El Gecko Hotel & Tours

El Gecko was much nicer than we expected! We were headed to Montezuma, and took the 6:00 PM ferry to Paquera. We didn't want to drive at night so we booked at El Gecko just for the night. It was very clean, and the room was spacious and comfy with a private bathroom. We had dinner at a wonderful little restaurant, which was about a 5 minute drive. There isn't much in walking distance, but everything is a short drive away. In the morning we heard howler monkeys and the lovely sounds of jungle birds. We had coffee on our little balcony overlooking the rustic grounds, and it was very lovely. It's a small and intimate hotel, and the owner greeted us and made us a cup of coffee. While drinking coffee on our lovely little balcony, we saw a whole flock of scarlet macaws! They were amazing to hear (they are loud!) and so beautiful! It felt like we were deep in the jungle, surrounded by beautiful plants and birds. We went to the Curu Wildlife Refuge on our way to Montezuma, which is about 20 minutes from the hotel. I would highly recommend a visit! Nice hiking trails, and a beautiful beach. We saw all sorts of wildlife. We enjoyed our stay at El Gecko Hotel and would highly recommend it.

Nothing, except if you don't have a car it might be hard to get to and to get food and other necessities. Also, not all rooms have a private bathroom. The beds are a bit small, but it wasn't a problem for us.

At first I was very nervous because of the makeshift fence and gate surrounding the property. But, the hosts were so very kind, the bedrooms were clean, sheets were clean, bathroom and shower room were also very clean. We were grateful for the fan, we would have loved another fan, but it was great. I felt very safe, which was a huge blessing. Thanks for a safe and affordable place to stay!

The fence surrounding the property, and the cleanup around the property could have been a little better. Other than that, it was great.

-Hotel is located next to the forest with lots of animals to spot: during our one night stay we observed howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, aras, colibris, iguanas and a turtle! -The hotel is nicely furnished and the garden was pretty. Our room was big with a nice bathroom -The host is very welcoming and helpful -The hotel offers tours. We participated in the bioluminescence boat tour and the Isla Tortuga tour. Were unique experiences!!!

-There is no restaurant in walking distance -Shower without warm water - not unusual in Costa Rica though 😊

Our stay at El Gecko Hotel&Tours was great. Everything was as expected! Inge, the hotel's owner and manager, was incredibly sweet and had great tips for the first day of our stay in Paquera. My husband and I did the Isla Tortuga tour with Inge's husband, which went really well. We enjoyed the day snorkeling and swimming at the island's beautiful white sand beaches! We would definitely recommend this place to everyone interested in exploring the southern part of the Nicoya Peninsula. This lesser-known part of Costa Rica is a gem in its own right!

we really enjoyed our stay here , we did the tours offered which were a good price and really amazing. If you stay here you should definitely see the bioluminescent plankton. we also did the snorkelling tour which my mum found amazing, she saw sharks and eels and angel fish the place was also exceptionally clean and tidy which is very nice. a good quiet area aswell, with the exception of a few iguanas scuttling on the roofs😂 and some sweet dogs.

We chose el Gecko as our travel through hotel on our way from San Jose to Montezuma. As we arrived, both of us were sick from eating the wrong things. Inge, our SUPERhost, took care of us and translated everything for us in the hospital to make sure we got healthy again. Without her it would have been almost impossible to manage this! Again a BIG thank you for this! In addition, the hotel is kind of inside a forest and has a paradisal surrounding.

Very nice helpful owner who took time to talk. Good relaxed location close to the nature with animals and birds in the garden. Great restaurants on walking distance for both breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Some more hooks in the room to hang clothes on would be good. It would also be good if the hotel find a way to prevent the disturbance with fruits falling against the tin roof. It was quite loud.

All the staff were friendly and accommodation was as described. Location was great listening to the sounds of the monkeys outside bedroom window. Numerous birds and wildlife roaming around the garden by the seating area. Local facilities within walking distance. Would highly recommend staying here.

No air conditioning but fan provided in room.

The staff was kind and the location was close to restaurants and supermarkets. The place was extremely clean and the beds so comfortable we overslept. The tour to see the bio-luminescent algae was one of the best experience I have had.

The gaps on the doors made us worry of bugs coming in, so we had to purchase a bug spray to make sure they would not come. Only having a cold shower was also unexpected and we would shy away from the place for long term.

This place is a must-stay on your journey. We did both the bioluminiscence and turtle tour with Juan (the owner) and enjoyed it fully. He and Inge are extremely friendly and helpful and you may get to drink a glass of Costa Rican Rum with them after a long day of adventures. The accomodation itself is very inviting and we had a heart-warming stay.