4 You Hostel, Playa Guiones, Nosara, Costa Rica

I’m going to let you in on a little secret travel delight of mine.

I absolutly LOVE to book things in advance on the wrong day. The joy of waiting for a shuttle that never comes, or arriving at a hostel on the wrong day is totally thrilling.

Well, obviously I’m joking, but this does tend to happen to me often while travelling. No matter how many times I double check, I am the queen of booking things for the wrong day. So I really wasn’t ALL that surprised when we arrived in Nosara only to learn that our reservation had been made for the next day.

P1030056Being the solution oriented couple that we are, we quickly decided that Shaun would stay with the gear, while I trucked down the road to find somewhere to stay. Based on the difficulties we had trying to make a reservation in the first place, we knew that Nosara was filling up fast, so there was no time to waste.

Let me tell you, the lucky horseshoes we had been carrying around since our debacle in Nicaragua continued to be present. The very first place I stumbled upon, 4 You Hostel, had one room left. It was a private room, with its own bathroom, and it was within our budget. I told the owner that I didn’t even need to see it, and that we would take it. She insisted, and frankly I was amazed. It was honest to goodness the nicest room I had seen on our entire trip.

Our room

Our room

We checked in and were in awe of the amenities that 4 You had to offer. Our room was not only immaculate, but felt like it was brand new. Had it not been for the Costa Rican heat, I could have easily mistaken it for a boutique hotel back home. Shaun and I both had long showers in what we dubbed “the best shower in Costa Rica”.

The VERY clean kitchen

The VERY clean kitchen

Across from our room was the shared kitchen, which was amazing. Unlike many of our accommodations, it was evident that 4 You Hostel was built with the intention of being a hostel. The shared kitchen has two of everything, including sinks and stoves as well as tons of storage space and every piece of kitchen equipment you could possibly need. It is perfectly designed to accommodate lots of people making lots of meals. Aside from being well equipped, the kitchen was also immaculate. Another rarity in the land of hostels.

One of the communal living spaces.

One of the communal living spaces.

Aside from the kitchen, the communal living space at 4 You is all outdoors. They have multiple couches ,chairs and benches set up so guests can lounge, relax and enjoy the free WiFi. They also have a deal with the Coffee shop next door, so between 8-10 you can pop over and get a free coffee and a discount on the delicious crepes they make. Can’t beat that. And, if you are looking for some beach time, it’s only a 10 minute walk away.

Although 4 You Hostel wasn’t in our initial plans, we certainly felt pretty fortunate that we got to stay there. If you are looking for accommodation in Guinoes and don’t mind a little bit of a walk to the beach, I would highly suggest checking them out!

Do you have any reservation error stories?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

 

Casa Rebecca, Nosara, Costa Rica

After our busy travel time inland, our accommodation in Nosara provided us the perfect backdrop for a little rest and relaxation.

P1020703Nestled in the south end of Playa Guiones, Casa Rebecca is a boutique hotel/hostel. They offer shared rooms in the main house, but also a few private rooms near the pool. They are about an 8-10 minute walk from the main surf break, and a few minutes away from the famous Nosara Yoga Institute.

Our room was large, had an ensuite bathroom and was about three steps to the pool. Not to shabby if you ask me.

The main house of Casa Rebecca iP1020704s both unique and gorgeous. The furniture has almost a Mediterranean vibe to it, white walls, wicker and gorgeous artwork.There are several couches and sitting areas that offer the perfect space to read, practice yoga, or just relax.

P1020706The best part of the main house though was the kitchen. The house was obviously run as a B&B at some point, as it is fully stocked with everything you could possibly need to make delicious meals. After dealing with some very poorly equipped, cramped, unfortunate kitchens in our past, we were delighted with what we had available. In fact, Shaun and I ate in every night during our five days here.

P1020709

The kitchen is attached to a communal dinning area, and living room, as well as a few of the dorm rooms. After being fairly secluded in our last couple hostels, it was nice to have a common space to meet and chat with people. Plus, one of the guests shared a pineapple upside down cake she had just baked, so seriously, what’s not to love.

Our room tucked in the back!

Our room tucked in the back!

I made our reservation through their website, and the owners were awesome in helping us find a room that fit both our budget and needs. At the time of our visit the owners weren’t on site, and the property was being cared for by two young Costa Rican girls. They were very sweet, and Shaun and I managed to wrestle our way through the language barrier during the check in and check out process. Other then that, we were pretty much on our own, which we didn’t mind at all.

As I was Googling Casa Rebecca, it looks like it is actually for sale. So if anyone is interested in a fabulous place with some serious B&B potential, you should buy it…and let me stay for free for making the referral of course!

If you want to read about any of the other places we’ve stayed in Costa Rica, check out our Hostel Review Page.

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress