ONDA - Playa Grande

Great value for what you pay. The staff is friendly and always helpful. And the facilities are thought out extremely well. It's basically the hotspot for the area so it gives you a nice balance between relaxation and activity. The Wi-Fi is reliable and the workspace area is extremely well equipped in professional. I would highly recommend staying here. The facilities are also extremely clean. The Free breakfast at 8 AM and free coffee all day long were major pluses as well.

(Review was originally written in March 2025 and I forgot to post it until now) I stayed at Onda at the beginning of 2022 and I just completed my second visit (February 2025). As a bonus, I also stayed here at the beginning of 2020 when it was the Playa Grande Park Hotel (different ownership). I've stayed at one other accommodation in Playa Grande and can confidently say the price vs experience vs closeness to the beach cannot be beat. Onda also offers a discount on bookings more than seven nights (trust me, you'll want to spend at least that much time there). The rooms are simple, comfortable and clean. The restaurant serves delicious food, including a complimentary "family" breakfast with coffee and tea at 8am. The staff are friendly and accommodating. I can't comment on the excursions as we were so satisfied just hanging by the pool every day we didn't bother booking any. Playa Grande might be known as a popular surf destination but you definitely don't have to surf to enjoy your vacation there. I'm already planning my trip back to Onda for 2026 :) I can't wait to bring new friends to enjoy the experience. Thank you Onda team for making our stay wonderful and relaxing :)

Just got home from our amazing trip visiting ONDA Playa Grande. My wife and I booked a very last minute trip to Costa Rica. ONDA worked within our budget and could accommodate us in one of the their King Rooms. We were at first a little trepidatious at the hostel nature of the hotel, but those concerns were quickly allayed. We stayed in the room closest to the restaurant and though music played, it was always over at a respectful hour. The pool is nice and well maintained, the rooms are clean and large, and clean towels were refreshed daily, sheets every 3 days. One of the only drawbacks is the window in the room faces towards the walkways, so it meant our blinds were always down while inside the room, but we didn’t want spend much time in the room anyways. The very reliable wifi was also a massive plus. The restaurant was affordable and consistent (we didn’t have a bad meal there). There are several other great food options in the area. We are sometimes not the most outgoing, and were there to relax, so we were worried that the vibe from the other hostel guests might not gel, but everyone was really friendly, respectful and unimposing. Other guests were definitely there to travel and meet community, and ONDA seemed to facilitate both experiences well. The staff Rene, Matias, Alonso, among others I’m forgetting the names of, were always helpful and friendly. Olivia and Victor were amazing helping us book transport from the airport, surf lessons, and excursions around Guanacaste. Like I said, we booked VERY last minute, but we were able to fill our trip with adventure, thanks to Olivia and Victor. Also shoutout to our surf instructors Javier and Allan. We were absolute beginners and they were great teachers. The experience was definitely well worth the cost, and I’d say a must if you are visiting Playa Grande. The absolute highlight though is the location. Playa Grande is a beautiful area, and ONDA is a 3 minute walk to a stunning beach with breathtaking sunsets. Even though we went in high-season, we were pleased that the beach wasn’t overly crowded. We tried to visit the beach before 10:00 or later in the late afternoon for the sunset to avoid oppressive heat. It was a huge help that ONDA had a shaded pool that we could relax in to beat the heat mid-day. ONDA does not over promise for what they offer, but they delivered on what was important for us. If you want an all-inclusive 5 star resort, ONDA probably isn’t for you. But if you want a reliable, affordable, safe, clean place to stay, with good atmosphere, while you explore a beautiful part of Costa Rica, ONDA is perfect. Would stay there again in a heart-beat.