Almonds & Corals Tent Hotel, Manzanillo

This was a fun and sort of exciting lodge to visit and the only one other than Banana Azul that is right on the beach! The tents are large safari wall tents up on wooden platforms, meaning one flight of steps up to your room. It reminded me of my 2 safaris in the Maasai Mara of Kenya. You are surrounded by forest so not too close to other tents and there are beautiful boardwalk trails winding among the tents, all leading to either the beach or the dining room! And yes, you do have your own private bathroom as a part of the large tent design. I had few insects (they probably spray) in my tent and no other varmints came in, though I did see an Eyelash Pit Viper on a tree not far from my tent, 🙂 but nothing scary inside! Learn more by checking out their Website: Almonds & Corals. It is the only tent hotel I’ve been to in Costa Rica, but I understand that there are others including at least one that uses yurts.

Would I Return?

Maybe! That is sort of a yes or positive statement about it. As I get older my thirst for adventure has toned down and this visit was within my first 2 years in Costa Rica. But I did like it, though after discovering Banana Azul, it became my favorite place in the South Caribbean.

Likes

The beach! It is just down boardwalk from your tent and is a beautiful beach! During “Happy Hour” they set up a portable bar on the beach and are said to be famous for their mojitos! The beach is otherwise quiet enjoyable or peaceful to relax on or take a walk.
The restaurant was very good but not spectacular. Open air of course, but with a solid roof, not a tent! 🙂
They got me a birding guide that I still know who was pretty good and we went to multiple places. Of course you are very near Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Reserve which is excellent!
I also visited the Jaguar Rescue Center and the very nearby Ara Project which are both very good for nature lovers.

Dislikes

Nothing in particular, I just wasn’t wild about the tent room, especially after I saw the poisonous snake nearby.

Nature & Activities

I got ahead of myself and listed the nature things above under LIKES.
There are of course all the tours and water activities including snorkeling and surfing at nearby Cocles Beach, and other things that you get in nearby Puerto Viejo and it is not too far to Cahuita National Park.

Room & Restaurant

Looking at their website now, I see that the “tents” are more substantial now and have metal roofs and other solid structure, so it appears that you are in a little more than a tent! 🙂
The food as I remember it was similar to other places, good but not necessarily spectacular. It’s been several years since I was there.

Getting There

Like almost everywhere in Costa Rica, you can drive there in your car or hire a van or driver or there are some shared shuttle systems available where you ride in a van with other passengers. Caribe Fun Tours has one. From Atenas it is about 250 km or 5 1/2 hours drive.
Public Bus Service is available from anywhere in Costa Rica to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (not Manzanillo), usually changing buses in San Jose. Then from the center of Puerto Viejo you take a short taxi ride to the Almonds & Corals Hotel.
My preference now is for Walter to take me to the Domestic Terminal at the SJO Airport and I Fly Sansa to the Limón Airport (landing strip) which is south of Limón, thus about an hour to Manzanillo in a taxi. You get terrific vistas on the flight and it is so much quicker and easier! It’s around $100 each direction to/from anywhere in Costa Rica! 🙂 The hotel can arrange a taxi or it is a tiny bit cheaper to get the next available taxi at the airport. They are always there!