Hostal Bumba - Hostel

I just enjoyed the most relaxing and beautiful extended vacation at Hotel Bambú. It met my every expectation and then some. Service was relaxed and yet professional. The employees seemed truly happy. I consider myself a pretty low-maintenance guest, but whatever specific request I made, like a hammock on my balcony, was met with a cheerfully positive response. I chose this hotel because of its unique location at the intersection of a river and the ocean. The views did not disappoint. I watched doves nesting and iguanas eating fruits from the trees just feet from my balcony. Even though the property is very much surrounded by nature, the grounds are kept so tidy that I never felt the need to wear shoes. The owners are all about improving their sustainability practices, so if that’s important to you, this is your hotel. No, my room didn’t have air conditioning, but it did have a great fan and a mini-fridge. With the windows wide open, I fell asleep to the sound of the waves and woke up to the friendly chatter of the local birds. I even scored myself a free drink from the bar for collecting a bag of trash at the beach (you can too). As a single female traveler, I felt very safe here. I never needed to leave the hotel grounds after dark if I didn’t want to because the on-site restaurant is open from 8 am-10 pm. The menu was loaded with terrific vegetarian options that rivaled any seafood-centered dish I tried. Since I stayed for two weeks, I was able to take advantage of most of the hotel’s services, including a fantastic massage in the little spa and laundry services. My clothes came back quickly and ironed at a price I’m embarrassed to admit to paying ($5). In short, if you’re looking for a safe, clean, kind, comfortable, sustainable home-far-away-from-home, this is it. It’s pet friendly too!