Rent a House in Costa Rica or Stay in a Hotel? That is the Question!

We get this question a lot—especially with the popularity of home-sharing websites such as my FAVORITE, Airbnb. (Seriously, if you have not stayed in an Airbnb yet, YOU ARE NOT LIVING.) So let me tell you my very biased and opinionated thoughts, considering that we live here in Costa Rica, we work with tourists every day, we've seen the benefits of both, AND as travelers, we enjoy both.

You should stay in a hotel if:

You're on a budget.
Believe it or not, it's usually cheaper to stay in a hotel here in Costa Rica than it is to rent a house, because the houses are really, really nice. Or perhaps I should say, the tourist vacation homes are really, really nice. The homes that the majority of the local population live in would probably not be categorized by Western standards as, "nice." (Think: cinderblock with tin roof.) It's a striking disparity. That said, most of the vacation homes have been built by Westerners who have a lot of dough and want really nice freaking views. And they're in demand, so they tend to be expensive. (Think: $3,000 - $5,000 a week.)
You aren't renting a car.
You'll probably want to stay in a hotel if you are going to be carless, because most vacation homes are found on the side of sweeping mountains overlooking the ocean. That's one thing you need to know about renting a home here: hardly any of them are on an actual beach. It's not like Mexico—there are laws here that prevent construction. If you're in a hotel, the concierge can arrange your transportation or it's likely you'll be on a main road where you can go out and hail a taxi or take the bus. But in a rental house? You'll more likely be walking along a dirt road on the side of a cliff.
You want help organizing things.
Here, the hotel concierge basically double as personal assistants. You wanna go ziplining? They'll book it for you. Want a table at a restaurant? They'll book it for you. Want a van back to the airport? They'll book it for you. (Side note: the reason is because they will get a small kickback for doing the booking; however, this is standard practice throughout the country and entirely normal and customary. Your concierge is not taking advantage of you, and you do not pay more because of this.) This can be really useful if you don't speak Spanish and you haven't done much planning and you have no flipping idea what to do or where to go. Your hotel dudes are ON IT.

On the other hand, you should stay in a private home if:

You're a big family or group.
Only because it can be much nicer, having everyone chillin' in the same space—watching the sunset together, mixing some margs, kids jumping into the pool, listening to the sounds of the frogs at night. It'll certainly be one hell of a memorable experience!
You like the finer things in life.
While some of the hotels are certainly stunning, the rental homes are EXQUISITE little mini mansions dotting the hillsides along the ocean. Many of them have really exotic, contemporary architecture (think: walls of glass or homes totally done in Balinese style with coy ponds underneath walkways) and you won't get tired of the view.
You do have a rental car.
See my note above. :)
You're planning on being up late and boozing.
Most of the rental homes have a bit more privacy than a hotel would, i.e. you won't drive everyone in the hotel crazy, out by the pool at midnight shit-canned. That said, if your rental home is in a location with local neighbors, you'll want to be respectful and go inside to have your fun past 10pm. There are noise ordinances in place, and the cops do come. (And yes, the neighbors will call them if you’re in close proximity and you’re being ridiculous.) So if you're thinking that a party is in your future—like if you're getting married and want to dance until 5am—look for a rental home that's a bit more secluded.

Hopefully this helps!

Both are great ways to do Costa Rica like whoa. Regardless of which you pick, make sure you get your reservations as soon as possible, though—things get booked up quickly, especially during high season! The sooner the better. And, #PROTIP: always check places like Expedia, too, because oftentimes hotels have to reserve a block for companies like them—even if it appears they are booked. :)

HAPPY HUNTING! Don't forget bug spray.