is not sealed off from the outdoors. The bed is 25 years old and extremely uncomfortable. The blanket had obviously not been washed as it smelled terrible and was covered in stains. The room smells like a sewer. You are also sharing a porch with another room, unbeknownst to us at booking. The rest of the place is pretty nice, so as long as you don't plan on sleeping in your room at night it isn't a bad place to stay. We booked for 4 nights and left after the first night as the room is a terrible experience.
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2022
Response from Roger Sans - General Manager. on Feb 1, 2022
We really sorry you had this terrible experience in our resort. It is really sad as well you left after the first night without share this to the desk... we had other rooms available and also we would like to fix on the moment the inconveniences... just an observation, the Hotel has no more than 15 years old, so no way a bed will have 25 years on the same place. Totally aggressive message after more than 2,000 reviews during this years with almost on TOP of ratings. We hope next time you are luckier on your choice. Pura vida!

8/10 Good

Luc, Lumsden

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our privita cabin did not have AC. Therefore it was very hot in the room at the time we went to bed. Hopefully, it got a little cooler later in the middle of the night.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022

8/10 Good

Lynda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Mona

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved it
The treehouse was a great and very unique experience! The hotel is located right on the beach, has great food, excellent service, and is in secluded yet convenient location.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021

2/10 Terrible

David

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hotels.com Never, Never, Never again!!!!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2021
Response from Roger Sans - General Manager. on Jan 15, 2022
What happened Mr David? Can you give us more details. We have an email on our website you can give us details to correct what happened. Thank you!