Costa Rica has two main international airports. Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO) and Guanacaste / Liberia Airport (LIR). LIR is a ~60 minute drive from Playa Grande, and SJO is 4-5 hours. Whilst LIR is much closer, flights are typically cheaper to SJO. There is a shuttle service available from both airports to Tamarindo (the next town by Playa Grande). 

1) (SJO / LIR) Renting a car – we prefer Alamo (www.alamocostarica.com) or Adobe (www.adobecar.com) as they display an “all in” price, which includes mandatory insurance, so there’s no surprises at pick-up time. 

2) (LIR) Taxi – plenty available at the airport. Offered at a fixed rate of ~$75 and can be arranged at the taxi stand next to the baggage claim at LIR.

3) (LIR/SJO) Shared shuttle services available from both airports and major tourist destinations to Tamarindo which is the next town south of Playa Grande. From Tamarindo you can get a taxi to Playa Grande for ~$25.  For the airport shuttle we  recommend using www.interbusonline.com or www.tamarindoshuttle.com with prices ~$20 from LIR and ~$57 from SJO.

4) (SJO) Public Transportation – it’s possible to take public transport from SJO into Tamarindo and then take a cab from there. Ultimately, you’ll end up spending about as much as you would for a shared shuttle, so we don’t recommend going this route. Public transportation can also be unreliable.

We pride ourselves on being able to provide our guests with fast and reliable internet access at our hotel. We have redundant 200mbs internet connections and utilize commercial networking equipment to combine the connections. To ensure no loss of connectivity we use an Uninterrupted Power Supply for short outages and will have a generator on hand for longer outages. Plus we provide a hard wired wifi extender in every room.

Currently travellers do not need to take a COVID test to enter Costa Rica. For those travellers that need to take a test to fly back to their country of origin, there are plenty of test sites available, including rapid tests at the airport. Please check your government website for all relevant travel advice related to COVID before travelling.

Unfortunately children are not allowed to stay at our hotel. All guests must be 18 years or older.

The best time to visit a country is always a tough question to answer, as “best” is always relative to the person asking and the travel experience they are looking for.  There are high and low tourist seasons. Times of the year that surfing is better or you can see certain wildlife or times of the year when everything is brown and dusty, or green and lush. For the best answer to this question, please visit this blog post where  we will break down the various seasons and share what we think are the best times of year to visit Costa Rica: https://stayonda.com/travel-blog/best-time-to-visit-costa-rica/

We have a restaurant and bar located at the hotel open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From a healthy breakfast to sunset cocktails come and enjoy local and fresh cuisine as you meet fellow travelers, socialize with friends, and plan your future adventures.

Check-in time is 3:00pm and check-out time is 11:00am

Coming in late 2022, ONDA Playa Grande will have a dedicated coworking space with a fast and reliable internet connection – allowing our guests to work remotely with peace of mind and comfort.  On the ground floor we will have our coworking lounge complete with comfortable seating and spacious desks in a quiet area of the hotel so you can work, relax or read by yourself or with other coworkers.  On the second floor will be our coworking office with dedicated work desks and two dedicated meeting rooms designed for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.

Many travellers ask “Is Costa Rica safe?” before visiting. And the quick and simple answer to that question is, “Yes – Costa Rica is a very safe country”. Here is why:  Costa Rica is governed by a democracy and is a peaceful neutral county. All military was abolished in 1948, and the locals are very proud of their commitment to peace. It is reported to be the safest of all the countries in Central America.  With tourism being a leading source of income for Costa Rica they have spent millions of dollars to develop infrastructure that is attractive to foreign tourists. Costa Rica long ago recognized the value in repeat visitors so locals want to keep tourists safe and happy so they come back again and again.

The local currency in Costa Rica is the colón, but US dollars are widely accepted. Many ATMs allow you the option of withdrawing US dollars or colónes. Credit Cards are accepted at most places but it’s advised to carry cash on you just in case.

This will depend on your mobile phone network provider. We’ve had good luck with Verizon, Sprint/T-Mobile, and AT&T, but our carrier of choice for international travel is Google Fi. There are plenty of affordable sim cards available to buy when you arrive in Costa Rica.

It’s generally safe to drink tap water in Costa Rica, except in the most rural and undeveloped parts of the country. However, if you prefer to be cautious, buying bottled water is your best bet. If you have the means, vigorous boiling for one minute is the most effective means of water purification. 

At ONDA we have installed a state of the art filtration system to ensure our guests have access to clear, safe drinking water. We are also committed to reducing the use of single use plastics, so whilst you won’t be able to buy water bottles at ONDA, you will be provided with a glass and access to drinking water.