Refugio Lodge

The lodge is in a very walkable area and the staff was very friendly. I would recommend to anybody visiting Tamarindo. The atmosphere, especially at nighttime was great. We enjoyed the bar and live music.

this was our first time visiting costa rica (tamarindo specifically) and we chose to stay at refugio lodge for its convenient location and short walk to the beach. the daily breakfast and sunset bonfire tour with Johan (cafe barista) were some our trip highlights. all of the staff were super friendly and nice which made it feel like home! the noise level was a bit more than what we read from other reviews; we were hoping to have some quieter nights after the weekend. overall it was a good stay and the noise at night did not ruin our experience!

This hotel is in a great location. The hotel features a bar, restaurant, and coffee bar where they roast the coffee beans in house. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The food and drinks were excellent. We were within walking distance of the Tamarindo night life, shops, and beach. Highly recommended.

Our stay at the Refugio Lodge exceeded all of our expectations, with Augustin and the staff making us feel at home. The hotel was beautiful with clean and spacious rooms. The attached cafe (with free breakfast included) was amazing and i still think about the banana pancakes and coffee. The location was unbeatable being in the heart of Tamarindo, next to the farmers market, walking distance to all the restaurants, and being less than a 5 minutes walk from the beach. The staff helped ensure our trip was memorable with helping coordinate private transportation to and from the Liberia airport and helping schedule excursions to the waterfalls/etc. We are already planning our next trip back and we will be staying here again !!

Location of this property puts you right in the middle of the action of the vibrant party surf town. Walk to all nightlife, beach, shopping and dining is very convenient! Live music and dancing nearby and on the property. Don't expect quiet going to sleep - embrace the experience. The staff, included breakfast and coffee were AMAZING! Friendly, helpful, excellent local suggestions for food and activity. Thank you for a wonderful stay! Pura Vida

This was our first ever trip to Costa Rica. I made sure I prepared by reading reviews, especially on the accommodations. Refugio lodge was spot on as far as my expectations went. Augustin, our host, was incredibly kind, informative, very down to earth and engaged. My son and I felt like Refugio was our home away from home. Same staff you get to know. Pets that just add to the feeling of home. The caffe menu offered delicious options even for my sensitive gut and the coffee was so good that I never even had coffee anywhere else. My son is 13 and we like to try and see new things. One evening, we got stranded on the wrong side of the ocean inlet. No boat to take us back after sunset and all we had was my phone and $40. I reached out to Augustin and we stayed in constant communication until we were back “home”. He made us feel safe, hopeful and not alone. This is not something he had to do but that’s just what you get at Refugio. It’s a family. If anyone is looking for more of a local experience, not the resort kind that could feel isolated, you need to try Refugio. Having read previous reviews and having heard all the disclaimers from Augustin himself, the town center night life was not an issue. Even though we were not participating in the night fun, after daily activities, when truly tired, we were able to get the sleep we needed. It’s a vacation spot after all and everyone needs to be having their kind of fun;) To us, great service and kind friendly people matter the most.

Well I don't know where to start about Refugio, I can't recommend this place enough! The entire place was awesome from the moment we walked in. The facility was fun, cozy, welcoming, clean, safe and well maintained. Our room was clean, ready and had just the accommodations we needed. If you couldn't find it from pictures The front portion of Refugio is a restaurant and bar, then a coffee shop, and then in the back is a nice private area for the hotel. The real magic about this place though was the staff. We were first greeted by Pablo who was upbeat, very welcoming, and clearly showed it was his mission to accommodate our every need. The entire staff was friendly, not just to us and other guests but to each other. staying there felt like hanging out with a bunch of good friends. They also went above and beyond as my wife and I had to leave to come home to the US at 04:00 in the morning so the owner Augustine had the chef set aside sandwiches for us in the morning so we could still enjoy that free breakfast on our last day. The security guard (who had been up all night) greeted us with a friendly face in the morning and gave us our sandwiches and juice and even helped load our luggage. If you're trying to decide where to stay let me help easy your conscience, just stay here, you'll love it! One thing to note is there is a club close by so you can often hear the music late into the night but it isn't too loud. Also no room refrigerators but the staff have some available to use.

We stayed here for five nights and absolutely loved it. It’s in the center of town with everything right by. The room was perfect and the hotel itself was beautiful!

The staff at Refugio are absolutely amazing ! Pablo, Luna, Nico ,Augustine and the rest go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and appreciated! The location is right in the middle of everything , shopping , dining, minutes from the beach, evening markets , etc . Overall great experience, their coffee is amazing , all food is fresh and handcrafted with love . Live music several days a week . Love Refugio Lodge

I had a great stay at Refugio Lodge in Tamarindo! The rooms were nice, clean, and well-maintained, making for a comfortable stay. The location is fantastic—right in the heart of Tamarindo and just a short walk to the beach, restaurants, and shops. The staff was wonderful, especially Agustin, who was incredibly helpful and communicative. He was always quick to answer questions, provided great recommendations, and helped us arrange tours. The guys in the cafe and the bar staff were all very kind and friendly. The included breakfast was delicious, a great way to start the day. The attached bar/restaurant was a fun bonus, with live music most nights that added to the lively atmosphere. The only downside is that because of its central location, it can be a bit noisy at night from a nearby nightclub (you can’t hear the live music from the bar in the rooms). We were warned of this in advance and Agustin had offered us earplugs as well. It didn’t bother us at all, but if you are sensitive to noise, it may not be the ideal place for you. However, if you’re looking to be in the middle of the action, this is a great spot. Would definitely recommend for anyone wanting a convenient and vibrant place to stay in Tamarindo!

I cannot say enough positive things about my recent stay at Refugio Lodge. It was a perfect vacation in best location staying at the most hospitable and lovely place. Prior to my stay Agustín was extremely quick to respond to our dozens of questions about Costa Rica and made tons of recommendations and suggestions. Firstly, Refugio is in the PERFECT location in the heart of Tamarindo. Beach 5 min walk away, amazing restaurants, great bars and a supermarket across the street. Refugio itself was great. Large room and the restaurant/bar attached to the hotel was my favourite part. Delicious breakfast and coffee- I looked forward to it every day! And each night there was awesome live music or a dj where it was always happening and lively. I never stayed at a hotel before that had a better lounge or restaurant. Also everyone who worked there was funny and friendly! Such a breath of fresh air. I will say that it’s noisy at night, while you are in the heart of Tamarindo near nightclubs and bars, but if you have a couple of glasses of wine and on the beach all day or on an excursion, you’ll still sleep like a baby! I would definitely return. In fact, there is no other place. I would stay in Tamarindo . highly recommend staying here! You won’t regret it if you are fun and appreciative wonderful customer service and great food. Ps. Try the Caipirinha’s at the Refugio Bar… to die for!

very noche

we are so happy we found this spot! The staff was so friendly and welcoming. They provided a list of recommendations for food and things to do, which was nice since it can be overwhelming with all the options. The breakfast was tasty and the burgers were delicious! There is live music some nights at the bar and the staff makes you feel like family. We liked it so much we came back to finish our last night in Costa Rica :) only downside is it can be loud as Tamarindo is becoming more of a party town but they provide earplugs which help! def recommend!

We had a fantastic stay recently at Refugio Lodge. The rooms were very clean and had comfortable beds with A/C in the room. Outside the room we were able to enjoy the nice lounge area with pool. With it being a smaller hotel you weren’t having to share the pool with a lot of people like you would see at many other hotels. In most times it was almost like your own private pool. This was definitely a highlight. The breakfast every morning was amazing! I would say best coffee and breakfast food in town! It is very centrally located and you can easily walk to the beach, shopping and the many restaurants in town. It is noisy at night with the surrounding bars and restaurant but nothing ear plugs didn’t take care of. The central location more than made up for the noise. The highlight was the guest experience from the staff. All of the staff at the cafe and bar were very friendly and helpful. Agustín was especially helpful with checking us in and out and was always available to help with planning things to do in town and was a great help to be able to navigate the town and find the best activities and events to fill our time! We would stay here again and again!

In the heart of Tamarindo, which means lots of options for food and entertainment. It also means lots of noise from surrounding businesses. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. There is room for improvement for the facility but I can see that they are working on this improvements

This was our first time staying in Tamarindo, and Agustín made sure that our trip was perfect. We will definitely be back to stay at Refugio Lodge. Agustín goes above and beyond to help arrange everything you need during your stay - from transportation, to outings like surfing and crocodile tours. He also made a point to tell us about good spots to visit, and interesting things happening nearby, such as the night market that is just down the street on Thursdays. Refugio Lodge is small - just six rooms - so you often have the pool to yourself, and you get personal attention from staff that would not be possible at a bigger place. Your stay includes a fantastic breakfast and some of the best coffee in the area every morning. The beds were comfortable and the courtyard is beautiful. The location is close to everything -- grocery stores, banks, great food, the beach, shopping, it's all right there. Keep in mind that the trade off for a great location is that you are in the center of town, and Tamarindo knows how to party, so you will be surrounded by restaurants and bars playing loud live music at night, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. Refugio warned us about the noise when we booked, so we brought earplugs and didn't have any trouble going to sleep. It was also nice and quiet by 2am. But it is important to book with realistic expectations about the area. Thank you Refugio Lodge for hosting us, we couldn't have imagined a better stay.

Agustin and staff were very friendly and very helpful. Central location but was noisey...however we were warned and the complimentary ear plugs were much appreciated! Thank you

Located in a prime spot, this place was clean, convenient with amazing staff. Augustin was very prompt with his communication and took great care of all o our needs! His staff is very helpful and the nearby bar is excellent for a night cap. Breakfast and on site cafe is excellent!

Wonderful place in the center of town. Perfect location, and the staff was fantastic, super friendly and warm. The breakfast was amazing, and the coffee too. Totally recommended.

I would Refugio Lodge to anyone and everyone traveling to Tamarindo. ALL of the staff were so amazing and beyond accommodating. A special shout out to the youngest staff member, Pablo! He, along with everyone else there made us really feel like family throughout our stay!! The breakfast from the cafe (which was included with our stay) was delicious and I don’t drink coffee but my mom and sister couldn’t stop raving about their coffee (the roast is directly in house). The food from the restaurant was also soooo delicious. The location of the lodge is perfect, walking distance to the beach and all the shops, restaurants and bars that tamarindo has to offer. Before checking in they had provided us with information on popular tours, a map of recommended spots in tamarindo and tips to save $$ while in the area. We will definitely be back and thank you so much for making our stay absolutely wonderful! They truly go above and beyond for their guests <3