Hotel Cristal Ballena, Uvita - Retired in Costa Rica

I found this through online research and was pleased from the very first day there! It is on a very large piece of land on a hill overlooking the ocean and is a private wildlife reserve or sanctuary with lots of birds and other wildlife plus an upscale hotel and restaurant with wonderful rooms and great food! They have huge pool though no easy walking access to a beach, but will take you to one of the many public beaches. It is a beautiful structure on a great little piece of rainforest that I recommend. In 2025 I’m planning my 3rd trip there for Christmas, which is the same week I was there in 2021. My first visit in 2019 was in September which is suppose to be the best time to see whales and I did see multiple, but I still saw one on the December trip! Check out the Cristal Ballena Website for more information. And you will see below that I went off property for multiple excursions or tours which they will arrange.

Starting with a WATERSCAPES Slideshow . . .

Mountains to Sea
The Arches at Uvita
A large Ocean National Park
The Pacific from my room.
“Whale Rock” Island near hotel.
The Arches Beach
Rainforest between hotel & ocean.
One of the beaches from plane.
Coconut Palms on Rio Sierpe.
Birding on Rio Sierpe
The Arches Beach

Would I go there again?

Yes! And I am this year (2025).

Likes

Mostly the rain forest that I can freely walk around it with lots of birds and other wildlife.
Very nice and comfortable rooms and all with some kind of view.
Excellent food!
Lots of different outside tours & activities. See the list below.
Friendly, helpful people!

Dislikes

None right now.

Cristal Ballena BIRDS Slideshow . . .

All birds photographed at Hotel Cristal Ballena or Rio Sierpe . . .

Scarlet-rumped Tanager
Brown Booby
Tropical Mockingbird
Broad-winged Hawk
Yellow-throated Toucan
Roadside Hawk
Gray-cowled Wood Rail
Barn Owl
Purple Gallinule
White Ibis
Green Heron
Yellow Warbler
Crested Guan
Yellow-headed Caracara
Gartered Trogon

Nature & other Activities

Nature activities is what got me here and kept me returning! 🙂
See the hotel list of activities which I won’t repeat all of here.
The ones I participated in on my first two visits are both guided and on-my-own birding, plus walking the 30 acre rainforest trails, a whale-watching boat trip (twice!), Rio Sierpe Mangrove birding boat trip, a visit to Nauyaka Waterfall, and I’m hoping to see the Stone Spheres Archaeological site and museum this year.

Other NATURE Slideshow . . .

Three-toed Sloth
American Crocodile
Banana Plant Flower
Iguana
White-faced Capuchin Monkey
Squirrel Monkey
Banded Peacock
Hibiscus
Heliconius ismenius clarescens
Heliconia
Senna reticulata
Humpback Whale
Gulf Fritillary
Postman or Erato Heliconian
Panama Hat Flower

Rooms & Food

Simply said, I love their rooms & their food!

Getting There

If you want to drive, from Atenas it is 201 km and 3 hours 16 min drive.
I personally Fly Sansa from the San Jose Airport in Alajuela to Palmar Sur, a short taxi drive south of Uvita.
Bus: According to https://thebusschedule.com/cr/ there is a direct bus from Atenas to Uvita that takes 6 hours because of all the other stops along the way. But definitely cheaper than the other two ways! 🙂 In Uvita simply take a taxi to the hotel.