Hotel Capitán Suizo is a family-owned four-star beachfront boutique hotel located on the southernmost point of Playa Tamarindo, a stunning beach on the coast of Guanacaste Province, where the yellow sand beach tumbles into boulders. The hotel was built with the lush wildlife and plant life in mind, with paths made to work around the ancient trees, where wildlife may roam freely across. The gardens are entirely organic and maintained without pesticides and the hotel is situated beneath a towering canopy of indigenous trees that is home to families of howler monkeys. Visitors may also bump into iguanas, raccoons and skunks meandering through the lush gardens.
Capitan Suizo Tamarindo
Hotel Capitán Suizo is located on Playa Tamarindo, and is 1.6km from the town of Tamarindo, a bustling seaside town with a variety of bars and restaurants for visitors to explore and make use of the important infrastructural features. Tamarindo is the most developed town in the province of Guanacaste, a province that was part of Nicaragua until 1825. The hotel is perfectly situated to allow guests to explore the stunning beaches or national parks, so each day is never the same as the last.
Hotel Capitán Suizo is accessible by car. If flying into Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport, the 65km drive via Route 21 takes around 90 minutes.
- Located on Playa Tamarindo
- Swimming pool
- Gym
- Open-air spa
- Beachfront restaurant and bar
- Free wi-fi
- Situated in lush indigenous forest
- Grounds are home to a variety of wildlife
There are a total of 22 Superior Rooms at Hotel Capitán Suizo, 11 of them are on the ground floor and open onto private terraces, whilst the other 11 are situated on the upper floor and open onto furnished semi-circular balconies. All 22 of the Superior Rooms feature a split-level layout, with a king-sized bed in a four-poster teakwood bed frame on the upper level, and a separate seating area with a sofa bed on the lower level.
The Superior Rooms are all finished in a natural, warm palette; the whitewashed walls, adorned with photos depicting the history of Costa Rica, and vaulted ceilings are afforded a cosy and chic effect by the terracotta tile flooring and locally made teakwood furniture. The Superior Rooms can accommodate up to 3 guests and are complete with an ensuite bathroom which is finished in either blue tiling or polished grey concrete with a vanity unit and tiled cubicle shower.
The Bungalows and Beachfront Bungalows at Hotel Capitán Suizo are free-standing studio-style structures with high vaulted ceilings and exposed wood beams. The 6 Bungalows are set off of individual paths through the stunning tropical gardens and are situated a short walk from the pool area, whereas the 2 Beachfront Bungalows offer guests direct access to the beach.
The Bungalow properties all feature large wrap-around covered terraces, furnished with lounge chairs, bistro-style furniture which allows guests to take meals on the terrace and hammocks. A wall of glass sliding doors open to reveal the split-level layout, with a seating area and sofa bed on the lower level and a set of stairs which leads up to the teakwood four-poster king-sized bed. The décor of the Bungalows is in keeping with the chic, modern take on beachfront living used in the rest of the hotel. The whitewashed walls and crisp white linens provide an attractive contrast to the warm wood floorings and handcrafted teak and cedar furniture. The spacious ensuite bathroom features a double jacuzzi bath, but the star of the show is the outdoor waterfall shower hidden behind a curving concrete wall under the towering palm trees.
The Bungalow properties accommodate up to 3 guests.
The two Beachfront Garden Rooms are situated on the ground floor and offer guests stunning ocean vistas from the luxurious king-size bed. Wide glass sliding doors open onto a private terrace with bistro-style furniture, to allow meals to be taken on the terrace, hammocks and cushioned loungers for soaking in the sun and ocean air.
The Beachfront Garden Rooms can accommodate up to 2 guests and are complete with a spacious ensuite, with a double jacuzzi bath and cubicle shower. The décor throughout matches the luxe boho beach vibe of the rest of the property with the king-sized teakwood four-poster bed dressed in white linen, and the contrast of the terracotta tile flooring.
The Beachfront Suites are afforded an idyllic location, with direct access to the beach and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. One of the Suites is situated on the ground floor and the other is on the upper floor, but both make fantastic use of the incorporated indoor-outdoor living, with the terrace of the ground floor suite and the balcony of the upper floor Suite acting as an open-air extension of the unit with bistro-style furniture, cushioned loungers and hammocks.
Inside, both Suites feature a king-sized teakwood four-poster bed, and an open plan comfortable living area with mid-century modern sofas dressed in neutral earth-toned soft furnishings. One extends out into a second bed for a third guest.
Both Suites are complete with a spacious ensuite with double sink vanity units and showers, all in keeping with the Suites luxe beach boho décor of whitewashed walls and terracotta tiling throughout. The upper floor Beachfront Suite also boasts a double jacuzzi.
The Beachfront Suites can accommodate up to 3 guests.
The Four-Bedroom Suite, located on the second floor of the main building, is the ideal accommodation for a family or large group travelling together. The apartment-style Suite is centred around a spacious open plan living and dining area with vaulted ceilings and oversized sofas. It features a master bedroom with a king-sized bed, one bedroom with a queen-sized bed, and two additional bedrooms with two twin beds in each. Each of the bedrooms has a private ensuite with a vanity unit and spacious shower, three of the ensuite bathrooms boast a jacuzzi bathtub.
The large terrace can be accessed from the living area and two of the bedrooms, furnished with cushioned lounge chairs and hammocks, the terrace boasts stunning views over the tree canopy and grounds of the hotel.
The Four-Bedroom Suite can accommodate up to 8 guests.
El Barco is situated directly on the beach and offers guests stunning views with their meals. Breakfast is served buffet-style, but there are hot breakfast items available for those seeking a heartier option. The à la carte lunch and dinner menus provide a variety of international and traditional Costa Rican cuisine, with ingredients sourced from the hotel’s own organic garden and free-range chicken farm. The emphasis of the menu is on sustainable, locally sourced, organic ingredients used to create exquisite dishes. Dinner is also accompanied by live Marimba music twice a week.
The open-air spa offers guests a variety of luxury treatments that can be enjoyed in the lush greenery of the hotel’s tropical gardens, or get a massage on the beach whilst listening to the gentle surf against the shore.
The hotel offers surfboard rental, and an on-site instructor offers classes so the sport is accessible to every level of experience. Or enjoy the complimentary boogie boards to play on the waves!
Take a sea kayak out and explore the beauty of Capitán Island and Tamarindo Bay; it’s the best way to observe wildlife, including wading birds, monkeys and the ecosystem of the mangrove forest. Or take a boat tour down the estuaries with a knowledgeable guide and learn more about the indigenous flora and fauna.
Miravalles is the highest peak in the Cordillera de Guanacaste and is home to some breathtaking geological activity: hot sulphur springs, steaming fissures and bubbling mud pools that visitors can bathe in. The National Parks offer stunning hiking trails and dramatic waterfalls hidden through the lush cloud forest, wildlife in the area include monkeys, cougars, ocelots, tapirs and jaguars.
The Capitán Suizo Hotel was awarded the highest possible level of certification with the Certification For Sustainable Tourism, a program developed by the Costa Rican Tourism Board, in 2013 and has maintained those standards ever since; reflecting the hotel’s environmental, social, cultural and economic commitment in all facets of the operation. The hotel believes in operating in a way that means all parts of its practice and activities can be performed without compromising the resources that are available to future generations.
In order to stimulate the social and economic development of its inhabitants, the hotel contributes to the development of the Tamarindo community and other nearby towns through activities, projects or grants that are handled through organised groups, community organisations or government institutions. The hotel is also a member of Pack for a Purpose, and encourage guests to pack supplies to donate to local schools and communities in need.
Capitán Suizo has implemented several methods which help to conserve water and reduce waste. The staff are educated on the importance of water conservation through workshops, where they are shown how to utilise the log that Capitán Suizo has implemented which records daily water use and allows for instant identification of leaks. The hotel’s on-site water treatment plant allows them to reuse water for the garden during the dry season.
Capitán Suizo monitors and analyses the monthly energy consumption of the hotel as a way to identify areas that could be improved. The hotel has installed solar panels throughout the property which produces the energy to heat water throughout the property and aims to become more self-sufficient. The staff at Capitán Suizo are educated on the responsible use of energy resources through workshops.
Waste produced in the hotel is recycled in the on-site facilities and the production of waste is monitored and analysed every month to reduce the production of waste across the property. All waste is responsibly disposed of and staff are trained in responsible waste management.
Capitán Suizo provides support for the Ministry of Environment by caring for wounded wildlife on the property and offering them a safe haven where they aren’t kept in captive conditions or fed with artificial feeders. Any merchandising or extraction of wild flora and fauna is outright rejected by the hotel.
The green areas of Hotel Capitán Suizo are 100% organic. They are maintained with organic fertilisers and free of pesticides, they represent a biological corridor and habitat for wildlife; that provide wildlife and native species with food, rest and reproduction sites. The artificial lighting used in the property was carefully chosen so as to not alter the natural environment or disturb the behaviour of the wildlife.
Capitán Suizo aims to reduce its carbon footprint by performing annual reforestation and hosting environmental education activities and workshops for both staff and the local community, including children to raise awareness of what can be done to help. The hotel also encourages guests to consider offsetting the carbon footprint emitted by their trip to Costa Rica, by contributing to local projects.
Children are welcome at Hotel Capitán Suizo, and a variety of activities are offered to entertain younger guests.