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Reviews of The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel

4 out of 5
The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel
Playa Guiones, Nosara

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 280 out of 303 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 16 out of 303 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 303 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 303 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 303 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

9.6/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Susanne Claire

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful property, friendly and helpful staff, incredible food with many gluten free accommodations, and wonderfully working AC in the room (a must for me in warm climates). The concierges were super helpful in arranging dinner reservations, excursions, and transportation.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2024
Response from Reservations GI on May 28, 2024
Dear Mrs. ClaireThank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed our property, friendly staff, delicious gluten-free options, and efficient AC. It’s great to know our concierges were helpful with your arrangements. We look forward to welcoming you back!

10/10 Excellent

Lisa

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This hotel really lived up to expectations. It felt safe and quiet and had lots of options available. We also asked for a last minute transportation and they were able to accommodate which was very appreciated. We would recommend this property
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024
Response from Reservations Team on May 8, 2024
Dear LisaThank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that our hotel met your expectations and provided a safe and peaceful environment during your stay.We hope to host you soon!

10/10 Excellent

Steven

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice property, large, well furnished, quiet rooms, beautiful grounds and pool area.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Reservations Team on Apr 29, 2024
Dear Steven,thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience with us! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay at our property and found our accommodations to your liking.Your feedback means the world to us, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for another enjoyable stay in the future. If

10/10 Excellent

Kathy

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice hotel in Nosara. The surf club didn’t wow us - gal was not very knowledgeable and was more interested in speaking to her friend than helping us. We ended up taking lessons elsewhere and more accessible and less expensive.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Reservations team on Apr 29, 2024
Dear Kathy,Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay at our hotel. Providing exceptional service and ensuring our guests have memorable experiences is our top priority, and we apologize for falling short in this instance.We truly value your feedback and will address your concerns with our surf club team to ensure that all guests receive knowledgeable and attentive assistance. We appreciate your insight, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future and provide you with the excellent service and experiences that we're known for.

8/10 Good

Madhi

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Reservations team on Apr 27, 2024
Dear Madhi, thak you for your time and score.

10/10 Excellent

Michelle

Liked: Cleanliness
Just perfect!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Response from Reservations team on Apr 27, 2024
Dear Michelle, thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear that your experience was perfect and that we were able to meet your expectations. Your satisfaction is our utmost priority, and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Jean-Guy

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
Response from Reservations Team on Feb 27, 2024
Thank you for your great score

10/10 Excellent

david

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Bliss and perfection. Beautiful well appointed property with a pool situated close to everything in town and the beach. Professional service, sweet spa. You wont want to leave!
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2024
Response from Reservations Team on Feb 27, 2024
Dear David,Thank you for your delightful review! We're thrilled you found our property blissful and perfect. Our team works hard to ensure every aspect of your stay is exceptional. We're delighted you enjoyed our professional service and sweet spa amenities. We can't wait to welcome you back for another memorable experience!

10/10 Excellent

Elana

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Reservations Team on Feb 27, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to let us know you had a great stay

10/10 Excellent

meridith

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful stay in nosara. Hotel is lovely and very conveniently located.
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ellen

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nosara was the 2nd stop for us on our honeymoon and the Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel was an excellent option! We stayed in a yoga room which was very comfortable and had its own outdoor shower as tons of space. The property is beautiful, very clean and newly updated with a wonderful, helpful staff. It’s in an extremely convenient location, right by a trail to the beach, one of the downtown areas with tons of restaurants, bars, shops and nearby fresh juice bars. We walked everywhere except for when we had dinner at La Luna (highly recommend for stunning sunset views and delicious, fresh cuisine). Tamarindo is a very laid back small town that is big on surfing, yoga & wellness. One of the 5 blue zones in the world, the tap water is mineral rich & high alkaline & delicious! This is a very safe town with friendly locals & travelers but be warned that the roads driving into Nosara are rough - many dirt roads with lots of potholes.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Wendy

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Nadia

Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lauren

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Kristin

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This property was overpriced for what it was. It was nice and clean and the rooms were nice. It is on a very busy street and several blocks from the beach. Membership at the surf club is not included.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Natalie

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Perfect location! Walkable to beach, shopping, and restaurants. Wonderful staff and breakfast was incredible.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Nov 24, 2023
Thank you for your kind words! We're delighted you enjoyed our location, friendly staff, and breakfast. We look forward to welcoming you back!

10/10 Excellent

Janson

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
LOVELY!!!!!!!!
100% recommend. My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon and had absolutely the most lovely time. We booked in early November because its less crowded and the prices were better. I was worried about that time frame (that it would be too rainy during the tail end of the wet season) but the weather was perfect and wonderful! It rained briefly twice while we were there and did not dampen any of the fun!
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Nov 14, 2023
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that you and your husband had a lovely time during your honeymoon stay. It warms our hearts to know that you chose to celebrate such a special occasion with us.

8/10 Good

Neal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staff was very friendly.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Nov 1, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback, Neal! Providing exceptional service and making our guests feel welcome is always our top priority.

10/10 Excellent

Heather

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Nov 1, 2023
Thank you! Heather, we hope to host you again soon!

10/10 Excellent

Louise

Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Nov 1, 2023
Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Garrett

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Sep 27, 2023
Thank you

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Sep 27, 2023
Thank you!Hoping to host you soon!

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Sep 27, 2023
Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gilded Iguana is a beautiful property with beautiful amenities, and excellent service all around. The hotel restaurant was great, with wonderful breakfast selections and the best coffee in all of Costa Rica. Travelers please note: the guilded iguana is a surf inspired hotel and caters specifically towards the local surf culture of Nosara.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Sep 27, 2023
Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled you enjoyed your stay. We take pride in our surf-inspired culture and are delighted you found our amenities and service excellent. It's wonderful to hear that you loved our breakfast selections and coffee. We look forward to welcoming you back soon

10/10 Excellent

Linda

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very cute hotel. Clean and had everything we needed. Staff was extremely friendly and helpful. They go out of their way to book tours etc for you and are excellent with communicating with guests. Breakfast was included and it was delicious with many options. They bring you a big plate of fruit and fresh pasteries before you even order breakfast. Only a 5 minute walk to the beach (if you are there during raining season, you could use a pair of rain boots to navigate the giant puddles if you decide to walk to restaurants and shops). Overall an excellent place.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Sep 2, 2023
We sincerely appreciate your wonderful review! Your kind words mean a lot to us. We look forward to the hosting you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Sounantha

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was my third visit to Playa Guiones/Nosara area, but my children’s first visit to CR! The Guilded Iguana surpassed all expectations! We loved the hotel for its friendly, helpful staff, super clean hotel, amazing housekeeping, excellent breakfast, dining options, pool, we can go on! A few minutes to the beach, and we highly recommend the Iguana Surf Club if you’ve never surfed. The staff really takes care of you to ensure you have everything you need so you’re just enjoying your vacation! So many personal touches they added to our stay that really made us feel welcome and special. Kids raved about it too and said they’d love to go back soon! As well, the location is central to boutique shopping and other restaurants in the area, so you don’t need a vehicle! All in all, we highly recommend The Gilded Iguana for a wonderful stay!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Aug 22, 2023
From our friendly staff to the excellent breakfast and pool, we're glad you enjoyed it all. Your recommendation and kind words are greatly appreciated. Looking forward to hosting you again soon!

10/10 Excellent

Daniel, Playa del Rey

Travelled with family, Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great property. Beautiful rooms. Excellent location. The only negative is one key per room. When you are traveling with teenagers going in different locations it makes it inconvenient and several times we had to ask staff to let us into the room. First time in my many travels.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Pericles

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

KIMBERLY DIANA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very clean and delicious food. Close to beach. Staff truly friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023
Response from reservations team on Jun 12, 2023
Thank you for your review! We're thrilled that you found our place clean and our food delicious. Our proximity to the beach is a bonus, and our friendly staff is always here to make you feel welcome. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to serving you again!

10/10 Excellent

Melissa

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This may be my favorite hotel ever, and I travel a lot. I play a game during my stays where I think of things I’d do better if I owned the hotel. I can’t come up with one single thing! Room was amazing and bed was so comfortable. Staff was so friendly. Restaurant was really good. Free breakfast was a full meal. And the prices they charge for food and drinks is so reasonable. The entire upscale surfer vibe really worked for us. I would come back here in a heartbeat. In fact, I’ve already started looking at prices. And internet was perfect. You could easily work with confidence from your room (or even out by the pool). I can’t recommend this place enough.
Stayed 4 nights in May 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Jun 8, 2023
Dear Melissa, thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful experience at our hotel. It brings us great joy to know that we met and exceeded your expectations in every aspect. We would be more than happy to welcome you back with open arms and provide you with another exceptional experience.

10/10 Excellent

jimmy

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Très bien
Nous avons passé un très bon moment en famille, l’hôtel respecter toutes les conditions que ce soit celle d’ Hotels.com ou les leurs nous recommandons fortement cette hôtel
Stayed 1 night in May 2023
Response from The Gilded Iguana on May 19, 2023
Merci pour votre commentaire monsieur Jimmy. Nous sommes ravi de les héberger.Merci de nous préférer!

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Apr 9, 2023
Dear Mr. Mark, thank you!

2/10 Terrible

Lynne

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from Reservations GI on Apr 14, 2023
Dear Mrs. Lynne,Our team were there with you and your friend when she broke her ankle on the beach.Maybe you did not noticed but our team assisted with first aid and we coordinated the emergency services. We have always been willing to work this cases in the best interest of our clients. As you were told by our staff your reservations was made through a 3rd party and you should have contacted them in order to cancel.We have not received any request for refund from your agency. We have already started a communication with the platform, so we can figure out a solution to your satisfaction.

10/10 Excellent

Janice

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It truly was exceptional! We loved our time here!!
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Mar 30, 2023
Dear Janice! Thank you we are glad to know it!

10/10 Excellent

ronnie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Clean and very helpful staff. Will try to resolve any issues. Cesar was a great help in our stay
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023
Response from Reservations on Mar 16, 2023
Thank you! We are glad you had a pleasant experience!

10/10 Excellent

Kevin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Mar 30, 2023
Dear Kevin, thank you. We hope to see you again soon.

6/10 Okay

valerie

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
The hotel is beautiful but there is nothing major about it. Prices of everything is the same ( if not higher ) than an expense s city in the US. The good quality is not great . Service at the restaurant is not friendly and often confused. Nosara is nice - Guiones is a very nice beach but it has lost his true Costa Rican soul. Locals are not friendly and only looking at making more money from US tourists . I would not return to the hotel .
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Feb 28, 2023
Dear Mrs. Valerie, we do apologize for the inconvenience experience,Every day we strive to offer an exceptional experience to our customers and it is clear that we could not achieve our goal this time. We would appreciate you giving us another chance and you can be sure that we will try to do everything possible to ensure that you have an excellent experience in our restaurant that many guests have already had the opportunity to enjoy.

10/10 Excellent

Jeff and Rebecca

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This place was excellent in every way. I would love to return.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023
Response from Reservations Department on Feb 26, 2023
Thank you Mr. & Mrs Montgomery, we hope to see you soon.

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The hotel is absolutely great, From the design, to the amenities and all the way to the excellent customer service. I rarely write reviews - but this hotel experience was so good., I had to let people know what a wonderful property this is. Mark K - Toronto
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023
Response from Reservations Team on Jan 23, 2023
Dear mr. Mark, thank you so much for this great review and for sharing your experience. We hope to host you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Frederico

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property is stunning and very well maintained. The pool area is beautiful and there is lots of green everywhere. The property is indeed close to the beach and we really liked the options around. The staff is really friendly and very helpful. We also really liked the restaurant of the property. They offer great options for breakfast and dinner. Pro tip: there is a good local restaurant in front of the property and the food is very good and the cost is a fraction compared to bigger restaurants in the area.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022
Response from Reservations team on Oct 11, 2022
Dear Frederico, thank you so much for your review. We are glad you had a great experience. We are hoping to host you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Donna

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very friendly staff and a beautiful hotel. The restaurant and the pool were my favorite spots!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Reservations department. on Sep 30, 2022
Dear Donna, thank you for your review!We hope to see you again soon.

8/10 Good

Elena

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great stay overall. Staff was nice and accommodating. I wish we had been notified about the ongoing construction, it wasn’t very relaxing by the pool with all of the noise all day long. On the first day someone walked into my room, the hotel too the incident seriously and I felt safe staying at the property. The location is perfect and right next to the beach. A few restaurants, coffee shop and juice bars in a close proximity. Gym schedule was inconvenient and the space is very, very small. I prefer to get my workouts out of the way early in the morning, however there’s are group fitness classes during that time. No treadmills or elliptical machines. The food at the hotel was good and great coffee. I stayed during low season, the hotel was not crowded.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Reservations department. on Sep 30, 2022
Dear Elena, thank you for sharing your experience. We will make sure to take action to correct this situation.I wish you could give us an opportunity to show you that we can do better. Please do not hesitate to contact us for your next visit to Nosara and the Gilded Iguana.

10/10 Excellent

Patricia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff was great. They were knowledgeable and friendly.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Reservations department. on Sep 27, 2022
Thank you for sharing your review! We will let our team know about it. Hoping to host you again shortly.

10/10 Excellent

Erik

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
Response from Reservations department. on Sep 6, 2022
Dear Mr.Erik, thank you so much for this great score. We hope to host you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Amy

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Henry

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Reservations Department on Aug 2, 2022
Dear Mr.Henry, thank you so much for this great score. We hope to host you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Merlin

Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Reservations department. on Jul 18, 2022
Dear Ms. Merlin, thank you for this great score. We hope to host you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Byron

Stayed 10 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Chelsea

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Was truly a magical honeymoon. Thank you for everything.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022
Response from Reservations department. on Jun 23, 2022
Dear Chelsea, thank you so much for choosing us for this incredible moment. We are glad you had a great time. Hope to see you soon in future

10/10 Excellent

hailey, San Clemente

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent boutique hotel. The place to stay in Nosara
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
Response from Reservations department. on Jun 14, 2022
Dear Hailey, thank you for this great score. . We hope to host you again in the future.